The Highgrove Nursery School

The Highgrove Nursery School Unit 23, Harraby Green Business Park, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA1 2SQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/09/2013 04/11/2009

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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 play in an interesting and stimulating indoor and outdoor environment. Their learning and development is supported well by knowledgeable staff who use children's interests to inform the planning so children remain interested and engaged in their learning and progress well in their development.  Children new to the nursery are sensitively supported to settle in at their own pace by kind and caring key members of staff. Therefore, due to the staffs knowledge and understanding about the children in their care, the children settle in quickly and easily into their new environment and feel safe and secure.  Partnerships with parents and other agencies are well embedded. Staff engage parents effectively in their children's learning and progress, and multi-agency working ensures that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities to broaden pre-school children's mathematical experiences, independence and self-help skills are not always acted upon at mealtimes.  There is scope to increase opportunities for children to develop further their understanding of the world, including their awareness of themselves, their families and the special events in their lives.  Younger children have fewer opportunities to play with natural open-ended materials that enable them to explore and investigate using their senses.

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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 playing in their designated play areas situated on the ground and first floor levels, and outside.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the manager, the staff and the children throughout the inspection.  The inspector held a meeting with the owner and completed a joint observation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers who were spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning journals and progress records, the planning documentation, and the systems for the monitoring of children's progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the relevant policies and procedures, and the documented self-evaluation systems that supports the nursery provision.

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Information about the setting

The Highgrove Nursery School was registered in 2008 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a commercial unit on the Harraby Green estate in Carlisle, and is privately owned. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from a number of rooms on two floors and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 12 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one at level 4.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, from 8am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 62 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 who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery 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:

 increase the pre-school children's independence and self-help skills during everyday practical routines and use these practical experiences to talk about numbers to further develop their early mathematical skills by, for example, helping to prepare their own snack and pour their own drinks and by calculating and comparing the number of plates and beakers required at snack time

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

 increase opportunities for children to show an interest in the lives of people who are familiar to them, to encourage children to remember and talk about significant events in their own experience, and to help them recognise and describe special times or events for family or friends by, for example, creating displays or books to prompt discussions

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

 extend opportunities and play materials for younger children to explore and investigate using their senses by, for example, providing a range of resources, textures and materials to enhance their sensory experiences, such as treasure baskets.

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who attend

Children enjoy themselves and have fun as they learn through their play. This is because the staff provide a wide range of activities and experiences covering all seven areas of learning which meet children's interest and learning needs. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of how children learn and effectively implement the learning and development requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result, children make good progress in relation to their starting points and the initial information gathered from their parents when registering. Children benefit from the good relationships established with parents and carers who feel at totally at ease at leaving their children in the nursery. Parents feel valued and respected because they are kept fully informed by staff to effectively support their children's learning at home. They are invited to contribute to their child's learning journey and progress records, attend

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who attend

parents evening and social events. Parents are consulted for their views and complete a detailed information pack when registering. The 'all about me' sheets are regularly updated by parents as children move within the age related play areas. This ensures that all their background information, family structures, development, care routines, and well- being is kept up-to-date. Staff sensitively help children to settle in at their own pace and use the information obtained from parents to help to plan activities so that they feel at ease and settle easily. Staff know the children well and therefore, meet their needs effectively.

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who attend

Staff observe the children as they play and complete written observations to assess children's development and learning. They ensure that children are challenged during activities. Staff extend and build on what children already know and can do to support their ongoing development. Therefore, they remain interested and engaged in their learning. Staff constantly interact with the children. They talk to them about what they are doing and reinforce words, colours and counting as they play. Children with English as an additional language who are new to the setting are effectively supported. The staff use signing and learn words in their home language to speak with them. They know their interests and use familiar resources to help with the settling in process. However, there is scope to further support children's settling in and sense of belonging within the nursery by obtaining photographs of the children's families, friends, special people and events. This is

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who attend

so that staff can engage children in conversations about the people and events that mean so much to them.

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who attend

The environment inside is well organised and well-resourced. Staff feel that the spacious open feel of the age related play areas enhances children's personal, social and emotional development. This is because they can see each other and mix together during routine activities. The play areas are colourful, spacious and enable children to move around freely. However, there is scope to encourage younger children to explore and investigate further using more natural, open-ended, textured materials that encourage different sensory play and experiences. Young children access numerous musical, sound and interactive activity toys where they press buttons and they make a noise. Young children enjoy the close proximity of the staff looking after them as they sing songs to the children and name parts of the body. This encourages lots of eye contact and physical movement as the babies clap hands and point to the parts of their body.

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who attend

Older children enjoy reading books and completing multi-piece jigsaws. They take book bags home each week to read with their parents and enjoy reading them with staff in the quiet area. Children learn the days of the week, decide what the date is and talk about the weather while completing the daily weather chart. They sound out the first letter of the words then read them to staff members. As a result, they gain the skills linked to recognising letters and sound for early phonics and numeracy.

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who attend

Children who require specific help are supported well because staff work closely with their parents and other professionals to support their individual needs. The communication with parents and meetings with other professionals is very effective in ensuring that targets are set and used in planning to support children's good progress. Staff understand the importance of securing early intervention to support each child's overall development. As a result, all children gain the skills they require for the next stage of their learning and future move onto mainstream school.

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

Children new to the setting are well supported by their key person helping them to settle into the nursery. They soon begin to demonstrate strong and secure attachments with the key person, who warmly greets them on arrival and exchanges information with their parents and carers. Staff help children to become familiar with the environment through short planned visits. These continue until the staff and parents feel that the children are ready to stay for longer periods of time. This works well and allows the children to realise that their parents will come back to collect them. Parents are provided with an information pack which they complete at home. They discuss this with staff on registering their child so that the staff have some insight about their child's interests, preferences and development already achieved. Daily diary entries are used to share information about care and welfare routines and the day's activities. Staff encourage parents to add their

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

own comments to these documents and to the displays on the walls. Parents share what their children do when they are at home and become involved in their children's learning by taking books home to read. The information shared by parents provides the staff with an invaluable insight into children's changing interests, which they incorporate into future planning. As a result of the good relationships formed, children's personal, social and emotional well-being is effectively promoted.

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

Staff create a warm and welcoming indoor environment that is open, relaxed and inviting. The spacious play areas are well organised to enable children to independently access a wide range of good quality resources and make choices and decisions about their play. The low-level labelled storage helps children to be independent and active learners. Children access a wide range of musical instruments, interactive activity toys and complete multi-piece jigsaws and they enjoy numerous writing opportunities. For example, children use chalk on paper, and pencils to make notes in spiral note pads. As a result, they develop their listening skills, and develop their small muscles and hand-eye coordination. Children enjoy outdoor activities in the fresh air. They wear all-weather clothing and wellington boots so that they can access the outdoor environment in all weathers. Children ride wheeled toys and practise their road safety while following the road painted on the

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

tarmac. They go for walks around the residential area and visit the playground close by. Children go on outings further afield to animal parks and other places of interest. This enhances children's learning. This also helps them to gain an understanding of the world and enables them to safely investigate and explore their community and surrounding environment. Indoors, children's physical skills are promoted while using the spacious soft play area. They learn how to manage their own risks which gives them confidence to try out new things and develop their physical skills in safety. Staff supervise children well and constantly praise them in everything they do. Therefore, the children become more confident and begin to show good levels of self-esteem. Children are very well behaved. They learn to share and take turns in group activities because staff support their play and they make sure sufficient resources are available for them to use.

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

The owner's ability to speak several languages supports children and families with English as an additional language. She is able to help children feel more at ease by talking to them in their home language and in English. Staff use sign language to communicate with children and some flash cards to enable children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to communicate their individual needs. The nursery is fully inclusive. Staff create an environment where children learn to value and respect each other and those different from themselves. Staff incorporate various cultural celebrations into the planning and make sure that there are dual language books and various resources to represent difference and diversity throughout the nursery. Children help to look after the nursery animals. They learn about the chickens in the coop outside and how they lay eggs for eating. Children also learn about the growth cycle as they watch some eggs hatch out

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

Staff encourage children to develop the self-help skills required in readiness for their future move to school. Children learn to dress and undress themselves by putting on their coat to go outside and taking it off again when they come back inside. They learn to tidy up toys before snack and mealtimes and they learn to wash and dry their hands by themselves from an early age. However, there are opportunities for children to become more independent at mealtimes, especially with the older children. The staff do not encourage the children to help them to prepare the tables in the dining room, or help to serve their own meals or pour their own drinks. There are also less learning opportunities used at this time by staff who do not challenge children's mathematical skills of calculating, counting and comparing. Therefore, children do not experience some self-help skills during these routine practical activities and opportunities to challenge and extend

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

their learning are less well promoted. Children sit together in the designated dining room to eat in small groups at mealtimes, which supports their social skills and promotes their communication and language development. They learn about healthy eating and what is good for them by discussing what they eat and where the food comes from.

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

Children learn how to keep themselves safe through regular practices and direct instruction. For example, children take part in the nursery emergency evacuation procedure and they talk about road safety before they go out on any walks or outings. Children feel safe and secure in the nursery. They smile and laugh during activities showing how much they are enjoying themselves and having fun. All the children are supported well in their move within the nursery age related play areas and in their transition to school. New teachers are invited into the nursery to meet them and the children visit their new school before the summer holidays. As a result, children are well prepared for their move.

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provision

The management and staff work closely together as a team to ensure that all the learning and development and the safeguarding and welfare requirements are effectively implemented. The management are passionate and committed to ensure children are well cared for. They have a good understanding of their role and responsibility in ensuring the efficient management and continued smooth running of the nursery. The openness of the management team enables the staff to continually share information with them with regard to children's progress, accessing training, reviewing their practice and implementing new ideas to improve the nursery provision. As a result, the ongoing review and monitoring of the educational programme, staff performance and children's progress are effectively met.

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provision

The management hold regular staff meetings to discuss all aspects of the nursery. The agenda includes safeguarding matters, staff training and children's development to ensure children reach their full potential by taking part in activities and opportunities which meet their needs and interests. The observations and assessments completed by all staff are kept up-to-date and regular updates from parents are included in children's records. Therefore, the records reflect children's skills, abilities, and achievement observed in the nursery and at home. Staff use the next steps in children's development to inform future planning to ensure that children continue to make good progress towards the early learning goals. The staff complete summative reports, and understand the importance of completing the progress check at age two to highlight children's continuous development. They track children's progress to identify how children are progressing and to ensure that

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provision

any gaps in children's development are closing. Staff understand the importance of completing this so that any intervention is discussed with parents and support is swiftly obtained.

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provision

The management and staff have all undertaken safeguarding training. They demonstrate a good understanding of their role and responsibilities and what they would do if they are concerned about any child in their care. They use staff meetings to discuss different safeguarding and first aid scenarios to ensure staff fully understand what to do in emergency situations. This ensures that children continue to be safeguarded and protected in the nursery. Children's safety is a high priority. All exterior gates and doors are kept locked and all inner gates to stairs and play sections are secure. Staff monitor the door and greet visitors on arrival, checking their identity at reception before entering the nursery. Written risk assessments are completed for all the areas the children have access to and for each outing undertaken by the children, to ensure their safety at all times. All the staff employed at the nursery, including any students, are suitably vetted through the

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provision

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and each staff member wears a badge displaying their DBS number. This ensures that everyone employed at the nursery in contact with children is safe and suitable to do so. The management follow robust recruitment procedures. This includes a formal induction process to ensure that staff understand their role and are confident in following the nursery's policies and procedures.

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provision

All the policies and procedures and a wealth of additional information about the nursery is displayed in the main reception areas. The management team conduct supervision and appraisal meetings with the staff on a regular basis. This results in the effective monitoring of staff performance and the continued professional development for all staff members. Staff are enthusiastic and work well together as a team. They feel valued because they have the opportunity to share their ideas and views and identify their own training needs. As a result, the nursery has dedicated and committed staff team who continuously develop their own personal learning so that they continue to provide good quality teaching and learning for all the children in their care.

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provision

A thorough self-evaluation is completed which reflects on all aspects of the nursery by appraising the working practices of the staff and the environment. The management include parents, carers and children in the process by asking them for suggestions to improve the service for them. For example, parents felt that a cooked tea was too much for the children because they would not then eat at home. As a result, staff now provide a lighter snack tea to accommodate this. The future improvements highlighted by the management team are to further develop the outdoor play area, to enclose the perimeter fence by planting hedging and to develop more natural play areas for the children. This will contribute greatly to children's access to a more natural environment and enhance their privacy from the road. As a result of the management's regular review and monitoring of the provision, the children benefit from a continually improving

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provision

environment, which is staffed by a knowledgeable and well-qualified early years team.

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provision

Partnerships with parents and carers are good. They are highly complimentary about the nursery and the service provided for them and their children. Parents say how well their children have settled and how there is always a warm and friendly face greeting them when they arrive. They state how fantastic the staff are and that their children have made good progress in their development since starting. Parents, carers and children contribute their thoughts and ideas through questionnaires. This includes them in the running of the nursery and helps them to feel more involved in their child's learning. As a result, an effective partnership is maintained. This is especially strong with parents whose children have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The staff work very closely with all parents, local schools, multi-agency workers and other professionals working with the children. This ensures that all children's needs are well met and early intervention and

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provision

help is obtained to ensure children continue to make good progress in their development. The nursery has established strong links with the many schools in the locality. Although there are no children attending other settings, the staff demonstrate a good understanding of the importance of sharing information so a full and bigger picture of children's development is maintained and consistency in children's learning.

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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 EY355924 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 863422

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 62 Name of provider Katherine Zaremba-Stevenson Date of previous inspection 04/11/2009 Telephone number 01228 534333

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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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