The Learning Mill

Inspection of The Learning Mill Newspaper House, Joliffe Street, Leek, Staffordshire ST13 5LJ

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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 receive a warm welcome as they attend this nurturing and friendly setting. Staff take the time to get to know the children during transition sessions. This helps children to settle quickly and develop strong bonds with staff. Children eagerly invite staff into their play. They show pride as they tell staff about what they have made or are doing and go to them for support and cuddles if needed. This supports children's well-being and helps them to feel safe and secure.

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The provision is good

Staff have developed a strong curriculum that supports all children to make good progress in all areas. Staff gather starting points and children's interests from parents when they enrol. They use this information to plan exciting activities that engage children in their learning. For example, pre-school children show an interest in pirates and sea animals. Children match numbered coins to numbers in the treasure chest, developing their number recognition. Toddlers enjoy role play with their friends. They enhance their communication, language and social skills as they play. Babies enjoy playing in water. They use their fine motor skills and coordination as they squeeze sponges full of water, giggling as they do so. Staff role model positive behaviour with the children. They support even the youngest children to share, take turns and cooperate with each other. Staff remind the children of the rules. For example, they remind children how to keep safe when

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The provision is good

going downstairs. Children follow instructions and behave well.

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need to do better?

n Leaders and managers have a strong ethos for the setting. They want children to be happy and confident learners, who are ready for the next stage in their learning journey. The well-established team works well together. This ensures a relaxed and calm atmosphere, which supports children's emotional well-being. n Children experience a varied range of opportunities to build on and extend their skills. Staff weave areas of learning into everyday activities. For example, pre- school children develop their fine motor skills and imagination as they make potions in the water. They add herbs and experiment with the different smells. As toddlers play in the sand, staff count the scoops of sand as they fill the buckets, ensuring that children hear mathematical language. Babies explore with paint. They develop their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills as they mark make to create their interpretations of lions. However, staff do not always

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need to do better?

provide children with enough challenge to ensure they receive the highest quality of education. n Staff empower children to be independent. For example, older children self-serve at lunchtime, showing good control as they spoon food, such as sweetcorn and rice, onto their plates. Babies feed themselves using spoons and start to drink from cups. This helps children to become increasingly confident and ready for

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need to do better?

13 August 2024 the next stage of learning. n Overall, staff promote children's communication and language well. Children engage in lively conversations, especially at mealtimes, which are very social events. Staff narrate children's play and ensure children hear a wide range of words during the day. However, occasionally, staff use incorrect words, such as 'doggies' and 'handies'. Therefore, children do not always hear the correct vocabulary to develop their language skills. n Children's enjoyment of books is evident. They spontaneously choose from a wide range of books, both fiction and non-fiction. Some children sit and look at books independently, and others take books to staff for them to read to them. Babies turn pages and point to pictures, recalling the sounds of animals shown in the pictures. This helps children to start to enjoy books and literacy. n Parents speak highly of the setting and staff. They value the service the setting

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need to do better?

provides. Parents have daily communications from staff verbally and through an online system. Parents feel their children have made good progress since starting at the setting. They comment on the family feel and say staff are very approachable and help with any concerns they may have about their child's care or development. Staff talk to parents about children's transitions from room to room or to school. This ensures that parents are fully involved in their child's learning. n Staff help children to develop healthy lifestyles. They discuss with the children the importance of daily exercise and fresh air and explain about healthy food and how to look after their teeth. Children understand why they wash their hands after using the toilet or before lunchtime. Children are provided with home-cooked food, which caters for any individual needs. n Staff support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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need to do better?

They understand their individual needs and adapt next steps to engage them in activities.

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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 identify professional development opportunities for staff, to enable them to increase their knowledge to support and challenge children to enable them to get the best from their learning experiences n support children to develop communication and language skills through modelling words correctly.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY413620 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 10351343 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 80 Number of children on roll 77 Name of registered person The Learning Mill Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01538 388228 Date of previous inspection 26 October 2018

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Information about this early years setting

The Learning Mill registered in 2010 and is located in Leek. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 2 or above, including one who holds level 5. The nursery operates from 7.30am to 6pm, from Monday to Friday, all year round. It provides funded early 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 owner, manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual and manager about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector spoke to several parents and grandparents 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 August 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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