Total Tots Ltd

Total Tots @ Westgate Childrens Centre Langridge Way, MORECAMBE, Lancashire, LA4 4XF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/02/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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

 Managers are very motivated and committed to providing the best possible care and education for all children who attend. They ensure that staff thoroughly implement the safeguarding procedures, thus keeping children safe and secure while at the nursery.  The quality of teaching is good because all staff have high expectations of the children. Consequently, children develop good skills in all areas of their learning and development.  Staff warmly welcome children into this friendly nursery. They sensitively help children to settle easily, form strong bonds with their key persons and develop their confidence and independence.  Staff, parents, teachers and external agencies all work together extremely well to share information about children and support their learning and development at the nursery, particularly with regard to their communication and language development.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The outdoor learning environment does not fully support babies and young children's exploratory, investigative and sensory development.  There is scope to extend the already good opportunities for children to explore and operate information, communication and technology equipment in 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 playrooms and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with one of the managers.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the provider and managers of the provision and spoke to the staff and children during activities.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the appraisal and supervisory records, the provider's self- evaluation form and policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day and read a number of recent parental questionnaires.

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Information about the setting

Total Tots @ Westgate Children's Centre nursery was registered in August 2013 and is registered on the Early Years Register and the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery is one of three private nurseries owned by Total Tots Limited. It operates from three rooms and enclosed outside play areas in Westgate Childrens Centre in Morecambe, Lancashire. The nursery serves the immediate locality and also the surrounding areas. It opens five days a week from 7.30am until 6pm all year round except bank holidays and Christmas. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery staff also help to run the creche situated in the children's centre.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 147 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. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children for whom English is an additional language. There are currently 15 staff working directly with the children and two managers who are supernumerary. One of the managers holds a level 5 qualification in Management in Health and Social Care in Early Years. 12 staff have appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. One member of staff holds a BA (Honours) Degree in Early Childhood Education with Qualified Teacher Status and an apprentice is working towards a level 3 qualification. The nursery receives support from the local authority and is currently working towards the Step into Quality Award.

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

 enhance the monitoring of outdoor play and further improve the outdoor learning environment by increasing opportunities for babies and young children to enjoy a wider range of resources to explore, investigate and enhance their sensory development

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

 extend children's opportunities to further explore and develop their skills in operating information, communication and technology equipment, by ensuring that resources such as computers, keyboards and printers are in good working order and accessible to children.

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who attend

The quality of teaching provided by the managers and staff is good. Initial information is gathered from parents about the children during settling-in sessions. This information helps the children's key persons to begin the base line assessments and establish their starting points. Staff in the three rooms skilfully support children of different ages in their learning by encouraging them to initiate their chosen activities by exploring and playing independently. In the baby room staff enthusiastically encourage babies to explore different sensory experiences, such as water play and feeling different textured items in the treasure baskets in the black and white room. Older children enjoy a wide range of activities, both adult-led and child-initiated which are carefully planned around the children's own interests. Staff work together well to plan activities and display the planning on the wall for parents to see. Staff keep parents well informed about their children's

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who attend

progress through daily talks with the key persons and the use of technology, diaries and learning journals. They are actively encouraged to be involved in their children's learning. For example, they are given ideas of how to support their children's learning at home by undertaking tasks and taking books home to read together. This supports children's communication and literacy skills well. The parents share what their children learn at home, which is added to their learning journeys to contribute to their overall assessments.

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who attend

Staff accurately assess and track children's progress and plan for the next steps in their learning based on their individual needs and interests. They work closely with parents and health visitors to undertake the progress checks at age two. This effectively identifies children's developmental stages and staff are pro-active in seeking early intervention for children who require additional support, such as speech and language therapy. Staff support children's good communication and language skills and help them to build their vocabulary during one to one activities, group story times and singing sessions. Children learn to recognise their names and those of their friends when they self-register. These activities support children to develop good early literacy skills. Staff provide excellent support for children who speak English as an additional language. The environment is rich in signs and labels in English and Polish and dual language books. Staff have also learnt

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who attend

several words in Polish to enhance the communication between them. Policies and newsletters are provided in different languages so that parents are kept fully aware of this important information.

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who attend

Children have many opportunities to be creative and make marks with paints, crayons and chalks. They enjoy painting and staff encourage them to recognise the colours of the paint and notice how the colours change as they are mixed together. Staff clearly display numbers and shapes in the environment and teach children to count and recognise numbers and shapes at every opportunity throughout the day. For example, they count out the correct number of plates and cutlery for everyone. These activities enable children to count for a purpose and recognise shapes, thus supporting understanding and mathematical thinking. There is scope to extend the already good opportunities for children to explore and operate information, communication and technology equipment in the nursery by ensuring that resources such as computers, keyboards and printers are in good working order and accessible to children. Staff enthusiastically praise the children for

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who attend

their achievements, which clearly boosts their confidence and self-esteem. Overall, staff support children very well to ensure that their learning and development is in line with the expected developmental ranges for their ages, give their starting points. As a result they are acquiring the skills and attitudes required for when it is time for them to attend school.

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

Staff welcome children and their families warmly into the friendly and stimulating nursery. Key persons meet with parents initially to gather important information about children's routines, likes and dislikes. This supports children well to feel relaxed and to settle in well during their transitions from home to the nursery. Staff quickly get to know the children very well and develop strong bonds and positive relationships with them. Children choose their key person depending on who they relate best to. This is flexible and can change if necessary. Staff sensitively support children's emotional and physical well-being very well. They keep parents well-informed about babies and young children's daily routines and provide verbal and written updates about what they have eaten and how long they have slept and so on. When it is time for children to move to a different room within the nursery, they are gradually introduced to the staff and become familiar with their new

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

room by visiting for short sessions until they are ready to move permanently. The good level of adult attention and warm interaction ensures that children's personal, social and emotional development is effectively supported by the staff who praise and encourage them throughout the day. The nursery is attractively decorated with children's individual artwork and photographs of the children and the staff. This helps children to feel familiar and comfortable in their surroundings. The children confidently select from a wide choice of stimulating resources, which are stored at low level and are easy for them to reach. This enables them to become confident learners and teaches them to make choices and play independently and cooperatively alongside others.

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

Children learn from an early age about the importance of leading healthy lifestyles. They enjoy drama, movement to music and PE lessons facilitated by outside companies. Children also enjoy visits by a magician who teaches them lessons, such as oral hygiene. Children enjoy being outdoors and have daily opportunities to benefit from fresh air and exercise, which supports their physical well-being. However, the outdoor learning environment does not provide a sufficient range of opportunities for babies and young children to explore and investigate natural objects to stimulate their sensory experiences. This means that their developing understanding of the world and sensory exploration is not promoted as well as possible.

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

Staff have high expectations of the children and encourage them to develop their independence by teaching them good skills in self-care. They wash their hands before eating their meals. Mealtimes are organised well in that staff encourage children to do as much as possible for themselves. They enjoy helping to set the table and count the plates and put the cutlery on the table. Staff challenge the children by asking them to put the forks on the left of the plates and knives on the right side. These activities help children to develop good independence and self-care skills at an early age. Staff effectively support children to judge risks and to learn the importance of keeping themselves and others safe by not running inside and by helping to tidy up their toys. The staff use clear boundaries and gentle guidance to teach children about behaviour that is acceptable. For example, children learn to take turns and share toys and books with their friends. Children are very

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

well supported in their moves from the nursery to the adjoining school, due to the close working relationships that exist with teachers at the school.

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provision

The provider, manager and staff have a good understanding and knowledge of how to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. All staff have undertaken safeguarding training and have a clear understanding of what to do should they have concerns about a child. The safeguarding policy includes procedures to be followed if there are allegations made against staff members. Due to the vigilance and care provided by the staff, children remain safe and secure in the nursery and outdoor area. The provider ensures that the correct staff to child ratios are adhered to at all times and that staff are effectively deployed and appropriately qualified. This results in children being well-supervised and ensures that their individual needs are well met. Effective risk assessments and daily safety checks undertaken inside and outside minimise hazards in order to reduce the risk of accidents to

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provision

children. Procedures for dealing with accidents are stringently followed. All accidents are recorded and parents are informed and asked to sign the accident records. All staff are trained in paediatric first aid and are, therefore, prepared to deal with any accidents or medical emergencies should they arise. The provider is clear about her responsibility to notify Ofsted of any serious accidents to children. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures including undertaking Disclosure and Barring Service checks on all staff ensure that they remain suitable and safe to work with young children.

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provision

The provider, managers and staff have a very secure understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. The high standard of teaching by the staff results in children being motivated and eager to learn. Consequently all children are making good progress in their learning and development. The managers meet with the staff regularly to discuss their key children's progress and to monitor the children's learning journals. They check that staff plan for children's next steps in their learning and that these are followed through. The managers also monitor the progress of groups of children using a computerised chart which is very effective in illustrating exactly what stage of development the children have reached. It also makes it very clear what areas of learning require more focus in order to close any gaps in their learning. The provider and managers are extremely enthusiastic and

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provision

motivated in their work and this has a positive impact upon the staff moral and attitude towards maintaining high standards of care and education for their key children. Annual appraisals and regular staff supervisions are undertaken to monitor the continued professional development, conduct and training needs of staff. Staff have annual Personal Development Plans and are encouraged to think of four ideas of how they may improve their practice further. Regular staff meetings and training also effectively support staff well in their daily work with the children.

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provision

Partnerships between staff and parents are very positive. Parents spoken to comment on how friendly and helpful the staff are and how relaxed they feel about sharing information together. Many parents comment on how well their children are progressing and how involved they feel in their children's learning. Partnership working with external agencies and professionals, such as speech and language therapists, health visitors and staff based in the school and children's centre are very effective in ensuring that children are well- supported when required. Managers are constantly striving for continuous improvement in the service they provide. Monitoring and evaluation by the managers and staff is thorough and demonstrates their commitment to provide the best possible service for the children and their families. They regularly take into account the views of children and parents to contribute to their thorough evaluation and have a clear and well-targeted plan of action

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provision

for future developments. The manager and staff work closely with the local authority advisor and are currently working towards the Step into Quality Award.

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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 EY466715 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 934028 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 51 Number of children on roll 147 Name of provider Total Tots Limited Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01524 411753

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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.

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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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