The Willows Day Nursery

The Willows Day Nursery Old Main Road, Fleet Hargate, Holbeach, SPALDING, Lincolnshire, PE12 8LL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/06/2013 19/09/2012

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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 provide a stimulating and exciting environment where children are eager to investigate and explore. Consequently, children are making good progress towards their early learning goals.  Monitoring of educational programmes and children's individual progress is especially effective and routinely used by staff and the manager. As a result, development needs are quickly identified and children's positive progress is well-supported.  Support for children's transitions to school is especially good. Children delight in the small group activities where they gain the skills and confidence needed for this important time.  Staff have an insightful knowledge of each child's care and learning needs. As a result, care practices reflect children's diet, health and emotional needs and teaching is fully effective in supporting their learning and progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to further enhance the organisation of some group routine activities to fully nurture babies' sense of themselves.

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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 all areas of the nursery and outside spaces.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager and spoke with children and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector took the views of parents and carers into account.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning journals, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of practitioners working within the setting, the provider's self- evaluation form and a range of other documentation.

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Information about the setting

The Willows Day Nursery was registered in 2012. It operates from old converted tea rooms in Fleet Hargate, Lincolnshire. The nursery serves the local area and beyond. The nursery is accessible to all children and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery opens Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year, except bank holidays. Opening hours are from 7am until 7pm. Children are able to attend for a variety of sessions.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery receives funding for free early education for three- and four-year-olds and supports children who are learning English as an additional language. There are currently 80 children who attend the nursery, including those in the early years age range and children over the age of five cared for after school.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications. The owner is a qualified teacher and has achieved Early Years Practitioner Status. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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

 enhance daily routines by nurturing babies' sense of themselves while also helping them to be fully part of a group.

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who attend

Staff have a good understanding of how children learn through play. They provide a stimulating and well-resourced environment where children are encouraged to follow their own interests, make friends and have fun. For example, children delight in making their own Noah's Ark from a large cardboard box. They work well together to decorate their artwork using crayons and pens and are eager to demonstrate how they can jump inside the box and continue their task. This means that children are learning how to be creative, negotiate with others and find ways to achieve goals to their own satisfaction. Children take full advantage of opportunities to extend their learning in the garden. They grow fruits and vegetables, experiment with water courses and hide dinosaurs in the sand pit. Children show impressive levels of concentration as they paint pictures whilst overlooking the garden or busy themselves with their explorations and investigations. As a result,

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who attend

children are gaining the skills needed for their next stage in learning, including school. Staff interactions with children are good and occasionally outstanding. They know when and when not to intervene in children's play and how to extend learning with questioning. Well-planned adult-led activities are fun and promote learning well. For example, staff lead children on a 'number hunt' around the garden, where they eagerly spot numbers displayed in the flower borders and on fences. Children are able to recognise the numbers, count and when prompted, begin to consider 'one more than' or 'one less than'. This means that children's mathematical development is promoted well and as a result they are making good progress in this area.

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who attend

Staff effectively support children's communication development during play. They engage children in interesting and thought provoking discussions and understand the importance of children being able to convey their thoughts and ideas effectively. Staff use pictures and gestures to support children's understanding well, and this is especially beneficial for those learning English as an additional language. Children's literacy skills are promoted well in an environment rich in meaningful text. Self-registration procedures and plenty of opportunities to practice early writing are available throughout the nursery. Young children happily sit looking at books, turning pages and pointing at pictures. This means they are beginning to understand that text carries meaning and appreciate reading as a pleasurable pastime.

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who attend

A particular strength that staff demonstrate is their intuitive understanding about the learning and development needs of each child. They make regular and precise assessments and use these effectively to plan challenging and stimulating experiences for all children. Good partnerships with parents and carers effectively engage them with children's learning at home and ensure they are well-informed of children's progress. Parents and carers contribute to 'learning tree' displays and share numerous examples of children's activities and achievements at home. This enables staff to celebrate children's successes and build on their experiences in the setting.

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

An effective key person system is in place and this help babies and children to form close bonds with staff and others at the nursery. Staff ensure they form close partnerships with parents and carers and, as a result, they are well-informed about children's care needs, routines and preferences. Children demonstrate their security in the nursery by confidently choosing their own activities and moving freely around the environment. Babies excitedly greet their key person and relish in plenty of cuddles and attention that is fostered on them. This sense of security and confidence means that all children are encouraged to explore and make good progress in their development and learning. However, while focusing on some important group routines, staff occasionally overlook opportunities to fully nurture babies sense of themselves. Staff encourage children to be as independent as possible according to their age and stage of development. For example, children decide

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

whether they need to put on coats before accessing outside activities. They readily attempt zips on jackets and only ask for help with laces when putting on shoes. Staff praise children's efforts effectively and this boosts their self-esteem even further. Children behave well because staff use consistent strategies and gentle reminders about what is, and what is not, appropriate at nursery. As a consequence, children learn to share, take turns and demonstrate high levels of concern for each other. This is evident when new children start the nursery and are spontaneously guided and supported by older children.

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

The garden effectively supports children's physical development and their growing understanding of the importance of exercise. The area is well-designed and offers opportunities for children to ride bikes, climb, play with balls and generally be active. Children learn to take risks in their play and are careful about their own safety and that of their friends. Children's understanding of a healthy diet is fostered well by a choice of nutritious meals and snacks to suit all children. Children, parents and carers are consulted on food choices and, as a result, children benefit from a wide range of healthy foods and drinks. The well-resourced, welcoming and homely environment effectively supports children's all-round development. Staff are vigilant to hazards and consider children's safety to be a high priority. A particular strength of the nursery is the robust procedures and preparation for children's transitions to other settings, including school. Small group

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

activities, discussions, visits and close partnership working with parents and carers all supports children effectively at this potentially stressful time.

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provision

Leadership and management is good. Self-evaluation if used effectively to identify areas of strength and areas for development in order that the very best provision is available for all children. Improvement plans reflect the manager's drive to pursue excellence and to strongly improve achievement for all children over a sustained period of time. For example, the nursery has recently carried out a full review of how it consults and works with parents during first visits or at open days, so that the sharing of information is strengthened, particularly in relation to important issues, such as children's food preferences and choices offered at meals. A particular strength is the monitoring of both educational programmes and the progress of each individual child. Effective methods used by both staff and the manager means that children receive a broad range of experiences, targeted to meet the individual needs of all children. Those needing support to progress

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provision

successfully towards their early learning goals are quickly identified and appropriate interventions sort.

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provision

Recruitment procedures are good and together with background checks, induction training, performance management systems and team meetings, mean that staff remain suitable for their role. The inspirational practice demonstrated by the manager motivates staff well and, as a result, they readily attend training sessions to improve their knowledge and skills. This has a positive impact on children's care and learning as they benefit from current childcare practice. Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and know how to identify and report concerns they may have about children in their care. Effective policies and procedures are in place to support their work and, consequently, children are as protected when at nursery. Partnerships with other providers and professionals are effective and ensure that children have a coordinated approach to their care and learning. Partnerships with parents are strong which is reflected in the positive

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provision

feedback that they offer about the nursery. Parents confirm that their children are very happy at nursery and look forward to attending with great excitement. Support for children's personal, social and emotional development is especially highlighted as parents say their children are more confident, understand about routines such as tidying away toys and talk about the importance of teamwork. All in all, children benefit from the nurturing and stimulating environment provided by staff and have a happy and positive early years experience.

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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 EY439986 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 919318

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 48 Number of children on roll 80 Name of provider Willows Childcare Limited Date of previous inspection 19/09/2012 Telephone number 01406423112

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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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