Loxley Nursery

Loxley Nursery Loxley Primary School, Rodney Hill, Loxley, SHEFFIELD, S6 6SG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/11/2013 09/02/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: 3 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 4 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 4

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This provision is inadequate

 There is not a named deputy to take charge in the absence of the manager and students suitability is not always checked. Consequently, children are not adequately safeguarded.  The key person system does not ensure that children's individual needs are well met. Staff have a poor knowledge of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and the educational programme does not suitably cover the seven areas of learning. As a result, children make poor progress in their learning and development.  Staff do not receive appropriate training and support to fulfil their duties, for example, when managing children's behaviour. As a consequence, children's behaviour is not managed effectively and staff are unclear about their roles and responsibilities.  Leadership and management is weak. Methods used for self-evaluation do not identify the nurseries future priorities for improvement. Consequently, there is not a clear focus

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This provision is inadequate

on raising standards to improve outcomes for the children.  Parents are not involved in completing the required progress check at age two, nor are they provided with information about their child's progress. This means that there is not a collaborative approach to children's learning and development.

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It has the following strengths

 Resources are to a suitable standard and are stored in low-level units. Consequently, children can make choices about what they would like to play with.

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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 the children playing in the garden and indoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed a range of written documentation, including children's development files, policies and procedures and staff suitability records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed staff's understanding of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.  The inspector took account of the views of parents on the day of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Loxley Nursery was registered in 2007 and is on the Early Years Register. It is situated in a building within the grounds of Loxley Primary School. Children attend for a variety of sessions, with full and half day places being offered to children from two years to school age. Children have use of one main play room and have access to a secure enclosed area for outdoor play. There are currently 32 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range. The nursery operates from 8am to 4pm each weekday, throughout the year.

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Information about the setting

There are four staff employed to work directly with the children. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least level 3. The setting cares for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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must:

 ensure there is a suitable deputy who is capable to take charge in the absence of the manager

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must:

 ensure that all students suitability is assessed through a Disclosure and Barring Service check

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must:

 improve the key person system to ensure that every child's needs are met

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must:

 improve staffs knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage so that they can implement and monitor an effective and challenging educational programme, that covers the seven areas of learning and helps children to make the best possible progress in their learning and development

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must:

 ensure all staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities by providing them with appropriate training and support, to help them to fulfil their duties

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must:

 ensure there is a collaborative approach to children's learning by involving parents in the completion of the progress check at age two and obtaining children's starting points in learning.

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

 develop children's understanding of healthy lifestyles further. For example, by providing parents with a list of healthy options they can add to their child's lunch box

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

 improve methods used for self-evaluation to ensure that future priorities are identified and are focused to bring about the most improvements to raise outcomes for children.

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who attend

The educational programme does not suitably cover the seven areas of learning. Activities lack challenge, which results in the children wandering aimlessly around the nursery. Planning lacks rigour, for example, as all activities are incidental, rather than focused around meeting children's next steps in their learning. Activities are set up at the start of the session and the children are expected to play with the resources themselves. Staff do not effectively extend children's play. For example, one child continues to push boxes full of toys off the shelving units. Staff do not seek out the child's reason for this or try to engage with the child to play with the resources in the boxes. As a result, the child repeatedly approaches the inspector to seek interaction and is not occupied in meaningful activities throughout the morning. Consequently, children lack the vital skills to prepare them for their transitions to school.

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who attend

Some children enjoy playing in the water tray, which supports them to develop their fine motor skills. For example, they enjoy using the buckets to scoop up the water and carefully control their movements when pouring the water back out. However, one child spends the majority of their time drinking the water from the tray, which contains dirt and sediments of sand. Staff are unaware of this until the inspector notifies them. Children play with some nice resources in the garden. For example, they enjoy playing with the wheeled toys and zoom about on them, which promotes their physical development. They also enjoy playing with the toy dinosaurs in a low-level tray. However, the only two staff working with the children do not extend their learning, which means that the children's play is greatly hindered. Children make pretend cups of tea in the home corner where they enjoy pretending to feed the dolls, which shows that they are using their imagination.

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who attend

Staff regularly observe the children, however, children's next steps are not used to plan tailored activities. Staff have a limited knowledge of the prime and specific areas of learning, which means that assessments are not an accurate reflection of what the children can do. Staff are familiar with the progress check at age two but have yet to share this with parents. Parents are not supported to extend their child's learning at home and they do not contribute to children's initial starting points in learning. Consequently, there is not a collaborative approach to the children's learning.

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

The key person system does not ensure that children's individual needs are well met. For example, staff are unable to identify and provide activities to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The staff caring for the children on the day of the inspection are new to the nursery. One member of staff is covering for the first time for the day, whilst the other has worked at the nursery for a week, this is also the person in charge. Consequently, staff are unfamiliar with children's basic care needs, such as, when they like a nap, where their belongings are kept and their play interests. This has a detrimental impact on children's physical and emotional well-being because children do not develop a strong bond with their key person and in turn, children do not develop a sense of belonging.

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

Transitions are appropriately managed, for example, as children visit the nursery prior to starting and parents talk to the staff about their child's home routine. When children are due to start at school their new teachers visit the nursery, which helps children to develop a relationship with their new carers in preparation for the move. Children have developed some independence skills, for example, as they use tissues to blow their own nose and wash their own hands in the bathroom. However, staff do not always support children to manage their own care needs in readiness for school. For example, older children are still in nappies and are not familiar with the potty or toilet. When children are playing they are very reluctant to try new things. For example, one child really wants to connect the 'camel linking beads'. However, she brings this to the inspector and says 'I can't do it' before having a go. This demonstrates that children are reluctant to try new things and are

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

Children's behaviour is poor because the staff have not had suitable training and support to apply behaviour management strategies into practice. Staff are unclear about their roles because they are so new to the nursery. This means that disagreements regularly break out between the children. For example, they argue over who sits on the computer chair and hit each other when they both want the fire helmet in the home corner. This hinders children's personal, social and emotional development because the staff do not encourage children to work cooperatively together. Children's physical needs are appropriately met. For example, they access the garden where they enjoy running, skipping and jumping. Staff sometimes talk to the children about healthy foods, for example, during snack time. Children bring in their own packed lunches. However, parents are not provided with information about suitable packed lunch options and therefore, they often contain sugary

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

drinks and chocolate bars. Consequently, children are not learning the importance of healthy lifestyles. Staff promote some elements of the children's self-esteem appropriately. For example, they praise the children when they are playing. Resources are to a suitable standard and are in low-level units. Consequently, children can make choices about what they would like to play with.

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provision

This inspection was brought forward because of concerns relating to staff to child ratios, staff qualifications and their suitability. The inspection found that the nursery was within ratio and that staff held suitable qualifications. However, in relation to suitability, not all students have had the necessary checks to ensure they are suitable to work with the children. In addition there is not a named deputy in post, which means that there is not a member of staff who has sufficient experience and knowledge of the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. For example, staff are not clear about their roles and responsibilities and are unable to provide information about the seven areas of learning. Consequently, children's learning and development is not suitably promoted. Staff have some knowledge about safeguarding. For example, they are familiar with the signs and symptoms of abuse and regularly check the garden for damaged

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provision

equipment. There is a recruitment procedure in place, which helps to identify staffs skills and knowledge. Staff have annual appraisals where they have opportunities to discuss any concerns they may have with the manager. However, staff do not receive appropriate training and support to fulfil their duties, for example, when managing children's behaviour.

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provision

The educational programme does not suitably cover the seven areas of learning. Planning is not suitably monitored, which means that gaps in the children's learning are not easily identified. As a result, children make poor progress in their learning and are not well prepared for school. Methods used for self-evaluation do not identify the nurseries future priorities for improvement. For example, there is a self-evaluation form that describes the nurseries strengths but does not identify any areas for improvement. On talking to the staff, they are unclear about any plans for future improvements. Consequently, there is not a clear focus on raising standards to improve outcomes for the children.

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provision

Staff have developed some links with external agencies, such as, the local early years advisor. Parents spoken to on the day made some positive comments about their child's care at the nursery.

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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 EY350743 Local authority Sheffield Inspection number 938026

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 32 Name of provider Kay Elizabeth Haywood Date of previous inspection 09/02/2009 Telephone number 07795 087017

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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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