Your Co-op Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Oxford

Inspection of Your Co-op Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Oxford Osney Lane, Oxford OX1 1TE

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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 Not applicable

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The provision requires improvement

Staff are warm and friendly. They effectively help children settle and enjoy their time at nursery. Children behave typically for their age. Staff effectively help them understand what is expected of them. Staff keep children safe and meet their care needs effectively. Staff diligently ensure children wash their hands before eating. They check babies' nappies regularly and use nappy changing times to build bonds and help children feel safe and secure. For example, staff sing to children as they change their nappies and offer lots of smiles and reassurance.

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The provision requires improvement

Staff plan and deliver a range of learning experiences that broadly cover the different areas of learning. However, there are inconsistencies in the quality of planning and learning across the nursery. For example, some story times are delivered very well, with staff engaging children effectively and encouraging useful discussions about what children hear and see. At these times children learn well. However, at other times, story times are frequently interrupted by staff wanting children to get ready for meals. This disturbs the focus, enjoyment and learning for all children involved. In addition, staff do not always deploy themselves in the most effective ways to support children's learning. Never-the-less, by the time children leave for school they have developed a suitable set of skills and knowledge in preparation for the next stage in their learning.

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need to do better?

n The nursery has faced a period of challenge in regard to the recruitment and retention of staff. This has resulted in leaders having to cover other roles within the nursery. This has limited their time available to monitor the delivery of the curriculum and offer tailored support to those staff who most need it, including those new, or returning, to childcare. As a result, some staff plan next steps for children's learning, or activities, that do not best meet children's current learning needs. For example, some staff working with babies and very young children plan for them to learn about letters and the sounds they represent rather than focusing on developing their emerging vocabulary and listening skills. Sometimes staff do not explain clearly to children what they are going to be doing and the rules they need to follow. When this happens, although children have lots of fun, staff struggle to help children practise the skills they have identified they want

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need to do better?

them to master. n Some aspects of the curriculum are planned for, and delivered, well. For example, overall children take part in an effective range of activities to support their physical development. Babies are encouraged to use age-appropriate climbing equipment. Staff have recently developed more opportunities for children to play imaginatively. Children use the resources provided to pretend to be other people, and by interacting with their peers learn to negotiate and take

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need to do better?

4 July 2025 account of the views of others. For example, children enjoy pretending to be ambulance drivers and to take part in pretend picnics with each other. n Leaders ensure staff ratios are maintained and that there are qualified and experienced staff in each room who can work alongside less qualified and non- permanent staff. However, there are times when qualified staff priorities domestic tasks over leading the learning, which leaves staff who know children less well to deliver learning experiences. These staff are less well placed to deliver teaching that is tailored to the specific needs of the children. At these times staff can struggle to keep children engaged well. This adds to the inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning. n Staff use assessments to effectively identify children who may need extra help to fulfil their potential. They call on the support of specialist staff to help with

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need to do better?

planning for their specific needs and make suitable adaptations to routines and activities to make sure children can join in well with all aspects of nursery life. n There are effective procedures in place for keeping parents informed about their children's progress. Parents appreciate the regular updates and the information that is shared to enable them to further support children's learning at home. n Leaders have recently reviewed their policies and procedures in regard to the supervision and safety of children. Staff have received further training to support them in this aspect of their role and adjustments have been made to some routine times to ensure staff can vigilantly supervise children at all times.

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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

support leaders who have day-to-day oversight for the provision to monitor staff practice effectively, in order to support staff to deliver consistently good quality teaching. 26/09/2025

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should:

n improve staff knowledge in regard to planning appropriate next steps in

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should:

4 July 2025 learning, to enable staff to focus more closely on what children most need to learn next n improve staff deployment, to make the most of the skills and knowledge of qualified and experienced staff, to improve the delivery of the curriculum for all children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 2777663 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 10408710 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care

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inspection

Total number of places 70 Number of children on roll 91 Name of registered person The Midcounties Co-Operative Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 08009540669 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

Your Co-op Little Pioneers nursery and pre-school registered in 2024 and is situated at Osney Lane, Oxford. The nursery opens from 7.30am to 6.30pm, Monday to Friday, all year, except for bank holidays. The nursery employs 29 members of staff, of whom 15 hold relevant childcare qualifications. The provider offers funded early education for children aged nine months and above.

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Inspection activities

n The inspector and the manager completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The manager and the inspector carried out several joint observations. n The inspector held meetings with leaders to find out about the leadership and management of the setting. n Parents and children shared their views and the inspector took these into account. n The inspector looked at a sample of key documentation. n We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider.

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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

4 July 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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