Early Days Nursery

Early Days Nursery 32 Reservoir Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, West Midlands, B16 9EG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/07/2013 02/04/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Children thoroughly enjoy their time at this highly welcoming nursery. Practitioners have an excellent understanding of how children learn, this enables children to explore, make their own discoveries, solve problems and learn skills for life to ensure they are ready for the next stages in their learning.  Practitioners know all children attending exceptionally well, and offer them an extensive range of stimulating activities and experiences linked directly to their interests and developmental needs. The excellent focus on learning in the outdoor environment facilitates children's success and enjoyment.  Parental involvement in children's learning is highly valued by the nursery. This is extensively promoted through parents' involvement in the planning and assessment arrangements, regular review meetings, workshops and stay and play sessions.  A very effective key person system helps children form secure attachments, and this

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This provision is outstanding

promotes their well-being very effectively. Excellent interaction and sensitive care experiences have a positive impact on children's independence, sense of belonging and well-being.  There are highly successful systems in place to evaluate and reflect upon practice and set challenging targets for future improvement. Close monitoring of the educational programmes is evident to maintain the highest level of achievement for all children in their care.

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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 nursery playrooms, the outside learning areas and accompanied practitioners and children on a visit to the local nature reserve, and reservoir.  The inspector held meetings with the provider, operational manager and managers.  The inspector spoke to children and practitioners during the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.  The inspector checked evidence of practitioners' suitability and qualifications.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of other records and policies relating to children's welfare, health and safety.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed the provider's self-evaluation form and other monitoring and evaluation procedures, including room improvement plans.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Early Days Nursery was registered in 1991 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery is situated in a Grade 2 listed building in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, and is managed by a private provider. Children are cared for in playrooms based on both floors of the premises and in an annexe. Children come from a wide catchment area. There are enclosed outdoor play areas.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 27 members of childcare staff, 21 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least level 2 or 3. A member of staff is working towards a degree level qualification, and the operations manager has a National Professional Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership and a Certificate in Education. The nursery also employs a cook, cleaner, administration staff and staff who help with gardening and maintenance.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is open each weekday, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round. There are currently 80 children on roll, 78 of whom are in the early years age range. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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

 enhance the already excellent outdoor learning environment by extending resources to further enhance children's literacy and number skills.

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who attend

Children are highly interested in learning and are very confident. They are very successfully supported by practitioners who have an excellent understanding of how children learn through play. As a result, children make outstanding progress across all areas of learning during their time at the nursery. Teaching techniques are strong across the nursery, and systems to assess children's starting points on entry and transition arrangements are exceptionally secure. This has a positive impact on the progress children make. Practitioners ensure there is sufficient time and space for children to concentrate on activities and experiences, in order to explore their own interests. Children enjoy variety and challenge in all activities, and show high levels of independence and curiosity as they play. For example, the older children's interests in cars resulted in a model making session on a grand scale, using planks of wood, tyres and string to make their own car. Some

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who attend

children thought about how to fit seatbelts, and one child located a plate in the room to use as a steering wheel. This shows children are fully supported in developing the characteristics of effective early learners.

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who attend

Planning, observation and assessments systems have been reviewed. They show a highly focussed and precise approach to planning by practitioners, which is based on children's interests, ideas and developmental needs. Planning evolves each day, and reflects observations of individual children during activities and their planned next steps in learning. Practitioners listen with genuine interest to children and show children that they value their contributions and suggestions. Older children show a keen interest in animals and insects. Plans show that children have discussions between themselves, for example, they talk about 'spiders having eight legs' and 'this has four wings', and suggest making a 'cake for the giraffe, a tree cake, with leaves, branches and hay'. Practitioners are committed, dedicated and enthusiastic in their roles; they clearly enjoy working with children and their families. Practitioners join in activities and they are highly effective in

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who attend

role modelling play and learning. This helps children to develop skills and achieve their goals. For example, younger children are shown how to 'gently' clean the pet tortoise and handle the pet rabbit with care. Learning journals are being adapted throughout the nursery to encourage children's involvement in their learning. Children have started to decorate the front covers of their journals showing their wonderful creative skills. Journals are easily accessible to all children, and used to spark an interest and discussion between each child, their key person and their parents. Parents make very positive contributions to their children's learning at the nursery and contribute to planning with their own observations and ideas. Parents are provided with excellent opportunities to talk to practitioners about the progress their children are making.

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who attend

A highly inclusive approach to children's learning is evident, and children make choices and decisions about their play and learning throughout the day. Children are given time to think and respond to questions in their own time. Practitioners rapidly promote the prime areas of learning for the youngest children, so that they quickly develop their communication and language skills. Babies have close contact with practitioners who sit at their level and interact with them exceptionally well, responding very positively to their babbling sounds and first words. Older children in the nursery speak with confidence, and they happily share their views with practitioners and their peers, as highly positive relationships are in place. They are very keen to learn about letters and sounds, and children can recognise and are beginning to write their name. Daily group times are used exceptionally well to place a strong focus on promoting children's speaking and listening

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who attend

skills. Older children are encouraged to talk about their weekend, their families and how they are feeling and they also talk with excitement about going to 'big school', and are confident about the move onto their next phase in learning. Children quickly pick up on practitioners' comments and praise, when an older child says to the group, 'every child is sitting beautifully'. Every area in the nursery incorporates books for enjoyment and learning. During story time children listen attentively and comment about what happens next. Practitioners in the baby room use a lovely range of picture cards to emphasise and promote children's communication and develop their vocabulary. Children are very skilfully guided by practitioners think critically and solve problems as they play. Children's mathematical skills are fostered very effectively, as they learn about shapes, numbers, colour and size through play. Babies and younger children like to fill and

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who attend

empty containers, older children learn about shape and space as they complete puzzles and match, count and sort objects by colour and size. Children's understanding of the world is fostered very effectively. Younger children explore and investigate a wide range of electronic resources, which encourages their curiosity and thinking skills. Older children build on this by using computers and an interactive white board so that they understand about the use of information and communication technology in their lives. Children learn about diversity in a meaningful way and they develop an understanding about a variety of festivals and celebrations throughout the year. Parents come into nursery to share stories and songs from their own cultures with the children. Positive image resources and photographs help children to understand about similarities and differences in society, and help them to understand about the needs of others.

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who attend

Extensive opportunities are available for children to develop their creative skills and use their imagination. They use a wide variety of resources, and use their senses exploring different materials and textures. For example, children love to paint, play in shaving foam and explore the contents of their treasure baskets. All children have excellent opportunities to play and learn in the outdoor environment, with free access from inside to outside available for the majority of children. The outdoor play space is a real strength of the nursery. Children also enjoy visits to a local shop to buy the ingredients for baking and have regular trips to the local nature reserve and reservoir to have a picnic, observe wildlife and feed the ducks. All children use the outdoor play spaces with confidence and great enthusiasm. Children love to explore the properties of sand, water and soil, using a range of equipment to sustain their interest, such as pots, sieves, and a variety of

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who attend

containers and tubes. Children learn about objects that float or sink in water and they like digging in the soil to make 'porridge' and mixing sand and water together to make 'chocolate cake'. Younger children squeal with delight when they touch the wind chime and listen to the sound it makes. Children explore and investigate a range of natural resources both indoors and outside, such as hay, shells, fire cones and logs. They plant seeds and grow sunflowers, and they like to water the strawberry plants. Practitioners make sure all aspects of children's learning are fully incorporated in the outdoor play space and the provision is excellent. Children use a wide range of resources to stimulate and support their learning. For example, children can practise their early mark-making skills with paint and chalks, make models with building blocks, pedal bikes and ride on scooters. The management team have identified an area for improvement in the outdoor

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who attend

play space, by extending the range of resources to further enhance children's learning in literacy and number skills outdoors.

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who attend

The very well-resourced learning environment, excellent organisation of planning and practitioners' secure knowledge of children's next steps in their learning helps to ensure that every opportunity is made to support and extend children's learning across all areas. Practitioners are highly skilful in the way in which they use adult-led and child-initiated activities to question and challenge children's thinking. Interaction between practitioners and every child is exceptionally strong. Children are very well prepared for the next stages in their learning, and they are very successfully supported in their transition into school.

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

Children are extremely happy, settled and thrive in this very warm and welcoming nursery. Practitioners know the children very well. From the outset practitioners and managers spend time talking to parents about their child's individual needs, and for younger children, their daily routines and specific care needs. Children have a settling-in period which is flexible to suit both the child and parent. Excellent relationships with parents ensure every child's needs are met and their well-being is promoted very successfully. Practitioners talk to the children in a very caring and respectful manner. They provide children with a highly nurturing environment where every child is made to feel special. The key person system works exceptionally well, and practitioners are able to give a very detailed overview of each child's progress and unique characteristics. Transitions between rooms within the nursery are very carefully planned to make this a smooth and easy move

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

for individual children. Children show an extremely strong sense of belonging. This is evident in the way older children talk to practitioners; they have a lovely and confident rapport with them, and babies and younger children move close to a trusted practitioner when a visitor enters their room.

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

Children have excellent opportunities to play outdoors. This means they can play with older and younger children and engage in activities and discussions with other practitioners. This eases transitions between rooms and further promotes children's confidence and develops a strong sense of security and belonging. Every room in the nursery is very welcoming, and the good organisation of the rooms provides children with brilliant opportunities to initiate their own play and learn comfortably at their own pace. Superb resources cover every aspect of learning and are easily accessible. Each room has a cosy area where children can sit and relax, look at books or listen to a story.

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

Partnerships with parents and carers are excellent. The nursery places great value in ensuring that parents develop a sense of belonging and have a say in the care and well- being of their children. The nursery communicates very effectively with parents, for example, they have a parent forum, workshops, and play and stay sessions, provide information about planning and activities and produce informative newsletters. A recent innovative idea resulting from a discussion with parents resulted in the introduction of a 'wakey, wakey, rise and shine' session for children at breakfast time held in the dining room. A buffet breakfast is provided, and parents are very welcome to join their child for breakfast before going onto work. Practitioners actively seek children's views to find out about things they like or dislike at the nursery and act on these to ensure children's contributions are valued.

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

Inclusive practice is very successful. Excellent provision is in place to secure timely intervention and support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to ensure they achieve well. Established multi-agency links provide extensive access to specialist knowledge, skills and resources. Transition arrangements for the children's next phase in their learning are very well supported through established and valuable links with local schools. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported very well. Practitioners work closely with parents to ensure children settle in the nursery and find out some key words and phrases in their home language. Some practitioners in the nursery are bilingual, and this further supports children's developing communication and language skills.

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

Children's behaviour is excellent. Practitioners are excellent role models and gently reinforce positive behaviours. They talk to children about kind hands, sharing and taking turns. An excellent emphasis is placed on children's personal, emotional and social development from an early age. Babies and younger children take part in one to one and group activities. This helps children form very positive relationships with practitioners and their peers. Practitioners help children to explore their feelings and to understand their unique qualities and characteristics, while learning to appreciate those of others. Independence skills are promoted very successfully. Older children help to set the table at lunchtime and children serve themselves food. Excellent hygiene practices are in place for all children to minimise the risk of cross-infection, with high standards in place with regards to food safety, nappy changing and personal care routines.

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

Excellent attention is given to encouraging children to adopt healthy lifestyles. Children's dietary needs are met exceptionally well. They benefit from freshly cooked, nutritious lunchtime meals, and an excellent range of fresh fruit is always available. Individual dietary needs are well catered for. Children help themselves to snacks, such as breadsticks and fresh fruit, and drinking water is easily accessible to all children. Parents have been influential in contributing their ideas and own recipes to the nursery menu. For example, children enjoy Caribbean chicken, Polish dumplings and Portuguese one pot pasta. Children rest and sleep according to their individual needs. They have clean bedding, cosy spaces to sleep, and settle down listening to sleep time music with their own comforters brought from home. Children's safety and well-being is given high priority as they play in a safe and secure environment. Risk assessments are thorough and regularly updated to

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

reflect any changes in the environment. Practitioners are vigilant and supervise the children very well. Children develop a very good understanding of how to keep themselves safe at the nursery and while on outings. They learn about road safety and know how to follow the procedures when they practise the fire drill.

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provision

The management team and practitioners have an excellent understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. High priority is given to safeguarding children, and there is an exemplary range of regularly reviewed policies and procedures to ensure children's welfare and safety. Safeguarding policies and procedures are comprehensively understood by practitioners and designated individuals. Practitioners demonstrate a high level of commitment to promoting children's safety and well-being. Safeguarding information is displayed throughout the nursery which ensures parents are fully informed about the role of the nursery with regards to protecting children.

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provision

The nursery has very robust recruitment, vetting and induction procedures in place to ensure practitioners' suitability to work with children. New practitioners are supported very effectively, with induction reviews, and they are linked to an experienced practitioner within the nursery who can provide support and guidance. The management team regularly review their procedures to fully ensure practitioners' ongoing suitability to continue in their role. They continually reflect on practice and review how well they are working to meet children's needs, and keep them safe. Very successful supervision meetings and annual appraisals take place to ensure a clear focus on safeguarding, high quality care and education and practitioners' professional development. Comprehensive risk assessments cover all aspects of the premises and outings. Accidents involving children are analysed each month to highlight any reviews required to the risk

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provision

assessments and to identify any areas of concern. Access to the premises is very closely monitored; closed-circuit television covers the entrance doors, outside areas and playrooms. Parents spoken to during the inspection say they are reassured about the vigilance and high regard placed on children's safety and access to the premises. These very good security precautions contribute towards children's safety. All children benefit from high levels of care because the very committed practitioner team ensure all children feel safe, achieve well and are fully included in all activities.

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provision

Parents and carers are extremely well informed about how the provision operates, and their child's progress, achievements and daily experiences. The nursery operates an open door policy and all parents are encouraged to be actively involved in planning activities and in their child's learning at home. Each child has a learning journal record which gives a very good overview of their achievements, and photographs clearly show children's enjoyment during their time at nursery. Regular assessments also identify any gaps in individual children's learning. These issues are promptly addressed, with clear and focused plans put in place to ensure all children achieve as well as they can. Individual education plans and play plans are well targeted and implemented within daily activities and routines to ensure children make as much progress as they can at their own level.

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provision

Parents and carers speak very highly about the setting, the management and practitioner team. They talk about the exceptional professionalism of caring practitioners, the excellent progress children are making and how the nursery keeps them fully informed about their child's well-being and achievements. Some parents describe the nursery as 'brilliant' and 'perfect'. It is evident from discussions with parents and carers during the inspection that they very much appreciate what this nursery achieves for their children. The management team are highly responsive to any concerns raised about the provision; they investigate concerns in detail providing a full and effective response about any issues raised with them. Transitions for children when they move to other nurseries or onto school are very well thought out. The nursery has highly effective links with local schools, and this means that some teachers are able to visit the nursery prior to children joining them. Information

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provision

is shared about children's learning and development, and these partnerships are working very well. This means that children are confident about the changes taking place as they move onto their next phase of learning.

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provision

Leadership and management is outstanding. The provider is extensively involved with the nursery on a daily basis. High aspirations are shared amongst the management team and practitioners which means children's needs are met extremely well. Fully embedded continuous improvement and self-evaluation means the nursery offers children excellent care and education. Superb teamwork and focused leadership is highly successful in inspiring practitioners, who constantly evaluate the learning environment and look at how they can enrich the experiences for children. Monitoring all aspects of practice to inform continuous improvement is rigorous. This includes the educational programmes to ensure they have sufficient depth, breadth and challenge and reflect the aptitudes, needs and interests of the children, together with an assessment of the quality of teaching and learning overall. As a result, children develop the skills necessary for future life, and make

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provision

outstanding progress in all aspects of their learning and development.

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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 227184 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 913605

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 61 Number of children on roll 80 Name of provider Early Ventures Ltd Date of previous inspection 02/04/2009 Telephone number 0121 456 5550

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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

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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