Spinning Tops Day Nursery

Spinning Tops Day Nursery 15A Algitha Rd, Skegness, Lincolnshire, PE25 2AG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/02/2014 19/11/2012

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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 overall with some outstanding elements. The staff fully understand how to promote children's learning. They use accurate assessments of children's progress to plan activities and enhance the environment. Consequently, children make good progress from their starting points.  The partnerships with parents are strong with regard to sharing information that aids staff in meeting children's care and learning needs effectively.  Children are settled and show a strong sense of belonging in the nursery. This is because they have formed trusting relationships with their key person.  There is very effective monitoring and self-evaluation in the nursery and the staff work very well as a team, which means there is continuous improvement in children's learning experiences.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Adult-guided group activities in the toddler room do not always fully consider the age, needs and abilities of all children. This means that sometimes children are not fully engaged in a way that is of value to them.  Staff do not always make the best use of open-ended questioning techniques to extend pre-school children's language development and encourage them to solve problems. This means that children's critical thinking and problem-solving skills are not always fully supported.

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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 compulsory part 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 each room of the nursery and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the deputy manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the manager and deputy manager of the nursery, the room staff and children.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the centre's self-evaluation and improvement plan.  The inspector took account of the views of a parent spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Spinning Tops Day Nursery was registered in 2009 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a converted house in the Skegness area of Lincolnshire, and is privately owned. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from three base rooms and there are two enclosed areas available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and one holds level 2. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, except for Bank Holidays and the Christmas period. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 64 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 review the delivery of group activities to ensure that they take into consideration the age, needs and aptitudes of all children and support each child's full engagement and participation

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

 enhance children's language and thinking skills further by making sure all staff use open-ended questions as they support them in their play and learning activities.

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who attend

Staff have a clear understanding of how children learn through play and, overall, teaching is good with some excellent elements. Staff gain relevant information from parents to find out about the children's likes, interests and skills. This means that staff have a clear understanding of children's starting points, which enables them to build on children's interests and abilities from the start. The ongoing verbal communications with children and regular observations help staff to plan future activities and enhancements to the environment to meet the next step learning needs and emerging interests of the children. For example, pre-school children show an interest in a popular storybook. Staff create a delightful corner dedicated completely to this story, with masks, games and an exciting natural landscape for children to discover and re-enact the story. Key people use a systematic tracking and monitoring method to assess children's progress. Staff

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who attend

successfully complete the progress check at age two and quickly identify any gaps children's learning. Consequently, children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. Most children benefit from group time listening to stories and repeating phrases to develop their literacy skills. However, sometimes, in the toddler room, these adult-led activities are too long for some children and they lose interest and concentration. Therefore, they gain little from the experience and their learning is not always promoted as well as possible.

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who attend

Staff talk meaningfully to children about what they see and do and in general promote a language-rich environment that supports their early communication skills. However, on some occasions with the pre-school children, some staff do not make enough use of skilful questions to allow children to fully develop their critical thinking and extend their learning. For example, when rolling balls get stuck in guttering, staff do not fully explore with the children and discuss what they could do to make a difference. Toddlers enjoy rhymes and they demonstrate they are listening by joining in with actions. This circle time activity is enhanced by adding a selection of instruments for children to explore the different sounds. Babies clearly enjoy singing songs and copying the actions. Their pleasure is further supported when staff add in props, such as a 'snapping crocodile'. Babies enjoy sensory exploration as they discover painting with cars. Staff gently remind them that the paint is

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who attend

not nice to eat. Staff watch as the babies become engaged and they talk through what they are doing. This develops listening and attention skills.

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who attend

The outdoor play spaces are neat and inviting and all children play outside every day. The soft play surface makes this area a safe place to explore and learn to use their bodies in different ways. For example, children have opportunities to climb and slide on large play equipment. Some children race on cars and negotiate the space around the outdoors. These activities support their developing muscles. Children give meanings to their drawings as they enjoy early writing skills. Children begin to match sounds to letters as staff play alongside them, and they recognise the letter and find the corresponding tin. This kind of game develops early reading skills. Children show an interest in books. For example, before listening to a story they identify, 'The title, the blurb and who wrote it'. Children anticipate key phrases and join in with rhyming strings. Consequently, they are developing a love of books and fiction. These activities and interactions mean that children

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who attend

are developing the skills needed for the next steps in their learning, such as transition to school. Children's number skills are supported as they play a game of 'What's the time Mr Wolf'. Children participate with enthusiasm and listen carefully for the number of steps, and then they count their steps and move forwards.

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who attend

Staff use routine opportunities to develop mathematics skills. For example, children sing a number rhyme, and as they buy their 'currant bun', they collect a friend and go to wash their hands for lunch. The remaining children calculate how many children are left. The outdoor play and learning facility is available to all the children throughout the day, but this learning is enhanced further by trips into the community. Sometimes staff and the children go to the local shops for ingredients for baking. Other trips have been to the beach and the local theatre. Pre-school children enjoy the sensory activity of making play dough with dry cornflour and discover how the mixture changes from floury to solid as they add conditioner to it. When playing in the flour, children are encouraged to create and recognise the letters that they make with their fingers. Staff use a very good running commentary to engage with the children. Children giggle and laugh as they give staff a

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who attend

'high five' and splatter the mixture. The children are introduced to an assortment of tools to roll and cut the dough into shapes, extending their interest and involvement as well as developing physical their skills. Staff use methods of teaching that engage children's interest, and adapt the activity well to incorporate children's spontaneous learning. The staff member supporting the activity encourages children to think about how it feels on their skin and when rubbed between their fingers. She develops the activity further by showing children how the texture changes when it gets warm.

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who attend

Staff help babies to develop role play by demonstrating how to bath a doll in the water. Staff show a genuine interest and play alongside babies who are beginning to pretend play. Children actively use their imagination as they play. They animatedly recall a staff member pretending to be a dinosaur and urge her to chase them again. Following an enthusiastic game of hunting and hiding, the children copy staff and take on the role of the dinosaur. Staff encourage children to develop their own ideas and play opportunities. For example, the hand-made role play car suddenly becomes a bus and the children sing popular rhymes from the comfort of the driving seat. This supports their imagination and expressive arts skills. Children notice what adults do and imitate this spontaneously when the adult is not there. For example, they use the pretend washing powder to fill the role play machine. This becomes a fun game, and children are not easily distracted, as the

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who attend

powder ends up everywhere but in the washing machine.

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who attend

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well cared for by kind and experienced staff. There are several special educational needs coordinators at the setting who work very closely with parents, healthcare professionals and other outside agencies to help children learn and develop to their full potential. For example, they hold regular meetings to discuss progress and set precise individual targets which are implemented well by all staff. Staff are aware of the languages children with English as an additional language speak at home and fully support this in the nursery. Parents are encouraged to share key words from home. Staff support them using body language, and as a result, this group of children make good progress. Information, such as the prospectus, medicine forms and accident reports, are translated into different languages for parents. Parents receive feedback through daily diaries in the baby room and conversations at the end of a

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who attend

session for older children. All parents are invited to attend parents' meetings and meet with their child's key person. This provides opportunities for staff and parents to share more detailed information on what children have achieved at the nursery and at home. Parents have easy access to their children's individual learning journeys and many show their 'I can do at home' contributions and comments. Furthermore, parents have easy access to a good range of information about activities and learning objectives on the boards within the nursery. This includes annotated photographs and examples of children's work, which helps bring things to life. This means that parents are fully included and are helped to support their children's learning at home.

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

Children are confident, happy and settled in this welcoming and friendly nursery. The key person system is effective in meeting children's needs as strong attachments have formed between staff, children and their families. This enables children to feel safe and secure when attending the nursery. Babies who are returning to the nursery after a short break and are a little shy are given the confidence to begin to explore and become involved. This is because the staff nurture and encourage them, which means children settle readily. Staff gather a good range of useful information from parents about their children during the settling-in period. This enables them to get to known children and their families at the start of the placement. As a result, children make smooth transitions between the home and the nursery. Toddlers and pre-school children are encouraged to access their own individual learning journeys and like them to be read to them, which encourages their self-

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

esteem. Children develop a sense of belonging as they recognise their photo and place it in the display pouch to indicate they are present today.

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

Behaviour management among staff is consistent and children are spoken to appropriately at all times. Children demonstrate good behaviour and through gentle reminders learn to play cooperatively with their peers, sharing resources and working together as a team. For example, as they wait for their turn on the computer. The emphasis is on positive reinforcement and specific praise. For instance, children are told, 'It's nice to share and take turns'. Mealtimes are social occasions as children sit chatting to their friends and staff use this opportunity to encourage good manners. Children's independence is actively encouraged; they learn to serve themselves and pour themselves a drink of water or milk. Children discuss healthy choices as they pour their drinks, saying 'This will make us strong'. Staff are very proud when the inspector points out a young toddler who has poured his own drink. They explain the child has only recently joined the room and this is

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

a notable achievement. Children are very well nourished because they are provided with a good variety of nutritious foods and a choice of fruit and vegetables. For example, children enjoy carrot batons, cucumber sticks and tasty dips for snack. Most children ask for more. The chef and all staff are very clear about children's allergies or food preferences, which ensures children's needs are respected and met.

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

Children's awareness of developing a healthy lifestyle is encouraged through activities that promote outdoor physical play opportunities. For example, a wooden climbing structure provides good challenge for all children. Outdoor play is incorporated into the daily routine so all children spend time enjoying the fresh air. Parents who speak English as an additional language share stories and cultures with the children. The nursery works with parents to share information on cultures and beliefs, and this helps to create a strong parent partnership and develops knowledge and understanding. Playrooms are organised very well throughout the nursery to support active learning, and children of all ages are able to choose resources independently. The staff team work well together and support each other by covering breaks in other rooms. Intertwining rooms and joint playtimes mean that all children feel part of the whole nursery and become familiar with all

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

members of staff, which supports a positive transition to the next room. A transition form and discussion about children's learning journeys further ease their move. Relationships have developed with several local schools children attend, which aids a smooth transition. Teachers visit the setting. Staff talk to children about starting school and they look at pictures taken of local schools, which enables them to explore and ask questions about the different aspects of school life. Staff attend meetings with teachers to find out what they expect of the children when they start school. This further supports continuity of care as children are emotionally well prepared for the move to school.

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provision

The leaders and managers in the nursery have a good understanding of the requirements to safeguard children. Following a recent allegation about the behaviour of a member of staff, they appropriately notified Ofsted, who liaised with the provider and the local authority to ensure that appropriate procedures were in place regarding ensuring the suitability of staff. The provider, following an internal investigation, took disciplinary action against a member of staff. Staff attend regular child protection training so that they are confident with the most current safeguarding procedures and how to report concerns. There are clear procedures to follow regarding allegations made against staff. The manager takes any concerns seriously and deals with any concerns or complaints effectively. All policies are in place, up to date and available on request to parents and other outside agencies, and a copy is in view on the parents' notice board for them to

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provision

read at any time. Staff have a copy of all policies in each room. To ensure all staff have a good knowledge and understanding of all policies, the nursery review two policies of the month followed by a short quiz to ensure that all relevant information has been digested. The nursery rooms and the outdoor space are securely maintained and staff use an effective process of risk assessment to ensure potential hazards are identified and minimised quickly. Staff are vigilant about the security of the premises and a keypad entry system ensures no unwanted visitors enter the building. Staff check the credentials of all unfamiliar visitors before entry. They supervise children effectively and carry out daily safety checks to ensure areas the children use are safe. Accidents are monitored and there are clear procedures in place for the recording of these and the sharing of this information with parents. Robust recruitment procedures and clear vetting of staff help to

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provision

ensure children are cared for by a suitable staff team. A thorough induction takes place and a three month probationary period before staff are taken on to work on a permanent basis.

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provision

The deputy manager regularly monitors individual children's records for effectiveness to ensure that children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. A thorough group tracking system is also used effectively to monitor learning within the environment as a whole, by identifying those areas of learning which are less well promoted than others in the setting so that this can then be better enhanced. The managers monitor staff performance through formal appraisals and supervisions, and informally through observation and working alongside the staff. They use regular staff meetings to discuss and share any ideas and practice issues to further promote effective learning outcomes for children. The nursery has a training matrix where all the staff's qualifications and future training opportunities are logged. Staff are encouraged to be involved in training and development needs. Discussions are held every six months in

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provision

appraisal-style meetings to discuss any new requests or concerns. Staff feedback information from courses they attend in staff meetings to share the knowledge they have learned with the whole staff team. Continuous professional development forms part of the management team's top priority. Staff have a drive to develop professionally. Consequently, this has a positive impact on the quality of the teaching and overall provision. For example, two senior staff members have undertaken a foundation degree, and they talk enthusiastically about how it has changed the way they look at their practice and how it has strengthened their working practice. Recent training has reinforced staff knowledge and understanding of literacy in the nursery. For example, staff are enhancing the continuous resources to include reading and writing materials in all zones of the rooms.

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provision

Recommendations from the last inspection have been effectively addressed, which has had a positive impact on the care and welfare of the children who attend. For example, the outdoor space contains a good selection of signs and posters. Effective self-evaluation fosters an ethos of reflective practice. Survey questionnaires are used to obtain the views of parents. This enables management to analyse the effectiveness of their provision. It helps them to set a clear action plan for future improvements to develop their practice and environment further, benefitting children's care. For example, the nursery are currently working towards improving their already good outdoor environment. Partnerships with parents are very effective in meeting children's needs. Regular newsletters ensure parents have a good overview of the setting at all times and are well informed of events taking place. Parents are encouraged to be part of their child's nursery life as they are regularly

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provision

provided with hints and tips to use with their children. They are invited to take part in interactive workshops at the nursery, incorporating activities, such as messy play. Parents comment that they are very happy with the setting and staff go out of their way to support the whole family and not just the children. Staff work closely with a number of outside professionals in order to enhance children's experiences at the nursery. Clear procedures are in place to ensure regular information is exchanged when children attend other settings, in order to fully promote their learning and well-being.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY399117 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 952494

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 64 Name of provider Lucy Ann O'Connor Date of previous inspection 19/11/2012 Telephone number 01754899433

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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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