Windmill Hill Nursery

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD Telephone: 0300 123 1231 Fax: 0300 123 3159 Minicom: 0161 618 8524 Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk Web: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Windmill Hill Nursery Windmill Hill Cp School Norton Hill, Windmill Hill RUNCORN Cheshire WA7 6QE Our Reference EY346757

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Monitoring for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Michael, David Charnley, monitored your provision on 24/02/2014 following your inspection where the provision was judged to be inadequate.

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Outcome of monitoring

As a result of our inspection on 16/10/2013, we sent you a welfare requirements notice.

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Outcome of monitoring

Deploy staff over lunch breaks to meet the ratio requirements and to ensure children's well-being and safety are not compromised.

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Outcome of monitoring

Ensure all staff working with children are subject to a rigorous recruitment procedure including checking staff have suitable skills and experience, gaining suitable references and completing application forms so employment histories can be checked.

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Outcome of monitoring

You were also issued with a notice of actions to improve that required you to:

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Outcome of monitoring

Improve the assessment of children's learning by: developing the info gathered from parents to include what they know about their child's development in order to identify each child's starting points; providing parents with regular on-going information about the progress children make and offer suggestions on how parents might extend children's learning at home.

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Outcome of monitoring

Ensure that children who are not making steady progress in their learning are promptly provided with targeted support by: consulting with parents, seeking advice and guidance from health specialists and working in partnership with other settings that children attend.

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Outcome of monitoring

Provide opportunities for children whose home language is not English to develop and use their home language in play and learning to further support their unique culture.

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Outcome of monitoring

Ensure methods of managing the performance of staff offer clear guidance on how to improve their knowledge and skills so that children's needs are more effectively met.

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Outcome of monitoring

Through examination of documentation, discussion with staff and observation of child care practice at the monitoring visit that took place on 27 February 2014 the setting has demonstrated steady progress in making the necessary improvements to meet the welfare requirements notice and the notice of actions to improve. The management team have worked hard to drive improvements and develop more rigorous systems to address the shortfalls found at the previous inspection.

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Outcome of monitoring

The monitoring visit found that progress has been made regarding staff cover over the lunch time period. The setting has reviewed the structure of the day and now have a more manageable system involving staff covering both the morning and afternoon sessions that children attend. A small number of the children stay for the full day and have their lunch at the setting. There are now good arrangements for ensuring appropriate cover around the lunch time period. At the monitoring visit there were more than sufficient staff on duty according to the numbers of children present. A rota is in place that ensures the required adult to child ratios are met all times.

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Outcome of monitoring

Progress around the recruitment process has been made in that the management team have reviewed the system and developed a more robust approach in ensuring that any staff employed at the setting are suitable to do so equipped with the necessary checks, background knowledge, skills and experience. In observing individual staff files the inspector found that rigorous checks had been carried out with full employment histories and references in place. The recruitment policy was also observed which the manager fully understood. Whilst no new staff have been employed since the last inspection the manager is clear about the need to implement a rigorous policy to protect and safeguard children with the onus on any new recruits to supply as much information as possible to demonstrate they are suitable to work with children. There is a good quota of qualified and experienced staff that are on board with the changes that have been put in place to enhance the quality of the

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Outcome of monitoring

Progress has been made relating to the quality and level of information gathered from parents upon their child's entry to the setting. The revised system that involves the use of an 'All About Me' booklet assists staff in forming a more accurate assessment through observation within the first two weeks of children's starting points in order to plan an activity programme geared to children's specific needs to support their learning journey whilst at the setting. There is also the addition of a system as part of the initial observation and progression review that invites parents to make comments and suggestions about the areas their children can be supported in their learning between home and the setting. This positive and more joined up approach serves to promote closer working relationships between the key worker and parents that assists in identifying specific learning needs and targeted support where appropriate although more work is needed in ensuring that identified next

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Outcome of monitoring

At the monitoring visit the key workers for individual children demonstrated a clear understanding of their role and responsibility in keeping parents informed of children's progress and their respective achievements. They are knowledgeable in terms of where children are at in their learning and are able to pinpoint areas that children need to work on next in conjunction with parents.

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Outcome of monitoring

At the monitoring visit the inspector found that there are improved systems in place for ensuring that appropriate support is given to children who are not learning at the rates expected for their age. The implementation of a tracking system to track children's progress whilst in its early stages is a positive step in ensuring that children at an early point receive the necessary targeted support. During the monitoring visit the key worker and manager was able to supply some evidence to show how the tracking system is working in practice, for example children with speech delay. The manager is committed in making this tracking system work for the benefit of all children who attend the setting with good means of support from the Early Years teaching consultant. The manager has visited other settings to learn about best practice and has given regular feedback to the staff at the weekly team meetings. The tracking system will be monitored closely by management to ensure

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Outcome of monitoring

Progress has been made regarding the provision of opportunities for children whose home language is not English. The setting has incorporated for example a visual timetable for children using English as an additional language. There are displays around the room that promotes staff and children's understanding of a foreign language with different words introduced during the routine of the session such as at circle times relating to family members, numbers, months of the year. This practice serves to promote inclusion and integration of all children at the setting. Key workers regularly consult with parents of children who use English as an additional language so as to identify specific learning areas, target support and track progress. Through discussion with a key worker the inspector found evidence to show how children are progressing in their language and developing confidence in the process.

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Outcome of monitoring

At the monitoring visit the inspector found that progress has been made regarding the systems in place for managing the performance of staff. There are regular supervisions and team meetings in place with targeted training and support for individual members. There are monitoring systems in place that ensure any targets and learning needs are met with annual appraisals. Staff demonstrated a good understanding of their role and responsibilities. Through observation of their practice staff showed good commitment to the children, engaging them well in activity, paying good attention to their individual needs. The staff team work well together to produce short, medium to long term activity plans that are broken down into more specific focussed activities geared to individual children. They regularly record their observations of children in play used to inform future planning and tracking of their progress.

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Outcome of monitoring

Children at the monitoring visit were observed to be happy, settled and comfortable in the presence of staff who showed warmth and good means of support and engagement throughout. Children were engaged in a variety of activities including dressing up, small world, sand and water play with freedom of access to a good range of resources set out for them. Children showed confidence in talking to the inspector about the activities they were engaged in and were proud to show examples of work they had produced.

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Outcome of monitoring

Having considered all the evidence, the inspector is of the opinion that the setting has taken prompt and effective action to address the points for improvement.

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Next steps

The next step will be a full inspection.

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Next steps

I hope that you have found the visit helpful in promoting improvement in your setting. If you have any further queries please contact us on the number at the top of this letter.

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Next steps

Nick Hudson National Director, Early Education

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