The Bell House Nursery

The Bell House Nursery Bell House, Moss Lane, GODALMING, Surrey, GU7 1EF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23/10/2012 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 There is a happy atmosphere at this new nursery. Practitioners are enthusiastic and caring and they provide lots of support to help children settle. This aids the development of good relationships and promotes children's emotional well-being.  There are effective measures in place to promote children's health, safety and well- being.  Babies and toddlers explore an interesting range of objects in treasure baskets.  The nursery is new but is clearly evolving. The leadership and management team have a clear vision and are identifying areas for development and devising strategies to guide improvement.

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It is not yet good because

 Practitioners miss opportunities to further challenge and motivate pre-school children and thus extend the learning potential of activities. The outdoor learning environment does not maximise learning experiences for all children.  Arrangements for working in partnership with parents to promote a shared approach to supporting their children's learning at home are not yet sufficiently well developed.  Practitioners do not adopt a consistent approach to encourage children to develop their independence, with particular reference to snack and meal times.

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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 children's play and staff interaction, both indoors and outdoors

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with practitioners from each room, with children and held meetings with the leadership and management team

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Inspection activities

 The inspector and one of the managers undertook a joint observation of a story time session  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined documentation including sampling of children's records, staff suitability records and other records relating to the day-care provision

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Information about the setting

The Bell House Nursery is a family run business which registered in April 2012 and opened in July 2012. It is situated in Godalming in Surrey and operates from a converted business building in the town centre. Children are accommodated in four age-based rooms and all have access to a fully secure outdoor play area. The nursery is open for 52 weeks of the year from 7am to 6.30pm, with the exception of bank holidays. A breakfast club operates from 7.30am to 8.45am and an after school club from 3.15pm to 6.30pm. The nursery also provides a holiday club during some school holidays from 7am to 6.30pm. Children can attend for the full day or a variety of sessions, this includes a crche.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 86 children on roll, whose ages range from six months to eight years. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years. It welcomes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak or hear English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs nine members of staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least Level 3. The nursery is supported by an Early Years Professional and the Surrey Early Years team.

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must:

 develop the educational programme by extending the learning potential of activities to further challenge and motivate children, with particular reference to the pre-school group.

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

 adopt a more consistent approach to supporting children's developing independence by enabling them to pour their own drinks and serve their own food

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

 develop further the partnership with parents so that information regarding children's learning and development is shared and can be used to support children's learning at home

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

 maximise learning experiences for all children by providing interesting activities and resources outside.

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who attend

Practitioners have a suitable knowledge and understanding of how to promote learning which means that most children are making steady progress. They describe their role as key person as building relationships with children and their parents and supporting children's learning. The nursery has very recently introduced a new system for observation, assessment and planning, which has yet to be fully embedded. This is based on observing what interests children have and using this information to plan for the next steps in their learning. Practitioners are referring to the Development Matters guidance to help them identify ways to move children on and they have started to produce individual plans. However, they have not considered the benefit of sharing this useful information with parents so they can support their children's learning at home. Currently, parents are not asked for details about what their children know and can do when they start at

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who attend

nursery. This makes it difficult for practitioners to pitch activities at the right level. Management has, however, identified the need to gather information from parents about children's starting points and has devised an 'all about me' form which will assist with this process. They are also intending to introduce regular parents' evenings to aid discussions about children's progress. There is a general awareness of the need to complete a written summary on the progress of children aged between two and three years and to share this with parents.

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who attend

Toddlers and babies are supported in developing independence in feeding themselves. Practitioners encourage toddlers to use their fork and they provide babies with their own spoon. They praise their efforts when they manage to dip the spoon into their pureed lunch and then guide this towards their mouth. Babies and toddlers have lots of space to move around and practise crawling. Some show interest in exploring their surroundings as they crawl inside the pop-up tent and peek out, and chase a wicker ball that rolls away from them. The positioning of low level furniture and equipment means that they can pull themselves up to a standing position and cruise around. Babies enjoy investigating treasure baskets. These contain a good selection of everyday objects and items of various textures and weights that arouse their curiosity. The good quality interaction they receive from an interested practitioner maintains their attention really well. For instance, she

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who attend

suggests that they look at their reflection in a metal spoon and demonstrates what they can do with different objects, such as banging them together or squeezing them. Some younger children use simple single word in context such as 'ball and duck' and their efforts to communicate are acknowledged. Some practitioners are especially adept at tuning into young children's interests and extending their explorations. For instance, one individual notices how a baby particularly likes investigating a whisk and a metal bowl. This leads on to the provision of an instant pudding mix and some water, which they are invited to mix together. This activity arouses the curiosity of other babies and toddlers. They like stirring the mixture, squidging it through their fingers and banging the whisk down on the table. The sticky concoction ends up in their hair and on their faces. Everyone enjoys their investigations and has a lovely time.

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who attend

There is a happy atmosphere evident in the pre-school room. Children approach practitioners freely and have the confidence to express their wishes and needs. They enjoy exploring the musical instruments and they make suggestions for songs and rhymes they would like to sing. Practitioners make a point of seeking the input of children who don't volunteer what they would like to sing, which means that they are able to involve everyone. However, they do not make good use of the learning potential of number songs and rhymes to encourage children to explore number order and simple subtraction. They also sometimes decline children's requests to sing songs they have already done. Children serve themselves vegetables at lunch time but practitioners do not let them serve themselves at snack time and they do not allow children to pour their own drinks. This lack of consistency reduces opportunities for children to develop independence and

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who attend

practise handling objects with increasing control. Some adult-delivered activities are well presented. For instance, the use of puppets and changing tone of voice helps to bring stories alive and retains children's attention. Offering explanations for the meanings of some words, such as 'gigantic' adds to children's vocabulary. However, other activities are not as successful. Children enjoy going outside where they have the freedom to explore the available resources. However, these do not always arouse children's interest. Management has plans to develop the outside area further but in the interim, practitioners do not maximise children's learning experiences in this area. For instance, they do not make sure that children have access to writing materials to use on the chalk and white boards or take resources outside from indoors.

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who attend

There is a lively atmosphere in the after-school club, characterised by children who are very relaxed and at ease. They remain busily occupied, both when taking part in the planned leaf rubbing activity, which relates to their current topic of autumn and when participating in their own choice of activity. The pool table is popular with some children and provides a good opportunity for turn-taking. For other children, a favourite activity is making bead pictures and they concentrate intently as they carefully place their chosen coloured beads into position. Some children engage in boisterous play as they throw themselves around on large floor cushions. Practitioners judge when they need to intervene to stop the play becoming too exuberant.

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

There is a warm, happy atmosphere evident throughout the nursery. Parents and children are individually greeted on arrival which helps them feel welcome. Even though most children have not been attending for long, the majority are very settled and at ease. Those, who are still settling, receive individual support to comfort and reassure them. For instance, a baby is cared for by the same member of staff throughout the day, whilst books of photographs featuring different aspects of nursery life have been created for other children. Parents look at these with their children at home and use them as a tool to build confidence about going to nursery. Practitioners are enthusiastic and caring and they treat children with kindness. This fosters the development of good relationships. They are working hard to develop children's sense of belonging. This is evident through the use of photographs on children's coat pegs so they have a special place to leave their belongings

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

and the display of their artwork. Children like visiting the baby room to see their younger siblings or watching them from the window when they are outside in the garden. Practitioners actively encourage this practice. Children behave well. Isolated incidents, for example over the need to take turn and share, are handled with sensitivity. Practitioners help children understand that if there is a problem or something happens that they are not happy about, then they should come and tell one of them. Practitioners encourage good manners and the social niceties of using please and thank you and waiting for their friends to finish eating. This helps children appreciate the need for polite behaviour.

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

The environment is very clean, comfortable and with good levels of natural light. Base rooms are spacious and equipped with an interesting range of resources that reflect all areas of learning and are of very good quality. Children of all ages can independently help themselves to their own choice of play materials because many of these are stored at low level. Resources in all rooms include items that reflect positive images of diversity to aid children's understanding of the world. The nursery intends building further on children's awareness by introducing activities that link to different celebrations and festivities. The use of labelling, with both words and pictures, helps them to identify what is available. Outdoor play is an integral part of the children's day, which means they benefit from fresh air and exercise. Children in the pre-school room are able to move freely between the indoor and outdoor environments at will. The nursery premises are very safe and secure.

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

Management controls access to the building and there is the added feature of a fingerprint scanner at the entrance to each room. Only staff and the parents whose children are based in that room are able to gain access.

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

Practitioners implement positive practices to promote good hygiene and minimise the potential for the spread of infection. For instance, they wear aprons and gloves when serving food and make sure that children wash their hands before eating. The nursery provides healthy, nutritious meals and snacks for children that meet individual dietary requirements. Food looks and smells appetising and is provided in plentiful quantity, enabling children to have seconds if they wish. Children learn about healthy lifestyles with the support of practitioners. They talk to them about the importance of drinking water and encourage children to have a drink even if they do not want to eat. Practitioners working with pre-school children suggest that children run around when they announce they are feeling cold but do not want to go inside. They run around with them, suggesting that this might also help them build up an appetite for snack. On completion of their run,

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

practitioners announce that they are 'out of puff now' and ask if children can feel their heart going faster. This helps children understand the effect of exercise on their bodies.

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

Practitioners talk to children about safety issues as part of the day-to-day-practice. For instance, they remind them of the need to be aware of the babies and younger children when they are outside in the garden with them. School children are reminded about standing nicely on the pavement and to look for cars before they cross the road. They have also helped devise the out-of-school club rules. This adds to their sense of ownership and values their capability. Children also take part in practising fire drills to develop their understanding of what they need to do in the event of it being necessary to evacuate the premises in an emergency.

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

Arrangements to support children's transitions are progressing. It is intended that within the nursery, children will have visits to other rooms prior to moving. These will take place in the company of their current key person who will do a hand-over to the new key person. This approach is likely to help children feel secure and settle well. The nursery is establishing a close relationship with the adjacent school. The headmistress has visited and there are plans in place to meet with the reception teachers in the New Year.

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provision

The Bell House Nursery has now been operating for approximately three months. It is becoming established and practice continues to evolve. This is particularly evident in respect of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Overall, the nursery meets the safeguarding and welfare requirements well. All required documentation is maintained appropriately. Use of self-evaluation as a tool to help drive improvement is in its infancy although is clearly developing. The nursery has completed an Early Years Foundation Stage requirement audit as part of its assessment processes. They also have the support of an Early Years Professional and the local authority early years advisors. The leadership and management team is very conscious that they are operating a new nursery and that it is going to take time for their vision to become fully embedded. Managers spend a lot of time in the rooms observing

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provision

practitioners' interaction with children and providing support. This is enabling them to monitor staff performance, identify areas for improvement and assess the delivery and quality of the educational programmes. This is an ongoing process. Staff development and training plans have been put in place to provide ongoing support and help them develop their knowledge.

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provision

The nursery has devised robust procedures for the recruitment and vetting of new practitioners and assessing their continued suitability. There is a comprehensive safeguarding policy in place, which is shared with all practitioners. The responsibility of the nursery to safeguard children is taken seriously. It forms part of the induction process for new practitioners and there are plans for this to be a regular feature for discussion at staff meetings. Practitioners and management speak confidently about the action they would take in the event of any concerns about a child's welfare or any allegations about a member of staff. Practitioners supervise children carefully and they make a point of informing one another of their whereabouts and that of the children. For instance if they are going out of the room or if a child decides to come back indoors from the garden. This contributes to arrangements for keeping children safe.

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provision

The registered providers have a positive attitude to working in partnership with parents. They describe this as 'critical' so they feel engaged and believe that the nursery is the right place for their child. They aim to provide a flexible service to parents that meet their individual needs. This has already led to a review of opening hours with the outcome that parents can now drop their children off at 7am. Parents are well informed about the organisation of the nursery and they are encouraged to share their knowledge about their child from a welfare perspective. This helps to ensure continuity of care and means that practitioners are in a better position to meet children's individual needs. A daily informal exchange of information is supplemented by the completion of a communication book for younger children. Parents are invited to add to this, for example by including information about how their child has been overnight. Parents are very positive about the nursery and

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provision

the way it is evolving. They comment favourably on the facilities and the staff and they feel that their children are happy. One notes 'nothing is too much trouble and they show love and care to the children, whilst another adds that 'the manager goes above and beyond the call of duty.'

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provision

Management is aware of the need to work with other providers where children attend other early years settings and with any outside agencies who are supporting children. They have begun to make links and intend consolidating these further in the future. The manager has taken on the role of special educational needs co-ordinator and is receiving support and guidance from the local authority whilst she is waiting for a relevant training course to become available.

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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 EY445043 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 791357 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 96 Number of children on roll 86 Name of provider Bell House Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07966 436083

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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:

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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. 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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