Little Wonders Nursery Falmouth

WoodLane Day Nursery Falmouth College of Arts, 25 Woodlane, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 4RH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/01/2014 09/09/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Enthusiastic and imaginative staff engage children in fun learning activities, which help them to progress well, especially in communication and language. This is because staff consistently use open-ended questions to encourage children's conversation and problem solving.  Staff make effective use of children's outdoor play, to reinforce and extend their learning.  Staff develop close and warm relationships with children and know them well. These relationships support children in developing confidence and duringtheir transitions through the setting and onto school.  There are strong partnerships with parents, who are encouraged to be actively in their children's learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Use of signing is not yet integral to the setting's routines, to fully support the communication skills of all children.  Staff miss some opportunities in daily routines to develop children's understanding and use of calculation, and simple addition and subtraction.

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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 spoke with parents and carers, and took account of their views.  The inspector sampled documentation regarding planning and children's progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked documents relating to the suitability and qualifications of staff.  The inspector observed activities in the playrooms and the outdoor play areas.  The inspector carried out a joint observation alongside the manager.

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Information about the setting

Tremough Campus Services manages Woodlane Day Nursery. The nursery registered in 2005 and operates from a self-contained building, which is part of the University College Falmouth, Woodlane Campus. Children have use of a secure garden area for outdoor play activities. There are currently 91 children on roll. The nursery supports children who are learning to speak English as an additional language and children with special needs and/or disabilities. It is funded to provide free early education to children aged three and four years. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is open each weekday from 8am until 5.30pm, all year round, except during Christmas and bank holidays. Children attend from the local and surrounding areas. The provider employs 16 childcare staff. All of the staff hold appropriate early years qualifications, ranging from level 2 to degree level.

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

 use daily routines to increase children's knowledge and understanding of calculation, adding and subtraction.

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

 extend and embed the use of signing throughout the nursery, to further enhance children's communication skills

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who attend

Children make good progress in their learning because staff seek information from parents and use this along with their own observations to learn about children's interests and preferences. They quickly establish children's starting points and use this information to identify next steps in their learning, and to plan and provide activities that interest and engage them.

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who attend

Children's progress is recorded in learning journals, regular progress reports and progress summaries for two-year-olds. These, and daily discussions with key persons, ensure that parents are well informed about their children's achievements and next steps. The nursery involves parents in their children's learning and progress, for example by informing them about Every Child a Talker (ECAT) technique and monitoring systems. Children take books and story sacks home so parents can support their child's learning at home. Parents also contribute to their children's learning journals with comments about achievements at home; they also contribute to progress summaries for two-year-olds. Children enjoy and benefit from regular outdoor play. Staff encourage children to discuss appropriate clothing for different weather conditions. Outdoors the staff encourage and reinforce children's learning. For instance, when children begin racing toy cars down the

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who attend

slides, staff encourage them to compare the speed and distance that different cars travel at. They use chalk to mark the distances travelled, enabling the children to compare differences in speed and distance caused by the heights they start their cars at. Bug hotels and strategically placed mirrors enable children to look for and observe insects and plants.

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who attend

Staff skilfully build on children's interest in recent extreme weather conditions. They provide resources so that children can recreate rainy scenarios, with small world toys. With appropriate interventions from staff, this encourages and enables children to discuss and consider the effects of rain and flooding. They talk about suitable clothing, and independently plan and create shelters from the rain. The member of staff extends the activity by introducing toy boats so that children can transport flood victims. These activities enable children to explore and understand aspects of the world around them. They develop and use their communication skills to discuss and plan scenarios, and develop their thinking and planning skills as they create solutions to problems.

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who attend

Children begin to recognise their own names as they find their labelled coat hooks, and self-register. Staff encourage children to use their developing writing skills as they label their own artwork. Children confidently access the inviting writing and book areas. Staff raise children's awareness and recognition of their own and other children's feelings, through discussions about behaviour and reading relevant stories. This helps children recognise their own and other people's feelings and understand the impact of their behaviour on others. Staff skilfully use story sacks to engage children's interest, involving each child by giving them a prop, and children listen with concentration as they wait for their turn to participate.

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who attend

Staff encourage children to count in meaningful situations; for example, they count how many are sitting around the table at snack time. However, they miss some opportunities to extend this learning by introducing calculation, addition and subtraction. Children develop mathematical awareness and knowledge of different shapes and sizes as they complete jigsaw puzzles and recreate patterns with counters. Very young children develop coordination and balance as they handle and build towers with construction toys, with support from staff.

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who attend

Staff encourage young children to develop independence skills as they attempt to feed themselves. They support children's attempts to communicate as they attend to and interpret their gestures, and listen carefully to their attempts to talk. Staff are introducing baby signing and sign language to the setting, to promote communication and integration. However, this is not yet an integral part of the setting's routines.

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who attend

Staff support and celebrate children's knowledge of languages other than English. They seek information about key words from parents and access dual language books. Staff monitor children's language and communication skills using the ECAT programme. Staff at the setting work effectively with other agencies such as speech and language therapists to support children's needs and promote their development.

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

The staff get to know their key children and their families well, which leads to children developing secure and warm relationships with them. Parents praise the supportive registration and settling-in procedures, when they are able to share information about children's routines and preferences. When children move on to their next room, key persons accompany them on introductory visits and share information with staff in their new room. This enables staff to meet their needs and children to become familiar with new surroundings and people. Staff from local schools visit the setting to share information with parents and staff, thereby preparing children for their future move to school. With consent and support from parents, staff share information with co-providers and other professionals to promote children's learning and continuity of care.

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

Staff quickly respond to signs of tiredness in young children and settle them to sleep in cots and on cushions, depending on their preferences. Children sleep soundly, indicating their comfort and sense of security. Staff make regular checks on sleeping children, to promote their well-being. Daily use of resources that include positive images of people of different ages and ethnicities raises children's awareness of diversity.

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

Staff make good use of play with toy cars on a road mat to talk to children about and illustrate road safety rules. They teach children how to handle and use scissors safely. Children's regular participation in fire drills ensures that they become familiar with them. Staff reward and praise children for helpful behaviour, sharing toys and happily helping to tidy away resources.

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

Staff support children with their social development, managing feelings and behaviour. In consultation with parents, they develop appropriate individual education plans, identifying triggers for unwanted behaviours and strategies for sharing information with parents. This supports consistency and continuity of care, and leads to a reduction in behaviour difficulties.

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

The staff make note of and follow individual children's dietary needs, allergies and preferences. Children are able to help themselves to drinks of water. Meals are sociable times. At snack time staff talk with children about the different foods and support children's independence as they encourage them to pour their own drinks and spread butter on their bread. At lunch time, children enjoy their nutritious hot meals provided by the university catering staff.

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

Children follow good hygiene practices, with staff reminding them to wash their hands at appropriate times. Daily access to outdoor play enables children to benefit from the fresh air and exercise. They learn to dress themselves appropriately for outdoor play, further developing their independence skills. Children's self-confidence, strong communication and independence skills prepare them well for their future moves onto school.

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provision

Effective systems are in place to meet safeguarding and welfare requirements. All the staff have had checks carried out regarding their suitability. Safeguarding policies and procedures include current and relevant contact numbers. Staff have all attended and updated their safeguarding training. They demonstrate that they have a secure understanding and awareness of safeguarding procedures and signs that could alert them to possible child abuse. The premises are secure, with staff controlling access and monitoring visitors to the premises. Because all staff have current first aid training and first aid kits are readily accessible, any accidents are dealt with appropriately. Regular team meetings and appraisals are used to identify staff training needs and staff are supported well in their personal development.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are good. Parents value the approachability of staff, who make time to talk with them about their children's progress and activities. Parents contribute information about their children's interests and activities at home and so contribute to assessments of their children. Staff at the nursery work in partnership with other providers and agencies to identify and meet children's needs effectively.

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provision

The staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements. Staff review and evaluate the effectiveness of their planning each day. They use a development framework and the ECAT programme to review and monitor individual children's progress. Group progress records enable staff to ensure that the educational programme is well balanced and covers all areas of learning. These also confirm that all children are progressing well. In order to evaluate its provision, the nursery seeks feedback from outside agencies, along with regular evaluation of practice by staff and management through room and staff meetings. The improvements made to observation, assessment and planning systems, and the organisation of the pre-school room since the previous inspection, demonstrate the nursery's capacity for continuous improvement.

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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 EY299646 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 843745 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 1 - 5 Total number of places 37 Number of children on roll 91 Name of provider Falmouth Exeter Plus Date of previous inspection 09/09/2008 Telephone number 01326213765

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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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