Hugo and Holly Day Nursery

Hugo and Holly Day Nursery 3 Brunswick Square, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL1 1UG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/11/2013 19/01/2012

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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 enjoy the activities that staff plan and have good opportunities to make independent choices of the resources.  Staff understand children's individual needs well and provide a warm, caring environment, within which children feel safe and secure.  The strong partnership working with parents contributes well to the good progress that children make.  The leadership and management have a strong vision for the nursery's continuous improvement and the best outcomes for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always use effective questioning to challenge and support children's learning and development further.  The range of resources and opportunities for children to extend their learning in the outside area is not always fully effective.

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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 and manager toured all areas of the nursery that children use.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled children's development records, planning documents, as well as policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had discussions with senior leaders and managers, and staff and children during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in both the indoor and outside environments and undertook a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke to parents and carers to gain their views about the nursery.

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Information about the setting

Hugo and Holly Day Nursery registered in 2004. It is one of two nurseries run by a private partnership. The nursery operates from a five-storey house in the centre of Gloucester. Children use rooms across four floors. These include five base rooms, a creative room and an expressive arts and gymnastics room. There is an enclosed, outdoor area with covered veranda, a gardening area and large lawn. The nursery opens each weekday from 7.50am to 6pm, excluding bank holidays. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 70 children within the Early Years age group on roll. Children attend on a full and part-time basis. The nursery also offers care for older children during school holidays. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and a number of children learning English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

There are 15 staff, including the manager and a partner, who work directly with the children. Of these, 13 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications and two are working towards a qualification. The nursery also employs a cook. A partner has qualified teacher status and a Masters of Arts in Early Years. The nursery has regard to the Reggio Emilia educational approach and provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year- olds.

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

 strengthen children's learning opportunities in the outdoor environment by extending resources and planned activities that encourage them to explore and investigate

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

 develop staff's questioning skills, such as what, how and why, to challenge and extend children's thinking and learning experiences further.

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who attend

Staff have a good understanding of the educational programmes for the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. They plan a stimulating range of activities that stem from children's interests and enable good opportunities for them to play and become active learners. For example, children in the pre-school room enjoy creative play and confidently and independently make choices from an exciting range of materials. Babies and toddlers enjoy exploring the contents of treasure baskets. They find construction resources and persevere well as they try to fit the pieces together. Staff have a strong understanding of children's individual levels of development. They regularly observe children as they play and use this information well to plan next steps in learning. Assessment systems are thorough and effectively identify any additional support or challenge that children may need for their learning and development. Specialist staff

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who attend

devise effective individual education plans to support these needs. Parents have good opportunities to contribute towards children's learning diaries, which effectively contribute towards children's progress assessments.

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who attend

Staff engage consistently well with children as they play. They listen attentively and give children time to contribute their ideas, such as during a singing time, when children suggest their favourite songs. However, during some activities, staff miss opportunities to challenge children's thinking further. For example, children find a snail outside. Staff talk to them enthusiastically about other small creatures that live outdoors but do not extend this further, by using more effective questions to encourage children to become more investigative learners. Babies are making good progress with their communication and language development. Staff make good use of repetitive phrases such as 'bang, bang' and 'brum, brum' to represent noises that toys make and babies babble in response. In the toddler room, staff repeat words that children say clearly, such as 'tractor' and 'car'. Many children in the pre-school room can recognise their names and some are beginning

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who attend

to write their names. They concentrate well as they try to copy and form letters correctly. During an adult-led activity, children have good opportunities to problem solve. Staff encourage children to look carefully at the pictures and colours on the pieces before they try to place them. Babies enjoy experimenting with buttons on toys and laugh as they discover the different sounds each makes. Staff support children's mathematical understanding well. They make the most of opportunities to introduce counting skills into children's play experiences. During an activity with small coloured bears, staff develop children's understanding of sorting and matching shapes and sizes well. Children are keen to participate in these small group activities, which help to prepare them well for their next stages in learning. The outdoor environment provides good opportunities for physical development, although some resources lack further scope for children to explore and

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who attend

extend their learning, such as the garden area and digging box. A range of specialist physical apparatus in the indoor gym provides good support for children's muscle and co- ordination development.

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who attend

Staff have strong links with parents. They update parents daily on their child's routines and progress. Parents have good daily access to their child's learning diary. They also formally meet with staff regularly to discuss their child's progress, including a meeting following the assessment checks for two year olds. Displays around the nursery celebrate children's achievements and clearly identify the learning purpose of the activity. This helps to include parents in children's learning and encourages them to continue the experiences at home. New children settle quickly because of induction visits to the nursery, which enable key staff and parents to discuss children's needs. During discussions, parents comment on the supportive and caring attitudes of staff and the good progress that children make during their time in the nursery.

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

Children are happy and content within the nursery's warm and caring environment. When children arrive at the nursery, staff greet them in a friendly manner, asking about their favourite comfort toys. During a story time, babies and toddlers cuddle up to staff and enjoy the closeness and comfort that this provides. This helps children to feel safe and secure. Each child's key person knows and understands their individual needs well, because of the strong relationships that they have with parents and carers. For example, staff know that children settle quickly if they can wave goodbye to their parent from the window. For children who find parting from their parent difficult, staff use effective distraction techniques, involving them in play with favourite toys, such as small moveable cars.

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

Children confidently ask staff for help when they need it, such as putting on their coats or fixing construction toys together. They happily move around both the indoor and outdoor environments and enjoy making their own choices from boxes of resources, displaying strong levels of self-assurance. Toddlers enjoy opportunities to relate their personal experiences in their play, such as placing a baby doll in a seat and rocking it gently. They try to fasten the seat straps around the doll because they know that this will keep it safe and prevent it from falling. During activities, children talk happily to staff about their play and confidently share information about their home experiences, for example, favourite toys and pets. This illustrates the positive relationships between staff and children. Staff are good role models, who work together supportively as a team. They provide strong support for children's personal development. For instance, during snack time they

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

encourage children to say please and thank you. Children play well together. In the pre- school room, children take turns with creative tools and hold paper still for their friends while they stick on their chosen shapes. Staff effectively encourage children to be independent and self-reliant, such as helping to tidy away toys and to put on their own clothing for outdoor play. Systems to manage children's behaviour are good. Staff receive regular training in staff meetings to help maintain consistent approaches. When incidences do occur, staff record these meticulously and always inform parents. Through this positive approach, all children, including babies, are developing a good awareness of positive interaction with their friends. For example, when toddlers accidentally bump their friends, staff sensitively explain the need to take care and be kind. Older children say sorry to one another when they forget to share or take turn with toys and staff praise them for this.

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

Additionally these strategies support children's emotional well-being effectively and help prepare them well for their transfers between the nursery rooms and for school.

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

Staff effectively promote children's healthy well-being. A good selection of healthy snacks and freshly cooked meals are available each day. Good provision is in place for children with specific dietary needs. Staff develop children's understanding of positive hygiene practices effectively. For example, they remind them to wash their hands before toileting. At nappy changing times, staff follow strict procedures to secure children's good health. Children are developing a positive awareness of personal safety, such as staff explaining to them the need to take care when moving around the indoor environment and when handling toys in case they injure their friends. All children, including babies, benefit each day from 'fresh air' time in the outdoor area.

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provision

The nursery's leaders and managers have a strong understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities. The designated person for child protection has appropriate training and all other staff attend regular update courses to ensure that they fully understand their obligations. During discussions, staff confidently explain the action to take should they have concerns about a child within their care. A comprehensive range of policies and procedures help to ensure children's welfare. Senior managers review these regularly and all are easily available for parents to view. Rigorous recruitment processes for the vetting of new staff ensure their suitability and experience to work with young children. Risk assessment processes, including daily checks by staff are robust and cover all areas of the premises that children use. Additionally, procedures for cleaning toys and resources are thorough. The manager regularly monitors the cleanliness and suitability of the nursery

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provision

environments to ensure that all areas are safe, stimulating and welcoming for children to enjoy. Records for medication, accidents and registration are particularly thorough and all necessary permissions from parents are in place. Staff always inform parents of any incidents concerning their child during their time in the nursery.

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provision

The manager has a thorough understanding of the learning and development requirements. She regularly reviews the planning and assessment documentation. This helps ensure equality for children of all ages and that they receive good support for their individual learning and development needs. Alongside this, the manager has effective systems of staff supervision in place. These include observing staff as they interact with children, which helps to promote good quality practice and the best outcomes for children. Regular staff appraisal processes successfully support the professional development and training needs of the staff.

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provision

The leaders and managers have a focussed commitment towards the nursery's continuing improvement. Highly effectively self-evaluation processes clearly identify the nursery's strengths and set challenging targets for future development. For example, the planning and assessment systems have recently been reviewed to fully reflect the Reggio Emilia educational approach and provide greater support for children's individualised learning. Staff have good opportunities to contribute towards these evaluation systems, such as during staff meetings. The nursery positively encourages parents to express their thoughts and opinions through suggestion slips or during the daily dialogue that they have with staff. All recommendations from the last inspection have been successfully achieved.

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provision

The nursery has effective links with the local authority for further support and guidance if they require it. Good provision is in place to support children's individual developmental needs, such as external specialists for speech and language if they require it. The nursery has strong links with other early years settings and local primary schools. For example, staff meet to discuss children's development and progress and share their learning records. These strategies effectively enable the smooth transfers for children between their educational phases.

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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 EY275595 Local authority Gloucestershire Inspection number 941988 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 55 Number of children on roll 70 Name of provider Hugo and Holly Day Nursery Partnership Date of previous inspection 19/01/2012 Telephone number 01452 310958

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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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