Quadrant House Private Day Nursery

Quadrant House Private Day Nursery 2 Reynard Street, HYDE, Cheshire, SK14 2HW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/09/2013 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 receive high levels of support and consistency of care. This enables them to form secure attachments with practitioners, who are loving and sensitive to the children's individual needs, which promotes their well-being and sense of belonging.  Children are welcomed into a stimulating learning environment, both indoors and outdoors, which offers a range of stimulating resources. As a result, children take an active interest in their surroundings and engage happily in their chosen activities.  Practitioners have a clear understanding of the arrangements for safeguarding children which ensures children's safety is maintained.  Practitioners are highly committed to improve the nursery provision. They continually take into consideration the views of children and parents, and plans for improvement are well targeted to strengthen their practice.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The ways in which high quality practice can be shared across the nursery through peer observation and reflection have not yet been fully explored.  Opportunities for older children to develop their independence during meal times are not yet consistently embraced by all staff.

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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 during adult-led and child-initiated opportunities presented in the three playrooms and the outdoor play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation and discussed these with practitioners.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out a joint observation of a teaching and learning activity with the manager.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector met with the manager of the nursery and checked evidence of suitability of practitioners working with the children, car insurance documentation, registers, risk assessment procedures, accident records and discussed the self- evaluation and improvement plan.

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Information about the setting

Quadrant House Private Day Nursery was re-opened in 2013 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from converted premises on the edge of Hyde town centre, Cheshire, and is owned by a provider who also manages the setting. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from two main rooms separated into four play areas designed for children of different developmental stages, on two floors of the premises. One play area is designated for out of school care. The first floor is accessible by stairs. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7am until 7pm, for 51 weeks of the year, with the exception of bank holidays and a week at Christmas. It offers wrap around care to children who attend the local primary school. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 31 children on roll, of which, 28 are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two, three- and four-year-old children.

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Information about the setting

There are a total of 10 childcare practitioners, nine of those hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, 3 and 4. One practitioners is working towards a level 2 qualification. The manager and deputy manager are working towards a Foundation Degree in Early Years. The nursery currently receives support from the local authority.

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

 extend the ways in which high quality practice is shared across the nursery, for example, by embedding the use of peer observations and reflecting on them to bring about improvements for the children

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

 provide consistent, predictable routines at meal times, for example, by including opportunities for older children to help in appropriate tasks, such as, setting the table, serving food and tidying away afterwards.

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who attend

Children are greeted by friendly, caring practitioners, they arrive at the setting happy, confident and full of enthusiasm. They make independent choices from the wide range of toys and equipment and are provided with lots of opportunities to instigate their own play. Babies and young infants show high levels of curiosity and are motivated to be mobile because they are provided with interesting toys to investigate. They enjoy looking at their reflections in low-level mirrors, which helps them to develop an awareness of themselves and others. Children enjoy exploring using their senses as they feel frozen shaving foam in their hands. They discover the variety of changes it goes through before returning to the texture of regular shaving foam. They explore toys with knobs, buttons and flaps and discover that their actions produce different sounds, lights and movement and eagerly bounce up and down and sway to the sounds they have created. All children are provided

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who attend

with a range of interesting and challenging experiences that meet their needs, as all practitioners demonstrate a good understanding of how to engage and capture the children's interests. Pre-school children develop their hand-eye coordination as they thread cereal hoops onto spaghetti and string. They are encouraged to problem solve as they discover they need to keep one end covered, to prevent the hoops from sliding off the spaghetti. They learn not to apply too much pressure so the spaghetti does not break. They enthusiastically use string to create bracelets and count in sequence the numbers of hoops they thread. Children learn to work cooperatively together; as they take interest in each other's creations and offer solutions to problems encountered.

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who attend

Systems to assess children's starting points on entry are secure. Practitioners work closely with parents during the settling-in period, obtaining detailed information to establish what children can already do and define their initial targets and link them to the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result, the methods used to assess the children are good. Regular progress reports are shared with parents, with identified targets to support children's progress, along with a variety of observations and photographs, which illustrates that the children engage in a broad range of activities. Parents are provided with daily opportunities to contribute information about what their children are doing at home. They are able to borrow resources from the nursery, such as 'toy sacks'. This enables them to understand how to support their children's learning at home and share ideas.

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who attend

All children are secure in communicating their needs and preferences. Visual pictures and use of gestures enhance their early language skills. Older children are encouraged to join in the use of phonics by playing games using letter bags, to promote their understanding of sounds and letters. Practitioners give children time to start and finish conversations. As a result, they develop their confidence in communicating as they enthusiastically talk about what they are doing. Practitioners skilfully help to enhance babies vocabulary by encouraging their babbling through copying their sounds. They explain what they are doing and repeat words back to them, so they can hear the words clearly, developing their familiarity. Children of all ages are provided with lots of opportunities to mark make and develop their early writing skills. Young infants are encouraged to use their fingers to create patterns in a variety of media, such as, sand, paint and dried food. They have

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who attend

access to chunky paint brushes and crayons which they can hold easily. Pre-school children choose from a wide selection of writing materials, which they use around the environment in a variety of activities. Older children confidently write their own name and are able to recognise a range of letters. They access a well-resourced book area where they discover that print has meaning. They happily engage in story sessions and look at books together and tell their own stories by looking at the pictures. Babies enjoy snuggling up to practitioners as they express interest and curiosity in colourful pictures in books that provide tactile and sensory experiences. All of these activities ensure that children gain a good range of skills in readiness for school when the time comes.

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who attend

Teaching techniques are consistently strong across the provision resulting in all children being effectively supported to acquire the skills and capacity to learn and develop effectively. They learn about life cycles as they create caterpillar habitats and watch the process of transformation over a period of time. They create wormeries where they learn about the concept of recycling and discover how worms turn organic matter into fertile soil. They are enthusiastic learners and are provided with a wide range of opportunities to experience a balanced variety of adult-led and child-initiated activities. For example, children are encouraged to follow their own ideas and thinking. Older children use their imagination as they play in the home corner and create their own games. They eagerly use equipment to prepare meals and set the table. They excitedly explain they have made 'juicy smoothies' and 'vegetables' for dinner. They care for dolls by dressing them and

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who attend

pretend to go shopping using pushchairs. Pre-school children demonstrate their critical thinking skills when they create obstacle courses by using large soft shapes. They discover different ways of moving their bodies to climb over and under the obstacles.

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

All children show a strong sense of belonging within the nursery. They are welcomed into a colourful, stimulating environment by friendly attentive practitioners. An established key person system ensures that every child and family is provided with the opportunity to have a 'special' relationship with one practitioner. This enables children to form secure attachments, which promotes their well-being and confidence. Practitioners work closely with parents from the point of entry. They effectively use detailed information obtained to establish what children can do, and define initial targets linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result, practitioners know children well and are able to meet their individual needs effectively. All children enjoy quality time they spend with their key person and engage in a variety of activities. For example, young infants listen to simple action songs, where they sway back and forth and clap their hands. Older children happily

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

engage in a game of 'hide and seek' where they take turns with their key person to hide then seek. All practitioners are loving and affectionate and delight in children's achievements, embracing them with cuddles and praise which promotes their personal, social and emotional development and self-esteem.

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

The nursery environment is equipped with a wide selection of good quality toys and resources that are suitable to meet the age and stage of development of all children attending. Low-level storage units are attractively labelled in pictures and words. This enables the children to make independent choices, allowing them to express themselves creatively and use their imagination. Children of all ages are enthusiastic and confident to explore their environment from the moment they arrive. Pre-school children help themselves to digital cameras and take photographs of toys and confidently ask their peers to smile. They create models with construction materials and enjoy dressing up in hard hats and high visibility jackets as they help themselves to plastic tools. Young infants explore their surroundings from different positions. Low-level furnishings enable them to pull themselves to standing and push-along toys helps them to develop their confidence in

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

walking. Large areas of space provide lots of opportunities for young infants to stretch, roll and crawl, enabling them to reach items of interest, such as treasure baskets. They eagerly take out items from the baskets to explore small plastic bottles filled with different materials that make sounds and are visually stimulating.

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

Sensitive care provides a strong foundation for children who have recently started at the nursery. Children are supported well during the settling-in process and when moving into different rooms. Key person groups are based on what each child can do. Effective support is provided by practitioners to ensure that pre-school children are effectively prepared for their progression onto school. For example, they are provided with opportunities to meet their new teachers, who are encouraged to visit the nursery to observe children in their familiar environment. Younger children and older children are provided with regular opportunities throughout the day to play together in different areas. As a result, all children are familiar and confident with their surroundings and learn to form close relationships with their peers.

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

Children use sand timers for activities that require taking turns, to enable them to understand the concept of time. They are aware that when the sand has emptied into the base, it is time to change places with their peers. They use the timers with confidence and without prompts, which enables them to take control of situations without being told what to do. Children explore their feelings and express themselves through the use of stories. They are encouraged by practitioners to treat each other with kindness and respect. They understand the expectations of appropriate behaviour and follow simple rules of the setting. Practitioners act as positive role models treating children with respect and providing gentle prompts to promote positive behaviour. Children proudly show off their stickers after helping to tidy away and show care and concern towards each other. Practitioners are committed to including all children and treat them with equal concern.

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

They provide opportunities for children to appreciate different cultures and religions through participating in the celebration of a variety of festivals and by accessing a variety of toys and resources that reflect diversity. This enables them to respect each other's differences.

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

Children's understanding of safety is enhanced through controlled opportunities provided for them to take risks. They use tools carefully, while participating in creative activities, such as using scissors to cut out pictures and gardening equipment as they dig for worms. Babies are supervised closely enabling them to explore their environment safely. Toddlers and pre-school children demonstrate how they go up and down the stairs to their playrooms. They confidently use the hand rails, keep to the side and know they must not run. Children attending before and after school sessions form a walking bus; as they travel from nursery to school. They wear high visibility jackets and are encouraged to use the pedestrian crossing when crossing the road. Overall, pre-school children develop a range of self-care skills, for example, they help themselves to resources and are encouraged to talk about what they want to do. They are encouraged to manage their personal needs,

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

such as visiting the toilet, washing their hands and wiping their nose, enabling them to become familiar with personal hygiene routines. They actively help to tidy up their environment by putting resources away. However, opportunities to set the table; serve their own food and tidy away afterwards during meal times are not consistently implemented, resulting in missed opportunities for the further development of independence. Children learn about healthy lifestyles as they are offered a wide range of healthy snacks and meals which are made from fresh produce delivered to the nursery on a daily basis. Babies and young infants are effectively supported during meal times and are provided with opportunities to feed themselves using their fingers and spoons. Children are able to rest in accordance to their needs and happily help themselves to their comforters, enabling them to feel fully refreshed when they awake and face new

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

challenges and learning experiences. Children enjoy engaging in a variety of physical activities as they discover the value of physical exercise. They develop their coordination skills as they throw balls to each other and play catch. They move their bodies in a variety of ways and explore wide open spaces and climbing apparatus.

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provision

Arrangements for safeguarding children within the provision and through work with families and outside agencies are effective. All practitioners prioritise children's safety and have a secure knowledge and understanding of how to protect children in their care. Management effectively implement robust systems to monitor practitioner's knowledge and ensure they attend regular training, promoting their awareness of current procedures to follow, in event of any child protection concerns arising. Practitioners are committed to providing an environment that is welcoming, safe and stimulating, where children develop their confidence and enjoy their learning experience. Daily registers record the hours of attendance for children and practitioners, ensuring that practitioners are well deployed and that ratios are maintained at all times. Robust procedures are implemented to cover any practitioner absences, via the use of agency workers or the management team.

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provision

Effective systems are implemented to identify and assess possible risks and practitioners take appropriate steps to prevent accidents, while enabling children to have the freedom to explore and learn safely. For example, daily checks of the premises, inside and outside are conducted and recorded and any potential hazards are removed. Resources and equipment are in good condition and checked and cleaned on a regular basis. Robust recruitment, selection and induction procedures are in place to ensure the suitability of practitioners to work with children. In addition, children are transported by a named driver who is vetted and fully insured to take and collect children who attend before and after school sessions, ensuring their safety. Practitioners' performance is monitored formally through appraisals and informally through observations of practice by the manager. Observations of practice are used to inform the appraisal system and highlight strengths

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provision

and weaknesses. As a result, any perceived underperformance can be dealt with so that practitioners understand the high standards expected from them. In addition, the manager is beginning to introduce formal peer observations. However, this is not fully embedded across the nursery in order to develop practitioners' professional skills and share good practice to drive further improvement. Documentation, policies and procedures are used effectively to underpin practice and comply with the statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage which demonstrates the managers understanding of her role and responsibilities. The manager monitors the educational programmes which ensures she can easily identify any gaps in the children's learning and source any additional support the children may require.

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provision

All practitioners are motivated by the drive for improvement and are continually seeking ways to improve and develop the service they offer. There are effective procedures in place for identifying clear strengths and weaknesses. Daily observations and discussions with children ensure their views and preferences are taken into account, such as providing activities and resources that children have requested. For example, children attending the out of school club requested an outing during the summer holidays, so a trip to Blackpool was organised. Pre-school children expressed an interest in playing with the bark outdoors. This was enhanced further by the provision of builder's trays, bark and artificial grass, where the children created small worlds for animals. Toddlers expressed an interest in a particular construction toy which was extended to provide more play opportunities. Views from parents and practitioners are obtained through daily discussions and regular

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provision

meetings. Planned actions are implemented effectively to overcome any areas of weakness. For example, the provider and practitioners have identified they would like to enhance the outdoor play area to provide more learning opportunities for children. This is currently under development. The nursery also liaises closely with the local authority early years team, implementing advice and guidance to enhance their service.

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provision

A strong commitment to partnership working with parents, other settings and external agencies is evident and well-established, and contributes to meeting children's needs. Practitioners have good relationships with parents who speak highly of the service and the care their children receive. They report that they are delighted with the progress their children are making and the dedication and commitment of the whole nursery team. Children benefit from the close working relationships between practitioners and parents. Daily verbal communication, along with home to nursery diaries and regular meetings, ensure that parents are consulted at every stage of their child's care and development. A 'sharing tree' interactive display; also enables parents to record their comments, home observations and suggestions, and the information is used to inform activity planning, continuity of care and enables practitioners to meet the individual needs of children.

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provision

Additional information is provided for parents through displays and regular newsletters, keeping them fully informed about events. Effective communication systems ensure that parents are kept fully informed of their children's progress. Close liaison with local schools and sensitive support provided by practitioners ensures that children are prepared for their moves, both within the setting and onto school.

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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 EY463834 Local authority Tameside Inspection number 931014 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 54 Number of children on roll 31 Name of provider Quadrant House Private Day Nursery Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 0161 222 3455

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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

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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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