Buttons@Towcester Preschool

Buttons@Towcester Preschool

Unique reference number (URN): 2799965 Address: Towcester C Of E Primary School, Islington Road, Towcester, NN12 6AU Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 25/06/2024 Registers: EYR, CCR Registered person: Buttons Preschools Limited

p.1

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.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

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

p.1

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.

p.1

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations for children's behaviour. Children begin to show empathy for others. For example, when children fall over or hurt themselves, they go over to their friend, help them up and ask if they are alright. Staff introduce children to books about emotions. They use sign language to help children understand how to express how they are feeling. This is particularly positive for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children laugh as staff use the sign for 'angry', and they copy to show they understand. This empowers children to be able to show staff how they feel.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Children's attitudes to learning are highly positive. They sustain focus, show curiosity and participate with enthusiasm in the range of activities on offer to them. They are taught from an early age how to take turns and to share, and staff are really positive role models. They use language, such as 'kind hands' and 'inside voices', to help children understand what is expected of them. This has a really positive impact and creates a respectful and harmonious environment. Staff establish clear routines that all children, including those with SEND, understand well. They use clear, visual prompts to help all children know what is happening at each stage of the day. Staff offer children quiet time with adults and appropriate toys they know children enjoy, to help regulate their emotions, should these become heightened.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders promote positive partnerships with parents. This encourages effective communication between parents and staff. Leaders understand the importance of attendance and work closely with families to support children's regular attendance. This enables children, particularly those with SEND or those who face barriers to their learning, to establish positive routines.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders and staff ensure that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who may have barriers to their learning are exceedingly well supported. Staff who take the lead on SEND attend appropriate training to help them support children highly effectively. For example, they attend sign language courses and disseminate to other staff. This enables staff to help all children learn how to communicate and this also supports staff to communicate effectively with children who may be delayed with their speech and language. Children with SEND benefit from carefully planned targeted support. For example, staff use lanyards to help children know what is happening now and next, and they use positive affirmations instead of negative terms, to challenge any physical behaviours, to encourage children to manage these in a more positive way.

p.2

Inclusion Strong standard

Staff are quick to identify potential gaps in children's learning through regular observations and assessments of what children can do. These timely observations help to ensure that any interventions needed are sourced as quickly as possible. Staff work closely with parents to ensure that every child gets the best support and attention needed to help them thrive and make the progress they are capable of. Leaders and staff make appropriate adaptations to the environment when necessary to ensure this is inclusive for all children. They have a

p.2

Expected standard

quiet space where children can go with staff when they are feeling overwhelmed, which helps children to feel calm and safe.

p.3

Achievement Expected standard

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, along with those who have barriers to their learning, are extremely well supported in this setting. They make steady progress. They benefit from activities that link to their interests and what it is that they need to learn next. All children develop a range of skills through daily routines and play. They show increasing dexterity as they thread needles and learn how to use safety knives to cut up fruit and vegetables. Toddlers achieve well overall, but sometimes, they do not achieve as well as the older children in the setting. All children are typically developing their communication and language well. Older children communicate with increasing confidence, using words and simple sentences to share their needs, ideas and experiences. Children listen to others and begin to work alongside their friends as they engage in shared activities with support from staff. Children develop a love of books. They sit with staff in quiet areas

p.3

Achievement Expected standard

and show an enjoyment in the stories being told. Older children enjoy 'reading' to their friends as they ask them to 'Sit nicely and listen to the story'. They are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, the curriculum is designed and delivered well to help support children in their learning and development, and to be sure they gain the skills needed to be ready for the next stage in their learning, such as school. Leaders ensure that staff understand how to identify what it is children can do and need to do next. Staff take time to observe how children play and what their interests are, to be sure what is offered is supporting their ever- changing needs. There are times that staff's planning for younger children is not as effectively sequenced to get the maximum benefit of the curriculum. Sometimes, staff do not yet consistently make the most of all opportunities to deepen children's learning and thinking during activities.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff are skilled in how to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to access the curriculum alongside their friends. They make appropriate adaptations to activities, to ensure they are inclusive to all. For example, they use signs to help children know and understand colours and to help children know what is expected of them.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff take time to help children to develop their speech and language skills. They read to them at regular points in the day, sing songs and talk to children as they play. They ask appropriate and challenging questions, giving children time to think and respond. For example, they ask the children how they can paint without paint brushes in the forest school. Children know they can use sticks or their hands to make marks and patterns.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Staff do not consistently record all accidents that occur on the premises and leaders do not have an accurate oversight of this procedure. At the time of the inspection, staff were unable to find records of all accidents that have occurred. This means that children do not always get the support they need. Staff do record accidents and incidents that occur to children at home.

p.4

Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

Despite this, staff provide a caring and nurturing environment where all children, including those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, feel safe, secure and well cared for. Children's good health is well supported in the setting. Staff ensure that children are only offered healthy and nutritious breakfast foods and snacks. They talk to parents and offer guidance as to what constitutes a healthy lunch box for their child. Children spend lots of time outdoors, in the enclosed play space or exploring the forest school. They enjoy climbing on tree stumps, balancing carefully, with staff reminding them how to hold their arms out to the side to help them balance. They learn about the impact of foods on their good health as staff talk to them about foods they eat at snack time or those they cut up in the mud kitchen and role-play area. Children know how and where to wash their hands after

p.4

Children's welfare and wellbeing Needs attention

they have been outside or playing in the paint. They are taught how to switch the taps on and off and the importance of using soap.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

While leaders record most accidents that occur to children, on occasion, this has not been thorough or recorded effectively enough to ensure oversight. This means that children's welfare is not always assured.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Despite this weakness, leaders demonstrate a clear capacity to improve. They work hard as a leadership team, recognising the changing needs of children and ensure they strive to put these first and foremost. Leaders are reflective and passionate about their roles and work hard to meet the needs of all children, including those with barriers to their learning.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders regularly observe staff practice, offering constructive feedback and ideas on how to improve practice. This helps them to deliver an effective curriculum overall. Supervisions help identify training needs and set targets to allow staff to continue their professional development. Staff welfare is prioritised, and every morning, staff meet with the manager to discuss the day and enthuse together about how good the day will be. Leaders ensure that staff are suitable for their roles through following a robust recruitment process.

p.4

Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders and staff work very closely with families and external agencies to support the needs of all children, including those children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Parents speak highly of the care and support shown to their children and of the progress their children make in their learning and development. Very secure partnerships are in place with the linked school which helps to provide very smooth transitions for those children moving on to the school.

p.4

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has not met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

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

Overall, leaders and staff show high regard to promoting consistent practice, to ensure the needs of all children are met effectively. However, leaders do not always maintain a clear oversight of accident records. As a result, leaders are not always fully aware of accidents and injuries. Leaders take prompt action when any incidents occur and review their practice to promote children's safety and wellbeing. Children arrive happily and have formed really positive relationships with staff and their friends at this highly inclusive and welcoming setting. They display high levels of independence as they put their lunch boxes on the trolley, stick their name card on the board and quickly settle into their chosen activities. Children thrive in the nurturing, calm environment and show a willingness to learn as they persevere at self-chosen tasks. Children are supported to develop confidence, positive behaviour and demonstrate a clear sense of belonging as they decide how and where they

p.5

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

Leaders and staff know the children well and ensure that every child is supported. Inclusion is at the heart of this setting. Children, including those who may have special educational needs and/or disabilities, are well supported by staff in the setting to enable them to fully participate in the range of activities on offer. Some children struggle with their communication, and staff are adept at using other methods to support this, such as sign language, alongside speech to support children to learn how to express their needs.

p.5

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

Children love to be outdoors and learn about the impact of weather on their health and wellbeing. They know to wear their hats and sun cream to protect them from the sun, and they know that exercise helps them to 'move their bodies'. Children show delight in making

p.5

About this setting

their own potions in the mud kitchen. Children are helped by staff to develop their small- muscle skills as they show them how to carefully pick and snip herbs to fill their bottles. They are introduced to mathematical concepts as staff talk to them about the size of the hole on the bottle and why the large herbs will not fit down it.

p.6

About this setting

Children are encouraged by staff to learn to be independent in everyday tasks. They use real safety knives in the role-play area and at the snack table, to learn how to cut up vegetables and fruit safely. After snacks and meals, children place their rubbish in the appropriate bins, as staff support them to learn what can be recycled and what is waste. This helps to prepare children well for their next steps, as well as giving them a growing understanding of the world.

p.6

Next steps

To meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage and Childcare Register the provider must take the following action by the assigned date:

p.6

Action Completion Date

ensure a record of all accidents are recorded and maintained and that management have a clear oversight of these 06/08/2026

p.6

About this inspection

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

p.6

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.

p.6

About this inspection

We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this. Unique reference number (URN): 2799965

p.6

Address:

Towcester C Of E Primary School Islington Road Towcester NN12 6AU

p.7

Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.7

Address:

Registered person: Buttons Preschools Limited

p.7

Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:45 - 16:30

p.7

Facts and figures used on inspection

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

p.7

Exceptional

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

p.7

Strong standard

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

p.8

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.

p.8

Needs attention

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

p.8

Urgent improvement

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

p.8

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.

p.8

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.8

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.8

Urgent improvement

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

p.8