ABC Day Nursery

ABC Day Nursery St Andrews Church Hall, Lawson Terrace, Newcastle, Staffordshire, ST5 8PB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/01/2014 24/05/2010

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early years provision

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

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This provision requires improvement

 Children receive good levels of care from staff, who have a lovely rapport with them. As a result, children are secure, happy and confident to express themselves.  Strong partnership with parents means that children's individual needs are recognised and met effectively, such as sleeping and feeding requirements.  Children demonstrate a good understanding of acceptable behaviour and are supported through the high expectations and guidance from staff.  The setting has robust policies and procedures in place, including effective risk assessments, which ensure that children are kept safe.

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It is not yet good because

 The required progress check at age two has not been implemented. Consequently, parents do not receive a written summary of their child's progress in the prime areas, that they are able to share with other professionals.  Opportunities for older children to develop their independence at lunchtime, such as pouring their own drinks and serving their own food, are not fully utilised.  Self-evaluation of the setting is in the process of being completed, but does not take into account the views of staff, parents and children in order to help develop plans for improvement.

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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 during their play in the three rooms.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector conducted a joint observation with one of the managers, of a planned activity indoors.  The inspector held meetings with staff and the managers of the setting.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

ABC Day Nursery opened in 1984 and is on the Early Years Register. It operates from three rooms within St. Andrew's Church Hall in Porthill, Newcastle-under-Lyme. The nursery has sole use of the premises during opening hours. It serves the local community and surrounding areas.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 5.30pm, all year round. There are currently 26 children on roll in the early years age range. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are seven members of staff working with the children, six of whom hold a recognised early years qualification. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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must:

 implement the progress check at age two to ensure staff always provide parents with a written summary about children's progress in the prime areas of learning, in order to share information with other professionals and to arrange appropriate support if necessary.

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

 provide more opportunities for older children to develop their independence at lunchtime, for example, by serving their own food and pouring their own drinks

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

 develop the nursery practice through the use of a self-evaluation process in conjunction with staff, parents and children, in order to identify areas for improvement and take appropriate action to address these.

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who attend

Overall, the quality of teaching and learning requires improvement. Staff make regular observations of children and use their interests to plan a range of different activities and experiences. They discuss how they then adapt activities, as necessary, by considering children's next steps in their learning. On the whole, children are seen to be working within the typical range of development expected for their age and are generally prepared for their next stage of learning. Children's initial starting points are identified through observations and information gathered from parents on entry to the nursery. There are some positive aspects in the nursery's relationships with parents which result in a steady, two-way flow of information about the children's care and education. For instance, parents and staff discuss how well children are doing and some staff prepare written summaries which are retained in children's files. However, these summaries are not always provided

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who attend

for the parents of children aged between two and three, so that they are able to share them with other professionals in order to arrange appropriate support if required. Older children are learning the basic skills they need for school as staff encourage independence and group skills. For example, children are learning to sit and listen as a group when listening to stories. They become familiar with daily routines, such as mealtimes, and they understand about waiting their turn for activities. Staff discuss with children the possible routines they will follow at school to reassure and prepare them. Children are also encouraged to hang up their own coats and find their name by recognising specific letters.

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who attend

Children are welcomed into a relaxed environment where their personal, social and emotional development is fostered well. Staff take the time to get to know the children's likes, preferences and dislikes, and they foster positive relationships with the children. All children, including babies, show a sense of belonging and begin to increase their confidence as they move around their environment. Babies begin to learn how things work and enjoy investigating toys which demonstrate cause and effect as they press a button for either music to play or pictures are displayed. They are supported effectively by staff, who provide commentaries on what they are doing and use appropriate vocabulary. Older children are able to choose resources and toys either independently or by finding the appropriate picture in the nursery's resource book. Children particularly enjoy using their imagination in the role play area, where they cook food and make drinks for each other.

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who attend

They demonstrate their effective communication skills in many ways as they describe how they making a cup of tea and the different foods they are cooking. Opportunities for making marks are encouraged as children practise writing their own name and shopping lists. Teaching is effective as staff talk to the children to extend their discussions and ask questions to prompt their thinking. Staff provide appropriate opportunities for children to begin to count, sort, match and consider shape and size through using a varied range of resources, such as puzzles and games. Children also take part in physical activity sessions where they are able to move their bodies in different ways and develop control over their large muscle movements.

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who attend

Parents complete updated information regarding their children's achievements at home, which ensures the continuity of experiences between the home and the nursery. All parents receive daily feedback to keep them informed, and babies and younger children have information recorded in daily diaries. Parents are also encouraged to view their children's development files. After consultation with parents, these are shared with other providers when the children leave the setting.

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

Effective quality care practices contribute positively to children's well-being and help them to feel emotionally secure. Staff are approachable, kind, caring and receptive to children's needs in the nursery. Staff sensitively support children. An effective key person system helps to ensure that strong relationships are formed between staff, children and their families to promote an effective level of well-being. Displays of children's work and photographs of them participating in activities support the children's self-esteem and sense of belonging. They behave well and staff are clear about the boundaries for positive behaviour. Consequently, children behave well, which staff reinforce through their high expectations.

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

Children learn about safety and self-care through regular routines, such as tidy-up time. They learn to keep safe as staff introduce procedures, such as lining up and walking sensibly when accessing the bathrooms. Therefore, children are developing an understanding of how to assess risk. Younger children's nappies are changed and toilet training needs are handled with sensitivity. Staff use this opportunity to engage the children in conversations that extend learning and build attachments. Children of all ages show awareness of good hygiene routines by saying they need to wash their hands after using the toilet or before mealtimes. They are given appropriate responsibility for managing their personal care as they wash and dress themselves independently, with little support needed. Older children are encouraged to be independent at snack times by pouring their own drinks and selecting their own fruit. However, their independence skills

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

are not promoted further at lunchtime as staff lay the tables and serve food and drinks. Children are served a variety of healthy and nutritious food and snacks to promote their good health. Staff are aware of children's individual dietary needs as they are displayed next to the kitchen. Babies move freely in the indoor environment, choosing from a range of toys and resources available. Older children also have access to two rooms with a variety of resources from which they can make choices. Children do not currently access the outdoor environment, due to equipment being damaged by the weather. However, the nursery ensures that all children have the opportunity for daily fresh air and exercise as they go on regular walks, sometimes visiting nearby shops. Children's safety is of paramount importance and staff ensure that risk assessments are completed prior to the walk.

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

There is effective continuity of care and learning in the nursery because staff make sure that when children change rooms they are extremely secure in their attachments and parents are fully involved. All babies and children have planned visits and these are well coordinated by the new key persons in each area. They spend time with the children to build up the visits to ensure their transitions are smooth. Staff support children to be highly confident and secure about moving on to school. They discuss school routines using associated resources, such as books and pictures, to aid and support discussions.

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provision

Appropriate checks on adults are carried out to safeguard children, and the welfare of children is monitored closely. All staff have a clear understanding of what they should do if they have any concerns about a child. There is a thorough recruitment procedure in place to ensure all adults working with children are suitable to do so. Children's safety is promoted well as the premises are secure, with safety and security procedures in place. There are secure collection procedures which ensure children are collected by a known adult. There are also a wide range of policies, procedures and records, including accident and medication records and use of mobile phones and social media, which positively support the safety of the children and the management of the nursery. Partnerships with parents are effective and they speak highly of the setting. They discuss how the setting supports all children's needs, such as behaviour management, as well as teaching them

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provision

The management team demonstrate a suitable understanding of meeting the learning and development requirements. The setting has addressed several of the previous actions from the last inspection. New resources have been purchased and systems improved so that information gathered from observations of children is used more effectively. The management team are keen to improve the setting, although there has not been sufficient focus on improving children's achievements. They observe staff and give feedback verbally on what they need to do to improve their practice. The management team also work alongside staff in allocated rooms and support staff practice. Annual appraisals also take place to assist in improving staff practice. Staff have the opportunity to undergo regular training, either identified by need or through choice.

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provision

The setting has started to identify their strengths and areas for improvement using the self-evaluation process. However, staff do not seek the views of staff, parents and children in order to ensure that children's needs are being fully met. This was raised as a recommendation at the previous inspection and has yet to be acted upon. Although not fully in place, there are plans to improve the monitoring of children's progress to assist in early identification for children who need interventions. The management team is focused on improving the setting and is working with the local authority, implementing changes as necessary.

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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 218401 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 876316

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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 26 Name of provider Mrs Ann Gregory and Mrs Angela Ashley Partnership Date of previous inspection 24/05/2010 Telephone number 01782 613100

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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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