Little Tinkers Preschool @ Holne Chase

Inspection of Little Tinkers Preschool @ Holne Chase Holne Chase Primary School, Buckingham Road, Bletchley, MILTON KEYNES MK3 5HP

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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 Good

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The provision requires improvement

Children enjoy their time at the pre-school and engage in lots of different activities. They choose to play outdoors, and staff manage this well to make sure they do not become cold, which might disrupt their play. Children follow what interests them; currently they are fascinated by dinosaurs. However, the quality of teaching is variable across the pre-school because not all staff are clear on what they want children to learn. Children explore paint and use different items to make marks on paper. This intrigues them and they enjoy getting messy and seeing what they can do. This feeds into children's natural sense of curiosity. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have early help to ensure that their needs are met.

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The provision requires improvement

Overall, children are developing well. They talk happily with each other as they play and are starting to form relationships. However, the key-person arrangements are still developing. This means children and families do not develop strong emotional attachments to a special person to help further foster children's emotional development and sense of security. Despite this weakness, children enjoy an environment where they feel safe and content. Children behave well and the pre- school is calm and orderly. There are cosy areas where children can rest and sleep. This helps children to follow routines that meet their physical needs.

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need to do better?

n The provider and manager have a clear intent for the curriculum and what children will learn. However, most staff do not demonstrate that they know the curriculum intent and how to implement this consistently. Staff refer to guidance about children's development to review their progress and provide activities to support them. However, some less-experienced staff lack an understanding of how to support children's learning. On occasion, teaching lacks focus and does not build on children's prior experiences. n Many parents say that they do not know who their child's key person is, despite all children being assigned one. Some key persons have not had the opportunity to talk to parents face-to-face. Consequently, they have not had the chance to help build effective relationships with families and more precisely tailor care to children's individual needs. n Older children are settled, enjoy their activities and show that they feel

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need to do better?

confident. They are becoming confident talkers who engage in conversations and enjoy asking questions. Staff generally support children's communication and language development well. However, at times, staff ask lots of questions and do not provide young children with time to stop, process the question and suitably respond. n Children learn effectively about different families and the diverse world they live

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need to do better?

8 December 2022 in. Staff support this well. For example, staff talk about why some people wear headscarves and share their experiences with children. This broadens children's understanding and they find out about what makes themselves and others unique and special. n Staff join children in their role-play games. Children use their imagination as they pretend to go on car trips and slides. Staff's enthusiasm helps children to build on their imaginative ideas. n Staff support children's literacy skills successfully. Children enjoy looking at books and take books home to read with their parents. Older children have opportunities to test out their early writing skills and can identify letters that they recognise from their names. n Staff have regular supervision sessions and support from the manager and provider. Although staff have some training, it has not been effective in supporting all staff to fully understand the curriculum. Consequently, the quality

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need to do better?

of their teaching is inconsistent. n Staff share a range of information with parents using a digital app. They encourage parents to share some information with them to help support children. However, information sharing is not fully effective as some parents are unclear on matters such as who their child's key person is and how children learn about being healthy. n The provider and manager recognise weaker areas of practice and are starting to take action to address these. The provider and manager are committed to making improvements and raising the quality of the setting.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff at the pre-school are clear on their roles and responsibilities in keeping children safe. They ensure that children play and learn in an environment that is suitable and secure. Effective measures, such as password systems, help to ensure that handovers with parents are managed well. The provider and manager support staff effectively to recognise signs and symptoms that indicate children might be at risk of harm. All staff can confidently explain what action they need to take if they have concerns. Managers know how to refer any safeguarding concerns to local safeguarding partners.

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Due date

8 December 2022 develop staff's knowledge and understanding of the curriculum intent so their teaching is more effective in supporting children's learning 30/01/2023

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Due date

improve arrangements so that children and families build relationships with a key person to support children more effectively in the pre-school. 30/01/2023

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should:

n enhance staff's teaching skills to better support young children's communication and language development n implement more targeted training and support for staff to increase their personal effectiveness n develop relationships with families so that they have the information they need to find out about children's experiences at the pre-school and support children more successfully at home.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY473036 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 10265937 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

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

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inspection

Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 61 Name of registered person Little Tinkers Pre-school Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 01908 365775 Date of previous inspection 10 July 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Little Tinkers Preschool @ Holne Chase registered in 2014 and operates from a building within the host school's grounds in Bletchley. The pre-school employs eight members of childcare staff. All hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above, including the manager, who is qualified to degree level. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday, during term time only. Core sessions are from 9am until 3pm, with optional early provision from 8.30am until 9am, and after-session provision from 3pm until 5pm. The pre-school provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children, and supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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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 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 Two joint observations were completed and discussed with the manager. n During the inspection, the inspector held a meeting with the manager and the provider. 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

8 December 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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