Treetops Toton

Treetops Nursery, Toton Minton Close, Chilwell, Beeston, NOTTINGHAM, Nottinghamshire, NG9 6PZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30/07/2013 15/10/2012

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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

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This provision is good

 Staff provide a stimulating and exciting environment where children are eager to investigate and explore. Consequently, children are making good progress towards the early learning goals.  Children are happy as they engage in lots of free play opportunities, with staff planning an additional range of interesting hands-on learning experiences for them to participate in. This enables them to learn through play.  Good partnership working with parents and feeder schools results in clear information being shared and exchanged which supports the continuity of care and learning for children.  The nursery is led by a highly competent manager. As a result, comprehensive policies and procedures to promote children's health, safety and welfare are fully in place and effectively implemented.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The organisation of routines, with particular regard to staggered lunchtimes, occasionally impacts on the quality of the learning provided. As a result, children are not always engaged in purposeful play  Occasionally staff working with the younger children do not always allow them time to talk and think about questions asked in order to formulate an answer. As a result, opportunities for younger children to think creatively and flexibly are not maximised.

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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 compulsory part 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 indoors and outdoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the manager and area manager at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and children spoken to on the day.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Information about the setting

Treetops nursery, Toton was registered in 2004. It is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a purpose built, detached premises in the Toton/Chilwell border area of Nottinghamshire, and is managed by Treetops Nurseries Limited. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from four rooms and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs ten members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 5; one holds a level 4 and four hold level 3.The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 69 children attending. 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.

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

 review the organisation of mealtimes, to ensure that children continue to be involved in play and activities that promote their learning, whilst they wait for lunch

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

 provide more time for younger children to respond to the questions asked of them by; allowing them time to develop their thought processes so they can think about what they want to say.

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who attend

All children attending the nursery have a good range of play opportunities available to them that cover the seven areas of learning. The staff demonstrate a secure knowledge of how to implement the Early Years Foundation Stage for each child in their care. Staff obtain relevant information from parents before their children start at the nursery, about their likes and capabilities. As a result, children settle quickly into nursery life because staff can provide activities that interest them from the start. Staff use this information effectively, along with their own initial assessment of the children, to form starting points on which to base future learning. Each child has a learning record that notes the progress they make during their time at the nursery. The staff track and monitor children to help them link the observations to the relevant areas of learning and to identify appropriate next steps in learning. All children have a regular summative assessment of their progress

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who attend

recorded under the different areas of learning. Parents' comments are valued and are included in this assessment. Since the last inspection the nursery has strengthened their planning arrangements. As a result, play experiences are closely linked to their learning and the identified next steps for individual children are used to inform the future planning. Staff successfully complete the progress check for those aged two years and identify any gaps in their learning quickly. Consequently, children are making good progress towards the early learning goals.

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who attend

Children's personal, social and emotional development is supported well. The staff have successfully implemented a feelings board where children can identify their emotions. This display is used on a daily basis for the children to put on their own names during the group activity, so the staff gain an understanding about how the children are feeling. Children are becoming more aware of their feelings as they explain to staff, 'I want my picture to come off sad, I don't want it to be sad when I come in the morning.' The children thoroughly enjoy the staff's exuberance and sensitive interaction in their play. They know when to get involved by making suggestions to extend the game or when introducing new vocabulary. They also understand the importance of allowing children to have time to explore and play freely. For instance, children and staff interact harmoniously as they chat and play in the water tray. Staff ask open ended questions such as, 'what

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who attend

else might you find in a river?' This supports older children's creative and critical thinking. Children mischievously squirt water at the staff, who respond by squirting them back. As a result, children receive playful interactions with the staff. Staff are able to bring this fun to a timely conclusion by suggesting the children use their water and bubbles to wash the cars. Children engage in imaginative play as they create a pretend car wash facility. They learn about the environment as they collect water from the water butt in order to conserve the tap water.

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who attend

The sensory garden and the planting area further promotes children's understanding of the world, with particular regard to growth and decay as they plant, nurture and harvest a selection of vegetables. Children enjoy uninterrupted play, making their own choices about where to play. However, occasionally children's continuing enjoyment of the opportunities provided is not as effectively sustained all the time. For example, when some children move indoors at the end of the morning session to have lunch, those children waiting for lunch are not always effectively engaged in purposeful experiences. Babies are curious when confronted with sensory, edible paint opportunities. They dip carrots into chocolate sauce, smell garlic and paint with celery and coloured icing sugar. They look to the member of staff who is supervising them for reassurance and respond to their warm smiles that it is fun to continue with their tactile experience. This reassurance encourages

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who attend

the youngest children to be confident, curious and relaxed in their play.

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who attend

Older children demonstrate very good control and skill as they pedal their bike, without stabilisers around the outdoor area. Staff show their delight in the children's developing physical skills. The outdoor garden offers children a wealth of opportunities to practice their physical skills, for instance, toddlers navigate the wobble bridge with the support of their key person. Pre-school children scramble up the 'rock wall' and slide down the other side. Staff in the baby and toddler rooms are thrilled when children take their first tentative steps. Toddlers and pre-school children come together to take part in dance classes. They listen carefully and follow instructions to perform the actions to popular music and traditional rhymes. This supports children to understand the effect of exercise on their bodies as they warm up and cool down.

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who attend

Children use the computer to play shape recognition and matching games, which promotes their mathematical, information and communication technology skills effectively. Toddlers enjoy the sensory activity of playing with dry flour and discover how the mixture changes from floury to solid as they add water to it. When playing in the flour, children are encouraged to recognise the patterns that they make with their fingers and use words such as 'squidgy' and 'rough' as they describe the texture. Staff use a very good running commentary to engage with the children, however, on occasions; those working with younger children do not always allow sufficient time for children to think before they respond to a question. As a result, opportunities for children to think creatively and flexibly are not maximised. The staff team are skilled in linking activities together to promote children's learning. For example, children who express an interest in robots are supplied

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who attend

with a number of large cardboard boxes. They create eye holes and wear the boxes on their heads. They talk with the staff about how they could make these into 'jet packs' for superheroes. This supports their expressive arts and design skills.

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who attend

Children who speak English as an additional language and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are well-supported. The staff work very closely with their parents and with any other agencies who are involved with them to discuss how their needs can be met most effectively. The staff have invested in resources, such as books and labels that show the dual languages which helps children feel supported at the nursery and that their home language is valued. Children are proud to be asked to visit another room to help settle a child who speaks their language. This supports a deep sense of belonging. Staff learn words in children's home language to help to ease the nursery settling-in process.

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who attend

Parents are highly regarded for their involvement in their children's learning. The staff encourage parents to provide information when they start attending about their children's interests and achievements at home. This continues during the child's time at the nursery through parents being asked to share information in a variety of ways. For example, each term, the staff share summative reports with the parents. Families also contribute valuable information to the planning board with interests, activities and achievements from home. Parents are kept very well-informed about the life of the nursery via the noticeboards, parent meetings and through daily chats to staff. Children under three receive a daily diary. Children are well-prepared for their move on to school. For example, the staff invite the teachers from the local school to visit the nursery. This year all teachers from feeder schools were able to attend the nursery. The nursery in turn take the children to visit their

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who attend

school which helps children to become familiar with the school environment and their teachers.

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

Staff greet children warmly on arrival. Children are well-settled and secure, and they enjoy trusting relationships with staff, which, in turn, are very caring towards children and treat them with respect and affection. This results in the warm, happy atmosphere that is clearly evident at this nursery and means that children's emotional well-being is well- promoted. Staff ensure they form close partnerships with parents and carers from the outset, as a result, they are well-informed about children's care needs, routines and preferences. The key person system is highly effective because children build trusting bonds with their key person and develop a strong sense of security and belonging. Staff in the baby room have attended specific, working with babies, training. The influence of this course is evident in the baby room atmosphere, as a result, babies are happy and contented. Children gain a sense of belonging as they can see examples of their artwork

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

displayed creatively. One example of this is the daily display of artwork that the children have been working on. Staff are well-deployed at all times, are effective role models and give children clear guidance about routines and behaviour. Children behave well and show good care and consideration for one another. Children play well together as staff support their understanding of turn taking and sharing resources. For example, children are reminded to share when there are enough toys to go around.

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

Staff help children understand the importance of keeping healthy and safe. For example, older children know they should walk when indoors. Children are encouraged to discuss and assess risks for themselves, for instance, when they make dens near bushes, children and staff discuss the dangers of twigs and how to keep safe. Children are encouraged to wash their hands after they have used the toilet and before eating. Staff are good role models and remind children of the importance of washing their hands to stop germs from spreading that could make them poorly. A good range of seasonal menu's provide children with a healthy and nutritious diet appropriate to their individual dietary needs, as discussed and agreed with parents. Staff encourage children to enhance their self-help skills by serving some of the food as well as choosing what they would like to eat. For instance, children help themselves to salad, tuna, bagel and mayonnaise.

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

Children are accommodated in a clean, comfortable environment that is well-maintained The nursery is set up to enable the children to explore and investigate their surroundings. Low-level units and clearly labelled resources enable children to select toys, promoting their independence and decision-making skills from an early age. Staff put a lot of effort into the presentation of the learning environment throughout all the rooms in the nursery. As a result, children play in interesting, attractive and child-friendly surroundings. Children have daily access to the outdoor space for fresh air and physical activity. The outdoor area has recently been refurbished to a high standard. As a result, the children have access to a range of highly stimulating, inviting resources and experiences to enhance their learning and development. As a recommendation from the last inspection, the transformation of the garden has undoubtedly far surpassed all proposals.

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

Transitions between rooms are sensitively managed, with the key person taking responsibility for settling children in their new surroundings. Only when they are self- assured are they handed over to the new room. During adult-led group sessions, children actively participate, for example, they wait their turn to recognise their name and subsequently discuss their, 'Feeling for the day.' This prepares children for their journey into big school. The nursery has good links with the local schools. Nursery staff take children for visits as they approach school age, which supports them in becoming used to the school environment and supports their transition to school.

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provision

Leadership and management is highly effective. The manager has a strong commitment to keeping children safe and improving outcomes for the children in her care. The manager has support from the area manager of the company as well as from the local authority. She demonstrates a commitment to sustained and continuous improvement of the nursery. Management ensure that guidance from Ofsted relating to dealing with any allegations against staff is used to inform their decision making. This demonstrates their good understanding of following and implementing the revised Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Recruitment procedures are good and together with background checks, induction training, performance management systems and team meetings, mean that staff remain suitable for their role. The nursery has a behaviour management policy; this is brought to the attention of all new staff. A member of staff has

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provision

responsibility for behaviour management. This means, they support staff with strategies for managing challenging behaviour traits. The management work with parents and carers, sharing information on their complaints procedure to ensure any issues are investigated and dealt with appropriately. This results in the welfare of children being maintained.

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provision

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and know how to identify and report concerns they may have about children in their care. A clear policy on child protection, including the use of mobile phones and cameras, results in children being protected from potential harm. Staff are further supported with an understanding of safeguarding through a prominent display in the staff room. Comprehensive policies and procedures, which promote children's health, safety and welfare, are fully in place and effectively implemented. All accident and medication records are well-maintained and daily registers of attendance show ratios of staff to children are well-maintained and children are effectively supervised at all times. The monitoring of both educational programmes and the progress of each individual child is strong. Daily checks of the environment and written risk assessments ensure areas are safe and children can move safely and freely.

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provision

Children are learning about how to keep themselves safe. The staff talk to them during their activities, encouraging them to think about what they are doing and what might happen if they follow a particular course of action. For instance, when using scissors.

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provision

Effective methods used by both staff and the manager means that children receive a broad range of experiences, targeted to meet the individual needs of all children. Improvements made since the relatively recent last inspection have resulted in children benefitting from improved care and learning. For instance, planning is now of a high standard and improvements to the outdoor are superb. The manager is fully involved in the daily practices of the provision as she monitors the rooms and daily activities, making notes in the 'walkabout diary.' This enables her to effectively monitor practice and identify areas for further improvement. All staff are included in the self-evaluation process of the provision and parents are asked for their opinions through questionnaires. Each room has their own action plan to work towards to effect improvements for children.

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provision

Parents spoken to on the day of inspection comment on how accommodating and friendly the staff are and how their children are enjoying their time at the nursery. Effective partnerships working with other professionals and agencies involved with the children attending results in a good sharing of information and support for the children. The manager and senior staff have built up professional partnerships with the schools where children move on to, to ensure consistency in their learning, care and well-being. Children that attend shared settings have a communication diary to share information, this means that their learning is complemented and supported well.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY282318 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 924242

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 65 Number of children on roll 69 Name of provider Treetops Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 15/10/2012 Telephone number 0115 9732311

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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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