Whitesmore Wise Owls Nursery

Whitesmore Wise Owls Nursery Chapelhouse Road, Fordbridge, Birmingham, West Midlands, B37 5JS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27/09/2013 07/01/2010

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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

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This provision is outstanding

 Staff provide a wide range of highly stimulating activities that promote all children's learning extremely well. Consequently, children make rapid progress from their starting points.  The vast range of interesting resources and the highly creative environment challenge children in their play. As a result, they develop significantly in all areas of learning.  Children are extremely comfortable in the nursery where they feel secure and form strong bonds with staff. Children are highly disciplined, they speak politely to peers and treat others with respect. Consequently, they are very well behaved.  Transitions, into and within the nursery, are managed particularly well. Therefore, children's well-being is exceptionally promoted.  Children are substantially safeguarded due to a wide range of very robust procedures, which are well understood by all staff. The management team have extensive experience of working with agencies and staff regularly refresh their knowledge of child

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This provision is outstanding

protection issues.  The management team fosters a significant culture of self-belief as staff are empowered to maintain their professional development. They receive consistent support to enhance their skills and knowledge for their roles and responsibilities.  The extremely successful partnership with parents encourages their full involvement in all aspects of their children's care and learning. The commendable partnership with external agencies enhances all aspects of the nursery and supports children's to make significant progress towards the early learning goals.

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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 held discussions with the providers/managers and the officers in charge.  The inspector spoke with staff and children.  The inspector spoke with parents on the day.  The inspector observed activities indoors and outside.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with a manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled documents, including records, staff's and children's files and a selection of policies.  The inspector carried out a tour of the premises.

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Information about the setting

Whitesmore Wise Owls Nursery was registered in 2006 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in purpose built premises in the Fordbridge area of Birmingham. The nursery serves the local area and children who come from further afield. It is accessible to all children. It operates from three rooms and there are three enclosed areas available for outside play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 20 members of childcare staff. All hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including two with Early Years Professional Status.

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Information about the setting

The nursery group opens from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Children attend for a variety of sessions and there are currently 89 children attending, who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 consider developing the top garden further to extend the highly stimulating environment provided for children's play and learning.

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who attend

Staff deliver highly stimulating activities, including those based on weekly themes, which run through the learning of children in all rooms. For example, staff skilfully adapt activities relating to 'things that grow' according to the age and stage of children's development. In the baby room staff promote sensory learning effectively by encouraging children to feel the texture of vegetables and soil. They skilfully extend children's vocabulary by introducing words, such as parsnips. This means that language skills are developing within a meaningful context as children gain an awareness of the world. In the pre-school room children draw their ideas of vegetables by making circular marks to represent cabbages. Some children have highly developed skills in making marks. For instance, they draw stick figures of their families and more detailed pictures of their peers. These children are effectively supported to move on the next level in their learning, for

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who attend

example, by writing letters of their names and to write for different purposes. Staff promote children's learning across all areas through fun activities and they stimulate thinking and problem solving very well. For instance, toddlers in the baby room enjoy games where they look for hidden objects. Two-year-old children have fun as they laugh and look for items they expect to emerge from the lower end of a tube. Staff consistently ask open-ended questions that help children to find solutions, for example, 'can teddy go down the tube?' Consequently, children are fully engaged as they maintain interest and try to work out what teddy can do.

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who attend

Staff work very closely with parents and encourage their active involvement in their children's learning. They obtain information about children's development when they start and link this to their settling-in observations of what children can do. The daily two-way flow of conversation ensures staff share information that parents need to maintain the continuity in children's learning. For instance, staff use parents' detailed logs of children's achievement at home to plan for their individual learning. Parents take home activity bags that include resources to support children's learning across all areas. Sometimes, the activities are linked to the weekly theme and this strongly reinforces the topic delivered in the nursery. Learning journals include some good examples of parents' comments on their children's skills and staff consistently discuss progress. For instance, the progress check at age two is discussed fully with parents and adjustments made to the information

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who attend

recorded, so that this can be shared with health professionals. Staff complete these checks at an early stage to ensure additional support is given to children as appropriate.

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who attend

The room for children aged two to three years is known as the 'talking' room. This aptly reflects the emphasis placed on promoting all aspects of children's language skills, including listening, understanding and speaking. Consequently, children are substantially supported for the next stage in their learning in the pre-school room. Staff support all children sensitively to achieve their potential. For instance, they use sign language for those children who have less developed speech skills. Through work with parents and external professionals staff use methods tailored to these children's individual needs. Therefore, they make rapid progress in their learning. Staff discuss different ways of supporting children who speak English as an additional language during the settling-in period. This means that children can be effectively supported to develop skills for moving to school. Staff plan innovatively to prepare children for their transition to school. They

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who attend

include stories relating to big school and what children might put into school bags. Children are encouraged to bring in parts of their uniforms, so they can talk about these during circle time activities.

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who attend

Staff create an environment in which children enjoy learning. For example, full-size displays in the room for children aged two to three years provide a realistic space. Little tree stumps placed in the middle provide inviting seats for children to sit and there is a realistic range of equipment for digging. On one side staff made a little hillock on which they have placed potatoes, carrots emerging out of the soil and leaves that they have collected outdoors. This is a fantastic display which children revisit many times to explore textures, learn about colours and practise digging skills. Babies are challenged in their skills with soft play equipment. Each room is linked to their individual outside play space and this means children can move freely within the environment. Throughout the nursery staff deliver consistently good quality teaching and highly stimulating activities that engage children. Staff consistently promote thinking skills,

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who attend

problem solving and individual choice. They are enthusiastic and highly committed to promoting children's learning. More experienced staff are very knowledgeable and able to support colleagues. Therefore, all staff are confident and clear about their roles to promote children's learning effectively. The providers and management team actively support all staff in the nursery. For example, they rigorously monitor the planning of activities and the assessment of children's progress. All staff have high expectations of children and as a result, they make significant progress towards the early learning goals.

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

The highly-effective key person system helps children to settle easily in the nursery. The settling-in period is tailored to children's needs and they have ample time to form relationships with staff during this initial phase. Consequently, children feel extremely secure and form very strong bonds of attachment during their time in the nursery. Transition into the nursery is managed particularly well because staff discuss with parents how they can best meet children's individual needs. They then create care plans, for example, for babies, so that all staff can care for children effectively. Before children move to different rooms staff inform parents who have opportunities to meet with new staff. Key persons always go with children to new rooms until children are confident on their own. As a result, children feel comfortable during the changeover period. This means that they are subsequently fully at ease and this contributes superbly to children's abilities to

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

Children are very self-assured and demonstrate high level of self-discipline, for example, by playing exceptionally well together. Pre-school children take turns spontaneously and treat others with respect by talking politely to peers. Staff are highly effective in managing children's behaviour, which means that children understand rules and boundaries of behaviour and are extremely well-behaved. They are confident while working with staff to identify potential hazards in the environment. As they use check lists in different areas, children learn to keep themselves safe indoors and outside. A high ratio of staff to children exceeds requirements and ensures children are closely supervised during activities. Security of the premises is given priority. For instance, parents use a biometric system to enter the nursery, but access to care rooms is controlled by staff. Accordingly, children's security is exceptionally promoted.

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

Staff promote children's independence skills impressively. Opportunities are consistently explored for all children, including those in the baby room, to attend to their personal hygiene. For instance, toddlers in the baby room use wipes to clean hands with minimal assistance before eating. Pre-school children serve themselves and others at dinnertime. Staff frequently praise children, resulting in a great sense of achievement that prompts children to develop these skills further. While children eat balanced meals and freely access drinks they learn about the benefits of healthy options. Daily physical activities, including movement to music sessions, help children to learn about the effects of exercise on their bodies. Quiet activities and sleep time after dinner ensure there is a good balance between rest and vigorous play. The care arrangements ensure children's well-being is substantially promoted in the nursery.

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provision

The arrangements for safeguarding children are remarkable. Both providers, who manage the nursery, have extensive experience and are highly knowledgeable about child protection issues. Staff consistently attend refresher courses and are confident in their understanding of procedures to be followed if they have concerns about children in their care. Therefore, there is a very strong commitment to protecting children. Robust recruitment and induction procedures ensure all staff are suitable to work with children. New staff are provided with a mentor for support and guidance to ensure best practice and continuity of care. Staff sign annual disclaimers relating to their ongoing suitability. Established procedures, such as monitoring unexplained non-attendance of children and the recording of accidents contribute significantly to their safety in the nursery.

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provision

Staff, parents and children consistently contribute to the self-evaluation of the nursery. Parents complete questionnaires and reviews of events, including the dads' project. Staff ask children about activities they enjoy and use the information on how to improve. The management team empower staff to make decisions that result in positive changes. For instance, they make suggestions for improvement, including ways of supporting parents. Through this initiative staff have worked to raise the awareness to parents of the importance of speech and language skills. This understanding helps parents to support the learning of children aged two to three years. The management team promote an ethos of continuous improvement to support children learning and care. They are currently discussing the development of the top garden to provide a forest school area. However, this is still at an early stage and for that reason they cannot explain the impact on

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provision

A well-established programme empowers staff to shape their professional development through regular supervision sessions. For instance, they are encouraged to indicate training that is likely to enhance their skills to support children's development more effectively. The forward-thinking providers have a vision to raise the qualification levels of staff. For example, they have supported all staff to achieve a qualification at level 3. They encourage further development for those staff, who are interested in undertaking a degree courses. Opportunities to fill a variety of roles help staff to develop their expertise in specific areas. For example, a few members of staff use signing with younger children to promote speech and language skills successfully. The management team have a systematic approach to underperformance. They provide additional support with targets to enable all staff to fill their role and responsibility competently at all times.

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provision

The highly effective partnership with parents is based on mutual trust and respect. Parents receive comprehensive information about the nursery, including activities delivered under the Early Years Foundation Stage. In addition, policies and procedures, such as the complaints policy are shared with parents, so they are informed about the nursery. Parents are always informed about the weekly themes for learning as these are extensively displayed on the parents' board. Parents feel highly valued because the management team is open in their work with parents. For example, they can log in and view their child's activities throughout their day in the nursery. This means parents are assured that children are safe in the nursery.

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provision

The working relationship with other professionals is commendable. The management team ensures clear lines of communication are maintained with a wide range of professionals to meet children's needs. For example, staff work closely with speech and language therapists to support children's language skills. As a result, learning needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are exceptionally well met. The management team promote wide ranging community involvement, for example, they cooperate to provide events with the local primary and secondary schools. The management team and staff provide an exceptionally welcoming environment in which children are happy and enjoy 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 EY319675 Local authority Solihull Inspection number 933509

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 52 Number of children on roll 89 Name of provider Gina Godwin & Sue Evans Partnership Date of previous inspection 07/01/2010 Telephone number 0121 7704844

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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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