Home From Home

Inspection of Home From Home 107 Chepstow Drive, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK3 5NG

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children arrive at the nursery eager and excited for their day to begin. They are cared for in a carefully organised homely setting, where staff have created a well- thought-out space for children. Children particularly enjoy snuggling on the sofas to share stories or having a rest in the cosy book area. The manager and her staff have high expectations for all children in their care and provide a safe and stimulating learning environment, which supports children's interests. Children develop strong attachments to their key person and they seek comfort and reassurance as they need it, especially when they are unsure about new experiences, or visitors to the nursery.

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The provision is good

Children's independence skills are nurtured well within the nursery. They confidently look for their name cards, as they self-register on arrival. Staff encourage children to 'have a go' when trying to complete tasks for themselves. For example, children competently spread butter onto their crackers at snack time and use tongs to select their cucumber and cheese. Children demonstrate their self-care skills as they put on their coats and change their clothes. Toys and resources are stored to enable children to select for themselves, further promoting their independence and confidence.

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need to do better?

n The manager and her staff team are passionate about the continual development of the nursery. They have a clear vision for the future and are motivated to achieve the best possible outcomes for all children. n Children's behaviour is good. Staff act as positive role models and provide regular opportunities for children to revisit the rules of the setting. Staff speak gently to children, particularly where they need more emotional support. Staff support children's confidence and emotional skills well. They boost children's confidence levels with lots of positive praise. This helps children to become confident and independent learners. n Staff plan a rich and varied selection of well-organised activities across the curriculum which engage and focus children to learn. Staff engage well with children and, overall, model good language skills to support children's play and experiences. However, at times, staff do not give children enough time to

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need to do better?

respond to questions before moving on. n Parents' views of the nursery are highly complimentary. They say staff share regular information with them about their children's well-being and learning. Parents praise the hard work of the manager and her staff. They comment how staff supported them extremely well through the COVID-19 pandemic, providing activities and ideas to support children's learning at home. n Staff use additional funding well to address gaps in children's learning. For

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need to do better?

18 October 2021 example, the manager provides further resources for these children at nursery, tailored to their individual needs, and provides resources for the children to also use at home. Additional funding is used well to enhance and enrich children's experiences. n Professional development is strong. Staff are encouraged to further their own qualifications and careers. Staff speak very highly of the support that they receive from the manager. She implements systems to ensure that staff's workload is managed effectively and their well-being is consistently supported. This means that staff feel valued and enjoy their roles. n Overall, staff support children's language development well. However, staff do not fully understand how to support children who speak other languages at home, to help them use and develop these alongside English. For example, staff do not give children consistent opportunities to use their home languages in play

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need to do better?

within the setting. n Staff provide a good range of activities which support children's interests and enhance learning. For example, children explore the water tray, making Halloween potions. They use words such as 'poisonous', 'sour' and 'spooky' to describe the pretend potions they make. Children learn to safely and competently chop fruits with knives and snip herbs with scissors, which supports their physical skills for early writing.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a good understanding of the signs and symptoms which could indicate a child is at risk of harm or abuse. They complete regular child protection training to keep themselves aware of current guidance, such as what to do should they suspect a child, their siblings or parents are at risk of radicalisation. The manager frequently checks staff's knowledge as she asks safeguarding questions during staff meetings and regular supervision meetings. Staff know what to do if they have any concerns about a colleague's practice, including the manager.

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should:

n support staff to develop their questioning skills to ensure they give children time and opportunity to think and respond n increase staff's understanding of how to support children who speak other languages at home, including the benefits of this for children's learning and development.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2533126 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 10208515 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 22 Number of children on roll 28 Name of registered person Home From Home Childcare Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 07572218427 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Home From Home registered in 2019. It operates from Chepstow Community Centre, in Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 5.30pm. The nursery employs seven members of staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The inspector had a learning walk with the manager through all areas of the premises used by the children. n Parents shared their views through written feedback. The inspector took these views into account. n The inspector observed the quality of interactions during activities, and assessed the impact on children's enjoyment and engagement. n The inspector looked at a sample of documentation. This included evidence about suitability and training records.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

18 October 2021 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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