Little Angels Nursery

Little Angels St Aidans Church Hall, Crompton Way, BOLTON, Lancashire, BL1 8UP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/04/2013 08/02/2011

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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

 Staff have an excellent understanding of how children learn and provide challenging, varied and imaginative activities, as a result of precise assessment and planning. Assessment information is analysed regularly to identify groups of children, who need extra support for aspects of their learning.  The nursery provides exemplary support to develop children's early literacy and information and communication technology skills. This is through providing children with opportunities to make independent use of information and communication technology and using small group time to develop their knowledge of letters and sounds.  Children are very confident and make strong progress in learning, irrespective of their starting points. This is as a result of first class staff practice and a dynamic learning environment with many outings and visitors to enrich children's learning.  The nursery is successful in supporting parents to be directly involved in their children's

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This provision is outstanding

learning and parents receive highly comprehensive information about their children's progress and welfare.  Partnerships with other professionals and settings provide for children's needs exceptionally well in both the nursery and the wraparound care. Transitions in, within and out of the nursery are consistently well managed to promote children's emotional security and learning.  Monitoring of all aspects of the nursery is robust, leading to excellent practice. Leadership is outstanding and staff are highly enthusiastic about their work. There is a strong ethos of staff gaining higher qualifications, in order to enhance their practice.

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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 reviewed a range of information available about the nursery and wraparound care, in order to prepare for the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 A tour of the premises was made and the inspector had an initial meeting with the owner to establish a timetable for the day, which included time to discuss the leadership and management of the provision.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out observations on childcare staff and their interactions with children throughout the day and examined documentation related to their welfare and learning.

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Inspection activities

 Some staff members were interviewed to ascertain their knowledge of areas, such as safeguarding and individual children's learning.

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Inspection activities

 A joint observation was made by the inspector and the owner, of a room manager, who was leading a small group activity for children.  The inspector also spoke to children to gain information about their learning.  Parents were encouraged to contribute their views about the provision for children.

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Information about the setting

Little Angels was registered in 2007 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in community premises belonging to St Aiden's Church, on the site of the local health centre in the Hall i'th' Wood area of Bolton. The nursery is privately owned. It serves the local area and is accessible to all children, having a lift to the first floor. Children are cared for in four rooms over two floors and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, the manager holds a BA (Honours) in early years and is accessing the EYTS in September 2013 and two other staff members have their foundation degree. Seven staff are qualified to level 3 in childcare. One member of staff is qualified to level 2 and one has a play work qualification at level 1. Three staff are unqualified and there is a minibus driver. The nursery also employs a receptionist.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday for 48 weeks a year and is closed on bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery also provides before and after school and holiday care for children attending several local primary schools. It operates a minibus service for transporting them between the nursery and schools. There are currently 104 children on roll, of whom 74 are in the early years age range. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year- old children. It supports a very small number of children, who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The nursery receives support from the local authority and also makes use of private consultancies.

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

 enhance the excellent opportunities and systems already in place for staff to reflect on their individual practice and how they can use this to provide even greater support for children's learning and welfare.

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who attend

Children make excellent progress across all areas of learning by the time they are ready to leave nursery for reception class, irrespective of their starting points when they begin to attend. This is because staff have expert knowledge of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. When children join the nursery, staff produce a baseline of what they can do, based on their observations and the information provided by parents. This enables them to plan for children's initial learning and begin to track their progress, so that any emerging gaps in learning can be addressed. Planning for children's learning is multi-layered, drawing on observations of children's learning, their interests, information from parents, events, themes and key person's assessments of children's development. This highly comprehensive approach means that children receive learning experiences precise to their needs and leads to them making excellent progress.

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who attend

Tracking of children's progress is rigorous and fully supports the planning process. Staff are encouraged to include information about the characteristics of effective learning that children show when they make observations, to gain a full picture of how individual children learn best. This can then be used to plan for individual children's learning.

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who attend

Staff in the pre-school room lead effective small group learning sessions to develop and reinforce children's knowledge of letters and sounds, using song, rhyme and actions. This means that they make use of children's different learning styles, in order to promote access to learning. Children make excellent use of tablet computers, to develop their hand-eye coordination and play simple games. They use digital cameras and photographs they take are displayed, to show they are learning how to operate the devices. Staff encourage children to learn actively, such as by letting older babies explore paint and a variety of textured pads, for as long as they show interest. In the pre-school, staff have developed the use of small group discussion with children at the start of the week to support child-initiated learning by finding out any interests or experiences that they have had over the weekend. This means that the weekly planning can be altered or added to, in

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who attend

order to better engage children with their learning. The approach is also highly inclusive as all children can then access the activities planned as a result, in order to learn.

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who attend

Role play areas are provided in every room and staff provide writing materials to support children's literacy in these areas. The themes of role play areas are changed regularly, as a result of children's expressed interests, to cover ideas from outings, such as 'going to the supermarket' or home role play. This helps to maintain children's interest and demonstrates that their views are extremely important to the staff, which develops children's feelings of self-worth very well. The nursery celebrates a number of festivals, including ones celebrated by children, who attend, using food, art, dressing-up and stories. This teaches children to appreciate the diversity of their immediate and wider community. The nursery makes exceptional use of frequent outings for all children in the provision to broaden and enrich their learning. For example, to local country parks, museums, aquariums and farms, as well as further afield to zoos, the seaside and theme

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who attend

parks. Children enjoy a variety of activities on the premises, such as, football, dance and song and rhyme sessions that are bought in by the nursery to create a dynamic learning environment. The nursery also offers parents the option of teaching children to learn to swim and provides staff support and transport for this to a local swimming pool, which provides lessons. Overall, the nursery provides excellent opportunities to help children access a very wide range of experiences to enhance confidence and physical coordination. The superb resources accessible to children and babies provide optimal challenge to support their development across all areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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who attend

Babies play absorbedly with sand, watching it trickle through their fingers and enjoying the sensation as staff talk to them about what they can feel and see. This supports babies' development across the three prime areas of communication skills, physical development and personal, social and emotional development. Staff support them to play with paint and use appropriate words and intonation to maintain babies' interest in the activity. They show sensitivity when babies choose to persist with playing with water from the tap, long after their hands are clean, after they show that they have finished painting. Walking babies enjoy playing with foam and water, patting and squeezing it, developing their finger control. They search for plastic toys hidden in the foam and staff provide plastic tubs with holes in the base, so children can fill them and watch the water pour out. The experience provides plenty of opportunity for staff to develop babies' use of single words,

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who attend

very effectively promoting their communication skills as well as their hand-eye coordination. Staff use the activity to help children to learn about parts of the face. One child puts foam on a key person's face by asking 'Where's my nose? Where are my ears?' and letting them gently touch her face. When children explore play dough, staff ask them about colour, to find out what they know and reinforce existing learning. They encourage children to be independent when cutting and rolling it, so that they strengthen their hands. Staff encourage the youngest babies to develop the basis for early conversation by rolling large balls to them and then praising them when they roll them back. In the pre- school room, staff read the story 'Jack and the Beanstalk' to children as part of planning from a child's idea, then support them to paint, in order to make a large display together. This enhances children's skills in making marks and also reinforces excellent teamwork.

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who attend

Children in the pre-school receive differentiated activities, which can be taken home to develop their writing skills, as part of their early literacy development. This also enables parents to engage directly with their learning.

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who attend

The nursery has implemented the progress check for children aged two years by providing detailed reports that are linked to expected development for their age and stage. These also contain contributions from parents. The progress checks can be used to inform other professionals, including health visitors, as part of the nursery's conscientious approach to working with other professionals. Parents have been very successfully engaged in providing information about their children's learning at home, which provides a fuller picture of children to help staff plan for them. The nursery makes children's learning journeys available for parents to read at anytime and further helps parents to engage with children's learning. The nursery provides daily video footage of children for parents to see in the entry area and digital video discs of children engaged in activities at the nursery. This highly innovative approach helps to involve parents in their children's learning as they

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who attend

can talk about what they see with their child.

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

The provision operates a key person system, in order to support children's emotional welfare and key persons demonstrate an excellent knowledge of children and their families. This is due to their observations, information from parents and talking to children informally or during group times. As a result, children's learning is very well supported due to their strong emotional security. Children are extremely confident and self-assured, as a result of expert key person practice. Their behaviour is exemplary in all areas of the nursery, because staff consistently reinforce the importance of using good manners and having regard for others. Children are observed to use all resources safely indoors and outside, showing an excellent regard for their welfare and that of their peers. Resources outdoors, such as climbing frames with platforms and slides, enable children to develop an understanding of risk through physical challenge, combined with close supervision. The

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

nursery and wraparound has an extensive range of policies, procedures and permissions from parents to protect children's welfare and support their physical and emotional well- being. These are reviewed regularly or whenever needed, to ensure that they meet the needs of children in all of the provision.

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

The resources indoors and outside are exceptionally well arranged and varied. This promotes the development of children's independence skills and enhances their opportunities to make choices about their play. Babies are encouraged to crawl due to the wealth of interesting toys at low-level, including many mirrors. They also have ongoing access to sand and water play with careful staff supervision, to stimulate their exploration of different textures and materials. This provides an excellent basis for building babies' communication skills as staff talk to them about what they see and feel. Highly stimulating black and white areas with soft twinkle lights are provided for babies, in order to develop their ability to focus. Children delight in playing outdoors and have excellent opportunities to develop whole body control through exercise using a range of equipment. They thoroughly enjoy watering potato plants that they have planted, as part of their learning

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

about healthy eating. Children develop hand-eye control by pouring and filling containers for this.

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

Whenever possible, children and babies serve and feed themselves at snack and mealtimes, to further develop their independence and manipulative skills. Staff encourage children to enjoy meals as a sociable experience. They also use them to develop children's learning and independence, such as by counting out items needed on the tables. Children in pre-school have independent access to water, milk and snacks of fruit and breadsticks during the day. This promotes children's self-help skills. In other rooms, snack is always visible, being replaced every two hours to maintain effective food hygiene practices. Children and mobile babies can show staff that they are hungry or thirsty by going to the snack table, developing recognition of their own needs. Parents receive extensive information, through displays and discussion with key persons, about how to provide a healthy lunch for their child. Food sent from home is stored and prepared appropriately to

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

maintain children's health, through excellent food hygiene practices. Care details for children, such as those regarding food allergies and intolerances, are available to all staff to promote children's health and well-being. The nursery shows a thorough commitment to equality of opportunity and promoting diversity, such as by displaying labels from other languages spoken by children in the nursery. Children also have inspiring opportunities to learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and others through volunteers, who have a disability or who are elderly.

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

Procedures for the intimate care of children are effective and protect both staff and children. For example, rooms for nappy changing and toileting have audio recording devices installed to provide additional security for both children and adults in the room. Key persons have an excellent understanding of the level of support needed by individual children for self-care and personal hygiene, providing a consistently high standard of care. Whenever possible, staff support children to develop independence, such as by encouraging them to use the child-operated hand washing units installed in each room. These have only cold water and enable children to wash their hands whenever they want or to play with the water. Detailed records are kept regarding babies' personal care, food, drinks, sleeps and activities each day, so that parents can be kept well informed about their child.

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

The nursery provides highly comprehensive information to parents prior to children joining, including through its website and has a very flexible approach to helping them to settle. This is achieved through regular visits over a variable number of weeks prior to joining. This helps to familiarise parents and children with the nursery routines and the care and education offered. The potentially lengthy period of time for visits means that children can be observed by staff, so that they have more information to settle them and plan for their initial learning. This helps to support the emotional well-being of both parents and children. Parents provide detailed information prior to children joining the nursery, so that staff have a wealth of information, in order to support children's care and education. The nursery displays a broad range of information about local services and amenities for families, as well as information about the Early Years Foundation Stage and

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

the activities that children participate in at the nursery. A regular newsletter is also produced to keep parents informed about any changes to the nursery and upcoming events. For example, fund-raising for charities, which they and their child can become involved in. The nursery is flexible regarding how parents wish to receive daily information about their child and provide either daily written or verbal information or both for parents.

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

Transitions for children from the nursery to full-time school are smoothly managed due to close partnership working, including passing on detailed information about children's progress. Staff from schools are invited to the nursery to observe and meet children where they are confident and learning in familiar surroundings. This helps to promote children's emotional security at transition times. The wraparound care provision has well-established routes for exchanging information with the schools that early years children attend, to support continuity in their welfare and education. Transitions within the nursery are very well managed. They begin with key persons meeting parents to discuss the prospective change and parents receive comprehensive information regarding their child's well-being in the new room, after a long period of gradually increasing visit times. This means that both parents and children are reassured at times of change, enhancing emotional well-

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provision

Risk assessments and safety checks are highly detailed and regularly reviewed. As a result, children can play safely and freely and access a wide variety of outings locally and further afield. There are robust procedures in place to ensure that children are collected by permitted adults. Staff receive regular externally delivered training in safeguarding. Consequently, they demonstrate an excellent knowledge of procedures to manage any concerns that they may have about a child's welfare. Staff suitability is checked through Vetting and Barring Disclosure checks. Responsibilities of staff and managers are clearly defined and displayed to ensure that all staff have a strong understanding of how to carry out their roles to a consistently high standard. There is a robust approach to recruitment and induction of staff, to ensure that a strong staff team is maintained. Comprehensive procedures are also in place for induction of students and volunteers, in order to protect

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provision

children's welfare. All documentation related to the revised Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage is meticulously completed to support the safe and effective running of the setting. This includes a policy for the use of portable devices with cameras on the premises and one for staff conduct on social networking sites. As a result, confidentiality is maintained and children are protected. Practice in the nursery and wraparound care provision is significantly enhanced by robust policies that underpin all aspects of children's welfare and learning, combined with highly skilled and motivated staff and managers. Staff ratios are maintained at statutory requirements or better, in order to provide excellent support for children's learning and welfare, both on the premises and on outings.

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provision

Staff demonstrate superb knowledge and practice about how children learn and the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Consequently, children's progress is excellent, including for those with English as an additional language. The teaching of early communication, literacy and information and communication technology skills is exceptionally strong. This is because the nursery recognises how important these areas are for children to be ready for full-time school. The use of frequent outings for all children in the nursery and wraparound care means that children receive rich and varied educational programmes, which further motivates them to learn. Educational programmes have superb depth and breadth.

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provision

The owner and staff demonstrate an exemplary approach to evaluating the learning environment, in order to ensure that children are provided with a wealth of fully accessible resources in all rooms. This supports them to make independent choices about what to play with. All resources are precisely matched to the needs of the children cared for and the layout of rooms is regularly changed to maintain their interest and enhance their experiences. The systems for monitoring educational programmes, individual planning and assessment are meticulous and carried out by multiple layers of management. This means that all children receive a vibrant learning experience based on their individual needs. The owner makes outstanding use of assessment information to identify and plan for specific groups of children in all areas of learning. Managers and the owner monitor the quality of teaching and practice by frequently observing staffs' interactions with children. This

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provision

ensures that staff keep up high standards of care and education in all areas of the nursery and wraparound care provision. The nursery also has a rigorous system of observing staff by room managers, in order to maintain high quality staff interactions with children to enhance their learning. Partnership working with other professionals and schools to support children's individual needs is highly effective. This includes at transition times and for early years children attending the wraparound care provision.

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provision

Parents praise the nursery highly for its partnerships with them and the ways in which the nursery keeps their children safe. For example, by using a receptionist and intercom system to control access to the premises, along with the use of closed circuit television across all play areas. A variety of formal and informal opportunities are provided by the nursery for parents to receive information about their children's learning, including regular meetings with key persons. Consequently, parents are exceptionally well informed about their children's development. Parents are encouraged to contribute to the evaluation of the nursery and wraparound care through a range of verbal and written means. They have excellent knowledge of how to bring any concerns they may have to the attention of staff. This demonstrates how the nursery has established a very strong 'open-door' partnership with parents, in order to maintain high standards of care and learning, through listening to

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provision

Systems for staff performance management and identifying training needs are highly effective in supporting staff to perform to the very best of their capabilities. There is a very strong emphasis on broadening staff knowledge, in order to provide better experiences for children through the use of short courses. Staff are strongly encouraged to undertake further training and gain higher qualifications with the support of the nursery. All childcare staff, who do not currently have a level 3 qualification are working towards higher ones, in order to extend their practice with children.

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provision

Staff contribute their views to the evaluation of the nursery through regular staff meetings and the systems for supervision and appraisal, in order to play their part in continuous improvement. The owner also encourages staff to give her regular informal reflections about the nursery and these excellent opportunities can be further enhanced by being recorded, so their effect is seen over time. The meticulously detailed evaluation of the provision demonstrates how reflection on practice translates into an excellent capacity for continuous improvement. Parents, children and the local authority all make contributions to the evaluation process, as well as staff and managers. There is a strong partnership with the local authority, in order to bring about enhancements to practice. The owner's drive for continuous improvement is dynamic, in order to provide even better experiences for children in the provision.

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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 EY366742 Local authority Bolton Inspection number 909177

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 104 Name of provider Karen Jackson Date of previous inspection 08/02/2011 Telephone number 01204 306228

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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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