Twisty Tails Nursery Ltd

Twisty Tails Nursery Limited 25 Sheaveshill Avenue, Colindale, London, NW9 6SE

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22/11/2013 20/05/2013

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: 3 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 3

p.1

This provision requires improvement

 Staff organise the learning environment well, so children have access to an exciting range of activities that encourage them to develop a range of different skills.  The staff team develop good relationships with parents through an effective key person system, which helps children feel emotionally secure.  Staff make good use of the outdoor environment which helps those children who learn better when outside, and children's physical development.

p.1

It is not yet good because

 There are weaknesses in teaching relating to the accuracy of the assessment system and the staff team's ability to provoke children to think.  Staff do not implement the progress check for children aged between two and three years as required.  Staff do not provide children with snacks that meet requirements.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector examined a selection of policies and children's records.  The inspector observed the children during their activities indoors and outdoors.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke with the manager, staff, some parents and children.

p.2

Information about the setting

Twisty Tails Nursery Limited registered in 2010 and is privately owned. It is registered on the Early Years Register. It is based in an extended house in a residential area of Colindale in the London Borough of Barnet. Children are accommodated in rooms over two storeys. There is access to an enclosed garden for outdoor play.

p.3

Information about the setting

The nursery is open each weekday from 8 am to 6 pm all year round. Children may attend for various sessions. The nursery is in receipt of government funding for early education for children aged three and four years. There are currently 44 children on roll in the early years age group. The nursery supports children learning English as an additional language.

p.3

Information about the setting

There are 10 members of staff employed, including the manager. eight of whom hold appropriate qualifications.

p.3

must:

 improve teaching by making more accurate assessments of all children's learning and development and planning activities that challenge them, reflecting the differing ways that children learn

p.3

must:

 ensure the progress checks for two-year-old children describe the activities and strategies the staff intend to take where children's progress is less than expected in any of the most important areas of learning

p.3

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

 improve the programme for children's personal, social and emotional development, such as by finding further ways to help children take on responsibility in order for them to become as independent as possible in readiness for the move to school

p.3

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

 develop staff teaching skills to help them extend children's ability to think, such as by using better questioning techniques.

p.3

who attend

Children have a good awareness of the resources available and move happily around the nursery choosing what they want to play with, indoors and outdoors. This arrangement helps them become independent learners. Staff have a good knowledge of each child, such as what they like to do and ensure there are activities and equipment for all children to use that interests them. For example, there are plenty of dolls and clothes for children who are interested in acting out real life situations. Other children enjoy playing in the water tray which staff make available throughout the session. This means most children are actively engaged for the vast majority of their time at the nursery.

p.4

who attend

Staff refer to recognised guidance about child development to ensure all areas of learning are covered. However, assessment of children's learning and development is not accurate enough to allow staff to plan activities that challenge children better, taking into account the differing ways that children learn. As a result, not all children are making good enough progress in their learning. Staff take many opportunities throughout the session to join the children's play, teaching them to share and take turns. For example, when using the computers, staff oversee what children are doing but when more children want to use the computers, they join in the play, talking about what each is doing and encouraging them to wait for a turn. This helps children to learn how to interact positively with others.

p.4

who attend

Staff help children develop their by providing resources that encourage children's play ideas. Staff provide help as needed so as not to interfere with individual play. Children become absorbed in their play, such as dressing the dolls and playing with action figures or animals. Staff promote mathematical language through play by counting or using language such as 'lots' and 'some', for example when children are playing with pasta and scooping it into pots. Staff teach children how to use equipment properly; for example, science equipment, such as torches. Staff remind them not to shine these into each others eyes but to shine them on the ceiling. This helps make children aware of simple rules. However, staff miss opportunities to further extend children's thinking owing to a lack of skilled questioning techniques. For example, they do not use the type of questions that prompt children to think.

p.4

who attend

Home languages are respected, with some staff speaking more than one language themselves. This ability helps children learning English as an additional Language to understand daily routines, so they settle quickly. Staff are very good at teaching the linking of letters and sounds, and encourage all children to do so. For example, when children point to an alphabet poster and say the picture name, staff repeat the word, make the initial letter sound and introduce another familiar word that begins with the same sound. As a result, some children are progressing well in literacy.

p.4

who attend

Parents are kept informed about their children's progress through informal discussions. Staff complete a progress check at age two years but not all parents are involved in the process. Consequently, all children's learning is not effectively promoted in partnership with parents. Daily information is shared with parents either through chats or on a daily record sheet. Parents speak highly of the nursery.

p.4

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

Children are helped to feel secure by kind and helpful staff. The staff operates an effective 'key person system' in which staff each take responsibility for particular children and their families. They have recently introduced a 'buddy key person' to cover staff absences, so children and parents always have a familiar adult to go to. This is important in helping the children form a strong attachment to important people in their lives and to feel emotionally secure at nursery. Key persons find out about children backgrounds and routines through discussion with parents, and through settling in observations. Most children are happy with any member of staff, not just their key person, demonstrating the positive relationships across the nursery. Positive relationships between staff, children and parents enable children to feel emotionally secure and confident in the nursery.

p.5

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

Staff have a good awareness of what children need when they first come into the nursery each day and they help children to settle at an activity. Children are confident as they move around, making their own choices as to what they want to play with. Staff teach children to negotiate, and to share and take turns in their play. Praise and encouragement from staff ensure children develop high levels of positive self esteem. As a result, children are confident, well mannered and mostly follow simple rules. Staff remind them, as needed and in an appropriate way, for example by giving them a reason to help them be aware of the need for safety. Staff are generally well deployed and have a good awareness of what is going on around them even when playing with one or two children only. Consequently, they are attentive to children's needs.

p.5

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

Staff make sure children have access to fresh drinking water throughout the day and encourage them to help themselves as needed. Staff teach children to wash their hands before meals and snacks, and to pour their own drinks where appropriate, so they gain some useful personal skills before the move to school. However, staff miss other opportunities to help children take on more small responsibilities, so they become as independent as possible. Staff allow children to decide for themselves when they need to eat. Staff teach children to understand healthy lifestyles. Children have regular access to a reasonably well-resourced outdoor area in the fresh air. There is space to develop physical skills, such as climbing up to use the slide or playing football.

p.5

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

Staff show good safeguarding awareness. Thorough daily checks are carried out to make sure all areas children may play in, both indoors and outdoors, are safe and secure. This attention to detail allows children to play freely in a safe environment in which staff teach them to manage their own risks. For example, climbing the steps on the slide carefully or when the youngest ones use soft play equipment in the baby room. Children's behaviour shows they feel safe in the nursery as they mostly follow rules.

p.5

provision

There is an effective procedure for safeguarding children and staff are aware of what they have to do if they have concerns about a child's welfare. Staff are familiar with, and follow, safeguarding procedures, and receive regular training. Good staff deployment by management means children are well supervised. Adult to child ratios are met and attendance records kept. All staff understand their roles in keeping children safe. The manager has good expectations for the quality of care that is provided for children and their families. Children's behaviour is managed in an appropriate way for their ages and stages of development. Thorough recruitment procedures are followed to ensure people employed to work in the nursery are suitable to do so. The security procedures put in place ensure that no one can have unsupervised access to the nursery and the children. For example, there is a password system if a parent needs someone else to pick their child

p.5

provision

up. Regular reviews of audits and documents ensure the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage are met.

p.6

provision

New staff receive a thorough induction when they start. Staff performance is monitored through regular supervision and formal appraisal. These processes help the manager to identify areas for development across the staff team. The systems for collecting and storing information are consistent across the nursery and are on hand to refer to if needed.

p.6

provision

The manager is reflective about the nursery provision and is aware of areas for development as well as the nursery's strengths. Staff have opportunities to contribute to self evaluation through discussions at regular staff meetings. Parents are asked for their thoughts on the nursery through a questionnaire or on a dedicated email address. This enables the manager to reflect on all areas of the provision and incorporates the views of others into an ongoing self evaluation process. There is evidence that previous actions and recommendations have been addressed but still need to be developed further. For example, children's learning records do not consistently identify next steps in children learning. Planning of the environment ensures a good range of activities that cover the seven areas of learning, but does not identify any activities that had been planned for individual children. The planning and assessment system is raised as an action following

p.6

provision

Parents spoke very highly of the nursery and expressed how friendly and helpful the staff are. Parents report they are kept well informed of what is happening in the nursery through notice boards, news letters and a blog to which they are encouraged to add. They state their children enjoy coming to nursery and that the children are happy. Parents are encouraged to make a contribution to support their children's well being but the sharing of information about learning through the assessment system is inconsistent. The manager is building good partnerships with other professionals such as teachers and the area special educational needs co-ordinator to obtain professional help for any child who needs it.

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number EY417089 Local authority Barnet Inspection number 942831 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 44 Name of provider Twisty Tails Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 20/05/2013 Telephone number 0208 6170422

p.8

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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

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,

p.9

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’.

p.10

Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.10