Blue Skies Nursery

Blue Skies Nursery 194 Broadfields Avenue, EDGWARE, Middlesex, HA8 8TF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/02/2013 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Children become independent as they enjoy choosing from a suitable range of resources that are stored at their level.  Parents receive a warm welcome from staff and relationships between staff and children are friendly and generally supportive.  Children develop a positive attitude to the enjoyment of physical activities in the fresh air as part of a healthy lifestyle.

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It is not yet good because

 Staff do not use observations and assessment effectively to plan and tailor activities to meet children's individual interests or learning needs.  Staff do not make effective use of the outdoor environment to promote children's learning by providing activities and resources across all seven areas of learning.  Staff do not consistently encourage children to explore letters and imitate sounds to help them make the connections in their literacy.

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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 activities and staff interaction with them.  The inspector conducted joint observations with the nursery manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of relevant documentation, including children's records.  The inspector spoke to two parents to gain their views about the nursery.

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Information about the setting

Blue Skies Nursery registered in 2010. The nursery operates from a church hall in the London borough of Barnet. Children have access to one main room and toilets on the ground floor. An enclosed outdoor play area is available for outdoor play. The nursery runs from Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, 38 weeks a year. It is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and the voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 12 children on roll in the early years age group. The provision supports children learning English as an additional language. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged three and four years. There are four members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years professional qualifications.

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must:

 implement a system for assessments by observing what children 'can do' to identify their level of achievement, interests and learning styles effectively and then plan learning experiences for each child reflecting those observations.

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

 extend opportunities for children to learn outdoors by creating further opportunities for mark making and creative activities

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

 further develop children's early reading skills by having a consistent and effective approach to helping children to link sounds and letters.

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who attend

Staff support children's learning appropriately and have a basic understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage areas of learning and development. Although staff have not implemented the two-year-old progress checks, they have an adequate understanding of its requirements and systems that will help them to do so. Staff observe children's achievements and interests and use photographic evidence to support their observations. However, they do not use these observations consistently well enough to assess the stages in children's development or plan the next steps for their progress. This means that children's development is not fully supported as staff do not closely match their planning to the individual learning needs of each child. Staff inform parents of their children's progress through informal daily discussions and parent's meetings.

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who attend

Staff set up the learning environment so that toys and resources are within easy reach for children to help themselves to. Children make their own decisions about what they would like to play and self-select from low-level shelving. Staff are skilled at supporting young children's emerging language and communication skills throughout their daily activities and routines. For example, they use mealtimes, activities and story time to ask questions to encourage them to think critically and respond appropriately. Children also enjoy singing songs and rhymes with repetitive phrases to reinforce language, such as 'the wheels on the bus'. However, staff do not consistently encourage children to imitate sounds and letters of the alphabet to help them with their literacy skills. This oversight means that staff do fully challenge some children in this area of learning.

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who attend

Children gain an appropriate understanding of simple calculations. They decide how many ducks are left after 'one swam away'. They also enjoy using new mathematical skills such as solving problems, counting and reason, making sound progress in gaining skills for their future lives. For example, children recognise shapes, colours and match puzzles and construction pieces including measuring and calculating using play dough, sand and water. They explore, investigate and develop their knowledge and skills in both indoor and outdoor environments. For example, children play outdoors in the snow and experience what it feels like to touch. This helps children to make sense of the world around them as staff explain to children what happens to snow when the sun comes out. Although children enjoy the outdoor area, there are few resources outdoors to further support children's development in all areas of learning. For example, there are no resources outdoors to help

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who attend

children who have active learning styles and like to be outdoors to develop their literacy and creative skills.

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

Children and parents receive a warm welcome from staff upon arrival at the nursery and each child has their own key person who helps them to settle. Robust settling-in procedures help children to form good, secure attachments in the nursery. As a consequence, children have the confidence to explore and investigate their play environment independently. Staff plan activities to include a mix of adult-led and free- choice play. Children receive sufficient levels of care from staff who help them to develop close and trusting relationships. Children display confidence and independence. They manage their personal needs well, such as using the toilet and washing their hands afterwards. Children also learn how to put on and take off their coats independently and staff assist younger children if they need assistance. Being competent in these skills helps children to make smooth transitions to school as they become independent. Children's

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

behaviour is good because they know what is expected of them within the nurturing and caring environment of the nursery. They play well with other children, share, take turns and are considerate of each other, using words such as 'please' and 'thank you'. Staff listen to and praise children, which promotes their self-esteem and confidence.

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

Children learn the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle. Staff entice the children to the snack table by tempting them to try the 'juicy cucumber' and the 'sweet tangerines'. They encourage children to serve themselves from the bowls of sliced fruit and vegetables and pour their own drink. Children benefit from varied, healthy cooked meals and snacks that meet their nutritional needs and helps them to gain an understanding of foods that are good for them. Staff hold interesting conversations about healthy eating with the children during snacks and mealtimes.

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

Regular evacuation drills help children become familiar with the procedures, so that they learn to leave the premises quickly and in a safe manner. They move freely and safely around the nursery accessing a variety of activities and enjoy participating in outdoor play where they enjoy the fresh air and exercise. Children take part in a variety of physical play experiences, such as using the climbing frame, riding bikes and participating in team games.

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provision

The provider, who is also the manager of the nursery, has a secure understanding of her responsibility in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Clear procedures are in place for managing and reporting concerns about the well-being of children. The staff team have sufficient understanding of safeguarding children procedures and know how to make referrals. Robust recruitment procedures ensure that all staff have suitability checks before working with the children. Staff carry out risk assessments and routine safety checks both on the premises and when on outings. This helps to ensure that any obvious hazards are identified and managed effectively to help prevent harm to children. Designated staff are responsible for first aid and health and safety, and monitor the implementation of policies and procedures to safeguard children's well-being.

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provision

Staff clearly enjoy their work, which is evident in their positive interactions with children. The manager leads the staff team sufficiently well, involving them in staff meetings, appraisals and allocating areas of special responsibility. As a result, they all work as an effective team to drive improvement. Effective self-evaluation procedures include the views of staff, parents, children and other interested partners, such as advisory early years development workers.

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provision

Staff understand the value of working effectively with parents and carers. They exchange relevant information about their child verbally each day. Parents are welcome to spend time in the nursery sharing their experiences of different cultural events. Discussions with parents demonstrate that they are very happy with the care and learning opportunities offered to their children. They comment that staff are very friendly and supportive of the children and they are also pleased with the progress their children are making.

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provision

Staff work sufficiently with other agencies such as local schools and children's centres to promote continuity in children's care and learning. There are currently no children on roll who need additional support from other agencies. However, management and staff have existing effective relationships with other agencies such as speech therapists.

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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 EY395150 Local authority Barnet Inspection number 726535 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 12 Name of provider Linda Olayinka Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 02089581408

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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.

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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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