Big Robins Nursery

Turtles Children's Nursery Burton Bank Lane, Burton Manor, STAFFORD, Staffordshire, ST17 9JW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/09/2013 14/01/2010

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early years provision

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

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This provision is outstanding

 Children thoroughly enjoy their time in this warm and welcoming environment and the high quality teaching, resources and experiences result in children making significant progress from their starting points in their learning and development.  Staff are sensitive and extremely responsive to children's needs, feelings and interests and successfully promote the children's independence, sense of belonging and well- being.  The excellent partnerships with parents and carers is instrumental to the success of the nursery. They are involved from the outset and throughout their child's time at the nursery, which results in parents successfully supporting their children's learning and helping shape the service offered.  The utmost priority is given to securing the children's welfare and safety by ensuring the safeguarding and welfare requirements are implemented, met and consistently monitored.  The leadership team work exceptionally well at inspiring the staff team. They have an

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This provision is outstanding

excellent overview of the progress the children make and are passionate about continually enhancing the already high quality service provided.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the playrooms and outdoor area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the registered individual/manager and manager, and carried out a joint observation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of staff working within the nursery, the provider's self- evaluation, development plan and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector also took account of the views parents spoken to on the day and information and feedback from parent questionnaires.

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Information about the setting

Turtles Children's Nursery opened in 1998. It operates from a converted and extended detached house within a residential area of Burton Manor, Stafford. The nursery serves the local and surrounding areas, with shops, parks and a library nearby. There is an enclosed outdoor area.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 84 children on roll, of whom all are in the early years age range. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday all year round between the hours of 7.30am to 6pm. Children attend a variety of sessions. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children and supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 16 members of staff. Of these, one holds Early Years Professional Status, two hold a qualification at level 6 and 13 hold an early years qualification at level 3.

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

 enhance opportunities further for children under three years of age to more freely access resources, such as the arts and crafts, water and sand, between activities, to further increase choice.

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who attend

The sharp focus on helping the younger children acquire communication and language skills, and on supporting their physical, personal and social development helps all children, including babies, make significant progress from their starting points. Staff in pre-school work exceptionally well to ensure the older children benefit from an educational programme that clearly fosters opportunities for active learning and for them to create and think critically. Consequently, children are extremely well prepared for school.

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who attend

Outcomes are clearly attributed to the excellent use of the observation and assessment systems in place, which are used to help plan and provide a rich and challenging range of high quality activities and experiences. This results in activities clearly being based on children's interests, ideas and developmental needs. For example, children who excel in areas, such as mathematics and literacy are given more complex concepts, ideas and problems to solve and some are on reading schemes, which are supported very well by their parents. In addition, the skilled staff identify any delay in development early and clear action plans are put in place to help narrow this gap swiftly. Children with English as an additional language are equally as well supported, for example, by employing bi-lingual staff to help build on what the children already know in their first language and to learn English.

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who attend

Partnership working with parents and carers is extensively promoted through involving them in the planning and assessment arrangements. For example, each room has a white board, which is used by parents and carers to add their comments about what their children are currently doing and enjoying at home and staff use this information well to inform planning. Many parents and carers also take advantage of the literacy and mathematics boxes, which include resources and activity ideas for them to try at home. 'Parents' play evenings', are successful in helping parents and carers to learn about how they can further support their child's learning and feedback from these evenings has been overwhelming positive.

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who attend

All children have excellent opportunities to increase their self-care skills in a calm and nurturing environment. Staff make time within the routine of the day to encourage children to complete tasks. For example, children pour their drinks, serve their food and at snack time children as young as 16 months are encouraged to spread butter on their bread and fill their sandwich. Children explore with confidence and make their own discoveries due to the positive relationships fostered with staff and the genuine interest they show.

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who attend

Children's communication and language is supported extremely well. Staff in pre-school are extremely skilled in capturing the children's interest and curiosity, to help them start discussion and to share their ideas and thoughts. For example, children express their ideas confidently, give detailed explanations and connect ideas and events. Staff successfully introduce new ideas, concepts and vocabulary at every opportunity. Consequently, children are interested in what is being said and are keen to answer questions, problem solve and predict. Staff caring for the younger children use songs and rhymes extremely well to capture their attention. For example, they choose songs which are linked to what children are doing and staff sing to children as they change their nappies, feed and care for them. Babies enjoy being physically close, make eye contact, and staff use resources, such as books and musical instruments to capture their interest and introduce new words.

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who attend

Children build excellent foundations for their early literacy development. More able children rapidly link sounds and letters because staff in pre-school place a clear focus on providing fun rhyming and listening activities. The writing area is popular with the children and they easily recognise their own names and many can write their own name and recognisable letters. Staff use excellent props and visual aids to engage the children's interest in stories. For example, children are both surprised and excited when the staff member lets the egg fall and crack from the pretend wall, in relation to the story being told.

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who attend

A wide range of opportunities are available for children to develop their creative skills and use their imagination. They use a variety of resources, and use their senses as they explore different materials and textures. Children experience a range of painting techniques and arts and craft activities, which are thoroughly enjoyed by the children, including babies. Children easily adopt roles and cooperate during their imaginary games.

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who attend

Children use a challenging range of physical play apparatus to test and extend their physical skills. Indoors, staff support the younger children and babies extremely well to use resources, such as tunnels, push along toys, rockers and walkers to encourage them to stand, crawl and walk. The purposeful learning environment outdoors provides a wealth of experiences for children to invest their curiosity, imagination and creativity. For example, children collect fallen apples and, under supervision, pick apples from the tree. Children become avid gardeners as they care for the tomatoes, strawberries, potatoes, cress and have helped create the hanging baskets. They care for and learn about the pet tortoise and snail, and are following the life cycle of the caterpillar they have found and which has now cocooned. The gazebo is inviting, and provides a covered area for children to use in all weathers and is often used by staff for stories and mark making activities.

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who attend

Staff place a strong emphasis on children learning about diversity and respecting difference. For example, staff have been talking to children about people of Traveller heritage and considering how people live in all sorts of homes, to help challenge negative stereotypes. This has inspired children to make a caravan for role play and stories and books are used well to further reinforce positive messages. Staff in pre-school confidently and skilfully introduce practical, early scientific experiments to the children. These excellent experiences provide opportunities for children to consider why things happen and change. For example, children have made an erupting volcano and have been considering therefore, where it is best to build their village, they have made ice cream using a chemical reaction and created paper flowers and predict what will happen to them when placed in water.

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who attend

Children's mathematical learning is fostered extremely well. All staff use the daily routine exceptionally well and activities to encourage children to count, sort and problem solve. The computer, programmable toys and the light box are used well to further extend mathematical concepts and problem solving. Children in pre-school have excellent, practical opportunities to consider concepts, such as size, weight, capacity and measure. The more able children have been involved in creating a graph of the most popular flavour of ice cream within the group, and of the rainfall over the last few weeks. This ensures those children who excel in their mathematical learning are suitably challenged to learn even more.

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

The promotion of equality is at the heart of the nursery's work with children, consequently, they are highly effective in ensuring that all children are well integrated. The highly embedded assigned key person system and the time given to getting to know each children means staff have exceptional knowledge of their backgrounds, care and educational needs. Children's personal, social and emotional development is fostered extremely well and children are happy and well settled due to the secure bonds formed with staff. Excellent attention is given to children when they transfer between rooms within the nursery to make this a smooth and easy move for children. Partnerships with the local schools are very strong and continue to strengthen. For example, teachers from the local feeder schools visit the children at the nursery before they start school and a good exchange of information, helps support a smooth transition.

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

Staff make extremely effective use of the space they have, to provide rich and meaningful experiences for children, although there is scope to further enhance opportunities for children under three years of age to more freely access resources, such as the arts and crafts, water and sand between other activities. The deployment of staff is effective to support the children, and staff are vigilant about the children's safety and supervise them extremely well. Children develop a very good understanding of how to keep themselves safe at nursery and on outings. For example, they learn how to safely use the ladders when apple picking, learn about disease and germs when handling the nursery pets and how to use knives safely when preparing their sandwiches. Children are extremely well behaved because staff adopt consistent strategies to manage children's behaviour. For example, children clearly understand the agreed codes of behaviour.

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

Excellent attention is given to encouraging children to adopt healthy lifestyles. They benefit from freshly cooked, nutritious meals and snacks, which are enjoyed by the children. For example, menus include foods from other cultures and many of the cakes are made from vegetables, such as parsnips, carrots and beetroot. The nursery is kept clean and hygienic and protective clothing worn when serving food and changing nappies, to prevent the spread of infection. All first aid, medication and accident requirements are met to secure the children's health and welfare.

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provision

The leadership and management team consists of the two registered individuals, of whom one is also the manager and works extremely closely with the other nominated manager and two deputies. This ensures any absences are covered with highly experienced staff who ensure the smooth and safe running of the nursery. The manager/registered individual has an expert knowledge of the learning and development requirements and is pivotal in driving a culture of excellence and inspiring the staff team. Staff clearly recognise the value of continuous improvement and ongoing internal review. For example, they are keen to take on new ideas, initiatives and to share their knowledge and expertise. Very successful, robust monitoring of the educational programmes, staff performance and the progress children make, results in the nursery securing outstanding practice. The thoughts and ideas of parents, carers, staff and children are fully valued and used to

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provision

continually enhance the already high quality service provided.

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provision

All staff have a comprehensive awareness of safeguarding issues and how to implement the safeguarding policy and procedures. There are robust recruitment, vetting and induction procedures in place to ensure staff are suitable to work with children. All the required records, policies and procedures, including risk assessments, are in place and up to date to secure the children's safety. Parents and carers are extremely well informed about how the nursery operates, and their child's progress, achievements and daily experiences. For example, the nursery website, regular parent bulletin, detailed prospectus, daily discussions and regular emails and parents meetings, keeps them exceptionally well informed. The parents' forum, which has been running for a number of years, meets three times a year and gives them a voice and they actively influence decisions and help shape the service being offered. All parents and

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provision

carers spoken to on the day of the inspection and parental satisfaction surveys clearly indicate that they are they are extremely impressed with the service provided and the care their children receive. They eagerly express the gains their children have made in their development, in particular, in their personal, social and emotional development and their communication and language. The nursery is extremely motivated in working with other settings, local schools and other professionals and agencies to support transition and children's welfare, care and education.

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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 218512 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 909294

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 64 Number of children on roll 84 Name of provider Turtles Nurseries (Stafford) Ltd Date of previous inspection 14/01/2010 Telephone number 01785 214675 and 07973790682

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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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