Busy Bees@Norden Road

Positive Steps Norden Gate, Norden Road, Nr Maidenhead, Berks, SL6 4AY

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 02/01/2014 07/05/2013

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 Children thrive in this warm nurturing environment. They settle quickly, engage with staff confidently and show curiosity in all that is available to them.  Development is monitored very effectively across all areas of learning. All staff encourage communication and language skills exceptionally well in everything the children do throughout the nursery. Consequently children make excellent developmental progress.  The confident and well motivated staff team create a happy fun filled learning environment for the young children.  Leadership and management are strong. Staff are well supported in their everyday roles and opportunities for continuous development.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the premises and resources with the manager.  The inspector observed the children and staff at play.  The inspector examined records and documents provided by the manager and staff.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector read comments from parents and spoke to five parents about the nursery.  The inspector read the provider's self-evaluation and plan of action.

p.2

Information about the setting

Positive Steps Day Nursery in Maidenhead (Norden Road) is one of seven nurseries run by Positive Steps Children's Day Nurseries Ltd. It registered in 2008. It operates from a modern detached building, consisting of four playrooms. The baby rooms are on the first floor accessed by stairs. All children share access to a secure, enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 152 early years children on roll. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children learning English as an additional language. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.45am until 6.15pm for 51 weeks of the year. It is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children ages two, three and four years. The nursery employs 24 staff, of whom 20 hold relevant qualifications. Of these, one member of staff holds a

p.3

Information about the setting

level 6 qualification, 16 hold level 3 qualifications and four staff hold level 2 qualifications. In addition, nine staff are working towards further qualifications. The nursery is registered as a Forest School and one member of staff has relevant training at level 3.

p.3

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

 consider alternative initiatives to extend current partnerships with other services, such as the local children's centre, to further enhance children's learning and strengthen the support available to children and their families.

p.3

who attend

This high quality nursery offers children exceptional opportunities to develop their skills and abilities; consequently, they make excellent progress. The enthusiastic staff are knowledgeable, creating a nurturing and motivating environment for the children. The qualified experienced key persons observe the children closely and parents actively share information about their child's experiences and achievements at home. This enables staff to accurately monitor development in partnership with parents. They identify the next developmental steps to encourage and plan interesting experiences. This enables the young children to consistently develop their individual skills. Staff share their observations and identify next steps for each child as a team, enabling all staff to understand individual children's learning needs. Children are exceptionally well prepared for school. Their developing independence is encouraged through supervised opportunities to manage their

p.3

who attend

own needs. They learn about the school they are going to, see pictures and have opportunities to dress up in the uniform. Children develop their skills in many ways as they enjoy helping with routine tasks. For example, they help to lay the table for lunch. They do this with care, counting how many places they need and setting the utensils in the correct pattern. This is encouraging their awareness of space, position and quantity, in addition to their independence skills. Outdoors, children willingly assist with sweeping up the leaves using small brooms. They work diligently until the leaves are gathered. This encourages their physical skills and awareness of the changing seasons. They also enjoy the opportunity to participate in a 'grown up' activity and take pride in their environment.

p.3

who attend

Staff throughout the nursery encourage language and communication skills exceptionally well. They listen attentively, model language well and ask relevant open questions to encourage children to think and experiment. Consequently, children become inquisitive and articulate. The older children are aware of changes in their environment and ask appropriate questions. Children of all ages enjoy high quality physical opportunities, both indoors and in the garden. The youngest children confidently crawl and explore the texture of the sand and splash in the water. Staff patiently encourage early walking skills as they hold a young child's hands to take a few steps. They place resources to assist children's mobility within reach to encourage movement. Older children confidently climb on the climbing frame and use the wheeled toys on the various surfaces and small hills in the garden. All staff are attentive to children's needs. This helps children to feel important,

p.4

who attend

safe and secure. Children learn to recognise their own feelings and the feelings of others through imaginative stories, role play and puppet shows.

p.4

who attend

Children have easy access to high quality fact and fiction books which are used to support their learning and inspire their imaginations. They independently look at the books and enjoy adults reading to them. Pencils, crayons, collage and paint are all easily accessible, enabling children to independently create and begin to make marks and do early writing. Staff enthusiastically sing and demonstrate action songs. This inspires children to copy their actions with great enthusiasm. Action songs help children to understand the meaning of words, to remember words and actions and to develop their coordination and balance.

p.4

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

The nursery promotes the children's understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle through everything they do. Children learn about healthy eating through conversations and the healthy well planned meals they have each day. They have easy access to drinks of water throughout the day and older children can independently help themselves to a fruit snack if they wish. Specific health and dietary needs are well documented and understood by the staff. Children learn about a healthy lifestyle as they follow very good hygiene routines. Staff remind and assist the younger children to clean their hands at appropriate times and the older children demonstrate a confident awareness of when to do so independently. Staff are all very vigilant about children's safety and they supervise children closely. They risk assess the environment and activities comprehensively. They help children to become aware of potential dangers and how they can keep themselves

p.4

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

safe. For example, by learning how to use a knife safely. Children are very confident and secure in this nursery. They settle quickly when they arrive and explore and talk to the staff with ease. Excellent care is taken to develop children's self confidence by ensuring children have familiar people and resources around them. Familiar routines also enhance the sense of security and abilities to adapt when changes are necessary. For example, movement between nursery rooms as children develop is managed carefully enabling the child and parents to become gradually familiar with the new environment. Key persons are very knowledgeable about children's individual needs and unique characteristics. Good care is taken to find out about children's first language, enabling staff to understand children's attempts at communication. Thoughtful management of care routines, particularly for the babies is clearly evident. The importance

p.4

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

of adequate comfortable rest and regular nourishment is recognised. Consequently, children happily enjoy themselves throughout the day because they are well nourished and refreshed by their nap.

p.5

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

Children behave very well because staff are excellent role models to them. They use good manners to each other and the children; they speak calmly and kindly and show concern. Staff are consistent in their expectations regarding behaviour. They gently remind children why certain behaviours are not acceptable and encourage them, as their understanding develops, to think about how their behaviour impacts on others.

p.5

provision

The management and staff place a high priority on the safeguarding and protection of children in their care. Staff demonstrate they have a comprehensive awareness of safeguarding issues and recognise their responsibility to protect the children in their care. Staff undertake safeguarding training and it is a regular discussion point in staff meetings. Safeguarding information is available for parents to see, ensuring they understand the nurseries' role and also the action to take if they have concerns. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures ensure the suitability of the staff team. Whistle blowing procedures provide staff with clear guidance about what to do if they have concerns about colleagues and clear rules are in place regarding the use of mobile phones and cameras. Comprehensive risk assessments cover all aspects of the premises and outings, including forest school visits. Access to the premises is closely monitored and the garden is secure.

p.5

provision

Very good care is taken to ensure sufficient staff are on duty in the nursery to meet the ratio requirements and the needs of all the children throughout the day. Detailed records are maintained of the numbers of children and the staff on duty. The staff are adaptable and will cover in rooms as and when required to do so, in order to meet the required child: staff ratio. This means staff can always be deployed effectively to supervise children and ensure they are fully safeguarded. The nursery also has robust systems in place to cover for staff absence. This includes the effective use of supernumery staff, bank staff or staff from another nursery.

p.5

provision

The leadership and management is strong; they continually reflect on practice and encourage the staff team to be a part of this effective process. The nursery places a high emphasis on providing a warm nurturing environment, where the learning and development requirements are actively met. Staff constantly evaluate the environment and plan how to enrich and develop the provision and service they offer. They strive to maximise children's opportunities for achievement. Staff are encouraged to share their ideas for development, as are parents and children. This has led to improvements in the menu, children having more contact with their siblings in the nursery and creating sensory areas in the play rooms. All staff are encouraged to attend training opportunities to enhance their knowledge and skills and in house training events are regularly organised. Regular staff meetings are also used to focus on particular aspects of practice. Innovative

p.5

provision

ways of providing these learning opportunities help the staff to participate and retain information.

p.6

provision

The five parents spoken to at the inspection all spoke very highly of the nursery provision. They felt exceptionally well informed about their child's progress in the nursery and also that their knowledge of their child was valued. The parents also indicated that if they had concerns they felt confident these would be listened to and staff or management would assist to resolve them. They all recognised that the management and staff team are welcoming and approachable. Parents are actively involved in sharing information about their child's learning at home. They do this verbally and through 'wow' stickers where they record the information. This enables the staff to talk to the child and build on the experiences or skills they are developing. The nursery has strong relationships with local schools children move on to, enhancing their potential learning opportunities. They also work cooperatively with specialists involved with children in the setting and the local

p.6

provision

authority. They have made contact with the local children's centre and are very keen to develop positive working relationships to enhance children's learning and extend the support available to children and their families. However, progress in this area is currently slow. Staff and management are clearly aware that continued exploration of developing positive working relationships with services benefits the children and families who attend.

p.6

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

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number EY372246 Local authority Windsor & Maidenhead Inspection number 946248 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 76 Number of children on roll 152 Name of provider Positive Steps Children's Day Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 07/05/2013 Telephone number 01628 630 323

p.8

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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

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,

p.9

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’.

p.10

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10