Tops Pokesdown

Tops Day Nurseries 4c Wolverton Road, Boscombe, BOURNEMOUTH, Dorset, BH7 6HT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20/06/2013 26/03/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Children investigate a wide variety of textures and materials which are set out imaginatively by staff to engage their interest and stimulate their curiosity.  The premises are safe and secure and staff are vigilant in supervising children in all the areas used.  Children have plenty of space to move around as they play and learn.  New management and staff within the nursery are keen to secure improvement and are beginning to make changes.

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It is not yet good because

 Children who are learning English as an additional language do not always receive good support to join in and communicate with others. This has a particular impact on their communication and language development.  Management do not fully evaluate all areas of daily practice, resources or staff deployment to ensure children's communication skills are supported well.  Children do not have a wide range of resources to independently explore or challenge their learning in all possible ways.

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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 inspection was completed by two inspectors who observed activities indoors and outdoors.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors sampled children's learning journals, planning documentation and a selection of policies and procedures and children's records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors examined reports from the local authority and self-evaluation documents.

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Information about the setting

Tops Nursery and out of school club registered in 2006. It is part of a large chain within the south region. It operates from six rooms in a building originally built as church meeting rooms in Boscombe, Bournemouth. The first floor is used for children under three years. Children over three and those attending the after-school and holiday club are cared for on the ground floor. There is an outside play area and the nursery has sole use of the premises. There are ramps at the front and back enabling easy access at the entrance and into the garden. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 230 children on roll; of these, 201 are in the early years age group. Children aged over eight years also attend. The nursery provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, from 6am until 8pm subject to

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Information about the setting

demand. The after school club opens at 3pm during school term times and the holiday club operates for children aged five to eight years for full days during school holidays. The nursery supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are 32 staff who work directly with the children. There is one member of staff with Early Years Professional Status and one who holds a qualification at level 6. There are 15 staff with early years qualifications at level 3 and five at level 2. There are eight members of staff who are unqualified and two ancillary members of staff.

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must:

 ensure every child's learning and care is tailored to meet their individual needs through accurate assessment of each child's development so that they are always offered good challenges

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must:

 improve the programme for communication and language by providing children with more opportunities both to speak and listen and sensitively joining in their play, in particular, ensuring the needs of children learning English as an additional language are met well, so they can participate fully.

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

 develop self-evaluation processes further so that all areas for development are identified and all relevant improvements made

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

 extend the range of stimulating and age-appropriate resources throughout the nursery in order to further support and challenge children's all round learning and development.

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who attend

Children make steady progress in their learning. They play happily together as they explore the resources available. Staff are inventive and present available resources well. In the pre-school room there is a tray with ice and shaving foam. The ice is perfumed and in different colours. The dough has pieces of material and sand mixed in to create different textures. This stimulates children's senses and encourages their curiosity. When staff join children they encourage children to talk about what they are doing. Some staff use open ended questions, such as, where, why and how, to challenge children's thinking and extend their vocabulary. However, this is not consistent throughout the nursery, for example when staff interact with children who learn English as an additional language. Consequently not all children are challenged well.

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who attend

In the under twos' room children explore cornflour and water and investigate the farm set. There are different animals to hold, hay to feel and bricks to fit together. Staff introduce animal sounds and talk about the figures they are playing with. Toddlers experiment with sand, water and dough. Different coloured fabrics are set out on a table with natural materials to create a habitat for dinosaurs. Another table focuses on black and white objects. Children move around freely and choose where they want to play. However, these activities remain on the tables throughout the day even though children may not be interested in them. Children enjoy hiding in the dark tent created with fabric at the side of the room. They sit in there to look at books and use it as somewhere to dance and sing. Staff join in and encourage children's play.

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who attend

Staff gather information from parents about their likes, dislikes and abilities when they first attend the nursery. Staff observe children as they play and plan some activities in response to their interests and next steps for learning. Staff complete the required progress check for two-year-olds to share with parents and other professionals. However, ongoing monitoring of children's progression is inconsistent throughout the nursery. Children's level of development is not always well identified. Consequently, activities are not always tailored specifically to individual needs and do not always provide good challenges for some children. Staff plan some activities to support children who are learning English as an additional language. However, these are not always based on accurate observations of what they already can say and do. For example, staff plan to encourage children to say two words together, but they are already able to link several

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who attend

words together. In addition, staff do not always support these children well to join in and socialise with others. Consequently, these children sometimes do not benefit fully from activities and resources tailored for them.

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who attend

Overall, children experience a suitable range of activities to promote their learning in all areas. Older children benefit from some activities organised in small groups. They enthusiastically name different objects beginning with different letters during sounds and letters time. Generally, staff recognise when children are becoming restless and signal it is time to tidy up. Children are familiar with the routine and quickly put everything away. Children learn about shape and size when making puzzles and using construction kits. Children of all ages develop their hand eye coordination as they learn to handle different objects and fit them together. Children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories, especially when read well by staff. Children help themselves to various writing tools and become increasingly confident in using them in readiness for the move on to school.

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

Most children arrive confidently and are eager to play. The playrooms are set up for children's arrival. There a variety of sensory experiences for all ages to explore, such as, cornflour and water, jelly, custard and ice. Staff set resources imaginatively to engage children's interest and encourage them to explore. Additional resources are stored on open shelving and storage boxes so that children can help themselves whenever they want to. There are some toys to support children's all round development. However, there is not a wide range of resources for children of any age to choose from and they are not always age appropriate. For example, there are shape sorters for under ones to use but none in the over ones room where they are more appropriate. Children have plenty of space to move around. There is a soft play room where children develop their physical skills. Older children practice jumping and bouncing. Younger children learn to balance on different

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

levels without falling over. Children are beginning to learn how to manage this safely because staff talk to them about being careful of each other. Younger children learn to use stairs safely as they go up and down daily. Children generally play outdoors each day. Pre-school children move freely between indoors and outdoors for much of the day. Younger children usually go outside at set times so they can explore different resources in the fresh air. They also go on regular outings and walks around their locality. This helps them find out about the world around them and staying safe. They wear fluorescent jackets so they are easily seen and follow appropriate road safety rules.

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

Children enjoy healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. These are freshly prepared on the premises and comply with children's individual dietary requirements. Children learn to feed themselves independently. Children learn to pour their own drinks and many pre-school children competently use a knife and fork. Babies are cuddled when they have their milk and benefit from this close contact with staff. Children follow appropriate hygiene routines and learn about washing their hands. Good procedures are followed regarding nappy changing to prevent the risk of cross infection and maintain children's comfort and health.

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

Each child is allocated a key person and systems are improving to help ensure staff are working in the same room as their key children. Generally, staff get to know their children well and speak about them confidently. Overall, children settle well and develop positive relationships with staff. They like their involvement in their play. Generally, children learn about behaviour expectations because staff provide them with clear boundaries. Frequent praise and encouragement helps them feel valued and confident in their abilities. Children gain independence because they are encouraged to do things for themselves. This helps them prepare for the next stage in their learning. Staff children as they move through the nursery by organising visits to become familiar with a new room and different staff. Similarly, management liaise with schools children are due to attend so they can support the move from nursery into school.

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provision

Management and staff have an appropriate knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of child protection issues and the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child in their care. The premises are safe and secure and regular checks are made to ensure there are staff present in all areas children are using. All the required documentation is in place and generally it is completed appropriately. Children's records provide staff with the information they need to help them respond to individual health and welfare needs. Consequently, their dietary requirements are adhered to. However, staff are not always clear about children's home language so they can reflect this in activities and resources within the nursery. Management follow appropriate procedures for the recruitment and

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provision

employment of staff to check their suitability to work with children. Induction and ongoing training helps staff understand their roles and responsibilities.

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provision

The nursery is part of a larger group of nurseries. This provides a network of management support, training and monitoring procedures. However, changes in management and staffing within the nursery as well as inconsistent monitoring and evaluation means that progress for children and the nursery is not always as good as it could be. The educational programme supports children to make steady progress. However, children's learning is not always monitored accurately and sometimes staff are more focussed on supervising several play areas. Consequently, children's individual needs are not always responded to or their communication and learning encouraged. The new manager is enthusiastic and keen to make changes. She is beginning to review practice and identify areas for improvement. The local authority is supporting her with this. At the last inspection actions were raised regarding the care and learning arrangements for younger children. The new

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provision

manager has made a number of changes to the key person and staffing arrangements to create a more stable staff team. Consequently, children in each age group are usually cared for by the same staff which helps them settle and feel secure.

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provision

The manager responds quickly to feedback from parents and implements appropriate changes to procedures. For example, following concerns about toileting arrangements she introduced hourly checks of the toilets to ensure they remain clean. There are set times to remind children about using the toilets as well as checking with them throughout the day. The manager is aware there is a limited number of toilets on the ground floor so has introduced a rotation system for groups of children at busy times of the day. For example, when they are washing their hands in preparation for lunch. In addition, the manager has changed arrangements for organising children's belongings so that they are easy to find when parents are collecting their children.

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provision

Parents comment positively about the nursery. They receive a range of information about the nursery and how it operates. They have regular opportunities to meet with staff and view their child's progress records. Management use a number of methods to communicate with parents and gather their views. There is a parents' committee to provide links between parents and nursery management, and an annual questionnaire seeks feedback more formally. There are a number of activity boxes with age-appropriate guidance and activities parents can borrow to encourage children's learning at home. Staff work with parents and other agencies to support children with additional needs. They seek funding for additional staff so they can offer one-to-one support to help children progress and participate in nursery life.

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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 EY344955 Local authority Bournemouth Inspection number 920616 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 108 Number of children on roll 230 Name of provider Tops Day Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 26/03/2013 Telephone number 01202 720111

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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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Type of provision

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

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