St Luke's Nursery School

St Luke's Nursery ST LUKES CHURCH, St Lukes Road, Tunbridge Wells, TN4 9JH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26/02/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Staff spend considerable time and effort every day making the environment attractive, welcoming and visually stimulating for children and parents.  Staff plan and provide a wide variety of stimulating, challenging and fun activities that engage and motivate children.  Staff interact well with children and, as a result, children make good progress towards the early learning goals.  Staff work closely with parents and actively involve them in children's learning and the assessment process.  Staff make good use of the rooms to create different areas that are used effectively to support children's development in all areas of learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children have a very good range of resources set out for them; however, there are fewer opportunities for them to make their own choices.  The organisation of set snack times for all children is sometimes less effective as it interrupts their free play and concentration at activities.

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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 all the play rooms and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held meetings with the manager and owner.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled children's learning records, the owner's self-evaluation forms and other relevant documentation.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

St Luke's Nursery opened in 2013. It operates from three rooms in a building in the grounds of St Luke's Church in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. The nursery opens five days a week during school term times. Opening times are from 9.30am to 2.45pm on Mondays. On all other days, the nursery is open from 9.30am to 1pm. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area. There is a ramp into the premises.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 52 children on roll in the early years age range. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 10 staff. There are six staff, including the manager, who hold appropriate early years qualifications. There are three staff who are working towards a recognised qualification.

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

 increase the opportunities for children to independently choose resources and extend their play

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

 develop the organisation of snack times so that it more effectively meets children's needs.

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who attend

Staff have very good systems for getting to know children, settling them in and establishing their starting points. For example, key persons carry out home visits to meet new children and their parents. They gain a wide range of helpful information about each child and their abilities and interests from parents. This helps staff plan activities that reflect children's interests and provide challenge across all areas of learning. Staff competently observe and assess every child's progress. They successfully identify gaps in children's learning and thoughtfully plan activities that meet their learning needs. Staff keep parents well informed about their children's achievements through the regular sharing of the learning records and update sheets. They encourage parents to contribute to the learning records and to continue learning at home. This effective partnership with parents supports children's continuing development.

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who attend

Staff provide good support to children as they play. Many staff are extremely skilled in the way they use questioning to promote children's thinking and communication skills. As a result, children excitedly explore and investigate different activities and resources. Staff talk to them about what is happening and encourage them to think out what might happen when they take a specific action. For example, staff encourage children to guess which vehicle will get to the end of the guttering first. Children have fun trying out the different vehicles and, as a result, develop a good awareness of mathematical concepts such as comparisons. They are confident speakers who know their views and ideas are valued by adults. Staff provide additional support and attention to those who are less confident speakers.

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who attend

Staff help children develop a good understanding of positional language as they talk about where the 'super hero' is. Children develop good early writing skills as they 'write' for different purposes. For example, they book appointments at the role play 'dentist' area. Staff help all children achieve well in relation to their starting points.

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

The key person system works effectively. This means that every child has a special adult who is focused on meeting their emotional and learning needs. Children form strong emotional bonds with adults. They show a strong sense of belonging and security. This can be seen in the way they move around safely and independently, seeing to their own needs and making their own decisions. Children make choices from plenty of stimulating resources and activities. However, staff are not fully extending the opportunities for children to independently choose from other resources that are not set out for them, so they can initiate their own activities. Children become absorbed in play and spend long periods of time concentrating at their chosen activities. They develop the skills they need to move successfully on to school.

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

Staff are caring, friendly and supportive. They are good role models who make learning fun for children. They work hard every day to create a stimulating learning environment both indoors and outdoors as all the equipment has to be packed away after each session. Staff make good use of the available space to create different play areas where children experience activities in all areas of learning. For example, the smaller hall is used effectively to provide play that is more active, where children develop good physical skills and coordination. Overall, staff organise the sessions effectively and the group activities are well timed to maintain children's interest. However, the organisation of a set snack time is slightly less effective as all children have to stop what they are doing. This sometimes interrupts children's free play and learning.

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

Staff reinforce positive behaviour effectively by using the 'Golden Rules' with children. As a result, children behave well and develop good social skills. They readily share and take turns in the small group activities. They listen well to each other and develop a respect for others. Staff build children's self-esteem as they reward children with stickers to celebrate their achievements.

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

Staff help children develop a good understanding of healthy lifestyles. They provide additional healthy options at snack times to supplement what children bring from home. This gives children the opportunity to try different foods from other cultures. Children have easy access to water from the 'monkey' water dispenser. Staff encourage children to adopt good everyday personal hygiene practices such as washing hands before eating. Staff provide plenty of physical exercise that children enjoy, such as parachute games. Children develop a good awareness of how to manage risks as they confidently use the climbing apparatus. Staff also practise emergency evacuation with children so they know what to do in the case of a fire.

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provision

The management team has a good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. There are robust procedures for recruiting and inducting staff that contribute to the safeguarding of children. Good systems for the monitoring, supervision and appraisal of staff help support them in their role. The new owner actively promotes the ongoing professional development of staff. She encourages staff to complete further training such as safeguarding. As a result, staff show a good understanding of what to do if they have a child protection concern. All staff learn how to effectively risk assess the nursery and this helps ensure children stay safe. Staff carry out thorough daily safety checks and competently identify and minimise hazards.

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provision

The required documentation is in place and well maintained. These records contribute to children's welfare and the effective partnership with parents. Staff work closely with parents to meet children's needs and promote their well-being. Parents receive a variety of helpful information about the nursery and the activities through written materials, emails and the website. They say they feel well informed about the nursery and how well their children are achieving. Parents speak very positively about the friendly staff and the fact that they know their children well. They say they feel involved in their children's learning and talk about how they work together to support children. Staff also work closely with agencies to provide additional care and support for those children who need it to help them achieve. Staff form positive links with other providers and this helps promote continuity in children's care and education.

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provision

The management team competently monitors and evaluates the implementation of the learning and development requirements. They regularly review the assessment systems to make sure that the curriculum and planning are meeting children's needs. The management team focuses well on groups of children and successfully identifies and targets areas that need development. For example, they recently looked at how boys learn and put in place additional resources and activities that now engage them more in learning. The management team effectively identifies strengths and weaknesses in the nursery. The team actively works with the local authority to identify areas for further development. Thorough development plans assist staff in taking well-focused action to address the areas identified. Staff are currently looking at introducing a form of 'forest school' in the nursery. They are also extending ways in which they support and promote children's

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provision

communication skills. The whole staff team shows a strong drive to maintain continuous improvement to the nursery.

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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 EY465826 Local authority Kent Inspection number 931095 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 52 Name of provider St Luke's Nursery Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 07960305271

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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

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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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