Ladybirds Educational Nursery

Ladybirds Educational Nursery Falcon Business Centre, Victoria Street, CHADDERTON, Oldham, Lancashire, OL9 0HB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/11/2013 01/11/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children receive high levels of support and consistency of care. Their emotional well- being is effectively promoted by warm and caring practitioners. As a result, children are highly independent and confident individuals.  Teaching is consistently strong across the nursery. Practitioners plan high quality activities indoors and outdoors that help children make progress in all areas of learning.  Good relationships with parents help children to make progress, as practitioners work hard to ensure there is a joint approach to children's learning and to promote the importance of home learning.  The management team and practitioners are highly committed to developing a high quality provision for all, and self-evaluation is robust. They continually take into consideration the views of children and parents, and plans for improvement are well targeted to strengthen their practice.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to provide more opportunities to support younger children's growing exploration and investigation of technology and how things work.  The ways in which high quality practice can be shared across the nursery through peer observations and in-house training have not been fully explored.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children during adult-led and child-initiated activities presented in the two playrooms and outdoor play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation, and discussed these with practitioners.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out a joint observation of a teaching and learning activity with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day and from information included in the nursery's own parent survey.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector met with the manager and provider of the nursery and checked evidence of the suitability of practitioners working with children, the safeguarding policy, including the procedures for use of cameras andsocial networking sites, and discussed the self-evaluation and improvement plan.

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Information about the setting

Ladybirds Educational Nursery was registered in 2006 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is privately owned and operates from detached, purpose-built premises in Chadderton, Oldham. The nursery serves the immediate locality and is accessible to all children. There are enclosed areas available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 6pm throughout the year, with the exception of Bank Holidays and a week at Christmas. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 37 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about the setting

There are a total of nine childcare practitioners, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 2 and 3. One practitioner has a relevant level 6 qualification and the manager is currently working towards a degree. The nursery has attained a healthy eating award, a five star food hygiene award and a silver award for sustainability.

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

 enhance the already good provision within the baby room by increasing the range of equipment available, in order to support younger children's growing exploritary and investigative skills

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

 extend the ways in which high quality practice is shared across the nursery by providing further opportunities for in-house training and embedding the use of peer observations and reflection on practice for practitioners, in order to enhance children's learning further.

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who attend

Children are greeted by friendly, caring practitioners and they arrive at the setting happy, confident and full of enthusiasm. They make independent choices from the wide range of toys and equipment and are provided with lots of opportunities to instigate their own play. For example, older children express an interest in robots, and practitioners enthusiastically engage in their interests by imitating the movements of a robot. As a result, children become highly engaged and are eager to demonstrate their robot moves. Babies and young infants show high levels of curiosity and are motivated to be mobile when they are provided with interesting toys to investigate. They enjoy looking at their reflections in low- level mirrors, developing an awareness of themselves and others. They explore using their senses as they scoop up wood shavings with their hands, and giggle with delight as they throw handfuls into the air, watching it cascade to the ground. They use their feet to

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who attend

trample through the shavings and take interest as it distributes across the floor. They explore treasure baskets containing a variety of natural materials, such as brushes, cones and feathers. This enables them to explore different textures using their senses. Practitioners make every effort to ensure all areas of learning are available to children. However, opportunities to further support babies' exploratory and investigatory skills through the provision of toys with flaps and simple mechanisms are occasionally less well supported, to develop their investigation skills for the future.

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who attend

Practitioners plan a broad range of activities to challenge and stimulate children. This is achieved through a comprehensive observation, assessment and planning process. Practitioners work closely with parents during the settling-in period, obtaining detailed information to establish what children can do and to define initial targets linked to the Early Years Foundation Stage. This provides practitioners with an accurate starting point to build on. Regular progress reports are shared with parents, with identified targets to support children's progress, along with a variety of photographs showing the children engaged in a broad range of activities. Parents are provided with daily opportunities to contribute information about what their children are doing at home. They are able to borrow resources from the nursery, such as 'Dennis the dinosaur'. This enables them to understand how to support their children's learning at home and recognise their children's

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who attend

interests, which are effectively incorporated into individualised planning. In addition, children's progress is closely monitored through effective tracking systems. This means that any identified gaps in children's learning are targeted to ensure these are narrowing and that they make good progress towards the early learning goals, considering their starting points.

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who attend

Practitioners are secure in how children learn and provide them with a variety of opportunities, enabling children to become independent and confident individuals. Children are able to take an active part in their learning as they make good choices about their play, through the rich and varied environment. They plan and think critically about what they want to do, demonstrating the characteristics of effective learning. Older children build and construct by making dens and designing their own creations. As a result, their mathematical skills of problem solving and recognising space and shape are well promoted. They count confidently as they play with cars. They learn about volume and capacity as they fill and empty containers in the sand. They confidently engage in matching activities as they pair socks and sort and compare the colour and size of figures.

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who attend

All children are secure in communicating their needs and preferences. Pictures and the use of gestures enhance their early language skills. Practitioners engage and focus children in good quality conversation to promote their language development. Older children are encouraged to join in the use of phonics by playing games using letter bags, to promote their understanding of sounds and letters. Practitioners give children time to start and finish conversations. As a result, they develop their confidence in communicating as they enthusiastically talk about what they are doing. Practitioners skilfully help to enhance babies' vocabulary by encouraging their babbling through copying their sounds. They explain what they are doing and repeat words back to them, so they can hear the words clearly, developing their familiarity. Children of all ages are provided with lots of opportunities to mark make and to develop their early writing skills. Young infants are

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who attend

encouraged to use their fingers to create patterns in a variety of media, such as sand, paint and dried food. They have access to chunky paintbrushes and crayons, which they can hold easily. Pre-school children have access to a wide selection of writing materials, which they use around the environment in a variety of activities. Older children confidently write their own name and are able to recognise a range of letters. They happily engage in story sessions and look at books together, telling their own stories by looking at the pictures. Babies enjoy snuggling up to practitioners as they express interest and curiosity in colourful pictures in books that provide tactile and sensory experiences. All of these activities ensure that children gain a good range of skills in readiness for school when the time comes.

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who attend

Teaching techniques are consistently strong across the provision, resulting in all children being effectively supported to acquire the skills and capacity to learn and develop effectively. They learn about the environment and food chains as they grow flowers, potatoes, herbs and carrots. They engage in cooking activities as they make soup from the produce they have grown, developing their understanding of change throughout the cooking process. The good opportunities for physical play, both indoors and outdoors, provide opportunities for them to explore their bodies and develop confidence in moving and handling. Smaller movements are promoted through activities, such as gluing, pencil work and using small tools, for example, rolling pins and cutters. These help children to develop their hand-and-eye coordination and the skills necessary for early writing. Babies and young infants participate in regular singing and movement sessions, where

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who attend

practitioners creatively use a variety of drapes to stimulate their senses and focus their attention. Young infants lie on the floor and kick and wave their arms enthusiastically, as they squeal with delight when the drapes are gently moved up and down above them.

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

Effective key person relationships results in all children showing a strong sense of belonging within the nursery. They are welcomed into a colourful, stimulating environment by friendly, attentive practitioners. The key person effectively links with the parents, which ensures that every child and family is provided with the opportunity to have a special relationship with one practitioner. This enables children to form secure attachments, which promotes their well-being and confidence. Practitioners work closely with parents from the point of entry. They effectively use detailed information obtained to establish what children can do, and all the required information pertaining to children's personal, social and emotional needs. As a result, practitioners know children well and are able to meet their individual needs effectively. All children enjoy the quality time they spend with their key person and engage in a variety of activities. For example, young infants listen to

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

simple action songs, where they sway back and forth and clap their hands. Older children happily engage in a circle time activity, where they select songs to sing and participate in group discussions. All practitioners are loving and affectionate and delight in children's achievements, embracing them with cuddles and praise. Children feel secure with practitioners as they seek reassuring glances in the presence of visitors to the nursery. They are confident to approach visitors once they have been reassured it is ok to do so.

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

The nursery environment is equipped with a wide selection of good quality toys and resources that are suitable to meet the age and stage of development of all children attending. Low-level storage units are attractively labelled in pictures and words. This enables children to make independent choices, allowing them to express themselves creatively and use their imagination. Children of all ages are enthusiastic and confident to explore their environment from the moment they arrive. Young infants explore their surroundings from different positions. Low-level furnishings enable them to pull themselves into a standing position, and push-along toys help them to develop their confidence in walking. Large areas of space provide lots of opportunities for young infants to stretch roll and crawl, enabling them to reach items of interest, such as treasure baskets. They eagerly move around the environment, demonstrating enthusiasm and

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

curiosity, and enjoy interacting with practitioners.

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

Sensitive care provides a strong foundation for children who have recently started at the nursery. Children are supported well during the settling-in process and when moving into different rooms. Key person groups are based on what each child can do. Effective support is provided by practitioners to ensure that pre-school children are effectively prepared for their progression on to school. For example, they are provided with opportunities to meet their new teachers, who are encouraged to visit the nursery to observe children in their familiar environment. Younger and older children are provided with regular opportunities throughout the day to play together in different areas. As a result, all children are familiar and confident with their surroundings and learn to form close relationships with their peers.

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

Children explore feelings and express themselves through the use of stories, visual displays and circle times. Active discussions take place in relation to 'Dennis the dinosaur,' a soft toy who goes on visits to the children's home. They engage in discussions on how they think Dennis felt when he fell over and hurt himself. They confidently express how happy they felt when their parents bought them chocolates. Practitioners act as positive role models and encourage children to treat each other with kindness and respect. Children understand the expectations of appropriate behaviour and follow the simple rules of the nursery. Children express their delight when they receive meaningful praise and recognition for their achievements, such as after helping to tidy away, and show care and concern towards each other. Practitioners are committed to including all children and treat them with equal concern. They provide opportunities for children to appreciate different

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

cultures and religions through participating in the celebration of a variety of festivals and by accessing a variety of toys and resources that reflect diversity. This enables them to respect each other's differences.

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

Children's understanding of safety is enhanced through controlled opportunities provided for them to take risks. They use tools carefully while participating in a variety of activities, such as hammers and nails when building, and using scissors to cut out pictures. Babies are supervised closely, enabling them to explore their environment safely. Toddlers and pre-school children demonstrate how they form a line before going to the bathroom and know that they must not run or push each other. All children are very confident and independent as they develop a range of self-care skills, for example, they help themselves to resources and are encouraged to talk about what they want to do. They are encouraged to manage their personal needs such as visiting the toilet, washing their hands and wiping their nose, enabling them to become familiar with personal hygiene routines.

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

Older children demonstrate how they put their own coats on, using methods shown by staff. They confidently show how they put their hood on their head first, which makes it easier to insert their arms in the right place. They actively help to tidy up their environment by putting resources away. Older children confidently serve their own food during mealtimes and tidy away afterwards. Children learn about healthy lifestyles as they are offered a wide range of healthy snacks and meals, which are made from fresh produce at the nursery. Babies and young infants are effectively supported during mealtimes and are provided with opportunities to feed themselves using their fingers and spoons. Children are able to rest in accordance to their needs and happily help themselves to their comforters, enabling them to feel fully refreshed when they awake and face new challenges and learning experiences. Children enjoy engaging in a variety of physical

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

activities as they discover the value of physical exercise. They develop their coordination skills as they climb, balance and move their bodies in a variety of ways. Older children engage in weekly swimming sessions at the local swimming baths, and a football coach visits the nursery on a weekly basis, further promoting a variety of movements and exercise.

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provision

The strong leadership, commitment and drive to improve the nursery have resulted in clear targets for development and a culture of continuous improvement being fostered. All practitioners are motivated by the drive for improvement and are continually seeking ways to improve and develop the service they offer. This means children are making good progress and their achievements are supported over time. There are effective procedures in place for identifying clear strengths and weaknesses. Daily observations and discussions with children ensure their views and preferences are taken into account, such as providing activities and resources that children have requested. For example, children were consulted in the enhancement of the outdoor play area. Some children expressed that they wanted a ship, while others expressed that they wanted a castle. As a result, a wooden structure has been created that can be adapted as a castle or ship. A climbing

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provision

wall was also installed in response to requests. Views from parents and practitioners are obtained through daily discussions and regular meetings. Parents requested for another telephone to be installed in the nursery rooms in addition to the office one, so a mobile has been purchased, enabling practitioners to speak to parents without leaving the nursery room. They also now provide reassurance through text messages, further promoting effective communication.

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provision

Planned actions are implemented effectively to overcome any areas of weakness. For example, the manager and provider have supported practitioners in creating formats for assessments and planning in order to monitor the educational programmes. Practitioners are clearly able to demonstrate their understanding of how children learn and recognise the importance of tracking their progress. This ensures any identified gaps in learning are addressed and targeted plans for intervention are successfully implemented. Practitioners' performance is monitored through observations of practice by the manager, which is used to highlight strengths and weaknesses. As a result, any perceived underperformance is dealt with so that practitioners understand the high standards expected from them. Peer observations between practitioners and in-house training have recently been introduced to utilise individual practitioners' knowledge and strengths. However, this is not fully

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provision

embedded across the nursery in order to fully develop practitioners' professional skills and share good practice to drive further improvement.

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provision

Arrangements for safeguarding children within the provision and through work with families and outside agencies are effective. All practitioners prioritise children's safety and have a secure knowledge and understanding of how to protect children in their care. Management effectively implement robust systems to monitor practitioners' knowledge and ensure that they attend regular training, promoting their awareness of current procedures to follow in event of any child protection concerns arising. Practitioners are committed to providing an environment that is welcoming, safe and stimulating, where children develop their confidence and enjoy their learning experience. Daily monitoring of attendance for children and practitioners ensures that practitioners are well deployed and that ratios are maintained at all times. Effective systems are implemented to identify and assess possible risks, and practitioners take appropriate steps to prevent accidents, while

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provision

enabling children to have the freedom to explore and learn safely. For example, daily checks of the premises, inside and out, are conducted and recorded, and any potential hazards are removed. Resources and equipment are in good condition and are checked and cleaned on a regular basis. Robust recruitment, selection and induction procedures are in place to ensure the suitability of practitioners to work with children. The manager and provider have implemented an effective recruitment procedure to ensure that practitioners employed are suitably qualified and have a high level of skills to support children in their learning and development. Documentation, policies and procedures are used effectively to underpin practice and comply with the statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage, which demonstrates the management's understanding of their role and responsibilities. For example, there are robust policies in place regarding the

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provision

All practitioners are highly committed in promoting good relationships with parents, other settings and external agencies, which contributes to meeting children's needs. Practitioners have good relationships with parents, who speak highly of the service and the care their children receive. They report that they are delighted with the progress their children are making and the dedication and commitment of the whole nursery team. Children benefit from the close working relationships between practitioners and parents. Daily verbal communication, along with home to nursery report sheets and regular meetings, ensure that parents are consulted at every stage of their child's care and development. Parents are encouraged to share their comments, home observations and suggestions, and the information is used to inform activity planning and continuity of care, and enables practitioners to meet the individual needs of children. Additional information

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provision

is provided for parents through displays and regular newsletters, keeping them fully informed about events. Effective communication systems ensure that parents are kept fully informed of their children's progress. Close liaison with local schools and sensitive support provided by practitioners ensure that children are prepared for their moves, both within the setting and on to school.

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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 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 EY338540 Local authority Oldham Inspection number 939552

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 33 Number of children on roll 37 Name of provider Barbara Keeling and Timothy Clarkson Partnership Date of previous inspection 01/11/2012 Telephone number 07806 529 099 and 0161 287 7187

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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