Sally-Anna's Day Nursery

Sally-Anna's Day Nursery Liverpool Road West, Church Lawton, STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST7 3DZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/11/2013 13/04/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 1 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 2

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This provision is good

 This nursery is very effective and has some outstanding features, particularly in relation to the high quality learning environment and the excellent partnerships with parents.  Staff teach children well and provide an extensive range of stimulating experiences. Consequently, children really enjoy their time at nursery and make good progress in their learning.  Children receive high standards of care and their health and safety is very well promoted. Staff have secure knowledge of how to safeguard children from harm, which contributes to keeping them safe.  Parents are very much involved in all aspects of their children's learning and ongoing development, which makes a significant contribution to children's care and learning.  Managers demonstrate strong leadership skills. They monitor staff performance effectively, which helps to ensure good practice is maintained and continually improved.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There are some missed opportunities, for example, during mealtimes, to further extend children's growing independence, so that they are exceptionally well prepared for school.  There is scope to strengthen the robust monitoring of children's progress even further, in order to compare different groups of children and secure any necessary interventions.

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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 observed activities in the five playrooms and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted joint observations with the deputy.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with children, staff and parents and held meetings with the manager and deputy.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment and planning records and sampled a range of other documentation, including the provider's self-evaluation form.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.

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Inspection activities

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

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Information about the setting

Sally-Anna's Day Nursery was registered in 2000 and registered again in 2009 following a change of premises. The nursery is owned by a limited company and is registered on the Early Years Register. It operates from purpose built premises in the Church Lawton area of Stoke-on-Trent. The nursery serves the immediate locality and the surrounding areas. The nursery opens five days a week from 7.30am until 6pm all year round, except on bank holidays. Children attend for a variety of sessions. They are cared for within five rooms located on two floors with no lift access. Children have access to enclosed outdoor play areas.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 175 children on roll in the early years age range. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for three- and four-year-old children. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are currently 28 staff working directly with the children. Of these, 27 hold appropriate early years qualifications, including one at level 2, 24 at level 3 and two with Early Years Professional Status. The setting follows the HighScope educational approach.

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

 build on the effective systems for supporting children's readiness for school, for example, by increasing opportunities for children to extend their independence, particularly at mealtimes

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

 strengthen the robust arrangements for monitoring and tracking children's progress, so that comparisons can be made between groups of children and decisions can be made about any necessary interventions.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is at least good and occasionally outstanding. Staff support children's learning effectively by skilfully interacting with children as they play. They follow the HighScope educational approach, which promotes flexible routines and enables children to be fully involved in planning and reflecting on their own learning throughout the day. Children are encouraged to make decisions, such as about whether to play indoors or outside and they have good opportunities to work in smaller and larger groups. Staff consistently observe the children and tailor their plans to meet children's individual needs and interests. Assessment is accurate and shows that children are within the typical range of development expected for their age.

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who attend

Children thoroughly enjoy outdoor play and the 'mud kitchens' are extremely popular with the children, including the babies. Staff explain and demonstrate how to use real tools safely, for instance, during whittling activities using large pieces of bark. They help children to build, count and balance with the large wooden blocks and they support children's imaginative skills when they dig in the sand and search for gold. Some staff show highly effective questioning skills to encourage children to think and respond in different ways. For example, children use magnifying glasses to examine the 'bug hotel' and show much excitement when they discover a snail. Staff ask pertinent questions, such as 'why do you think the snail is hiding in the shell', which prompts children to confidently share their ideas.

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who attend

Staff positively promote children's independence, for example, by encouraging children to tidy up and put on their coats before outdoor play. However, less emphasis is placed on developing children's independence during mealtimes. This is because food is already plated and served to children and staff do most of the tasks, such as pouring drinks. Consequently, staff are not always maximising every opportunity to fully support children's readiness for school. Partnerships with parents are excellent and staff use many creative ways to involve parents in children's learning, for instance, encouraging them to share comments on the 'wishing tree' and recording 'wow moments' from home. Staff have compiled comprehensive information files to share with parents and they provide a wealth of information about children's ongoing achievements, for example, through home diaries, progress reports and regular parents' evenings. Parents speak very positively about

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who attend

children's progress since being at nursery, particularly in relation to their speech.

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

The quality of care that children receive is excellent and the highly effective key person system contributes significantly to children's emotional well-being and sense of security. Relationships between staff, children and parents are extremely positive, which helps foster secure attachments. Children's transitions on entry to the nursery and as they move between rooms are extremely well supported. For example, comprehensive information is shared about children's needs and some key staff move rooms with children if needed. This helps children to settle very quickly and ensures they are emotionally well prepared for their next stage of learning.

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

The high quality indoor and outdoor learning environment has been carefully organised using the principles of the 'communication friendly spaces' approach. This focuses on supporting children's speaking and listening skills, emotional well-being and engagement in activities. Consequently, play areas are calm, spacious and enticing, with plenty of cosy areas and natural resources to spark children's curiosity. Staff talk enthusiastically about the benefits this approach has had on children's behaviour, communication and social skills. As a result, children are very polite, cooperative and show high levels of confidence and motivation in their play.

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

Staff maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene at all times, which helps to safeguard children's health. They successfully support children's understanding of how to keep themselves safe and healthy. For instance, they provide very clear explanations about why things may be dangerous and they enthusiastically encourage children to sing the 'soap and water' song in preparation for lunch. This helps them to understand why hand-washing is important. Menus have been updated following advice from a nutritionist, so that children benefit from eating healthy, freshly-prepared meals. Children delight in playing outside and enjoy a wide range of active play in the fresh air, which greatly benefits their physical health and well-being.

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provision

Safeguarding arrangements are robust. Managers ensure the safe recruitment and vetting of all staff, which contributes to ensuring their suitability to care for the children. They make sure staff have a secure understanding of their responsibilities to keep children safe from harm and how to report any concerns about children's welfare. Safeguarding policies have recently been updated and procedures for managing allegations against staff have been strengthened, so that any concerns are reported to relevant authorities without delay. Children's safety is given high priority and very effective security measures are in place. For example, closed circuit television monitors indoor and outdoor areas and fingerprint entry systems prevent unauthorised access to the building. Effective policies and procedures, including risk assessments contribute to maintaining a welcoming, safe and well-organised nursery.

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provision

Managers fully understand their responsibilities in meeting the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and they show drive to deliver quality provision for all children. The team work very well together and feel well supported by managers. Staff are well qualified and make good use of additional training, such as 'communication friendly spaces', to enhance and improve children's experiences. Managers monitor the educational programmes well, so that children receive interesting and challenging learning experiences. The progress of individual children is accurately monitored and managers consistently check all progress reports before they are sent to parents. However, systems for more rigorous tracking of progress for different groups of children are less secure. This makes it difficult for managers to make comparisons, for instance, between boys and girls and decide if any intervention is needed. Managers have

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provision

an accurate view of the quality of teaching and are taking positive steps to enhance it even further, for example, through robust monitoring of staff performance, mentoring and regular supervision.

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provision

Self-evaluation is very effective and the views of staff, children and parents are actively sought to help inform areas for development. This contributes to sustaining ongoing improvement in the nursery. Excellent partnerships with parents and close links with other professionals involved with the children make a very successful contribution to promoting their care and learning. Staff work effectively with local providers, schools and health professionals to ensure children receive the support they need. Parents are fully involved in their children's learning in a variety of ways. They are highly complementary about the nursery, for instance, they say staff are 'fantastic and can't praise them enough for what they do for the children'.

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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 EY402032 Local authority Cheshire East Inspection number 938755

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 97 Number of children on roll 175 Name of provider Sally Anna's Limited Date of previous inspection 13/04/2010 Telephone number 01270884669

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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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