Shaping Futures

Shaping Futures Church Street, Warsop, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, NG20 0AQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 01/05/2013 25/11/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 1 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Staff provide a broad range of experiences to promote the children's learning and development to help them make good progress from their starting points and to be ready for their next stage of learning.  Fostering the children's personal, social and emotional development is given a clear emphasis in all staff's work with the children. Consequently, children are happy, well settled and show a strong sense of belonging.  Staff have a good knowledge of each child's background, health, welfare and educational needs due to the strong relationships established with other professionals involved with the children, in particular, the staff from the on-site children's centre.  The staff team are enthusiastic about the children's care and learning and supported well by a strong leadership team who place a clear emphasis on securing the children's safety, welfare and well-being.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to develop opportunities for the more able children to explore mathematical ideas and concepts in areas, such as the role play area and sand and water, to further enhance their very good learning.  Resources, such as tunnels, slopes and low-level steps, are not made freely available indoors, for children under two years to use at their own leisure to further enhance their rapidly progressing physical development.

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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 playrooms and the outdoor play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager and the registered individual and conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of practitioners working within the setting, the provider's action plan and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector also took account of the feedback from parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Shaping Futures is one of three settings run by Shaping Futures Limited. It opened in 2004 and operates from a purpose-built building in the centre of Warsop, Mansfield very close to the local amenities. This setting works in partnership with the on-site Sure Start Children's Centre.

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Information about the setting

The setting is open each week day from 7.30am to 6pm for 52 weeks of the year. Children have access to enclosed outdoor play areas. There are currently 52 children on roll. Of these, 50 children are in the early years age group, one is aged from five to eight years and one is over eight years. The setting is in receipt of funding for the provision of early years education for children aged two years. The setting is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Information about the setting

The setting employs 12 members of staff. Of these, one holds a qualification at level 6 in early years, one holds a qualification at level 4 in early years, six hold a qualification at level 3 in early years and three are unqualified and working towards a qualification at level 2 in early years. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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

 develop further opportunities in the sand and water and role-play area for the more able children to explore mathematical ideas and concepts to further enhance their learning

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

 make freely available resources, such as tunnels, slopes and low-level steps indoors, for children under two years, to further enhance their physical skills and development.

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who attend

The setting offers care for children under three years and they are cared for in rooms according to their age and ability. Therefore, staff place a clear emphasis on promoting the children's development in the three prime areas. Consequently, children make good progress from their starting points and are well prepared for their next stage of learning. Staff recognise children's progress and plan an interesting range of activities to support and extend their learning. Parents and carers contribute to the children's initial assessment and are kept well informed about their children's progress.

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who attend

Children's personal, social and emotional development is fostered very well. All children are happy, confident and show sustained levels of interest and enjoyment in their chosen play. Children develop their confidence well as they busily move around their environment deciding what to do. They are involved, busy and occupied with the good range of opportunities on offer to them.

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who attend

Staff provide good opportunities to promote the children's physical development outdoors. For example, children under two years have a separate outdoor area. This ensures they can move safely and feely with good support offered to encourage them to use wheeled toys, the slide and walkers to increase their skills. Indoors younger babies have a safe environment to move, roll, sit and stretch. For example, staff encourage babies to explore, grasp and squeeze by putting out interesting objects that make sounds, have lights or are textured. However, items such as tunnels, pop-up tents and low-level steps are not made freely available indoors, often enough to further enhance opportunities for crawling. Older children thoroughly enjoy being outdoors in the fresh air and confidently use the slide, wheeled toys and balls. Older children have a varied range of opportunities to handle and manipulate tools as they use items, such as crayons, chalk, paintbrushes and scissors. In

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who attend

addition they become increasingly confident in using construction toys to build and construct.

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who attend

Children's communication and language is supported well. Staff use a visual timetable well to encourage children to talk about what is going to happen next. Daily singing sessions, actions songs, visual aids, music and musical instruments are used well to further promote children's language development. For example, children show sustained levels of interest as staff use soft animals to encourage children to name the animals and the sounds they make and consider differences. Staff caring for babies give their full attention when babies look at them and use their voice and touch to communicate with them. Consequently, they gain trust and are keen to explore new experiences offered. They repeat words, describe what children are doing and use their favourite songs to capture their interests and increase their language.

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who attend

All children use a variety of arts and crafts materials and use their senses to explore resources, such as sand, water, cooked pasta, jelly, porridge, ice and shredded paper at their own leisure. Staff use resources and activities for more able children, who grow in their confidence in the three prime areas, to consider similarities and differences and question why things happen. However, there is scope to further develop the use of the role-play area and sand and water to introduce early mathematical ideas and concepts, such as recognising numbers and considering shape, size and weight, to further enhance learning.

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

The good deployment of staff and the well-embedded assigned key person system means staff have a good knowledge of each child's background, health, welfare and care needs. In addition, the tailored induction and settling-in period, helps staff to really get to know the children, family and their circumstances and, therefore, their needs are met well.

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

All children, including babies, form close attachments with their assigned key person and show a real sense belonging. Children are well behaved and learn to stay safe because staff consistently set clear boundaries and use positive strategies to manage the children's behaviour. For example, children themselves remind each other and many parents have adopted the setting's approach of 'gentle hands, listening ears and indoor feet', to reinforce good behaviour. Staff place a good emphasis on children learning how to stay safe; children freely use resources and understand how to use 'indoor feet' to maintain their safety.

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

The outdoor and indoor spaces and resources are mostly used well to support children's all-round development and emotional well-being as they grow in confidence and independence. Staff and children adopt effective hygiene practices to prevent the spread of infection. Babies are fed, sleep and have their nappies changed according to their individual needs. For example, there is a robust nappy changing system in place which means nappies are changed every two hours and more often if required. Details of nappy changes and any concerns identified are recorded in full to ensure children's well-being and consistency of practice. Meals are prepared freshly by the cook on the premises and are varied, healthy and nutritious and enjoyed by the children. All staff preparing and handling food have received training in food hygiene. For example, food is temperature probed before serving in line with Environmental Health requirements to ensure it is at the

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

required temperature. All first aid, medication and accident requirements are met. In addition there is a clear policy and procedure in place, understood by the staff team, for dealing with sick children, to secure all children's health and well-being.

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

Staff work very well as a team in sharing information about the children's care needs and achievements. For example, children make regular visits to their new room to ensure they are well prepared for transition within the setting. At the age of three many of the children leave to move onto the other setting owned by the provider and some of the staff and the mangers work at both sites. Consequently, transition to this setting is supported extremely well. Collaborative working and information sharing about the children's needs with the local schools and settings for children who attend the before school service is good.

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provision

The leadership and management team consists of the two registered individuals and two managers, of whom one is also the director of the company. Roles and responsibilities have changed since the last inspection. For example, the two full-time managers, of whom one is new since the last inspection, share responsibility for two settings and split their time between them. They are supported well by an experienced deputy to ensure the smooth running of the setting.

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provision

The managers have a good and realistic overview of the setting and areas for further improvement. For example, well-focused improvement plans and action plans help target areas identified for further improvement. The recommendation from the last inspection in relation to increasing children's understanding of diversity has been successfully addressed. For example, age-appropriate activities, discussion, experiences and visual aids are provided for children to learn about race, gender and disability.

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provision

A robust recruitment, vetting and induction procedure ensures all staff are suitable and clear about their roles and responsibilities. For example, all staff receive a comprehensive induction, within the first week, which includes safeguarding, health and safety and the emergency evacuation procedures. This is followed up with a two-, four- and six-monthly induction to reinforce their roles and responsibilities. A clear emphasis on providing ongoing appraisals, supervision, support and training, results in a staff team who are well supported to raise their skills and improve their practice. The educational programme is monitored effectively to ensure all children make good progress.

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provision

All the required records, policies and procedures are in place. Staff have a secure understanding of child protection issues and the procedure to follow in the event of safeguarding concerns. Daily checks of the environment and written risk assessments ensure areas are safe and children can move safely and freely.

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provision

There is a good two-way flow of information between the setting and parents and carers. For example, they like the 'open door' approach where they feel free to discuss daily any concerns they may have. Parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection are positive about the support they and their child have received. The 'This week board' is used well by the staff to share photos and children's work with parents and carers to keep them informed about what their children have been doing. Effective partnerships working with other professionals and agencies involved with the children attending results in a good sharing of information and support for the 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 EY280082 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 916688

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 54 Number of children on roll 52 Name of provider Shaping Futures Ltd Date of previous inspection 25/11/2011 Telephone number 01623 845359

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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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