Tiny Turners

Tiny Turners Willow Lodge, 63a Brinkburn Road, DARLINGTON, County Durham, DL3 6DX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/02/2014 07/07/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Teaching is good. Staff have a good understanding of how children learn and develop. This knowledge is used to plan a range of stimulating activities to meet the needs and interests of children and, as a result, all children make good progress.  Children are happy, settled and share positive relationships with others. They enjoy warm and friendly interactions with staff, which helps them to feel safe and secure. They are well behaved, respond well to staff and play cooperatively together.  Performance management and monitoring systems are effective and clearly demonstrate how the good quality teaching is continually monitored and how the information gained is used to shape and support practitioner's professional development.  Children are well safeguarded due to robust recruitment and vetting procedures and staff's understanding of their roles and responsibilities in protecting the children in their

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Pre-school children are not always able to freely access all parts of the outside play area, which means they are not able to fully explore and make the most of their outdoor learning.  Strategies for engaging parents in their children's learning at home and in the nursery are not fully exploited, so that children's learning potential is maximised.

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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 throughout the nursery in both indoor and outdoor spaces.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's records, observation and assessment files, planning documentation and a selection of policies.  The inspector spoke to the manager, staff and children throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of parent's views, through discussion and written documentation they had provided for the inspection, and the information from the settings self-evaluation.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Information about the setting

Tiny Turners day nursery was registered in 2004 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is one of four nurseries run by Tiny Turner Nurseries and operates from six rooms in a large converted Victorian house in the Cockerton area of Darlington. There are three enclosed areas available for outdoor play. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am until 6pm for 51 weeks a year. Children attend for a variety of sessions.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 97 children on roll, 79 of whom are in the early years age range. The nursery employs 19 members of staff who work directly with the children. All hold relevant childcare qualification from level 2, one holds level 6. It supports children who speak English as an additional language, and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 enhance older children's physical skills even further by ensuring they have daily opportunities to use the larger outdoor play area where they can do activities on a much bigger scale, and explore and investigate the range of equipment and features available in the garden

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

 introduce more varied strategies to encourage greater parental involvement in children's learning at home and in the nursery, so that children's learning potential is maximised.

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who attend

Staff have a clear understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage learning and development requirements, and as a result, children make good progress, including children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children's starting points are assessed on entry. For example, at initial visits, parents are invited to share information about their child's development. As a result, staff are aware of what children can already do and progression from the start can be accurately monitored. Each key person makes regular observations and tracks children's development to the appropriate age bands, and this ensures staff can effectively identify children's progress and plan the next steps in their learning. This is then used to plan future learning experiences based on their individual learning needs and interests. Staff clearly understand the important role parents play in their child's learning and staff suggest some ideas and activities parents

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who attend

can do at home with their children. Nonetheless, children's learning potential is not maximised. This is because there is scope to encourage even greater parental involvement in children's learning. For example, loaning resources, encouraging parents to regularly share home observations, and inviting parents to share their skills and experiences. The nursery effectively completes the required progress check at age two for each child, and parents are asked to contribute to this.

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who attend

All children are developing effective learning skills as they freely choose toys and resources that reflect their current interest. For example, pre-school children use their imagination to organise a party. There is great hilarity amongst them as they present play food to staff and visitors. Staff readily converse with them to stimulate the children's interests and foster their developing language skills, as well as making the learning fun. This interaction promotes the children's communication skills as well as their confidence and self-esteem, skills which are needed in readiness for school. Babies and younger children have lots of eye contact with staff, who respond to their gurgles and early attempts to form words. Children who speak English as an additional language are successfully supported. Staff work alongside parents to assess and develop children's communication and language skills. Parents are asked for key words in child's home

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who attend

languages and staff use these, plus gestures to aid communication. Children have good access to tools for mark making, which helps to develop their early writing skills. Older children recognise their name as they collect their name card and add it to the board. They show that they understand print has meaning as they make good efforts to write their name on their work. In addition, all children have access to a good selection of books, which they handle correctly. Children's mathematical skills are supported through a range of activities. For example, children use construction bricks to build different structures and sing songs to support ordering numbers and counting skills. Older children use their counting skills spontaneously during their play. A good example of this was seen outdoors, when having built their pretend rocket ship they count to 10 before they blast off. Staff skilfully use every opportunity to extend children learning for example, after

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who attend

counting up to ten they challenge the children to count backwards.

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who attend

All children have opportunities to use their senses to explore and investigate a wide range of textures and materials, such as paint, water, sand, shaving foam and whipped cream. Younger children are fascinated as they lift and turn the various sensory bottles and observe the various objects that float up and down. Children use good vocabulary to explain how things work as they access a range of information and communication technology. They explain how the mouse controls the computer and how they can take photographs using the camera. Young children explore using all of their senses as they investigate a range of easily accessible and stimulating resources. For example, toddlers play with musical instruments and explore various cause and effect toys. They demonstrate curiosity as they push, pull, lift or press parts of these toys to discover what might happen. All children access the outdoor space, which is sectioned off into three

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who attend

main areas. Pre-school children enjoy free flow to a smaller enclosed area. Here they have great fun using crates and other objects to build a rocket ship, have animal tea parties, listen to stories, and collect leaves in wheel barrows. However, the larger section of the garden which has fixed climbing frames and masses of space to run around is not consistently maximised. This hinders children's ability to be physically exuberant, and to carry out activities on a much larger scale. That said within the garden children do have some good opportunities to learn about the natural world. For example, they have cultivated their own crops, such as potatoes, tomatoes, sweetcorn and courgettes. Staff also help children's understanding of sustainability by setting up a compost wormery to help dispose of waste plant material; they also have plans to purchase a water butt to collect rainwater for watering the plants.

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

Children settle and are happy and content in the nursery because staff form caring relationships with them. Staff work closely with parents during the settling-in process, finding out about children's individual needs and home routines through 'all about me' booklets. The key person system is implemented effectively, to ensure that each child has a named person to take responsibility for their daily well-being, plan for their learning and development and build positive relationships with parents. Consequently, this ensures a smooth transition for children from their home to the nursery and fosters their sense of security. As children develop and move rooms within the nursery the key person plays an integral part in the process through the sharing of information to ensure continuity for the child. Children demonstrate a feeling of security in the setting. For example, babies seek reassurance from their key person, holding their arms out for them to be cuddled. While

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

older children move confidently around all areas, choosing resources and approaching staff when they need help or to share their learning.

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

The children receive clear guidance from staff to teach them right from wrong and encourage children to behave well. Staff actively listen to children and really value their ideas and suggestions and act upon them by adapting the daily planning. Staff are good role models and spend much of their time encouraging children and praising them for their individual achievements and good behaviour. This promotes their sense of self-esteem well. Children show care and consideration for others. Friendships are evident between some of the children, and older children eagerly invite others to join in their play. Children's transition to other settings is effectively supported. Staff talk to children about what to expect and plan relevant experiences to help prepare them for the move. These positive early experiences provide children with a good start in life to enable them to develop the skills needed for their future success.

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

The children are learning well about good health and healthy lifestyles. They are provided with nutritious and varied meals and snacks throughout the day. Any special dietary needs are noted and carefully observed. The children can access drinking water whenever they wish. They are encouraged to learn good hygiene routines such as washing their hands before eating; the older children understood they wash the germs away. Younger children can rest and sleep according to their individual needs. Staff teach children about taking safe risks, especially in their physical play, so they develop resilience, physical strength and confidence. For example, staff working with the toddlers outside encourage them to climb in a safe way, giving reassurance and support as needed. Children show by their actions that they understand nursery rules and behaviour boundaries, such as not running around indoors, and pre-school children know that they are expected to take turns in their

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provision

The management team demonstrate a good understanding of their responsibility to meet the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff are fully aware of the importance of safeguarding children and the procedure to follow in the event of a child protection concern. Regular safeguarding training for all staff provides them with the confidence and knowledge to protect children. All policies and procedures are reviewed and these are shared with parents so they are clear about the nursery's practice. A record is kept of all visitors to the premises, and children are well supervised at all times. Robust systems for the recruitment and induction of staff ensure that children are cared for by suitable and knowledgeable adults. Comprehensive risk assessments and daily visual checks are conducted to identify and minimise hazards to ensure that the environment is safe for children.

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provision

The manager effectively monitors the educational programme. This ensures that all children are challenged as their progress is closely monitored. For example, recent data collected highlighted that pre-school children's baseline scores in reading were low. To address this they have created a word rich environment displaying more words, signs and labels to enable children to become familiar with reading for a purpose. Staff meetings and one-to-one meetings, between individual staff and the manager; provide regular opportunities for important information to be shared and any concerns raised. This combined with effective performance management of staff ensure they offer children stimulating play experiences. Staff have a good understanding of how children learn and are knowledgeable about the areas of learning. They are supported in accessing a variety of training opportunities. As a result, staff are continually enhancing their skills which

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provision

benefits children as they make steady progress towards the early learning goals.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are strong and they comment positively on the ongoing support and approachability of all staff. Very informative display boards, parent welcome packs and regular newsletters ensure that parents are fully informed about all aspects of the nursery. Parents' views are invited through questionnaires along with daily chats with members of staff. Good partnership working with other professionals and agencies involved with the children attending, results in good support for children in their welfare, care and education. Reflective practice is ongoing and the management team invite parents to share their views about the service provided. These views are subsequently collated and successfully used to set targets and improve practice. For example, parents requested more information about the way children learn and develop and management promptly responded to this. For example, the nursery are currently planning a 'parents'

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provision

week'. This is aimed to encourage parents to visit the nursery during the day to see the activities their children enjoy, and for parents to talk to staff about the progress their children are making. This shows that parents' contributions are valued and listened too. Recommendations raised at the nursery's last inspection have been fully addressed. For example, methods used by staff to assess children and plan for their next steps have been refined, thus helping to effectively build upon children's knowledge and skills.

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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 EY292328 Local authority Darlington Inspection number 877790

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 72 Number of children on roll 97 Name of provider Tiny Turners Nurseries Partnership Date of previous inspection 07/07/2010 Telephone number 01325 389983

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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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