Cherubs Day Nursery

Cherubs Day Nursery & Pre- School Executive House, St. Albans Road, Bulwell, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG6 9FT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23/04/2013 21/01/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 1 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

 The practitioners are led by a highly committed manager. She is supported by a strong, wider management team. This means there is a culture of continuous reflection and improvement and children's individual needs are well met.  Practitioners closely observe children's play, assess their interests and developmental stages and carefully tailor planning to their individual needs. This means children make good progress towards the early learning goals.  Any additional support that children may need is quickly provided through effective partnerships with parents and other agencies. This means all children make good progress in their learning and development.  Management and practitioners have a good knowledge and understanding of safeguarding procedures and practice. This helps keep children safe.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Some teaching is good rather than outstanding. This is because sometimes the group size is too big for teaching to be highly effective and on other occasions children are not always given enough independence.  There are too many toys where the babies play. This reduces the space they have to explore freely with their key person.

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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 had a tour of the setting and discussed with the manager how the setting operates.  The inspector spoke to parents throughout the day.  The inspector went pond-dipping with a group of children in a minibus.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector met the owner of the setting and the operations manager of the group of nurseries.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager and operations manager of the group of nurseries.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed practice in the various rooms in the setting and observed the oldest pre-school children and the babies playing outdoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked to children, practitioners, the cook and the managers throughout the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The Cherubs Day Nursery and Pre-School was registered in 1993 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in the Bulwell area of Nottingham, close to the city hospital and on regular bus routes into Nottingham. It is managed by Childcare East Midlands. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from a single storey building and there are two fully enclosed areas available for outdoor play, one for children aged under two and one for children aged over two. It has an all-weather safety surface and veranda.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 25 members of childcare staff, 16 of whom are qualified at level 3 and three at level 2. One member of staff has Early Years Professional Status. The company employs ancillary staff to support the childcare staff and additional staff are used for the school runs and trips. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 6pm. It closes for main bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 108 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The setting is a member of the National Day Nurseries Association and receives support from the local authority.

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

 inspire practitioners to have the very highest expectations of children, for example, by; monitoring the quality of teaching closely, ensuring all have and use an expert knowledge and understanding of how children learn so that children become highly independent and motivated learners; ensuring the size of group does not reduce children's opportunities to explore their own ideas, or independence

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

 reduce the toys and equipment in the baby room to allow babies more opportunities to concentrate on a few interesting resources with their key person, so they can develop their self-confidence and self-awareness, and also have more space to develop their physical skills.

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who attend

The setting meets the needs of all children well and ensures that they gain the necessary skills in readiness for school when the time comes. Practitioners understand that children learn as they play and explore, so they provide the environment and resources for them to do this. Practitioners work within a remarkably successful planning system. This system enables them to understand individual children's interests and developmental stages, so they can teach children to learn through play and adult-planned activities. The system also enables them to involve parents in their child's learning. They provide them with regular assessments of their children's progress including the progress check at age two. This means children are well motivated and make good progress in their learning and development. Practitioners encourage children's curiosity and to use all their senses to explore their environment. It also means they are able to quickly identify and provide any

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who attend

additional support children may require.

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who attend

The group of nurseries work closely together and children and practitioners visit each other's settings so they can share ideas and expertise. For example, a manager at another setting has recently achieved a forest school leader qualification and takes 12 of the eldest children to a stream to explore. Children use bug viewers, binoculars and magnifying glasses to look at things they notice. Practitioners skilfully encourage the children to work in small groups to enable them to have more opportunities to talk about and explore their individual interests with an adult. Some teaching is outstanding and encourages children to look closely at, and think about, their environment. For example a practitioner sensitively helps the children to use nets to find out what is in the water. She uses words and gestures to show the children how the nets should be used safely. She points to the bank and exclaims; 'Look at the different colours in the mud. I wonder why it's like that'

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who attend

Children are very enthusiastic and spend a lot of time investigating the stream. They also collect daisies and dandelions. They independently use magnifying viewers to look at their finds more closely. This encourages them to learn about and practise using technology. Children are very excited when two baby fish are caught. This activity encourages children to develop an interest in living things and where they live and promotes their knowledge of the world. Children also develop mathematical skills as they count the pencils and magnifying glasses to make sure they haven't lost any. Practitioners are very enthusiastic so children are very engaged and interested. They make statements such as 'We have got two baby fish, look wow, fantastic' and 'Fish need water so they can breathe'. Practitioners also use questions with a range of possible answers which encourages children to discuss and think. This teaching encourages children to develop their communication skills and

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who attend

think about why things are the way they are. The children's behaviour is exemplary. This is because the practitioners are very experienced and know children well. They are able to predict what children are likely to do and use encouragement, persuasion and other highly successful strategies, to ensure children behave in a way that is safe for themselves and for others. This means children learn how to be safe in unfamiliar environments. Children get plenty of exercise as they run about. They learn to share and take turns using the equipment. They develop confidence and self-esteem as they set themselves challenges in the unfamiliar environment. This type of activity helps make sure children make good progress towards all the early learning goals.

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who attend

The setting works closely with a range of other professionals to provide for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The setting has particular expertise in providing for children with autistic spectrum disorders. Excellent support during activities ensures that all children are included and have an enjoyable and valuable experience, specific to their individual interests and learning needs.

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

The manager and all her practitioners give high priority to the safety of children. There are comprehensive risk assessments which are checked daily. Risk assessments and strong practice ensures children are also safe when they are off the premises. Children have very strong supportive relationships with their key persons, so they are well prepared for the next stages in their learning. Support for children with special educational needs is a particular strength of this nursery. The manager and her practitioners skilfully support children's transitions both within the setting and to other settings and school. Parents are actively involved in this process. Babies develop strong attachments with their key person as they snuggle up on her knee and drink their milk. This means babies are content. The children in the whole setting are very happy, and proud of their setting. They feel safe, welcome and valued.

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

The environment is generally well organised and offers a wealth of opportunities for children to learn and develop independently, however the baby room has so much equipment and so many toys, that it is difficult for the youngest children to focus on things that interest them and share these interests with practitioners. This does not maximise their self-confidence and self-awareness. It also means that the environment does not always encourage babies to crawl and develop their skills in walking, as they do not have a lot of free space to move, roll and explore.

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

The outdoor space is divided to ensure that older children can get vigorous exercise without endangering younger children. The outdoor space is well used. All children have regular opportunities to get fresh air and exercise, and older children can choose to go outside for much of the day. However the outdoor space which is dedicated for babies, like their indoor space, has too much equipment. This again, affects the space available for them to enhance their physical skills.

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

All areas contain carefully chosen resources which children are encouraged to use independently from a very early age. This means children are motivated, have very high levels of self-esteem and make good progress towards the early learning goals.

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

Children's behaviour throughout the nursery is very good. Children consider each other's feelings. They share well and pass each other resources. This is because the practitioners are good role models, teach children about feelings from a very young age and ensure children's needs are met. Children are generally encouraged to be independent and learn to begin to take responsibility for their own safety. For example, if they are thirsty the older children usually pour themselves a drink. However, some practitioners do not allow children enough independence as children serve themselves food and drink. Older children develop a good understanding of how to manage risks and challenges during forest school activities.

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provision

The practitioners are led by a very committed manager. She is supported by a strong, wider management team. All managers within the company meet monthly, to develop their practice, modify policies and exchange ideas. They audit and sometimes work at each other's sites. This enables the manager to observe how other settings run and allows her to reflect on her own practice. The company encourages their staff to continue their personal development in a range of directions. For example, two members of staff are currently working towards a foundation degree in early years. The practitioners hold monthly meetings in each room within the nursery. At these meetings practitioners can share ideas and set targets for their rooms. These targets are recorded on an action plan and are evaluated during the next meeting. The operations manager also regularly inspects practice in all the nurseries in the group. This culture of constant reflection and

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provision

improvement ensures standards of care and teaching throughout the nursery continue to improve for children and families.

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provision

Children's progress is monitored closely by each child's key person and the room leaders. The manager samples children's records monthly and each term reviews the progress of all individual children. This enables the manager to quickly identify any additional support children may need to help them meet learning and development targets. The nursery works very closely with a wide range of other agencies, for example, specialist teachers, autism and speech and language specialists, to provide extra support for children. The analysis of children's progress also allows the manager to identify any extra support or training practitioners may require. Parents are also encouraged to actively be involved with the children's learning in a variety of ways. Posters, notes from staff and leaflets encourage parents to extend children's learning at home and they are encouraged to contribute to assessments.

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provision

Although the manager monitors the way practitioners carry out children's observations and assessment, she does not as yet monitor staff quality of teaching in as much detail. This means that although the quality of teaching is generally good and sometimes outstanding, on occasion, practitioners do not always have the highest expectations of the children, because, for example, the group size is sometimes too big and practitioners do not always pick up on children's ideas or wishes.

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provision

The manager and the company place great emphasis on ensuring the children are safe. Recruitment processes are rigorous and include an in depth recruitment process. This supports new staff and ensures they know how the nursery runs and enables them to develop good practice. Comprehensive risk assessments are in place. These are checked daily by the manager and by room leaders. Risk assessments are reviewed regularly. Children's safety is protected when they are off-site, by clear policies and procedures. Management and staff have a very good knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues. They know the policy and procedure to follow if they have concerns. Management ensures all staff are kept up-to-date with current guidance and have regular refresher training. Parents and children are consulted on a regular basis to ensure their needs and views are included in the self-evaluation. Parents make very positive comments about the care their

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provision

children receive and the support they receive as families. Parents spoken to during the inspection are very confident their children are safe and very well provided for at the nursery.

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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 254602 Local authority Nottingham City Inspection number 908654

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 80 Number of children on roll 108 Name of provider Gloss Calm Properties Ltd Date of previous inspection 21/01/2009 Telephone number 0115 9795975

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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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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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