Walton Nursery

Walton Pre - Preparatory School The Old Rectory, Church Lane, Walton Hall, MILTON KEYNES, MK7 6BB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/04/2013 02/05/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Children are very respectful of each other and adults. They demonstrate high levels of self-control and confidence relevant to their age and abilities in all their activities.  The nursery provides a very stimulating environment with excellent child accessible resources that promote and encourage development both indoors and out.  The needs of individual children are quickly identified and exceptionally well met through positive partnerships with parents, schools and professionals.  Management are enthusiastic and knowledgeable in their roles and strive for excellence in all that they do. Consequently, children are motivated, very eager to join in and play a very active role in their learning.

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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 the premises and resources with the matron.  The inspector observed the children and staff at play.  The inspector examined records and documents provided by the staff.  The inspector spoke to parents.  The inspector read the provider's self-evaluation.

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Information about the setting

Walton Pre-Preparatory School Nursery is one of three nurseries run by Milton Keynes Pre- Preparatory School Ltd. It opened under the present registration in 2007, and operates from several rooms in a large converted house, with additional buildings for the nursery class and baby rooms. All children share access to the large secure enclosed outdoor play areas. It is situated near a residential area, close to Milton Keynes. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6.30pm for 46 weeks of the year and operates a play scheme during holidays. There are currently 134 children in the early years age range on roll. Children aged three and four receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local and wider residential areas. The nursery employs 38 staff, including a cook. Of these, 19 staff, including the manager, hold

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

 encourage all staff to seize every opportunity to further extend children's interest and awareness of features of the natural environment.

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who attend

The knowledgeable and enthusiastic management and staff team provide a rich learning environment where children's individuality is recognised and cherished. Children make excellent progress in this exciting setting where excellent care is taken to meet their individual learning and development needs. The children are cared for in small groups in cosy, homely, well-resourced rooms. They get to know their key person very well and in addition to this the high adult to child staff ratio ensures they have plenty of attention. As they progress through the nursery the play rooms become exciting classrooms filled with interesting displays, books, and resources. Children's development records are excellent as they clearly identify the skills which are developing and those which the child has achieved. This enables adults to plan highly effectively to encourage the next steps in each child's learning in partnership with parents.

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who attend

Physical development is promoted extremely well throughout this large setting. For example, the youngest children show increasing confidence as they explore shredded paper and the texture of the sand as they dig their fingers in and squeeze. The safe baby nursery garden provides an exciting environment where young children can develop their senses and skills. For example, a young child safely bottom shuffles on the artificial grass stopping to explore the texture, then encouraged by the staff reaches for items. Staff praise and encourage the baby, increasing a sense of well-being and achievement. Older children use wheeled toys with increasing confidence and skill, kick and throw balls and hoops between them. This demonstrates their very good abilities to cooperate with each other. In the nature trail children independently use child-sized rakes and wheelbarrows to move soil and bark. They demonstrate excellent abilities to control and use the tools

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who attend

skilfully. Children also encourage each other to try new activities, inventing their own games, such as climbing on the large caterpillar, and then holding hands and jumping off together. This shows their excellent cooperation and coordination. Staff supervise their outdoor activities closely, sometimes discreetly, to ensure children remain safe at all times.

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who attend

The nature trail is an exciting environment with tepees made from branches, digging areas, pathways, huge trees and wooden dens and walkways. Children busy themselves in this area undertaking an exciting variety of activities. For example, the adults encourage them to think how they can make the tepee more enclosed. Staff help the children use their ideas as they fasten blankets to the branches. This activity helps children develop excellent physical skills and the children show awareness of size as they try to cover gaps. Role play follows as the children put on back packs and collect items before sitting inside, whilst another child collects cups to distribute. Counting is encouraged throughout the day and children show awareness of size and position as they talk about the large plastic insects and small world animals. Communication and language is encouraged exceptionally well throughout the nursery as staff model language, ask questions and listen attentively.

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who attend

They encourage children to recall and to think about problems.. However, not all staff fully encourage children's curiosity to explore and investigate items, such as feathers which they stumble upon and show interest in.

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who attend

Attractive, well-maintained displays around the nursery showcase children's imaginative art work. Displaying it in this way with their names on encourages children to feel pride in their skills. Singing is a daily activity in all areas of the nursery. Staff join in enthusiastically with toddlers ensuring the children can see their faces and also the actions. This helps the young children develop their language skills and develop their memory as they recall the actions and words.

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who attend

Very well-established systems are in place to enable parents to be fully involved in their child's learning. Development records are shared informally and formally with them, and staff ensure parents are familiar with the activities children will be undertaking and the songs they will be learning. This enables parents to talk or sing with their children at home, increasing their learning opportunities.

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

Children develop a very clear awareness of how to keep themselves healthy. They confidently talk about the importance of healthy eating, drinking, exercise, sleep and hand washing as they play. Staff clearly understand the benefits for children of experiencing busy, stimulating and also restful times. This enables them to be refreshed and make the most of the experiences available to them. Children demonstrate increasing independence relevant to their age and stage of development as they learn to attend to their own toileting needs and put on their own wellington boots and coats.

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

Children's excellent awareness of safety is developed throughout the range of activities they undertake. On a regular basis staff gently, but clearly remind children to think about their actions, particularly when they play outdoors. Before they go to play on the nature trail staff talk to them about safe behaviours, such as staying together until they reach the play area, listening and being aware of what is going on around them at all times. A termly fire drill helps to ensure all staff and older children know what to do to evacuate the premises swiftly in an emergency.

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

All staff are extremely calm and patient in their interactions with children and each other. They act as excellent role models and behaviour is managed very well. As a result children's behaviour is exemplary. Staff recognise that sometimes children need time to resolve their disputes independently as this is part of their development.

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

The key person system is very well-established. Children's development is monitored very closely by their key person and particularly close links are developed with parents, enabling a very strong understanding of the child to develop. There are highly effective systems in place to ensure that continuity is maintained if a member of staff is off. Children are exceptionally confident and happy, indicating they feel safe and secure. The setting provides excellent opportunities for children to make choices in their activities and also provides a familiar routine. Staff are very receptive to children's expressions and help them identify how they are feeling through comments and actions. Consequently, children relate extremely well to the staff. They engage with them naturally in play, sit close for stories, and in the baby and toddler rooms they enjoy lots of cuddles.

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provision

Robust recruitment and vetting procedures help to ensure that all adults working with children are suitable to do so and staff practice is carefully monitored to ensure that children are always protected. The management ensures highly effective measures are in place to risk assess the environment and manage any potential hazards. The premises are very secure and maintained to a very high standard. Staff demonstrate a confident understanding and knowledge of safeguarding issues and the procedures to follow should they have any concerns. They know how to report and record concerns and have all attended appropriate training.

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provision

Parents speak exceptionally highly of the provision, commenting on the warm and friendly staff, the wonderful environment and the fun learning experiences they offer the children. They have noticed how easily children settle and develop new skills. Parents welcome the information provided and feel that staff work in excellent partnership with them. Information is shared daily and parents report that children want to come to nursery on their days off, because they like it so much.

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provision

The nursery develops highly successful partnerships with schools that children move on to. This enables transitions to be positive experiences. Staff arrange visits for children and child development information is shared with teachers. Children learn about the move to school through stories, activities, and visiting the new school. This enables them to be well prepared for the change. Positive partnerships are also fostered with other professionals, for example, speech and language therapist, physiotherapist and the local authority early years service.

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provision

The enthusiastic management team has a very strong commitment to improving the service they offer. They seek the opinions of parents, staff and, where possible, the children in order to constantly evaluate their service. They have a worthwhile action plan of priorities, which includes improving the tools available for children to use. The management team monitor staff performance carefully and enthusiastically support and help with the professional development of the staff through regular staff meetings and annual appraisals. Staff are expected and encouraged to participate in continuous professional development to enable them to offer the best opportunities to young children.

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provision

Inclusive practice is fully evident throughout the nursery and children's needs are met exceptionally well. Children learn about different cultural events and parents support them by sharing their own knowledge. This has included an international day and a grandparents day, in addition to a mums and dads day. These social occasions provide an excellent opportunity for children to learn about one another's families and backgrounds.

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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 EY349307 Local authority Milton Keynes Inspection number 887367 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 160 Number of children on roll 134 Name of provider Milton Keynes Preparatory School Ltd Date of previous inspection 02/05/2008 Telephone number 01908 678 403

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Setting details

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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