Poplars Day Care Nursery

Poplars Day Care Nursery Stratton Road, Wanborough, SWINDON, SN4 0AA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/10/2012 07/11/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Staff form good relationships with the children and are warm, caring and attentive. Children therefore demonstrate they feel extremely safe and secure in the nursery.  Children have good opportunities to develop their physical skills on the wide range of challenging equipment in the vast outdoor areas. Children regularly play outdoors, have fresh air and exercise and explore all seven areas of learning outside.  Parents give very positive feedback about the nursery and value the staff highly. Staff regularly communicate with parents regarding their child's progress and encourage them to support their child's learning and development at home.  Staff plan a good range of activities in most areas of learning that help children make good progress in their learning and development. They know the children's individual needs well and plan for the next steps in their learning.  Children's behaviour is good and they are well-engaged in their play. Staff are good role

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This provision is good

models and provide clear boundaries and children show kindness to one another.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The manager does not rigorously monitor staff practice to ensure they are consistent in challenging children, recognising their interests and building on these to help all children make consistently good progress, particularly children who learn English as an additional language.  Children do not always have the opportunity to choose what they want to make and what materials they wish to use in order to fully develop their own ideas.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff and children of each age group playing in the rooms and in the outdoor areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had discussions with staff during the inspection, and sampled the children's learning records.  The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the manager.  The inspector had a meeting with the provider, manager and deputy manager.  The inspector sampled staff and children's files.

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Information about the setting

Poplars Day Care Nursery registered with its current owner in 2006. It is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery is privately owned and operates in large premises near the village of Lower Wanborough, Swindon, Wiltshire. Children are accommodated in a variety of rooms, according to their ages. There is wheelchair access to the premises. Children use several secure outdoor areas, with varying surfaces. The nursery opens each weekday all year round, from 7.30am to 6.30pm, with the exception of bank holidays and the Christmas closure. A holiday club and after school provision are also available. Children are drawn from a wide geographical area, including the village itself and others in the surrounding counties, as well as from Swindon. Currently, there are 155 children in the early years age group on roll. Children aged two, three and four years old receive funding for the

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Information about the setting

provision of free early education. The nursery currently supports children who learn English as an additional language. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery employs 39 members of staff to work directly with the children. Of these, 38 staff have appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 2 up to and including level 6.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 improve systems for staff supervision to include regular monitoring of staff practice and the development of all groups of children, especially those learning English as an additional language

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 increase opportunities for children to find their own ways to represent and develop their own ideas, by supporting children in thinking about what they want to make, the processes that may be involved and the materials and resources they might need.

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who attend

Children make good progress in their learning and development overall as staff know the children well and plan a broad range of activities to support their individual learning needs. Staff carry out regular observations of the children and use these to plan for the next steps in their learning. As a result, children are reaching, and in some areas exceeding, their expected levels of development. Staff support children who are learning English as an additional language well overall. Staff gain key words in children's home language from parents and encourage them to bring in familiar books and toys from home to help children settle. Staff recognise that some children find it difficult to settle when they have limited English and offer them close comfort and support. However, although staff are able to demonstrate that most children are making good progress in their language development, there are some inconsistencies in monitoring this rigorously.

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who attend

Babies are happy and settled and eagerly explore the activities and toys. Young babies show delight as they pull their heads up and look at and touch their reflection in the mirror. They roll about and reach out to grab toys and explore the textures with their hands and mouths. Staff are on hand to respond to their babbling and offer lots of eye contact and reassurance as they investigate the activity centre. More mobile babies climb in and out of the ball pit, gaining increasing confidence in their skills. Others explore the pasta, using scoops to fill various containers. Staff support the children well and use simple language to describe what the children are doing. Children show that they understand simple instructions; for example, they come to the table and sit down for snack time and feel the textures of the pasta when prompted.

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who attend

Toddlers eagerly put on their coats and boots to go outdoors and enjoy exploring the various ways they can move their bodies. Children walk along the balancing beams and hold onto the bars for support. Less confident children gain new skills as they are supported by staff who hold their hands to help them walk across. Other children persevere as they climb the tiered bars, counting to themselves as they climb and show pride when they complete the task for the first time. Children gain confidence in making their needs known to staff and the majority of the time they respond to children's attempts to communicate their needs. For example, one child runs to a member of staff and takes her hand, leading her to the willow tunnel to crawl through and explore. On occasions, not all staff are confident in responding to children's attempts to communicate. For example, when a child climbs over the netball post, looks at the water that has

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who attend

collected in the back and tries to verbalise this, it is not fully recognised.

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who attend

Older children demonstrate they are confident in their environment and make choices about what they wish to play with. Staff follow their interests well, such as when children choose to play a picture lotto game based on a book they have been reading together. Children sit and concentrate, take turns and thoroughly enjoy counting how many pictures they have collected and how many more they need to win. Other children select paper, pens, magazines and scissors and draw, colour and cut out pictures. They sit together and chat happily, talking about what they are doing. Outdoors children use bug finders to examine spiders. They talk about what they see and count the number of legs on the spider confidently. Other children ride around on scooters and tricycles confidently and show a good awareness of space. Later on, the children decide to act out a favourite story and staff get involved and take on the lead role as instructed by the children. On

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who attend

occasions children are not fully involved in choosing what to make or the materials they wish to use to fully develop their own ideas. For example, when children make shakers to talk about the sounds they make, staff decide how they are going to make them and what materials they will use. This means children are not always able to test different materials and designs for themselves.

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who attend

Children are well prepared for their move to the next age group room in the nursery. This is because staff aid this transition with regular settling in visits and communication with children's new key person. This helps children to feel secure and ready for the next stage in their learning. Staff make links with the feeder schools that children will move onto to help ease their transitions. Teachers are invited in to the nursery to meet the children and staff share progress records with them to promote continuity in children's learning. Children gain independence in their self-care skills and learn to recognise familiar words such as their names. Staff help children acquire the confidence and skills they will need for their move to school. Parents share information with staff about their child's achievements at home and receive regular feedback about their child's progress in the nursery. Parents are invited to view their child's learning journals at any time and to add any contributions

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who attend

themselves. Parents speak highly of the staff and value the care their children receive. They also find the support and advice staff give them about how to support their child's development at home invaluable.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children demonstrate that they feel very safe and secure in the nursery as they form strong attachments with staff. Babies lift up their arms to their familiar carer and snuggle in for a cuddle and a drink of milk. Toddlers readily approach staff for help and new, less settled children sit on a member of staff's lap to eat lunch and have a cuddle to fall asleep. Older children confidently talk to staff about their personal lives and share news with them. The key person system is effective in helping staff understand and meet children's individual needs well.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children behave well, form good relationships with staff and their friends and develop respect for others. Staff are good role models and are respectful to one another. They provide clear and consistent boundaries for the children. Staff give clear explanations as to why certain behaviour is not acceptable and this helps children learn right from wrong. Children sit and play games together and clearly know they have to take turns and learn to praise the 'winner' by clapping. Children learn how to keep themselves and others safe. Young children know to hold hands with staff when they walk across the car park to go to the paddock. Staff allow children take manageable risks appropriate to their stage of development, as they climb on balancing and climbing equipment or up on the furniture to sit down. Older children know how to use tools, such as scissors safely and independently. Staff invite visitors to the nursery, including a road safety officer and the police. These

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

visits further promote children's understanding of safety through activities, such as role playing crossing the road safely.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children develop their understanding of the importance of healthy lifestyles through regular fresh air and exercise. They are keen to go outside and play and are able to access resources and activities in all of the areas of learning. This benefits those children who prefer to learn outdoors. Staff teach children about the importance of physical activity and fresh air. Children eat fresh, nutritious, home cooked meals which they thoroughly enjoy. Staff talk to the children about healthy eating and how certain foods are good for their bodies. However, this is not always reinforced as part of the daily routine by all staff. Children develop good self-care skills, as from a young age staff encourage them to clean their hands and faces before and after eating. Staff work closely with parents to manage developmentally appropriate skills, including potty training with children. Older children confidently take themselves to the toilet and manage their personal hygiene needs well.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

They serve their own meals and most of the time their own drinks, although on occasions some staff do this for them. Children play in a well-resourced environment both indoors and out. They are able to choose from the good range of resources and activities that support their learning and development in all areas. This helps children develop good levels of independence. Children demonstrate a good attitude towards their learning, as they select the activities they wish to use and are engaged in their play. Children play in a bright and welcoming nursery, which has lots of displays of the children's work and photographs of staff and children engaged in activities. This shows that children are valued. There are many signs and symbols which help children learn the meaning of print, and posters and displays show positive images of diversity. Children learn about different cultures and beliefs through using various resources and participating in activities that help them develop

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provision

The provider and manager are very aware of their responsibility to safeguard children. The manager is confident in her knowledge of child protection issues and the procedures to follow in the event of concerns. Clear procedures are implemented by all staff to protect themselves and the children, such as not using personal mobile telephones in the nursery and following best practice routines for managing children's intimate care needs. Staff are clear of their roles in maintaining a safe environment for children and follow effective procedures to help promote children's safety. For example, when taking the children to the paddock, staff take a rucksack with children's details, the nursery mobile telephone and a first aid kit in case there is an emergency.

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provision

The manager and staff have a secure understanding of the learning and development requirements. They know how children learn and develop and offer a good range of experiences in most areas of learning. Staff regularly monitor most children's progress in the seven areas of learning. They are clear about where children are in their development and plan the next steps to move them on. The manager is less rigorous in ensuring children who learn English as an additional language have their language development consistently monitored to ensure they all make good progress relative to their starting points.

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provision

The nursery has good systems in place to identify strengths and areas for development overall. All recommendations from the last inspection have been addressed and improvements have been made to the after-school club. Children now have more space to play and relax, and have a greater choice of activities, including table tennis. This has been successful as children state they wish to come back for the holiday club. Staff have identified the need for the babies to have more regular fresh air and exercise. As a result, a balcony is under construction outside the baby room, which will enable babies to have free flow to an outdoor area and regular fresh air. Staff have regular opportunities to attend training and staff meetings are well-used to share information and new ideas. Staff have annual appraisals where they discuss their strengths and areas for development. However, the manager has not implemented an effective system to monitor staff practice

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provision

regularly. This means that she has not identified that, on occasions, there are some inconsistencies in staff practice. Consequently, at times staff do not consistently challenge children and build on their interests to make sure they make the best progress possible.

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provision

Staff have strong partnerships with external agencies to help them monitor any potential concerns in children's development. In addition, the health visitor visits the nursery every six weeks to check the developmental progress of the children. This means that staff are able to share children's progress with regard to the two-year-old check and have effective strategies in place to monitor any areas in which children may not be developing as expected. Parents receive detailed information about the nursery's policies and procedures and the activities available to their children. Parents' views are actively sought and they are invited to join the 'Parents of Poplars' group to contribute to decisions about future developments. For example, parents instigated the development of the paddock and gave their ideas about the equipment they would like to see their children use. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their child's education through attending information

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provision

sessions, 'stay and play' times and parenting groups.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted 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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Setting details

Unique reference number EY337327 Local authority Swindon Inspection number 815192 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 165 Number of children on roll 155 Name of provider Ranu Ltd Date of previous inspection 07/11/2008 Telephone number 01793 790 774

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Setting details

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply: Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. 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,

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Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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