Little Gems Nursery

Little Gems Unique Mill, Belfield Road, Hamer, Rochdale, Lancashire, OL16 2UP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24/01/2013 14/12/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2

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This provision is good

 Secure attachments have been made between the children and their key person, and children settle quickly in a calm, welcoming environment.  Children take part in a variety of learning experiences to match their interests and different learning styles.  The effective leadership and management of the early years provision includes robust systems in place to monitor, evaluate and prioritise aspects of the setting to be developed, such as improving the provision for energetic indoor play.  The appointment of a training officer has improved opportunities for personal professional development and improved the overall provision for children.  Staff are deployed effectively and make good use of equipment, resources and props to support and reinforce children's learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Occasional inconsistencies in relation to the quality of teaching and promoting language development are not robustly monitored and addressed to enhance practice further.  The learning objectives for whole group activities are not always fully realised due to the quick pace of sessions and when children leave sessions prematurely for nappy changing.

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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

 Joint observations were conducted with the deputy, nominated person and training officer.  The inspector spoke with different members of staff during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's records of achievement, including some assessment documents, policies and procedures and other relevant documentation.  The inspector took account of the views of children spoken to on the day.  The inspector took account of the views of a parent spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Little Gems operates from the back of the Unique Enterprise Centre, Unique Mill, which is in the Belfield area of Rochdale. The nursery is linked to the Kashmir Youth Project (KYP) Organisation. Parents are able to use the car park at the back of KYP and the nursery entrance is monitored. There is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play, which includes an all-weather canopied area. The nursery mainly serves the local area and it is accessible to all children.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, and children attend for a variety of sessions. It is closed on Bank Holidays and over the Christmas and New Year period. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. Currently there are 23 children aged from three months to under five years on roll. The setting supports children who speak English as an additional language and there is provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about the setting

The nursery currently employ five members of staff to work with the children, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and 3. One member of staff is working towards a foundation degree. In addition, there are two students working towards relevant qualifications. The nursery has recently attained a five star healthy eating award and is working towards a local authority quality assurance award.

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

 improve the systems for monitoring staff performance, for example, by enhancing the peer observation system to further develop the quality of teaching by encouraging all practitioners to use open-ended questions to develop children's communication and language

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

 develop group activities by slowing down the pace to allow time for all children to contribute, and be flexible with nappy change routines to allow all children to take part in the whole session.

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who attend

Staff ensure that the educational programme has depth and breadth and that the activities cover all seven areas of learning. They provide interesting and challenging activities that help and encourage children to take the next steps in their learning. Staff routinely record observations of children at play, finding out about and respecting their interests, preferred learning styles and abilities. This information is effectively linked to the development bands in the guidance 'Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage' to track children's progress. Key persons are also responsible for maintaining children's individual development files, which include assessments and pictorial examples of what they have achieved. As a result, parents and staff can clearly see how children are working comfortably within the typical range of development expected for their age and can address any concerns in a timely manner. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their

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who attend

children's learning at home. For example, children can borrow their favourite story books for parents to read to them at home.

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who attend

Staff have high aspirations for the children. They recognise the value of play and understand how children learn. As a result, they plan a balance of child-initiated and adult- directed activities, understanding that over-directing children's play can sometimes disturb a child's flow of ideas. Staff effectively use props, such as the crocodile hand puppet, to help draw and maintain children's attention and to promote children's speech and language skills. Staff listen carefully to children's ideas, to show that their ideas and contributions are valued.

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who attend

Children's activities are well organised and planned for to support children in making good progress for future learning. For example, children painted cinema tickets as they recalled a recent trip to the cinema, where they watched a film about a special fairy. However, the learning objectives for whole group activities are not fully realised as not all children are able to participate fully; for example, at snack time when children leave the group for nappy change and when the pace of an activity is too quick, hindering their ability to think and talk. Open questions offer children the opportunity to explore and experiment with words, ideas and concepts that they are forming in their thinking. They allow staff to gain a deeper understanding of the child's understanding and thinking skills. However, this approach is not consistently used throughout the nursery, which restricts children's learning.

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who attend

Children sit together on the floor and talk about the weather and they find out what day of the week it is. This gives them an opportunity to listen to other children's points of view and to contribute to discussions. To prepare for outside activities they discuss what clothes to wear when it is cold and wet outside and what toys and equipment they need. During the recent snowfall children made snowballs and they threw them against the wall to watch them fall apart. They collected snow in trays to watch it melt, learning about concepts of freezing and melting. Children are developing basic social skills, such as making eye contact and developing empathy. Children's communication and language is further enhanced through storytelling and looking at picture books. They mimic the staff's facial impressions, effectively demonstrating emotions, such as happy, sad and fear. Children thoroughly enjoy role play and consolidate and reinvent their previous learning,

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who attend

for example, in the home area and when they dress up as a fire fighter and nurse.

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

The effective key person system helps to build trusting relationships with the children's parents to ensure that every child's care is tailored to meet their individual needs. These secure attachments help children to feel relaxed and confident in a stable, caring, supportive and welcoming environment. Transition arrangements are effective and parents are given as much time as they need to introduce and settle children into the setting. Parents are encouraged to talk about events at home to enable the child's key person to plan activities and follow the child's interests. Effective arrangements are in place for children leaving the nursery. For example, class teachers come to meet children at the nursery before they leave and parents and key persons take children to visit school.

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

Children behave well and show that they feel safe and secure at the setting, and are confident in approaching their key person if upset. Children are supported in gaining an understanding of managing their own risks through well-supervised activities that encourage them to explore their environment. For example, babies' senses are stimulated as they explore and examine natural resources in the easily accessible treasure baskets and through fun activities, for example, using paint to make hand prints. Babies like to sit in boxes on the floor and they are learning to use the rocker to move backwards and forwards. Children feel different textures, including sand and water.

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

Children's good health is positively promoted as their dietary requirements are well met through a varied range of nutritious food and drink offered to them throughout the day. Meal times are always treated as sociable occasions. Staff sit with the children at meal times to consistently reinforce children's social and self-help skills, clearly promoting their growing independence. For example, children are encouraged to set and clear the tables and to pour their own drinks. Children enjoy fresh air and exercise, and arrangements for the regular use of the outdoor provision positively promote children's health and physical development. Care practices are effective and include liaising with and working closely with parents in relation to children's toilet training.

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provision

The committed core staff team work well together. There are ongoing opportunities for personal professional development. This has led to improvements in the overall provision for children, including provision for outside play and the construction area. Staff are enthusiastic and keen to drive improvement, and work well with officers from the local authority who offer advice and guidance. Self-evaluation, including the quality assurance scheme, clearly helps to identify and prioritise aspects of the provision to be developed. Effective staff induction and appraisal systems inform staff training programmes and help to tackle underperformance. Peer observations have been introduced to improve staff practice; however, some inconsistencies in teaching have not been identified and addressed.

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provision

Managers and staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of their responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements. There are effective recording systems in place to monitor children's progress towards the early learning goals and ensure that any gaps in children's learning are addressed. Staff clearly know the importance of meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. High priority is given to child protection and there is good provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This is achieved through effective interagency working, such as working with speech and language therapists, to improve outcomes for children.

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provision

Working with parents as partners is an integral part of the provision. Relevant information, including the nursery's policy and procedure file, is easily accessible for parents to view. Parents are kept well informed about their children's progress and of any special events, for example, trips to the cinema and the aquatic centre. Parents provide positive feedback and a one commented on the warm, welcoming atmosphere and sense of community at the nursery.

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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 EY339580 Local authority Rochdale Inspection number 894014

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 37 Number of children on roll 23 Name of provider Little Gems Date of previous inspection 14/12/2011 Telephone number 01706 516609

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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. 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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