Highley Minors Childcare Centre

Inspection of Highley Minors Childcare Centre The Severn Centre, Bridgnorth Road, Highley, Bridgnorth WV16 6JG

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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 Requires improvement

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The provision is good

Staff welcome and support children's views. For example, when children tell them that when they grow up they want to be a 'clock maker', staff provide children with opportunities to further explore this. Children build 'Big Ben' out of magnetic shapes, and they carefully draw the hands on a pre-drawn clock face. When children ask inquisitive questions, staff help them to use technology to find the answers. This extends children's understanding and happiness.

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The provision is good

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities greatly benefit from sensitive staff who support them to make choices. For instance, staff sign 'spoon' at mealtimes to ensure that they understand what cutlery children want. They use communication aids and one-to-one time to encourage children to communicate their feelings and needs. This promotes children's good behaviour.

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The provision is good

Staff supervise children and encourage them to do things for themselves. For instance, they use a step to enable children to climb safely onto the nappy changing table. Children learn to scrape their own bowls after eating their lunch, and they show a willingness to tidy up. These opportunities help children to develop good levels of self-care and build their independence.

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need to do better?

n Staff use additional funding well to support disadvantaged children and those falling behind in their development. For example, some staff have received specialised training to enable them to deliver 'talk boost' programmes. Staff use sign language, pictures and real objects to reinforce children's vocabulary growth. They model clear language and repeat words back to children. Parents say they are 'thankful for the support staff give their children, including how they nurture their speech'. n Those staff who work with older children effortlessly adapt their practice to ensure that teaching constantly engages children. At times, the continuous provision within the baby room is not organised as well as it could be to engage babies in purposeful play. This means their learning is not always maximised. n The manager provides staff with regular opportunities to attend staff meetings and individual supervisions. For instance, since the last inspection, the manager

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need to do better?

and staff team have evaluated the curriculum to support the developmental needs of the current cohort of children. However, the manager is yet to implement effective monitoring of staff practice to identify how to further strengthen teaching and learning. n Mathematics is weaved through the curriculum. For instance, children play matching games where they confidently pair numerals to their quantities and discuss familiar shapes seen in the environment. Staff challenge children's

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need to do better?

12 March 2024 thinking skills by introducing new concepts, such as size language and prepositions. Consequently, toddlers learn why an oblong is different to a square. n Children benefit from activities to promote their fine and gross motor skills. For example, staff provide children with self-opening scissors to help them successfully cut their paper. Outdoors, toddlers ride bicycles with good control as they play a game of 'stop and go'. They strengthen their finger and thumb muscles as they join in with action songs about 'the tools' they use to eat their food. n Excellent routines are in place to reinforce healthy messages to children. For example, staff teach children about the importance of oral health and promote healthy eating conversations. Toddlers say, 'I brush my teeth twice a day,' and they know that an 'apple' is healthy. Babies repeatedly babble 'banana', demonstrating their excitement when making healthy eating choices.

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need to do better?

n Staff establish excellent relationships with parents and carers and other professionals involved in a child's life. For instance, they invite parents and health visitors into the setting to discuss the progress check for two-year-olds. This ensures that children receive holistic support. n Staff highly value other professionals' involvement. They use their knowledge as an extension of their own. For instance, they use the same attention-building games to support children who find listening and attention challenging. This promotes continuity in children's learning.

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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 evaluate the continuous provision to ensure that younger children are consistently engaged in purposeful play n develop a stronger oversight of staff practice to further support the quality of teaching and learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY290170 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 10300898 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 59 Number of children on roll 110 Name of registered person Highley Minors Childcare Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01746 862953 Date of previous inspection 31 May 2023

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Information about this early years setting

Highley Minors Childcare Centre registered in 2004 and is located in Highley, Bridgnorth. The nursery employs 20 members of childcare staff. Of these, 15 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.45am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded 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 the inspector completed a learning walk. n The inspector carried out several joint observations with the manager. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children throughout the day and evaluated the impact on children's learning. n The inspector held discussions with the manager, staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n The views of parents were considered by the inspector through verbal discussions and emails. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.

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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

12 March 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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