Mary Seacole Day Nursery & Family Support Unit

Inspection of Mary Seacole Day Nursery & Family Support Unit MAPP Community Centre, 22 Mount Pleasant, Reading, Berkshire RG1 2TD

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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

The quality of education that children receive is variable. Overall, staff provide a well-thought-out curriculum for children. However, there are some aspects of practice that are not fully effective. This potentially inhibits the progress that children can make. Despite this, children are comfortable in their surroundings and enjoy joining in with activities. For example, the youngest children delight when taking part in a bucket-time activity. The staff enthusiastically engage all children and keep them interested and focused. The children wait in anticipation for the next object that the staff member produces from the bucket. Staff support the children to practise the skill of waiting and encourage them to share.

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The provision requires improvement

Children's behaviour is improving, especially for the youngest. Children are active in their learning and seek to find out more about their chosen activity. They are beginning to form friendships and seek each other out to share their experiences. Most children respond well to instructions and routines throughout the day. However, staff do not always successfully structure the daily routine for older children. As a result, children do not always understand what is expected of them and occasionally become distracted from their learning.

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need to do better?

n The curriculum is generally well planned, with an appropriate intention of learning for each age and stage of development. The manager has prioritised communication and language as a focus for learning throughout the different age groups. She can effectively explain the different ways that children's speech is supported in this area. Staff plan activities for the children's interest and provide them with next step goals to move them on in their development. n The manager has addressed the actions set around behaviour management. Staff are developing their approach and using different strategies to positively promote children's behaviour. These are fully in place in the youngest children's room and are currently being embedded for the older children. The manager has also taken action to improve the arrangements for safeguarding and to address specific areas of practice. The manager is committed to continually improving

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need to do better?

the quality of care for the children and their families. n Key persons carry out some useful monitoring and assessment processes. This helps them to plan and support the children's next steps and support the children in their future learning. However, staff do not complete the required progress check for two-year-old children to identify any delays or gaps in learning early in a child's development. This impacts the quality of education that the children receive and any early identification of additional support. n There are some effective arrangements in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, staff produce

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need to do better?

6 June 2023 individual care plans and work effectively with parents to identify and meet children's needs within the setting. Staff are confident to seek advice and support from other professionals when needed. However, they are not always fully effective at communicating with these professionals to ensure that the children receive care that is a fully coordinated and cohesive. n Children enjoy the freedom of being outside and investigating the different ways they can move their bodies. They enjoy exploring the climbing frame. Children climb the stairs and show delight on their faces when coming down the slide. In addition to this, children successfully negotiate their space as they travel through the tunnels. Children are progressing well in their physical development, and they are learning skills that prepare them for their future. n Risk assessments are in place and staff carry these out daily. Staff explain the

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need to do better?

importance of identifying and minimising potential risks to keep children safe while they play and explore. Staff encourage the children to take appropriate risks and explain possible dangers to their actions. This helps children to develop an understanding of how to protect themselves. n The manager and staff have built positive relationships with parents. Parents express that their children are happy, and they feel they can speak to the manager should they have concerns.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager has made strong improvements to the staff's child protection knowledge. This has significantly raised the safeguarding standards for the nursery. Staff demonstrate that they would act swiftly and appropriately to any concerns to protect the child. They show awareness of the signs and indicators that could suggest a child is suffering from harm. The manager has reviewed and made changes to the safeguarding policy. She has revisited the processes with staff to ensure that their knowledge is robust. Staff have relevant paediatric first-aid training to ensure that they respond swiftly in the event of an accident or emergency.

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Due date

ensure that the progress check for children aged between two and three years is completed and shared with parents, as required. 20/06/2023

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should:

n strengthen the organisation of daily routines to help the older children remain engaged in their learning n develop further the arrangements to work in partnership with all professionals who are involved in children's care and education for a consistent approach.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY297552 Local authority Reading Inspection number 10294075 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 51 Number of children on roll 43

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Name of registered person

Mary Seacole Day Nursery & Family Support Unit Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01183274349 Date of previous inspection 25 August 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Mary Seacole Day Nursery and Family Support Unit first registered in 1991 and registered in the current premises in 2006. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 5.45pm, for 51 weeks a year. The nursery currently employs 12 members of staff who work with the children. The manager holds a relevant qualification at level 7, six members of staff hold a relevant level 3 early years qualification and one member of staff holds a relevant level 2 qualification. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with SEND. 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 manager showed the inspector documentation to demonstrate the suitability of staff.

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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

6 June 2023 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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