Mulberry Garden

Inspection of Mulberry Garden Mulberry House, High Street, Bathampton, BATH BA2 6SY

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

p.1

The provision is good

The owner/manager has worked hard to improve the quality of the provision. The manager and staff have high aspirations for children and know what they want them to learn. Staff implement a curriculum that ignites children's curiosity to support them to make good progress in their learning. Staff identify and target any delays in children's development. Staff work proactively with parents and other professionals to provide children with extra support to help them catch up.

p.2

The provision is good

Staff are caring and friendly. Children demonstrate they are happy and settled, build good relationships with staff and behave well. Children are motivated to make choices in their learning and confidently chat to staff about their play.

p.2

The provision is good

Overall, staff support children well to engage in play with others, in readiness for the next stage in their education. For example, babies enjoy rolling balls to each other and take turns to put toy vehicles through different tubes. Staff praise them for their efforts to encourage them to keep trying and to raise their levels of self- esteem. Toddlers develop their imaginations such as when they dress up and pretend to be a nurse and take staff's temperature. Older children become absorbed in activities and play collaboratively together. For example, they thoroughly enjoy a 'bug hunt' in the garden. They talk to each other about where they might find the different creatures so that they can tick them off their picture charts.

p.2

need to do better?

n The manager has addressed the actions from the last inspection. She has made changes to increase staff's confidence to deliver a curriculum that builds on what children need to learn next. She has improved one-to-one meetings with staff to support their professional development. This includes working alongside the local authority to provide staff with ongoing training, support and coaching to develop their knowledge and skills. In addition, there are now appropriate resources available to support children's personal care routines. n Staff support children's communication and language skills effectively. Staff get down to children's eye level, model language clearly and introduce new words to extend their vocabulary. Staff provide a narrative for babies and talk to them during routines such as nappy changing. Children enthusiastically join in with songs and actions. Staff engage young children's interests, for example, by

p.2

need to do better?

using props to develop their listening and attention skills. Toddlers are captivated and giggle with delight as staff manipulate a toy giraffe to make its flashing neck move 'from short to long'. n Staff organise activities that spark children's interest. Older children enjoy experimenting with 'bath bombs' in the water tray. Staff encourage them to

p.2

need to do better?

6 June 2023 recall their prior experiences of bath-time at home to consolidate their learning. They encourage children to talk about the feel of a dissolving 'bath bomb' and to make predictions such as which will be the last one to dissolve. However, staff do not extend children's critical-thinking skills even further, for example, by encouraging them to think about why this may happen. n Children develop their independence and self-care skills. Older babies learn to help themselves to drinks of water. Toddlers and pre-school children serve themselves food and clear away their plates. However, at times, the organisation of mealtimes does not benefit all children as well as possible. For example, some toddlers wait too long to eat, and staff do not always make the most of mealtimes to support all older children's social skills. n Staff promote children's early literacy skills effectively. Babies competently use

p.2

need to do better?

felt-tip pens to create artwork and enjoy sharing books with staff. Staff encourage toddlers to turn pages and talk about what they can see in the pictures. Older children thoroughly enjoy recalling and re-enacting a story about a bear hunt. n Children benefit from plenty of fresh air and outdoor play. However, occasionally in the upper garden, staff do not build on some older children's knowledge and skills to extend learning to the highest level. Nevertheless, babies demonstrate confidence and control as they move around by using a variety of equipment. Children explore water and sand, sharing and taking turns with various containers and utensils. Older children exert themselves and make decisions during keep-fit sessions such as choosing to do 'star jumps' and a running race. n Parents speak positively about the friendly manager and staff and the changes introduced since the last inspection. They state their children enjoy attending

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

The manager, who is also the designated safeguarding lead, has provided staff with training and support to increase their knowledge and understanding of their role and responsibility to safeguard children. Staff are confident about what signs may concern them about a child or adult. They know the correct procedures to follow to promote children's welfare. Staff risk assess the premises regularly to promote children's safety. This includes temperature checks in the play and sleep rooms to support children's good health and well-being. There have been some recent staff changes. The manager has procedures in place to ensure that any new staff for whom suitability checks have not been fully completed are not left unsupervised with children.

p.3

should:

6 June 2023 n build on staff's professional development to further increase the quality of their interactions with children to the highest level n review the organisation of mealtimes to enhance children's experiences and social skills.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number 2683093 Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Council Inspection number 10271369 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.5

Registers

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

p.5

inspection

Total number of places 41 Number of children on roll 45 Name of registered person Purnell, Lucy

p.5

reference number

Telephone number 01225984831 Date of previous inspection 7 December 2022

p.5

Information about this early years setting

Mulberry Garden registered in 2022. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds a relevant early qualification at level 6, and the others hold early years qualifications from level 2 to level 4. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm.

p.5

Inspection activities

n The inspector discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The owner/manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about the curriculum and what they want children to learn. 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 spoke to children to find out about their time at the nursery. n The inspector talked to the owner/manager, staff and parents at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The owner/manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

p.6

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.

p.6

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.

p.6

Inspection activities

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

Inspection activities

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

p.7

Inspection activities

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

Inspection activities

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7