Bright Futures

Bright Futures Nursery Highams Green 1 Signal Walk, Highams Park, London, E4 9BW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 04/02/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

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

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This provision requires improvement

 Children enjoy their play and are well supported by staff when they take part in the different activities on offer. This teaching helps children to be active independent learners.  Staff teach children how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Children learn to respect the needs of others in their group and to behave responsibly.  The managers have devised clear policies and procedures that guide nursery systems. They are committed to the smooth running of the nursery and are keen to establish the systems for learning and development fully in order to improve the children's progress.

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It is not yet good because

 The provider's system for checking staff suitability is inefficient and causes delay in obtaining these. This delay has resulted in management deploying staff according to their vetting status to make sure there is no impact on children.  Recent staffing issues have led to a situation where there are insufficient staff to enable the managers to deploy a member of staff with a level 3 qualification to each play room and to ensure that children under two-years-old each have a key person.  The managers' observation, assessment and planning system is not working well, so staff do not provide children with challenging learning experiences to aid better progress.  Staff do not organise or plan group times well. They do not always engage all children or provide beneficial learning experiences at such times.

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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 observed children taking part in various indoor and outdoor activities.  The inspector talked with members of staff and observed their teaching.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled the nursery's documentation, with a particular focus on children's progress and safeguarding.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector interviewed the two managers and also spoke with the two directors, one in person and one on the telephone.

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Information about the setting

Bright Futures Nursery Highams Green registered in 2013 and opened in 2014. The nursery is privately owned and operates from a purpose-built building close to the station in Highams Park in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It is open every weekday from 7am to 7pm for 51 weeks of the year.

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Information about the setting

Children have the use of two playrooms, one for the under-twos and one for the over- twos, and access to a nearby public play area for outdoor play. Currently there are 16 children in the early years age group on roll. The nursery supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who are learning English as an additional language. The nursery currently employs eight staff, the majority of whom have suitable childcare qualifications. There are two suitably qualified members of staff who share the position of manager.

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must:

 ensure the nursery has a more efficient and effective system in place to obtain checks for staff suitability to work with children from the Disclosure and Barring Service, in order to hasten this process, so there are no unnecessary delays

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must:

 ensure that there is a member of staff with a full and relevant level three qualification in each play room for children of two years and under

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must:

 ensure that the system of observation assessment and planning is used consistently and effectively by staff to offer children challenging learning experiences that meet their individual learning needs better, in order to hasten progress.

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must:

 ensure that all children are assigned a key person.

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

 review and improve the daily provision in order to include well-planned group times which offer beneficial learning experiences for all children.

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who attend

The staff team's childcare provision generally meets the learning needs of children. However, the underlying systems for teaching and learning are not fully implemented by staff resulting in the educational programmes being somewhat limited in scope. This means that children do not progress quickly enough from their starting points on entry.

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who attend

Staff understand how young children learn and place an appropriate emphasis on learning through play. They support children well when joining them in their self chosen activities and talking with them. In this way they enhance children's play experiences and encourage them to explore further. Children show interest in the activities on offer and develop self-confidence as they choose and explore. For example, older children enjoy painting and spend a long time investigating what happens to the different colours as they brush the paint on to paper shapes. Younger children like to explore coloured balls and shapes. They spend time feeling and moving them and discovering more about texture, shape and space. This approach helps children become independent as learners in readiness for the next stage in learning. It demonstrates that they are motivated to learn.

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who attend

Staff encourage children to communicate by talking to them and engaging them in conversation. Staff take opportunities to introduce new words. They use a range of teaching strategies such as asking questions and using phrases to encourage children to compare and notice difference, for example, between happy and sad faces. In this way they support children in beginning to acquire the skills they need for their future learning, especially in literacy and mathematics.

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who attend

The management team has introduced a system of observation, assessment and planning that enables staff to record their observations of children's learning and to chart their individual development. Staff understand how this system works but not all staff have begun to make use of it. This means there have been some missed opportunities to assess children's stages of development during their settling in. Staff have noticed what children are interested in and can talk about some initial general observations, for example, on children's level of communication. They include a selection of activities on the weekly planning sheet that are suitable and interesting for children, for instance some creative activities based on a 'pirates' theme. However, they do not plan around children's learning needs clearly and therefore are not offering a range of challenging learning experiences.

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who attend

Staff provide children with enjoyable opportunities to explore different materials and objects that help them begin to understand the world around them. For example, children play with sand, build train tracks and investigate toy dinosaurs. When sharing books with children, staff help them find out more about themselves and the natural world. Staff offer children opportunities to take part in creative activities which help them to learn about a particular topic including a special celebration. However, the way in which staff organise the day is a little disorganised at times and does not always include well-planned group activities with specific teaching aims. Consequently the group times that staff lead, such as those given over to stories and songs, do not fully engage children or offer beneficial learning experiences. Some children are easily distracted during these and begin to wander away to find something more interesting.

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who attend

Staff offer good support to children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They liaise with parents and outside professionals to find out how they can best meet the needs of these children. They work around ideas and suggestions to help children develop their skills, for example by using specialised equipment to help children access a variety of different resources. Staff are also attentive to the needs of children who are learning English as an additional language. They involve them in conversation, speaking clearly to them to help them learn new words and phrases. When possible they make use of staff or volunteers who speak the same home language as the children to offer extra support. In these ways staff help all children to gain confidence in communicating with other people.

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

Staff prioritise the well-being of children helping them to develop a sense of belonging. Children are generally well settled and enjoy good relationships with staff. This means children have sufficient confidence to explore the activities offered. They are keen to take part in spontaneous activities such as when invited to draw 'rockets' after talking about 'space'. They respond confidently to staff's questions, learning to concentrate on the given task but having the freedom to explore drawing in any way they wish. This approach helps them to develop a good attitude towards new learning experiences in readiness for the next stage in their learning. Recent changes to staffing in the baby room have resulted in a slightly unsettling time for the younger children. Despite managers doing their best to cover the position of room leader, these children do not have a key person who can help them build secure attachments and provide continuity of care over time. However, due to

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

the low number of children attending this new nursery, the impact of this weakness is minimal.

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

Staff provide a nursery environment that is safe and welcoming for children. They supervise children closely at all times, so children know that adults are nearby. This helps children feel emotionally secure. Staff make sure that children's nappies are only changed by a member of staff who is suitable to do so. Nappy changing in both rooms takes place regularly during the day, in safe situations and in a hygienic manner. Staff keep a good eye on children in the play rooms. They move to join them if they are playing alone or sit with a group as they play and explore. When taking children to visit the outdoor play area, staff again supervise them closely. They remain vigilant, watching children as they enjoy running around the play area, getting fresh air. Staff know what to do in the event of a child having an accident or sustaining an injury. There is always a member of staff present on the premises who holds a relevant current first aid certificate. Staff complete accident

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

forms and inform parents of any incidents, accidents or injuries involving their children.

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

Staff promote children's good health by requesting information from parents about children's health and medical backgrounds. Every child is given a care plan to ensure that any health needs are met appropriately. Staff offer individual support to children who are upset or need assistance such as to eat their meals. They work hard to calm unsettled children and encourage them to enjoy their time at nursery.

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

Staff encourage children to live healthy lifestyles. They provide children with daily opportunities to play outdoors in the fresh air. They offer children healthy snacks and meals, including plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables and salads. Staff encourage children to be independent at meal times so that they learn to serve and feed themselves. This approach helps children undertake small tasks and responsibilities to help prepare them for their next stage in learning. Staff make children clear about their expectations regarding behaviour so children learn to play in ways that are safe for themselves and others. As a result, the atmosphere is generally calm and children are happy.

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provision

This inspection took place after a concern was raised to Ofsted regarding a number of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The nursery had been open only four weeks at the time of the inspection. These concerns related to whether all staff were suitable to work with children, the nursery's arrangements for supervising children, whether minor incidents were dealt with, arrangements for nappy changing and whether staff understand how to conduct observations of children.

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provision

The two managers have put in place all the necessary written policies alongside systems and procedures which provide a foundation for staff's practice. There is a good induction procedure for new staff and this helps to ensure that they are fully aware of the policies and procedures, particularly those relating to the safeguarding of children. The provider has created a safe and attractive environment for children and is keen to maintain and, if possible, extend the safety arrangements within the setting. For example, there is a new entry system on order to enable the managers to monitor the front door more easily. The premises have been risk assessed and staff carry out daily safety checks to make sure that the environment remains safe for children. Each play room has a coded lock so that staff know children are secure while they play. Staff know what to do if they have any concerns relating to child protection and the managers have close links with the local safeguarding

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provision

The provider is responsible for ensuring that staff undergo the necessary checks regarding their suitability to work with children. At present the two managers, deputy manager and one member of staff have been vetted. The remaining four members of staff have submitted all the necessary information for their checks to go ahead but the provider has put these on hold for the time being, pending payment. Consequently vetting for them is not being sought as soon as possible. This is a breach of the requirement that says there should be an effective system in place to ensure that all staff are suitable. However, the impact on children is minimal as staff are knowledgeable about the rules regarding unvetted adults not being alone with children and implement these. This means that children's well-being if protected. In order to make sure each room has a vetted member of staff the managers have redeployed the staff and have covered staff breaks themselves

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provision

when necessary. The provider is now aware of what he needs to do to ensure the system is made effective.

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provision

The managers have introduced systems to monitor staff's practice and the quality of the provision for children. They have set up regular supervisions and appraisals for staff so that they can encourage them to pursue further training and improve their practice. They are keen to involve staff, parents and children in evaluating the provision so that they can maintain an updated written self-evaluation and action plan. Their paperwork is well organised and all the documents are well written. The managers are keen to get all their systems and procedures up and running so that staff can use them more effectively.

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provision

The room leader in the baby room left unexpectedly and it was not clear what the provider intended to do about the situation. The managers have had to move staff to make sure that there is a member of staff holding a relevant level three qualification with both the under-twos and the two-year-olds. Additionally the managers are having to cover for staff during breaks. This has led to them having difficulty in finding time to support staff in implementing the programme of education. The provider is now aware of the requirement to have a suitably qualified staff member in both rooms and intends to remedy the situation as soon as possible.

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provision

There is clear written information for parents in a handbook about the nursery's provision and an accompanying useful booklet all about the educational programme. This explains clearly how children are encouraged to learn and how parents can support them. The managers intend to introduce a system of 'focus children' to help staff in their observation and assessment of children and to encourage parents to become more involved in their children's learning.

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provision

Staff are available every day to talk with parents. They share information about children's well-being during the day. This information includes records of what children have eaten, when they have slept and when their nappies have been changed. Parents are to be invited to regular consultations with key persons to exchange information about their children's progress in learning. Partnerships with external agencies are in place so that children who need it can be given extra support. In this way staff are able to work towards closing any gaps in achievement across the nursery.

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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 EY469239 Local authority Waltham Forest Inspection number 953245 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 34 Number of children on roll 16 Name of provider Bright Futures Day Nursery Highams Green Ltd Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 07949133808

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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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