Little Owls Nursery Swarcliffe

Swarcliffe Children's Centre Daycare Early Years Centre, Langbar Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS14 5ER

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/07/2013 23/08/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children make good progress in their learning and development, through the rich and varied environment, that is successfully organised to motivate them to learn and engage in activities.  Children are confident and act independently in their surroundings, because of the robust settling-in routine.  Children's learning is actively supported at home, because practitioners fully support parents and include them in their child's progress.  Practitioners have a good understanding of the learning and development requirements. This is because their professional development is rigorously monitored and there is a good overview of the educational programme.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to improve how practitioners support children's language development, to further increase children's achievements in this aspect of learning.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching and activities in the play area and garden.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day and information from the assessments.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the deputy manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessments records and planning documentation and checked evidence of appropriate training and discussed the hard copy self- evaluation form.

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Information about the setting

Swarcliffe Children's Centre Daycare was registered in 1993. It is registered on the Early Years Register. It is situated in a purpose-built building in the residential area of Swarcliffe in Leeds. The Children's Centre is one of several childcare provisions owned and managed by Leeds City Council. The children's centre serves the local area and is accessible to all children. Children have access to four enclosed outdoor play areas. In addition to the childcare facilities, the children's centre offers the local community a base for other groups to meet and support families. The children's centre is open Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, for 52 weeks of the year, excluding bank holidays. Children attend for a variety of sessions.

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Information about the setting

The children's centre employs 22 members of childcare staff, including the manager. Of these, 20 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, 3 and 6, including two with Qualified Teacher Status and one with Early Years Professional Status. There are currently 113 children attending, who are in the early years age group. The children's centre 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.

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

 refine how practitioners support children's language development, for example, by improving how they expand children's vocabulary during activities.

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who attend

Practitioners provide a good balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities. They pay close attention to what children want to do and help them to achieve it. For example, children in the under two's room are curious about how the musical toys work and explore various ways of playing them. This is then extended by their key person and they dance to the sounds they make, as well as the music playing in the background. Children in the over two's room fully engage in play. They mix the sand and water in the large central tray and extend their tactile experience by stepping into the water to explore the texture of the sand on their feet. Outdoors, children in the pre-school room take risks; lifting their feet off the ground as they ride the bikes down the incline. This means that they have regular opportunities to think critically and find new ways to do things. Children's communication and language skills are effectively promoted through a generally rich

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who attend

language environment. Practitioners listen well to children and skilfully encourage them to recall their holiday and home life to support their listening and thinking skills. Children confidently select their favourite story and listen attentively as it is read to them. Children, who need support with their speech and language, are very well supported by practitioners. They are trained by speech therapists and plan interesting activities to promote children's language development. However, on occasion, practitioners do not give them enough time to make connections between verbal and visual prompts before moving on. This sometimes does not enhance all opportunities for learning. For example, during an activity requiring children to post picture cards of items, the emphasis is on the colour of the items, rather than their name, shape and size. There is therefore, scope to improve how practitioners support children's language and communication skills, by refining their

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who attend

questions and giving more time for children to answer them.

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who attend

Practitioners successfully use planned activities to promote the prime and specific areas of children's learning and development. For example, the aim of the 'movement' activity in the pre-school room is to support children in exploring different ways of moving. Children are accomplished in twirling the ribbons and confidently skip to the music. Children in the under two's garden are beginning to develop their skill in walking along the wide balancing beam. On reaching the end, practitioners give them the choice to climb down, or jump down. This means that children develop skills to move with confidence. Planned activities also include mathematics. This results in children learning to count, for example, through mathematical songs. All children's enthusiasm for learning is good. As a result, they are making good progress in the prime and specific areas of learning and are developing the key skills for their future learning in readiness for school.

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who attend

Children's ongoing assessments include concise information from parents. This is successfully used as their starting points to monitor their progress and plan for the next steps in their learning. Practitioners also include children's interests to extend their enjoyment of activities. For example, the outdoor painting activity changed to box painting, because children found a box in the garden. The progress check at age two includes where children are in their development and their strengths. It also includes how their learning can be further supported at home. Parents are regularly supported in promoting their children's learning. For example, children borrow books from the provision to read with their parents. This means that parents are encouraged to be actively involved in their children's learning.

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

There is a robust settling-in routine. This includes home visits to get to know children in surroundings familiar to them and to meet their key person. As a result, when children first start the nursery they quickly form attachments with their key person and confidently seek them out. Practitioners work closely with parents to obtain detailed information about their children's care needs. This enables them to effectively support children, while they settle into the provision. The key person is also trained to give specialised care to their key children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This means that there is a good interchange of information, between the key person and parents, to effectively care for each child's individual needs.

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

Transitions to other rooms are managed very well. Children regularly visit their new room and during garden time the gates are opened between the pre-school room and the two- to-three-year old garden, so children can play together. Teachers visit children, who are leaving for school. Throughout the day children have plenty of opportunities to form relationships with their peers. Practitioners give children strategies to cope with children who misbehave toward them. Therefore, pre-school children confidently stand up for themselves.

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

Children act independently in the nursery and confidently access the resources available and know the routine well. For example, younger children independently gather around the sink before snack time to wash their hands. Children's health is actively promoted through free-flow outdoor play, which means that they have regular access to fresh air and exercise throughout the day. Lunch times are a social occasion for children. They sit around the table and talk about subjects that interest them. Children also learn about healthy eating through the nutritious meals provided. Practitioners are vigilant in promoting safety, therefore, children learn to take risks in a safe environment, such as negotiating the balance beam.

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provision

Practitioners have a good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements and of their legal obligation to notify Ofsted of any significant events, including allegations against practitioners. They make sure children are safe within the nursery and are constantly supervised. Practitioners demonstrate a strong understanding of child protection, including the whistle blowing policy and procedures to follow in the event of a concern. Practitioners are made aware of the local authority policy on whistle blowing at induction and the work station in the staff room has information about how to access the whistle blowing site through the internet. The robust recruitment procedure means that all adults working with children are qualified to do so. Leaders and managers have a strong understanding of their role in safeguarding children. For example, they ensure children are safe by using the disclosure and barring service, to ensure that all adults who work with

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provision

children are suitable to do so. They also keep an up-to-date record of this. Leaders and managers have also devised a concise safeguarding policy, which is shared with parents and practitioners.

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provision

The strong management team means that the educational programme is frequently monitored. This is done through progress meetings, planning meetings and room meetings. They also use a progress sheet to gain an overview of the curriculum and children's progress at a glance. Practitioner's professional development is consistently supported through training programmes. For example, the provision closes five times in the year for inset training days, which includes child protection training. The appraisal arrangements give practitioners opportunity to discuss their interests and secure training in this area. Managers also robustly monitor most aspects of the quality of teaching through observing how practitioners work with children and provide challenges to improve their skills.

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provision

Managers identify the setting's strengths and weaknesses through a devised self- evaluation form and action plans. Practitioners are involved in evaluating the provision and then this information is then amalgamated with the management's evaluation. Partnerships with parents are strong. For example, parents are encouraged to be involved in the evaluation of the provision through parent meetings, parent's forums and consultation meetings. Parents also have access to training courses, such as 'Oh Henry' to help them with appropriate portions when giving their children food. Plans for the future include re-organising the nursery provision to support the two-year-old funded children. Leaders and managers have very good links with other professionals, such as, speech therapists, an occupational therapist, nurses and the local and surrounding schools. This ensures that the practitioners have good information with which to support children's

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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 512403 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 924000

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 113 Name of provider Leeds City Council Date of previous inspection 23/08/2011 Telephone number 0113 2144161

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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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