Tops Day Nursery

Tops Day Nursery 14 Denmark Lane, Poole, Dorset, BH15 2DG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/01/2014 04/11/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 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

 Children are happy, settled and secure. Staff help them to develop good personal, social and emotional skills, which prepares them well for the next stage in learning.  Children enjoy freedom to explore, investigate and organise their own play and learning.  Staff organise the indoor learning play spaces well and create a welcoming and stimulating environment in which children get fully involved in their play.  Strong leadership and management and successful systems to evaluate and reflect on practice means that staff make continuous improvements in the provision for children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 In some parts of the nursery staff do not present books well which means children are not learning how to handle books carefully to fully enhance their interest in books.  Staff do not consistently provide parents of older children with information about the activities children have been involved in each day. This reduces opportunities for parents to further extend children's learning at home.

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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 inspectors observed activities in the playrooms and the outside learning environment.  The inspectors held meetings with the manager and key staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors looked at children's assessment records, planning documents and a sample of documentation relating to children's welfare.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors checked evidence of staff suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children and read the provider's self-evaluation form.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Tops Day Nursery is one of a chain of privately run nurseries in the South of England. It registered in 2004 and operates from eight rooms in a converted industrial unit, with a lift fitted to provide access to rooms situated on the first floor. The nursery is located in the centre of Poole, in Dorset. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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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. The nursery is open each weekday from 6.45am to 8pm for 52 weeks of the year. There are currently 151 children attending with 146 of these in the early year age range. Children attend from a wide catchment area and for a variety of sessions. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who are learning English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 24 staff. The manager and deputy both hold childcare qualifications at level 4 and the manager is currently working towards a qualification at level 5. Of the remaining staff, 18 hold childcare qualifications at level 2 or 3 and four staff, who are employed as apprentices, are currently working towards a qualification at level 2. The nursery also employs three support staff to assist in the day to day running of the nursery.

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

 improve the appearance of book areas to increase children's interest in, and respect of, books and promote early literacy skills

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

 provide parents of older children with more information about the daily activities their children have been involved in, to enable them to further extend learning at home.

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who attend

Staff provide children with a welcoming and stimulating learning environment. As a result, children throughout all areas of the nursery settle quickly and are keen to learn. Staff offer them many opportunities to investigate and find out about the world around them. For example, younger children search for objects in the sand and shredded paper, fascinated as they touch and move the materials. Children are free to move around and explore the exciting environments. This means that they can follow their own interests and ideas. Staff engage very well with children as they play. They stimulate their imaginations, calm their emotions and challenge their ideas and thinking through their positive interactions. Planning demonstrates that children of all ages benefit from activities that support their learning in all areas. Staff routinely evaluate the success of the activities and areas used by the children, which helps them to make positive changes to improve children's

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who attend

Staff effectively plan activities and experiences that reflect children's interests, and excite and motivate children into getting fully involved. Effective assessment arrangements help staff to monitor children's learning and plan for their individual progress. All staff make careful observations, which help them to establish children's next steps and identify any gaps in their learning. This information is used well to produce accurate records of children's development, including the required progress check for children aged two years. Staff share these with parents and other professionals as necessary. This comprehensive system for monitoring and planning means that all children make good progress in their learning based on their starting points. When children start, information gathered from parents helps staff to support each individual child. Parents have frequent access to progress records to keep them informed about how children are getting on. Parents of the

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who attend

younger children receive detailed information about children's experiences throughout the day via the daily record sheets. However, when children move up to the older groups, this information is not always as detailed. This means that parents do not always have information about the daily activities children have been engaged in to encourage them to extend children's learning further at home.

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who attend

Staff enable children to develop strong communication skills. They have implemented strategies based on the 'Every child a talker' programme, to further encourage and promote children's language development. From an early age staff are attentive and value and respond to children's attempts to communicate. Children join in songs and rhymes and staff working with babies and younger children mimic children's attempts at communicating. Older children learn to use an increasingly wide range of vocabulary due to useful discussions with staff. They talk with understanding about birds and their particular features when looking at a favourite storybook about owls, for example. Staff teach children who are learning English as an additional language very well, which enables the children to become confident communicators. Staff link closely with parents when children first start to gain some key words in children's home language to help children

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who attend

feel secure. This helps children to communicate their needs and develop confidence in using both their home language and English as they engage in activities and play. Staff encourage families to share information about their own cultures and celebrations with the children. For example, parents' bring in stories, cakes and objects to share to increase children's understanding and respect of the wider world.

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who attend

Staff encourage children to engage in number work and simple mathematics. Younger children are provided with the opportunity to explore the sizes of the stacking tubes, placing them over their arms as they start to understand about space and measure. They learn about successful ways to stack objects and soon begin to recognise that a larger base ensures a more secure tower. Staff encourage them to count as they make their towers higher, teaching children about number, order and value. This means that as children move to the pre-school room, they are increasingly able to use their mathematical knowledge to independently count and problem solve in their play. Children enjoy a wide range of experiences that encourage their imaginations and creativity. Babies and younger children enjoy creating their own designs with the paint using their hands and simple tools to make patterns. Older children pretend to take the baby dolls temperatures with care

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who attend

and wrap them up in blankets, imitating the sensitive behaviour of staff. Staff encourage children to use resources flexibly to extend their learning. For example, children chop up real potatoes in the role play area and add them to the play dough, making their own very special 'chicken pie'. Books are in use throughout the nursery. Special displays about specific books offer children props to help them recall a favourite story. However, some book areas contain damaged books and are not present well. This means staff miss opportunities to encourage children to value and respect books and further support their literacy skills.

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

Children are settled, secure and very happy at the nursery. This is due to the strong relationships they build with their key person and members of the familiar staff team. The nursery implement a 'spare key' system, which means that if a child's key person is not present, there is always someone on hand who has a good understanding of the child's individual needs. Staff offer effective settling-in arrangements and support for children moving between different rooms within the nursery. This means children are able to separate from parents or carers confidently and establish close relationships with adults and children in the setting. Staff promote children's personal social and emotional development very well. Children gain confidence due to the respectful and responsive interactions they receive from staff. Children are encouraged to become increasingly independent in managing their personal care needs. For example, staff offer older babies

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

and toddlers basic tools to use in addition to their hands to start to feed themselves. Sometimes staff sit and eat a meal with the children, helping children to learn how to behave in social situations and also how use items such as a knife and fork competently. This means children gain confidence in their own abilities and helps to ensure they are ready for the next stage in their learning. Staff help children to develop strong relationships and learn to work with others. Having a key person with whom they feel secure encourages younger children to explore new situations and form bonds with others. Older children learn about boundaries and expectations and start to form friendships. Children discuss the 'Golden rules', learning about how their actions and behaviour can keep themselves and others safe and create a friendly environment where they can all play together. Older children remind each other of certain behaviour

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

expectations such as sharing and taking turns, demonstrating how the consistent approach of staff enables children to increasingly manage and resolve issues for themselves. Staff are all fully aware of, and adhere to, behaviour management policies and procedures and seek support and advice from the designated member of staff for behaviour management where necessary.

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

Safety and security are a priority within the setting. Risk assessments are completed and safety monitored throughout the day by all members of the staff team. This helps them to quickly identify any possible hazards to prevent accidents occurring. Appropriate levels of staffing and effective deployment of staff means that children receive good levels of supervision at all times. Staff are fully aware of children's movements and move about the nursery flexibly to ensure children are well supported. Good use of documentation helps to support children's safety and welfare. Staff maintain accurate records of attendance for children and staff, which promotes children's safety in the case of an emergency. Parents have copies of accident reports, which helps keep them well informed. Effective use of daily registers ensures that there is an accurate record of the numbers of staff and children on the premises at all times. Overall, the premises are clean and well maintained

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

and toilet facilities are suitable to support children's health. Staff check resources used by children, such as the fresh fruit and vegetables in the role play areas, to ensure they are suitable for use. Children enjoy freshly cooked and nutritionally balanced meals and snacks during the day. Meals respect children's individual routines, dietary needs, preferences and age and stage of development. Drinking water is freely available at all times, helping children to keep healthy. Staff support children in accessing toilet and hand wash facilities, providing them with time and space to manage their needs by themselves when they are ready. Staff follow thorough nappy changing procedures to prevent the risk of germs being spread. Older children are involved in growing their own fruit and vegetables, which they help to harvest and enjoy eating. This approach, along with discussions with staff, helps to raise their awareness of the benefits of healthy foods and

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

Children enjoy a bright, welcoming and accessible environment where they can make choices in their play. Children explore all areas confidently, accessing toys of their choice from the very wide range available. A sleep room provides a calm and relaxing environment where younger children can rest. Staff regularly check babies as they sleep to promote their safety. There is a secure outdoor play area where children play on a frequent basis. This provides many opportunities for children to gain physical skills as well as benefit from playing out in the fresh air.

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provision

Strong leadership and management of the nursery ensure the smooth running of the nursery with systems in place that work well. The senior management team offer good support to the nursery manager and staff. This helps to ensure that the nursery meets the requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage for both learning and development and safeguarding and welfare. All aspects of the provision are well monitored and evaluated. Due to regular staff meetings, comprehensive induction and ongoing supervision and appraisal procedures, staff have a confident understanding of their individual roles and responsibilities within the setting. Managers frequently monitor staffs' understanding of systems such as planning and assessment, to ensure they are all providing the support children need in their care and learning. Management regularly review their practices and implement new and improved ideas as staff develop their own

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provision

skills and knowledge through attending training or working with others. Good use of documentation helps staff to monitor practice and make improvements. For example, monitoring of accident records helps to identify and address any recurring issues. The thoughts of staff, parents and children are valued and acted upon to identify areas for improvement. For example, following feedback from parents, children now enjoy more trips and outings outside of the nursery. Staff review their practices to make sure activities are as safe as possible. They have introduced the use of large floor trays for some resources such as beads, to help contain toys and equipment thereby preventing a tripping hazard. The staff team are well qualified, continually encouraged and supported to extend and increase their skills and knowledge to benefit the children. They have made improvements since their last inspection that have a positive impact on the outcomes for

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provision

Rigorous procedures are followed with regards to staff recruitment and vetting. All staff undergo full checks to confirm their suitability before they are able to work alone with the children. This helps to safeguard children well. There are comprehensive policies and procedures in place to help the setting to safeguard children including a whistle blowing policy. All staff are familiar with the settings detailed safeguarding policy and have attended training to help them identify and escalate any concerns promptly. This helps to protect the children in their care.

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provision

Strong partnerships with parents, carers and others involved help staff to meet children's needs. Staff provide parents with detailed information about the setting. This includes information about the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements. Links between key persons and parents are strong, ensuring ongoing information sharing to promote consistency. Staff develop professional relationships with other professionals supporting children's needs. For example, staff, parents and other professionals develop individual learning plans together to support the needs of some children. This helps to ensure that all children are able to make good progress as care and teaching is individually tailored.

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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 EY290331 Local authority Poole Inspection number 945092 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 105 Number of children on roll 151 Name of provider Tops Day Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 04/11/2008 Telephone number 01202 679799

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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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