Bright Kids Northfield

Bright Kids at Northfield 18/20 Norman Road, Northfield, Birmingham, West Midlands, B31 2EW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/05/2013 02/07/2009

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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

 Staff set and maintain consistent limits, explaining why these are necessary, so that children understand expectations and can play safely.  Children are encouraged to find their own way of doing things and work out their own solutions to problems, helping to develop their critical thinking.  Staff link experiences that follow the ideas and interests that children are thinking about, so that children become deeply involved in an activity.  The nursery is well planned and resourced. Toys and equipment are easy for children to access and move around as they chose so that they can investigate and explore.  Effective arrangements are in place, both formal and informal, to ensure that parents regularly contribute to their children's learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to further develop the exciting outdoor area so that children's learning and development is fully extended and consolidated.  Children have fewer opportunities to develop their very good understanding of how equipment and resources operate, for example, by using torches and remote-controlled toys.

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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 activities in the nursery play rooms and the outside learning environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector conducted a joint observation of an outdoor activity with the deputy- manager of the provision.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the senior management team including the Group Management Executive, Chief Executive and deputy manager of the provision to discuss recruitment, selection and vetting procedures; evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, monitoring and supervision of staff; ratios; staff deployment and the key person system.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.  The inspector had a tour of the nursery and spoke to staff and children.  The inspector observed children having their lunch and afternoon snack.

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Information about the setting

Bright Kids at Northfield is one of several nurseries managed by Millennium Bright Kid Company Limited. It has been registered since 2005 and is registered on the Early Years Register and compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from converted premises in Northfield, Birmingham. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery serves the local area.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 78 children on roll, of whom 54 are in the early years age range. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children and cares for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery employs eight members of staff, all of whom are qualified to level 3. The manager has a degree in Early Childhood Studies and is currently working towards a level 5 in management studies, along with the deputy manager. One member of staff has a Foundation degree in Early Childhood Studies.

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

 increase the range of options available to children, so that they can learn how different resources and equipment operate to further their learning

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

 develop the outdoor area, so that opportunities to support children's development across all areas of learning are fully extended and consolidated.

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who attend

Teaching is effective because staff are confident in their knowledge of how children learn and develop. They provide a broad range of stimulating and fun activities, that motivate and inspire children to learn. Routines and activities are very much based around individual children's individual learning styles and preferences. Staff are keenly aware of these and incorporate and harness children's interests very well so that the sessions flow. A spider chart starts with a child's idea and staff add to this as the child's interests develop and grow with their theme. Staff build on children's enthusiasm when developing and planning for the learning environments, generally, ensuring that a range of resources are easily accessible. This means children can move things around and combine resources in different ways. For example, children show an interest in dinosaurs and make a cave for them, using blankets. Staff show them pictures and books of cave paintings. Children are

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who attend

fascinated with these and decide to make their own. This promotes their observational skills, as they study, and then copy the different colours used. Words such as 'background' are introduced, helping to develop their language and vocabulary. Children use various brushes, along with their hands and fingers, to explore and create different textures. Staff are effective in supporting children through questions and prompts, enabling children to develop their ideas and extend their thinking and understanding. They allow the children plenty of choice and freedom to decide on how an activity will develop. Children's imaginations show no limits as the theme continues. They find material to make loin- cloths and cave people's clothes, similar to those seen in the books. Children make a landscape and home for their dinosaurs in large trays. They use their thinking skills as they consider what might be found there and fetch grass, sand and stones from outside.

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who attend

Broken twigs and small branches are used as trees to complete their 'dinotopia'. This helps to promote the characteristics of effective learning as they learn to think critically and develop their own ideas.

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who attend

Babies and young children are supported very well. Their learning environment, along with all areas in the nursery, is vibrant and stimulating. Wall displays and photographs of themselves and family members are displayed at their level. Staff have taken babies and 'crawlers' into account, placing photographs on skirting boards. This promotes an inclusive environment, where children are helped to develop a real sense of self-awareness and belonging. In addition, photo books of special people further promote their personal, social and emotional development as they share these with their key person. A wide range of resources and equipment is at the children's level so that making choices is easy. Treasure baskets provide much interest as children use their senses to explore the different objects inside. A child becomes very focused on tapping and banging various wooden objects together and listening to the sounds she can make. As a result, staff

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who attend

provide additional baskets, so that children can take pleasure in listening to an even wider range of sounds.

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who attend

Staff are knowledgeable and link what they see to particular schemas. For example, they note that some children particularly like to line resources up or turn taps on and off to look at running water and recognise children are displaying a 'trajectory schema'. They ensure resources and activities support this area of children's interest and development.

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who attend

Children are encouraged, wherever possible, to work out solutions to their own problems. They play with pipes, which they decide to connect from the water tray to transfer the water elsewhere. A member of staff suggests using the ridges in the fence to help to balance the pipes as they are joined together, but they fall down. Carefully considering this, a child places a chair in the middle of the pipes and they successfully stay in place. The child is praised for his ideas and is proud of his success, helping to raise his self- esteem. Children chat together happily during activities and enjoy playing and working together, but are equally happy engaged in self-chosen pursuits. Group times provide children with a good variety of learning, aided by adults who supervise and relate extremely well to them, particularly in supporting their social and personal development. Children take turns in listening and many speak clearly and confidently in front of others.

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who attend

Children are learning and encouraged to focus on an activity for increasing periods of time and to complete a task before moving on to something else. This helps them to develop their concentration. They sit and listen to stories with increasing interest and staff ask questions to keep them engaged. Children develop early writing skills as they learn to make marks, which gradually develop into more recognisable shapes and letters. Children use computers, accessing programmes and clicking on the mouse to perform various functions with increasing control. However, there are limited other resources, such as torches and remote-controlled toys so that they gain skills in working out how different resources and equipment operate.

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who attend

Children make good progress with their physical development. They are confident in cutting, sticking and pasting and use scissors safely. These skills help to prepare children for their future learning. Older children make choices in whether to play indoors or outdoors, regardless of the weather. Suitable clothing means they can splash around in puddles or dig in mud. Children are very enthusiastic when riding the various wheeled toys, rolling hoops or attempting to aim balls into containers. This helps to develop their control and coordination. Early number skills are developed as they sing and act out counting rhymes, such as What's the time Mr Wolf', and run off squealing and screaming when Mr Wolf says dinner time and he is coming to catch them. However, while these activities provide well for children's physical learning, the outdoor environment is not maximised to its full potential so that children develop consistently across all areas of

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who attend

learning. For example, the planting, composting and recycling area is not fully developed and, on the day of inspection, the covered reading area was devoid of books. Despite this, children thoroughly enjoy just being outside and getting lots of fresh air. Babies and very young children have regular access to the outdoor environment and often go for walks in their prams. This helps them to develop and widen their sense of community as they see what is around them.

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who attend

Staff talk to parents about children's stages of development to establish their starting points. This, combined with their own observations, mean they can quickly assess each child's capabilities and skills and put plans in place to successfully build on, and develop these. This helps staff to support all children's progress towards the early learning goals. Information is recorded in children's development folders and these are available for parents to access whenever they choose. Through regular discussions with their child's key person and more formal meetings, they continue to contribute their ideas to support their children's learning journey. Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included and participate in all nursery activities. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure children receive any necessary intervention. Identified support mechanisms are quickly put in place, so that they can make the best

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who attend

possible progress in their learning and development. Overall, children are confident learners and well equipped with the necessary skills required for their journey to scho

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

Children thrive in this welcoming nursery. Children are warmly greeted by staff and settle quickly into the routine. Each child has a key person who they form very warm and close attachments to. They get to know the children well and are very aware of the unique characteristics of each child, for example their interests, along with their little quirks, mannerisms and what makes them 'tick'. This is particularly relevant with regards to individual children's behaviour. Staff are aware of what triggers children to become upset or angry and are alert to the signs. As a result, they can intervene appropriately and diffuse potential conflicts or soothe and calm children. Staff work very much on positive encouragement and are careful in their choice of words and the way messages are conveyed when children do something unwanted. Rather than a 'no don't do that' approach, staff talk to children and explain why certain behaviour is inappropriate, for

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

example, that it may compromise their own, or someone else's safety. This helps children in learning to understand what is socially acceptable. Distraction and diversion is used to good effect to keep children happy and engaged. Children quickly learn what is expected of them, for example, using their indoor and outdoor voices appropriately. Music is used to good effect to tune into baby's moods, for example, classical music helps to calm, quieten and soothe them so that they rest and sleep. Information is shared between the home and nursery so that there is consistency in the approach to all aspects of children's care, routines and on-going development. This helps to ensure that transitions from home run smoothly and children settle happily.

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

The nursery ensures that discrimination of any sort is not tolerated and all children have equal opportunities to succeed. Staff work closely with other professionals to enable this. Staff are very positive role models and everyone is treated with care and respect in the nursery. Children talk and learn about various cultural celebrations and events. Numerous pictures, posters and photographs are displayed to reflect diversity, and dual-language books help children to understand how different styles of print and text, convey the same meaning. Children learn to care for each other and use their 'kind hands' and 'kind feet'. Staff regularly use various forms of non-verbal communication, such as, a visual time-line or single words to assist children who may require additional support. Children feel safe and have a good idea of how to keep themselves safe. Older children are encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions, so if they make a mess, they clean and tidy it up.

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

Children assess any risks in the garden and what needs to be done to make the area safe. Road safety is reinforced particularly well, whereby children are asked to consider various scenarios and are provided with different examples of where their safety may be compromised. For example, they learn about 'blind spots' where they cannot be seen by drivers and the importance of taking this into consideration before crossing the road. Staff ask children to sit correctly on their chairs and to hold knives and scissors correctly, providing an explanation so that children learn why this is important.

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

Children enjoy physical exercise both indoors and outdoors. They have a range of equipment that tests their skills in balancing, climbing and, generally, using different muscle skills to develop their coordination. All children have an oppurtunity to go outside regularly so that they have plenty of fresh air. They follow good hygiene procedures. Staff gently prompt toddlers before having their tea, 'what do we have to do now'? Children immediately head to the bathroom and say, 'wash our dirtie birties', making links to a story they know about kind hands. A healthy ethos is promoted at all times and children eat nutritious and balanced meals. These are prepared by outside caterers, in consultation with nursery staff and parents. Meals are varied to take account of children's preferences and dietary requirements. At times, children serve food and make their own sandwiches or spread toppings on toast, helping to develop their independence and future social skills.

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provision

Staff are competent in implementing effective policies and procedures to safeguard children. They are fully aware of signs or symptoms of abuse that may alert them to any child protection concerns. They are confident to report these independently to the relevant agencies, should the designated safeguarding officer not be available. They recognise their responsibility in ensuring that their colleagues behave in a professional and responsible manner, and should this not be the case, use the whistle-blowing procedure to voice their concerns. The nursery's arrangements for safeguarding children are clearly outlined to parents and carers so that they are aware of the staff's, and their own responsibility, in protecting children from harm. Risk assessments are undertaken which are comprehensive and overseen by a designated health and safety officer. These are regularly reviewed, particularly in light of any issues where hazards have been identified,

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provision

to ensure that appropriate action is taken swiftly. Daily checks record any hazards that staff need to be aware of for each of the rooms and outdoor play area. Staff demonstrate that they are fully committed to the safety of children at all times. Daily registers accurately record children's attendance and rotas demonstrate how staff are deployed. A bank of staff can be used if permanent staff are absent. This ensures that correct ratios are maintained at all times.

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provision

The nursery acts responsibly and takes the issue of staff suitability very seriously. Recruitment procedures have been revised in light of previous incidents to make them even more robust. Rigorous vetting procedures ensure that staff qualifications, Disclosure Barring Service checks and references are obtained. Original certificates, rather than photocopies of qualifications are requested. A wide range of interview questions and various scenarios and presentations, particularly for senior management posts, test candidate's knowledge and skills. Specific emphasis is placed on child development and child protection to ensure their knowledge is secure. This ensures there is a stable staff group with good skills. Once appointed, regular supervision sessions and appraisals are used to ensure that that their on-going suitability is assessed regularly. Teaching and staff practice is monitored regularly and accurately by the manager and deputy. Feedback is

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provision

provided so that staff can improve and refine their skills. This process is being extended to other members of staff in order to help them to become more skilled in observing others, in identifying good practice and seeing where improvements can be made.

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provision

Staff establish positive relationships with outside professionals so that children are fully supported and can make the best possible progress in all aspects of their care and learning. There is a strong partnership with parents. The nursery has introduced workshops and 'stay and play' sessions for parents to help them understand their children's learning and to give them opportunities to meet each other and nursery staff. They learn about the benefits of play activities and how these support children's development. These prove successful and are well supported.

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provision

Continued priorities for improvement are correctly identified. The setting works closely with the local authority and are currently working towards a quality assurance scheme. In addition, they have completed the Early Years Quality Improvement Support Programme (EYQISP) to monitor, reflect and evaluate their practice. The setting has a very clear picture of where they are, where they need to go, what must be done to achieve this and have action plans in place. Staff are provided with regular opportunities to attend a range of training courses based on their interests, skills and to support their professional development. In-house training and staff meetings mean that information is shared and disseminated between staff. This ensures that there is consistency in their approach to all aspects of children's well-being, learning and development so that children feel fully supported, safe and secure.

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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 EY294363 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 918423

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 64 Number of children on roll 78 Name of provider Millennium Bright Kid Company Limited Date of previous inspection 02/07/2009 Telephone number 0121 475 4788

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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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