Busy Bees, Stotfold

Toybox Day Nursery The Grange, 70 High Street, Stotfold, Hitchin, HERTS, SG5 4LD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/01/2014 16/04/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 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

 All children are forming effective bonds and attachments and their emotional well-being is promoted. As a result, they are happy and settled.  Teaching is good because staff understand how to promote children's learning and development and they have effective expectations for their achievements. As a result, children's progress is good given their starting points and capabilities.  Partnerships with parents, carers and others are strong. Information sharing is regularly encouraged and communication is well promoted. As a result, children's learning is consistently promoted.  Children's communication and language development is well promoted because staff plan a range of activities which encourages them to express themselves confidently.  The safeguarding and welfare requirements are promoted through effective recruitment, induction and performance management systems. As a result, children are protected.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to provide further opportunities for younger children to develop their imaginations through planned and spontaneous pretend play.  There is room to promote young children's understanding of healthy lifestyles, for example, by consistently promoting good hygiene routines.

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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 compulsory part 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 conducted a joint observation with the nursery manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of staff members, and a range of other documentation, including the setting's evaluation and audit records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in all nursery rooms and the two outside areas. She talked to management, staff and children at appropriate times, throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of some parents, spoken to during the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Toybox Day Nursery was registered in 2008 and taken over by Treetops Nurseries in February 2013. It is one of 34 privately owned day care settings, across the country operating under this provider. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. The setting is situated in a converted building which has been adapted to meet the needs of children. Young children under two years are cared for on the lower floor which has three rooms, sufficient toilets and nappy changing facilities. The main office and kitchen are also on the ground floor. Older children aged two and above are cared for in three rooms on the first floor with their own nappy changing and toilet facilities. Children have access to two separate enclosed outdoor play areas.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 85 children in the early years age group on roll. The nursery is open from 7am until 7pm Monday to Friday, all year round, with the exception of bank holidays. The setting is registered to receive government funding for two-, three- and four-year-olds and they support children with English as an additional language. There are currently 16 members of staff working directly with children at the setting. Of these, one member of staff has a qualification at level 4, six staff have a qualification at level 3, five have a qualification at level 2 and four staff are unqualified. The manager has a qualification at level 6 and holds Early Years Professional Status. The nursery is supported by an early years advisor.

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

 increase opportunities for young children to access a range of resources and activities to promote opportunities for them to engage in imaginative play

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

 develop younger children's understanding of healthy lifestyles, for example, through effective staff role modelling and promote consistent hygienic routines, such as the washing and drying of hands before meal times.

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who attend

Throughout the nursery staff use spontaneous and planned observations to identify how children are progressing in their learning and development. Using the observations made and guidance, such as the Early Years Outcomes, staff are able to clearly identify the next steps in their learning. Teaching is effective and children are making good progress because staff plan a wide range of interesting activities, which incorporates their interests. Additionally, staff plan according to their key groups, meaning that children's identified next steps are effectively planned for. Staff join in enthusiastically with children's play and learning and children delight in their interaction. For example, in the pre-school room children's imaginations are promoted well through role play scenarios, such as a hair dressers. They use a range of products, such as hair gel and hair dressing accessories as they take turns in pretending to make each other's hair look good. They clearly enjoy the

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who attend

opportunity to create 'hair do's' for staff, as they too, book in to their 'Croc's Salon'. This activity is well organised and extended to include a waiting room where children use a range of resources and materials for making marks. Children book each other in for hair appointments and 'call their friends' on the telephone to rearrange appointments. As a result, older children's learning and development is well promoted and their imaginations are fully encouraged. However, children in the room for one to two-year-olds do not have the same opportunities to develop their imaginative learning because there are less opportunities for them to engage in pretend play. As a result, younger children are not consistently supported to understand that their own thinking may be different from others.

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who attend

Children's communication and language skills, including those with English as an additional language, are well promoted throughout the nursery. For example, in the baby room young children are encouraged to initially communicate by sign language. Staff regularly use a range of basic signs, as well as speech, to encourage this. As children move through the nursery, their speech and language development is equally promoted. For example, key words and picture cards are used to effectively support children with English as an additional language. Older children are introduced to more complex words and sentences as they take part in a range of activities. For example, they learn about how the puddles, seen in the mornings, evaporate when the sun comes out. As a result, their readiness for school is promoted well . Additionally, children have good opportunities to experience a wide range of materials, which they are encouraged to feel and talk about. They are well

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who attend

supported by staff as they enjoy new and exciting textures. For example, children in the room for two-year-olds, experience the feel of shaving foam mixed with cereals while babies enjoy the texture of flour mixed with water. Staff encourage children to talk about the feel of these materials and introduce new words according to their ages and stages of development.

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who attend

Partnerships with parents are good. Staff work closely with parents to ensure that children's starting points, specific needs and interests are known to staff so that children's needs are met effectively. Regular parent consultations and the sharing of children's progress and achievements are encouraged consistently throughout the nursery. These provide an integrated approach to their learning. Additionally, staff encourage parents to share their children's achievements from home and provide opportunities for them to come into the nursery to see what their children are taking part in. Purposeful information is shared with parents of younger children through daily communication sheets. These are completed by the child's key person where possible and highlight the type of day the children have had for parents. Parents of older children in the pre-school room, are also informed of what their children have been involved in verbally. Parents are happy with the

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who attend

staff and routines at nursery and share their positive thoughts about the consistency of information they receive. As a result, children's learning and development is effectively promoted because of this consistent approach.

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

Children's emotional well-being is promoted because staff consistently work together to ensure that their care needs are effectively met. Children are happy, leave their parents and carers with ease and settle at activities quickly. Young babies are warmly embraced and crawl eagerly to staff for a cuddle, while older children approach staff with ease when they require assistance or when they want to show them something. Good relationships between children are established, for example, with older children creating games and ideas of their own. For example, during outside play children work together, adding their own imaginations and ideas as they pretend to be noisy dinosaurs. Children are kind to each other and demonstrate good behaviour throughout the nursery. Staff offer clear guidance and children are encouraged with turn taking and sharing through planned and spontaneous activities. Children are considerate of their friends. For example, during

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

outside play children allow their friends time to share their individual suggestions as they play and they demonstrate good listening skills. Children's personal, social and emotional development is supported well because staff warmly praise and encourage children, promoting their self-confidence. For example, in the baby room staff enthusiastically applaud babies as they join in with activities that develop their senses or when they happily babble away to staff.

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

The well-established key person system ensures that staff know children well and organisational plans enable them to be consistent adults in the rooms, building good relationships with children. Children have built close bonds with staff and parents comment on the success of this as their children change rooms within the nursery. When children first attend the nursery parents are encouraged to get to know their child's key worker and the staff member spends time getting to know the child through pre-arranged settling-in visits. As children move to the next base room, staff work closely together, and with parents, to ensure that the child is ready and prepared for the move. Time is spent sharing information, such as their development, with new key staff and children are offered settling in sessions before the move. Similarly, as children leave and move on to school staff ensure that they are effectively prepared through good communication and

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

'starting school' topics. Children's independence is well promoted at nursery, for example, younger children pour their own drinks and serve their own snacks and meals. As children mature and move on to the pre-school room this is extended further as they are encouraged to scrape their plates and wash up their individual items. Furthermore, they are fully encouraged with tasks, such as dressing and undressing as they prepare for outside play or outings. As a result, children are well supported and encouraged in their move from home to nursery and beyond.

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

Children are developing an strong awareness of managing their own risk and personal safety because staff regularly talk with them about dangers. For example, as children pretend to care for each other's hair in the pre-school salon, they talk about the dangers of picking up hot equipment. Additionally, younger children are given consistent guidance about their personal safety. For example, they are reminded of why it is important to sit down on the slide and not stand on the furniture, in case they fall and hurt themselves. Equipment and resources are of good quality and appropriate for the ages and stages of development of the children using them. Additionally, all children independently access creative resources as they choose according to the their interests. The nursery is warm and friendly and supports all children as they develop through the prime and specific areas of learning. Opportunities for children to develop healthy lifestyles are generally

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

encouraged as they have regular access to a well-equipped outside area where their imaginations are encouraged. Older children demonstrate huge enjoyment as they put on their boots and coats and enjoy jumping in the outside puddles, or pretending to be witches as they use brushes for broomsticks. Younger children have similar access to a well-equipped outside area which enables them to engage in a wide range of physical activities. However, children's understanding of being healthy is not consistently promoted. For example, some staff do not always role model positive hygienic routines, such as hand washing after blowing children's noses. Additionally, although younger children wash their hands before meal times, there is no opportunity for them to dry them before they have their lunch. As a result, children eat with wet hands.

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provision

Staff are vigilant in protecting children and demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. Staff suitably is robustly checked through the Disclosure and Barring Service organisation and there are vigorous recruitment and induction procedures in place to ensure that appropriate staff are employed. All staff working directly with children, have completed basic safeguarding training and are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse. Additionally, the manager and deputy manager are both able to take the designated lead for safeguarding issues as they have attended advanced safeguarding training. As a result, the safeguarding and welfare requirements are met and children are well protected.

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provision

The senior management team, responsible for the nursery, ensure that staff have regular opportunities to update and refresh training requirements through a comprehensive training system. Staff are well qualified and have a range of experience, enabling them to demonstrate a good understanding of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Furthermore, those staff more qualified than others are used appropriately to 'buddy up' with less qualified staff to support and encourage their knowledge and understanding further. As a result, staff development is promoted and the impact on children's learning overall, is positive. Staff are aware of their individual roles and responsibilities within the nursery and the manager, who holds an Early Years Professional Status qualification, leads them well. Alongside the senior management team the manager carries out regular audits of the nursery to ensure that the staff teaching

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provision

impacts effectively on children's learning. Through regular supervision meetings and appraisals staff are supported in identifying individual targets for improvement. These are evaluated and improved and, therefore, have a positive impact on staff practice. Additionally, the management team are fully aware of the need to report any changes to management and partnerships, in line with the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation stage. Relationships with parents are good and all staff encourage parental contributions to support children's learning and development. For example, parents are offered regular opportunities to come into the nursery and meet with their children's key person to discuss their progress and achievements. Additionally, a range of external activities and a full programme of events is also planned to ensure that parents can be fully involved in their children's time at nursery. Staff work closely, with outside agencies, such as the local

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provision

children's centre to effectively support children and their families. They communicate with other settings, attended by children at the nursery and promote, where possible, a consistent approach to children's learning. Self-evaluation is an ongoing tool which is used by all staff to monitor and evaluate progress within the nursery. This is discussed at staff meetings and incorporates the views of parents and children to ensure that improvements are effectively implemented. For example, since the last inspection staff have reflected on the outside area and improved this greatly, for the benefit of all children. Staff create a warm and welcoming environment where children are safe and secure. They work well together, as a team, and ensure that they are meeting the learning and development requirements for each child.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY387116 Local authority Central Bedfordshire Inspection number 925817

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 85 Name of provider Toybox Day Nurseries Ltd Date of previous inspection 16/04/2013 Telephone number 01462 734306

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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

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’.

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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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