Monton Village School Ltd

Monton Village School Ltd The School House, Francis Street, Eccles, Manchester, Lancashire, M30 9PR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/12/2012 11/07/2012

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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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Children enter the nursery happily and enjoy warm relationships with practitioners because a well-embedded key person system provides children with individual care.  Partnerships with parents and other local settings mean that transitions into and through the nursery, and also onto school, are smoothly managed. As a result, children settle quickly and they are well prepared for their future learning.  Pre-school children are keen, active learners who operate independently and are able to follow through their own ideas. This is because their learning environment is well planned, equipped and is used effectively to promote their active thinking and learning.

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It is not yet good because

 Monitoring of teaching and learning is not yet rigorous enough to draw out where there are differences in the quality of provision. As a result, children make better progress in pre-school than other areas.  The accuracy of assessment, and the quality of planning, varies. Some practitioners, particularly those caring for children under three years, do not always accurately assess what children can do which means that they do not tailor children's learning as effectively as others.  At present, space for children aged two years is limited and this means that they have fewer opportunities to learn through their play. Some children have no suitable sleep space or equipment and some areas of continuous play provision lack appeal.

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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 four main play rooms and in the outside learning environment.  The inspector held discussions with the manager, room leaders and practitioners.

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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.

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Information about the setting

Monton Village School has been operating since 1989. It was registered under its current ownership in 2004 and is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is operated by a limited company and the providers also run another nursery in the area. It is located in a converted school building in the Monton area of Manchester. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from four main play bases and the school hall, and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 36 members of childcare staff who work on a full and part-time basis. Of these, 26 hold appropriate early years qualifications, 19 of which are to level 3 and above and one member of staff holds a Foundation Degree in Early Years Leadership.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round with the exception of public holidays and a period over Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 103 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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must:

 ensure that the premises and equipment are organised in a way that meets the needs of all children, particularly in relation to ensuring that children can sleep undisturbed and two-year-olds have sufficient space in which to play.

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

 review the environment and resources, both inside and outside, so that children have suitable sleeping equipment and that children in toddler rooms access challenging and appealing continuous play provision in order to further support their learning and development

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

 improve the precision of assessment by identifying staff training needs and securing opportunities for continued professional development

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

 strengthen the monitoring of the quality of teaching and children's progress and use the information to identify and address specific areas for improvement in the provision for learning and development.

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who attend

The quality of teaching varies across the setting. The pre-school room is managed by highly qualified and experienced practitioners who understand how children learn. As a result, they provide an enabling environment in which children make some rapid progress. Rich continuous play provision using freely accessible, open-ended resources provide older children with many possibilities for play and learning. Consequently, they are inquisitive and active learners who follow through their own ideas and extend their own thinking. For example, children engage in the imaginative play area as 'hairdressers' and extend their play when they pretend that the doll needs to go to the hospital, which is made by draping fabric over a spare table in another area of the room. While outside, older children organise crates and tree stumps to balance on before deciding to see if they can stack them to build a tower.

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who attend

Planning for these children's learning is comprehensive. 'Topic webs' are used as a flexible framework to ensure activities have depth and breadth across all areas of learning. These activities are supported by additional planning which is responsive to children's individual interests and promotes specific aspects of individual children's learning. This focussed and tailored planning is possible because practitioners have a clear understanding of how to use the assessment tool to accurately identify what children can do and to plan for their future learning priorities. Pre-school children show a keen interest in early writing. They access pens and mark-making tools at the craft area and while using wipe clean boards. They learn to recognise their names, which are displayed prominently in the room. They learn sounds and letters and take home simple picture based 'reading' books to share with their parents. They have their lunch in the hall which is also used for group activities, such

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who attend

as gym and dance sessions. This prepares children very well for school.

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who attend

However, in other areas of the setting, practitioner knowledge and understanding of how to assess what children can do is less secure. This results in unrealistic targets for future learning and means that, for some younger children, planned group sessions and activities are not tailored to meet individual needs. For example, during a whole group music session, some two-year-olds lose concentration when they are expected to sit for an extended period and when some of the songs are too complex to join in with.

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who attend

Babies show curiosity and are keen explorers because of the range of toys and experiences provided for them. For example, using their senses they investigate flour, feeling, patting, poking and tasting. They are intrigued as they unravel shiny gift ribbon and pull cotton wool apart. They problem solve instinctively because they are learning through first hand experiences. For example, they work out how to make a toy 'pop up' by banging it. However, there are fewer opportunities for children under three years to explore and investigate in an environment which promotes active learning. For example, at times in toddler age groups there is too little available to fully engage all children and some learning areas lack imagination and appeal. This means children use them fleetingly and their concentration is not sustained.

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who attend

Parents are routinely informed about children's progress during verbal discussions each day and in occasional reports. Where these are provided, parents are given clear information about future learning priorities and they offer parents an opportunity to share their views about their child. 'Topic web' planning sheets are shared at the start of every new topic so parents can see what practitioners are aiming to achieve with the children. These also give parents ideas on how to extend their children's learning at home.

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

An effective key person system supports children's emotional well-being. Secure arrangements for transition to, and within the setting, are strong. The settling-in process, which is tailored to meet individual children's needs, means that all children are well supported from the start. Clear information is shared from parents to establish children's 'Here I come' details. This means that the key person understands individual needs, prior experiences and basic information about what children can do already. Daily communication, both in verbal exchanges and in daily diary records, ensures parents are suitably informed about children's routines and activities during their day at nursery.

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

Relationships and attachments between practitioners and children are strong. This is partly supported by the fact that some practitioners have worked at the setting for several years. As a result, children settle well because their carers are familiar to them and are responsive to their individual likes, needs and routines. Babies are lovingly held by staff who maintain eye contact while bottle feeding and are gently rocked and nursed in preferred positions. Older children delight in discussions about what they were like and what they enjoyed doing in the baby room. Such secure attachment and sense of belonging clearly promotes children's emotional well-being and forms a strong base for their future learning. By the time they are in pre-school, children are confident learners who go on to develop special relationships with friends.

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

Most children are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of socially acceptable behaviour through practitioners high expectations, modelling of the use of good manners and positive reinforcement. Older children know for example, that they receive star stickers for 'being helpful'. However, the current lack of space for children in the room for two-year-olds, due to building works to the baby unit, results in a chaotic feel at times as children squabble over chairs and struggle to get space at the tables. Children carry around chairs to make sure that they get a seat at the area they want to be, however, this results in minor accidents and practitioners do little to raise children's awareness about safety issues and how to behave in safe ways. There is ample space available in the nursery hall to accommodate the temporary changes, however, this is not always used to best effect.

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

Risk assessments and daily checks help manage children's safety. Secure entrance and exit arrangements are in place with an occupied reception and internal closed circuit television. The premises and equipment are clean and generally well maintained. However, the quality of continuous play provision is variable. Children in the toddler room cannot always extend their learning though play because there is insufficient equipment available. For example, there are few items in the toy kitchen to explore, 'cook' with or 'feed' to dolls. Additionally, despite an abundance of bedding being available, children go to sleep on mats using sheets which are not big enough to cover the plastic surface on which they lie. They are not covered with a top blanket to keep them warm and comfortable and some babies sleep using bouncy chairs not suitable for their stage of development. Further issues with the deployment of space mean that children sleep in

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

areas where other children are awake and play. Consequently, their sleep is sometimes disturbed.

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

Other arrangements to promote children's health are suitably implemented. A sufficient number of practitioners hold current paediatric first aid certificates. Practitioners also adopt secure practices to prevent the spread of infection. For example, when they are nappy changing, promoting hand washing as an integral part of the nursery routine and with regard to ensuring that the cleaning schedule, for which the nursery has achieved Salford's "We Are Clean" award, is followed. Self-care skills are promoted well throughout the nursery. Babies are encouraged and supported to feed themselves at mealtimes and pre-school aged children independently put on their coats to access outside play. Most children access fresh air and exercise daily, however, at present practitioners have not found ways to achieve this with the youngest children, which limits their outdoor experiences. Use of the school hall for dance and gym sessions provides children with

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

opportunities to exercise vigorously and to develop their physical skills.

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

Children are valued as individuals and are learning to respect and value differences, which helps them develop a positive and caring attitude towards others. They see books and displays which reflect positive images of race, culture, gender and disability. There are no children currently attending who have special educational needs and/ or disabilities. However, both the manager and practitioners are fully aware of the importance of working closely with outside agencies to support children's welfare and development.

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provision

The safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are understood and in the main are successfully met. As a result, arrangements for keeping children safe are mostly effective, although this is impacted on by the use of space for younger children. The majority of practitioners have completed safeguarding training and understand the procedures to follow should they have concerns about a child in their care. Recruitment and vetting procedures are secure and a well-structured induction process ensures that those working with children are suitable. One to one sessions and appraisals take place, which helps prioritise some professional development. Some staff have extended their core qualifications, although there is scope to improve this to ensure all staff continually enhance their understanding of the settings planning and assessment procedures and of current, quality practice.

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provision

Management are focussed on developing the provision. They use quality audits, including the local authority 'Quality Improvement Framework' and have already planned ways of sharing expertise more evenly across the nursery and improving the quality of continuous play provision. They set some challenging plans for improvement, for example, they are currently building a new extension to improve facilities for babies, including a designated outside play environment. Self-evaluation draws on the views of staff, parents and children, and using the views and ideas of parents from questionnaires, menus have been improved. Managers know what the setting does well, particularly that by the time children leave nursery, they are very well prepared and are ready for school. However, inconsistencies in assessment and gaps in children's learning in some areas have not been identified. This is because the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning which

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provision

was recently implemented is not yet sufficiently rigorous to draw out these specific aspects.

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provision

Parents comment on the welcome they and their children receive and that they feel reassured that their children are happy to attend the nursery. They like that the nursery is secure and that it feels safe. Complaints procedures are in place and are appropriately used to address concerns and improve the provision. The newly required two-year-old assessment is prepared and ready to be used when needed. The nursery have also identified that, despite their attempts, there is more to do to involve parents in the assessment of their children's learning.

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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 EY284857 Local authority Salford Inspection number 890267

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 123 Number of children on roll 103 Name of provider Monton Village School Ltd Date of previous inspection 11/07/2012 Telephone number 0161 789 0472

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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

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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