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Early years · Early years inspection (CIF)

The Bourne End Day Nursery and Pre-School

Inspected 26 Sept 2013 · published 5 Nov 2013 · URN EY409383

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Summary

Outstanding

Aileen Finan

What we read, and from where

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  • Inspection datesingle source

    26 Sept 2013

  • Inspectors verified

    Aileen Finan

  • Overall effectiveness verified

    Outstanding

  • Postcode verified

    SL8 5AE

  • Name on report verified

    Poppies Day Nursery

  • URN verified

    EY409383

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

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Grade profile

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  • OverallOutstanding

Tone of the report

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+85Very positivemore positive than 10% of reports of this type graded Outstanding
OutstandingGoodMetRINot metInadequate

Reads more critically than most reports of this type graded Outstanding.

Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.

Praiseextremelyexcellentexceptionallyinspirationalvery wellhighly skilledhighly effectiveoutstanding
Criticisminadequatenot metconcernrequires improvementnot extremely

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FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improve positive critical
  • Findings260w+95
  • What needs to improve2063w+82

Strengths

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Concerns

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No strong criticism found.

Next steps

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Anatomy of the report

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Pages
11
Words of findings
2,275
longer than usual (typical 693)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 44, typical 43
Average sentence
16 words
Next steps
8
typical 1
Hedged sentences
1%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 8%What needs to improve 63%About the inspection 30%

Full report text

Poppies Day Nursery The Old Methodist Church, Furlong Road, Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, SL8 5AE

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26/09/2013 02/11/2010

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 The leadership and management of the nursery are highly effective in pursuing excellence in standards. Morale is very high and parents extremely positive about the care their children receive.  Staff clearly understand their responsibilities to promote children's health, well-being and safety. Robust policies and procedures aid the nursery's outstanding practice.  High quality supervision of staff reflects a consistent evaluation of their practice.  Staff are highly skilled and sensitive to children's needs. As a result, children are able to form secure attachments to those caring for them and behaviour is inspirational.  Children are enthused by the highly stimulating environment and easily accessible resources. They are extremely eager to learn, indoors and outdoors; in all areas of learning.  Excellent settling in routines, transitions between rooms and transitions on to school mean children are confident and sociable and demonstrate high levels of self-esteem.

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 Assessment of children's achievements is precise and sharply focused. Timely interventions and strong partnership working means children are making excellent progress in relation to their starting points.  Children are exceptionally well prepared for the next steps in their learning and in moving on to school.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

Information about this inspection

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

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with staff, students, children and their parents.  The inspector observed children in their play and in their interactions with staff.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled the nursery's documentation and children's development records.  The inspector read and took into account the nursery's self-evaluation form.  The inspector took part in a joint observation with the manager.

p.2

Information about the setting

Poppies Day Nursery originally registered in 2006 but re-registered as a limited company in 2010. It operates from rooms set over two floors in a converted church in Bourne End, Buckinghamshire. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It is open every weekday from 8am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. Children can attend for a variety of sessions. Additional opening hours can be agreed for earlier and later care arrangements. The nursery is closed for all public holidays and the week between Christmas and the New Year. Children have access to a large outdoor play area. The nursery supports children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery employs 21 staff, of these 15 hold appropriate childcare qualification. This includes the manager and another staff member who have completed a foundation

p.3

Information about the setting

degree. There are six staff members who are unqualified, but these include some lunchtime cover staff. Many staff are working towards further qualifications. The nursery also employs a chef and administrators who work closely with the management team. There are currently 68 children on roll within the early years age range.

p.3

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

 enhance the experiences for children during story times to further capture their imagination and enjoyment and extend their interest in a range of books.

p.3

who attend

Children benefit greatly from an outstanding provision of care that offers them rich, varied experiences; delivered by highly skilled and caring staff. These staff securely plan, reflect and identify children's next steps. Therefore, children can learn by accessing an extremely wide range of activities that are exceptionally well organised, extended and adapted in accordance to children's emerging needs and interests. These innovative activities enhance children's thinking skills, language, communication, physical development and social interaction. For example, as children use an interactive tablet device and look through slides, they identify the pictures. A member of staff asks where kangaroos live and a child confidently answers 'Australia'. As a picture of the moon appears, the staff member asks when we might see the moon. Another child calls out 'night time'; while another identifies that a peacock starts with the letter 'p'. Another group of children

p.3

who attend

programme robots. They learn about position and movement, correctly identifying forwards and backwards; and sometimes left, and right.

p.3

who attend

Staff are inspiring in their teaching methods. They have a very good understanding of the learning and development requirements for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Babies delight in a painting activity that helps them to explore their sensory awareness, using trays of paint and bricks. Using the bricks, their fingers and hands, they explore further. As a staff member captures the moment on camera, a baby says 'cheese' and smiles as he realises how he makes staff laugh. Toddlers choose their story and wait in anticipation for the staff member to read. They offer suggestions and anticipate endings and remain thoroughly interested, later asking for another story. However, there are fewer opportunities to create further expression, use props or puppets, or adapt voices to create further curiosity in this area.

p.4

who attend

Children are extremely confident, positive and very happy to attend nursery. They have lots of fun. Assessment of children's learning from identifying their starting points is precise. Staff complete the progress check between the ages of two and three years of age, compile transition reports between age group rooms and in the reports shared with parents at key person meetings. Staff act on significant small milestones and regular next steps are planned and followed through exceptionally well. Daily reflection meetings between staff mean that they identify and plan for any minor gaps in children's development; and ones that are more significant are acted upon to ensure children receive timely support and intervention. Children of all age groups and of all abilities are making extremely good progress in relation to their starting points. They demonstrate excellent readiness for their next stage of learning.

p.4

who attend

Staff support parents effectively in extending learning at home and are very positive about the help they receive in doing this. Children are enthusiastic about their development records. They happily recall the fun they have had during the wealth of learning opportunities open to them. They recognise friends in photos and use a wide range of vocabulary to detail and explain their experiences. As a staff member explains a child's identified next step in becoming more confident to use scissors independently, the child immediately recognises his newly acquired skills. He explains he cut his sunflower down, with scissors; and adds 'it was this big, as tall as me'.

p.4

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

Children are exceptionally happy and extremely well motivated at nursery. They are eagerly excited to join in and thoroughly enjoy their play and the activities planned for them. Staff are highly skilled and sensitive in helping children to form emotional attachments. Consequently, children have extremely warm relationships with the staff, who support their growing independence. Settling in sessions are very well planned. Staff offer consistent advice, based on their knowledge and expertise to further support the needs of the few that do not settle immediately. This very good practice and encouragement means that parents and children build bonds with staff, that in turn, promote children's confidence in their new surroundings. Children's behaviour is inspirational. They show exemplary respect for one another's needs and feelings. Children communicate and play happily and interact well to secure their

p.4

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

relationships and bonds. Staff give clear messages to children in relation to their independence, awareness of a healthy diet and managing their personal needs. Children fully understand these routines and messages. For example, older children are independent in preparing for snack and lunch. They wash and dry their hands with minimum supervision. Children select their cutlery, pour their drinks and serve themselves with lunch. They confidently ask for a second helpings of the nutritious and freshly prepared food. Younger children sit happily waiting for staff to serve their friends food prior to eating theirs. They use 'please' and 'thank you' routinely and understand the reason for doing so. Toddlers confidently remind staff about the comforters they may need when going down for a nap. A child calls out 'is my teddy ready' as a staff member prepares the mattress beds ready for post-lunchtime sleeps. Babies are supported

p.5

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

exceptionally well in developing their early skills in self-feeding and drinking. Those still needing help, receive this on a one to one basis, with lots of interaction from nurturing staff. This further supports baby's socialisation, self-awareness and the warm bonds with staff. Babies and toddlers sleep according to their needs. This means that they wake refreshed. As a result, children are thoroughly ready and happy to resume their play because they have received the rest they need. Babies and toddlers benefit immensely from lots of warm cuddles, verbal and non-verbal communication throughout the day. Children are very secure in their personal, social and emotional development. They are extremely well prepared for the next stage of their learning.

p.5

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

The nursery provides a highly stimulating environment for children indoors and outdoors. Learning opportunities are limitless and staff are extremely proactive to extend children's learning in whatever children decide to do. Innovative teaching methods are made to help children to learn more. Children read books that help them understand how their body works. They draw their skeleton and label parts of the body. Children devise a graph to determine how many of them have blue eyes. In the role-play area outside children give thought to the toy food resources. They consider if ice cream would melt in the microwave and offer suggestions about how food types grow and where they grow.

p.5

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

Enriching opportunities for learning take place in a stimulating outdoor environment. Not only do children receive regular fresh air and exercise whatever their age, but all areas of learning are extremely well-planned outdoors as well as inside. This, therefore, benefits children's differing learning styles and offers inspirational learning opportunities throughout the day. Babies play musical instruments outdoors while watching their older friends play. Children 'dig to Australia' in the sandpit; as others design towers in the construction pit. They confidently use language such as 'biggest', 'tallest' and 'highest' in describing their towers and name the shapes that make up their designs. Children learn to manage their own risks outdoors. For example, they tentatively go down the slide head first, watched over by skilful staff who provide guidance and offer children support until their build confidence to do this more independently.

p.5

provision

Managers and leaders of the nursery are highly experienced and staff morale is very high. The management team strive for excellent practice in the day-to-day care of children and in supporting children's individual needs. Staff work very well together and are extremely positive role models to children. Systems to promote the safety of children attending are fully embedded into nursery practice. Staff at the nursery have an exemplary understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements for the Statutory Framework of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They demonstrate a thorough understanding of their responsibilities to safeguard the children they care for and the procedures to take should they have a concern about a child in their care. Staff adhere to the robust policies and procedures at all times to ensure consistency in day-to-day working, and maintain the strength of promoting children's health, safety and well-being at all times. Secure risk

p.6

provision

assessments for the environment, activities and individual children further promote children's safety.

p.6

provision

Recruitment practice is strong. This ensures that the adults working with children are suitable to do so. Induction systems and monitoring of staff performance and practice is highly effective. Excellent partnership working with local colleges ensures that any students working at the nursery receive very good training through their mentors, who nurture them extremely well. New staff and students demonstrate a passion to be part of the team. The management and leadership of the nursery provides high quality supervision for staff. These sessions enable staff to discuss children's progress, follow up discussions following on from peer observations to evaluate interaction with children. Consequently, these highly productive sessions promotes children's welfare and learning further. There are excellent systems in place to encourage staff progression, further training and promotion within the nursery group.

p.6

provision

Parents are extremely happy about the care their children receive. They highlight the very good progress their children are making, the support they receive for extending learning at home and how confidently children move on to school. Parents fully understand the nursery's procedures that support their children's health and well-being and promote children's safety. Partnerships with feeder schools for transitions are very well established. Similarly, partnerships with other agencies are inspirational. Those children needing additional support, care and guidance are cared for extremely well. Staff work exceptionally well to promote children's achievements and welfare by complementing the care provided by other professionals such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language. Staff provide equal support to those children speaking English as an additional language. For example, children celebrate the language, culture and festivals of

p.6

provision

the countries of origin of children and staff at the nursery. This very good practice helps to promote children's understanding and awareness of diversity further.

p.6

provision

The management team and staff at the nursery are strongly driven to maintain their ongoing improvement. They are highly reflective about their day-to-day practice. Questionnaires and feedback from staff, parents and children enable the nursery to be successful and provide high quality care for children. The management team have a very clear knowledge of the strengths of their provision and clear targets for the future. These include developing the enriching opportunities for children further using the outdoor environment by providing further imaginative play opportunities for children outside. Children's needs are quickly identified because staff have an outstanding knowledge of the learning and development requirements and an exceptional awareness of how to plan for individual children's needs. Highly reflective systems to monitor the educational programmes means that children experience a very broad range of learning experiences

p.6

provision

that span all seven areas of learning. Proactive staff are astute at making timely interventions to ensure those children needing additional support receive this. Each day staff reflect on their teaching and children's learning. This makes a significant impact on the quality and the timeliness of planning so that children are challenged effectively and their next steps securely monitored.

p.7

The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met

p.7

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

Setting details

Unique reference number EY409383 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 933401

p.9

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 68 Name of provider Poppies Day Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 02/11/2010 Telephone number 01628 521522

p.9

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.

p.9

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.9

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.

p.10

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,

p.10

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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