Monkey Puzzle Bedford

Inspection of Monkey Puzzle Bedford 78 Shakespeare Road, Bedford, Bedfordshire MK40 2DN

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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 become confident in this nursery, where staff are calm and caring. Staff encourage children to be independent from the youngest ages. Babies have opportunities to feed themselves. Toddlers have a go at putting their shoes on and older children use the toilet independently. Staff offer a lot of specific praise, which helps children behave well. When babies repeat single words, staff clap and smile. Staff tell children they are good helpers and kind to their friends. Children demonstrate good manners and respect for each other. For instance, when they want to walk around the table they politely ask their friends to move out of the way.

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The provision is good

Staff encourage children to explore with their senses and get messy. Babies feel water and sand. Staff encourage them to sprinkle the sand and smell flowers. This helps to meet their natural exploratory impulses. As children grow through the nursery, staff provide them with more structured activities that help develop their concentration skills. Toddlers manipulate tweezers to pick up pom-poms and older children hold pencils to competently trace around number and letter shapes. This helps to develop control of their small hand and finger muscles.

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need to do better?

n The managers have clear goals for the nursery and regularly reflect on how to make improvements that benefit the children. Staff feel well supported personally and professionally. They attend regular training and managers encourage them to complete qualifications. The managers recognise the staff team's hard work through a range of rewards. This helps staff to feel dedicated and excited to care for, and educate, children. n Managers know the staff team well and use more experienced staff to support the newer team members. Staff know children well. They use accurate assessments and next steps to help children make good progress in their learning. However, not all staff deliver high-quality teaching and interactions when working with the children. n Parents are very happy with the communication they receive about their child's learning and care. They receive regular development updates and support as to

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need to do better?

how they can help their children learn at home, through the online learning journal. Parents report their children have developed their English speaking skills and are happy to attend the nursery. n Children's good health is promoted consistently well throughout the nursery. Staff encourage them to wash their hands at appropriate times and wipe their own noses. They change children's nappies in a sensitive and hygienic way. Children receive a range of healthy nutritious food and spend a lot of time in the garden, balancing, running and moving their bodies in a range of ways.

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need to do better?

19 May 2025 n Staff support children's communication and language skills well. They listen carefully as babies repeat single words to help build early conversational skills. Staff sing to toddlers who join in the words. Older children hear a range of words to extend their vocabulary during play. For example, staff label different underwater creatures when playing in the water tray. n Staff effectively support children who speak English as an additional language. They build strong relationships with families and children to understand words in their home language. For example, parents record the words of books in home languages. This helps children to feel connected to their home and family environment. n Older children play with their friends and are learning a range of social skills. For example, they build houses together out of bricks in the construction corner. Staff skilfully help them to understand and negotiate whose turn it is to kick a

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need to do better?

ball into the goal. This helps children to understand ideas from different points of view. n There are clear, secure routines in place for all rooms in the nursery. However, during some times of transition, staff do not engage toddlers in meaningful learning. As a result, children play games that raise noise levels and occasionally disrupt others.

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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 help staff to develop their teaching skills further, so that children receive consistently high-quality provision and interactions n review transition times in the toddler room to make sure these are more organised and encourage more learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY562269 Local authority Bedford Inspection number 10401656 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 75 Number of children on roll 123 Name of registered person Mini Whales Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01234930282 Date of previous inspection 17 May 2022

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Information about this early years setting

Monkey Puzzle Bedford registered in 2018. The nursery employs 23 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for all eligible children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager and deputy joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. 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 inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and considered their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery. n Children talked with the inspector during the inspection.

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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

19 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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