Play and Learn Sutton Coldfield

Play and Learn Sutton Coldfield 66 Anchorage Road, SUTTON COLDFIELD, West Midlands, B74 2PG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/08/2013 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children make good progress in their learning and development. This is because staff have a good awareness of how children learn. They make the most of opportunities to extend children's learning through play and take into account children's individual interests and play preferences.  The nursery is well planned and resourced. Toys and equipment are easy for children to access and move around as they choose, so that they can investigate and explore.  Children are well safeguarded due to robust recruitment and vetting procedures and staff's understanding of their roles and responsibilities in protecting children in their care.  The registered providers and manager are able to recognise areas where improvement is needed and are determined to make the necessary changes to move the setting forward in their pursuit of excellence.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 At times some parents are not always fully engaged in sharing their children's learning from home to ensure even better continuity and cohesion.  Performance management and monitoring systems are not yet firmly embedded to clearly demonstrate how the good quality teaching is continually monitored and how the information gained is used to shape staff's professional development.

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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 staff engaging in a range of indoor and outdoor learning activities, play and daily care routines with children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked to children and staff and also held a meeting with the manager and registered providers during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of staff working in the setting, the provider's self-evaluation systems and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector gained parents and other professional views from documentation available.

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Information about the setting

Play and Learn Sutton Coldfield was registered in 2013 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a converted house in Sutton Coldfield and is managed by a limited company. The nursery serves the local and surrounding areas and is accessible to all children. It operates from two units, split into four areas of learning and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and 6. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, from 7am until 6.30pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 32 children attending, who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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

 review and evaluate partnerships with parents to ensure consistency in how parents share information about their children's learning from home

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

 develop the performance management and monitoring systems further to ensure that the good quality teaching continues to be monitored and the information is used to shape practitioners' professional development in the future.

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who attend

Staff have a very good understanding of how children learn and develop. They have updated their knowledge in line with the revised Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and adapted their systems for observing and assessing children's progress. Staff discuss children's progress, activities and achievements with their parents on a daily basis and listen to what parents tell them about what children have been doing at home. However, this is not always consistently used across all areas of the nursery to help with activity planning. The areas where it is used promotes a two-way flow of information, knowledge and expertise between them and staff and has a positive impact on children's learning. Transition between rooms is well-managed, with children's assessments following through with them. Regular spontaneous and photographic observations that staff complete capture significant moments. More detailed observations

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who attend

are reviewed routinely to assess children's progress and to identify the next steps in their learning. Staff in each of the rooms discuss their observations and share their planning, so all are involved and knowledgeable about how to support each child. Staff who work with babies confidently use their observations and assessments to plan and organise activities, resources and their support to help children consolidate and build on their identified next steps. During activities staff effectively foster older toddlers and pre-school children's skills, such as sharing and turn taking and actively promote their readiness for school during daily routines, such as at lunchtime, by encouraging children to serve themselves, helping to lay out and clear away. In addition, they have introduced a 'helper' system, in order to help promote children's self-esteem and independence further.

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who attend

Staff members join children in their play throughout the day readily conversing with them to stimulate their interest and foster their developing language skills. Children regularly join in with staff singing nursery rhymes and songs as they tidy away toys or wait for meal times, this helps to captures their interest. Staff use their imaginative and creative skills well to engage children and encourage their interest, making learning fun. They use suggestions and questions to challenge their thinking. Staff are well deployed, relaxed and supportive of children and know them well. Children are encouraged to share toys and play together to promote their social skills in preparation for later transition to nursery and school. Staff regularly take small groups of children to a quiet area, where they share in a particular activity and can more closely observe their engagement and assess their progress. All children have good opportunities to spend time outdoors in the fresh air to

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who attend

promote their physical skills on the larger equipment.

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who attend

The learning environment is bright and inviting and all children have easy access to a wide range of resources, both inside and outside, which follow their interests and engage them. Children's artwork is displayed around the rooms and accessible resources enable children to confidently make their own choices. Children are encouraged to freely explore their environment and initiate their own play. Babies hunt for toys in the sand trays, explore the texture and feel of 'gloop' or the 'textured wall' or hunt through the varied contents of treasure baskets or 'test out' what happens as they push buttons and turn knobs on electronic toys. Older children enjoy stories that encourage them to recall and plan for their next steps, such as finding the fox and snake in the garden, linked to a favourite story. There are a variety of different resources and games for encouraging number and shape recognition as children concentrate as they build towers, make sandcastles in the

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who attend

sand tray or join in using props during a planned singing activity.

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

Children settle well into the nursery, which is bright, spacious and invitingly decorated, so that they and their parents feel welcomed. The settling-in period is well organised. Staff spend time to getting to know children and their parents, observing children in their nursery environment and encouraging parents to share important information about their children's individual needs. Individual routines are displayed in the baby room and staff ensure that these are carried out until children naturally settle into the nursery routine, aiding their transition. Positive engagement by the key person and spontaneous praise and encouragement from staff throughout the day help to develop children's confidence, so they feel secure and try out new things. Staff are fully aware of the importance of the three prime areas of learning in developing children's confidence, so they can make their own play choices and initiate their own learning. Younger children freely crawl around and

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

practise their early walking skills, while accessing different areas as they explore their environment and examine the wide range of interesting resources. Older children are very sociable and independently and confidently engage with staff and their peers. Staff patiently, but firmly remind some children when they become a little over excited or challenging. Throughout the nursery children are supported in their social skills, so they learn how to play together, share toys and take turns.

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

Children's health is well supported through attention to daily routines like nappy changing, while others are developing their own self-care skills as they independently access the toilet and wash their hands. Healthy eating has a high focus at this nursery, where children enjoy a very nutritious and varied menu and daily healthy snacks. They all have access to their individual water bottles and cups throughout the day. Staff encourage children to learn about their own health and needs, such as oral hygiene through using a variety of props during activities. Children enthuse about their visit from the tooth fairy, who left them a gold coin in exchange for their tooth. Children are learning to play safely through regular reminders from staff and respond well to clear guidelines as they independently take themselves to the toilet, use tools, such as scissors or learn the rules of road safety. Play activities throughout the day, such as using the climbing frames

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

outdoors or enthusiastic participation in ball games provide opportunities for exercising limbs and having fun.

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provision

Children are well safeguarded as staff have a very clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in recognising signs of abuse or neglect and how to pass any concerns on effectively. There are robust recruitment and selection processes in place to ensure the suitability of staff. Safeguarding features highly in induction and at the regular staff meetings and all staff have attended external training. All necessary information is displayed in each room as well as a very informative display on the parent's noticeboard. Other procedures to further protect children, such as, the maintenance of daily records, safe collection systems and seeking all necessary information at registration, are thoroughly carried out. Risk assessments are conducted to ensure that good standards of health and safety are maintained.

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provision

The manager carries out regular monitoring of the educational programme to offer support and guidance to staff. Appropriate performance management systems are in place, such as, team meetings, induction procedures and annual appraisals. However, there is scope to develop these further, for example, through the use of peer-on-peer observation to ensure that the already good quality teaching is continuously monitored. Information gained is used to shape staff's professional development in the future. Regular room and staff meetings ensure practice is discussed, policies are shared and reviewed and new targets are set. Management show they value their staff and encourage them to share their views and opinions openly in an environment of trust and respect.

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provision

The leadership and management of the nursery is strong. The management team has a positive vision for providing a high quality service and they are fully committed to reflective practice and engaging the views of staff and parents to achieve this. An open- door policy provides opportunities for staff and parents to consult with them at any time. There are regular and effective methods for reviewing practice overall through internal reviews and external audits by the local authority. These systems clearly identify the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. The nursery demonstrates a strong capacity for improvement to continue to move forwards on their journey towards excellence. Good support is provided by outside professionals and there is a strong commitment to ongoing training to enhance staff's knowledge and practice.

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provision

Partnership with parents is strong and parents comment very positively on the ongoing support and approachability of all staff. An informative display board, parent prospectus and regular newsletters ensure that parents are informed about all aspects of the nursery. Parent's views are invited through questionnaires and daily discussion with staff. They are kept informed of children's daily progress through regular feedback from staff. Staff understand and work in partnership with other professionals and settings children attend to support their transitions and to promote continuity in their care and learning.

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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 EY454379 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 906557

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 62 Number of children on roll 32 Name of provider Play & Learn Limited Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 0121 3292550

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

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

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