The Dolls House

The Dolls House 6 New Walk, LEICESTER, Leicestershire, LE1 6TF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/08/2013 13/11/2008

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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

 The strong partnerships that are built with parents are highly effective in identifying and supporting children's individual needs.  All children make good progress in their learning and development because staff observe them and plan appropriate next steps.  Children build secure relationships with their key persons, therefore, they feel secure to play, explore and learn.  Managers are ambitious for high standards in the nursery. They have developed strong systems for reflective practice, which are effective in bringing about continuous improvement.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to further develop staff's very good skills in extending children's learning as they interact with their play.  The organisation of the day does not always make best use of opportunities for outside play to fully build on children's very good physical skills.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed practice in the playrooms and garden.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector and area manager undertook a joint observation in the playroom and discussed this.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed a range of documentation, including evidence of staff suitability checks and qualifications and registers of attendance for children and staff.

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Information about the setting

The Dolls House day nursery was registered in 2003 and is on the Early Years Register. The setting is one of two nurseries owned by DH Nurseries Ltd. The nursery operates from two connected, converted Victorian houses close to the city centre in Leicester City. The houses are each accessed by two steps and are organised across the ground and first floors to provide care for children aged under two. Children aged under one year are accommodated in the Little House building, while children aged up to two years attend the Dolls House building. All children have access to a small, fully enclosed, outdoor play area. Families attend the nursery from the city and local area. There are currently 27 children on roll. The nursery supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

Opening times are from 7.45am until 6pm, five days a week all year round, except for one week at Easter and one week at Christmas. There are ten staff working with the children, all of whom hold early years qualifications. Of these, six hold qualifications at level 3, three at level 5 and one at level 6. The nursery also employs a member of staff who has Early Years Professional Status.

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

 build on the skills staff already have in extending learning by bringing additional resources and ideas into children's play, in order to fully support their interests and exploration

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

 consider the organisation of the day to provide more frequent opportunities for outside play, in order to further enhance the development of children's physical skills.

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who attend

Children benefit from being cared for by a well-qualified staff team, who have developed a secure knowledge and understanding of how babies and young children learn and develop. Children participate in a broad range of activities, which are planned and adapted to meet each child's individual needs. The nursery has secure systems in place to assess and plan for children's progress. Therefore, the activities provided are securely based on observations of children's interests and achievements and accurate assessment of their ongoing development needs. This is supported by the good use of the information that is supplied by parents in their weekly diaries. These are also used to share information on children's progress with parents, who are then supported in carrying this through at home. Staff build on the activities children experience with their own families within the nursery. When one child's diary related how he enjoyed a visit to the park with his parents, this

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who attend

was followed through by staff taking him on a visit to a park near to the nursery.

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who attend

A summary of each child's progress is compiled by their key person when they reach their second birthday. This is planned to take place just before they move on to the company's sister nursery, which caters for children over two-years-old. This ensures that their new key person is well informed about their stage of development, needs and interests. Regular tracking of children's progress means that any gaps or delays in any of the prime areas of development are quickly identified and activities and interaction with staff adapted to focus on these areas. Consequently, all children are making good progress in their learning and development.

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who attend

Staff guide children sensitively by joining with them in their play and extend their learning by introducing vocabulary and modelling actions. For example, a member of staff playing in the sand alongside children models pouring the sand from a bucket and repeats the word 'pour' in her conversation with the children. This enables them to develop their communication and language skills as they link the word to their experiences. Soon they are copying both her actions and the word that describes them confidently. A member of staff supporting a child who is drawing, comments on the marks she makes and refers to the different colours they are. This encourages the child to take notice of the effects of her chalk on the paper; she then pauses to look at what she has done and proudly shows them to the member of staff. There is scope for staff to further develop their very good skills in extending children's learning further, by adding additional resources into play that

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who attend

Children's cultural differences are valued and extended, therefore, children begin to relate to their community and the wider world. One room has been made into an area representing the celebration of Eid, as some children are involved in this at home and it is a part of all children's experiences of the local community. Children play with cooking utensils and food from the Islamic culture and visit their own 'mosque'. Children with English as an additional language are well supported by staff with a range of languages.

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who attend

Children's learning styles are known and respected. While some children enjoy being in a group around the sand, another child chooses to look at books on his own. He focuses intently on these because he is not distracted by other children's play. Children are empowered to be involved in their own learning through the choices they make about what they would like to play with. Therefore, children are actively engaged, which means they are motivated to discover the world around them. They explore as they play, feeling the textures of collage materials in the garden and increasing their vocabulary as they learn the words that describe them. Consequently, they develop good skills that prepare them well for their future learning, as they move on to the sister nursery and eventually onto school.

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

Children are settled in the nursery and demonstrate a sense of belonging and confidence, as they move about freely and choose their own activities. This is because they build good relationships with their key persons, which enables them to feel safe and secure. Children are supported well when they first start at the nursery, through a gradual settling-in period. Staff make good use of this period to build strong relationships with parents and other family members and to build a thorough knowledge of each child's individual needs. Children develop independence because staff take time to allow them to complete tasks for themselves. For example, with staff support they wash their hands themselves at the sink before they eat, which embeds good hygiene practice and self-care skills at a young age. Children benefit from a healthy diet at snack and meal times and regular drinks throughout the day. Babies enjoy their food as they are fed by their key person at meal

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

times and snuggle up as they are securely held while being bottle fed. Older children develop physical coordination, as they use a spoon and fork to eat their meals. The praise and encouragement which staff give them fosters a sense of pride in their own achievements. Children's care routines are known well and followed, giving them consistency between their home and nursery experiences. During nappy changing, staff talk to children so they are engaged and comforted.

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

Staff are skilled at handling children's behaviour sensitively, in ways that are appropriate to their young age and level of understanding. When disputes arise, staff intervene quickly and distract children with alternative activities or toys. They give children simple explanations that enable them to understand what is happening around them and how to keep themselves safe. When three children begin to become boisterous on soft play equipment, a member of staff explains to them that if they move it to the centre of the room they will have more space to play without hurting themselves. They comply with this and continue to enjoy their play safely, while developing their physical skills. However, the organisation of the day does not provide frequent opportunities for children to play outside. This means their rapidly developing physical skills are not always promoted as well as possible.

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

Children's transitions between key persons are handled perceptively. If a child has to be reassigned they are transferred to a member of staff they know well and already have a secure relationship with, because they are based in the same room. Parents are fully involved in the transition process to the sister nursery when children are two-years-old. This is done gradually over time and adapted to each child's own needs. They visit the new nursery with their parents and with their key person, until they are secure enough to be left for short periods in their new environment. This minimises the impact of the change and supports the child's sense of well-being.

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provision

The nursery benefits from strong leadership and management, which enhances the good quality of the provision for the children in its care. Managers have carried out an extensive risk assessment of the premises, activities and outings in the local areas, which effectively promote children's safety. These are reviewed regularly to ensure they are relevant and reflect any changes to the environment or practice. Staff to child ratios are maintained so children are well supervised. Systems for dealing with and recording any accidents, incidents or complaints are robust and detailed, which promotes the welfare of the children.

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provision

Procedures for safeguarding children have been effectively developed to a good standard. The safeguarding policies have been reviewed and enhanced in line with current legal requirements. This includes action to be taken if an allegation is made against a member of staff and the nursery's policy on the use on mobile phones. Staff demonstrate a secure knowledge and understanding of their roles and responsibilities with regard to the identification and reporting of any child protection concerns. The recruitment process for new staff is robust, which ensures that appropriate checks on their suitability to care for children are carried out.

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provision

Managers are highly ambitious and continuously aim to provide excellence in their provision through continuous monitoring of the quality of the nursery. This includes the ongoing supervision and appraisals of staff skills and performance. These are enhanced by regular observations of staff practice and level of expertise. Information from these is used to draw up a training plan, which ensures that all staff have a secure knowledge base to provide the children with good quality care and learning. The nursery works in partnership with other professionals locally to obtain advice, support and training to promote children's learning.

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provision

Staff are fully involved in the evaluation process because their opinions are actively sought and acted upon. This is done through staff surveys and discussions at team meetings and one-to-one meetings with the managers. A 'staff voice' board effectively encourages staff to express their thoughts and feelings because this is easily available to them. Parents' views are gathered in their daily discussions with staff and managers and through regular parent questionnaires, where they are invited to express their thoughts on the nursery provision. In a recent questionnaire most parents rated the nursery as 'excellent', which demonstrates their high level of satisfaction and inclusion. Parents spoken to stated that they were very happy with the nursery. One parent commented, 'I trust the staff here with my child'. The managers and staff team together reflect on the nursery and have used their findings to develop systems and practice over time. This includes the effective

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provision

monitoring of the educational programmes to ensure children always make good progress.

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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 EY273915 Local authority Leicester City Inspection number 931785

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 51 Number of children on roll 27 Name of provider The D.H. Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 13/11/2008 Telephone number 0116 2223570

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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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