Little Folks Nursery & Out of School Club

Little Folks Nursery & Out of School Club Westwards Close, Kingstanding, BIRMINGHAM, B44 8LR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29/08/2013 06/08/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 1 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Staff provide rich and varied activities and resources through which children make very good progress. They have an excellent knowledge of how children learn, which results in high quality teaching.  Staff have an excellent understanding of child protection and carry out robust procedures so that children are safe.  Partnerships with parents and carers and other professionals are very strong, which means children and their families are exceptionally well supported.  Children are extremely happy and settled in the warm, family environment of the nursery. Their health and well-being is given the utmost priority so that children are very secure and confident.  The highly motivated staff are supported extremely well in their professional development, which means that the high quality provision is continually improving.

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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 playroom and the outdoor play area, including a joint observation with the deputy manager of the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager, the deputy manager and the providers of the nursery.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector also took account of the views of parents and carers and children spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

The Little Folks Nursery and Out of School Club re-opened in 2011 and is run by Mishi Nurseries Limited. It operates from an adapted warehouse in Kingstanding, Birmingham. It is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It opens on Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm all year round, with the exception of bank holidays. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs seven members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 3 to 6. One member of staff holds Early Years Professional Status. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 35 children attending who are within the early years age group. The nursery also offers care to children aged over five years to eight years. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four- year-old children. It supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and for whom English is an additional language and receives support from the local authority.

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

 enhance the already excellent outdoor opportunities for children by extending activities and resources in all areas of learning, with particular regard to the development of children's senses.

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who attend

The nursery staff have expert knowledge of how children learn through play. This means that they gather valuable information from their detailed observations of children which they use to plan very exciting and challenging activities through which all children make excellent progress. Children develop their own learning styles, as staff provide a wealth of high quality resources and toys which are easily accessible in all rooms. Each room is very well thought out and planned around children's needs and interests. Staff know children very well as they carry out sharply focused assessments so that any gaps in learning are quickly identified and addressed. This means they plan for individual children so that they build on the next steps in their learning each day.

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who attend

Each child's key person works closely with parents to share information about children's progress and to plan how they can support and extend children's learning at home. Parents take home nursery resources and are encouraged to evaluate and record their observations of their children's focused play. This makes an extremely valuable contribution to assessments and future planning so that children continually build on their learning. Parents are involved in children's assessments through daily contact with their key person and by contributing to their progress records. Staff invite parents to share stories or cultural events with all the children and to attend play sessions to find out how they learn through play. Staff encourage parents to share basic words in their home languages in order to support children for whom English is an additional language. Parents are extremely well-informed about children's activities and their purpose through the

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who attend

highly informative displays in each room and around the nursery. Parents receive detailed information about children's progress through speaking to the key person each day and also via a written daily report.

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who attend

All children are extremely well motivated and engaged in their learning. This is because the learning environment reflects their interests and they have a wide choice of exciting and stimulating resources which they use in whichever way they choose. Staff guide children's play through highly skilled questioning which challenges all children so their learning is maximised during all activities and routines. The high quality teaching is consistent throughout the nursery and staff develop children's language and communication skills very effectively. Staff encourage children to think about the colours, shapes and sizes of wooden blocks or the toys they use in the sand and water. Children learn about volume through their water play and count in a wide range of situations. For example, they are encouraged to count how many children are at the table and are asked how many plates and cups they need. Pre-school children are extremely well prepared for

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who attend

school, as they learn to recognise and write their names and other familiar words at nursery and at home. They develop their technological skills very well through the independent use of computers, cameras and programmable toys.

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who attend

Toddlers enjoy playing with dry rice in a tray. Staff engage them in conversation about whether they eat rice at home and how it needs to be cooked before it can be eaten. Older children identify which plates are bigger or smaller and staff introduce new vocabulary, such as 'sieve' as children play. Children are challenged to build a tower from wooden bricks as tall as themselves that will not fall down. They gain firsthand experience of life cycles through observing tadpoles at nursery and find out about nature and the environment on trips around the local area. All children develop their physical skills particularly well through their use of wheeled toys, balls, hoops and climbing equipment. Children show great pleasure in their weekly music, dance and movement sessions and in the outdoor area. Children thoroughly enjoy making a den in the tent and taking in toys of their choice to support them in their imaginative play. The outdoor area is used extremely

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who attend

well so that children extend their learning. However, there is further scope to enhance this through offering a greater range of activities and resources to develop children's senses, such as through growing herbs to use in their cooking.

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who attend

Children with special educational needs are exceptionally well supported, as staff have comprehensive knowledge and experience in supporting such children. They work very closely with parents and a wide range of other professionals, such as, the area special educational needs coordinator, health visitors and local school staff. Staff attend relevant training related to children's needs and give excellent support to all children and their families so that they are included in the life of the nursery and make very good progress.

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

Staff give the utmost priority to children's health and well-being. They ensure that all children's needs are met, as they work very closely with parents and carers so that children receive continuity of care. As a result, children are extremely happy and secure. They see their siblings at nursery throughout the day, as all children eat together so that they get to know each other and all staff. This helps children to feel secure if their key person is not present, as they form very close bonds with each other and staff. There are excellent relationships between children and staff, which means there is an exceptionally happy, nurturing atmosphere in each room.

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

Behaviour is excellent, as staff set clear boundaries and plan activities and discussions so that children begin to understand how their actions can affect other children or adults. They discuss feelings through games and role play and staff actively encourage older children to talk about who they trust and to report any concerns they have about anyone being unkind or anything they do not feel comfortable with. Staff teach children about road safety and stranger danger, which is extended through visits from the local police and fire officers. This means children learn to keep themselves safe in a range of situations. Children manage risks safely on the climbing equipment and on outings.

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

Children learn to make healthy food choices, as staff involve parents in the nursery menus, share recipes and invite them to take part in healthy food initiatives, such as making fruit 'smoothies' with children. The nursery provides children with healthy meals and snacks and has a top healthy settings award. Staff share information with parents about correct portion sizes for children and how they can make tasty treats for children with special dietary requirements so they are not left out of special celebrations. Children have fresh air and exercise each day at nursery or on trips to the park or nearby field.

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

Staff encourage all children to be independent in their choice of activities and in their personal care routines. Children's opinions and achievements are highly valued and they receive frequent praise from staff, which gives them increasing confidence and high self- esteem. Staff are very aware of children's individual needs, as they ask children who are toilet training if they need to go or if children need to sleep or have quiet time. Parents say they are confident and reassured to leave their children, as they know they are exceptionally well cared for at the nursery.

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

Transitions to new rooms in the nursery and to school are extremely well managed so that children are very secure. Children know all the nursery staff and spend increasing amounts of time in the new room with their key person until they feel secure. Parents are involved in the process and children do not move until they are ready. Staff invite teachers from the local schools to visit the children at nursery and they share information about their progress and individual needs so that these continue to be met. Staff provide extra support for those children that require this. Children are very well prepared for school as they take part in role play and discussion and listen to stories about going to school.

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provision

Leadership in the nursery is dynamic and inspirational. The management team is highly enthusiastic and provides an outstanding level of support for staff in the improvement of their performance and professional development. Detailed and evaluative supervision and monitoring is undertaken by the management team and staff through very strong team work. Sharply focused evaluations of the impact of staff's performance result in the continual improvement of the high quality teaching so that children continue to receive high quality learning experiences. Staff attend regular training courses in order to improve this even further and shape their professional development. Staff reflect on and evaluate their teaching and planning and have input into the self-evaluation process, which is ongoing. They work together to identify and address improvements in all aspects of the provision through an ongoing action plan. The views of parents and children are fully

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provision

included in this process so that their needs are met and they have a sense of ownership of the nursery ethos and goals.

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provision

Children are exceptionally safe, as the management team use robust procedures to ensure staff understand and implement the comprehensive safeguarding policy and risk assessments. Meticulous record keeping and frequent analysis of medical and accident records means that children are extremely well protected. The premises are very secure and highly effective recruitment and inductions mean that staff are suitable to work with children. Staff are very vigilant in their supervision of children and ratios are strictly adhered to. All staff have paediatric first-aid qualifications and there are rigorous procedures for the collection of children so that they are safe. Staff adhere to the nursery's no smoking policy and the premises are clean and tidy indoors and outdoors so that there are no potential hazards to children or staff.

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provision

Very strong and well-established partnerships with other professionals and local early years providers mean that children and their families are exceptionally well supported. The nursery management team are extremely conscientious in finding ways to provide every possible opportunity to accommodate children's individual needs so that their learning potential and well-being is maximised. The nursery initiates links between local schools, children's centres and nurseries so that they all benefit from mutual support and share information about children's progress and needs. This means that children who attend other settings receive continuity of care and learning and staff share ideas and best practice. The nursery provides an invaluable resource for the community in the support of children's learning so that they have a firm foundation on which to build their future learning.

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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 EY428026 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 909480

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 44 Number of children on roll 35 Name of provider Mishi Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 06/08/2012 Telephone number 01213845790

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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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