Willowdene Nursery School

Willowdene Nursery School 1 Tangmere Road, Tangmere, Chichester, West Sussex, PO20 2HW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/02/2014 04/04/2011

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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

 The nursery is vibrant and welcoming. It offers children a rich and stimulating play environment in which they make good progress.  Children are making good progress from their starting points due to staff's strong teaching skills. Particularly good teaching and learning experiences taking place in the pre-school room.  There is good early intervention and support for children identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities.  Partnership with parents is strong which benefits children greatly.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always adapt activities to engage all children's interest.  Very occasionally there are inconsistencies in the level of staff's understanding of all procedures 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 play and learning activities and tracked children, indoors and out.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the nursery manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had discussions with the manager/provider and the administrator regarding leadership and management.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of children's progress records, planning and had discussions with staff relating to safeguarding and welfare.  The inspector spoke to some parents to gain their views of the setting.

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Information about the setting

Willowdene Nursery School opened in 1990. It operates from privately owned premises, in a residential area of Tangmere, West Sussex. The nursery is accommodated in several rooms on two floors of the building. There is a purpose-built baby unit linked to the original nursery by an entrance lobby and the art room. There are fully enclosed gardens available for outside play with soft play surface areas.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. Currently there are 112 children on roll. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 5.30pm for 50 weeks a year. Children have access to two secure enclosed outdoor play areas. The nursery currently supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those for whom English is an additional language. There are 16 staff who work with the children, of whom twelve hold at least an NVQ at level two or three. The setting employs a member of staff who has Qualified Teacher Status.

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

 strengthen the induction process for new staff to ensure more consistency in their understanding of policies and procedures

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

 enhance activities by adapting them to make sure that all children remain engaged and do not lose interest.

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who attend

Across all age groups babies and children are extremely happy and make good developmental progress. They enjoy the exciting child-centred environment, where the staff nurture each individual child in their motivating surroundings. Staff are enthusiastic in their interactions with children and are mostly purposeful in promoting all areas of learning. They successfully build on children's next learning steps, particularly in communication and language. The staff have a secure knowledge of each individual child's development and plan activities which excite and inspire children. This is particularly evident in the pre-school room where some excellent teaching and learning takes place. This is based on the children's interests and ideas. For example, the children make and set up a treasure island in the art room with a pirate ship made out of recyclable materials, and sand, palm trees and other pirate props. This activity effectively promotes many areas

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who attend

of learning. Children's current idea is a baker's shop which is in the process of being set up. Children are making attractive dough cakes for it which promotes their physical skills and expressive arts and design. During circle time a member of staff encourages them to talk about what they will need in their baker's shop and writes the words on the large board. Most children are engaged and enthusiastic. They listen and respond excitedly with their ideas and spontaneously say words that have the same letter at the beginning such as 'money' and 'mummy'. However, for a few children the activity is too long and not visual enough to engage them fully. Therefore they lose interest.

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who attend

Children are making good progress in their mathematical development because they take part in small group mathematical activities. In addition, the staff weave mathematics through the routine and children's play. For example, during snack time toddlers are encouraged to take two pieces of fruit and older children are encouraged to say how many more dinners are needed for the table when two are given out. They are encouraged to draw their construction design before going to build it with bricks, which fully engages them. Pre-school children enthusiastically repeat elements of a favourite story during circle time because the member of staff is skilled in gaining and maintaining children's attention. She involves them by asking them open questions and uses different voices for different characters.

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who attend

Two-year-old's enjoy their stimulating environment, exploring and investigating water, sand and paint when they use the art room. They show great excitement and participation during song time when the member of staff uses some props, such as a spider and a turtle. In addition they each talk and contribute when asked individually about what colour tractor they want. They enthusiastically sing and move their bodies in different ways to the song 'Bumping up and down in my little tractor'. Under two's are supported by staff who fully understand their needs, particularly the babies who are moving around and walking. An extremely well-planned room means they can freely select their toys, puzzles and books. There is a high emphasis on children learning everyday words from everyday routines. For example, during snack time the member of staff brings out the fruit and shows the children, clearly naming the good selection before cutting it up. This results in

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who attend

many children spontaneously saying or copying the words 'apple', 'pear', 'banana' and 'plum'. Non-walking babies show happiness and curiosity in their stimulating room. They smile at their reflection in the mirror and attempt to stack cups while staff sit with them to support their learning and social interactions. Staff effectively tune in to babies' needs and are caring and compassionate with the babies. Children identified as not developing in line with expected levels are supported extremely well by the staff who implement an action plan for their teaching. They show they make good progress from their starting points. Accurate assessment records are carried out on all children to inform their next steps. All children are gaining valuable skills for their future because staff are knowledgeable and meet their needs effectively.

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

All staff welcome children and their families warmly into the nurturing nursery. The key person system works well so that a strong bond is formed with children and their families. It provides a familiar point of contact for both children and parents to facilitate the sharing of information, ensuring that their needs are met. Their special person cuddles and bottle feeds the babies before putting them down to sleep in their cots. The babies swiftly go off in the soothing and peaceful sleep room, because their home routines are followed closely. Staff interact playfully and warmly with them during the hygienic nappy changing routine. Overall, babies are calm, settled and happy because the staff provide for their physical and emotional needs. There is a lot of emphasis on the older children making decisions and taking responsibility in routines and play and this highly motivates them. For example, they eagerly lay the table for lunch with attractive table cloths and cutlery. Pre-

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

school children show good levels of confidence and self-esteem because staff have taught them to respect everyone in the nursery. They are very well-behaved in relation to their ages and stages of development.

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

All rooms have areas which offer colourful, age-appropriate toys and resources. Play areas are attractively laid out for the children which inspire them to explore and learn. Staff provide an inclusive environment, whereby children play on the floor, stand or sit at tables or lay on soft cushions. These support children's individual preferences and learning styles so they can become active learners who make good progress. The nursery makes good use of their spaces, adapting them to ensure they meet all the needs of all groups of children. For example they provide more indoor physical play for the boys when the weather outside is extreme.

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

Children wash their hands at appropriate times and there are very good hygiene practices throughout the nursery. An extremely well balanced and nutritious hot midday meal and snacks are provided by the nursery by the on-site chef. Children thoroughly enjoy their mealtimes, sitting together in a large family group with staff making it a social, interactive and enjoyable experience for all. Staff are very good role models and talk to children about healthy food in order to promote a healthy lifestyle. Children enjoy a good range of physical activities in the garden or indoors. They have running games with their ribbon streamers blowing in the wind and are becoming skilled at balancing and moving along on two- wheeled toys. Babies have plenty of space to practise their physical skills with excellent wooden equipment that promotes going up steps and down a slope. These skills support children's next stage in their learning, preparing them for their moves both within

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

the nursery and then on to other settings and school. Good information sharing occurs between the key persons when a child moves to a new area within the nursery. Children show they feel safe and secure, and behave in safe ways throughout the nursery. Toddlers are taught to hold on to the handrail to climb the stairs and all older children know how to respond in the event of a fire.

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provision

The 'hands on' nursery manager/owner and her team work very well together to ensure the nursery is managed effectively. Secure safeguarding procedures are in place to protect children. The designated officer for safeguarding is well-trained and knowledgeable. All practitioners hold a clear Criminal Records Bureau or Disclosure Barring Service check before they commence work at the nursery. Most staff have undertaken child protection training and all have a secure understanding of their role and responsibility with regards to reporting any concerns, and what happens next. Rigorous daily opening and closing procedures ensure the play spaces are safe and fit for purpose. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that a high proportion of staff who work with children are qualified in early years and are suitable to care for children. Underperformance is tackled according to procedures. An induction programme is in place to ensure that staff become

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provision

familiar with the policies and procedures of the nursery. However, it is not totally effective because occasionally some new staff are less sure of nursery procedures than others. Supervision is ongoing with every member of staff, to ensure they receive coaching and have opportunities to talk and reflect on their work and training. More formal appraisals take place annually.

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provision

A strong partnership with outside agencies ensures that all children are included and their individual needs are met effectively. For example, the special educational needs coordinator liaises effectively with portage workers and the speech and language therapist. The nursery is continually evaluating its practices and has systems in place to monitor the care and learning that takes place in each of the rooms. Action plans are put into place by management and staff to ensure the nursery consistently builds on, and maintains, the good practice that takes place. The accurate self-evaluation form reflects and describes the practice at the nursery. Good systems are in place to monitor staff practice and each child's progress towards the early learning goals. Parents are requested to fill out a feedback questionnaire to involve them in the self-evaluation process.

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provision

A strong emphasis is placed on developing very successful partnerships with parents. The parent and key person shares information about the child's needs and preferences when the child first starts. This means that staff can quickly get to know the children. An ongoing dialogue occurs daily, verbally and for the younger age groups through an additional written information sheet. This means parents are fully informed of their child's day or session. Parents are provided with a good amount of information regarding procedures that underpin the setting's practice. They also receive an attractive set of informative newsletters about what the children are learning and the care for each age group. Parents regularly look at their children's learning records which they are able to contribute to.Parents are highly praising of the nursery and often come back after their child has moved on to school for a visit because the relationships are extremely strong.

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provision

They speak glowingly and knowingly of the nursery and are extremely impressed with the 'Amazing Summer Show' which leavers take part in. They say it gives their child extreme confidence and lasting proud memories. The highly positive feedback includes 'It is fabulous, they get 10 out of 10. A gold star. My child thrives here'.

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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 113831 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 913203 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 78 Number of children on roll 112 Name of provider Sara Brookes Date of previous inspection 04/04/2011 Telephone number 01243 530720

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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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