Bright Horizons St Mary's Day Nursery and Preschool

St Mary's Day Nursery 18 Marcham Road, ABINGDON, Oxfordshire, OX14 1AA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/09/2013 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 thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery and take part in a range of age- appropriate activities that keep them occupied and engaged in purposeful play.  The key person system supports engagement with all parents. This means that children feel safe, secure and receive the individual support they need.  Relationships with parents are strong and contribute well to children's learning and development needs.  The setting have established highly effective partnerships with other professionals. As a result, children with additional needs are supported well in the nursery.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff are not always deployed effectively in the pre-school at lunch time. This means some children wait long periods of time before they can eat.  There are missed opportunities for children to develop their counting skills in everyday play and 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 children's activities in all areas of the nursery and the outdoor area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at various documents, including policies and procedures, children's records, evidence of the suitability of staff and recruitment procedures.  The inspector and the manager carried out a joint observation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection and from parental surveys.

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Information about the setting

St. Mary's Day Nursery first opened in 1999 and re-registered under the present ownership in 2005. In 2013 the nursery relocated premises. The nursery is one of a group of nurseries owned by Bright Horizons Family Solutions Ltd. This nursery operates from a large house near the centre of Abingdon, Oxfordshire. A series of rooms are used over three floors and there is an additional premises on the same site for use by children between the ages of two and three years and pre-school age children. Access to the provision includes ramps to the main door. The first and second floors in the main nursery are accessed via a flight of stairs or a lift to all floors. The pre-school building is situated over two floors and access to the first floor is by stairs only. There are separate enclosed gardens available for both the pre-school building and main nursery building. These are accessed via ramps from both premises. The nursery serves the local community and

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7am until 6.30pm, all year round, with the exception of a week between Christmas and New Year. The nursery currently has 172 children on roll in the early years age group. Children attend for various days and sessions. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children who speak English as an additional language. It is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 31 staff to work with the children. Of these, 29 hold appropriate early years qualifications. This includes one member of staff who holds a Level 4 qualification and 28 staff who hold Level 3 qualifications. Two staff are currently working towards gaining qualifications.

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

 extend the range of opportunities in everyday play and activities that allow children to develop their counting skills

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

 deploy staff more effectively so that none of the children are waiting long periods of time for their meals.

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who attend

Children enjoy a lovely range of activities that effectively cover all areas of learning. They are happy and motivated to learn and staff have a good knowledge and a clear understanding of how children progress. Prior to admission into the nursery, staff obtain information from parents about each child's background, starting points and needs. For example, parents complete 'all about me' forms and have informative discussions with staff. This ensures staff know the children well and are able to meet their individual needs consistently. Children form secure bonds with staff, which means children settle in quickly, and feel safe and secure. Staff throughout the nursery regularly observe children and plan stimulating experiences to support their steady progress. There is a good balance of child- initiated and adult-led activities.

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who attend

Babies freely explore their indoor environment and seek out their favourite toys. They develop their physical skills as they move independently and use furniture to support them with standing, reaching and walking. Babies climb up steps and come down slides or sit and watch with fascination at the colours and bubbles in the water tube. Staff support the youngest children in beginning to develop independence as they encourage them to move around the room. As a result, babies respond positively to the routines of the day. Babies develop their communication and language as they copy familiar expressions and repeat single words. They understand simple instructions and point to and use gestures when they want more snack or their choice of toy. Young children feel secure with their key person and respond to the close contact and positive praise and encouragement offered. As a result, they feel good about themselves.

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who attend

Children strongly develop their personal and social and emotional well-being. They are happy and content, and feel confident and secure with the routines. Children respond positively to familiar people and can select and use activities and resources independently. They play with purpose, concentrating well on a chosen activity and show confidence when asking for adult support and participation. Children develop independence through everyday routines, such as washing hands, feeding themselves and tending to their own personal needs. They fully immerse themselves in imaginative play as staff support the fast and changing of pace of their play. For example, children dress and undress dolls and change their nappies, become doctors and nurses listening to their 'patients' hearts, and they sit at the table for the dolls to have lunch, pouring out the drinks from teapots to cups. Children develop mathematical concepts through playing in sand as they fill and

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who attend

empty containers, pour sand through a wheel and use scoops to fill. However, children of all ages are not always given opportunities to develop their counting skills through everyday play. For example, when children climb up the steps on the slide, staff miss the opportunity for children to count how many steps they are climbing. Children enjoy being outdoors as they learn about the weather, the seasons and how to move their bodies in different ways, using a wide variety of play equipment. For example, children run, jump, climb and balance on giant mushrooms. This has a positive impact on their sense of well- being and fully supports their physical skills. Older children dig in a well planned out garden as they pull up the weeds with great enthusiasm. They have access to a wonderful 'forest garden', where they can play on rope and tyre swings and camp out in the den. They dig around in the undergrowth seeking out bugs and mini-beasts, which are

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who attend

thoroughly examined in special observing pots before being carefully placed back into their natural habitat.

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who attend

Teaching is effective and assessment procedures are focused and comprehensive. Staff plan the learning programme from the information gathered from parents on entry to the nursery. Each child is assigned a key person to be responsible for their development, routine care needs and relationships with parents. All children have an individual profile and learning journey and staff have detailed knowledge of every child's needs. This means their individual needs are being met well. Relationships with parents are extremely well established and they are fully included in their children's time at the nursery. As a result, this makes an excellent contribution to meeting all children's needs. Staff regularly discuss children's learning and progress with individual parents and the learning records and daily diaries are always accessible to them. As a result, highly effective relationships with parents comprehensively support children's learning and progression. There are regular

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who attend

meetings and discussions with the local schools and new teachers come to meet the children in the nursery. The children develop personal and independent skills as they practise dressing themselves into uniforms provided in the dressing up area. Consequently, this helps the children and parents fully prepare them for a smooth, stress- free move to school.

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

The nursery is warm and welcoming to children and parents alike. There is plenty of information displayed in the entrance reception area. Photographs of the staff team are clearly displayed in the main hallway of the nursery, allowing all parents to see who is who. The staff update wall displays and re-organise rooms to enhance the nursery environment, in order to meet the growing demand for families to access nursery places. This, together with the friendly and reassuring staff, reinforces that children are valued, which in turn enhances their emotional well-being. Children settle well because staff are friendly and welcoming. They make sure they work closely with parents to find out about the children's routines, so that they can meet their welfare needs. The effective key person system and the warm interaction between staff and the children ensure that all children form positive and trusting relationships with the staff. They go to them for

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

reassurance and a cuddle, which provides them with a secure and safe environment for them to develop their confidence and self-esteem. Children's behaviour is positive due to the clear boundaries and guidance provided by the staff. Staff are good role models and help children to understand right from wrong. Children respond to positive praise and encouragement and staff are effective in helping them understand and manage feelings and behaviour.

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

Children learn about the importance of a healthy diet. They are provided with a good range of healthy and nutritious snacks and meals that are freshly prepared and cooked on the premises. However, the deployment of staff leading up to meal times in the pre-school room, leads to some children waiting a long period of time before they eat. Due to staff completing other duties, children are sat at the table for up to 30 minutes. Staff do not use this opportunity to engage children in alternative learning opportunities, such as, having a story, singing songs or laying the tables. Menus are planned according to children's individual dietary needs.

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

All children have frequent opportunities to enjoy fresh air and exercise in the outdoor play areas. Older children can run freely and use physical play equipment, which includes bikes, balancing and climbing equipment. Therefore, children develop their physical skills and their well-being is supported. The indoor learning environment enables children to independently choose from a selection of resources that are easy for them to reach. This encourages them to become confident learners and teaches them to make choices and play cooperatively alongside others. Children are well supported as they change rooms within the nursery. This is due to the settling-in visits with their key person as they move into a different room. All individual records and learning journeys are passed on to the next key person, in order to meet and support children's individual welfare and development needs. Parents' comment very positively about the care their children receive

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

and state that staff are professional, approachable and help their children to learn and develop. All parents feel that the nursery is very good. They are aware of the policies and procedures and know what to do if they have a complaint.

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provision

The nursery is well organised and the manager has high expectations for all children. Staff ensure each child makes good progress in their learning and that they are protected and safeguarded. They have a secure knowledge of safeguarding issues and procedures. Staff to child ratios are maintained and there are good contingency arrangements in place if there are any staff shortages. There are robust procedures in place for recruiting, vetting and checking staff, ensuring they are suitable and safe to work with children. Effective risk assessments and health and safety procedures ensure that hazards are minimised, in order to reduce the risk of accidents to children. Accident procedures are secure and nearly all staff are first aid trained and confident in acting in an efficient and timely manner when dealing with any accidents that may occur. All safety equipment is in place and the staff are vigilant at all times. Children are supervised by staff, who are mostly

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provision

deployed effectively. The setting promotes children's safety by ensuring that all policies and procedures are effectively implemented and that parents are kept well informed.

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provision

The manager and staff are committed, dedicated and passionate about their work with children. Induction systems ensure that staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. The practice and performance of staff is effectively monitored and robust supervision is undertaken. This formally identifies individual professional development and training needs to continually improve the learning programme and children's achievements. For example, the manager is aware that some staff in the baby room require additional training to further support babies' all round development. She has clear action plans in place to achieve this, with training sessions planned. This demonstrates her commitment to making ongoing improvements to the nursery. Positive relationships between staff and parents ensure that children's needs are met. Parents' speak highly of the nursery and express their satisfaction with the service

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provision

provided. They are kept informed about their children's progress through daily discussions with their child's key person. Information displayed on notice boards and in newsletters also helps to keep parents informed. This includes information about activities, themes, and the community. There are effective partnerships with other providers, professionals and support networks to secure support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children who speak English as an additional language. Consequently, no child is disadvantaged.

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provision

The management team are fully committed to developing practice and ensuring continuous improvement. Strengths and improvement plans are clearly identified and the manager involves staff and parents in self-evaluation. The manager has a positive influence on the standards and practice within the nursery and the staff express their satisfaction well of working within the nursery. The manager is a good role model to staff and is involved in all aspects of the day-to-day life of the nursery. She promotes effective team working and ensures that all staff are up to date with training and encourages ongoing training for staff to update their knowledge and skills. As a result, all children's care, learning and development needs are being met well.

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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 EY458407 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 907331 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 114 Number of children on roll 172 Name of provider Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01235534114

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Setting details

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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