Little Owls Nursery Chapeltown

Chapeltown Children's Centre Daycare Chapeltown Childrens Centre, Leopold Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS7 4DA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29/08/2013 10/01/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Practitioners are exceptionally skilled and work in highly effective ways to engage children's interest. This means all children including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities have great fun and are extremely well prepared for school.  Practitioners have created a highly attractive and effective learning environment both inside and outside, where children can be extremely independent, active learners.  All practitioners give the highest priority to the safety of children and support children's growing understanding of how to keep themselves safe and healthy.  The leadership team is inspirational. They are highly motivated and totally focused on delivering outstanding outcomes for children in their early years. This means that every child makes exceptional progress.  Monitoring, appraisal and supervision of practitioners is outstanding which ensures they are constantly improving their already first rate understanding and practice. This

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This provision is outstanding

continues to provide the very best support for children and their families.

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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 discussed how the setting works.  The inspector talked to parents throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children at play in each of the age group units, both indoors and outdoors and talked to children and practitioners.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed lunch and snack time arrangements with practitioners, the cooks and managers and also watched the children having lunch and snacks.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with senior managers.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed children's progress records with practitioners, the early years teacher and the managers.  The inspector examined a range of documents and records.

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Information about the setting

The Chapeltown Children's Centre Daycare was registered in 2005 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 Chapeltown area of Leeds, and is managed by Leeds City Council. The nursery predominantly serves families in the local area and is accessible to all children. The accommodation comprises four main play areas. There are separate units for children under two years, two to three years and three to five years. All children have access to their own specifically designed and fully enclosed outdoor play area.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 27 members of staff, of whom 25 are employed to work directly with the children. The majority of staff hold a recognised childcare qualification at level 3 or equivalent. The setting employs a qualified teacher with Early Years Professional Status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. The nursery is open from 8am to 6pm each weekday for 51 weeks a year, excluding bank holidays. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 140 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 setting works in partnership with local nurseries, schools and childminders.

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

 increase the low-level displays for the youngest children to stimulate their interest and to further improve their already rapid progress.

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who attend

The setting is exceptional in the way it meets the needs of all children and they make very rapid progress towards all the early learning goals. This is because the enthusiastic and highly motivated practitioners are very knowledgeable and work within a remarkably successful system. Children learn through play, tailored to their individual needs. Children are encouraged to lead their own play within an inspiring, carefully planned environment. Practitioners are skilled in extending children's self-chosen activities. This means children are highly motivated and engaged. For example, a group of boys draw on a large piece of paper placed on a blanket on the grass. A practitioner joins them and they talk about what they are drawing. A child draws a dog. As the practitioner talks to them she supports their listening and speech and language skills. She listens intently and offers her ideas, she repeats the children's ideas and introduces new words. She also asks a few questions that

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who attend

encourage the children to develop their ability to explain and discuss. A child says, 'He looks like a jungle, like a lion, he looks like a lion'. This leads to a discussion about what sort of dog he is. This is an excellent example of how boys can be engaged in drawing, early writing and discussion for a long period of time.

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who attend

Practitioners know not only how to engage and motivate each child, but also how to successfully extend their learning so that they gain a wealth of skills in readiness for school when the time comes. They make careful observations that they use to assess children's development and plan future learning opportunities. They also make regular summaries of children's development that they use to ensure children are progressing as expected. If children are not making age expected progress the practitioners plan additional activities and seek advice to ensure children are given every opportunity to make exceptionally good progress. Between the ages of two years, and two years and three months, practitioners provide parents with a written report called the Early Years Foundation Stage progress check at age two. This report includes information on the child's physical development, communication and language, and personal, social and

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who attend

emotional development. The summary identifies the child's strengths and any areas where the child's progress is less than expected. If concerns emerge from the progress check, or any special educational needs or disabilities have been identified, the information is used to ensure that any necessary additional support is put in place as early as possible. Practitioners use the results of the check to develop a targeted plan to support the child's future learning and development, including other professionals where appropriate. Children are encouraged to be independent and lead their own play and discovery, but practitioners are skilled at recognising teaching and learning opportunities and sensitively and skilfully step in to extend children's understanding. For example a practitioner notices a child has painted a shape that looked like a number. She asks the child ' What do you think your painting looks like? Do you know what I think it looks like? I'll get a pen and

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who attend

show you. I think it looks like a number 3'. This leads to a discussion about numbers.

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who attend

Practitioners understand that children learn as they play and explore so they provide the environment and resources for them to do this. They encourage children's curiosity and support them to use all their senses to explore their environment. Practitioners do not tell children what to do, but ask them what will happen if they do things. This not only motivates children to find out, but enables them to develop their communication and language skills. Practitioners provide the props to enable children to explore their experiences through play. As the activities are developed from children's interests and experiences, they concentrate and persevere for long periods of time. This means they succeed. Children develop their creativity and learn to think by developing their own ideas, making links and choosing ways to do things. Practitioners also plan activities that will extend children's learning. For example, eight children play an animal matching game. The

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who attend

practitioner uses the opportunity to develop children's language and understanding by describing the animals and encouraging the children to guess what it is. The practitioner matches her descriptions and support to individual children's interests and development. As a result, all the children are engaged for an extended period of time and their learning is maximised. Practitioners work extremely closely with parents because they know children learn well when there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents. This highly skilled and organised approach ensures children make exceptional progress towards the early learning goals.

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

The environment offers a wide range of experiences and opportunities both indoors and out. There are wonderful places to be active, to concentrate and to rest and relax. There are places that offer security, for example, as a child curls up in a comfortable nest to sleep, and places to provide physical challenge. As each age-group has a carefully constructed outdoor space designed to match children's needs, children can experiment and take risks in a highly supervised environment that ensures they are safe. Practitioners carefully choose the group size and location of activities to meet children's individual needs. For example activities planned to extend children's communication and language skills are carried out in a small quiet room. Children look at books in a den outdoors.

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

The exemplary organisation of space and resources meets all the children's individual needs and fully enables them to develop independence, make choices and ensures inclusion of all children. The environment is generally highly stimulating both indoors and out. The only exception being the relative lack of low-level displays for babies, to provide the highest level of stimulation. Key practitioners develop strong relationships with their key children which means children feel a sense of belonging and develop high self-esteem. A quiet room is decorated with attractive stars and lights. This promotes a feeling of well- being in children, their families, visitors and practitioners. Toys and resources are arranged in easily accessible boxes, which are labelled with words and pictures. This enables children to be independent and well-motivated and helps foster children's self- esteem and well-being.

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

There is a wide range of useful information for parents. It is an exceptionally welcoming and attractive environment, which has been skilfully developed to maximise children's opportunities to learn. It is an environment in which children and their families are comfortable and confident. As a result, children settle quickly and comfortably as they make the transition from home into the care of practitioners. Practitioners promote children's health well. Children's dietary needs are clearly displayed in each of the rooms and in the kitchen. Older children also have their own laminated lunchtime place labels that include their picture, name and any particular dietary requirements. This ensures individual children's needs are safely met. The premises are accessible to children and adult wheel chair users. All resources used by children are of high quality, challenging and appropriate to their ages and stages of development. Children are safe because they are

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

encouraged to help take responsibility for their own safety. The respectful relationships and community spirit that has developed between practitioners and children, results in excellent behaviour, which in turn also helps keep children safe. Relationships throughout the setting between adults and children are highly respectful.

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provision

The highly motivated practitioners are led by an inspirationally enthusiastic and competent manager and senior team. They in turn are supported within the local authority's management team. There is a very well embedded system of appraisal and support for all practitioners. The senior management team holds termly meetings with each member of staff to discuss a range of issues including children's progress and safeguarding. The nursery employs a safe recruitment system in conjunction with the local authority. The Chair of the recruitment panels have had safer recruitment training. The process includes both technical and value-based interviews as recommended by the National Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children. Disclosure and Barring Service checks and references are obtained before practitioners can start work. Once appointed there is a clear and thorough induction period of checks and training. The probationary period includes induction

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provision

training in addition to training on safeguarding, domestic violence and challenging racism. This helps ensure children are safe. Comprehensive risk assessments are in place and reviewed regularly. Management and staff have an outstanding knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues, and know the policy and procedure to follow if they have concerns. Management ensures all practitioners are kept up to date with current guidance and have regular refresher training.

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provision

The nursery also encourages practitioners to continue to increase their knowledge and understanding of early years practice. Almost all practitioners are qualified to at least level 3 and several have degrees or are working towards higher qualifications. The nursery also runs team building and inset days on, for example, behaviour management. Practitioners feel confident in sharing their ideas with their colleagues. They also take on board new ideas from training courses and other professionals where appropriate. The managers and early years teacher regularly monitor practitioner's work and are competent in giving them feedback. They reinforce excellent practice and make suggestions for further improvements. This enables them to enhance children's learning even further. There is a culture of constant reflection and improvement which has resulted in very high standards of care and teaching throughout the nursery. Staff deployment is exemplary. A rota

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provision

ensures all areas are appropriately maintained and staffed. This means children always have a knowledgeable adult available to support and extend their learning. This makes it a dynamic and lively environment for practitioners, children and families.

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provision

Children's progress is monitored closely by each child's key person and is overseen by the early years teacher. She reviews the progress of all individual children and that of key person groups. This enables the manager to quickly identify any additional support children may need to help them meet and exceed learning and development targets. They work closely with other agencies to provide such support. The analysis of children's progress also allows the manager to identify any extra support or training that practitioners may require and areas of strength and weakness of the setting. Each year the teacher analyses the data in great detail and publishes it alongside other children's centres in the group. Moderation between the centres, other settings and schools means the data is accurate and reliable. Findings from the analysis are fed into the action plan for the following year. The nursery also works very closely with parents. They ask parents

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provision

their views on the provision and invite ideas to improve the nursery. These ideas are discussed at staff meetings. Parents are also encouraged to actively be involved with the children's learning in a variety of ways. They attend parents' evenings, extend children's learning at home and contribute to assessments. The nursery also runs six week courses for parents on child development and education. Parents make very positive comments about the care their children receive and the support they receive as families. They are confident their children are safe, happy and are making good progress. Practitioners work closely with teachers from the schools they serve. This helps ensure children make good progress in school and in the setting.

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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 EY304851 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 915111

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 114 Number of children on roll 140 Name of provider Leeds City Council Date of previous inspection 10/01/2011 Telephone number 0113 2145878

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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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