Cleverkidz

Cleverkidz Tithe Farm Road, Houghton Regis, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, LU5 5JB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19/11/2012 26/01/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 2 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

 Children are happy, motivated and keen to take part in activities. They form secure attachments with practitioners and demonstrate self-assurance. Children enjoy trying new experiences and are therefore prepared for school.  The implementation of the key person system enhances relationships with children and their families. There is a high degree of trust and an appreciation of the help given in accessing specialist help and support where this is needed.  Children are safe because there are robust security procedures. Safeguarding procedures are implemented well to protect children.

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It is not yet good because

 There are inconsistencies in implementing the assessment processes to support individual children's learning and development. This includes establishing children's starting points with parents on entry to the nursery.  The monitoring processes, that support children's learning, are not consistently carried out by practitioners because the performance management is insufficiently rigorous.  The management of behaviour does not consistently help children to learn the consequences of their actions and help them to begin to appreciate the effect that their behaviour has on others.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in all rooms and the outside areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of policies, procedures and the hardcopy self- evaluation form.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the practice manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the owner, management, staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents in discussion during the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Cleverkidz was registered in 2004. It operates from purpose-built premises within the grounds of Tithe Farm Lower School in Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire. The provision is operated by Cleverkidz Limited. The provision serves the local area and wider community. It provision is accessible to all children. There are enclosed areas available for outdoor play. The provision opens Monday to Friday during all year round, with the exception of bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The provision is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register. The provision offers 79 places to children in the early years age group of whom 30 may be under two years. There are currently 104 children on roll.

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Information about the setting

The provision provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. The provision employs 24 members of childcare staff. Of these, 17 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level two or three.

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must:

 ensure that each child's level of development is assessed against the early learning goals and use information about children's individual needs and interests more effectively to support their progress across the prime and specific areas of learning

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

 extend the systems for performance management to ensure that practitioners implement the provided procedures for regular and precise assessments of all children to support individual children's learning and development

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

 develop further the relationships with parents to fully involve them in their children's learning and development, including establishing children's starting points with parents on entry to the nursery

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

 enhance children's understanding of behaviour and the consequences of their actions by encouraging staff to give clear and consistent explanations of why certain actions are not appropriate.

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who attend

Practitioners have a sound understanding of how to engage children in playing and exploring. Children enjoy being together and show enthusiasm towards activities as they participate. This results in them meeting the development milestones for their age. Practitioners generally understand the characteristics of effective learning and teaching. They plan some direct experiences appropriate to the development of the children to enhance learning. For example, children explore new media including feathers, glitter and pipe cleaners. The oldest children investigate how textures and colours change by adding tomato ketchup to mashed potato. They discuss the texture, colour, and flavours combined. Children enjoy exploring shapes in their environment. For instance, in the Shining Stars room children identify stars in the water tray, and in the Genius room they are encouraged to look for circles around the room. Practitioners in these rooms build on

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who attend

children's knowledge by offering them praise and encouragement to continue looking for shapes. These activities promote children's awareness of mathematics, communication and language, and support their motivation to learn.

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who attend

Planning, for both the younger and older children, ensures that suitable activities are planned. However, for the younger children these are not consistently matched to their individual learning needs. Parents are invited to complete 'all about me' forms and fill in some basic information such as 'favourite activities' during thorough settling-in processes. Practitioners complete forms to send home to let parents know about current themes, favourite books, or songs that are being sung in the nursery. This supports their continued learning in the home. However, parents do not yet establish a clear baseline starting point for children on entry into the nursery and their contribution is not yet clear in the planned learning programme for children. This means that practitioners cannot build on achievements made in the home. Practitioners complete observations of children to build portfolios of their learning and development. Planning sheets identify how the weekly plan

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who attend

links to previous observations made; this shows adult-led activities and child-initiated activities. However, whilst practitioners do assess children's learning this is not consistently rigorous or completed for every child using the provision's developed systems to monitor children's progress. This means that learning experiences cannot be fully matched to children's needs to promote the optimum progress towards the early learning goals.

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who attend

The playrooms are rich in print and text, mobiles, and posters and notice boards; resources are accessible to children. Children regularly take part in singing and stories; they enjoy story books with practitioners that sometimes include the use of puppets. Younger children in the Bright Sparks room are engaged when staff read to them and show that they are extending their concentration skills. Musical instruments are used and popular songs, often linked to the seasons such as Christmas or favourite story books, are sung. The youngest babies, in the Smarties room, also explore early music when they use saucepans and spoons, or wooden hammers, to beat a tune. The Smarties room offers babies tactile and heuristic play to investigate. They explore soft play blocks and ball pools, discovery centres and toys with buttons and switches, to use all of their senses. Consequently, children explore an environment that is rich in print and supports

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who attend

communication to enhance early reading skills. The youngest babies' environment is both calm to promote their security, and stimulating to promote their learning and development in the primary areas of learning. However, staff in this room do not have a secure knowledge of children's next steps in learning to fully support and extend their learning through their play.

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who attend

The oldest children incorporate making marks and solving problems into everyday activities. For example, they develop a restaurant area where they write the orders from their customers and offer them menus to choose their meals. The staff facilitate their choices well and offer them materials to extend their self-initiated play. For instance, when children rattle items inside a tin they are offered plastic bottles and rice with which they make shakers. They use funnels to fill the bottles and quickly learn that when they are too full they make no sound! Child-initiated learning reinforces the new knowledge that they are gaining.

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

The key person system and the effective deployment of practitioners ensure that all children form secure emotional attachments. All children show a sense of belonging within the nursery. This is shown by the close physical contact enjoyed by the youngest children and the eagerness of all children to work alongside the practitioners. Younger babies show secure attachments when they babble with, and snuggle into, practitioners when woken. Children in the Bright Sparks room happily join groups to play ring games outdoors and locate each other's coats showing that they care for each other. Older children squeal with delight when they play hide and seek with a practitioner; they clearly enjoy involving her in their play. Detailed behaviour management procedures are shared with parents. Some practitioners skilfully challenge children when they are unkind to other children, they encourage them to be kind and friendly to everyone. However, within Bright Sparks and

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

Shining Stars rooms inconsistent messages are given to children. For example, timed sharing of bikes is not always followed through with successive children. Practitioners ask children not to put musical instruments in the water, which they do, but practitioners fail to take the opportunity to explain why they have asked them not to. This means that children fail to learn to regulate their actions or understand their impact on other people or resources.

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

Children become aware of the needs of others and begin to learn about each other's culture and background. They decorate the nursery to celebrate festivals such as Diwali and Christmas. Parents provide key words, for example in Polish, to enable the nursery to help children to feel secure. They are asked to provide recipes to be followed for the nursery to cook food from other different cultures for children to try. Parents are asked to visit the nursery to relate stories from their own cultural backgrounds as children explore different countries. Children participate in raising funds for charities each year. These actions help children to feel part of a wider community and learn about each other's lives.

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

Children's understanding of safety is promoted. They learn to take risks within a safe environment when they use scooters and balance beams in the garden. Routine evacuation is completed and this enhances children's understanding of personal safety. Older children offer to sweep up sand that has been spilt; they demonstrate an understanding of maintaining a safe environment. Good examples shown by practitioners reinforce the safety routines.

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

Children are very well nourished. The provision works towards, and has achieved, a healthy eating award for several years in succession. A detailed action plan is in place each year, approved by the awarding authority, and menus are approved as meeting nutritional requirements. Information is provided to parents, for those providing a packed lunch, to improve the nutritional content of packed meals. Children help themselves to water when they are thirsty. Each child is helped to meet their care needs, and older children can wash and dry their hands independently. Children are prepared for transition between rooms because they spend time in their new rooms and become familiar with the practitioners and other children. Children in the Shining Stars and Genius rooms have lunch together and share the same outdoor area. This helps them to become confident and develop relationships. Practitioners develop good partnerships with other settings

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

providing Early Years Foundation Stage. Information is shared to ensure consistency of care and learning.

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provision

The managers have high expectations for the quality of care that is offered to children and families. They complete a regular review of paperwork and procedures to ensure that all requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are met. Robust audits demonstrate their understanding of their responsibilities in meeting both the learning and development, and safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. There is a robust recruitment and induction system in place. This includes a probationary period and weekly meeting with a manager to review new practitioners' progress and understanding of the procedures. Annual appraisals are carried out with all staff and the managers also complete practitioner observations in the rooms. Each practitioner has a training plan in addition to those required as mandatory for all staff, such as safeguarding. Practitioners have their roles and responsibilities outlined. There are systems developed to

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provision

observe, assess and monitor children's progress. However, at present, the performance monitoring system is insufficiently rigorous to ensure that all procedures set in place are carried out in a suitable manner. Consequently, whilst children are safe, secure and learning at a steady rate, the systems do not demonstrate that the same level of assessment is completed for all children with the same regularity. Hence, the circumstances where interventions may be needed cannot be identified at an early stage.

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provision

The managers work very closely, where required, with parents and other professionals; this is a strength area. They attend or facilitate core group meetings and work very closely with all other agencies involved in the support for individual children and families. External advisors visit regularly to work with practitioners to devise individual education and support plans to promote all-round learning and development. The managers are proactive in establishing good relationships with parents and carers. Informative and attractive notice boards are established. Newsletters are provided to parents each month. There are events planned twice each year for families together with 'meet and greet' evenings. A parent forum, with a parent representative from each playroom, is very effective. The parent forum meets with the managers to review any changes or issues within the nursery; this keeps them fully informed. Parents comment that their, 'children's

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provision

needs are met'. Furthermore they attribute their children's advanced development to the support of the nursery practitioners.

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provision

The arrangements for safeguarding children are strong and embedded. All practitioners have a robust understanding of safeguarding issues and procedures because the managers cascade all information relevant to their roles to them. The procedures are reviewed in staff meetings and additional planned meetings. Hence children are well protected. The managers have a well-developed system for reflective practice which identifies their strengths and areas for development. They take into account the views of parents through regular questionnaires and this is used to develop detailed action plans. The provision shows a clear capacity to sustain improvement. Practitioners create an environment that is welcoming where children engage in active learning. The provision is safe with robust security systems that include numbered keypad entry to all rooms. Children are secure, enjoy their play, and are self-assured. Consequently children have a

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provision

positive experience that forms a sound base for developing skills for the future.

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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 EY278278 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 890778

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 79 Number of children on roll 104 Name of provider Cleverkidz Limited Date of previous inspection 26/01/2009 Telephone number 01582 868000

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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. 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

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Type of provision

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.

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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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