Brook Green Early Years

Brook Green Early Years Hillside Childrens Centre, Eastwick Road, TAUNTON, Somerset, TA2 7HD

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/07/2013 19/03/2013

p.1

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

p.1

This provision is good

 Children are happy and confident because staff know them well, interact warmly with them and help them feel secure.  Children engage in a variety of interesting and stimulating activities, which supports them to make good progress in all areas of learning.  Staff ensure children's safety is given a high priority, and arrangements for safeguarding children promotes their welfare effectively.  Children's dietary needs are met well through the provision of freshly cooked nutritious meals and snack.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 Although staff plan a range of activities that encourage them to sort, talk about size, position and pattern, children have fewer opportunities to count and use mathematical language to extend their thinking.  Arrangements to gain all parents views to support the self-evaluation of the nursery are not fully in place.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities both inside and outdoors.  The inspector spoke with the manager, staff members, parents and children.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including staff suitability checks, children's records and planning records.

p.2

Information about the setting

Brook Green Early Years registered at its current location in 2005 and is a committee run group. It operates from purpose-built accommodation at Hillside Children's Centre in Taunton, Somerset. Children have access to an open-plan room with one end separated to accommodate younger children and babies. There are adjacent child-sized toilet facilities and an enclosed outdoor area. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register, and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 60 children in the early year's age group on roll.

p.3

Information about the setting

The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, throughout the year, except for bank holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children who are learning to speak English as a additional language. There are 11 members of staff working directly with children. The manager holds a degree in early childhood studies and two members of staff holds Qualified Teacher Status. Six members of staff have early years qualifications at Level 3 and two staff are working towards gaining Level 2 qualifications.

p.3

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

 enhance children's understanding of number further during practical activities and discussions, for example, by providing opportunities for them to combine and separate groups of objects and to use vocabulary involved in adding and subtracting

p.3

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

 extend opportunities for all parents to be involved in the nursery's self-evaluation.

p.3

who attend

Children make good progress across all areas of learning because staff have a strong understanding of how young children learn. Children excitedly engage in a range of stimulating and challenges experiences, which supports them successfully to move on to the next stage in their learning. Ongoing observations enable staff to identify where children are progressing well and to plan activities to promote children's further good progress. Staff know the children well through the effective key person system and consequently children's individual needs are well planned for and successfully met. Children develop the skills and abilities to support them well when they move to school. For example, the older children benefit from good opportunities to practise their early writing skills.

p.3

who attend

Staff use the 'Every Child a Talker' programme which has helped them to use language effectively when interacting with children. They ask questions that encourage children to think and communicate, which successfully supports their language development. Children enjoy threading beads to make a necklace. They compare size and talk about the patterns and colours of the beads. They concentrate well and happily share the beads between them. This supports their personal social and emotional development. Children talk about the colours in their home language and staff encourage children to share other words they know with the group of children. This helps to build children's confidence to speak in a group and makes them feel valued as an individual. There is some good quality teaching during this activity. However, staff do not routinely extend children's learning further. For example, children have too few opportunities to combine two groups of objects or make

p.4

who attend

Children engage enthusiastically in role play and dress up as a princess or super hero. They confidently engage in conversation about having a party and sharing a birthday cake. They count out the number of cupcakes so that every child has one each and talk about this being 'fair'. They pretend to talk on the telephone and when one child pretends to fall asleep at the table, another tells her to wake up and gives her a cuddle. This shows they use their imaginations well. Children enjoy sharing books with their friends both inside and outdoors. They listen well at group time to a story. They wait patiently for their name to be called before they choose a piece of fruit from the bag and put it into the basket as the member of staff narrates the story. This actively involves the children and helps to maintain their interest.

p.4

who attend

Babies enjoy a spacious, warm and welcoming room to move around and explore in safety. They also have daily access to the outdoor play area. Babies explore with investigative objects, pressing buttons, shaking rattles and placing objects inside containers. Babies and younger children have lots of warm interaction and eye contact with staff, who respond to their gurgles and early attempts to form words. They thoroughly enjoy the cuddles they receive, and show their delight by smiling happily.

p.4

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

Effective information is gained from parents when children first start at the nursery. This enables staff to effectively meet children's individual care and learning needs right from the beginning. Children are confident and settle well, which shows they have a strong sense of belonging in the setting. They develop very good relationships with staff, including the manager who they warmly welcome when she enters the room. This demonstrates that they feel safe. Through good deployment of staff and high levels of interaction, children develop good self-esteem and the effective key person system helps children to form secure attachments. For example, babies snuggle in to staff when they have woken from their sleep and staff effectively reassure them, allowing them time to wake properly before going to play. This strongly promotes children's feelings of being content.

p.4

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

Personal routines are discussed with parents and staff effectively support these, such as nappy changing and sleep routines. Children's self-care skills are developing well. They show a strong sense of independence as they use the bathroom independently, attempt to put their dressing up clothes on and fasten their own shoes. This prepares children well when they move on to school. Children learn about good hygiene routines and benefit from the freshly cooked nutritious meals provided by the nursery. They confidently talk to the staff about which foods are good for them, they make healthy choices and pour their own drinks successfully. Children's physical development is well promoted. They develop their physical skills as they ride on wheeled toys down the slope in the nursery garden. Outside they make sand castles, enjoy water play and listen to stories. Children can choose to play inside or outdoors which further promotes their independence and better

p.5

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

supports children that learn more effectively in the outdoors environment.

p.5

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

Staff interact warmly with the children. They act as good role models because they are respectful to one another and are kind, caring and sensitive to the children's needs. Consequently, children learn to behave well. Staff praise and encourage the children in all that they do. This means they feel valued and gain in confidence and self-esteem. Staff teach children to be aware of their safety. For example, staff talk to children about not running inside and to be careful as they go down the hill outside. Children regularly practise the evacuation procedure, which promotes their good understanding of how to leave the premises safely in the event of an emergency.

p.5

provision

Staff have a good understand of their responsibilities to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Thorough safeguarding procedures are in place to promote the safety and welfare of the children in the nursery. In addition, robust recruitment, vetting, induction and appraisal ensure the ongoing suitability of staff to work with children. This includes the completion of criminal records checks on all staff and procedures to ensure anyone whose checks are not complete are not left unsupervised with children. Staff are happy in their work and feel well supported by their colleagues and the manager. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of child protection issues and are knowledgeable about the reporting procedures to follow if they have concerns for a child in their care. Risk assessments are carried out and daily checks help ensure areas of the nursery are safe and secure. Safeguarding is given the highest

p.5

provision

priority by all the staff team. Children are well supervised at all times both inside and outdoors and there are good systems in place to ensure correct child to adult ratios are met and well maintained.

p.5

provision

Staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements. The educational programme is effectively monitored to ensure that a broad range of interesting and stimulating activities is always available, taking account of individual needs and interests. Planning and assessment is closely reviewed for each child so that all staff members have a clear understanding of children's next steps and any identified gaps are quickly addressed.

p.5

provision

Self-evaluation and reflection from the staff team is strong. The manager and staff team have worked incredibly hard since their last inspection to address actions and recommendations raised. This includes the implementation of the progress check for children at age two and a more effective key person system. The manager and staff team have welcomed support from the local authority to develop and implement a quality improvement plan to help improve practice. This all means that they have a clear understanding of how to take the provision forward. However, at the present time not all parents have the opportunity to formally contribute to the nursery's self-evaluation.

p.6

provision

Partnership with parents, other providers and external agencies are good. Effective communication and sharing of information contributes well to meeting children's needs. Parents' comment how happy they are with the progress their children have made since starting nursery. They state that their children are very happy, and that they appreciate the daily feedback about what they have done. This keeps parents fully informed about their children and helps them to feel involved in their child's learning. Good communication with others involved in the children's care, such as other early years settings and health professionals, helps provide a consistent and shared approach to children's learning. This is particularly effective to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.6

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

p.6

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.

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number EY316345 Local authority Somerset Inspection number 924614 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 29 Number of children on roll 60 Name of provider Ladymead Under Fives(Taunton) Committee Date of previous inspection 19/03/2013 Telephone number 01823 353072

p.8

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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

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,

p.9

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’.

p.10

Type of provision

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

p.10