Small Wonders Day Nursery

Small Wonders Day Nurseries Small Wonders, 57 Hullbridge Road, South Woodham Ferrers, CHELMSFORD, CM3 5NH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 01/02/2013 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2

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This provision is good

 Effective planning ensures all children make good progress in their learning and development through interesting and engaging activities.  A strong key person system helps children form close bonds with staff and feel safe and secure at the nursery.  Rigorous monitoring helps motivate staff to achieve high standards for children's learning and care.  Good relationships with parents and professionals ensure that all children have their individual needs met.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The staff monitoring and appraisal system does not fully involve staff in reflecting upon and improving their practice on a day-to-day basis.  Some elements of the daily routines do not fully support older children in developing their independence and self-care skills.  Adult-led activities do not always engage all children, as a result, some children occasionally become bored or distracted during whole group activities.

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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 compulsory part 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 three main rooms of the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the owner, the manager and to staff in each room of the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed documentation, including policies and procedures, self- evaluation and children's learning records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to children and took into account the views of parents from questionnaire responses.

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Information about the setting

Small Wonders Day Nursery is one of two settings run by the same owner. It was established in 2009 and re-registered in 2012 as a limited company. The nursery operates from four playrooms within converted premises and cabins in South Woodham Ferrers, Essex. The nursery is close to schools, shops and the railway station. All children share access to secure, enclosed outdoor play areas. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday, all year round. Opening times are from 7am until 7pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. An out of school club is also provided, with children taken to, and collected from, local primary schools by car. There are currently 85 children on roll, 74 of these are in the early years age group. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and also children who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 15 staff to work directly with children, as well as a cook, housekeeper and administrator. There are currently 13 members of staff who hold recognised qualifications and two who are working towards an appropriate early years qualification. Additionally, one staff member is working towards early years professional status. The nursery receives support and guidance from the local authority.

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

 support staff in reflecting upon and improving their own practice by continuing to develop the appraisal and supervision system

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

 review adult-led activities, such as large group times, to ensure that all children are engaged and stimulated, and staff understand how to deliver the planned learning outcome

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

 improve daily routines to fully support children in developing their independence and self-care skills, for example by setting the table, tidying away and serving their own food.

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who attend

Children enjoy and engage in a wide variety of stimulating activities. Their learning is enhanced by enthusiastic staff who support learning through play and practical experiences. Direct teaching ensures that all children make good progress in relation to their starting points. Careful questioning encourages children to think and staff use of description helps children to develop their vocabulary. Staff think carefully about how well children can access learning, for example, by checking they can hear the sound on the computer. A range of teaching opportunities are planned, with staff working with individuals, small groups and large groups, providing variety to children's learning experiences. However, occasionally staff are not clear about the learning intention in some large group situations and as a result, sometimes small numbers of children become bored and are not fully engaged in the activity.

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who attend

A strong and consistent system of planning is based on both the interests and the learning needs of individual children. Progress in all seven areas of learning is closely monitored. This allows staff to develop planning which provides a broad and balanced range of activities. Each room is organised to ensure that children can freely access a good variety of toys and resources, with older children benefitting from being able to move freely between the indoor and outdoor environments. Babies play outside on a daily basis, accessing a dedicated garden space and visiting the local area in the nursery 'turtle bus'.

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who attend

Early reading and writing skills are successfully encouraged within the nursery. Babies enjoy making marks on large sheets of paper which are taped to the floor, while older children learn to link letters with the sounds they make. Books and stories are used as a good starting point for learning and discussion, with all ages of children enjoying books alone and with an adult. Children enjoy working together to solve problems. For example, recent heavy rain provided them with the opportunity to work out how to use outdoor materials to cross the 'river' created by a large puddle. Children are therefore gaining a good range of skills that support their future learning, such as their move into school.

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who attend

Parents are helped to support learning at home, as staff share what areas of development they are focusing on with children each month. An open door policy, along with a variety of events throughout the year, provide further opportunities to include parents fully in children's learning and development. Staff also work closely with parents to ensure children's home cultures are reflected in the nursery, for example, by exploring religious festivals. Children who speak English as an additional language receive appropriate support, for example, through the use of pictures and signs and by staff using key phrases in their home language. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have individual learning plans in place, which include the views of parents and any professionals involved with the child. This helps staff ensure children make consistent progress in the areas where they need extra support.

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

A strong key person system helps children feel safe and secure. As they settle in, babies explore the learning environment with their key person, helping them develop the confidence to try things for themselves. Unlimited cuddles are given to children who are upset, helping them feel valued as they develop a sense of belonging. Children are confident to move freely between different activities, having the confidence to choose who to play with and which resources to use. Transitions through the nursery are well managed, with the views of parents taken into account and staff carefully deployed to ensure children have the security of a familiar face as they settle in. Children show high levels of independence as they change their shoes and put on coats to play outside. They have confidence to persevere, for example if their zip gets stuck, knowing that they can solve the problem for themselves. Children develop their personal

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

self-care skills as steps and seats are provided to ensure they can wash their hands and use the toilet independently. However, sometimes opportunities to develop independence are missed, for example, by giving children responsibility for setting the table, or serving themselves at meal times.

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

Children learn to develop healthy habits as they enjoy access to a wide range of physical play equipment, including a climbing frame, balls and slide. They eat healthy meals and snacks which are freshly prepared on site. Children enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables daily, with staff sometimes disguising vegetables in sauces which children thoroughly enjoy.

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provision

Nursery leaders have ambitious plans for the nursery. A clear development plan is in place which, alongside detailed self-evaluation, drives improvement both in the short and long- term. For example, staff have short-term plans to provide babies with greater access to natural materials in order to improve their sensory experiences. In the long-term, the out of school club will be provided with their own dedicated building, in the garden. This will free up space within the main nursery building as well as providing older children with a stronger sense of identity and belonging.

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provision

All staff are fully involved in contributing to the improvement of the nursery. They attend regular training and are expected to feedback any relevant information to their colleagues during staff meetings. Managers monitor staff performance through an appraisal system and with feedback from room leaders. However, the system of staff supervision does not yet fully support staff in reflecting upon their day-to-day practice, in order to bring about more immediate improvements to children's activities and learning opportunities.

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provision

Managers monitor and review the progress children are making throughout the nursery. Staff review whether all children are accessing all areas of learning and make changes, for example, to encourage girls to access physical play equipment, or support boys in developing their early writing skills. As a result, all children are achieving well given their starting points and capabilities.

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provision

Robust recruitment and vetting procedures are in place in order to protect children. Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures, describing with confidence the action they would take should they have concerns about the welfare of a child. Staff develop effective relationships with other professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to ensure that children receive the additional support they need. The views of parents and children are sought through questionnaires and staff act upon their feedback. For example, they have improved the level of privacy for older children using the toilets and have relocated the parents' information boards to make them more accessible.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY451561 Local authority Essex Inspection number 810392

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 55 Number of children on roll 74 Name of provider Small Wonders Day Nurseries Ltd Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01245426724

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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