Little Oaks

Ireland Wood Children's Centre Raynel Gardens, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS16 6BW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21/08/2013 17/08/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children's views of the nursery are regularly sought, listened to and valued by staff. This means children feel a real part of the nursery and help to shape what it offers.  Children are provided with a good range of interesting activities which they are keen to take part in. Consequently, they make good progress in their learning and development.  Staff work very closely with parents to ensure information about children's individual care and learning needs is shared effectively on an ongoing basis. This means children settle well in the nursery because the care they receive is an extension of their home life.  Children learn to behave well because they have clear boundaries and know what is expected of them within the nursery. Consequently, they play together safely and respect their environment.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Occasionally, the planning and organisation of whole group activities in the older children's room is not fully effective in enabling all children to comfortably play a full and active part in the learning experience.  The organisation and routine of snack time means that sometimes children are not given sufficient time to finish the activities they are involved in and complete their ideas, particularly when playing outdoors.

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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 had a tour of the premises and observed children playing in the play rooms and the outdoor area.  The inspector met with the responsible person/ manager and the deputy manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's records, planning documents and policies.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector undertook a joint observation of the general operation of the baby room and a whole group activity in the older children's room with the manager.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Ireland Wood Children's Centre was registered in 1973 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from within Ireland Wood Primary School in Leeds, West Yorkshire and is managed by a committee. Children are cared for in three rooms and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 21 members of childcare staff. Of these, one has Qualified Teacher Status; four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 6, one at level 5, six at level 4, nine at level 3 and one at level 2. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. Out-of-school care sessions are also offered from 7.30am until 8.50am and from 3.15pm to 6pm during term time and from 7.30am until 6pm during school holidays. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 69 children attending, 51 of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two- three- and four-year-old children. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. It receives support from the local authority and is a member of the National Day Nurseries Association.

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

 develop the planning and organisation of whole group activities in the older children's room, so that all children are able to consistently play a full and active part in the learning experiences provided

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

 enhance the organisation and provision of snack time, to provide more flexibility, so children can complete their play as they want before accessing this.

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who attend

Staff provide children with a good range of interesting activities that enable them to learn successfully in different ways. Consequently, they make good progress in their development and are well-prepared to move on to school, when the time comes. For example, staff are confident to sit back and give children time to access resources of their choice and to play with these uninterrupted. This enables children to follow their own interests and become independent learners. At the same time, staff know when to join in to help children extend their ideas further. For example, several children decide to play with trains and a track, which leads to them deciding they want to act out going on a train ride. A member of staff joins them and explains about needing a ticket to ride on a train. She skilfully empowers children to use small tools by encouraging them to draw and cut out the tickets for themselves. The member of staff then extends children's learning

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who attend

further as she asks 'How much does your ticket cost?' She gives children time to think and formulate their answers. When one child replies that her ticket costs 5,000 the member of staff fully acknowledges the child's idea by suggesting she must be going on a long journey. The member of staff then suggests children line chairs up to represent a train, which they do so capably. She enthusiastically encourages them to board this and they then decide they are going to a book shop. During the activity, children become deeply involved and are not easily distracted which demonstrates that they have good levels of motivation.

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who attend

Staff support children's development in communication and language very well. For example, they read stories with good expression, which means children's attention is maintained and they develop good listening skills. During songs and rhymes staff encourage children to experiment in using their voices loudly and quietly. As a result, children join in with rhymes, such as 'five cheeky monkeys', with gusto. This enables them to learn through repetition and anticipate key events, such as when a 'crocodile' comes along and reduces the number of 'monkeys' each time. Children have opportunities to come together during the day for whole group activities. However, on occasion these are not always planned and organised effectively, to ensure all children are able to consistently play a full and active part in the learning experiences. For instance, staff ask older children to arrange themselves in a circle and provide them with a circular piece of

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who attend

stretchy material which children are asked to hold. Staff then encourage children to move their bodies backwards and forwards to help them learn to coordinate their movements and work together successfully as a group. However, the piece of fabric staff use is not large enough to accommodate the size of the group. Consequently, some children lose their grip on the material and are unable to regain this. As a result, they lose interest in the activity and leave the group, which means their learning is not fully sustained.

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who attend

Staff give high priority to enabling babies to learn through exploring different materials and textures in open-ended ways. This very effectively supports them in making sense of their world as they learn through their senses. For instance, one child becomes fully immersed in exploring the texture of a mix of cornflour and water in a large tray. She pats and scoops this up with her hands and becomes fascinated by the texture and properties she discovers. She then decides to climb in the tray. A member of staff confirms that this is acceptable and helps the child to succeed with her aim, giving the child autonomy in her play. The child spends a good amount of time dribbling the mixture on to her leg and shows curiosity as it dries to a powdery texture. She finally decides to try and feed the mixture to the member of staff who skilfully acknowledges the child's idea and responds, with 'Mmm thank you'. The child giggles and babbles back, showing her delight in how she

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who attend

has involved her carer in her play. Staff carefully observe and assess children's learning and keep a well-presented and clear record of progress for each one. This includes the required progress check at age two. The records are used very successfully by staff to help them identify and plan for how they will move children's learning on. Staff actively encourage parents to be involved in children's learning. For instance, ideas for activities to do at home are displayed and a question is displayed each day for parents to ask older children on arrival, such as 'did you walk to school today?' Parents then help their child to post a yes or no answer in a box, which encourages them to engage in conversation in a fun way.

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

Children's transitions into the setting are managed very well, which means they settle quickly into their new environment and become confident in leaving their parents. For example, settling-in visits are arranged to meet children's individual needs and staff as key persons ensure they gather a good amount of information from parents about each child. This enables them to provide care that is consistent with children's home life, which provides good stability and security for them. Babies are allocated a significant second and third key person to ensure they do not become upset or unsettled if their main carer is absent. Children are fully at ease in the nursery and clearly enjoy the time they spend away from parents. For instance, when babies wake from their nap they are pleased to see their carers and enjoy the time and cuddles they provide, to help them 'come round' before going off to play again. Older children are keen to convey what it is they like about

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

the nursery. For instance, one child tells the inspector she likes taking part in 'magic learning' because her teacher wears a tiara and waves a wand as she teaches them about letters and sounds. This experience clearly captures the child's imagination and makes her learning memorable.

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

Children have good opportunities to learn about following a healthy lifestyle. For example, they grow their own fruit and vegetables and staff encourage them to talk about where they think certain foods are sourced. Staff caring for babies skilfully, use the preparation of snack as a learning experience for children. For example, they teach them the names of different fruit and encourage children to help peel a banana. They then teach them that the skin is not for eating. Meals are prepared freshly on site and the menu is adapted to meet children's dietary requirements. Children's physical development is promoted very well. They access the well-resourced outdoor area throughout the day where they confidently develop skills, such as pedalling wheeled toys backwards and forwards and learning to pour water down guttering. However, the organisation of snack time means that older children are all required to return indoors at certain times to participate in this.

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

This inflexibility means that for some children their deep involvement in the activities is sometimes cut short. Consequently, they are not able to fully complete their ideas and this is not consistent with the same rich opportunities they have for sustained play indoors.

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

Children learn to behave well because they have secure routines and staff empower them to make choices and decisions. For instance, when staff ask them to 'tickle the clouds' outside, children know this indicates it is time to tidy away the toys before going back inside. Children listen well at group times, because staff encourage them to take a pretend key from their pocket and unlock their 'listening ears'. Staff give older children the opportunity to become a member of the pre-school council. They then regularly meet with them to review their room and decide how the small budget they are allocated will be spent to enhance this. This means children have very good opportunities to play an active part in the life of the nursery and to make it their own. Staff actively help children to keep themselves safe. For instance, one member of staff sensitively explains to a more adventurous toddler that the climbing frame and not a high chair is for climbing on. She

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

then directs him to this, which means he learns about taking managed risks because he is using equipment that is designed for that particular purpose.

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provision

The nursery is led and managed effectively which means the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage are met to a good standard. For instance, the manager/ responsible person acts competently as a leader, motivator and mentor for staff. She ensures thorough recruitment and vetting procedures are implemented for any new staff and very effectively monitors and manages their ongoing performance. For instance, an annual appraisal is conducted when staff are actively encouraged to reflect on their performance and to plan for their continuous professional development. This is achieved through the setting of three individual and realistic targets for the coming year. High priority is then given to supporting staff in achieveing their goals, including additional training where appropriate. For example, some staff are currently working towards an additional qualification at level 5. This clearly shows their

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provision

commitment to developing professionally, which in turn enhances the outcomes for children's learning and development.

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provision

Staff work very well together which ensures children are well-supervised and cared for in a safe and well-organised environment. Risk assessments are regularly reviewed by management and staff ensure any necessary changes are implemented as part of their daily practice. All staff attend training in child protection to a minimum of level 1, along with further courses specific to their role and responsibilities. Staff fully understand the policies and procedures for the setting and implement them efficiently. For instance, any accidents are recorded promptly and medication is only administered according to the nursery's strict guidelines. This ensures children are well-protected and kept free from harm.

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provision

There are good systems in place to monitor and evaluate the quality of the care and educational programmes provided, which means the management team has a good understanding of the nursery's strengths and areas they would like to develop. Staff are all fully involved in the process and contribute their views and opinions through senior management team meetings and whole staff meetings. Parents are able to share their views through various methods including an annual questionnaire. Any suggestions for improvement are acted on promptly. The manager along with a member of staff who is a qualified teacher regularly scrutinise children's progress records and tracking sheets, to ensure there are no gaps in the educational programmes or any child's learning. The recommendation for improvement raised at the last inspection has been addressed appropriately. The nursery has very good relationships with parents because they are kept well-informed

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provision

about all aspects of the service and their children's care and learning. Parents spoken to at the time of the inspection said they are very happy with the service they receive and they feel staff are helpful and approachable. The nursery offers parents very good opportunities to learn about their children's day, through relaxed informal chats on collection, written daily sheets and very informative notice boards throughout the nursery. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are very well supported because staff work closely with parents and any other professionals and outside agencies involved in their care. This means a cohesive approach is promoted to supporting them to reach their full potential. Staff have good links with schools children with move onto. For example, the children are regularly invited to attend events at the school the nursery is based within, so they become very familiar with the environment. Teachers from other schools visit the

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provision

nursery to meet both children and their parents prior to them starting and to discuss children's progress with their key person. This means children make the transition to their new settings and manage the changes in their lives confidently and without trepidation.

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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 512663 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 915586

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 55 Number of children on roll 69 Name of provider Ireland Wood Children's Centre Date of previous inspection 17/08/2010 Telephone number 0113 281 7829

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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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