Little Munchkins Nursery & Pre-School

Inspection of Little Munchkins Nursery & Pre-School St Barnabas Church, Medway Road, Huntingdon PE29 1SF

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision requires improvement

Children arrive eager to start their day in the care of kind and supportive staff. They have formed strong bonds with staff and benefit from cuddles and reassurance to help them feel secure. However, staff do not implement the curriculum effectively, so that it builds on what children already know or what they need to learn next. Nevertheless, staff nurture babies well, comforting babies and holding them close while they are being fed.

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The provision requires improvement

Children behave well. Staff explain the rules to children to help them understand the importance of sharing. However, some staff do not have all the skills they need to help children make good progress in their learning. At times, they focus on domestic routines, rather than spending time engaging positively with children.

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The provision requires improvement

The activities generally reflect children's interests. Young children are keen to explore messy play and enjoy drawing. However, staff do not spend enough time supporting children's learning. While staff understand the importance of challenging children, they do not consistently help children to gain the skills needed to support the next stage in their learning.

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need to do better?

n Children do not benefit from a well-designed curriculum that builds securely on what they know, so that they experience consistently good learning opportunities. Some staff do not understand the intentions for children's learning, which means they are not able to present the information in a way that offers the appropriate level of challenge for children. n Staff gather information from parents about their children when they first start at the nursery. This helps them to tailor the settling-in process according to children's individual needs. n Staff encourage children to manage their personal care. Children follow sensible hygiene routines and understand the importance of washing their hands before eating. Some older children manage these tasks independently. n Some staff say they like working at the nursery and are supported by the management team. However, the staffing arrangements mean that staff are not

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need to do better?

able to spend sufficient time talking to children. Their interactions with children are not sustained long enough to help each child to develop the language they need for thinking. n Children enjoy listening to stories and join in, saying the familiar words. Sometimes, staff encourage them to think about what happens next. Older children have opportunities to take books home to share with their family. n Babies enjoy moving their bodies and exploring what they can do, which helps them to develop their growing physical skills. They clamber up a small ramp and

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need to do better?

7 May 2025 climb into a small wooden boat, which they take delight in rocking back and forth. n Staff identify children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and work with parents to decide how to support the children. This is despite additional funding not always being readily available to meet children's learning needs. n The management team understands the strengths and areas for improvement. They endeavour to provide support and opportunities for staff's professional development. Supervision meetings take place to plan some opportunities for training. However, the monitoring of their practice is not robust enough to help staff develop the knowledge they need to become skilful practitioners.

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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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Due date

ensure staff implement a curriculum that clearly identifies what it is that all children need to learn, reflects their individual learning needs and offers appropriate challenge, building on what they already know and can do 30/09/2025

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Due date

improve the staffing arrangements and ensure that staff are deployed effectively, so that all children get the support they need to help them make good progress. 30/09/2025

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should:

n improve the monitoring of staff's practice to help them develop their knowledge and understanding of how children learn, so that all children benefit from good- quality learning experiences.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY500684 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 10397580 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 36 Number of children on roll 78 Name of registered person Little Munchkins (Huntingdon) Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 07702273757 Date of previous inspection 14 January 2020

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Information about this early years setting

Little Munchkins Nursery & Pre-School registered in 2016. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications, one at level 2 and five at level 3. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round, except for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 8am until 5pm. The nursery provides government funded early education for all eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. n The inspector observed activities indoors and outside and assessed the impact these have on children's learning. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together to discuss and understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n The inspector had discussions with staff at appropriate times during the inspection. n A meeting was held between the inspector, the provider and the manager. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including accident records and evidence of staff's suitability.

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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

7 May 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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