Mulberry Bush Nursery WalshawOfsted inspection, 7 Sept 2011

Mulberry Bush Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY415343 Inspection date 07/09/2011 Inspector Mary Henderson

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Setting address Mulberry Bush Nursery, Stewart Street, BURY, Lancashire, BL8 1SU Telephone number 01617973788 Email walshaw@mulberrybush-nursery.co.uk Type of setting Childcare on non-domestic premises 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 Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, 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. 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.

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

Mulberry Bush Nursery registered again in 2010 and is one of four settings privately owned and operated by the registered person. The nursery operates from two detached, single-storey buildings in Bury. There are several playrooms, all with secure outdoor play areas. Children are grouped according to age and stage of development. The nursery currently supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who have English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The provision is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of 104 children at any one time. There are currently 160 children on roll, some of whom attend on a part-time basis. The nursery currently employs three managers and 27 members of staff. Of these, 28 hold relevant childcare qualifications, one member of staff holds a L4 qualification, two members of staff hold foundation degrees, one member of staff holds a BA Hons degree in Young People and families and one member of staff is working towards their BA Hons degree in Early Years. The nursery also employs three full-time maintenance staff a supervisor, a caretaker, and a painter and decorator to enhance the provision and service provided.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is open from 7.30am until 6pm Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year, excluding Bank Holidays. The nursery has two large car parks and two dropping-off areas located at the front of the nursery. They are supported by the local authority.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

There are dynamic opportunities for all children on roll to develop across all areas of their learning. The key strength of the provision is the all-weather continuous provision, ensuring that all children can move between the indoor and outdoor play areas as they wish. The management and staff team are highly qualified and experienced and work exceptionally well with one another. The relationship between the key workers and the children and their parents is excellent. The relationships between the key workers, other professionals and other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage are highly effective. The systems in place for risk assessment and for self-evaluation are consistently high.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 developing further and continuing to promote the exceptional effectiveness of the provision and the future planning to secure even further improvement. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The staff and management are a strong team who are highly qualified, experienced and fully committed to continually provide outstanding outcomes for children. The staff have developed extensive relationships with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage and a broad range of other professionals, ensuring high levels of inclusion for all children on roll. The staff have an excellent understanding and strong commitment to supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children with English as an additional language. With parental support, this includes identifying children's individual requirements on an ongoing basis and ensuring the appropriate professional support is accessed, which also further fosters high levels of inclusion. The extensive risk assessments in place identify all possible risks to children in all indoor and outdoor areas and any outings involving the children. This keeps

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the early years provision

children safe and secure in their environment at all times. Safeguarding is a high priority at the nursery and all staff have received external certified safeguarding training and have an excellent understanding and awareness of the policies and procedures to be followed. All management, key workers and ancillary staff are suitably checked and vetted.

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the early years provision

There are extensive self-evaluation systems in place which include high input by the management, staff and all children and their parents. The systems identify areas of strength and any areas for any further improvement on an ongoing basis. This further ensures and sustains outstanding outcomes for all children on roll.

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the early years provision

Engagement with parents and carers is exemplary. There is daily written and verbal two-way exchange of information to ensure parents are kept fully informed of routines and that each child's needs are identified and fully met at all times. Parents and carers receive consistently high levels of information about their child's learning and development through free access to their development files and regular meetings with their child's key worker. There is a wealth of information displayed for parents and carers in all areas of the nursery. Displaying children's artwork gives parents a sense of belonging to their child's nursery. The parents also have free access to the comprehensive range of policies and procedures of the setting.

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and outcomes for children

The key workers are highly motivated, experienced and exceptionally well qualified, which ensures outstanding outcomes for all children on an ongoing basis. They show kindness, professionalism and enthusiasm which provides a consistently high level of role modelling for the children. The staff make excellent use of all indoor and outdoor space and resources to provide an interesting and challenging environment for the children. The children's current and ever-changing interests are fostered very well by their key workers and fully included in the planning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children make rapid progress across all remits of their learning and development.

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and outcomes for children

The children explore their environment, identifying features and noticing the natural world. They thoroughly enjoy the continuous provision of indoor and outdoor play. They enthusiastically search for insects, watch the birds flying past and explore the outdoors with gusto. The management ensure children's outdoor areas enhance all aspects of children's learning. Children enjoy having an inspiring range of visitors to the setting, which further enhances their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. Visitors include staff or parents who bring in animals such as a duck and a chicken so that children can see, stroke and feed them and talk about their habitats. Other visitors include the police, ambulance and fire officers, who regularly visit the children in their vehicles, show them how to use the tools of their job and talk about staying safe. Children learn about crossing the road safely, stranger danger at their level of understanding and

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and outcomes for children

how they can keep themselves safe at the setting or at home. They are also all fully included in the evacuation procedures of the setting. This fully supports their sense of feeling safe in their environment. Children chat, smile and giggle with one another and the staff caring for them. They seek comfort and support with their activities as they need, showing significantly high levels of feeling safe. Their artwork is excellently displayed for them in their playrooms, which fosters their self-esteem and ensures a superior sense of belonging to the setting. They all have their own family books nearby in their rooms. These show photographs of their close and extended family, their pets, and themselves doing their favourite activities, actively contributing to their sense of feeling safe and secure in their environment.

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and outcomes for children

The children learn about a healthy lifestyle through visitors, stories and discussions during meal times. They are provided with an extensive menu which is cooked fresh on site each day and includes the organic vegetables grown and harvested by the children in their own vegetable patch. They learn about the importance of oral health as the dental nurse visits to chat to them about how to clean their teeth properly and the importance of a healthy diet. Children of all ages use an excellent range of resources and equipment which extend their physical development. They enjoy climbing and balancing, riding their trikes, crawling over and under equipment and moving freely around their play areas as they wish.

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and outcomes for children

The children show very high levels of interest and enthusiasm as they explore skills for the future. They enjoy using an extensive range of programmes on the computers which support their problem solving skills. The programmes extend children's learning about numbers, calculation, colour and shape. Children are encouraged by the staff to count during everyday routines, such as calculating how many cups and plates are needed at meal times. They involve themselves in charitable activities, such as dressing up to raise funds and collecting harvest foods for those less fortunate, including the people at the homeless shelter. The children also explore the concept of recycling as they put their left over food in the compost bin to use later on their vegetable patch.

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and outcomes for children

Children help themselves to the extensive range of resources, both indoors and outdoors. They paint and draw pictures to display or take home to their family. They also like to make their own play dough and use this to practise their cutting, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 rolling and moulding skills. Children like to dress up as their favourite characters and run around their environment, playing imaginatively with their peers. The children have the highest regard for one another and the adults caring for them. They show high levels of confidence and independence.

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and outcomes for children

Children are beginning to have a strong understanding about people who have different needs, views, cultures and beliefs. They play with an exceptional range of toys and resources that reflect positive images of diversity including dolls and small world people. They also explore festivals around the calendar year through discussions, art work and looking through story and reference books. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 1 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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Stage

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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