Nursery @ Itchen College

Nursery @ Itchen College Middle Road, Bitterne, Southampton, Hampshire, SO19 7TB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/11/2013 14/11/2008

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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

 The nursery is well run by a team of dedicated and hard working staff who communicate effectively with both the children and their parents or carers.  The key person system supports engagement with all parents. Parents and children's needs are well met as staff take a flexible approach and welcome parents in to the nursery at any time.  Children needing additional help or encouragement are provided with extra support by staff who seek help from other agencies if required.  Children are prepared well for transitions. As younger children move between rooms within the nursery, they are well supported in joining a new age group of children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Although children enjoy their time spent in the outside area, it does not provide them with many resources to encourage climbing, balancing or other large movements.

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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 children's play and staff interaction, indoors and outside.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the manager and staff at appropriate times throughout the observations.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector and deputy manager undertook a joint observation of a teaching activity.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning journeys and records, planning documentation, the self-evaluation form, a selection of policies, development plans, staff suitability records and reports from the local authority advisers.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector also took account of the views of six parents spoken to on the day and one on the telephone during the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The Nursery at Itchen College has been registered since 2001. It operates from a new building with disabled access, within the grounds of Itchen College, in eastern Southampton. There are three play rooms for children, and they have access to a garden for outdoor play. The nursery has been set up as a partnership between the owners and Itchen College and is jointly managed by both parties. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. There are currently 72 children from four months to four years on roll. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery is open all year round. Sessions are from Monday to Thursday from 8am to 5pm and on Friday from 8am to 4pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery

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Information about the setting

employs 18 staff. Of these, all hold relevant early years qualifications and the manager and deputy have completed a Foundation Degree at level 5.

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

 provide additional opportunities in the outdoor area for children to use resources, such as climbing equipment, tyres, tubes and boxes to further enhance their physical development.

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who attend

The atmosphere of the day nursery is busy and stimulating. There is a clear focus on helping children to acquire communication and language skills and on supporting their physical, personal, social and emotional development. Children enthusiastically take part in the learning experiences on offer each day. Staff use good teaching techniques and join in with children's play and learning. Staff sing songs as they play with the babies and toddlers and introduce new words. Staff give older children time to think and form their answers. Staff support children learning English as an additional language by using a few words in their home language. As a result, children feel involved and settled. Staff encourage children to try new activities and provide good support. For example, they sit with children who prefer not to take part in messy activities and talk about how the paint or the glue feels. Children respond well to this sensitive approach and are often willing to

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who attend

have a go. Many of the staff have worked in the nursery for a number of years and this provides consistent care and learning for the children. This has a positive impact on children's learning and development and ensures that they all make good progress. Children develop good communication skills as they sing a wide range of songs and rhymes and older children enjoy looking at books. Staff use the 'Every Child a Talker' programme to assess children's skills in this area and work with other professionals to assist children who require additional support. Older children demonstrate good control and coordination as they handle pencils and crayons. They talk about the shapes of the pieces as they complete simple puzzles. Children count easily to five as they sing familiar songs or count their footsteps as they work together to make a big painting for the winter display. Children develop mathematical language as they talk about size and quantity as

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who attend

they carefully make different size balls of dough. They chat about their favourite colours with their friends and enjoy the social interaction. Children's physical development is given good emphasis and all rooms open onto an outdoor area. Babies learn to crawl and stand and are well supported as they take their first steps. Older children enjoy playing outside, learning to balance on the logs or use the ride on toys. However, there are fewer opportunities for children to learn to safely negotiate space or to develop control and co- ordination using large movements.

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who attend

Staff plan children's experiences to cover the seven required areas of learning both indoors and outside. Planning documents detail a good programme of challenging and interesting activities for all children. Staff establish what children can do when they first start through talking with parents and asking them to complete an All about me booklet for their child. Planning for individual children is based on further observations and assessments made by all staff. Key staff undertake additional observations which they use to make accurate assessments and to plan clear next steps for each child. Assessments are also prepared for the progress check for two-year-olds to ensure that all children are developing at the expected rate. Staff work very closely with parents to keep them informed about their children's learning and development. Staff frequently share children's learning records with parents and suggest ways in which they can be involved in their

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who attend

children's learning at home. Any children assessed as needing extra support or guidance, such as children with any particular needs or English as an additional language, are well provided for. If it is felt that children and their families would benefit, other professionals are invited in to work with staff and provide further expertise.

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

All babies and young children are happy and settled and enjoy their time at the nursery, owing to the trusting relationships established with staff. Care practices are good and children learn about good hygiene routines such as hand washing and using tissues to wipe their noses. As they do this, they are developing a very strong sense of independence and gaining in confidence. Babies? routine needs are met well by staff who are very flexible and adaptable. Parents are able to come in to the nursery at any time and students at the college sometimes choose to come in and feed their babies at lunch time. All staff know the children in the nursery well and form close bonds with the children and families for whom they take special responsibility. This robust and well-established key person system ensures that routines are individual to each child and agreed with parents.

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

Each room within the nursery is well equipped with interesting toys and play materials suitable for the ages and developmental levels of the children. Children confidently help themselves to the good quality and easily accessible resources and equipment. Children interact well with staff, asking for help or support if required, such as with going to the toilet. As a result of the secure emotional bonds children have formed they are confident to approach any member of staff and quickly learn the daily routine. Many older children are gaining in independence and take themselves to the toilet or put on their coats and boots to go outside.

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

Children learn about healthy eating as they sit together at snack and lunch times. They talk with staff about which foods are good for them. Babies are encouraged to try feeding themselves and older children know to wash their hands before lunch and to sit quietly while eating. They are encouraged to learn how to meet their own care and hygiene needs. Children chat confidently with staff about healthy eating, what they have done during the morning or their plans for the afternoon session. Children enjoy this social occasion and benefit from the interaction with their friends. Children's understanding of safety is threaded through many daily routines and activities. Children learn to use scissors safely and not to run indoors in case they bump into each other. They know to sit safely on the chairs to put on their wellington boots before going out into the garden. Babies are supervised closely by staff who sit on the floor with them as they look at books or play

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

with the musical instruments. They are also monitored regularly while they sleep.

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

Children behave well and many learn to play cooperatively with their friends and staff. They are learning that they must be kind to each other and take turns with equipment. Staff use positive strategies such as praise and encouragement and children respond well to this. Staff successfully support children as they progress through the different rooms within the nursery. Children visit the next age group room before moving up permanently to ensure that they are familiar with both staff and the environment. The nursery children feed into a range of different schools and some also attend other settings. Staff and management have made good arrangements for sharing their knowledge of the children with these other providers and schools.

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provision

Management and staff all work well together to ensure that the nursery is very well organised and that routines operate smoothly on a daily basis. They have worked hard to ensure that the new building is organised effectively and to ensure that each room is interesting and welcoming for children and meets their learning needs. Most areas of the nursery are well resourced, although some aspects of children's physical development are less well provided for.

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provision

Staff have a very good understanding of their responsibilities in meeting the welfare, safeguarding and learning and development requirements and ensuring staff suitability. Robust systems are in place to ensure that all staff are suitably qualified and appropriately vetted. Adults are not allowed to work with children until all checks are cleared through the college human resources department. Good induction and appraisal systems are in place to identify staff training needs and to make sure that these are clearly targeted to improve the settings already very good practice. All staff are encouraged to develop their own professional practice and since the last inspection both staff and managers have improved their level of qualification. The whole staff team have regular meetings to ensure that they all work effectively together.

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provision

Arrangements for safeguarding children's well-being are good. Most staff have completed training in how to protect the children in their care and as a result have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities. The implementation of a wide range of policies and procedures and accurate completion of children's personal records, including medication records, ensures children's individual needs are very well met and that they are fully safeguarded.

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provision

Staff organise the environment in all areas of the nursery well, to ensure it is interesting and welcoming for children and meets their learning needs. Management and staff track and monitor the education provided for children ensuring that good and sometimes very good progress is made in all areas of learning. Staff and management form effective partnerships with parents and other agencies to ensure that any interventions needed are secured and children receive the support they need. Parents demonstrate that they appreciate the staff's hard work and dedication. They particularly appreciate the fact that staff are kind and caring and say that this enables them to be reassured that their children are happy at nursery. All complaints are responded to and recorded as appropriate. Management carry out accurate self-evaluation at the nursery, taking into account the views of staff and parents. This leads to successful identification of the nursery's strengths

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provision

and some areas for development. For example, staff have improved assessment and planning systems and successfully provided outdoor space for the babies in the new building.

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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 131604 Local authority Southampton Inspection number 940348 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 47 Number of children on roll 72 Name of provider Itchen College Date of previous inspection 14/11/2008 Telephone number 023 8044 4544

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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

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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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