Orchard Day Nursery

Orchard Day Nursery Orchard Day Nursery, Beaconsfield, The Orchard, HUYTON, L36 5UZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/03/2013 05/12/2011

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early years provision

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

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This provision is outstanding

 There are rich, varied and imaginative experiences for children delivered by practitioners who have very high expectations of themselves and the children, expert knowledge of the areas of learning and a clear understanding of how children learn.  Children are well motivated, very eager to join in and consistently demonstrate the characteristics of effective learning.  The strong skills of all key persons ensure all children are well prepared for the next stages in their learning. Practitioners skilfully support children's transitions both within the setting and to other settings and school.  High quality professional supervision is provided, based on consistent and sharply focused evaluations of the impact of staff's practice. An astute and targeted programme of professional development ensures practitioners are constantly improving their already first rate understanding and practice.  Highly successful strategies engage all parents in their children's learning in the setting

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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 compulsory part 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 undertook a tour of the premises and spoke with children.  The inspector observed children's play and learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed documentation and discussed children's learning with the staff.

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Information about the setting

Orchard Day Nursery registered in 2007. It is owned by a limited company and based within a former preparatory school in Huyton. It operates from nine playrooms and children share access to the sensory room. There is a fully enclosed garden for outdoor play. The nursery is registered on the Early Year Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 5.30pm for 52 weeks of the year. The out of school care runs weekdays from 2.30pm to 5.30pm during term time. There are currently 157 children aged from birth to five years on roll, some of whom receive funding for nursery education. Children attend on a variety of full- and part-time places. The nursery currently supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 39 staff who work with the children. All staff hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 3, a total of eight staff have early years degree status, and three staff have Qualified Teacher Status. Additional staff are employed for food preparation, cleaning and administration. Staff receive support from Knowsley Sure Start and an early years teacher.

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

 increase the frequency of the fire drill practices so that all children have an even clearer and detailed understanding of how to keep themselves safe in an emergency.

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who attend

Children are provided with an extensive range of activities and experiences which give excellent support to their development across all the areas of learning. Staff demonstrate a detailed knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and take great care to ensure that children's individual needs and interests are known and catered for. Staff ensure that activities are continuously planned around children's interests and abilities. For example, when children found a worm in the soil while digging and exploring outdoors, staff took this interest and developed it into a whole project which the children delighted in. Artwork and children's early writing is displayed on the wall showing the photographs of the children learning about their natural world. Children giggle as they talk about the worms wriggling in their hands. They develop their language skills as staff's skilful questioning supports them to describe the worms, using words such as 'fat, long'

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who attend

The nursery is arranged across nine separate base rooms, which are planned around children's ages and stages of development. The rooms are arranged to allow children to play and learn in small familiar groups, while developing close bonds with their identified key person. All rooms ensure that children have free access to an extensive range of quality resources and interesting, enjoyable activities. Most of the rooms within the nursery allow direct access to the outdoor terrace, covered play area or garden which ensures children can choose when to explore the outside. Children whose base room is on the first floor have many opportunities to explore the outside environment throughout their time at the nursery.

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who attend

All children who attend the nursery have access to imaginative role play areas within their base rooms. Staff provide well-planned areas and resources, use questions and direct children's thinking as they interact with them to support their learning. For example, children develop their creativity as they recreate everyday situations and extend their imagination through role play. For example, cooking breakfast in the play kitchen, making pretend cakes from modelling dough which they will later put in the oven, or dressing up as a princess or a knight. Children have access to an extensive range of resources and activities to support their expressive arts and creativity. Sand and water play, digging in the soil, making marks with chalk, paint, pencils and crayons all encourage children to express themselves and they develop their communication and early writing skills. All children are encouraged to learn about colour, shape and number in their everyday play.

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who attend

Pre-school staff lead a numeracy session each day with older children and extend their learning through continuous activities, such as recognising two dimensional shapes, such as square, rectangle, triangle and hexagon, as they make models from plastic shapes. Younger children are encouraged to count as they take steps along the balance beam and staff praise them as they say the numbers one to four with minimal support.

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who attend

Older children begin to develop their early reading skills. They find their own names on arrival and post them through the letterbox at the nursery and when hanging their coats on their individual pegs. All children also frequently help themselves to books during the day. They enjoy sitting on comfortable floor cushions and chairs while they look through a vast range of books and excitedly talk to each other about the stories. Younger children enjoy lots of cuddles, quiet singing and gentle stories as they drift off to sleep in the cosy quiet area. Children who attend the provision have regular access to superbly-resourced and imaginatively-planned outdoor areas. They are provided with time and space to explore the natural world, such as digging in the soil, planting and growing seeds during better weather, looking for insects and learning about the environment. Children develop their large physical skills as they run, climb, balance and ride along on wheeled toys. Wet

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who attend

weather outfits for all children mean they can still enjoy the outdoor area in poorer weather whilst keeping warm and dry. They excitedly explore the snow, pour water through pipes and down guttering and splash in puddles. Staff respond to children's preferences and when toddlers are too cold to go outside in the bitter weather, staff bring in some snow and set up a polar ice cap scene for children to explore. Children develop an understanding of which animals live in cold environments and staff explain why the snow melts after it has been inside for some time. This enables children to learn about the natural world and develop an excellent early understanding of simple science.

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who attend

The provision also offers an out of school facility that cares for children after school. These older children have a separate designated base room in which they have access to an extensive range of age-appropriate and varied resources. Children choose to build dens form blankets, pegs and furniture. They excitedly climb into the cosy areas to read books and chat with their friends. Older children are asked for their opinions and ideas when rearranging areas of the nursery which they use. For example, current plans for further development to the outside area have seen a great deal of discussion and conversation with the older children about resources they would like to see and what activities could be added to the outside.

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who attend

All children have a 'learning journey' which records their excellent progress and development during their time at the provision. Staff complete regular written observations which detail the activities children take part in and the learning that has been observed. Next steps are identified for children's learning and these are used when planning activities. Staff differentiate the activities offered to suit the various levels of development of the children present. During small group and one-to-one activities, staff provide further guidance and support for children to help them progress towards the early learning goals. All children make fast improvement in their learning from their starting points with any gaps closing rapidly. Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are provided with specific resources and equipment. Staff liaise highly effectively with parents and other professionals outside of the setting, such as speech and

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who attend

language therapists, physiotherapists, and the special educational needs coordinator, to ensure that children receive targeted support. Highly successful strategies engage all parents in their children's learning in the setting and at home. The strong skills of all key persons ensure all children are well prepared for the next stages in their learning. Practitioners very skilfully support children's transitions both within the setting and to other settings and school.

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

Children's individual details are well known by all staff. Parents complete an 'all about me' booklet, and have an in depth discussion with staff before children start to attend, which gives a thorough insight into children's individual needs and preferences. This information is used by staff and, in particular, the child's key person, to support them when settling in at the provision. Medical and dietary needs are known and catered for, in addition to children's individual routines, for example, sleep times for the younger children. The setting caters for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Excellent resources and equipment are used to ensure that all children feel welcome and comfortable while attending.

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

Children develop an excellent understanding of health and hygiene during daily routines. Children are encouraged to wash hands at key times, dispose of dirty tissues in the bin and take part in regular physical activity. In addition to the frequent access to the outdoor area, children also enjoy moving to music, acting out favourite stories and spending time in the well-resourced sensory room. Here children excitedly watch the bubbles rise up and change colour as staff encourage them to say the colours they can see. Children roll and slide down low sponge ramps and roll the balls to each other.

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

Children have a thorough understanding of healthy eating. Snack is provided for children at regular intervals throughout the day and includes fresh fruit, milk and water. Older children are encouraged to pour their own drinks from a jug and children have individual beakers of water which they can access throughout the day, so helping to develop their independence. At mealtimes children make some choices about what they eat, such as whether to have sauce with their chicken and noodles, and they are encouraged to develop independence as they progress. For example, babies feeding themselves yoghurt with a spoon.

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

Children have a very good understanding about safety and reminders from the staff help them to realise the importance of appropriate behaviour, such as sharing resources, sitting on chairs properly and tidying away equipment when they have finished playing with it. A thorough behaviour management policy is in place and staff work with parents, carers and outside agencies to support children who may struggle to settle in to the nursery. Appropriate behaviour management strategies are put into practice by skilled staff and further training is attended if necessary to ensure all children's needs are met. Fire drill practices are carried out within the nursery, although, consideration to making these more frequent would ensure that all children develop an even clearer understanding of what to do in an emergency. Children's behaviour is extremely good and they are developing an understanding of how to play together that ensures transitions to school and other

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provision

The management team and staff work exceptionally well together in order to provide the very best for the children who attend. The pursuit of excellence in all of the setting's activities is demonstrated by a highly successful and well documented drive to maintain the highest levels of achievement, for all children over a sustained period of time.

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provision

The staff's excellent understanding of their responsibility to ensure the provision meets the safeguarding and welfare requirements ensures that children are protected from harm. Children's safety and well-being is given high priority. Extensive written risk assessments are in place for all parts of the setting, and staff are vigilant when caring for children. Detailed written policies and procedures are in place and all staff demonstrate a thorough understanding of these. A highly committed staff team work together effectively to continuously improve the provision as a whole and to further improve their own professional development. High quality professional supervision is provided, based on consistent and sharply focused evaluations of the impact of staff's practice. This ensures that all staff working with children have an excellent knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and how children learn. Robust recruitment procedures

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provision

ensure all staff are suitable to work with children.

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provision

Children's needs are quickly identified and exceptionally well met through highly effective partnerships between the setting, parents, external agencies and other providers. Parents are welcomed into the setting on a daily basis and invited to more formal parents' evenings several times throughout the year. Staff ensure parents and carers have opportunities to discuss their child's development and are kept informed of their progress.

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provision

The setting is fully inclusive and cares for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. Equal opportunities are provided for all children and staff ensure that children's individual needs and preferences are known and catered for.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY350216 Local authority Knowsley Inspection number 909780

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 137 Number of children on roll 197 Name of provider Frances Moorcroft Date of previous inspection 05/12/2011 Telephone number 01514 898455

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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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