Nature Trail Nursery

Nature Trail Nursery Solutions House, School Lane, Brinscall, CHORLEY, Lancashire, PR6 8QP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21/01/2014 27/04/2012

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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

 Teaching is good because staff understand how to promote children's learning. This results in high expectations for their achievements. Consequently, all children's progress, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, is good.  Children are protected through robust procedures to prevent them from coming to harm. Staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities and the correct steps to take should they have a concern about a child.  Children are confident in the nursery environment because they know what is expected of them. Consequently, they behave extremely well and become independent individuals, who behave in a safe and responsible manner.  Very positive relationships with parents and carers are developed through good communication. Information is continually gathered and exchanged for the benefit of each child's continual care, learning and development.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children do not have a wide variety of opportunities to observe numbers, labels and signs and use these in context in their play in the outdoor area.  The resources and images to reflect similarities and differences between communities, traditions and people with disabilities are not consistently available for children to help fully develop their learning and understanding of diversity.

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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 in the outdoor area. A tour of the premises was completed with the deputy manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took part in a joint observation with the manager in the older baby room.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents through discussion and from written questionnaires provided by the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including evidence of the staff suitability checks, children's observation, assessment and planning records. Records of staff supervision, a sample of the nursery policy and procedures documentation and the provider's self-evaluation and action plans were also viewed.

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Information about the setting

Nature Trail Nursery opened in 2011 and is managed by a limited company. It operates from a converted building in Brinscall, Chorley, Lancashire. The nursery serves the immediate locality and also the surrounding areas. It opens five days a week, from 7.30am until 6.30pm, for 51 weeks of the year. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Children are cared for on two floors and have access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 52 children 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.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 15 staff working with the children. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualification at level 2 and above. The manager holds an early years foundation degree. The nursery receives support from the local authority. It is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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

 increase the opportunities for children to see and use numerals in the outdoor environment, such as, making number lines, signs and labelling available for reference and encouraging children to use them in their play

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

 enhance children's opportunities to explore and play with resources and positive images of different communities, traditions and disabilities, in order to fully promote their understanding of similarities and differences between themselves and others.

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who attend

Children thoroughly enjoy their time at nursery and quickly engage in play activities. Staff have a good understanding of how to implement the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are well-deployed, enthusiastic and eager to help all children settle into the nursery. Key persons build effective relationships with parents to gain information about each child, their interests and their achievements to identify initial starting points. This helps them plan for each child's individual learning needs. The quality of teaching is good and observations of children playing and assessments of their progress assist in the planning of a broad range of fun and challenging play experiences and activities. Staff understand the different assessment processes and regularly share these with parents to ensure children's progress continues. Where children are recognised as requiring additional support, staff work with parents and

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who attend

where necessary other professionals, to ensure each child's individual needs are met. Staff speak clearly to children asking lots of open-ended questions and give children time to respond. As a consequence, children are ready for the next stage in their learning. Parents receive regular updates of their child's day at nursery through verbal exchanges and a daily diary sheet for younger children. Children benefit from this shared approach to learning and make good progress as a result.

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who attend

Children's communication skills are promoted well by staff, who encourage older children to share their thoughts and ideas. For example, during role play activities they initiate discussion about the best way to decorate the large cardboard boxes as the bear's house. This encourages children to talk, as well as listen to others. At story time staff give children good opportunities and encouragement to predict what may happen next, promoting their critical thinking and understanding. Children recognise their written names on coat pegs and when they self-register. The provision and easy access to writing tools encourages children to make marks and practise their early writing skills. For example, young children write out a shopping list as they play in the home corner. In the baby room younger children develop their literacy skills. They eagerly share books and are supported by staff to recognise characters in the story. They delightedly babble as they hold small

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who attend

world animals as staff name them and encourage them to copy the sounds they make. Young babies form close attachments with key staff, who know and understand them well. Staff use lively voices and model words when interacting with babies as they play with a good range of sensory resources. Through this, children are happy and their individual needs are well met. Children have access to weekly dance classes and various gymnastic activities indoors to develop physical skills. They have daily access to the outside play area where they enthusiastically pursue energetic play and show enjoyment in being physically active.

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who attend

Children learn about the community in which they live as they make trips into the local community and further afield. They also participate in various celebrations throughout the year, such as Christmas and Chinese New Year. However, there is scope to help children understand more about the difference and diversity of the world around them through visual images and the provision of further resources within the nursery. Children learn mathematical skills through adult-led activities involving the use of numbers and counting. They learn about quantities, as they experiment with water, filling and emptying containers. Staff encourage pre-school children to count the number of cake cases they have as they pretend to make cakes and point to them to help with one-to-one correspondence. Numbers and labels are displayed indoors so children can use them for reference and in their play. However, these opportunities are not fully extended to the

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who attend

outdoor area, which means children are not fully supported in understanding how numbers can be used in context in different environments. They develop an understanding of technology when they show interest in technological toys with buttons and play on the computers. As a result, children make good progress and are well-prepared for the next steps in learning, including when they transfer into school.

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

Children's transitions into the nursery are managed very well. For example, information is gained from parents about their children's individual needs and how these can be met. Settling-in visits are actively encouraged, so children become familiar with their new environment at their own pace. As a result, children settle well and develop close bonds with their key person. This means they are emotionally secure, feel safe and have a strong base for their learning and development. Children are provided with a stimulating indoor environment. Resources are easily accessible, well-labelled and encourage children to make independent choices. Photographs of family members are displayed throughout the nursery, showing that each child's background is valued and provide children with reminders from home. These strategies are highly effective in enabling children's key persons to develop secure relationships with both them and their parents. Visitors are

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

invited to the nursery to share their skills with children, such as members of the ambulance service and police. This provides valuable opportunities for children to engage with adults other than their normal carers, which broadens their experiences and further prepares them for school. Children also have good opportunities to be involved in village events, which give them a sense of belonging in their community.

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

Children are developing a good understanding about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. They benefit from freshly prepared food, such as tomato pasta, cooked on the premises by a cook and they access water independently throughout the day. Children have access to the outdoor area each day, which means they benefit fully from lots of fresh air and develop good control in their coordination as they practise movements and master the use of play equipment. They develop independence as they put on their own coat and hat for outdoor play. Staff work directly with children for much of the time and make effective use of the resources that are available. Suitable and age-appropriate resources are stored within children's reach, such as, a good range of books, games and creative activities that children access independently.

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

Staff are good role models for behaviour. They provide a calm and reassuring environment and encourage children to share, take turns and care for each other. As a result, children behave very well and play cooperatively. Staff place a strong emphasis on children developing good manners. For example, they offer gentle reminders to say 'please' and 'thank you' at snack and mealtimes. They offer plenty of praise to boost children's confidence and self-esteem. Children show respect for one another, observe space boundaries and begin to understand the importance of safety through the various activities on offer throughout the day. This is because staff explain why safety is an important factor in using toys and equipment. They supervise children well and have sensible rules for everybody to follow. Consequently, children play well together and demonstrate safe practices when using resources. All staff hold a current paediatric first

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

aid certificate, so there is always someone available to attend to children if necessary.

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provision

The nursery is led and managed very effectively, which promotes children's safety, well- being and learning to a good standard. Safeguarding children is given high priority. Safeguarding procedures are highly effective because the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are fully understood by the management team and all staff. This means that children are well-protected in the nursery. Staff access regular training in child protection and discuss this regularly at team meetings. This means they are confident about the procedures to follow should they have any concerns about a child's welfare or the practice of a colleague and procedures for reporting allegations are clearly understood. Staff are vigilant in carrying out daily safety checks within the nursery and the security of the premises is good. For example, there is a fingerprint recognition system with a camera in place on the main door, which means

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provision

there is no unauthorised access to the building. This inspection was brought forward due to the provider being sent a notice to improve by Ofsted, preceding this inspection. Concerns were centred on the registers of staff and children's attendance, which had not always been accurately maintained. This has been addressed effectively and the registers for children and staff are completed appropriately. Management have been very proactive in addressing this and have endeavoured to develop the procedures further. Parents are encouraged to sign their child in as they arrive and staff record the child's time of arrival within the playroom. The recruitment and vetting of staff is robust, which means their suitability to work with children is thoroughly assessed. Through completing staff appraisals and supervision, the nursery ensures that staff continue to meet these requirements. Good attention is paid to monitoring staff's performance and encouraging

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provision

The owners are committed to providing a high quality service and making continuous improvements. Their vision for the nursery is shared with the manager and staff team and is fully supported by them, which means everyone works to the same beliefs. This ensures a consistent approach and means the staff team work well together to provide good supervision of and support for children. Robust systems are in place to ensure staff are deployed effectively at all times, to meet the needs of children. As a result, children are well-supervised and ratios are maintained at all times. The manager has a good understanding of strengths and areas to develop to move the nursery forward. The views of staff, parents and children are actively sought, which promotes an inclusive approach to the monitoring and evaluation process. Networking with local nurseries and meetings and support from the local authority advisory team provide further opportunities for the

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provision

manager to keep updated and drive forward improvements. The educational programmes and the progress of individual children is monitored successfully. For example, the manager carries out regular checks on children's progress records and the planning, to ensure all children's learning and development needs are being met. This enables her to monitor that all areas are covered within planning and assessment and identify any gaps in learning to ensure they are closing. Key persons use assessment forms for their key children, which enables them to determine if each child is meeting the expected development goals, or if they require additional support or challenge. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive good support because staff work very closely with parents and any outside agencies involved in their care, to ensure they reach their full potential. This means each child receives high levels of targeted support to promote

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provision

their progress. The nursery gives high priority to working in partnership with parents and keeping them well-informed about all aspects of the service. For example, they are presented with an informative welcome pack that includes all the policies and procedures for the nursery, forthcoming events and details about the staff team. Daily chats and individual diaries also keep parents well-informed about their child's care and learning on an ongoing basis. Parents are unanimous in their praise for the nursery. For example, they say that they find staff 'very approachable and supportive' and feel their children are safe and in 'good hands'. The nursery works in very close partnership with local primary schools and detailed transition documents are in place. These ensure essential information is shared about children and their learning and development. Teachers are also invited to visit the nursery to meet children in a familiar environment, which successfully supports their

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provision

transition to the next stage of their learning.

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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 EY427512 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 948634

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 52 Name of provider Nature Trail Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 27/04/2012 Telephone number 01254830788

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Type of provision

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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