Leigh Village Day Nursery

Leigh Village Day Nursery The Old Chapel, Elm Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, SS9 1SG

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30/04/2013 04/10/2012

p.1

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

p.1

This provision is good

 The staff demonstrate a good understanding of child development and use this information very effectively to challenge and stimulate the children. As a result, children make good progress in their learning and development.  The indoor and outdoor learning environments offer interesting and stimulating activities that engage children and build on their interests. This is complemented by a very good range of toys and resources.  Children's behaviour is good and they play co-operatively and happily with their peers. Staff act as good role models and treat children with kindness and respect.  The nursery's safeguarding procedures are robust and rigorous, promoting the welfare of all children who attend.  Effective links exist with local schools to promote smooth transitions and continuity in children's learning and development.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to develop further the opportunities for parents to play a more active role in their children's learning, to ensure that children's knowledge and skills are consolidated and extended effectively and staff have a complete all-round view of their development.

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 in the indoor and outdoor learning environments, this included a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held discussions with the staff and children.  The inspector viewed a sample of the children's 'learning journey' books.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector saw evidence of suitability and qualifications of the staff, risk assessment, policies and procedures and other documentation in relation to health and safety checks.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

p.2

Information about the setting

Leigh Village Day Nursery is one of three settings in the Southend area owned by Village Day Nurseries Limited. It originally opened in 1994 and changed ownership in 2008. It is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery operates from five playrooms within a converted chapel in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. There are three fully enclosed areas available for outdoor play. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children.

p.3

Information about the setting

The nursery employs 32 members of childcare staff. Of these, 26 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, and three staff hold qualifications at level 2. There are currently three staff attending training courses. The nursery also employs a cook, two cleaners and a gymnastics coach.

p.3

Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Opening times are from 7.30am until 6.30pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 117 children attending who are within the early years age group. 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.

p.3

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

 increase the opportunities that encourage parents to share information and become more involved in their children's learning and development by: improving the exchange of information about children's next steps, and by consistently encouraging parents to share their views about children's ongoing learning and development at home.

p.3

who attend

Children enjoy taking part in a wide range of activities and challenges which results in them making good progress across all the areas of learning. Teaching is based on a good understanding of how children learn best and staff have high expectations of them. As a result, children are eager and enthusiastic learners who benefit from good care and provision. Children are provided with interesting, first-hand opportunities to develop their critical thinking and investigate materials. For example, children have fun experimenting and predicting items that will float or sink in water. The curiosity and investigation skills of babies are well promoted, as they use their senses to explore colours, shapes and textures. They show great fascination in metallic shiny objects or colour changing lights.

p.3

who attend

The thoughtful organisation of the rooms and the well-planned activities means that children are able to make independent choices in their play. Low-level storage allows children throughout the nursery to make decisions and select resources for themselves. Books are available in each room so that children learn from an early age the pleasure of reading. Children recognise the links between sounds and letters and the many captions and labels in the environment indicate to them that words convey meaning. Children are particularly eager to point out their own names on their drawers or on displays. Some rooms have displays with photographs of the children's family members or significant people in their lives, in order to boost children's self-esteem by looking at and talking about those people who are special to them. Visitors to the nursery include police officers, who develop children's knowledge and understanding of the people who can help us.

p.4

who attend

Effective planning means that children are eager to move on to their next stage in their development in a fun and enabling environment. The staff use careful observations and assessments of children's achievements so that activities are planned in tune with their capabilities. Any concerns in children's development are identified at an early stage. This is because staff complete a progress summative report every three months. In addition, the completion of the progress check when children reach the age of two, ensures that younger children's development is tracked and early intervention is sought, when necessary. The key persons liaise with parents and other professionals, such as physiotherapists and the area special educational needs coordinator to ensure that all children can participate and enjoy the activities on offer. Children with English as an additional language are supported well. There are visual prompts throughout the nursery

p.4

who attend

to promote understanding and staff use a pictorial dictionary to enhance communication.

p.4

who attend

The nursery explores a variety of opportunities for parents to play a more active role in their children's learning. Some children take home the nursery's soft toys and stories are shared about their adventures with the family. Parents are also invited to come in to the nursery to share their skills and interests. For example, some parents and grandparents join the children in gardening activities and help the children learn simple French words and phrases. Parents are kept informed of what their children can do on a regular basis. However, the staff only record the targets for individual children on the planning documents, and not in the 'learning journey' books that parents get to see on a regular basis. This means that not all parents have useful information about the next steps the key persons identify, to enable them to consolidate and extend their children's learning at home. In addition, parents are not yet consistently encouraged to contribute their

p.4

who attend

observations of their children's ongoing development in the 'learning journey' books. Consequently, staff are not always obtaining a complete all-round view of children's interests and achievements.

p.4

who attend

Every day children take part in imaginative adult-led experiences. These are used well to support children in developing the skills they need in readiness for school. Early writing skills are developed as children access pencils, crayons and chalks and confidently write recognisable letters within everyday play. The staff continually develop children's language and extend vocabulary by asking open questions that invite interesting answers. Older children confidently use complex sentences to talk about their experiences, connect ideas and explain what is happening. Staff working with babies encourage them to make sounds in response to being spoken to and introduce simple words which they can imitate. Numeracy and counting is promoted well as children calculate the number of plates and cups needed on the table at meal times. Children extend their knowledge of technology when they use video cameras or the laptop computer and view their photographs on the

p.4

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

The majority of children are happy and settled in the nursery. Induction visits by new children and parents ensure that key persons become knowledgeable about the individual children in their care. The key persons gather information about care routines that enables them to tailor settling-in arrangements that are specific to children's needs. The staff's warmth and attentive support helps the children to feel at ease during sessions and increases their confidence. Staff are alert to the feelings of children, and suitably acknowledge them. For example, if children appear uncertain then they use known favourite activities or popular stories to help settle them. As children progress through the nursery they receive plenty of support to build their confidence in their new environment. For example, they make visits to their new room along with their key person which ensures they receive sensitive support during times of change. There are also good

p.5

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

partnerships in place with other settings that children attend. As a result, a shared approach to care and learning is achieved.

p.5

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

Children behave very well in the nursery. They are encouraged to help tidy toys away and respect their environment. Children learn about the importance of keeping themselves safe through activities and discussion. For example, staff talk with the children about the reasons why they need to wear sun lotion and sun hats when they go outside to play in warm weather. Children are encouraged to take controlled risks so that they learn how to keep themselves safe. They carefully use scissors and confidently learn how to climb the stairs when they go upstairs to the gymnasium. Children are prepared well for school as they are co-operative, independent, well behaved and can concentrate for long periods of time.

p.5

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

All children learn that exercise is fun, which promotes a good attitude to developing healthy lifestyles. Children benefit from fresh air each day and take part in a variety of physical challenges outdoors. They enjoy whizzing around the hard surface on sit and ride toys and show good control over their bodies as they stop, start and change direction. Inside, children have super opportunities to take part in physical activity sessions, such as yoga, dance and movement to music. Babies and toddlers benefit from learning important physical skills, such as crawling, standing and walking, climbing and balancing. Children are well nourished because they are provided with a good range of freshly prepared nutritious snacks and meals. They enjoy serving their own food and pouring their drinks. The staff ensure that they are fully aware of any allergies or dietary requirements, to meet individual needs. Children adopt good table manners because staff sit with them while

p.5

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

they eat and talk to them about the importance of healthy lifestyles. Babies and toddlers eagerly sit at the meal table displaying self-confidence and enjoyment in the company of others.

p.5

provision

The management team and staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities in meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The manager promotes a very positive approach to safeguarding. This means that staff know how to protect children, implementing well the many records, policies and procedures that underpin effective practice. The staff attend training to ensure their knowledge of current safeguarding procedures is up-to-date. As a result, staff know how to recognise any signs and symptoms of concern and also how these are to be referred to the appropriate persons.

p.6

provision

Although there have been recent changes to the staff team, the adults caring for children are experienced and well qualified. The deployment of staff is effective, which means that ratios of adults to children are maintained and children are closely supervised as they play. Recruitment procedures are robust and all the required background checks are carried out to confirm the suitability of new staff. In addition, all staff receive thorough induction training and this means they understand clearly their roles and responsibilities. The management maintains a high presence in the rooms and support staff as good mentors. Regular supervision ensures that the management know the training needs of all staff. Carefully targeted professional development enhances staff knowledge and the good practice in the setting. Frequent monitoring of assessment and planning, means children's individual needs and interests are met, and the next steps in their learning are accurately

p.6

provision

pinpointed to ensure good progress. The nursery has met the recommendations set at the last inspection. Children now have more access to resources that develop their understanding of technology. Monitoring and evaluation is more consistent and now sharply focussed on assessing the impact of staff's practice on children's learning and their well-being.

p.6

provision

The staff develop secure partnerships with parents. They relate well to parents, speaking with them in a professional manner. A wealth of information is displayed in the entrance hall to keep parents updated on events in the nursery. The staff in the baby rooms complete daily record sheets so that parents have full information about their children's care routines. Children and parents contribute towards the evaluation of the setting to drive improvement and ensure continuous development. The nursery is keen to hear the parents' views and quickly act if any concerns are raised. Parents attend forum meetings and surveys are carried out to obtain regular feedback. The majority of parents spoken to during this inspection express high levels of satisfaction with the service provided.

p.6

provision

The manager and staff understand the importance of working with other agencies and early years providers to help support children's ongoing learning and development. Parents are signposted for additional support, as and when necessary, to ensure children receive the help they need. The staff are proactive in linking with local schools to ensure that children seamlessly move on to full-time education.

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.7

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.8

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.8

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.9

Setting details

Unique reference number EY368849 Local authority Southend on Sea Inspection number 916471

p.9

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 100 Number of children on roll 117 Name of provider Village Day Nurseries Ltd Date of previous inspection 04/10/2012 Telephone number 01702 480077

p.9

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.

p.9

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.9

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.9

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.9

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.10

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.10

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.11

Type of provision

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

p.11