The Mulberry Bush Pre-School

The Mulberry Bush Pre-School

Unique reference number (URN): 2787396 Address: Almondbury Children's Centre & Library, Farfield Road, Huddersfield, HD5 8TD Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 17/05/2024 Registers: EYR Registered person: The Mulberry Bush Pre-School Limited

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Strong standard

All children make consistent progress from their starting points. Children's communication skills develop well. For example, children discuss animal habitats and use a range of vocabulary such as 'camouflage', which sparks children's interest throughout the day. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language also make strong progress. They build, count and develop their fine motor skills through drawing and solving problems independently. All of these experiences help children develop the skills ready for their next steps in learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children are warmly welcomed by practitioners, and well-established routines help them settle quickly into their play, so they become ready to learn. These routines also enable practitioners to take small groups to the forest school area or for tailored circle time. The calm, nurturing environment supports behaviour and encourages collaborative learning where children take turns and discuss ideas. Children show positive attitudes to learning by listening attentively to stories, building together, making 'pies', and searching for bugs in the mud kitchen. They join activities with curiosity and can stay focused for long periods. Practitioners break down learning into small steps so children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are given the time to succeed. Children feel secure in the setting and develop positive attitudes and dispositions, which enables them to thrive.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

The manager promotes good attendance patterns for all children by working closely with parents to emphasise its importance and build strong attendance habits. Absences are followed up promptly, and leaders work with external agencies to monitor and address attendance for children known to social care.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

Children are well cared for and feel safe in the setting. Leaders and practitioners know the children in their care very well, which helps them to create an inclusive environment for all. Carefully planned routines support children's health, happiness and readiness to learn, particularly for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face barriers to learning. The key-person system is firmly embedded, and practitioners build strong relationships with children. As a result, children can describe and manage their own emotions.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Strong standard

During snack time, children talk about healthy eating and the importance of fruit and other nutritious foods, helping them to make positive choices. Children independently use spoons and tongs to promote their independence. Leaders promote children's wellbeing effectively by working in partnership with the local supermarket, which provides free fresh fruit for the children to taste and discuss. Care routines benefit children's physical and emotional wellbeing. Younger children who are tired or need rest can sleep in a quiet space supervised by adults. For children with SEND, routines are carefully structured and supported using visual aids so that they feel secure and ready to take part.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders design a curriculum that responds to children's individual needs, beginning with the prime areas and extending into all areas of development. Planning reflects and builds on children's current learning, enabling practitioners to identify and plan suitable next steps through adapted high-quality interactions and focused activities. Literacy and mathematics are woven throughout each session. For example, during circle time, children listen attentively to a story, discuss the animals and their habitats and practise counting. Practitioners interact skilfully with all children, particularly those who face barriers to learning. They also adapt their questioning in the moment to develop children's emerging thinking.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teaching is calm and consistent, with adults scaffolding learning and giving children time to reflect through open-ended questions. During an activity, children discuss their feelings, and practitioners adapt their teaching so all children are included. As a result, children can name and describe their own feelings and those of others.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Practitioners use impact sheets to assess children's learning and adapt future activities accordingly. This is particularly effective for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely as a team and regularly discuss each child's current level of learning so that this shared understanding can inform children's next steps.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are given adaptations to ensure they have experiences across all aspects of the curriculum. Practitioners differentiate activities so all children fully participate. Leaders know families very well and act quickly to identify individual needs by communicating with parents, so children get the right help early on. This ensures all children, including children with SEND, those who speak English as an additional language and those who face disadvantage, make consistent progress.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Practitioners provide an inclusive practice by reducing barriers to learning, such as adapting activities appropriately, using objects of reference and visual cue cards to ensure children have experiences across all aspects of the curriculum. They tailor support to engage all children effectively in the activities on offer. Children show particular enjoyment in accessing the 'forest' area and join in with a special animal hunt.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders work in partnership with agencies such as the local authority and speech and language therapists to ensure there is a consistent approach, tailored to children's individual needs. Early years pupil premium funding is used thoughtfully in a variety of ways to further develop the forest school area and increase staffing levels to provide children with even more support. Leaders are passionate about inclusion, ensuring all children thrive and are given the opportunities to do so to consistently support their confidence, independence and resilience.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The team is well established. This continuity, together with a collaborative approach, means leaders and practitioners know children and families very well. They understand the daily pressures families face and the wider context of the community, and they work together to provide a positive learning experience for every child. Professionalism is embedded across the team, and all practitioners make a positive contribution to children's learning. With children and families at the heart of the provision, leaders continually review and improve daily experiences which match to their improvement priorities, such as planning effectively for all children at all times. The owner works in partnership with leaders to ensure a clear focus on securing excellence for all children by providing a clear oversight of governance, safeguarding and safer recruitment. Community engagement is strong. Leaders seek support from a range of agencies and involve parents in all aspects of the setting so children

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Strong teamwork and high morale enable leaders to maintain high standards and ensure that statutory responsibilities are met. Staff wellbeing is also prioritised, and the team ethos means that they feel valued and listened to through supervision sessions. Leaders ensure all practitioners have access to high-quality training. For example, funding is used for specific special educational needs training to enable all practitioners to have a professional understanding to the barriers children with special educational needs and/or disabilities face.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children arrive happily at the setting. Parents comment on how their children are eager to attend and they feel involved in their learning. Children are greeted by all staff with warmth. This makes children immediately feel safe in their environment and ready for the learning opportunities the well-trained professional staff offer. Children enjoy their learning by exploring different activities and areas within the setting, such as hunting for animals in the 'forest' area or engaging in an interactive story at circle time.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children succeed as individuals, making consistent progress from their starting points. They become independent learners, developing their confidence in their learning by watching staff model language and positive behaviour. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who speak English as an additional language and those with other barriers to learning develop effectively. Staff identify children's needs rapidly and adapt their provision accordingly. Children develop their curiosity, use their imagination and celebrate

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Address:

Almondbury Children's Centre & Library Farfield Road Huddersfield HD5 8TD

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registration date: 17/05/2024 their successes. They take part in a variety of activities that promote all areas of learning, including communication and mathematical language.

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Address:

Children benefit from a sense of belonging created through strong links with the local community and schools in the local area. Leaders promote regular attendance, so children benefit from regular routines, which supports their wellbeing. The setting is wholly inclusive and children participate in a wide variety of activities and access a broad curriculum. The setting has high expectations of children from their starting points.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to plan effectively for all children to provide a transformational impact on children's development and achievement.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners and the special educational needs coordinator during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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. Registered person: The Mulberry Bush Pre-School Limited

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About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 16:30

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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