Bright Horizons Didsbury Day Nursery and Preschool

Kidsunlimited Nurseries - Didsbury 139 Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury, Manchester, Lancashire, M20 2DY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/04/2013 17/01/2011

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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

 Babies and children are relaxed and confident to explore the well-resourced environment. They show high levels of independence, curiosity and imagination, and are making good progress based on their starting points.  The well-established key person system supports effective relationships at all levels.  Partnerships with external agencies and other providers are good. This ensures children are given access to appropriate help and are well supported in their transitions, both within the setting and school.  Systems for monitoring staff are focused and the programme of professional development is consistently targeted to ensure that the provision continues to improve on their already good practice.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The organisation and development of the rich and stimulating outdoor learning environment is less established, and children who learn best through active play are given fewer opportunities to do this.  Parents are not routinely encouraged to contribute to their children's development records to enable staff to better plan activities as they strive towards excellence.

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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 children's activities in all playrooms.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager, talked to staff and key persons, and carried out a joint observation with the manager of a planned adult-led activity.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at various documents, including policies and procedures, children's records, evidence of the suitability of staff, and recruitment procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of several parents taken from written statements.

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Information about the setting

Kidsunlimited Nurseries - Didsbury opened in 2001 is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is one of 65 nurseries run by Kidsunlimited Limited. The nursery operates from three clearly defined childcare units within a two-storey purpose-built building in the West Didsbury area of Manchester. There are three fully enclosed outdoor areas for outside play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm for 52 weeks of the year, except Bank Holidays. There are currently 168 children on roll, all of whom are within the early years age range. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. It provides funded early education for three- and four-year-olds.

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Information about the setting

There are 45 members of staff employed to work directly with the children, including relief staff. Of these, one holds Early Years Professional Status, one has Qualified Teacher Status, four members of staff hold an early years qualification at level 4, 33 hold a level 3 qualification, and six are unqualified.

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

 enhance the use of the outdoor learning environment by linking the indoor and outdoor environments so that children can move freely between them

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

 extend the existing partnerships with parents by encouraging them to consistently share information about their children's learning at home, and use this information to enhance the planning of future activities to build on children's existing knowledge and skills.

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who attend

Babies and children thrive in this good quality nursery and consistently demonstrate the characteristics of effective learning. Teaching is rooted in a good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and a comprehensive understanding of how children learn. Practice throughout the nursery is good and, in some instances, outstanding. As a result, children's individual needs are well met and they make good progress in relation to their starting points.

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who attend

The indoor learning environment is well organised into areas of continuous provision, and planning links to the seven areas of learning to ensure children have access to a broad and balanced curriculum. It is stimulating and exciting, and well equipped with a wide range of interesting resources to promote children's natural curiosity and develop their exploratory skills. For example, babies and toddlers explore the textures and smells of treasure basket resources and investigate the sounds of musical instruments with excitement and delight. Older children enjoy playing with open-ended resources in the construction area as they use tins to build, stack and roll. However, the outdoor environment is less established and there is scope to provide further opportunities for babies and children to access the outdoors, so that children who prefer to learn outside can do so more frequently.

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who attend

Staff place a strong focus on helping children to acquire personal, social and emotional skills, and supporting their physical and communication and language development. As a result, children develop the skills, abilities and attitudes that prepare them well for school and the next phase of their learning. Children develop their personal, social and emotional skills as they play cooperatively alongside each other and begin to learn to take turns and share their toys. They enjoy each other's company and learn to respect the feelings of others through circle times and discussions. Positive images of children and families displayed on the walls help children to learn about diversity and the similarities and differences between people. Babies and children choose their own resources from well- organised storage boxes and baskets of equipment, which are stored at child height for easy access to successfully promote their independence skills.

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who attend

Staff use a variety of ways to develop children's communication and language skills. They are highly skilled in the way in which they use adult-led and child-initiated activities to question and challenge children's thinking. Staff extend children's vocabulary through role modelling language and introducing new words. For example, they teach children the names of fruit and vegetables, such as, melon, mango, broccoli and parsnip, as they take part in a healthy eating activity. Staff value babies' and children's attempts to communicate, which gives them the confidence to experiment with sounds. Children take part in a phonics programme to develop their listening, understanding and speaking skills, and help them link letters and sounds. These daily sessions are carefully planned by the qualified teacher to meet the individual learning needs and appropriate stages of children's development. Consequently, pre-school children demonstrate their ability to recognise

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who attend

their own name and confidently discuss the letter their name begins with. Staff are sensitive to individual needs by using familiar phrases of home languages, which are also displayed on the walls. Gestures, pictures and the excellent use of sign language throughout the nursery are used highly effectively to enhance early language skills and support children with additional learning needs. For example, babies demonstrate their understanding as they confidently use the sign for 'thank you' as they are given their lunchtime meal.

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who attend

Staff provide children with opportunities to develop large muscle control, balance and coordination, both indoors and outdoors. For example, children learn to walk up and down steps, balance on logs, develop ball skills and ride wheeled toys. Babies have room to cruise along furniture, pull themselves up to a standing position, crawl, roll, stretch and reach. Toddlers and older children participate in indoor physical activities, such as yoga and dance when they learn to move their bodies in different ways. Their small muscle control develops as they make marks with chalks and pens, use scissors and press buttons on interactive toys.

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who attend

Observations and assessments are accurate and precise, and create a clear picture of children's current learning, next steps for future learning and progress. Staff track children's progress from entry to the nursery through each term they attend. The system enables key persons to easily identify children's strengths and areas where more development is needed. Therefore, interventions are timely and any gaps in learning are quickly identified. Consequently, children receive a challenging learning experience due to individual planning, or interventions involving external professionals can be arranged after consultation with parents. Long-term planning is based on the seasons and festivals throughout the year; however, it is seen by staff as a working document and is constantly adapted to reflect the changing interests and individual developmental needs of the children.

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who attend

Children are observed closely upon entry to the nursery, and starting points are ascertained through this and the information from parents in order to subsequently measure progress. The key person links closely with parents about their children's development, routines and necessary interventions, such as the need for external support. Parents are provided with daily diary sheets to make links between the home and setting. They are able to borrow resources, toys and literacy and numeracy games to support children's learning at home. However, the seeking of parents' contributions to their child's learning is not quite so robust. This is because staff do not routinely obtain their comments and input to share learning from home and to help them plan activities which build on children's knowledge.

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who attend

The process for children's transitions to the next stage in their learning is highly effective. Staff support children prior to their move to school by sharing photographs and providing school uniforms for children to dress up in. Key persons meet with reception class teachers and share information about children's preferences and developmental needs which successfully enhances continuity of care and learning.

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

The effective key person system is well embedded and ensures that babies and children form secure attachments and their emotional well-being is exceptionally well supported. For example, children are independent as they self-select resources, put on their own coats and manage their own personal needs in readiness for school. The sensitive, caring interaction between staff and children ensures that all children form positive and trusting relationships. Children thoroughly enjoy regular one-to-one times with their key person when they snuggle up on the floor to read books, sing songs and interact in play, which gives them further opportunities to form strong emotional attachments. For example, babies thoroughly enjoy joining in with the actions when they sing a song about a star. Children go to staff for reassurance and cuddles, which provides them with a secure and safe environment for them to develop their confidence and self-esteem. Furthermore, the

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

implementation of the co-key person system ensures that babies and children maintain continuity of care during staff absences.

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

Children develop a sense of belonging as they have their own space for coats, blankets and items from home. All children, including the babies, show a strong sense of self as they confidently explore their environment. For example, babies rapidly crawl and walk across the room to explore the resources that particularly excite them. The arrangements for supporting children as they move from room to room are carefully planned to meet each child's needs. As a result, they very quickly adapt to the changes of staff and daily routines, and confidently form new friendships. Staff praise children for their achievements, saying how clever they are, clapping and cheering, which successfully promotes their confidence and self-esteem.

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

Children's health and self-care is well promoted through the role modelling of good hygiene practices throughout the nursery. The accessibility of hand washing facilities, along with access to tissues, wipes and soap, ensures children are competent at managing their own personal needs independently. Staff support babies and children to develop their self-care skills by giving them opportunities to feed themselves and make independent choices about what they want to eat. Children display high levels of confidence and self- esteem as they negotiate with others, talk about what they are doing and confidently express their needs. Babies share warm, loving relationships with their key person as they snuggle up to them for comfort.

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

Children enjoy a wide variety of nutritious snacks, including fresh fruit, vegetables and home-made meals, and learn about the importance of exercise and fresh air. Staff teach children about the importance of a healthy diet as they discuss foods that are healthy and unhealthy during an adult-led focused activity. Their understanding of nutritious food is further enhanced as they plant, grow and harvest fruit and vegetables in the outdoor environment. Staff find out about individual dietary requirements from parents on entry, and implement rigorous procedures to ensure all staff are fully aware of children's specific needs. Children learn about dental hygiene as they are encouraged to brush their teeth after meals. They confidently talk about brushing their teeth to keep them 'strong and healthy'.

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

Staff consistently give the highest priority to the safety of children, and effectively support them to develop their understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Children display high levels of confidence with day-to-day routines and understand the procedures in place to ensure they are kept safe. Staff teach children to use scissors safely, and children understand that they need to pick toys up off the floor, so that children and adults do not fall over them.

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

Through effective gentle reminders, consistent boundaries and clear explanations, staff reinforce behavioural expectations. Children show extremely good levels of understanding of the behavioural expectations, demonstrating self-control, as they listen to staff, share resources and play harmoniously together. For example, children divide dough equally to ensure they all have the same amount, and independently take turns with the cutters and rolling pins. They display exemplary behaviour and are extremely well mannered and polite.

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provision

Staff are regularly observed by managers and their peers, who provide constructive criticism to help them continually improve their practice. As a result of the rigorous systems in place to monitor the quality of teaching, practice is consistently good. Priorities for improvement are identified through the effective self-evaluation process and consistent monitoring of the environment. Recommendations from the last inspection have been successfully addressed, for example, younger children now have access to a wide variety of quality books. The manager clearly recognises the strengths and weaknesses of the provision, which are documented in the self-evaluation file, and detailed action plans demonstrate the nursery's shared vision for future improvement. For instance, there are plans in place to enhance the outdoor area and adapt the building so that pre-school children can benefit from free-flow access to the roof top outdoor space. As a result of

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provision

robust self-evaluation processes, the quality of the provision continues to improve.

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provision

Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of how to protect and safeguard all children, and policies and procedures are known by all staff and implemented consistently. They are fully aware of what to do and who to contact if there are any safeguarding concerns. They have completed safeguarding training and continue to access training in this area to ensure their knowledge and understanding is kept up to date. There is a clear behaviour management policy in place which is consistently implemented. Any minor altercations are dealt with calmly and sensitively in a way that is appropriate for children's level of understanding. A high proportion of the staff hold a current paediatric first aid certificate. Robust recruitment and selection procedures, for example, induction, probationary periods and completion of checks relating to their suitability, ensure that staff are skilled and safe, and children are well protected.

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provision

Staff have a very secure knowledge of the educational programmes, and consistent monitoring ensures that children experience a broad and balanced range of experiences that help them make good progress in relation to their starting points. Assessments are consistent and precise, and children's progress is carefully monitored to ensure children who may need extra support are quickly identified. There are effective systems to evaluate how staff observe, plan and assess each child's progress. For example, planning, observations and assessments are regularly checked by the manager to ensure staff are regularly observing children and planning appropriate activities for the next steps in their learning.

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provision

Parents are invited into the nursery for special events to share activities with their children, such as creative activities, baking sessions and a book-themed day. They comment positively about the nursery and the service it provides, and are involved in the election of members of staff they wish to nominate for the company's 'going the extra mile' award. Parents state that staff are caring, friendly and approachable, and support children and their families exceptionally well. They are particularly complimentary about key persons and the close relationships they have with their children. Parents state that they know their children are happy and thoroughly enjoy their time in the safe, secure and welcoming environment. Partnerships with external agencies and other providers and school are good, and this ensures continuity of care and learning for children.

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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 500116 Local authority Manchester Inspection number 909806

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 158 Number of children on roll 168 Name of provider Kidsunlimited Limited Date of previous inspection 17/01/2011 Telephone number 0845 3652935

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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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