Hopscotch Nursery

Hopscotch Nursery 209 Portland Road, HOVE, East Sussex, BN3 5JA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/05/2013 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 2

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This provision is good

 Children make good progress, enjoying a broad range of interesting and challenging activities.  The relaxing, friendly environment helps children to feel secure. They behave exceptionally well and are kind and caring to others.  Effective and well thought out safety arrangements are in place, protecting children while encouraging a good level of independence.  The superb organisation of the environment, effective staff deployment and the use of an overall impressive range of resources significantly enhance children's learning and enjoyment.  Excellent arrangements are in place to work with parents and other agencies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children play with resources which feature languages other than English but these do not reflect all languages spoken in the homes of those attending.  Annual questionnaires gather the views of parents but they do not take a direct role in the on-going self-evaluation process.

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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 viewed all areas of the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the manager, staff, parents and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the interaction of staff and children during a range of activities including outdoor play.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of documentation including records of children's progress.

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Information about the setting

Hopscotch Nursery, Portland Road registered in 2012. It is located in a converted church in Portland Road, Hove. Childcare is provided in six group rooms, including a sensory room and a soft play room. There is also a fully enclosed outdoor area for all children to use. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. There are currently 165 children on roll from birth the end of the early years age group. Children attending receive three and four-year old funding for early education. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children with English as an additional language. The setting employs 24 staff, 18 of whom hold relevant childcare qualifications, including two who hold qualified teacher status.

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

 extend the range of resources and activities that reflect languages other than English to include all languages spoken in the homes of children attending.

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

 increase opportunities for parents to contribute to the on-going self-evaluation process to further promote continuous improvement.

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who attend

Children progress well in all areas of their development as staff plan interesting, challenging and enjoyable activities. They enjoy a good mix of freely chosen play and more structured activities aimed at promoting specific areas of learning. Throughout the nursery children explore, investigate, create and learn. Their language skills are developing well as staff engage them in conversations and extend their thinking. Most staff skilfully ask open-ended questions which encourage children to form full responses. As a result children develop the confidence to express themselves using interesting vocabulary. For example, a child sits back exhausted but proud after completing a very complicated puzzle saying 'that was a tricky one'. The praise and encouragement that children receive for such accomplishments spurs them on to try new challenges.

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who attend

Extremely good arrangements are in place to promote children's physical skills. A room fitted with a large piece of soft play climbing equipment is well used by all children. Babies gain great benefit from the freedom they have to sit, pull themselves up and begin to climb in a safe environment. They develop good strength and coordination while having great fun. Older children enjoy the challenge of conquering the large padded steps and move with control and precision. The ball pond is a popular feature with children playing very happily together. Staff extend the activity by introducing mathematical ideas such as asking children to collect a certain number of balls of the same colour. Children are keen to join in the games staff suggest and, as a result, gain a lot of spontaneous learning through play.

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who attend

Staff promote literacy well for children of all ages. Babies show that they recognise a large repertoire of songs; they smile and join in as staff sing songs, bouncing in time to the music. Older children independently look at books and listen with interest to stories ready by staff. Resources for drawing and writing are set out at all times for children to explore independently. Staff increase the support for children to recognise and write letters and numbers as they approach school age. Evidence of children's high levels of achievement is prominently displayed in their group room. Children's understanding of the world develops well through activities such as looking at weather. Staff competently reinforce children's learning by encouraging them to discuss the weather as they play outside. Children show their understanding as they use descriptive language such as 'cloudy' and 'windy'. Children who speak English as an additional language receive sensitive and appropriate support to

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who attend

settle and to develop their English. Staff clearly display a range of words and phrases in different languages around the nursery. There are also resources such as dual language books available but those which are in use do not reflect all of the languages spoken in the children's homes.

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who attend

Highly effective arrangements are in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with complex medical needs. One member of staff takes lead responsibility for coordinating with parents and other professionals to identify and respond to children's very individual needs. She has attended training to support her in this role and demonstrates a thorough knowledge of her responsibilities.

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who attend

The arrangements for assessing and monitoring children's progress are effective and are currently under review to improve them further. Staff carry out sensitive observations of children as they play. In addition, they liaise regularly with parents to build a picture of children's interests and levels of ability to plan for their future learning. Room leaders and managers monitor children's development records to identify any gaps in the achievements of individual children or across the group as a whole. Staff also competently complete the required progress checks for children aged two years.

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

Exceptionally good arrangements are in place to promote children's emotional wellbeing and to build their confidence. They demonstrate an outstanding sense of security and belonging. They form trusting relationships with their key person and interact easily with staff and their friends. Children's behaviour is superb. They are extremely friendly, sociable and outgoing. For example, children move to help a friend who has fallen over demonstrating genuine concern. This, along with their high levels of achievement, prepares them very well for their move to school.

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

The high level of physical challenge that the soft play equipment offers allows children to take risks in a carefully managed environment. They also play outdoors regularly. Staff ratios are high and staff deployment is wholly appropriate. Throughout the nursery children play with many high quality, imaginatively presented, resources. These significantly promote their learning and enjoyment. Low level storage enables children to select items independently. They confidently transport toys around the nursery and use them to construct, role play, problem solve and play cooperatively with their friends. Children particularly enjoy using with the computers. Older children confidently use the keyboard and computer mouse to operate programs. Responding to the interest shown by younger children, the nursery has also obtained computer software suitable for children aged under three years.

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

Children's health is promoted extremely well. Hygiene routines within the nursery are excellent and staff clean throughout the day to maintain these standards. Nappy changing arrangements are very good and children's receive sensitive support in their potty training and toileting. All children routinely wash their hands before eating. Staff use imaginative strategies to help children learn about the importance of good nutrition. These include a game to identify the healthy and less healthy foods from picture cards. Children successfully identify the foods that are high in sugar and explain that 'too much fizzy drink is bad for your teeth'. Parents have the choice to send in packed lunches or to order nutritious hot meals provided by an outside catering agency. Drinks of water are constantly available for children.

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provision

The management and staff team fully recognise their responsibility to promote children's learning and development. Effective arrangements are in place to monitor the success of educational programmes and ensure consistency throughout the nursery. Strong team working creates an efficient, harmonious environment. Regular team meetings, as well as individual staff supervisions, promote good information sharing. There is a strong culture of reflection and self-evaluation which involves all staff. This results in a service which is continually improving to meet the evolving needs of users as well reflecting changes in childcare practices. The views of parents are sought annually in questionnaires and there is also a prominently displayed suggestions box. However, parents are not encouraged to take an active role in directly contributing to the ongoing self-evaluation. As a result they are not fully engaged in shaping future practice. Children benefit from observing the

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provision

friendly interaction between staff and their parents and hearing the positive exchanges of information. This helps them to settle and promotes their self-esteem. Parents receive a lot of written information about the nursery and get regular updates about their child's progress from their key person. Care is taken to ensure that all parents, including those whose home language is not English, understand the information shared. They use translation services as necessary to support this. Parents praise the service they receive. In feedback from recent questionnaires a parent writes, 'Staff have been brilliant, always happy and willing to discuss my child's progress'. They also describe how impressed they are with their children's progress and how happy their children are in the nursery's care. The nursery also effectively works in partnership with other professionals and early years practitioners. This enables all parties to provide coordinated, cohesive care.

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provision

Very good safety arrangements are in place. The building is secure and keypad entry panels are fitted to group room doors. Staff are vigilant in their supervision of children. A comprehensive range of risk assessments exist and staff review and update these regularly. Risk assessments cover the premises, activities and outings. Several are also in place to reflect the specific needs of children, for example, to consider the safety of children with hearing aids in an emergency evacuation situation. All staff sign to confirm that they have read and understood safety policies and procedures. Robust recruitment procedures help to ensure staff suitability. The manager is the named safeguarding officer and fully recognises the responsibilities of this role. She regularly attends advanced level training to ensure that her knowledge of the correct procedures for dealing with concerns remains up to date. All staff complete basic safeguarding training and safeguarding

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provision

arrangements are routinely discussed at team meetings, As a result staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities to promote children's welfare.

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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 EY455746 Local authority Brighton & Hove Inspection number 902061 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 6 Total number of places 92 Number of children on roll 165 Name of provider ACPH Limited Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01273 277 001

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Setting details

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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