Highley Minors Childcare Centre

Highley Minors Childcare Centre The Severn Centre, Bridgnorth Road, Highley, Bridgnorth, WV16 6JG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/03/2013 17/03/2009

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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

 Children make good progress within the Early Years Foundation Stage and specifically in the prime areas of learning, which prepares them for the next stage in their learning.  Children's safety is a priority within the setting; therefore children feel safe, secure and develop confidence.  Children are well prepared for their move on to school. As a result, transitions are smooth.  Practitioners are good role models; as a result, children develop strong peer relationships, and demonstrate exceptional behaviour.  Partnerships with local schools, early years settings and external agencies are secure. This contributes to the strong culture of support children receive.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Highly successful strategies have not yet been developed to engage all parents in children's learning.  Children are not always given opportunities to develop their social and self-care skills throughout the day.  There is scope to improve supervision arrangements to provide coaching and mentoring to drive continuous improvement.

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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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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 baby room, play group room, toddler room and outdoor play areas.  The inspector accompanied the nursery on a Forest School session.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed all relevant documentation, including: self-evaluation, samples of children's records, planning, policies and procedures.  The inspector spoke with the management team and staff throughout the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out a joint observation with the Early Years Professional and Deputy Manager.  The inspector also spoke to parents to seek their views.

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Information about the setting

Highley Minors Childcare Centre is based within purpose built rooms in the Severn Centre in the centre of the village of Highley, near Bridgnorth. The nursery opened in 2005 and is committee run. It is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. Children attend from the local area. Children have access to enclosed outdoor play areas and a Forest School area. The nursery employs 14 members of staff to work with the children. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above and two at level 2. One deputy manager has Early Years Professional Status and one manager is qualified to level 4.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens five days a week 51 weeks of the year, from 7.45am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday. Children may attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 75 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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

 develop further the relationships with parents and carers to fully involve them in their children's learning and development, enabling them to fully contribute to their children's learning

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

 maximise on all opportunities for children to develop their social and self-care skills at meal times by: encouraging staff to sit with children and encouraging hand washing

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

 reflect on and consider how coaching and mentoring can be used effectively to provide challenge and support to staff, in order to build on good practice.

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who attend

Staff have a good understanding of the revised Early Years Foundation Stage framework and a good knowledge of the seven areas of learning. The quality of practice is consistent and, as a result, all children are making good progress in relation to their starting points. Parents know their children's key person and are able to discuss their individual children's needs at any time, because staff-to-child ratios are very good. Parents have access to their children's records at any time and are able to discuss their child's progress through parents' evenings. Staff inform parents about their children's progress and achievements during their time at the nursery. However, parents are not fully engaged in contributing to children's learning, as their preferences to discuss and share learning from home have not been taken into account.

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who attend

The strong staff team support each other effectively to provide a stimulating and well- balanced educational programme for all children, ensuring they gain the skills, attitudes and dispositions they need to be ready for school or the next stage of learning. Staff have high expectations of children's learning. They support the children's learning and development effectively because they take account of children's stages of development and their individual needs and interests. They use this information to plan purposeful activities and the short-term curriculum. This ensures that children's individual needs are being met.

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who attend

Children use their imaginations well during outdoor play; they use resources as props to support their play. For example, they use climbing equipment in the Forest School area as a castle to act out familiar stories and role play scenarios. Children are beginning to use mathematical language during activities. They talk about pots being heavier, or lighter in the 'digging' area, they recognise how quickly containers empty and how fast they can fill them with different utensils in the sand tray. Children enjoy listening to stories and singing rhymes, confidently matching actions as they sing. They have access to a wide range of books, and enjoy looking at them, retelling their favourite stories from the pictures, and so developing their interest in books. Children have access to mark-making materials at all times and use the resources for a variety of purposes. For example, children draw 'minibeasts' they found at Forest School and create patterns in sand.

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who attend

Staff respond well to the children, actively listening to them and participating in their activities and conversations. Staff make the most of incidental learning opportunities to extend the children's learning through asking open-ended questions, introducing new vocabulary and encouraging the children to become active learners and critical thinkers. For example, when children hunt for 'minibeasts' outside, the staff introduce new words, such as 'slither, crawl, wiggle and slimy', giving the children time to repeat the words. Later the children use the new words in context as they recall what they have been doing. Overall, children enjoy a well-resourced play and learning environment. Children are able to self-select resources to extend their play and develop their independence. For example, children access resources, such as containers and jugs, for sand play.

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

All children have daily opportunities to take exercise and access fresh air through outdoor play. They use a wide range of outdoor resources. They climb on tyres with well- rehearsed technique and avoid their friends as they move through the area showing good awareness of space. Children have opportunities to run, climb, balance and jump as they practise their physical skills. They recognise when they are cold and put their own coats on and when they need to put their Wellington Boots on to go to Forest School. The nursery has strong links with the local school and other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Effective systems are in place to ensure the children's smooth transition to school and as they move through the nursery. For example, children and parents are well prepared for transitions as the highly skilled key persons share information about each child with parents, other key persons or teachers. As a result, the next steps in their

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

Staff create a welcoming and highly stimulating environment for children to play and learn. Children are able to access resources freely from low, open storage. Therefore, children are able to extend their play and learning. The nursery is based in the Severn Centre, which provides many additional resources for children and families. For example, they use the library for story and rhyme sessions and the older children use the sports hall for Zumba classes. As a result, the nursery provides a sense of community cohesion, helping children to learn about those who live within their community.

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

Children's individual welfare needs are met successfully because staff spend time getting to know the children and their families. Individual strategies are in place to support children. For example, staff work closely with parents and other agencies to accommodate the children's individual needs, including child protection, economic backgrounds and personal requirements. Children are developing a good understanding of healthy eating through discussion and daily routines. Children talk about the types of food that are good for them as they plant seeds to grow their own vegetables and choose from a healthy snack. All children are polite and use their manners well. For example, when asked if they would like some more lunch the children say 'no thank you' or 'yes please'. Staff praise the children for remembering their good manners and the children smile in response. However, opportunities are missed to further promote understanding of a healthy lifestyle

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

and improve social skills as children are not always encouraged to wash their hands prior to meals times and after playing outside. Staff are able to demonstrate the importance of developing children's social skills at meal times, although, they are generally taken up with other tasks during this busy period. As a result, meal times are not always rich with social interaction between staff and children.

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

All children are happy and settled during their time at the nursery. Staff discuss the children's individual needs with parents and record the information on their registration forms. Staff effectively use the information to support all the children who attend. Children form positive relationships with their peers and the staff team. Children show excellent behaviour at all times. They are developing a strong understanding of right and wrong because all staff implement the clear rules and boundaries consistently. Consequently, children follow instructions, such as helping to tidy away the resources before lunch, because they know what staff expect of them. Children cooperate well with each other during outdoor play and share resources as they recognise the needs of others. They show consideration for others as they play in their key groups to join in the activities. This helps prepare them for their next stage in their learning. They demonstrate high levels of

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

self-confidence as they question the inspector and share their views and experiences with him. All children show curiosity and communicate their needs well. For example, children who don't feel well inform their key person, who cares for them with compassion. Children's spoken language and social skills are developing well as they participate in one- to-one learning, small and large group activities. They confidently share their ideas, make suggestions to others, and happily share their personal experiences.

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provision

The managers demonstrate a detailed understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. Effective safeguarding procedures are in place to protect the children who attend. All staff have a good understanding of the procedures and know how to implement them because they have attended safeguarding training. The nursery shares the full written policies and procedures with parents to ensure they are aware of the staff team's responsibilities towards protecting their children. Children enjoy a safe and secure play and learning environment because staff carry out daily checks and written risk assessments are completed. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures, alongside effective induction systems, help to ensure all adults are suitable to work with children. All visitors are required to show identification and sign in and out of the visitor's book to ensure that a full and accurate record of everyone meeting the children is in place.

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provision

The management team demonstrate a secure knowledge of the learning and development requirements. They are making significant ongoing improvements to analyse the progress children are making across the nursery. As a result, the nursery is able to identify ways to improve practice for the benefit of the children. They meet regularly to discuss the progress children are making, and identify those children who require interventions in their learning. As a result, gaps in learning are closing. Team leaders extensively monitor planning and consistency of assessments, using advice from the local authority and school. They ensure key persons make accurate judgements on children's progress, which has led to all children being well prepared for school. The management team are well informed about the progress of groups of children, and comprehensively identify those children who require further support with speech and language. Consequently, the nursery

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provision

has established strong partnerships with Speech and Language Therapists.

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provision

The nursery has links with other agencies, such as the local authority, Sure Start children's centre and local schools, to build on the staff teams' knowledge and understanding of how to support children and families in the local community. The managers seek the views of parents, staff and children on self-evaluation through parent consultation, staff meetings and children's evaluations of their learning. As a result, changes and improvements have recently been implemented. For example, the baby room staff and parents asked for a separate outdoor play area. The managers and committee took steps to deal with this request and an outdoor areas has been installed, resulting in babies been able to free flow between the indoor and outdoor environment to develop their physical skills. Managers and the committee successfully monitor staff performance and their contributions to the nursery through regular team meetings, reviewing staff record keeping and annual

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provision

appraisals. In addition, the local authority Early Years and Childcare team attends the nursery regularly to observe practice and to provide support to the staff team. As a result, staff identify areas for development to help improve practice. All staff receive supervision which provides, a source of support, training and professional development. However, there is scope to improve supervision arrangements to focus on coaching and mentoring, enabling managers and team leaders to challenge practice in their pursuit of excellence.

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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 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 EY290170 Local authority Shropshire Inspection number 861369

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 59 Number of children on roll 75 Name of provider Highley Minors Childcare Centre Date of previous inspection 17/03/2009 Telephone number 01746 860005

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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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