Muriel Green Nursery School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD Telephone: 0300 123 1231 Fax: 0300 123 3159 Minicom: 0161 618 8524 Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk Web: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Muriel Green Nursery and Pre-School Church Crescent St. Albans Hertfordshire AL3 5JB Our Reference EY225164

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Outcome of monitoring visit for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Lorraine Meldrum Sunter, carried out a monitoring visit of your provision on 02/10/2013. This visit follows on from your inspection where the provision was judged to be inadequate.

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Outcome of the visit

As a result of our inspection on 29/07/2013, we sent you a notice to improve.

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Outcome of the visit

The notice required you to improve staff's knowledge of how children learn and develop with a focus on the prime areas of learning so that a quality learning experience for children is consistently provided; review children's progress between the ages of two and three years and provide parents with a short summary of their child's development in the prime areas and involve other professionals, such as a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator as necessary; ensure that information gained through observation is used to track children's progress in order to ensure that any learning and development needs are addressed with partnership with parents/carers and any relevant professionals; identify a named SENCO to support children with additional learning needs; ensure consideration is given to individual needs, interests and stage of development of each child is to support their development and progress; and plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all of the

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Outcome of the visit

areas of learning and development; improve the two-way flow of information with parents so that they are well informed about children's learning at nursery and can support children's learning at home; ensure all staff are aware of food hygiene and are good role models in promoting hygiene to children; ensure appropriate arrangements are in place for the supervision of staff. Supervision should foster a culture of mutual support, teamwork and continuous improvement.

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Outcome of the visit

Having considered all the evidence, the inspector is of the opinion that at this time the setting is making satisfactory improvement overall.

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

A monitoring visit was undertaken on 02 October 2013. It was found that overall progress made since the last inspection was satisfactory.

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

The staff team have attended a planned training day, concentrating firstly on the prime areas of learning as well as the specific areas. Staff took part in full discussions regarding how children develop and learn, observation cycles, and how to tailor observations and planning to children's individual needs.

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

A new system has been introduced to manage the written progress summaries produced for each child between the age of two and three. Training has been given to all staff regarding the whole process of assessing and producing a progress check for two year olds, including how to manage this, what evidence is used and completing the summary - a Unique Child.

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

The staff training day was also used for staff to discuss and understand how observation and assessment is used to plan for the next steps in a child's learning and development. Staff discussed how to use the information to signpost a parent, where necessary, to other professionals that may be useful in a child's development, such as a speech and language therapist.

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

Both the nursery school and pre-school have identified SENCO persons in place. The SENCO for the pre-school will attend a relevant course, and is working with the inclusion development officer for Hertfordshire, who is providing support in this area.

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

Although the whole planning and assessment system for children's learning and development is still in its infancy and has yet to be fully embedded in practice, staff understand the process and are beginning to implement this. Using a child's individual starting point, a 'Unique Child Summary' will be completed on a regular basis. Children's individual interests will be used to plan activities for learning. Planning displayed on the noticeboard in each of the rooms identifies learning expectations for individual children from a specific activity. Adult led focussed activities are evaluated as to how these can be built on and extended. The nursery school and pre-school are working together to build on planned teaching experiences to provide continuity to children's learning for those that attend both facilities.

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

Fortnightly newsletters are now given to parents to keep them up-to-date about recent events and changes. The nursery website has recently been updated and a new page added. Most rooms have a parents noticeboard with identified individual room information. The Baby and Ocean rooms have started introducing '5 books and songs' focusing on singing songs that parents do can do at home with their child. Practitioners know each child and are able to give parents individual feedback. Verbal feedback is given to parents at the end of each day including what activities their child has been doing and other relevant information. For young children a daily diary is completed, individual care needs are documented throughout the day. Parents evenings are intended to be planned with the teacher and keyperson for each older child and with the keyperson for younger children. Home visits will be completed for new starters. The manager and keyperson will go

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

out on these visits and complete an 'All about me' folder, gathering information about the child's needs and routines to help settle the child in nursery. Settling in days are offered to parents as needed. Where language may be an issue a 'communications book' is in place for staff to record information and details for the parent; the book is passed between nursery and parent.

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

Children are provided with plates at all snack and meal times, encouraging good hygiene practice. Staff ensure tables are clean when differing foods are served. Children's independency is supported as they are fully encouraged at all mealtimes, from breakfast to tea, to help and serve themselves where able to do so. Young children are encouraged to communicate by pointing to which cereal etc. they like.

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

A formal cycle of performance management has been implemented. Every member of staff has met with senior management for supervisory meetings. All meetings are formally recorded and action plans identified, with objectives inline with the nursery and pre-school action plan. Staff are aware there will be formal observation of their practice which will subsequently be discussed at a supervision meeting and also feed into their professional development. Staff on probation will have a probationary review. Staff now have their own staff room where relevant information is displayed for reference. All have access to the policies and procedures documents for the provision and reference books for professional development.

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

A further monitoring visit is to take place to establish what further improvements have been made and to asses how all have been sustained.

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Next steps

Having considered all the evidence the inspector is of the opinion that at this time:

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Next steps

 The setting has made satisfactory progress in addressing the points for improvement. The next visit will be a further monitoring visit.

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Next steps

I hope that you have found the visit helpful in promoting improvement in your setting. If you have any further queries please contact us on the number at the top of this letter.

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Next steps

Susan Gregory HMI National Director, Inspection Delivery

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