Barbies Footsteps

Barbies Footsteps The L E A D Centre, Suite 11-12-13, Dane Valley Road, Broadstairs, CT10 3JJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/03/2014 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 know the children very well. Their care needs are met extremely well and as a result, children are happy, settled and secure.  Staff have very good relationships with parents and carers in meeting children's individual needs and supporting continuity of care.  Supporting children's communication and language is embedded into staff practice. Strategies are consistent across the nursery and, as a result, all children make good progress in their speech and language skills.  Staff deployment is effective, the staff team work very well together. They are motivated and passionate about what they do and clearly love their job, creating a warm and welcoming environment.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children are not always supported to be imaginative, which limits their opportunities to express their own ideas, thoughts and feelings.

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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 had a tour of the nursery.  The inspector held discussions with the owner and manager.  The inspector observed children in all rooms and in the outdoor area.  The inspector sampled records and documentation.  The inspector heard the views of several parents spoken to during the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Barbies Footsteps registered in 2013 and is situated in the Broadstairs area of Kent. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 6pm, during school term time. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and is privately owned and managed. The nursery receives funding to provide free early years education for children aged two, three and four years old. The nursery serves the local and surrounding areas and is accessible to all children.

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Information about the setting

There are nine staff employed to work with the children, all of whom hold relevant early years qualifications. The premises consist of three group rooms, toilet and dining facilities. All children have access to a fully enclosed outdoor play area.

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

 enhance the outdoor learning environment to offer children additional opportunities for being imaginative.

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who attend

Children are very happy, motivated learners who fully investigate the well resourced and stimulating environment. They enjoy exploring the challenging experiences and activities on offer and become engrossed in their learning. Practitioners are skilled and dedicated, ensuring that children make progress through targeted teaching strategies. They place particular emphasis on children's individual interests when planning activities across all areas of learning. A recent interest in a favourite book character has lead to activities such as den building, picnics and creating miniature bears.

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who attend

Parents provide comprehensive details about their children as they begin attending, enabling practitioners to make accurate initial assessments of children's starting points in their learning. During the early weeks of attendance, regular observations take place and are discussed with children's parents. This provides a good foundation for future learning and enables practitioners to plan interesting, personalised learning plans. Planning clearly supports children to learn through their specific interests. Activities allow children to extend and develop their own ideas in many areas of learning. These are clearly displayed on the various boards in each room, giving parents the opportunity to share in the children's interests and creations. Staff hold weekly meetings to discuss activities and other aspects of the setting to ensure a consistent approach. Careful weekly evaluation of activities ensures children remain engaged and interested and supports them to make

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who attend

Children with special educational needs and disabilities are supported by the setting's special educational needs coordinator, who works closely with parents and outside professionals. This ensures that care is specific for individual children and enables them to be fully included in all activities and make progress. Parents value the involvement they have in their children's learning through the inclusive strategies used by the nursery. For example, they value the shared learning journals, which both they and practitioners contribute to. They receive regular reports, such as the progress check for children at age two, which demonstrates the progress their children make.

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who attend

Practitioners effectively engage with the children. The generally stimulating indoor and outdoor learning environments provide children with plenty of opportunities for learning and discovery. For example, children dig for worms and use magnifying pots to examine the mini beasts more closely. However, there are fewer opportunities for children to use their imaginations when playing in the garden, as role play resources are limited. Children show they are competent in using a computer and take it in turns to match the shapes on the screen. Children learn about the community around them as they make visits to the local shops. Information about festivals from around the world are displayed and children participate in interesting activities to develop their knowledge. For example making lanterns to celebrate Chinese new year. Practitioners promote children's communication and language skills effectively as they ask open questions and consistently use hand

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who attend

signals to support visual communication. Regular opportunities in the daily routine are used to support children's numeracy awareness. For example, counting the cups at snack and counting the boys and girls at circle time.

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who attend

Through the wide range of opportunities all children in the nursery make good progress towards the early learning goals. This prepares them well in readiness for school and their future learning.

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

Children's confidence and self-motivation is promoted very well from the time they begin attending the nursery. Practitioners have an in-depth understanding of their role as children's key persons. They secure detailed information from children's parents, with whom they forge strong, purposeful relationships. Parents are seen as an important and integral part of the life of the nursery, enjoying friendly, informative daily chats and contributing to resources and activities. Children develop warm, affectionate relationships with their key person, and practitioners generally, which promotes their emotional well- being. For example, children snuggle against practitioners as they read to them. Children are offered additional stability in their care arrangements, as each child has a 'key buddy' who acts in place of the key person if they are not there. The nursery also has a bank of relief staff to offer children even greater consistency in their care. The nursery

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

environment is bright, welcoming and children are visibly relaxed and 'at home' during their time here. They explore the available space confidently and show familiarity in the stimulating, child-centred environment. Music and singing is a feature of the nursery with staff encouraging the children to sing both indoors and outside.

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

The nursery strongly believes in helping children develop as healthy, active, independent individuals. Children are given healthy snacks which they help prepare. The staff support parents' awareness of healthy lunch boxes using displays and a parent information pamphlet. Children throughout the nursery develop competence and life skills as they independently wash their hands and pour their own drinks at snack time. They gain valuable social and interpersonal skills through the easy conversations they enjoy as they eat and learn good manners, such as saying 'please' and 'thank-you'.

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

Physical exercise is a regular part of children's daily activities. They play outside everyday giving them opportunities to play in the fresh air. Children develop manual dexterity as they use different tools such as spades for digging. They play football, balance and work hard to pedal tricycles. Younger children have fun in the mud pit making mud pies and exploring the different texture as they fill their pots. Children 'whoop' with delight as they chase the bubbles in the air. They build dens and enjoy impromptu picnics; these activities and many more, provide them with memorable ways of learning.

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

Practitioners are good role models and encourage children's understanding of feelings. As a result children behave well and interact very positively together. Children are sensitively shown how to accept and embrace those who are different from themselves through carefully considered strategies. The setting's golden rules support this approach in addition to the calm and consistent approach taken by practitioners. All staff attend weekly meetings where they review behaviour management to ensure a consistent approach. Rigorous daily checks both inside and outdoors ensure the building is safe for children and remedial action is promptly taken whenever necessary. Children are, therefore, kept safe and secure. The close attention paid to practitioner deployment further supports their welfare and well-being. As a result, children play and learn in a safe, child-focused learning environment.

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

Practitioners recognise the importance of supporting transitions made by children into the nursery. Practitioners understand this needs to be a gradual process to lessen any anxiety felt by children or their parents. They offer children sensitive support as they prepare for moves, offering introductory sessions into new rooms within the nursery.

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

Staff work closely with parents during times of transition, including as they move up to school. Practitioners plan activities including reading books about starting school and making books which show photographs of local schools. Useful information is shared when the setting is visited by the new school teacher. This well planned approach supports children to feel confident and well prepared for these changes

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provision

The management team place children at the heart of everything they do. They are motivated to drive improvement and support staff in continually developing the service they provide. The manager and owner work well together to monitor all aspects of the provision. They have a good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare and learning and development requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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provision

Recruitment procedures are robust and ensure only those suited to working within the nursery team are selected. A formal interview is held together with at least one practical interview to ensure the candidate has the practical skills for the role. A comprehensive induction procedure and background checks take place and every practitioner is subject to a six month probationary period. The staff show a good understanding of how to promote the safeguarding and welfare requirements and children's safety is given high priority. Effective procedures ensure that staff identify and reduce risks to children. For example, the entrance door is closely monitored during arrival and departure times and the daily risk assessments are consistently completed. The manager oversees professional development, carries out supervision meetings and appraisals and closely monitors practitioner performance. All aspects of teaching and learning are assessed and monitored

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provision

to ensure children are fulfilling their potential. Continuous professional development for all practitioners is seen as key to developing 'home-grown' high quality early years professionals. All those completing external training cascade it back to the team thereby improving practice to offer children enhanced care and learning.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are good and relationships are supported by daily discussions and regular sharing of information. Consequently, children experience a consistent approach to their care and learning. Parents comment on how much they value and appreciate the consistency and friendliness of practitioners and how welcoming the nursery is. A parent comments that 'their child settled really quickly and loves coming to nursery'. This reflects the general highly positive feedback received. Partnerships with schools, outside agencies and professionals are established and effective. As a result, children receive the support they need to make good progress in their overall development.

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provision

The manager has procedures in place for self-evaluation within the nursery, involving staff, parents and children. Planning for future improvements to enhance children's experiences is ongoing and changes are made promptly when any weaknesses are identified. Recently changes to the routine have improved children's opportunities to access the outdoors. Future planned improvements include further development of the outdoor area to introduce raised gardening beds. This is to offer children opportunities to grow vegetables to eat at snack time.

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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 EY469690 Local authority Kent Inspection number 936098 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 41 Number of children on roll 35 Name of provider Barbara Pilcher Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01843602189

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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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