Foundations Day Nursery

Foundations Day Nursery Elim Church Centre, Exeter Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham, West Midlands, B29 6EU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/10/2012 03/12/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 There is a very caring and welcoming family atmosphere in the nursery and all children and their families are extremely well supported. Children feel happy and secure in the care of their key person and other staff, and their individual needs are fully met.  Children's safety in the nursery and on outings is assured at all times as staff are very vigilant and the meticulous policies and procedures are rigorously implemented throughout the nursery.  The organisation of the nursery rooms and the use of the wealth of high quality resources provide an enabling environment in which all children learn in exciting ways and make very good progress in all areas of learning.  Staff show a very secure understanding of the different ways in which children learn. They use their skills to make detailed observations of children, which allows them to plan very effectively in order to build on each child's knowledge and skills.

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This provision is outstanding

 There is a very strong partnership with parents and carers through which information is shared about children's achievements and development. This provides a continuity between children's learning at home and in the nursery.  Staff are highly motivated and secure in all aspects of their practice as a result of the outstanding support they receive from management. The excellent communication and teamwork throughout the nursery mean that there is a consistently high standard of practice through which all children receive the best care and learning experiences.

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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 activities in the eight base rooms and the outside learning environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the chairman of the nursery management board, the manager and the deputy manager of the provision.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of practitioners working within the setting, the provider's self- evaluation form and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector also took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day and in information included in the self-evaluation form.

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Information about the setting

Foundations Day Nursery opened in 1993. It is owned by the Elim Church and run by a management committee that includes some staff, parents and representatives from the church. It operates from nine rooms in a church building in Selly Oak, Birmingham. Some areas of the premises are accessible to people with disabilities, however, there is no lift to the upper floor. The nursery opens five days a week all year round and includes before and after school provision. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery serves the local and wider areas.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 136 children on roll between the ages of six weeks and 11 years, some of whom receive funding for early education. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are 35 members of staff who work directly with the children. There are two unqualified staff and the others hold a variety of childcare qualifications including level 2 and 3, and one member of staff holds Early Years Professional Status. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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

 continue to develop ongoing training and professional development of staff in order to maintain the high quality provision in the nursery so that children continue to receive innovative learning experiences.

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who attend

All staff have a very secure knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and how children learn through play. Each child's key person observes their activities carefully and uses the information to plan challenging learning experiences which build on what they know and can do. Children's interests are taken into account when planning so that specific resources or activities related to their needs are used to encourage them to experience a wider variety of learning experiences. This means that all children make very good progress at their own pace and level of development and that they enjoy all the activities they take part in.

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who attend

The nursery has eight base rooms arranged according to children's ages. These are extremely well organised, colourful and welcoming. They provide enabling environments in which children explore an extensive range of toys and resources which enhance their skills across all seven areas of learning. Cosy corners are set up with cushions and treasure baskets full of exciting objects for young children to explore, such as soft brushes, sponges and natural objects including fir cones and leaves. Textured boards and objects provide interest for children and allow them to compare surfaces. Pre-school children explore the texture of cornflour and water and staff use this to develop their language and vocabulary very effectively. They describe how it feels and what might happen if more water is added. They relate this to a previous baking activity, reflecting on their learning and making links in new contexts.

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who attend

Staff have high expectations of children and provide sufficient challenge for them at each stage of their learning. This ensures that all children are ready for their next stage in learning and for their transition to school in the case of the pre-school children. Children have many opportunities to explore the local area on trips to the railway station, the shops and the park. They learn about a range of cultures and festivals. For example, they taste different foods for Diwali and Chinese New Year and take part in artwork and dressing up to enhance their learning about these events. Children's own cultures are celebrated within their own rooms and families share events with nursery. For example, a parent brings Diwali sweets for children to share. All children are developing their technological skills very well through a huge range of exciting push-button toys and computers. Pre- school children enjoy using an interactive whiteboard and programmable toys with which

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who attend

they explore and discuss a pictorial map of a high street, and younger children benefit from larger letters on their keyboards.

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who attend

Parents are welcomed into the nursery and invited to share their children's learning experiences through workshops when they join in the activities to find out their purpose. They share information when their child starts at the nursery in order to provide a starting point for staff to build on. Parents may see their child's 'learning journey' at any time and contribute to this with photographs and comments. They extend or continue some activities at home to extend their children's learning and interests. This means they are fully involved in their children's learning. Parents also contribute their knowledge and views to their child's progress check at age two and regularly share information with their child's key person so they are well informed about their progress.

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

There is a very happy, friendly atmosphere in the nursery and caring staff ensure all children feel safe and secure. Each child's key person works closely with their parents so that they are able to find out about their routines and ways of doing things at home so they can continue these at nursery, which makes the child feel secure. Children are helped to settle into the nursery and when they change rooms through their secure bond with their key person. Children all have good relationships with each other and staff and are very happy and well behaved. They are taught good manners and staff set very good examples of how to be polite and respect everyone. Children are learning to be independent and to manage their self-care as even very young children handle their cutlery with good control at lunchtime and ask for more food or their drinks. They choose their own resources as these are easily accessible to all children in each room. Babies have

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

exciting, comfortable rooms where they can choose the toys they want at floor level or pull themselves up to reach others. Staff steady them as they try to stand and walk, and encourage them to stretch and reach for what they want. A child is comforted when upset as his key person sits him on her lap and sings gently to him. He is soon reaching for a car to play with and forgets all about being upset. Children are stroked and given teddies to help them go to sleep after lunch.

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

Children wash and dry their hands hygienically, using soap dispensers and paper towels, and all nappy changing and food preparation is carried out in line with the comprehensive health and safety policies in the nursery. Children develop their physical skills very well through the use of a wide range of climbing and balancing equipment and other resources. The recently developed outdoor area provides excellent learning opportunities and allows children to have fresh air each day. Older babies enjoy taking part in music and movement sessions, laughing as they try to copy the movements of staff and hold their hands to steady themselves. Children learn about making healthy food choices as they are provided with fruit at snack time and nutritious meals cooked on the premises. Recipes are shared with parents so they can reproduce these at home if their child has enjoyed a particular meal.

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provision

The nursery management provides excellent support for all staff. The friendly, open-door approach means that all staff members are encouraged to ask for help or advice if they need it and any concerns may be discussed and resolved promptly. There is excellent teamwork and communication between all staff in the nursery and there are regular meetings of room staff and with the nursery as a whole. Training is accessed through the local authority and information is cascaded to other staff. Annual appraisals and regular discussions with management identify areas in which staff wish to improve their practice and knowledge, and an ongoing professional development plan is kept for each member of staff. Monitoring of performance is carried out by management, and all staff reflect on and evaluate their teaching and planning so that improvements are ongoing. A local early years development advisor also assists the nursery in their monitoring of provision through

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provision

Children are extremely well safeguarded in the nursery as all staff are very well trained and regularly tested on the meticulous safeguarding and child protection policies. Children are very well supervised, all entrances to the premises are well secured and most staff hold a current paediatric first aid certificate. Detailed risk assessments for the premises and for outings mean that children are safe at all times. Parental consents are obtained for emergency medical treatment and all records are very well maintained. All areas of the building are covered by new fire safety detection equipment and all staff implement health and safety regulations effectively. Robust recruitment procedures ensure that all staff are suitable to work with young children.

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provision

Partnerships with parents and carers are very strong and they receive comprehensive information on all aspects of provision. Photographs and written information on the early learning goals are displayed in all areas of the nursery to inform parents about the activities children take part in and their purpose. Policies, the complaints procedure and other information are set out or displayed for them to look at whenever they wish. Parents receive informative newsletters for their child's room and for the nursery as a whole. The nursery also has strong links with other professionals and local early years providers in order to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities if the need arises. They liaise with children's schools and other settings so that information can be shared and continuity of learning maintained. Children meet the teachers from their school before they start so transition is eased for them.

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provision

Management and staff are highly motivated to provide the best possible care for the children in the nursery. This means that children receive a high quality early years experience and have a secure foundation in order to move on to the next stage in their learning and development in the future.

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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 509482 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 819415

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 143 Number of children on roll 136 Name of provider Elim Church Centre Date of previous inspection 03/12/2008 Telephone number 0121 4140583

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Type of provision

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:

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Type of provision

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

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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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