North Harrow Nursery

North Harrow Nursery Ltd 42-44 Gloucester Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 4PW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/03/2014 01/03/2010

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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

 Staff support children's personal, social and emotional development well, which means that children are happy, settled and are ready to learn.  Staff provide children with a good range of activities and experiences. Therefore, children make consistently good progress in relation to their starting points.  Staff have a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They plan relevant, interesting activities and experiences to promote children's learning across all seven areas.  Staff work well with external professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Consequently, children are able to enjoy learning supported by staff who take into account their individual needs and abilities.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Mealtime arrangements are not always well planned to provide children with opportunities to develop their social skills.  Some staff do not consistently use good questioning techniques to extend and develop children's thinking skills.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the children and staff playing indoors and outside.  The inspector spoke to some parents, children, staff and the management.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked risk assessments, safeguarding policies and procedures and sampled staff files.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled children's observation, assessment records and planning documentation.

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Information about the setting

North Harrow Nursery Limited registered in 2003 and is registered on the early years register. The nursery operates from two converted houses in the London Borough of Harrow. There are four children's play rooms, a discovery and sensory room. There is an enclosed garden for outside play. The nursery is open each day from 7.30am to 6.30pm all year round. There are 148 children on roll within the early years age range. The setting supports children with Special Educational Needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 31 staff, 25 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged three- and four years.

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

 further develop staff's confidence in consistently using questions to support children's thinking skills

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

 develop mealtime arrangements for the older children to ensure that they have opportunities to engage socially, with staff and their friends.

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who attend

Staff show a good understanding of how to support children's learning and development through play. The staff use observations and assessment well to continually plan challenging activities and experiences to promote children's learning. This information, along with details parents provide at the start of each new arrangement, allows staff to monitor children's progress. Parents have regular feedback, both verbally and through meetings with their children's key person. Staff suggest ways parents can help their children's learning at home, which helps them to support their children's learning further. Consequently, children make consistently good progress in relation to their starting points. In addition, staff further support all children's learning and development through focussing on specific learning objectives. For example, staff working with the older children are helping children to understand the effect of activity on their bodies. They do this through

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who attend

discussion after children have been playing outside. This helps children to think about how they feel after exercise. For example, children identify that they felt tired or thirsty after running around. Consequently, children learn the importance of leading healthy, active lifestyles and learn that drinking fresh water after running about quenches their thirst. Staff provide the youngest children with a wide range of activities and resources. Recent changes to the way in which the baby and toddler rooms are structured means that children in these two rooms are able to move freely between their base rooms. This provides children with a wide range of activities and toys to play with. For example, the youngest children go into the toddler room and take part in painting and printing activities. Toddlers go in the baby room to enjoy exploring shaving foam, using their hands to feel, move and make marks as they play. Staff join in with children, encouraging

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who attend

them to use their hands to make handprints in the foam. In addition, they place resources such as plastic animals in the foam, which further encourages children to explore and find the animals hidden in the mounds of foam. Staff use lots of relevant language to describe the texture and feel of the foam, which helps children to develop their communication and language skills.

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who attend

Overall, staff speak to children using good questioning techniques. For example, staff ask children what they think will happen when building towers, which helps children to learn to stack the bricks in certain ways to prevent them falling. Older children enjoy listening to stories, read to them by staff. Staff make story times interesting as they read children's favourite books using different tones of voice. They ask children questions about different parts of the story and encourage children to repeat the familiar phrases. This helps children to develop a love of books and enhances their literacy development. However, sometimes staff ask appropriate questions, such as 'what is this?', but provide the answer before children have had time to think and answer. This means that staff miss opportunities to allow time to think through their answers. Games such as 'bug under the rug' help to develop children's communication and language skills. Children enjoy taking

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who attend

turns to hide under the rug, while the nominated child tries to guess who is missing from the group and therefore, is hiding under the rug. This supports children's social skills as they learn to take turns and work together to identify who is missing from the circle.

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who attend

Staff play alongside children, recognising when to join in and when to allow children time to think through problems on their own. This helps to extend children's learning and gives them confidence in their own abilities. For example, staff working with the younger children sit by them as they explore electronic toys. They allow children to investigate what sounds and lights the different buttons produce, only intervening when children are unable to manage to operate a button themselves. This allows children to see how to operate the toy and be more independent next time. Staff support a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Individual learning plans tailor children's stages of learning and development to their individual needs. Resources, such as flash cards, help children to associate words with pictures, which also helps their communication and language skills. This supportive approach helps children to make

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who attend

progress in relation to their own starting points.

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who attend

Children are able to learn the skills that they will need when they move onto school. Staff encourage children to put on their own coats, hats and scarves before going outside to play. All children enjoy playing outside each day. There is an overhead awning across part of the garden area, which means that children can play outdoors even when the weather is poor. This helps to support children's good health and well-being and enables them to develop their physical skills. Climbing equipment, balls and sit and ride toys encourage children's co-ordination and moving skills. In addition, staff provide children with a range of resources outside allows children to build with bricks, engage in role play or read stories to enjoy being outside. Therefore, children spend much of their time outdoors, enjoying the fresh air.

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

Staff work well with the parents to support children's personal, social and emotional development. Gradual settling-in arrangements help children to become familiar with their surroundings and staff, safe in the knowledge that their parents are close by. This helps children and parents to build solid relationships with key people and the wider staff team. Consequently, children arrive happy and separate easily from their parents. Staff gather information about children's individual routines, likes and dislikes during the settling-in period. This helps them to plan familiar activities and ensure continuity of children's care routines. For example, key persons stick to babies existing routines which means that they are fed and sleep in patterns similar to home. This helps to support children's emotional development.

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

Staff ensure that children's good health and well-being is met. Staff follow strict hygiene routines, which means that they take appropriate steps to minimise the risk of cross infection. Staff wear gloves and aprons when changing children's nappies. In addition, strict nappy changing guidelines remind staff of how to keep children safe while having their nappy changed. For example, the staff use moulded nappy changing units and chest straps to ensure that children cannot roll off the changing mat. All necessary equipment, such as wipes, nappies and cream are to hand, which means that children are not left unattended on the changing area.

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

Staff provide children with healthy, balanced and nutritious diets. Children enjoy a variety of fresh fruits at snack time and home cooked hot meals at lunch. Staff use information from child record forms to identify children with allergies or dietary requirements. Therefore, the cook is able to prepare meals to meet children's dietary needs. Staff identify children's individual dietary requirements through lists on the walls of the rooms and serve up children's food into colour-coded bowls. For example, children who are not allowed meat have a different coloured bowl to those that are able to eat meat. Consequently, staff are able to ensure that children's individual dietary requirements are met. Staff help the older children to develop their independence skills at mealtimes by encouraging them to serve up their own food.

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

Children behave well in the nursery, as staff are consistently good role models. Staff support children to learn to share and take turns when playing, which helps to develop children's social skills. Older children learn how to manage their own behaviour and not run indoors as staff use gentle reminders. In addition, staff use 'please' and thank you' when talking to the children and each other. Consequently, children learn how to be polite. Staff have links with local primary schools, which enables them to share information about children's current stages of learning and development. This enables teachers to plan relevant next steps in children's education, which provide suitable challenges. Therefore, children are able to move smoothly into the next stage of the learning and development.

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provision

The inspection took place following notification from the manager regarding children's safety during nappy changing procedures. However, the manager has taken effective and appropriate action to risk assesses arrangements for changing children's nappies. As a result, arrangements for changing nappies have been made more robust and new changing mats are now in place. Consequently, this shows that the manager has the capacity to risk assess, identify and manage hazards, which helps to ensure children's safety. Overall, the manager understands her responsibilities in ensuring that the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage are met. Staff have regular safeguarding training, which means that they know what they should do if they have a concern about a child in their care. In addition, information, which the manager displays in the staff areas, means that staff have

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provision

plenty of information if they have any concerns about children. Staff understand the whistle blowing policy and show confidence in reporting any concerns in other staff's practices. Staff carry out regular risk assessments and daily checks to ensure that they are checking all aspects of the nursery environment daily. Consequently, this helps to manage risk, which means that children are able to enjoy playing in a safe environment.

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provision

The manager has robust and rigorous procedures in place when recruiting new staff. She ensures that all new staff complete all the necessary checks prior to starting work with the children. She offers new staff trial days, which enables her to observe the skills and knowledge of each practitioner. All required checks, including Disclosure and Barring Service checks and evidence of qualifications help to ensure that staff are suitable to be working with children. All new staff complete an induction programme within the first weeks of employment. On-going monitoring and supervision of new staff helps to ensure that they learn the nursery's policy and procedures and the requirements of their roles. Consequently, staff are happy and enjoy working in the supportive environment.

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provision

There are good procedures in place to ensure that staff have regular supervision and yearly appraisal meetings. Supervisions provide staff with opportunities to discuss their own practices and any concerns about children in their care. This enables the manager to arrange additional training or support. These meetings also enable the manager to seek the views of the staff on the settings strengths and weaknesses. Parents are able to put forward their views on the environment and educational programmes for children, which adds to the evaluation process. The staff take into account the children's views when evaluating the environment. They observe what the younger children enjoy doing and talk to the older children. This helps to formulate plans for continual improvement.

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provision

The manager and staff show a strong capacity for continuous improvement. They constantly review the effectiveness of the educational programmes. This helps the manager and staff to change how they record children's progress to tailor educational programmes further. For example, staff have recently begun to monitor children's next steps using individual learning plans. These provide details of children's next steps across the seven areas of learning. Staff share these forms with parents and offer suggestions as to what parents can do at home to help achieve their next steps. Plans are adaptable and react to children's achievements. For example, when a child reaches one of the learning targets, another is set and this is shared with the parents. Consequently, children are able to make consistently good progress in relation to their starting points and are ready for the next stages in their education.

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provision

Staff work well with the parents. They provide a wide range of information about children's learning and development progress. In addition, information about children's days are shared with parents as they arrive to collect their children. This helps to inform the parents about their children's diets, any achievements or 'wow' moments the children may have had during the day. The staff have links with local external professionals. Professionals, such as special educational needs co-ordinators visit children in the nursery, which helps them to see children in their familiar surroundings. Staff, parents and the professionals are able to draw up action plans together, which means that children are supported well. Consequently, children make progress in relation to their own starting points.

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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 EY260395 Local authority Harrow Inspection number 956596

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 97 Number of children on roll 148 Name of provider North Harrow Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 01/03/2010 Telephone number 020 8427 0114

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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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