Bright Sparks Nursery School

Bright Sparks Nursery School East Woodhay Village Hall, Heath End, Newbury, Berkshire, RG20 0AP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/11/2013 26/11/2008

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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

 Children are excited and motivated by the wide range of stimulating activities that take account of their learning needs and interests. They are engaged in their learning and make excellent progress, taking into account their starting points and capabilities.  There is an excellent focus on play and learning in the outdoor area. Children access a wide range of equipment and natural resources and this enables them to develop many new skills. Children like being able to direct their own play, make decisions and explore for themselves.  Children are highly valued as unique individuals. Staff make thoughtful and accurate assessments of children, which are constantly monitored, challenged and adapted to secure timely interventions and support where needed.  The management and staff team are dedicated professionals who have high expectations for children's achievements over time. They are totally committed,

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This provision is outstanding

enthusiastic and determined to provide children with the best learning and development opportunities possible.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager and owner throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in two playrooms and the outdoor play area, including a joint observation with the manager 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 took account of the views of parents, carers and children spoken to on the day and from information included in the nursery's surveys of the views of children and parents.

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Information about the setting

Bright Sparks Nursery School opened in 1996. The nursery school meets in East Woodhay Village Hall, which is situated in Heath End, a rural village to the south of Newbury. It operates from the main hall with the annexe used for sessions for older children. Children attending come from the local area and also travel from places further afield, such as Newbury. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. There are currently 57 children on roll, all in the Early Years age group. The nursery school operates five days per week during school terms and offers children a variety of sessions. Opening times are 8.30am to 3.30pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and 8.30am to 12.30pm on Fridays. There is good access to the nursery and there are toilet facilities for people with disabilities. A staff team of ten, including the owner, work with the children, of these, two members of staff hold Early Years Professional Status and six staff members

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Information about the setting

have appropriate early years qualifications. Another two members of staff are currently working towards an appropriate level 3 qualification. The nursery school receives support from the local authority.

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

 increase opportunities for children to go on outings in the local community to investigate the natural world so that they continue to achieve at the highest level .

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who attend

Children are engaged, confident and extremely eager to learn. Highly impressive staff work very well together as a team and in each room to plan around children's needs and interests. Staff record detailed observations of children, which they use to inform sharply focused next steps for each child, so that they build on their learning each day. For example, staff skilfully adapt activities relating to 'Things that move' during focus time according to the age and stage of children's development. Staff promote sensory learning effectively by encouraging children to feel, touch and smell the texture of sand and soil. They skilfully extend children's vocabulary by introducing words, such as ?evaporate? and ?dissolve?. This means that language skills are developing within a meaningful context as children gain an awareness of the world. Older children constantly initiate and extend activities as they want to, with a member of staff stepping in when appropriate to drive

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who attend

the activity forward and add in extra challenge. For example, children draw their ideas of shapes by making triangular marks to represent hexagons. Some children have highly developed pre-writing skills. For instance, they draw stick figures of their families and more detailed pictures of their peers. These children are effectively supported to move on to the next level in their learning, for example, by writing letters of their names and to write for different purposes.

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who attend

Staff involve parents extremely well in building a complete picture of children's progress, as they encourage them to share information about their achievements at home. This gives staff a clear starting point on which to build children's learning. Staff provide highly enabling environments for all children in which they thrive and develop their individual learning styles. They effectively combine aspects of High Scope, Montessori, Forest School and other activities to enhance children's learning experiences and to fully consolidate the skills, attitudes and knowledge they need for the next stage in their learning. Children choose from the wealth of high quality resources, which are easily accessible to them both indoors and outside. Younger children enjoy joining in with action songs during their weekly French lessons and they all laugh as the pace quickens and they have to think and move quickly to keep up.

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who attend

Children develop their mathematical and positional language during play. Problem-solving skills are encouraged as children complete puzzles and build models using a wide range of construction bricks. Children explore the properties of sand and become totally absorbed in activities, such as water play, filling and emptying containers. Children use numbers and counting as they play, and develop an excellent understanding of shape, space, size and colour. Children have good opportunities to develop their communication and language skills. All children have ready access to a wide selection of good quality books of both stories and picture books. Staff sit with the younger children while outside and look at the book about animals. Children get very excited and join in as they point out the different animals that they recognise. This helps to develop younger children's recognition of colours and size as they tell staff that ?the bear is brown? and ?the rabbit is grey?. Older

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who attend

children sit to listen to stories that they have chosen from the highly impressive library of books and repeat the story about the monkey to the member of staff. Staff ask good open ended questions while reading the book, encouraging children to think about the colours of the monkeys and asking where they live. Children receive lots of praise as they reply with the correct answer and this helps to develop older children's recognition of colours and understanding of the world in preparation for future learning.

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who attend

Senior managers work exceptionally well with other professionals to support each child and their family, where necessary. For example, by implementing individual educational plans when required for individual children to effectively address their needs and promote their learning and development. All children enjoy taking part in a dance lesson. Staff join in with enthusiasm as they sing action songs, repeat words and enjoy dancing to music. Even the youngest children are very familiar with the session. Children gain an excellent insight into the wider world by engaging in a wide range of activities in the nursery. However, there is scope for enhancing children's experiences by exploring the local environment more frequently, to fully maximise their learning opportunities.

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who attend

Throughout the setting staff are enthusiastic and highly committed to promoting children's learning. For example they use their personal experiences to take time to find out and embrace other cultures and provide activities for children which reflect their home customs. For instance, making props, costumes and cards for the Christmas service that is held in the nursery. 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. There is a daily verbal two-way exchange of information between parents and staff to ensure each child's

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who attend

needs are identified and met extremely well. Parents add to their children's learning records and also contribute to their own children's planning. This demonstrates they are fully engaged in their children's learning. Staff also ensure that there are extremely detailed progress checks at age two and these cover children's development in all seven areas of learning. All parents contribute to these to ensure excellent continuity of progress in both learning and care.

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

Children feel extremely secure as the staff ensure that strong, trusting relationships are formed through a highly effective key person system. Staff are very clear about their role as a key person. Children's well-being and safety is the priority in this child-centred nursery. Parents, carers and children are made to feel very welcome in this bright, well- maintained and stimulating environment. Staff work very closely with parents during the settling-in period to gain an excellent insight into children's particular needs, interests and characteristics. Children are very self-assured and demonstrate a high level of self- discipline, for example, by playing exceptionally well together. Older 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 and are extremely well-behaved. Children confidently assist staff to

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

identify potential hazards in the environment and complete their own checklist risk assessments. This highly impressive procedure ensures children learn to keep themselves safe indoors and outside.

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

Staff encourage children very effectively to be independent in their personal care routines, to put their own coats on and to make choices in their activities and resources. They have good manners, and are frequently praised for their exemplary achievements. This gives them a highly developed sense of self-esteem and helps them to gain confidence. Children manage risks safely on the wide range of climbing and balancing equipment at the nursery, which promotes their sense of their own safety extremely well. Children are provided with healthy snacks, prepared on the premises. They really enjoy their food and ask staff what is for snack. Children learn how to lay a table, use utensils correctly and manage their cutlery very well. This helps to prepare them for school readiness and promotes independence. Staff involve parents very effectively in promoting healthy eating, as they advise parents on encouraging children to eat fruit and vegetables at home.

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

Children have excellent opportunities to discuss and grow fruit and vegetables, so they find out where their food comes from. Staff sit with the children at mealtimes and act as excellent role models as they demonstrate social skills and create a warm and pleasant occasion. Staff chat with children about what they have been doing and what they would like to do later, maybe after their lunch or music time. Children have excellent opportunities to have fresh air and exercise while using the excellently organised outdoor play area. They have space to run around and use a broad range of exciting play equipment that very successfully promotes their physical skills. For example, they can ride on the bicycles, and balance and walk on the tyres, as well as going to the forest school area of the nursery. Children of all ages thoroughly enjoy their time outside, playing with their friends and socialising with adults in an extremely inviting

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

environment. Space and resources are exceptionally well planned and used to create wonderful experiences throughout. Every child, from the youngest to the oldest and those of differing abilities, receives an outstanding early years experience that secures their future learning and ensures they are ready for school. Each of the areas are exceptionally well organised with excellent resources. The whole nursery is homely and child-friendly, with brightly coloured displays and posters providing for a vibrant environment.

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

Links with parents and carers are outstanding. This has a very positive impact on the care and well-being of children, and the progress they make in their learning. The excellent links parents have with their child's key person ensures children's needs are met, and supports parents in becoming involved in their child's learning, within the nursery and at home. Careful consideration is given to supporting children when they move rooms. The parent, key person and new key person are all involved in the transition to make it as smooth as possible for the children involved.

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provision

The leadership and management of the provision are outstanding. They have high aspirations for continuous improvement, and this underpins all aspects of care and education. Regular appraisals and peer observations mean that the manager and staff evaluate their performance and agree targets and training to be set as a result. This is extremely well documented and means that staff continue to shape their professional development according to their own needs and those of the nursery. Staff are fully aware of and committed to the implementation of all safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff reflect on their teaching and evaluate children's progress each week, so that children make very good progress and planning is adapted according to each child's needs. All staff work very effectively as a team to identify and address areas for improvement. Excellent

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provision

arrangements are in place regarding the programme for professional development, leading to a highly qualified and knowledgeable practitioner team.

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provision

The arrangements for safeguarding children are exemplary. The provider and manager have extensive experience and are highly knowledgeable about child protection issues. Staff 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. The management's strong vision to provide an inclusive environment, promoting a hands-on approach to children's learning and enabling children to take some responsibility for their own learning, is highly successful. There is a strong commitment from the other staff members to allow children to develop at their own

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provision

pace and this is achieved through the implementation of the comprehensive, accurate tracking of individual children's progress across all seven areas of learning.

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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. The views of parents and children are included in the self-evaluation process, as they fill in questionnaires and discuss ways they would like to improve the provision. Parents are passionate about the nursery, actively seeking out the inspector to share stories about the great impact the nursery has had on their own and their children's lives. Parents speak with high regard and admiration for the staff and of the wonderful opportunities experienced by their children at this exceptional nursery. Other parents spoken to at the time of the inspection expressed very positive views about the nursery

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provision

and said; 'It's a great nursery with friendly staff who are really focused on the children'. Feedback on children's progress is very good, they can see how well their child has benefitted from being at the nursery, and how this will support them when they go to school.

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provision

The management team ensures information is shared and clear lines of communication are maintained with other early years settings that children may attend. There are very strong links with other professionals and the local authority. Staff work very closely with a wide range of outside agencies, in order to meet the needs of all children very well. This means that children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported very successfully to achieve their full potential. Inclusive practice is very successful in this nursery. For example, children are supported by the staff through their research and intervention from such specialists as health visitors, behaviour therapists and speech therapists. The staff also show a strong commitment to liaising with local schools, and teachers are invited to come and meet the children to ensure a highly successful transition to school.

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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 110269 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 845986 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 57 Name of provider Cherida Felicity Daniel Date of previous inspection 26/11/2008 Telephone number 01722 716144

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Setting details

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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