Two Mile Ash Pre-School

Inspection of Two Mile Ash Pre- School Two Mile Ash Community Centre, The High Street, Two Mile Ash, Milton Keynes MK8 8LH

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

There have been several changes in staff recently at the pre-school, and this has been unsettling for children and families. Some children show signs of feeling anxious when they arrive and separate from their parents. However, children do later settle and spend their time playing with a range of interesting activities. For example, they demonstrate their excitement when pouring rice through a water wheel to make it turn. Although children show interest and enjoyment during activities, there is no clear intent for the curriculum to build on what they already know and can do. Overall, children are developing good communication and language skills. Some children are confident talkers who express themselves well. Children who speak English as an additional language hear lots of enriching language. Staff repeat words to help with children's understanding. Staff try to learn some key words in the children's home language. However, because many

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The provision requires improvement

children speak multiple languages, this strategy is not fully effective in supporting all children.

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The provision requires improvement

Expectations are clear for children and help them to behave well. When children play outdoors, staff encourage them to take part in team games, such as playing with a ball. This encourages them to learn to share and take turns. Children are building on their social skills and are starting to form relationships at the pre- school.

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need to do better?

n The committee members who lead the pre-school are not involved in the day-to- day running of the setting. The manager has had practical support during a turbulent period at the pre-school. However, she has not had effective supervision to enable her to focus her attention on developing an effective curriculum. n There is no clear intent for the curriculum. Staff understand about children's development, but without a clear focus, they lack an understanding of what is most important for children to learn to support their continuing good progress. n Most staff do not yet know the children and their families well. This affects their ability to meet their needs and know how to support their learning effectively. As staff are unfamiliar to children and their parents, children are yet to form trusting relationships with them. However, staff are kind and caring, and families are slowly getting to know key people. Some parents say that they do not know

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need to do better?

enough about what their children are learning to suitably support their learning and development at home. n Over half of the children who attend the pre-school are learning English as an additional language. Staff want to help support their communication and language development and have learned some key words in the home language

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need to do better?

10 November 2022 of some children. However, staff are only just finding out about children's family backgrounds and, on occasion, they are uncertain what language children speak at home. Furthermore, they are uncertain of correct pronunciations. Despite this, children are starting to seek staff out for support and reassurance. They demonstrate they are beginning to feel settled and secure as they smile warmly at staff and include them in their play. n Staff are finding out about children's interests. They gather information to help them to plan activities. Recently, staff have made improvements to the outdoor area as they recognise that some children prefer to learn outdoors. There are a wide range of opportunities for children to be active and develop their physical skills. n Staff read lively and captivating stories to children. Children listen with interest as they recognise characters. In turn, this contributes towards children hearing

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need to do better?

language and learning new words. n The pre-school is a warm and caring environment. Staff celebrate children's individuality and provide resources that reflect children's ethnicity and individuality. This encourages all children and families to feel welcome. n The manager demonstrates a good capacity to identify areas in the pre-school that need improvement and is beginning to take action. The staff team is still developing their practice, but it shows passion, commitment and a strong drive to improve the setting for children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are aware of how to keep children safe. They conduct thorough risk assessments of the environment and supervise children closely as they play. Staff are fully aware of their responsibilities in relation to identifying and acting if they believe children are at risk of harm. They understand about reporting concerns to the local safeguarding children partners. There are detailed records of any first aid given to children and action taken to reduce the likelihood of accidents. Staff are sensitive to supporting children and ensure all their interactions are positive. For example, staff understand about handling children safely and follow policies and procedures to help safeguard children.

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Due date

10 November 2022 improve the leadership of the pre-school to provide the manager with effective support and coaching, enabling them to focus on improving the curriculum for children 09/01/2023

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Due date

plan and implement a well-developed curriculum for children that identifies priorities for what they need to learn to support their good development 09/01/2023

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Due date

build on relationships with families so staff get to know their key children better and can support parents in enhancing children's learning at home. 09/01/2023

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should:

n enhance staff knowledge of how to support children who learn English as an additional language to enable them to focus their support on helping to boost all children's communication and language development skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2663524 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 10260779 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 35 Name of registered person Two Mile Ash Preschool

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reference number

Telephone number 01908968660 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Two Mile Ash Pre-School re-registered in 2022 and operates from the community centre in Two Mile Ash. The pre-school employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 9am until 12pm and 12.15pm until 3.15pm. Full-time children can attend from 9am until 3pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The pre-school supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider 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 provider. n This inspection was prioritised following a risk assessment process. n A joint observation was completed and discussed with the manager. The inspector discussed the intent of the curriculum and observed its implementation during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n During the inspection, the inspector held a meeting with the manager and the administrator. She looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of staff working in the pre-school. n The inspector spoke with staff and children at suitable times throughout the inspection. n Parents were invited to share their views with the inspector. Several parents

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Inspection activities

discussed their views during the inspection, and the inspector took account of all feedback received.

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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

10 November 2022 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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