Ducklings Pre-School

Inspection of Ducklings Pre-School Wimborne Crescent, Westcroft, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK4 4DB

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children learn to make decisions for themselves, choosing where and who to play with. Staff provide children with the skills to help them become independent. For instance, they encourage children to take off their coats and hang them on name- labelled pegs. Staff encourage them to find their own lunchboxes and to self-serve their own lunches. Children's confidence strengthens through these everyday routine tasks. This helps to support their self-help skills. Children take part in regular discussions and practices to help them understand about personal health and hygiene. Staff talk to them about the importance of handwashing and healthy eating. They use role play effectively to support children's understanding about oral health, acting out the process of cleaning their teeth. They extend this further by providing families with toothbrushes and information about oral hygiene.

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The provision is good

Children are very eager and enthusiastic to learn more. They constantly question, show curiosity and inquisitiveness in their play. Staff use very effective questioning to encourage children to think critically and to probe for answers that make sense to them.

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The provision is good

Children's home experiences are successfully enhanced through outings to the local community. Children learn about lending books from the library and buying their snacks from the supermarket. They learn about road safety on the way to the park and learn about the care of animals from the pet shop.

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need to do better?

n Children make friends easily. They learn how to accept others into their play through the effective interactions and support from staff. Children develop abilities to play alongside each other to enthusiastically invite their friends into their play to share experiences. Children negotiate and cooperate with their friends, understanding the rules of social interaction through harmonious play. n Staff work cohesiveness, acting as positive role models for children on how to support each other. They use ongoing support networks and effective communication to share information about children and their families. This highly promotes continuous care for children, positively impacting on their emotional well-being. Management oversee this process to strongly promote staff's well- being. n Staff provide children with a good range of adult-led and child-initiated play, both indoors and outdoors. Generally, planned and routine activities successfully

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need to do better?

support children's next steps in learning. For instance, specifically challenging those older children. However, some routine and group activities do not fully engage younger children as they are too complex for their understanding and participation.

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need to do better?

28 April 2025 n Parents make very positive comments about the support they receive to help promote their children's ongoing learning and care. Staff give effective guidance and advice to help parents become aware of purposeful play and learning. For example, staff share information about the importance of reading books with children and how to support toilet training. n Children understand right from wrong. They are quick to respond to other children's behaviour by reporting to adults. For example, older children tell staff that their friend's knocked-over tower will make their friend sad. However, staff do not support effectively children's understanding of respect and responsibility for their environment. For instance, children are not encouraged to tidy up after themselves once they have finished with resources. n Children's communication and language are continuously supported throughout their play. Staff celebrate children's speech to help them feel proud about the

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need to do better?

words that they use. Children who speak English as an additional language use expressions and gestures to communicate their ideas in play. For example, they grimace, smile, show amazement and excitement when acting out being at the hairdressers. Staff continuously talk in simple English words to help children become confident to try new words. n Staff are eager to improve and develop their practices according to the needs of the children attending. They use guidance and advice well to adapt and change their practice. Staff are very aware of the community needs and positively support parents by signposting to additional services to promote their knowledge and welfare. They evaluate effectiveness as a team and support each other to develop ideas for their 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 enhance staff's knowledge and understanding of adapting practice to support younger children and meet their specific needs n increase children's respect and responsibility towards their environment and resources within routine tasks and transitional activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY285200 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 10388347 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 40 Number of children on roll 30 Name of registered person Ducklings Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01908 520563 Date of previous inspection 8 July 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Ducklings Pre-School registered in 2004 and is located in a community centre in Westcroft, Milton Keynes. The setting employs five members of childcare staff. Of whom, all five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. Regular volunteers work alongside the staff. The setting opens from Monday to Friday, during term-time only. Sessions are from 9am until midday, and from midday until 3pm. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the setting and discussed the early years foundation stage curriculum. n Children told the inspector about their friends and what they like to do when they are at the setting. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. 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 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

28 April 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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