Treetops Brookbank

Brookbank Private Day Nursery 239 Mottram Road, Hyde, Cheshire, SK14 2PE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/09/2013 12/11/2012

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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

 Effective planning provides children with a broad range of exciting and stimulating activities that engage them and builds on their individual interests and learning needs. As a result, they consistently make good progress in relation to their starting points.  The secure and well-embedded key person system helps children to form secure emotional attachments as they skilfully support them in their play. Consequently, children are well prepared for their transitions, both across the nursery and into school.  The stimulating environment, both indoors and outdoors, promotes learning and challenge and provides a strong base for children to manage risks and understand how to keep themselves safe and healthy.  Arrangements for safeguarding children are well embedded and clear policies and procedures are implemented consistently to ensure children are kept safe at all times.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 On occasions, the management of children and organisation of mealtimes is not used to maximum effect, in order to further enhance children's good social development.  The system of evaluation of staff performance through peer observation is less well established, in order to encourage staff to learn from each other through honest and critical reflection to constantly improve and build on their already good practice.

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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's activities in all playrooms and the outdoor environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the manager and talked to children, staff and key persons throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at various documents, including a sample of policies and procedures, children's records, evidence of the suitability of staff and recruitment procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of a parent spoken to on the day of the inspection and from written statements.

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Information about the setting

Brookbank Private Day Nursery was registered in 2003. It is one of a chain of nurseries run by Treetops Nurseries Limited and operates from a three storey building located in Hyde, Cheshire. Children are cared for in eight rooms spread across two floors and have access to a secure outdoor play area. Indoor and outdoor areas are accessed via a number of steps. The nursery serves children from the local area.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 162 children on roll, all of whom are within the early years age range. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. It receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 7am to 6.15pm, all year round with the exception of bank holidays. There are 20 members of childcare staff, 13 of whom hold early years qualifications at level 3. Two members of staff hold an early years qualification at level 2 and five members of staff are unqualified. The deputy manager and one other member of staff hold Early Years Professional Status.

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

 review the arrangements for the organisation of mealtimes, so that all children are consistently provided with the space, time and opportunities to build on their existing good social skills

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

 consider the implementation of a peer observation system to further enhance the evaluation of staff's performance, so that they can learn from each other through honest and critical reflection.

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who attend

Babies and children are enthusiastic and motivated to learn in this good quality nursery. The environment, both indoors and outdoors, is well organised into areas of continuous provision linked to the seven areas of learning and children learn through well-planned, purposeful and challenging activities. As a result, all children make good progress in relation to their starting points, including children whose starting point is below expected levels for their age. Staff are enthusiastic and full of fun and this is reflected in the motivation and enthusiasm of children as they learn and play. For example, as toddlers build towers with a member of staff, they squeal with delight and laugh hysterically when the bricks fall down. The environment is well resourced to promote all areas of learning and give children opportunities to play and explore and be active learners. For example, babies crawl rapidly towards resources that particularly excite them, such as baskets filled

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who attend

with household objects and bottles filled with pasta, glitter, sequins and rice. They investigate different textured materials, sounds and smells, which effectively encourages them to learn through their senses. Children enjoy opportunities to explore a broad range of media and materials, such as, sand, water, dough and paint. They have a wonderful time as they explore the texture of rice pudding, using their fingers, hands and mouths.

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who attend

Staff place a strong focus on helping children to acquire personal, social and emotional skills and supporting their physical and communication and language development. As a result, children gain the skills, abilities and attitudes that prepare them well for the next stage in their learning and school. For example, staff teach children to adopt a 'can do' attitude and through positive praise, encourage them to persevere with tasks they find difficult. Babies and children demonstrate high levels of confidence as they freely move around the environment and make independent choices about what they want to do. Staff provide sensitive support to help children to achieve and are skilful at knowing when to intervene in their play and when to stand back and observe. This means that children have opportunities to find out things for themselves and also learn new skills from staff.

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who attend

Children develop good language and communication skills and listen attentively to staff as they talk to children during play and daily routines. Staff know children in their care very well and intuitively 'tune in' to the individual words they use to communicate their needs. For example, they introduce new words, such as, 'buckle', 'badge' and 'belt' to extend children's vocabulary and skilfully use open-ended questioning techniques to help them to communicate their thoughts and ideas. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, who need additional help in this area of learning, are well supported through the effective use of pictures, symbols and sign language to reinforce their communication skills. Pre-school children develop good literacy skills as they take part in daily phonic activities and demonstrate their understanding as they sound out letters when writing their names. During circle time, they show that they can link sounds to letters as they

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who attend

eagerly tell staff that 'helicopter', 'hair', 'hamster' and 'headband' begin with the letter 'h'. Young children demonstrate their understanding that print carries meaning as they point to the text in a book and ask 'What does that say?'

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who attend

Children have many opportunities to develop their large muscle control and coordination as they ride wheeled toys, practise ball skills, use balancing equipment and practise climbing up and down steps. Babies have room indoors to crawl, stretch and roll and pull themselves up to a standing position with the furniture, which helps them develop their physical skills.

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who attend

Teaching is strong across the nursery, in some instances outstanding and is rooted in staff's secure knowledge of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Information gathered from parents on entry and subsequent observations by staff, are used effectively to determine children's starting points. Accurate and precise observations, planning and assessment procedures are in place to ensure children's individual needs are met well. This means that any gaps in children's learning are quickly identified and appropriate external support is provided to ensure they continue to make good progress. Each child has a learning journey record, which is maintained to a high standard and contains observations, planning for next steps and lovely photographs to evidence their development. Staff are fully aware of how children learn and therefore, can plan effectively to support their progress.

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who attend

Parents are fully involved in their children's learning, which makes a good contribution to meeting their individual needs. Staff share two-way information with parents about their children's learning in the nursery and at home through daily conversations. In addition, organised parents' meetings give them the opportunity to discuss their child's learning and progress with their key person. As a result, parents are kept fully informed of their children's development; staff are able to build on children's experiences at home and effectively help parents to support their children's learning.

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

Babies and children demonstrate high levels of independence and competently manage their own care needs. For example, babies feed themselves, toddlers access and put on and take off their aprons and pre-school children serve their own meals. Children sit and chat with staff at meal and snack times and are encouraged to interact with other children. However, on occasions the management of children at this time and organisation of the eating space is not used to maximum effect as an opportunity for children to further enhance their social development.

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

Children feel safe and secure and settle well on entry into the nursery because staff find out about their interests, likes and dislikes and care routines from parents. Staff greet children and welcome them into the room ensuring that they feel valued and cared for. A warm and caring environment is created in which children are supported by the consistent routines and the effective, trusting relationships with their key person. On entry to the nursery, children choose a button from an assortment of different shapes, colours and sizes for staff to sew on the nursery's 'button blanket'. This is used to demonstrate that all children belong to the 'nursery family', which makes them feel valued and successfully promotes their sense of belonging. All children show a strong sense of self as they actively explore their environment. They confidently seek reassurance and support from staff if they need help or comfort, which demonstrates that they feel safe and secure within the

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

nursery. Effective systems are in place to support children as they move rooms, such as staff discussions with the child's new key person, sharing children's developmental progress reports and settling-in visits. Consequently, children experience continuity and consistency of care and learning.

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

Children learn to keep themselves safe through discussions about 'stranger danger' and staff support them to manage their own risks as they teach them how to safely walk up and down the grassy hill outside. They demonstrate their understanding of their own safety as they confidently explain that they need to hold on to the rail or an adult's hand when walking up and downstairs, so that they do not fall. Children learn about healthy eating as they are provided with nutritious snacks and meals and given opportunities to try new foods and textures. Staff role model good hygiene practices and teach children about the importance of washing their hands before eating and after using the bathroom to remove germs. Children have daily access to outdoor play to enjoy regular fresh air and exercise and staff provide opportunities to teach children the effect physical activity has on their bodies. For example, they feel their heartbeat before exercise and talk about how it

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

beats faster after the activity. Opportunities for quiet activities, such as story and singing times enable babies and young children to snuggle up on their key person's knee and rest and relax. Consequently, children's health and hygiene is successfully promoted, which in turn has a positive impact on their physical and emotional well-being.

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

Staff help children manage their behaviour as they explain about sharing, taking turns and talk about feelings. The skilful use of puppets enables children to explore their feelings and if they feel sad, the puppet and other children think of solutions to make them feel better. Staff gently remind children to have 'kind hands' and support them with turn taking as they encourage children to share resources. Staff respond to minor disagreements sensitively and calmly and encourage children to talk about what has happened and what they can do to resolve the situation. This helps children to become aware of the effect their actions have on others. Children respond well to praise and encouragement of positive behaviour. For example, when children share resources staff say 'that makes me feel happy'. As a result, children's behaviour is consistently good.

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provision

The manager and staff team are passionate and committed to their work with children and this is reflected in their enthusiasm and the enjoyment they demonstrate when interacting with children. Priorities for improvement are clearly identified through the effective self- evaluation process and consistent monitoring of the environment. Staff constantly reflect on their practice to ensure they continue to improve, as they strive to provide the best possible care and education for all children. Close links with the other nurseries owned by the company provide staff with the opportunities to gather new ideas and share good practice. However, the system of evaluation of staff performance through peer observation is less well established, in order to encourage staff to learn from each other through honest and critical reflection. The manager ensures that all staff have ample opportunities for further training, which is discussed at appraisal meetings and that any

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provision

mandatory training is updated as required. Consequently, staff continue to develop their knowledge, understanding and skills, which has a significant impact on children's overall learning and development.

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provision

Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of how to protect and safeguard all children and policies and procedures are known by all staff and implemented consistently. They are fully aware of what to do and who to contact if there are any safeguarding concerns and all staff have recently attended safeguarding training to update and refresh their knowledge and understanding. In addition, they are confident to implement the whistleblowing policy and procedures in the event of concerns about inappropriate behaviour from members of staff. Risks are managed effectively and daily checks of the indoor and outdoor environment ensure that children can learn and play in complete safety. The vigilance of staff, consistent supervision of children and extensive security systems, such as, keypad locks on doors, secure fencing and locked gates, ensure that children are kept safe at all times. Robust recruitment and selection procedures, for

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provision

example, induction, probationary periods and completion of checks pertaining to their suitability, ensures that practitioners are skilled and safe and children are well protected.

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provision

The manager takes overall responsibility for overseeing the educational programme and ensuring its effective implementation. This ensures that children have access to a broad and balanced curriculum that covers all seven areas of learning. Furthermore, the manager oversees and regularly checks children's learning journey records to ensure that they are up to date and that observations and tracking accurately reflect children's learning and progress. Children's learning and development is shared between the manager and key person during one-to-one meetings, so that any concerns about their progress can be addressed and swiftly acted upon. This means that all children can successfully reach their full potential through the provision of additional external support when necessary.

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provision

Children's learning journey records are shared with parents and they access a broad range of information about the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage in the form of displays, photographs and regular newsletters. A great emphasis is placed on daily, face-to-face communications, achieved through the meet-and-greet open door policy. Systems for effective working with other early years providers, such as local schools are in place to provide continuity and consistency for children's care and learning. Reception class teachers are invited to visit the nursery to get to know children and share their learning and development, which successfully supports children with the transition to school.

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provision

Parents are highly complimentary about staff and the care and education their children receive. They comment that they can confidently leave their children, knowing that they are happy, safe and secure. Parents state that they are given regular information about their children's development and progress and that this helps them to support their learning at home.

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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 EY268852 Local authority Tameside Inspection number 932027

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 128 Number of children on roll 146 Name of provider Treetops Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 12/11/2012 Telephone number 0161 3661645

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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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