Quorn Nursery School

Quorn Nursery School Church Lane, Quorn, LOUGHBOROUGH, Leicestershire, LE12 8DP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 04/03/2013 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 play happily and access a wide range of resources and activities, which supports their adequate progress across the seven areas of learning.  Children develop good levels of independence and self-confidence because staff encourage them to make their own choices. Such as, what they want to play with and when they have their snack.  Children have regular opportunities for outdoor play, and therefore, benefit from ample fresh air and exercise.

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It is not yet good because

 Older children are not effectively helped to prepare for more formal learning because staff do not consistently provide a good balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities.  Staff supervision does not include coaching to improve their personal effectiveness with regards to how they use language for teaching children about thinking and learning. They do not consistently encourage children to be creative and to think critically as they play.  Children's progress in reading is not sufficiently supported because the book area lacks variety and staff do not adequately promote the use of books in other areas.

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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

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged 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 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  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's activities in the main indoor play areas and the outdoor area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the registered person/the nursery manager and practitioners.  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 practitioners working with the children, the provider's action plans and a selection of policies.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Quorn Nursery School is privately owned and managed. It first opened in 2005, re-opening under new ownership in Spring 2012 and registering as a limited company later in the same year. It is registered on the Early Years Register. The setting operates from three rooms and the hall within the church rooms, in the village of Quorn, in Leicestershire. There is level access to the premises and the hall, although the playrooms and outdoor area are accessed by stairs. The setting serves the local area.

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Information about the setting

There are three members of staff employed to work with the children, including the manager, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The setting is open each weekday from 9am to 1pm, during school term times only. An optional lunch club operates between 12 noon and 1pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 20 children on roll. The setting provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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must:

 ensure that the balance of activities initiated by children and those led or guided by adults is appropriate; by providing the older children with more activities led by adults in order to help them prepare for more formal learning

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must:

 ensure that supervision provides opportunities for staff to improve the effectiveness of their interactions with children, in order to better support them in being creative and to think critically.

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

 improve the programme for reading by providing fact and fiction books in all areas, such as the construction area and by increasing the variety of books in the reading area. For example, books containing photographs of the children, simple poetry, fiction and non-fiction books, child-made books and adult-scribed stories.

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who attend

Children use toys, resources and take part in activities that satisfactorily promote their development across the seven areas of learning. The indoor area provides suitable opportunities for most areas of learning but this is less well developed for promoting children's reading skills. The book area is not enticing and resources lack variety, which means few children are not drawn into this space. Additionally, books are not routinely provided in other areas to encourage children to use them, for example, for information or instructions in the construction area.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Staff interact with children as they play, they listen to, and show an interest in what they say. Consequently, children develop positive relationships with staff and speak confidently. However, staff do not consistently use language which encourages children to be creative and to think critically. As a result, children do what they know and enjoy, but do not explore new ways of doing things or extend their original ideas. For example, children playing with the construction toys repeatedly build the same basic, two-piece model. However, staff do not encourage them to think how they could improve and develop their creation into something more complex.

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who attend

Daily routines successfully promote children's self-confidence as they have many opportunities to make their own decisions. However, the balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities is not differentiated for children of different ages and levels of ability. This means that those who are older do not experience a gradual shift towards more activities led by adults. This does not help them to get ready for more formal learning as they prepare to make the transition to school.

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who attend

The outdoor area is freely available for most of each session and is a popular choice for some children. The children choosing to go outside practise their balance and co- ordination using toys, such as balancing logs, balls and large construction kits. They are familiar with what resources are available and confidently find what they want, which supports them in their child-initiated activities. For example, a child decides to clear up some fallen leaves. He is joined by several others and they are all able to find a selection of sweeping brushes, spades and dust pans to enable them to join in purposefully. Staff interact warmly, praising their efforts and using descriptive words to extend their vocabulary.

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who attend

Staff have an adequate understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage learning and development requirements. They make observations of children as they play, and use this information to monitor children's development. Staff also complete the progress check at age two to aid early identification of children's learning needs. Staff are beginning to make use of their knowledge of what children like, and can do, to influence planning. For example, they offer a wider range of materials, such as soil, to capture children's interest and encourage their participation in a 'Mother's Day' craft activity.

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who attend

Positive relationships with parents help children to settle well and to include parents in children's learning and development, both at home and in the setting. Ongoing discussions, along with access to their children's 'learning journals', helps to ensure parents receive regular feedback about their children's progress.

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

There is a generally good selection of toys and resources available to suit the needs of the range of children attending. These are freely and easily accessible to children. This encourages good levels of independence as they move around choosing where and what they want to play with. Children behave well. Staff provide clear guidance regarding their expectations and give consistent messages. This means that all children learn to understand what is acceptable and what is not. This includes children who sometimes display more challenging behaviour. Staff encourage children to work together, for example, when constructing dens, so they learn to take turns and negotiate use of resources. Children build secure relationships in this warm and friendly setting. They play in small, established friendship groups, particularly in the role play and outdoor areas. They share their views and wishes with staff and show good levels of self-assurance. For

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

example, a child confidently states they wish a practitioner was a child so that she could do the tidying up instead of them. Staff take the opportunity to underline the importance of caring for the nursery environment. These positive relationships help children to feel safe, secure and settled at nursery, which also prepares them for future transitions, such as to school. Key persons develop good relationship with children and parents. They demonstrates a good awareness of child's home life so children settle well and they talk to parents about what children have been doing and give suggestions for parents to use at home to consistently support children.

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

Staff work effectively together to provide appropriate levels of supervision for children. They undertake daily checks of the premises to ensure that the environment is safe for children to play. Children are beginning to learn about basic safety rules as they travel around their play areas and use equipment. For example, they know to hold on to the rails as they move up and down the stairs to the dining hall and the outdoor area. Children also carefully manoeuvre themselves around and under obstacles, taking care not to bump themselves. Staff follow sound practices and procedures to support children learning about good health. They implement appropriate personal hygiene routines, such as hand washing prior to meals, and provide healthy snacks and drinks during the day. Staff use these routines to effectively support children's independence skills. There is a healthy eating policy which helps to ensure that children staying for lunch club have a balanced

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

and nutritious meal. Children benefit from daily opportunities for outdoor play and move freely between the indoor and outdoor areas for most of the session, ensuring they have plenty of fresh air. In poorer weather, staff organise activities in the large hall in order for children to engage in physical activity.

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provision

Children's welfare is effectively promoted and they remain safe in the setting because staff have a sound understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. All staff have attended safeguarding training as part of their induction. They demonstrate a sound understanding of their roles and responsibilities, which are supported by effective written guidelines. Robust procedures are in place to ensure all staff are suitable to work with young children, which helps to promote their safety. Relevant policies and documentation are in place, helping to support the smooth running of the setting and to ensure that children's needs are known and met.

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provision

Staff are beginning to make appropriate use of the 'Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage' document to support their assessments of the progress children make in their learning and development. This helps to ensure that any emerging concerns are identified. There are suitable systems in place to ensure that any concerns which arise are monitored and appropriate support is provided. For example, key persons suitably support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and they follow procedures to share concerns with the special educational needs coordinator, in order to discuss with parents the next steps. Sound partnerships with external agencies, such as speech therapists, support this effectively. Parents provide positive feedback about the setting and how much their children enjoy attending. Parents benefit from regular discussions with staff as they bring and collect their children and say there are good

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provision

opportunities to share relevant information. Currently no children attending other settings, however, the manager has recently initiated contact with local schools and is organising visits and meetings to support children's transition and ensure consistency and continuity.

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provision

The nursery has been registered under a different owner/manager who demonstrates a clear commitment to continual improvement. She has a sufficient understanding of the strengths of the setting and areas where there is scope to improve. The manager has, along with the staff team, devised a useful action plan for improvement, which takes into account the views of other interested parties, such as the local authority support team. Several new initiatives have been introduced, for example, children now enjoy regular outings in the local community, which enhances their learning experiences about the wider world they live in. All staff undertake basic training, including child protection and first aid. They are encouraged to extend their knowledge by undertaking additional training when it becomes available. The manager is beginning to use staff supervision as a tool to monitor children's progress. However, she is not yet making effective use of supervision sessions

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provision

to provide coaching for staff and to improve their personal effectiveness in their interactions with the children.

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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 action. 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 EY453336 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 882399

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 20 Name of provider Quorn Pre-School Limited Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01509415552

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: 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, which are usually the childminder’s 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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