Madcaps

Inspection of Madcaps Market Deeping CP School, Willoughby Avenue, Market Deeping, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE6 8JE

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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

Staff create an environment to support children's curiosity about the world around them. Pre-school children use their arm muscles as they dig and scoop up soil as they search for insects. Children show excitement as they find worms which they eagerly show their friends. Staff help children handle the worms with care and talk to them about where the worms live. Children are gentle, placing the worms safely back in the soil. Toddlers are supported to take turns to stroke recently hatched ducklings. Staff remind children to be quiet, so as not to frighten them. Children learn the parts of the duckling's body, such as 'webbed feet' and 'beak.' This helps children learn new vocabulary.

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The provision is good

Staff provide activities within the daily routine to help children develop their early independence skills. For example, children enthusiastically chop fruit for snack. Staff demonstrate how to use knives safely, which children readily copy. Children concentrate as they pour milk into beakers and peel small oranges. Staff offer children a helping hand when needed. Even the youngest children recognise changes in the daily routine. Toddlers readily help staff set out mats for story time and pre-school children work together to tidy away resources in preparation for lunchtime. This helps children learn to do as much for themselves as possible.

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need to do better?

n Managers and staff identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities early. They work closely with parents to establish effective strategies to help all children make good progress. Parents say they feel listened to by staff and their children are genuinely cared for. They say their children are making progress with their communication and social skills. n Managers and staff know their key children well, including what makes them unique. They determine appropriate next steps and understand how to embed these within children's play. In addition, staff recognise the benefit of enhancing experiences for children within the local community. They take children on bus journeys, trips to the library, and to buy fruit at the market. This helps to provide children with access to wider experiences that they may otherwise not have. n Staff plan activities for children to develop their small-muscle skills. These

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need to do better?

activities help children practise the skills that are needed for early writing. For example, children are challenged by staff to stretch, squash, pinch and roll play dough into different shapes. In addition, toddlers create pictures of chicks. They use their hands to make prints with paint on paper. Toddlers use their fingers to carefully stick feathers, eyes and beaks onto their paintings. Children proudly show staff their individual creations. n Children have multiple opportunities to develop their muscle strength and coordination skills. Pre-school children join a group activity where they pretend

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need to do better?

14 March 2025 to be different animals. They run around the room, moving their arms up and down as they pretend to be an owl flapping its wings. Toddlers enjoy outdoor play where they are supported to safely step from one tree stump to another. n Staff help children to develop their early mathematical knowledge. They help children count the number of tree stumps they step across. Staff support children to recognise shapes within the environment. When children wash toy frogs in the water tray, staff encourage children to say, '1,2,3 splash!' n Staff are good role models. They encourage children to use their manners and share resources. In turn, children show kindness, checking their friends are okay during play. However, staff do not always help pre-school children understand what they expect of them. For example, children express being upset when their friend has taken their chair from them. Staff respond by telling the upset child to

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need to do better?

get another chair. This does not help children learn the impact of their actions on others. n Leaders are reflective and have a clear vision for the future. They continuously strive to adapt the environment, to drive improvements and strengthen the staff team further. For example, staff are currently undertaking training to enhance the outdoor play area to support children's imaginative development. Staff say they enjoy working at the setting and feel well supported.

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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 develop and implement consistent behaviour management strategies which build on pre-school children's understanding of behaviour expectations.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 253774 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 10393265 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 62 Number of children on roll 28 Name of registered person Bell, Susan Julie

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reference number

Telephone number 01778 344896 Date of previous inspection 27 June 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Madcaps is based in Market Deeping, Lincolnshire. It registered in 1995. The setting employs 10 members of childcare staff, six of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. Pre-school sessions are provided Monday to Friday during term time, from 9am to 3pm. The setting offers out-of-school provision Monday to Friday during term time, from 7.30am until 9am and from 3pm until 6pm. Holiday provision is offered for most school holidays. These sessions run from 7.30am until 6pm. The setting receives nursery education funding for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and discussed the early years curriculum. n The inspector viewed the setting and discussed the safety and suitability of the premises. n Children spoke with 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 about the leadership and management of the setting. 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 observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a communication and language activity with the manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting.

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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

14 March 2025 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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