Mini Steamers Preschool

Inspection of Mini Steamers Preschool Even Swindon Community Centre, Old School, Jennings Street, SWINDON SN2 2BG

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Leaders and managers have made positive changes since the last inspection. They have put in place a new curriculum to support children's learning and development. Staff find out about what children can do when they start and use this to plan for what children need to learn next. They are gaining confidence in planning for children's learning to help children make good progress.

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The provision is good

Children receive warm welcomes from staff as they arrive at the pre-school. Staff encourage children to find their pegs to hang up coats and bags before they go off to play. Staff make sure children have plenty of choices about what they want to do and how they want to play.

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The provision is good

Indoors, staff provide cardboard boxes, tubes and cones, material pieces, and glue for children to use. Children use their imaginations building towers and models. They proudly show staff and others what they have made. Other children play together in the pretend 'home' area. They make cups of tea for friends and staff and iron the baby doll's clothes.

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The provision is good

Outdoors, children have races on the ride-on tricycles and cars. Staff praise children for using the pedals. They offer reminders for children to be careful when children forget to watch where they are riding and bump into others. Children are learning to be considerate of others.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and managers support staff well. They have secure recruitment systems to ensure all staff and volunteers who work with the children are suitable. Leaders and managers have regular supervisions with staff to support their continuing professional development. Recent training includes supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, curriculum planning and gaining nationally recognised childcare qualifications. Staff are using the skills and knowledge they gain to better support children's care, learning and development. n Children's behaviour is good. Staff have put in place strategies to help children cope with changes in the routine better. They use the sound of a bell and actions to get children's attention. Staff explain that children have five more minutes playing before they need to tidy up. When staff next ring the bell, children know they have to help put toys away. All children, even those new to

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need to do better?

the setting, understand what they need to do and readily help tidying up. Children cope well when there are changes and are learning to care for their toys and play spaces. n Children enjoy singing songs and listening to stories. Some children readily sing

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need to do better?

30 November 2022 favourite rhymes about five little ducks as they play with the dough. Staff join in. They help children to communicate. They offer new words, use signs or actions and words in home languages to help children's language development. Children recall characters in stories and make suggestions about what might happen next. On occasion though, staff talk too quickly and do not leave enough time for children to think and reply to questions. n Staff encourage children's mathematical skills. For example, during welcome time, staff encourage children to count how many are here, recognise the numerals that make up the date and talk about the different shapes they can see in a book. At other times, staff use cards with patterns on for children to copy as they play with blocks. They encourage children to name the colours and work out how many more blocks they need to complete the pattern. n Children enjoy playing and learning. Outdoors, they use diggers to scoop up

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need to do better?

stones and soil. They have fun using the pretend traffic lights. They know to stop when the light is red and go when it is green. Indoors, they play with dough. They roll it in their hands and stick spaghetti in to make 'spider' legs. Staff talk with the children about what they are doing. However, they sometimes ask questions that they know children know the answer to. They miss chances to extend children's learning and development even further. n Staff regularly share information with parents about what children are doing and learning. They offer ideas for parents to continue children's learning at home. Parents comment that their children love coming to pre-school and are developing well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff make children's safety a priority. They carry out risk assessments of the indoor and outdoor play spaces regularly. They identify and remove hazards or stop play in areas that they cannot make safe. Ongoing checks show that the grass area outdoors is not safe to use. Staff put up tape and explain to children they need to stay on the paths and tarmac surfaces. Leaders and managers make sure staff know and understand how to protect children from harm. Staff complete update training on possible signs and symptoms of abuse. They know how and who to refer concerns about the welfare of children or if there are allegations about staff.

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should:

n improve interactions between staff and children, so that staff let children have the time to think, form ideas and respond n make sure staff build on what children know and can do to extend their learning

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY466652 Local authority Swindon Inspection number 10237148 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 23 Number of children on roll 20 Name of registered person Caluan, Karen Maria

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reference number

Telephone number 07821 307287 Date of previous inspection 16 March 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Mini Steamers Preschool opened in 2013. It is located in Swindon. The pre-school operates from 7am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, all year round. It employs five members of staff. The manager holds an appropriate childcare qualification at level 5. Two members of staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications at level 3 and one holds an appropriate childcare qualification at level 2. The pre-school is in receipt of funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and deputy manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want their children to learn. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector.

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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

30 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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