Eaton Mill Nursery

Inspection of Eaton Mill Nursery Saffron Street, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK2 3AH

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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 Good

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The provision is good

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this nursery. Children happily enter and separate easily from their carers. Staff provide children with interesting, fun environments, both indoors and outdoors, in which to learn. Children make good progress. Staff are gentle in their approach to the children. Children are spoken to with respect, and staff are genuinely kind and reassuring. They teach children the skills they need for successful future learning and the transition to school. Staff gently implement the rules and boundaries of the nursery, for example 'kind hands', 'good listening' and 'helping others'.

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The provision is good

Overall, managers develop a rich and varied curriculum that builds on what children already know and can do. Staff provide children with a wide range of activities and resources that help to motivate them to play and learn. Children successfully manage their own risks when they negotiate space to ride their scooters and bicycles. The manager and staff plan a variety of experiences for children to promote all areas of learning. They make effective use of the local community, such as when local paramedics visited to teach children about their role in keeping people safe. This helps to raise children's awareness of the local community and the wider world around them.

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need to do better?

n The knowledgeable manager is dedicated to making sure the setting continually progresses. She leads an equally dedicated staff team. The staff say they feel well supported in their roles. The manager completes regular observations of staff's teaching practice and provides constructive feedback. This helps to improve the overall quality of teaching. n Children enjoy making art creations that help to explain how to be kind and what this means to them. Staff support children to regulate their emotions and are sensitive towards their feelings. They guide children to make the right choices. Children understand the expectations, and their behaviour is good. n Children delight in using their imaginations to make 'pancakes' with play dough. Staff add flavours and scents to enhance the sensory experience for them. In addition, staff make links to the ingredients children use to make play dough to help them think about what they could use when making pancakes. Staff

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need to do better?

introduce new words, such as 'pat', 'roll', 'flatten' and 'circle'. n Children learn to manage their self-care needs independently. For example, they put their coats and shoes on before going outside to play. When younger children need help, staff continue to encourage them to do as much as possible by themselves. Staff provide descriptive praise that raises children's confidence and encourages a positive 'can-do' attitude towards learning. Children are encouraged to use their voice to make their needs known. They develop positive

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need to do better?

13 February 2024 relationships with staff and each other. n The manager and staff are clear about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They make prompt referrals to agencies when necessary. The nursery successfully uses additional funding that children receive to support each child's individual needs. n Staff use the outdoor area well to support children's physical development. Children learn to move their bodies in different ways, developing their coordination as they busily construct or have fun rolling balls down guttering. Children make decisions and demonstrate their growing ability to problem-solve as they try different ways to balance objects or ride around on the scooters. n Partnership working with parents is strong. The manager is keen to bring families into the nursery. They plan times when parents and carers can join in with activities and share information. Staff also share ideas on how parents can

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need to do better?

continue learning at home. For example, they provide books and guidance on reading. This helps to consolidate children's learning between home and nursery. n Overall, staff model language clearly and repeat words and sentences frequently. They share songs and stories and introduce new words to help extend children's vocabulary. Overall, children demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning experiences. Staff ask relevant questions to encourage children's thinking. However, on occasion, staff are very enthusiastic and ask multiple questions without allowing enough time for the children's responses. n Staff know how to identify possible signs that a child may be at risk of harm and how to report concerns regarding a child's welfare. Children are closely supervised by staff, who also deploy themselves well to support the ongoing and changing interests of children throughout the day. Staff check all child-accessible

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need to do better?

areas of the setting to ensure that these remain safe for children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n review and improve on staff's questioning techniques to enable children to have more time to think, respond and demonstrate what they know and understand.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY319429 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 10307868 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 70 Number of children on roll 121

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Name of registered person

Eaton Mill Nursery and Out of School day care Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01908 373621 Date of previous inspection 26 March 2018

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Information about this early years setting

Eaton Mill Nursery registered in 2015 and is situated in the Bletchley area of Milton Keynes. The nursery is open from 8.35am to 3.10pm, term time only. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 17 staff working with the children in the nursery. Of these, 12 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above.

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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 The 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 Staff 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 The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. 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

13 February 2024 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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