Mama Bear's Day Nursery

Mama Bear's Day Nursery South Devon College, Long Road, PAIGNTON, Devon, TQ4 7EJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30/07/2013 21/02/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 1 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

 Staff have an excellent knowledge of how children learn. They plan exciting activities for children, which means they make very good progress in their learning and development.  Staff have a very effective partnership with parents and outside agencies, to support exceptionally good continuity to meet children's care and learning needs.  Children have access to an excellent range of toys and resources, with which they can safely play with both indoors and in the outside play areas.  Children behave extremely well and have an excellent rapport with the staff and their friends.

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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 the children at play in the playrooms and the outside play areas.  The inspector and the manager undertook a joint observation in the baby room.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked with the manager, the deputy manager, staff and some parents during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed a sample of children's assessment records planning documentation and policies.

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Information about the setting

Mama Bear's Day Nursery registered in 2011, taking over an existing nursery at these premises. It is one of a group of 17 nurseries in the South West, which are operated by the same family owned company. The purpose built nursery is in the grounds of South Devon College, on the outskirts of Paignton, Devon. Children have access to a secure outdoor play area and use of several college facilities. The nursery provides childcare for students and staff of the college, as well as welcoming children from the wider community.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm, with the flexibility of an extra session operating until 7pm on request. It operates for 51 weeks of the year, closing between Christmas and New Year. A holiday play-scheme, 'Wild Bears' operates from a room within the college, near to the main sports hall or in the nursery. The holiday club runs during each school holiday from 8am to 6pm each weekday. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. Currently there are 121 children on roll in the early years age group. The nursery receives funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children with English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 16 staff, including the manager, an administrator and a cook. The majority of staff hold recognised childcare qualifications.

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

 consider developing the use of sign language by all members of staff to further support communication with all children and parents.

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who attend

Children are making excellent progress in their learning and development. They are extremely happy and secure and are supported by staff that are highly effective and very positive and know the children well. The children are confident to introduce themselves and their friends to visitors and show them what they are doing. This demonstrates that they feel safe, secure and have excellent self-esteem. Children are encouraged to say how they are feeling and have a 'Feeling Tree' that they stick leaves on to show the staff. This helps staff to fully support children with their emotions. Throughout the nursery excellent displays show what the children have been doing. Staff are constantly taking photographs as the children play to display on the walls and to include in children's scrapbooks. Even the youngest children enjoy pointing to their photographs displayed, saying 'that is me'. Children take delight in recalling what they have been doing in the nursery and sharing

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who attend

news of the recent holidays they have enjoyed.

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who attend

Children have a key person to support them as they play. The staff know their key children very well and plan extremely effectively to support their individual interests and their next steps in their learning and development. Observations and assessments are completed on the children to monitor the progress they are making and to share this with parents. This ensures parents are fully involved in their child's learning and development. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported extremely well by staff. All families are warmly welcomed to the nursery, and staff gain key words in children's home language so they can fully support them. Staff work closely with outside agencies when caring for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This enables them to provide highly consistent support to children to meet their care and learning needs exceptionally well. In addition, one to one support is organised for children

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who attend

when required to help them reach their full potential.

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who attend

Staff work highly effectively as a team and present as very positive role models to the children. They skilfully ask effective questions giving children thinking time to respond and explain their own ideas. The staff plan interesting activities for children to support their early learning including heuristic and sensory play. Children are very eager to learn and show interest in why things happen and what will happen next. They have an exciting environment in which to play with an excellent range of planned activities to captivate their interests and extend their learning. For example, children make rockets and volcanoes that erupt with bottles filled with vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. The staff extend children's thinking by encouraging them to consider how they can make space dust from a volcano, with the children deciding they can use flour, sugar, glitter and add food colouring.

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who attend

Children are supported very well in their play due to the excellent range of resources that are readily available for them to choose from. They enjoy role play and change the role play area indoors to support their individual interests and what they have been doing. For example, changing it from a travel agents to a campsite as children have been on camping holidays. They have access to good props to support them as they develop the role play area, such as logs to make the camp fire. Children are prepared well for planned visits to the nursery, for example, from the dentist. The staff set up the role play area as a dentist for the children with tools and props to prepare them in readiness to have their teeth checked, and to support their understanding of how to care for their teeth. This helps children feel confident about new experiences and promotes their understanding of caring for their bodies.

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who attend

The staff plan effectively to support children's learning and development but are also flexible to follow the children's own ideas, such as children looking for spiders outdoors and then deciding they want to draw them. This is well supported by resources, such as paper, crayons and pencils being readily available, which also supports children's early writing skills. Children show awe and wonder in all that they do, for example, watching the African land snails, and giving them cucumber to eat and looking at the teeth marks they make on the cucumber. Staff support children extremely well as they play, for instance, talking about what children like to eat and healthy foods. Children are fascinated as large lumps of ice filled with items, such as jewellery begins to thaw, they are delighted when a piece becomes free so they can wear it. The children engage extremely well together chatting happily as they play and say 'what will happen next'.

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who attend

Children have free-flow play to the excellent well-equipped outside play areas, which have a wide range of resources and well set up equipment to encourage them to use their own ideas and imaginations, such as a mud kitchen and pulley. Children have an allotment area where they can dig for potatoes and they enjoy smelling the herb baskets that they have helped to plant, making comments that one smells 'like toothpaste'. Children are able to use some of the college facilities, which extends children's experiences very effectively. Staff take the children to the horticultural department with willow domes and to see the college animals. Children also have use of the college sensory room, sports hall and dance rooms. This provides additional support to promoting children's physical development in a wide variety of ways.

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who attend

Children are prepared very well for moves between the rooms in the nursery through introductory visits. The older children confidently ask during the day to visit their younger siblings and staff take them. This positively supports children's family relationships and enables younger and older children to spend time together. Children are prepared extremely well in readiness for starting school. For example, they are confident to stand up at circle time and share their home news, and manage their personal needs independently. An area is set up with photos of the schools that children will be going to and of their new teacher and the school uniforms they will be wearing. The nursery welcomes teachers to come into the nursery to meet the children. This enables their teacher to meet children in an environment where children feel relaxed and at ease. This helps children to be very well prepared for their move to school.

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

Children behave extremely well. They are thoughtful and kind to each other as they play and share very well. The staff are consistent with how they manage behaviour and children receive excellent praise and encouragement as they play. This promotes children's self-esteem extremely well. Children learn to keep themselves each other safe as they play. For example, when playing outside and they know they must walk indoors. Children new to the nursery have the opportunity to play in small groups. This supports them to feel safe and secure, and to settle quickly.

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

Younger children are supported very well to support their emotional well-being and to meet their individual routines. Their daily routine is recorded and shared with parents. This ensures that parents are kept very well informed of how their child's day has been. Children have an exceptionally nurturing environment in which to learn and develop. The younger children have an extremely comfortable and well-resourced area in which to play and rest. The layout of the outside play areas enables the younger children to look over the fence to talk to the older children and staff when playing outside. This also helps them to prepare for moves between the rooms and make new friends. Staff interact very effectively with their key children to support them to make excellent progress in their learning and development and for changing rooms. As a result, children are extremely well supported during times of change. The older children are prepared exceptionally well in

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

readiness for starting school. They are extremely confident and eager to learn. The children concentrate very effectively at their chosen tasks. They share and take turns extremely well and show consideration as they play with their friends, and show interest in what each other are doing as they play.

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

Children have nutritious meals cooked on the premises. Their individual dietary needs are known and catered for very effectively. Children of all ages enjoy a self-service snack time and the older children confidently pour their own drinks. Meal times are very social occasions and the older children develop their independent skills by serving themselves. Children eat heartily and confidently ask for seconds. They learn excellent social skills at meal times. Children are confident to say if they do not like the desert and know they can help themselves to a piece of fruit. They benefit from fresh air each day and enjoy playing in the well resourced outside play area, where they have a mud kitchen, which they know to take turns to play in. They have ride on toys to support their physical development, and enjoy exploring, investigating and choosing where they want to play between indoors and outside. Children confidently select resources to take outside to play, such as magnifying

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

glasses. The younger children have a separate area in which to play to ensure they are safe as the older children run and play freely.

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provision

The leadership and management of the nursery is extremely strong. Staff are supported very well by the manager and senior management team. The staff are extremely enthusiastic and work very effectively as a team. They demonstrate an excellent understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and how to support children through play. They plan very effectively to ensure that children have an excellent range of play opportunities. As a result, children make rapid progress in their learning and development and their individual needs and routines are extremely well supported. There are vigorous procedures in place for appointing new staff and very good induction procedures in place to ensure they develop an excellent understanding of the well-documented policies and procedures they must follow. There are robust procedures in place to ensure that staff remains suitable to work with children. Safeguarding children is

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provision

given a high priority. The staff and management have an excellent knowledge of procedures to follow in the event of a child protection concern. The staff have supervision and appraisals to monitor their progress and to identify any areas for further training. The staff demonstrate a strong commitment to undertaking further training to support their professional practice. Some staff have undertaken sign language training to aid further communication with parents and to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children who speak English as an additional language. Currently, not all staff have received this training to further support communication with all parents and children.

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provision

The staff give children's safety a high priority. They are supervised extremely well at all times. There are secure procedures in place to ensure children's safe arrival and departure from the setting. Risk assessments are completed of all areas used in the nursery and the areas the nursery use on the college campus. In addition, staff undertake daily checks of all areas used in the nursery prior to children's arrival to minimise any potential hazards to children. Fire drills are practised with the children and include parents if they are collecting their child. This promotes everyone's clear understanding of the procedure to follow in the event of an emergency.

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provision

The nursery has an excellent partnership with parents keeping them extremely well informed on a daily basis how their child has been and what they have been doing. There is a wealth of information displayed for parents throughout the nursery showing what the children have been doing, including photographs of their child at play. The nursery work very effectively with parents to support good child care strategies, such as behaviour management. Informative displays support parents with their child's learning and development at home, for example, they are encouraged to borrow resources, such as 'story bags'. Parents are kept very well informed on the progress their child is making through daily discussions and informative learning journals that parents are encouraged to add comments too about the progress their child is making at home. The nursery has extremely good links with outside agencies to support children's individual needs and

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provision

other settings that children attend. This supports a shared approach to children's learning and development. Parents' speak highly of the provision and value the care their child receives and the information they receive to support them to be fully involved in their child's learning and development.

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provision

The nursery is extremely pro-active in monitoring their provision to provide an enriching learning environment for children to progress. They plan awe inspiring activities to provide children with challenge and to support each child in their own learning and development. A self-evaluation document and action plans are completed to constantly monitor the provision and the learning environment for children. The management and staff have extremely high expectations of themselves to provide an excellent learning environment for children.

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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 EY434985 Local authority Torbay Inspection number 924878

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 78 Number of children on roll 121 Name of provider Mama Bear's Day Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 21/02/2012 Telephone number 01803540578

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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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