Children 1st @ Grantham

Children 1st @ Grantham 100 Trent Road, GRANTHAM, Lincolnshire, NG31 7XQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26/11/2013 04/10/2011

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early years provision

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

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This provision requires improvement

 Children's confidence, self-esteem and sense of belonging are well fostered by the staff who get to know each child well and form secure attachments with them.  Staff work well in partnership with parents and carers. They include them in all aspects of nursery life and this has a positive impact on the care and education the children receive.

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It is not yet good because

 The chaotic organisation of mealtimes leads to children waiting a long time for their food and in some cases not having their dinner before they are collected. Children with specific dietary requirements are not adequately catered for at all times. As a result, children's individual needs are not met.  Teaching is variable because staff in the toddler room are less able to adapt their routines to meet children's individual needs than staff in the baby and pre-school rooms.  The manager has identified areas for improvement across the nursery, however, she has not had enough time to fully embed the changes and implement a robust system of monitoring and evaluation to ensure practice is consistent throughout the nursery.

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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 observed activities in the three main rooms and the outside learning environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the manager and members of the senior management team.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation and a selection of policies and procedures.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Children 1st @ Grantham is one of 15 nurseries owned by the provider. It originally opened in 2004 and was re-opened under new ownership in 2007. It operates from purpose built premises in the Earlsfield area of Grantham and serves the local and wider community. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6.30pm and is open for the majority of the year, closing only for Bank Holidays and for the week between Christmas and New Year. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are eight areas within the nursery where children are separated into different groups based on their stages of development. Each area has its own separate, adjoining outdoor play area along with a central, shared decking area.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 132 children on roll in the early years age range. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. Children attending come from the local and surrounding areas. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 19 staff working directly with children, of whom 16 have an appropriate early years qualification. The manager is qualified to degree level and one member of staff is currently working towards Early Years Professional Status. The nursery receives support from the local authority. The nursery is registered on the Early Years register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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must:

 improve teaching practice in the toddler room by increasing staff's confidence and ability to adapt and reflect on the different ways that children learn to meet their individual needs

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must:

 ensure all children are provided with appropriate sized meals, which are healthy, balanced and nutritious and meet their individual dietary requirements.

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

 improve the monitoring and evaluation of teaching practice to ensure that all practitioners have appropriate skills and knowledge to promote consistency across the nursery.

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who attend

Teaching requires improvement because the practice across the nursery is variable. In the toddler room, staff lack confidence to adapt their routines and practice to meet individual children's needs. For example, they split the children into two groups and sit them on opposite sides of the room to each other. Both groups start to sing simultaneously and this results in children becoming confused as they are looking down the room at each other. Staff do not use their initiative to either separate the children into different rooms or bring them all together. They lack in confidence to follow their own common sense as they rigidly stick to the routines that are in place. Another example is when the children are decorating a collage of a turkey. They enjoy this activity as they get messy with the glue and explore the many materials, such as glitter and feathers, however, staff do not explain to them why they are doing this activity. The theme this week is 'Thanksgiving'

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who attend

and there is little explanation of this to the children. As a result, they are not making as much progress in their learning and development as other children in the nursery. Staff's knowledge of how to ensure children make progress is not fully secure. This means that sometimes, children are not making as much progress as they could be based on their age and stage of development and in relation to their starting points on entry into the nursery. The systems of planning and assessment used by the nursery are generally effective in identifying children's individual interests and stage of development. Staff use information from observations and assessments to satisfactorily plan for each child.

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who attend

In the pre-school room children benefit from the extremely enabling environment that staff have created for them. They confidently select what activities they would like to do and what resources they would like to play with. Children are at home in this room and this is due to staff involving them in everything they do and, as a result, they have ownership of their room. There is a children's council, which meets regularly to discuss what is good and not so good at nursery and what could be changed. This level of involvement gives children responsibility and they feel valued, which fosters their self- confidence. It is supporting them to be very well prepared for the next stage in their learning when they move on to school. Children explore the many different and exciting areas of the room, which include a baby clinic, construction area and role play area with climbing frame. In the construction area they become engrossed in building a house. They

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who attend

confidently measure, stack blocks and use the spirit level to check things are straight. Children record their findings on their clipboards and inform the inspector that they are wearing their goggles and fluorescent jackets to keep them safe. The characteristics of effective learning are demonstrated well and, as a result, children are making good progress in their learning and development. Children navigate the large interactive tablet with ease. They use this technology confidently and their understanding of the world, mathematics and literacy are well supported, as a result. Staff encourage children's language and communication, including those with English as an additional language. This is because they ask open-ended questions to extend their critical thinking skills and, as a result, children are confident communicators.

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who attend

Parents are involved in their children's learning by staff who care about them as well as the children. They have regular opportunities to discuss their child's progress through parents' evenings, daily exchanges with staff and through surveys. Staff value parents' contribution in their child's learning. Children are well prepared for transition between rooms as they progress through the nursery and when they go to school. Staff work well in partnership with each other and other professionals, such as local school teachers, to ensure these transitions are smooth. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported as staff ensure their individual needs are met and work closely with parents to ensure they get the support they need.

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

Staff form close bonds with the children they care for as they spend time getting to know them and this fosters children's emotional security. They gather good information from parents so they know about each child's needs. Staff are kind and caring and, as a result, children are well cared for. Children have many opportunities to display their own work on the nursery walls and this supports their sense of belonging as they feel valued. This was a recommendation at the last inspection and it has been implemented well. Children behave impeccably across the nursery. They respond well to the rules and routines and staff are good role models when it comes to behaviour. Staff encourage manners and respect one another and this encourages children to follow suit. Children are encouraged to become independent when it comes to self-care as they wash their hands when they have visited the toilet and before eating. They are learning that germs can make them

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

poorly and they are beginning to take responsibility for their own health and hygiene. Children's personal, social and emotional development is well supported.

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

Children have regular access to the various outside areas, which are well designed and equipped to allow for fresh air and exercise as well as many other learning opportunities, such as keeping safe. Their physical development is well supported. There is a strong emphasis on healthy lifestyles in the nursery and staff work with children and parents to promote healthy living. The healthy bear 'Mr Harvey' helps the children to understand all about healthy diets and exercise. Children are given a healthy snack as they leave the nursery to eat on their way home. This is promoting their dietary health very well. The nursery provides cooked food for the children which is usually healthy and nutritious. However, on the day of the inspection the nursery cook was on holiday and although the manager had arranged for a member of staff to prepare the meals, the senior management team organised for a replacement cook from one of their other nurseries to

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

cover. The result was a chaotic mealtime, which left many children's individual needs unmet. Although lunch was running late, staff in the baby room and pre-school room worked around this and engaged the children in activities while they were waiting. However, staff in the toddler room sat the children down to wait for 20 minutes. They are less adaptable and, as a result, these children's needs were not met because they were collected from nursery without having eaten. This was frustrating for parents and meant children were hungry. The cook was not aware of children's individual dietary requirements and, as a result, she did not provide appropriate meals for every child.

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

The provision for babies is good. The partnership with parents and carers is a strength of this setting. Staff work closely with parents to ensure they meet children's individual care needs. Babies enjoy exploring the many different textures and objects in their room. They benefit from sensory play which promotes their development. The environment the staff have created in the baby room is homely, warm and welcoming. Babies are not over stimulated as the decor is neutral and soothing. Staff in the baby room meet the babies needs well. They enjoy lots of cuddles and cosy time with books. They enjoy singing together and focus their planning on the prime areas of learning as they understand how important these are for young children's development.

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provision

This inspection was brought forward by Ofsted following a concern. There was some confusion by the managers of the nursery over the need to notify Ofsted of an allegation against a member of staff. This is a breach of requirements; however, the managers took appropriate action and investigated the complaint fully. Although this is a breach, the impact on children is not significant as the situation has been managed well. The appropriate safeguarding authorities were informed and, as a result, children are safeguarded. The manager and senior managers have an appropriate understanding of their responsibilities with regards to the safeguarding and welfare requirements. Staff can recognise the signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect and know what they should do if they were concerned about a child in their care. Children are safe when they are in the nursery and this is due to a combination of the thorough risk assessments conducted

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provision

and the vigilance of staff. Recruitment procedures are robust to safeguard children.

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provision

Leadership and management requires improvement. The manager has not been in post for long and has not had time to implement the priorities for improvement she has identified. She has completed a thorough self-evaluation, which highlights areas for improvement, however, these have not all been embedded to secure improvement. The senior management team of the Nursery Group is present, working alongside the trainee manager, and is committed to providing a high quality nursery, however, the systems of monitoring and evaluation have not been fully implemented to ensure good practice regarding children's welfare and learning and development. The manager and staff are well qualified and the management team is committed to staff's continuous professional development. They are offered regular opportunities to further their qualifications and attend training courses. This is generally of benefit to the children, however, practice

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provision

across the nursery is variable and so the effects of all of this training are not always realised. Staff receive regular supervision and appraisal and induction procedures are thorough. This generally results in good quality teaching; however, the systems of monitoring and evaluation are not fully robust enough to ensure practice is consistently good.

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provision

The nursery has a vast range of comprehensive policies and procedures which are implemented well and shared with parents. Parents comment that on the whole staff communicate with them well about their child's care, learning and development. The nursery works closely with other agencies, such as the children's centre and Children's Services, to ensure children's needs are met.

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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 EY348009 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 944123

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 112 Number of children on roll 132 Name of provider Breedon House Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 04/10/2011 Telephone number 01476 573 188

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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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