Highview Baby Unit

Highview Baby Unit Hall Green, Upholland, Skelmersdale, Lancashire, WN8 0HQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/02/2013 02/12/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 3 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 are active and enjoy themselves as staff ensure that they can choose to play with a wide range of good quality toys.  Children are happy and settled because staff work with parents to make sure their care routines at home and the nursery are fully understood.  The provider makes sure staff are suitable and qualified to work with children. Staff work as team to help keep the premises secure and children safe.

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It is not yet good because

 Information gathered from regular observations and assessments is not always used effectively to shape learning experiences for each child.  Evaluation does not lead to clear and successful improvement plans that support children's achievement over time to secure continuous improvement.  Staff do not always give consistent explanations of the consequences of children's behaviour to further support their understanding of behaviour.  Singing and story sessions do not always fully engage children, in order to develop their listening and attention skills.

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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 following rooms; Main room, Soft room, Activity Room and outdoor area.  The inspector held meetings with the manager and the provider.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and the provider's self-evaluation documentation and improvement plans.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents expressed through discussion and in written format.

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Information about the setting

Highview Baby Unit was registered in 1998 on the Early Years Register. It is situated in a converted surgery in Upholland, Lancashire and is managed by a private individual. The owner also has a nursery for older children nearby. Most of the children transfer to this nursery when aged two years. The unit serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from four rooms and there is an enclosed outdoor area for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The unit employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and two at level 2. The unit opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 21 children attending, of whom, all are in the early years age group.

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must:

 use information obtained from observing children to understand their level of achievement, interests and learning styles and shape learning experiences for each child reflecting those observations to help children make the best possible progress in their learning and development.

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

 implement more thorough and focused self-evaluation to strengthen the links between identified priorities and plans to secure continuous improvement

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

 create an environment, which invites responses from babies and young children and ensuring that all of them are fully involved in singing and story sessions to develop their listening and attention skills

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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

Staff plan an interesting play and learning environment for young children to explore. Clearly defined areas in the rooms help children to make choices and move freely around the unit. Children's enjoyment is enhanced by the use of good quality toys in natural materials, such as the chunky wooden blocks and cars. A wide range of electrical toys ignite children's curiosity. Consequently, children are active and happy and developing a sound capacity to learn as they play and explore. Children are interested and excited in the resources and activities on offer. They are welcomed as they enter the activity room, encouraging them to get involved. Children show their level of concentration as they make pictures with glue, sequins, sponges and paint. Children direct their own play as they move to the main room to play more actively with cars and robots. Staff plan a balance of child-initiated and adult-led activity to

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who attend

support children's learning. The close staff team ensure that all children experience a varied educational programme sufficiently covering all areas of learning. Staff assess children's learning. They know that children are working comfortably within the typical range of development expected for their age and their starting points. However, information gathered from regular observations and assessments is not always used effectively to shape learning experiences for each child. Next steps are not always identified and matched to children's individual needs and interests, to help them make the best possible progress.

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who attend

Staff plan story and singing sessions with action songs and rhymes to promote children's listening and attention skills. However, these sessions are not always well-planned or thought through by staff. For example, older children enjoy the songs and actions because the staff sing with enthusiasm and model the actions clearly and eagerly for them to see. However, staff position younger children with their backs to them, so that they cannot see their faces or the actions they are doing. As they cannot readily respond to the encouragement being given by staff, young children sit quietly throughout and are unable to join in the fun by watching or attempting the actions.

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who attend

Staff support children's choices in play. This helps children to develop confidence and self- esteem. At times, staff intervene to extend children's fun, helping them to develop their own game of throwing balls and crawling through tunnels. They use simple sentences to describe how they are crawling, in, through and over the tunnel and extend children's learning. Young children show confidence as they communicate their needs to staff. For instance, by holding their hand up to be wiped of glue as they finish making their picture. Staff gather information from parents when children first start to help build positive relationships with parents. This supports children's learning in the home and the nursery. For instance, information about children's, family members, their likes and dislikes are gathered. Information is usually recorded and helps staff to plan consistent experiences for them.

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

Children are happy and form warm attachments with staff. Each child is assigned a key person to help settle them and liaise closely with parents. Staff have a good knowledge of children's personal routines and ensure that they eat and sleep as they and their parents prefer. Staff are keen to ensure children's nappies are regularly changed. They are alert to any immediate changes necessary as well as changing children's nappies routinely throughout the day. Staff talk to children while they change their nappies, they give them toys to hold and help them to feel secure and relaxed. Children learn about healthy choices as they eat freshly prepared nutritious meals. They enjoy snacks of fruit and toasted bread muffins. Staff sit with children at mealtimes encouraging them to feed themselves and enjoy their food. Children are beginning to learn boundaries of acceptable behaviour. Staff support children to share toys by noticing when minor disputes occur. They encourage children to find an

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

alternative or duplicate toys. Children show their understanding as they cooperate and continuing to play happily. However, children get mixed messages about acceptable behaviour. When playing outside, staff ask children not to go on the wet areas. Children are eager to run and explore and soon they go on them. Staff hold children's hands to keep them safe, although, they do not offer any further explanations of the possible consequences and dangers to extend their understanding. While playing, children show a good attitude to risk taking. They run, stand on beams and enjoy the challenge of the cold and damp weather.

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

Most children go on to the unit's sister nursery close by. Children's transitions to the bigger nursery are planned by getting to know the staff on visits to the unit. They visit the bigger nursery before they start to make sure they are familiar with it to help them settle quickly.

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provision

The provider and managers have a sound understanding of their responsibility to monitor the educational programme. They have worked with local authority staff to develop monitoring systems and secure improvements since the last inspection. Staff appraisals, supervision and peer observations are being developed to help monitor the quality of teaching of learning and identify staff training needs. These are being developed alongside the nursery's work towards completing a local authority quality award.

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provision

Staff have a sound understanding of keeping children safe and secure. Accurate records of staff suitability, including their criminal records disclosures and qualifications, are held to clearly demonstrate their suitability to work with children. Safeguarding policies have been revised and shared with staff to ensure that they include the appropriate use of cameras. Risk assessments are generally effective. Staff focus on keeping the premises secure and children safe. Any potential hazards are appropriately resolved.

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provision

The provider and managers evaluate their practice involving both parents and the local authority. Parents receive newsletters and see displays to keep them informed of what is happening in the nursery unit. Regular questionnaires encourage parents to give their views on the nursery unit to inform its evaluation. Written evaluations help them to assess their provision, although, they have not yet led to clear improvement plans to drive and secure further improvements. Recent staff changes means that some staff are in new roles and have not been fully involved in evaluation procedures to date. This, and a lack clear targets to help set and measure quality, limits the effectiveness of the evaluations to drive and secure further improvements.

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provision

Managers and staff have a sound understanding of how to support children, who would benefit from external support. They have established links with appropriate local authority workers to seek expert advice if necessary to support children's learning and development.

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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 309637 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 818859

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 18 Number of children on roll 21 Name of provider Jean Ann Hurst Date of previous inspection 02/12/2011 Telephone number 01695 627 277

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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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