Shibden Head Day Nursery

Shibden Head Day Nursery 49 Halifax Road, Queensbury, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD13 2DT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/08/2013 18/05/2009

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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

 Children make rapid progress in their learning because educational programmes are stimulating, take account of children's interests, and provide them with challenges that help them to attain the next steps in their development.  Tracking and assessment of children is rigorous. This means children's progress towards the early learning goals is closely scrutinised and any gaps in learning are targeted. As a result, early intervention is timely and effective.  Support for children during transition to school is significantly enhanced because of the excellent relationships with the local school. As a result, when children are ready to move on they are familiar with routines, are very confident and self-assured.  An effective programme of professional development ensures all practitioners are improving their skills. This means they can support children in making strong progress towards the early learning goals.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The nursery's methods for involving parents in their children's learning are not consistently monitored. This means staff cannot be sure whether the majority of parents are actively contributing.  Staff deployment is not always effectively organised. This means, in some instances, children are not fully supported during free play because too many practitioners are involved in tidying up after messy activities.

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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 activities in the main play rooms and the outside learning environment.  The inspector held meetings with the manager of the provision.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, and the provider's improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of a parent spoken to on the day and from information included in the setting's own evaluations.

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Information about the setting

Shibden Head Day Nursery & Pre-School was registered in 2003 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a purpose built premises in the Queensbury area of Bradford, and is managed by Shibden Head Day Nursery Ltd. 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 30 members of childcare staff. Of these, 25 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7am until 6.30pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 166 children attending who are in 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 with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 continue to monitor which parents are using the methods in place to involve them in their children's learning, to ensure those who are more difficult to engage, are actively contributing

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

 review the deployment of staff to ensure children are fully supported during free play while practitioners attend to practical tasks.

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who attend

Practitioners in the nursery have a comprehensive knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The nursery is friendly and energetic, with a wide range of well-planned interesting activities, both outside and indoors. For example, babies enjoy sensory experiences by painting with their whole bodies. The nursery works closely with the foundation stage teacher from the local school and the local authority early years consultant, to plan educational programmes that prepare children for moving on to school. As a result, adult-led activities for older children are structured to focus on the specific areas of learning, such as early reading and writing skills. Children's communication and language skills are promoted by enthusiastic practitioners through lively story times, everyday discussions and music sessions. The nursery works in partnership with speech and language therapists and the portage service, to support language development with

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who attend

children who have difficulty communicating through spoken language. Children demonstrate very good communication skills and development and assessments show that children make rapid progress from their starting points, across the prime areas of learning.

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who attend

Learning records are available for parents to view and regular discussions with key persons keep them informed about how their child is meeting the expected milestones for their age. Parents feel they are kept well-informed about their children's progress. They are given age-appropriate homework activities, such as phonics and familiar rhymes, to help prepare their children for the move to school. The 'book of the month' is shared with parents so they know which areas of learning children are focusing on. Children use the mobile library each week to choose their own books and take them home to share with their parents. Termly reports give parents a summary of their children's progress across the seven areas of learning. The nursery has excellent partnerships in place with the local primary schools. The support they offer children and parents during transition is highlighted by parents as one of their strengths. Teachers visit children in the nursery and

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who attend

practitioners accompany children on visits to school. This ensures children receive exceptional levels of support and are very well-prepared when the times comes for them to move on. Detailed assessments ensure information shared about children's learning is accurate and precise. The required progress checks at age two have been completed and shared with all relevant partners.

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who attend

The nursery obtains information about children's interests, next steps and their starting points, from their parents. This is regularly updated through discussions with parents and the use of 'Wow boards', where both children and parents can add information. The 'Story Star' is a popular and well-used resource that encourages parents to share their children's learning experiences at home. This sharing of information enables practitioners to plan educational programmes that are tailored to target the needs of each child and focus on the skills they have already acquired. As a result, children are presented with adult-led activities that challenge their thinking, such as hunting for mini-beasts. Parents are invited into the nursery for 'stay and play' sessions where they can share their children's learning and contribute to planning. They comment that they enjoy sharing their children's learning environment and seeing them work with their peers. This helps them to understand how

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who attend

high quality teaching supports their children to make strong progress towards the early learning goals. Although the nursery has various methods in place for promoting the two- way flow of information between the nursery and parents, it does not consistently monitor who is using them. This means they cannot be sure whether all parents are actively involved in their children's learning.

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who attend

Detailed observations and assessments provide a comprehensive record of children's progress. Key persons have a very good understanding of where each child is in their development. This ensures children are provided with focused and developmentally appropriate educational programmes that offer them challenge and enhance their learning experiences, because they reflect their preferences for learning. For example, babies and toddlers enjoy a variety of sensory experiences, such as playing with dry porridge oats and water play.

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

Short settling-in sessions help to smooth transition, providing some continuity in children's care. The nursery has an open-door policy and this means parents can visit the nursery whenever they wish. As a result, they know that their children are secure and settled. A robust key person system ensures children develop very secure attachments early in their care and receive consistently high levels of support. Parents comment that the key person system is a strong feature of the nursery. The skills and experience of each key person are matched to meet the needs of each child, for example, understanding the needs of children who are born prematurely. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive one-to-one support where necessary and this ensures their needs are met at all times. The support children receive to prepare them for transition into school is outstanding. They enjoy a number of transition visits to familiarise them with routines and

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

they are already familiar with the Early Years Foundation Stage teachers, because they visit them in the nursery. As a result, children from the nursery are very well-prepared for their move to school. The out-of-school club provided by the nursery means children who attend the club enjoy continuity in their care once they have moved on to full-time school.

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

Children enjoy a wide variety of healthy snacks and benefit from a wide range of home- cooked nutritious meals. Menus are shared with parents and their suggestions are taken into account, such as including more fish on the menu. Children learn good personal hygiene through practical routines, including brushing their teeth after meals. Visits from the fluoride varnishing service ensure children's dental health is monitored and maintained. Even the youngest children are taught to be independent in dressing themselves. This means they are skilled in meeting their own self-care needs when they move on to the local school.

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

Children in the nursery show they are very happy and content. They are confident around visitors and are keen to share their learning experiences. For example, they share their knowledge about the mini-beasts they have collected. They enjoy outdoor play in all weathers. Improvements in the outdoor area mean pre-school children can freely access it whenever they wish. Outdoor play is planned for the youngest children every day. This means they develop physical skills, while learning how exercise supports their overall health and well-being. A varied selection of resources, for example, early writing materials, water and sand play, and small climbing equipment, ensure all children are able to participate to the best of their ability. Children's safety is given high priority without restricting their independent exploration because practitioners are vigilant, ensuring children are supervised well and kept safe. Children are encouraged to risk assess for

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

themselves and are developing a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe. For example, they work with practitioners to develop their own health and safety rules.

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

Children are developing respectful peer relationships because all practitioners model and promote positive behaviour. They listen to each other and take turns during group activities and are encouraged to use good manners at meal times. Through everyday routines, such as serving food at lunchtime and group activities, children are learning to negotiate, share and help each other. Children are learning to tolerate each other's differences and consider each other's needs. They develop their understanding of equality and diversity through every day discussions and a wide range of resources and activities. By sharing their news from home, children from a variety of different cultures share their experiences and this helps children to understand how people's lives differ from theirs. For example, children take 'story star' to visit the local Sikh temple. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully included in the setting and through effective

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

teaching children begin to understand the needs of others. This is helping to prepare them for the larger social environment they will experience in school.

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provision

The manager has a comprehensive knowledge of the learning and development requirements. She works closely with Early Years Foundation Stage teachers and the local authority early years consultant, to ensure educational programmes target the needs of all children. Implementation of planned learning is evaluated and practitioners monitor children's experiences to ensure they offer them challenge. This helps them to continue to make swift progress across all areas of learning and development. Through regular staff appraisals and observing staff in practice, ongoing evaluation of staff performance overall, is accurate. This means training programmes are targeted to tackle any underperformance. Although the manager assesses staff performance, she does not, always, effectively monitor deployment. For example, after messy play activities, too many practitioners are involved in tidying up. This means there are not enough staff to ensure

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provision

children who are enjoying free play, are fully supported.

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provision

The nursery works in partnership with the local authority, using their quality improvement programme, to drive improvement and raise the standards of the provision. Through team meetings, development plans are devised that show a record of areas identified for improvement. Action is taken to address any weakness, such as developing ways in which all parents can contribute to their children's learning. To ensure high standards are maintained, all users of the nursery, including the local schools, are actively involved in the evaluation of the provision and their views taken into account. For example, the nursery works with local schools to make sure the out-of-school service provided meets their needs. The manager shares the nursery's policies and procedures with parents so they are clear about the service the nursery provides.

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provision

Practitioners in the nursery have a detailed knowledge of safeguarding issues and children's safety is given high priority. Practitioners demonstrate they understand their responsibilities for ensuring children are kept safe at all times and clear whistle-blowing procedures are in place. Robust recruitment procedures make certain that practitioners are suitable to work with children. Staff rotas and a register of the children's attendance, including when they arrive and leave, document that appropriate ratios are in place, at all times. The manager is aware of her responsibility for reporting incidents and records of any complaints are kept. Daily checks ensure the environment is safe and suitable for children. Accident and incidents are monitored to highlight any areas or practices that might need improvement. Detailed risk assessments are in place and reviewed regularly. The majority of practitioners hold a current first aid certificate, which means that they can

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provision

give appropriate treatment if there is an accident to a child in the nursery's care.

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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 EY263028 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 908101

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 95 Number of children on roll 166 Name of provider Shibden Head Day Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 18/05/2009 Telephone number 01274 818717

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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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