Springboard Nursery

Springboard Nursery Springboard Sunderland, The Alec Dickson Centre, Rivergreen Industry Centre, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR4 6AD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/11/2013 17/09/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Staff develop children's early reading skills well. They effectively share books, use intonation in their voices and develop feelings of suspense when reading texts.  Children are safeguarded well in the nursery. This is because appropriate checks are carried out for all staff and children's welfare is monitored well.  Staff provide a stimulating and well-resourced indoor environment, which supports children's all-round development and emotional well-being.

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It is not yet good because

 Teaching is not consistently good across the nursery. Staff are not providing sufficient high quality experiences that help children to extend their expressive language skills.  Some parents are not kept fully up to date with their child's progress in order to help and extend children's learning at home.  Staff training focusing upon improving communication skills has not been effectively monitored. This means it has not yet been fully implemented by all staff and it is not clear how this new initiative is improving practice and provision for children.  Resource organisation in the outdoor area hinders opportunities for children to make independent choices.

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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 part 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 conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed teaching and learning activities in the main nursery room and the outdoor environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, and the manager's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager and the deputy, and looked at and discussed a sample of policies and procedures.

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Information about the setting

Springboard Nursery opened in 2004 and is on the Early Years Register and the voluntary part of the Childcare Register. It is managed by Springboard Sunderland Trust and is situated within Rivergreen Industry Centre, Sunderland. The nursery serves the immediate locality and also the surrounding areas. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens five days a week from 8am until 6pm all year round, except on Bank Holidays and for a week at Christmas. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 52 children on roll in the early years age range. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children for whom English is an additional language.

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Information about the setting

There are currently three members of staff working directly with the children, all of whom have appropriate early years qualifications. Two members of staff hold qualifications at level 4 and above, and one holds a level 3 qualification. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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must:

 raise the quality of teaching, especially in communication and language, by maximising opportunities to engage children in sustained conversations; getting down to children's eye level and asking open questions that help them fully to express themselves and to speak and listen in a range of situations.

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must:

 improve partnerships by ensuring all parents are kept up to date with their child's progress and are fully aware of their individual learning and development needs.

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

 monitor the effectiveness of communication training to ensure it is effectively implemented by all staff to support children's expressive language development

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

 enhance the outdoor environment to ensure resources are accessible to encourage all children to make independent choices.

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who attend

Staff have generally good knowledge of the learning and development requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. They use this information reasonably well to support children in most aspects of their learning and development. Children are provided with a good range of toys, resources and equipment, and are encouraged to freely explore their surroundings and discover new things throughout the day. Children enjoy leading their own play and take part in activities which are guided by adults. For example, children maintain focus for sustained periods of time when they make cakes with staff. They accurately transfer mixture from the bowl into individual cupcake cases, and smile when their efforts are praised and acknowledged by staff. Staff encourage children to try new activities and to judge risks for themselves. They support them well during construction play tasks and provide guidance and support when children

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who attend

balance and walk along wooden blocks. This supports children's physical development and encourages them to get better at things through effort and practice.

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who attend

Staff understand how to promote the learning and development of young children. However, the quality of teaching is variable, especially when supporting children to develop their communication and language skills. Staff have enhanced their knowledge and skills in the development of early language acquisition through initiatives, such as the 'Every Child a Talker' programme. However, due to weaknesses in leadership and management, this is not effectively monitored and implemented in the nursery by all staff. In activities where teaching requires improvement, staff do not always engage children in sustained conversations, get down to their eye level when talking to them and make effective use of open questions. As a result, not all children make good enough progress in their communication and language skills. Staff support children generally well in other areas of learning. They make very good use of the book corner to develop children's early

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who attend

reading skills and ensure children listen regularly to stories in one-to-one and group situations. Staff are skilled when sharing books and ensure they use intonation in their voice and develop feelings of suspense when reading texts. This means that children listen well, especially those with whom English is an additional language, and become deeply involved in stories. This ensures children develop the lifelong skill of reading for pleasure. Mathematical skills are developed well in the nursery. Staff ensure children engage in counting and develop an awareness of mathematical language through everyday play- based activities, such as baking. As a result, children develop a generally good range of skills they need for the next stage in their learning.

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who attend

Staff demonstrate a good understanding in supporting children whose home language is not English. They provide information for parents and encourage them to share key words from home. This means children are provided with opportunities to develop and use their home language in play and learning, which supports their language development at home. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are equally well supported. This is because staff work well with other professionals working directly with the child and make effective use of shared planning to move the child forward in their learning. As a result, children are progressing well towards the early learning goals, given their starting points. Staff have appropriate expectations of all children as they complete a range of good quality assessments, using guidance materials, such as 'Early Years Outcomes'. This information is tracked over time to show progress. However, this is not sufficiently shared

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who attend

with all parents. Occasionally, some parents request to look at their child's learning files and discuss their progress with staff, but this is not routinely carried out and is not embedded within practice in the nursery. As a result, most parents are not kept up to date with their child's progress in order to help and extend their learning at home.

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

Children form generally good relationships with caring staff who meet their emotional and physical needs well. However, due to weaknesses in the teaching of communication and language, opportunities for children to talk to staff are not fully developed. This means that relationships between staff and children are not as strong as they could be. Children separate from their parents and carers with ease and are welcomed into the friendly nursery environment where they are happy and enjoy what they are doing. Staff are enthusiastic and encourage children to explore their surroundings, use their imaginations and play with other children. As a result, they show suitable levels of confidence and are motivated to try new activities and experiences. Children have access to a stimulating and well-resourced indoor environment, which supports their all-round development and emotional well-being. A range of experiences and opportunities are provided for them to

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

develop independence skills and cooperation. For example, children are supported to pour their own drinks and serve their own food at mealtimes, place their paintings on the easel to dry and wash their own hands following creative activities. However, opportunities to develop children's independence skills even further are not always provided. This is because some resources in the outdoor environment lack organisation and children cannot always see what is available to play with and make independent choices. Staff give clear messages to children to ensure they are developing a good understanding of why it is important to have a healthy diet and gain an understanding of the need for physical exercise. For example, children explore and grow their own fresh foods, such as beans and other vegetables, and talk about their hearts pumping fast after jumping up and down with the parachute outdoors.

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

Effective settling-in procedures are in place when children begin attending the nursery. They make a number of visits, based on their individual needs, before staying for the whole session. Good quality information is gathered from parents, such as specific dietary needs, medication, routines and comforters. This ensures continuity in children's physical and emotional well-being. Children are equally well prepared emotionally when they transfer into school. For example, organised visits are planned for children to visit schools with their key person, and school teachers come to see children in the nursery. Children's learning journals, safeguarding files and end of year transition reports are handed over to schools, with a copy to parents, to ensure teachers are aware of each individual's needs before they start.

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

All staff, including apprentice staff, demonstrate a good understanding of safeguarding children in the nursery. For example, they recognise the importance of recording and sharing any unusual marks children may have with the manager and deputy, and know who to contact if they are not available. Staff involve children in safety procedures throughout the day. They explain why it is important to keep all doors locked and keep floor surfaces clear and dry, and discuss why only known adults pick up children during collection times. As a result, children develop an understanding of the rationale behind such practices. Children's behaviour shows they feel safe within the nursery. They regularly sweep up sand and mop up water using paper towels to maintain safety for themselves and other children. Children cooperate well with each other and know what behaviour is acceptable as they play. This is because staff have agreed procedures

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

outlining how to manage changes in children's behaviour, and the rationale of this is shared with parents to maintain a joint approach.

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provision

The manager fully understands her responsibility in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Robust systems are in place to ensure all staff working directly with children hold appropriate qualifications, are suitable to fulfil the requirements of their role and have had appropriate checks carried out. As the designated lead for safeguarding, the manager has a clear understanding of her role and ensures all staff are well versed in what to do should they have concerns about a child. This means that children are effectively safeguarded and their welfare is monitored closely. There are clear and well understood policies and procedures in place for assessing risks to children's safety. For example, daily risk assessments are carried out by all staff to ensure areas accessed by children are safe and any hazards are quickly identified and removed. Children safety is further protected when

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provision

they go on outings. They wear items, such as high-visibility vests, wristbands and caps, to enable staff to easily identify them and keep them safe.

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provision

The manager has a generally good understanding of her role in monitoring the delivery of the educational programmes. She demonstrates a strong drive to improve the nursery and identifies, through consultation with staff, parents and children, areas for improvement. A clear development plan is in place. This shows how actions are identified to overcome weaknesses. However, it is not always clear how all actions are monitored and how they improve practice across the nursery. For example, staff received training to enhance children's communication skills, but this has not yet been fully implemented by all staff in the nursery and, as a result, it is not clear how this new initiative is improving provision and practice for all children. Effective induction, mentoring and support procedures are in place. This ensures staff benefit from opportunities to discuss any issues relating to children's development and well-being, and gain access to training to enhance their

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provision

professional development. This improves their practice and promotes the interests of children. The manager monitors planning and assessment reasonably well. She makes effective use of supervision meetings with staff to discuss children's progress and consider individual strengths and weaknesses. This ensures children requiring additional support receive this at the earliest possible stage. Plans are in place to enhance progress monitoring through the introduction of an electronic system. This will enable the manager to enhance her understanding of the progress children make over time. The manager has a sound knowledge and understanding of working with parents. However, due to variations in practice in the sharing of progress information for all parents, partnerships require improvement to be good. A number of initiatives have been introduced to ensure parents receive good quality information about the day-to-day

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provision

running of the nursery. Effective use is made of questionnaires to gather the views of parents. This ensures comments made are acted upon and enhance practice and provision in the nursery. For example, a board has been developed to inform parents of their child's key person and other staff working with their child. A number of 'thank you' cards are available to view on the wall of the nursery. They make comments, such as 'You've made our job as parents easier with the care you have given our child', to demonstrate how satisfied they are with the level of care and learning provided. Partnerships with external agencies and services are well established and make a strong contribution to meeting children's needs. Information received from services, such as speech and language therapy, is well used. This ensures children get the help and support they need to address their individual needs and circumstances.

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The Childcare Register

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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 EY292699 Local authority Sunderland Inspection number 861450

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 52 Name of provider Springboard Sunderland Trust Date of previous inspection 17/09/2008 Telephone number 0191 5155300

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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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