Mini Oaks Preschool

Inspection of Mini Oaks Preschool St. Marys Church, Burghfield, Reading RG30 3TG

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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 Not applicable

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The provision is good

Children are happy and settled in this friendly community pre-school. All children, including those who are new, enjoy attending. They show contentment on arrival and are warmly greeted by staff, who know the children well. Staff are kind, caring and welcoming towards children. Effective key-person arrangements ensure that all children are well supported and their individual needs are met. This helps children to feel safe and have a strong sense of belonging.

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The provision is good

Staff are good role models. They positively remind children of the pre-school's boundaries, such as using 'kind hands' and 'walking feet'. Staff teach children the skills they need to resolve minor issues. They gently support children to learn to cooperate, to play and to share resources with others. For example, staff use sand timers to encourage children to take turns with popular toys. This helps children to behave well and supports them to develop close friendships with others in the setting.

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The provision is good

Leaders and staff have thought about how children learn. Overall, they plan a curriculum that is fun, interesting and reflects the knowledge about the children to help them progress. Staff build effective working relationships with families and external agencies to ensure that children receive early help and support. Additional funding is used well to close any gaps in children's learning.

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need to do better?

n Managers lead the pre-school team with a clear sense of direction, professionalism and dedication. They are passionate about making continual improvements and progress in the pre-school. The pre-school is fully inclusive and welcomes all children. Children successfully gain the skills they need to give them good foundations for their future learning. n Staff feel well supported through appraisal meetings, mandatory training and various informal communications. However, leaders do not provide concise feedback and structure to the coaching and mentoring of practice to identify staff training and further enhance the quality of education. Nonetheless, leaders have focused successfully on staff well-being and have built a strong and motivated team. n Staff ensure that children have fresh air and exercise daily. Children enjoy sessions in the woods and relish the outdoor play experiences. They have many opportunities to develop their physical skills. For example, children laugh with

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need to do better?

joy as they practise their coordination and balancing skills on ride-on toys and bucket stilts. This contributes well towards children's large-muscle movements. However, staff do not provide the same consideration when planning for outdoors as the indoor environment. This means children do not consistently

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need to do better?

28 February 2024 access a broad range of learning opportunities to further support those who prefer to learn outside. n Staff plan a well-organised indoor environment where children confidently select from the range of activities on offer. Children become deeply involved when playing with their friends. For instance, much laughter can be heard as children happily enjoy dressing up and playing in the pretend kitchen, developing their pretend play. Staff support children's speaking and listening skills well through conversations and sharing familiar songs. Children enjoy sharing books with staff. n Staff have a clear understanding of what they want children to learn. They help children to get ready for school by teaching them social skills and how they can be independent from an early age. For example, children learn how to make their own sandwiches and help at tidy-up time. In addition, children learn to

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need to do better?

dress themselves and put on their coats and shoes. They relish the praise that they continually receive from staff, which recognises their unique qualities, efforts and achievements. n The pre-school's special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) is experienced in her role. She is knowledgeable about the children who require additional support. The SENCo works closely with each child's key person, family and relevant agencies to ensure all children, including those on the pathway to diagnosis, receive targeted support to meet their developmental needs. n Parents and carers speak highly of staff and how they provide their children with a happy environment where they can play and learn. They comment that staff are kind and go above and beyond to be supportive. Parents receive regular updates about their children's care and development and this helps them to support learning at home. They have noticed the progress their children have

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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 enhance planning and teaching to identify wider learning opportunities outdoors and to fully support those children who prefer to learn outside n build on the arrangements for staff supervision, mentoring and support to further develop their skills, help enrich practice and raise the quality of education to an even higher level.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2654756 Local authority West Berkshire Inspection number 10308738 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 30

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Name of registered person

Oaks Childcare Clubs Community Interest Company

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reference number

Telephone number 01189332960 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Mini Oaks Preschool registered in 2021. The pre-school opens each weekday, from 8.30am till 4pm, term time only. The pre-school employs five staff to work with the children, four of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The pre-school receives funding for the provision of early years education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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 inspector observed activities in the main base room and outside. She talked to staff about the progress individual children are making and what they want the children to learn. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk across all areas of the nursery to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n A joint observation was carried out by the inspector and the manager. The inspector observed interactions between staff and the children and the impact these have on children's learning. n The inspector reviewed relevant documentation, including evidence of paediatric first-aid training. The inspector had a discussion with leaders about the

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Inspection activities

evaluation of the setting and plans for improvement. n The inspector spoke to parents and children during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

28 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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