Tops Pokesdown

Tops Day Nurseries 4c Wolverton Road, Boscombe, BOURNEMOUTH, Dorset, BH7 6HT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/03/2014 20/06/2013

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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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Management promote a secure understanding of safeguarding within the nursery and implement rigorous employment procedures to make sure staff are suitable to work with children.  Children of all ages benefit from exploring a broad range of sensory experiences that stimulate their creative and imaginative play.  Children enjoy freshly prepared nutritious snacks and hot meals which helps raise their awareness of healthy eating.  Parents appreciate the friendly and welcoming environment staff provide for them and their children.

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It is not yet good because

 The quality of teaching is variable which means that some staff are less skilled in how to extend children's learning.  Staff do not always organise activities and resources well; consequently, children are not always fully engaged in purposeful play and this reduces their learning experiences.  Staff do not always gather information from parents, such as key words in their home language, as soon as children attend the nursery so they can fully support their learning from the outset.  On occasions, the organisation of staff when younger children first arrive does not always run smoothly to make sure all children are fully supported at these times.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors observed activities indoors and outdoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors spoke with parents, management, staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors sampled children's learning journals, planning documentation, a selection of policies and procedures and children's records.  The inspectors reviewed and discussed self-evaluation documents.  One inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Information about the setting

Tops Nursery and out of school club registered in 2006. It is part of a large chain within the south region. It operates from six rooms in a building originally built as church meeting rooms in Boscombe, Bournemouth. The first floor is used for children under three years. Children over three and those attending the after-school and holiday club are cared for on the ground floor. There is an outside play area and the nursery has sole use of the premises. There are ramps at the front and back enabling easy access at the entrance and into the garden. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 194 children on roll; of these, 151 are in the early years age group. Children aged over eight years also attend. The nursery provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, from 6am until 8pm subject to

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Information about the setting

demand. The after school club opens at 3pm during school term times and the holiday club operates for children aged five to eight years for full days during school holidays. The nursery supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are 25 staff who work directly with the children and four ancillary staff. There is one member of staff with Early Years Professional Status; one who holds a qualification at level 6 and one who holds a qualification at level 5. There are 10 staff with early years qualifications at level 3 and six at level 2. There are six members of staff who are unqualified.

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must:

 increase staff skills and understanding of how to extend activities, maintain children's interest and help all children achieve the next steps in their learning

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must:

 improve the planning and organisation of activities and resources to support staff with providing children with more challenging play and learning experiences.

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

 strengthen arrangements for gatheringinformation from parents so that key information regarding their individual needs and learning are obtained when they first attend

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

 strengthen staffing arrangements for the younger children when they arrive to fully support all children's needs at these times.

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who attend

Overall, children make steady progress in their learning and development. The playrooms are organised into different play spaces to help promote children's learning in all areas. For example, there are areas where children can help themselves to paper, crayons and writing tools; create their own collages and practise early writing. In each of the age groups there are 'loose parts' resources. These comprise of materials of different sizes and type; such as, wooden blocks and cardboard tubes. Staff make effective use of the flexible materials to encourage children to build and construct their own designs. They balance tubes on a crate and show younger children how they can roll balls through them and catch them at the end. There are areas for encouraging imagination and role-play. Children dress up and engage in pretend play. Staff decorate these areas according to the theme and children's interests. Younger children go for walks, take a trip on a train and

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who attend

visit the beach. This provides children with a wider range of learning experiences and raises their awareness of their local environment.

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who attend

Staff create displays in all the play rooms so that parents can see what children have been doing. There are examples of their creative skills and photos of activities or trips they enjoy. Staff share children's progress folders with parents and encourage them to contribute their views and comments about learning at home. When children are aged between two and three years staff complete the required progress checks. These are shared with parents so they can add their comments. Staff are fully aware of what to do if they have concerns regarding a child's level of development. In these instances, they liaise closely with parents and other professionals in order to provide continuity in the support children receive.

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who attend

Staff encourage children to use their senses as they explore a wide variety of materials and mediums. All ages have access to sand and water play. Children experiment with using different tools as they scoop and measure sand into containers. Babies explore the texture of cornflour and porridge when it is mixed together. Whereas, two-year-olds use their fingers to make patterns in blue foam. Older children help to make their own playdough and enjoy the sensory exploration. However, staff do not take full advantage of children's enthusiasm when mixing and making the dough to extend children's learning experiences. They do not fully extend children's learning or introduce mathematical language associated with measuring, number and quantity. In addition, when the dough is made children are told it is to be used later and it is put on the side for another day. Children remain interested in the dough so staff move other toys so children can play with

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who attend

it. However, there are limited tools and cutters readily available for them to use and develop their hand-eye coordination as they manipulate and shape the dough. Consequently, children are not consistently challenged in their learning as staff do not help them to achieve their next steps.

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who attend

Staff plan a variety of activities weekly. For example, they introduce different festivals and celebrations to raise children's awareness of the wider world and children's experiences at home. There are focus activities to support children with special educational needs and children who are learning English as an additional language. In addition, staff generally follow children's interests and incorporate some activities to promote children's individual progression. However, there are times when activities and routines are not as well prepared or organised to provide effective teaching and learning opportunities that engage all the children. For example, staff do not always notice when older children do not join in or participate in activities. Consequently, they watch rather than engage in active learning. Younger children, on the other hand, are confused about what is expected at small group time because staff do not organise the groups effectively or make it clear to children what

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who attend

is expected. Consequently, many continue to bounce around on the soft play equipment rather than enjoying a story or focus activity.

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who attend

Generally, staff are involved in children's play. They sit with babies on the floor and encourage their emerging language by talking to them about what they are doing. Staff help toddlers and older to experiment with different tools and containers in the sand tray. They extend their vocabulary as they encourage children to talk about what they are doing. Staff introduce songs, rhymes and dancing. Children respond to this and enthusiastically join in with the actions.

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

Overall, children play happily and confidently in the nursery. Staff organise settling visits with parents when children first attend and when they move from one age group to another. In addition, they are developing links with local schools to help children achieve a smooth move from nursery to school. These settling routines help children become familiar with different people and a new environment. Each child is allocated a key person whose role is to focus on meeting children's care needs, liaising with parents and completing their progress and care records. Staff usually have several key children. This means it is sometimes more difficult for them to maintain consistent support when several younger children are finding it difficult to settle and need attention at the same time. There is a secondary key person system in place to provide children with some continuity when staff are absent or on holiday.

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

Management and staff promote a healthy lifestyle at the nursery. They are fully aware of children's individual health and dietary requirement and ensure all food provided takes account of these so children remain healthy. Healthy and nutritious meals are cooked on the premises and provided daily. Staff encourage children to be independent and serve themselves, although some eating utensils and serving spoons are large for young children to manage easily. Staff encourage children to manage their own personal hygiene and care. They also introduce daily routine, such as washing their hands and putting their own coats on. This helps children become independent in readiness for school.

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

Children play in the fresh air daily. They enjoy being active and exuberant as they explore larger play equipment. Staff help children develop their physical skills and how to use equipment safely as they play indoors and outdoors. For example, staff hold children's hands and provide reassurance as younger children develop their confidence in using equipment. Children learn to climb the steps to the slide, use a variety of tools for making marks, such as brushes and pencils, and participate in an exercise programme. Mobile babies learn to manage the steps and low slide in their play room. While non-mobile babies start to crawl and experiment with standing with help from staff. Children in the two-year-old room bounce and jump on the soft play equipment. Generally, staff provide children with clear boundaries so they know what is expected and keep themselves safe. Staff praise children often and join in their play. Overall, there are sufficient resources to

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

support children's all round development. Most are stored in low level units so that children help themselves. Consequently, this encourages children's independence and enables them to make choices about their activities. Staff present sensory and creative materials imaginatively which engages children's interest. Staff review the layout of the playrooms and re-organise them so areas are more inviting.

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provision

Management have a sound knowledge and understanding of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. They implement thorough recruitment and employment procedures to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. This includes a comprehensive induction and performance management processes to help staff understand their roles and responsibilities; in particular, safeguarding and supervision arrangements. Management and staff have a secure understanding of child protection issues. They are clear about what to do if they have concerns about a child in their care and if an allegation is made against a member of staff. This positively contributes towards promoting safety and welfare. All the required documentation is in place and maintained appropriately. This provides staff with the required information about each child and records their attendance and care provided. For instance, the administration of medication

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provision

However, this inspection was brought forward following a concern to Ofsted regarding supervision and hygiene arrangements. Management acknowledge that pre-school children have previously accessed the toilets independently without direct supervision from staff. The area is safe but outside of the playroom and out of staff sight. Following a concern raised by parents and subsequent risk assessment, the management team have changed the practice. The door to this cloakroom area is now kept closed enabling staff to supervise children appropriately. Children ask if they wish to use the toilet and staff monitor them while in this cloakroom area. Parents also expressed concerns about the frequency of nappy changing. The inspection found that staff follow clear procedures regarding this and have records to show that nappies are changed at least every three hours or more frequently if required. It is usually the child's key person who takes

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provision

responsibility for making sure nappies are changed. Management fully understand their responsibility and inform Ofsted of significant incidents or events that impact on children's care and welfare, such as serious accidents or allegations against staff. Management follow appropriate procedures and investigate such incidents fully to make sure they are meeting the requirements and implementing effective measures to keep children safe. Staffing ratios are maintained throughout the nursery and staff are deployed appropriately to supervise children indoors and outdoors.

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provision

Management are keen to secure improvement in the nursery. As one of a large group of nurseries the manager benefits from the support of area managers who assist her with training and evaluating practice. Since the last inspection progress has been made. For example, staff regularly assess children's progress and keep children's learning records up to date. Support for children learning English as an additional language is improved with a dedicated member of staff who is responsible for making sure key persons promote language skills each week. Overall, management recognise areas for further development in the nursery and are taking steps to address these. For example, they recognise the quality of teaching is variable. Consequently, management spend time in the playrooms to support staff and be a positive role model. In addition, management liaise closely with the local authority and are currently working through their action plan for improvement.

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provision

Parents speak positively about the nursery. Parents welcome the opportunity to stay in the nursery to settle their children when they first attend. In addition to regulatory documentation, parents complete a 'My world' information sheet which provides staff with personal information about their child. However, staff do not always make sure this is completed as soon as children attend so they can respond to children's individual needs as soon as they join the nursery. Consequently, staff do not always know some of the key words children or their parents use in order to help them communicate and understand children's needs. Overall, parents feel well informed about the nursery routines and the care their children receive. They discuss children's progress at parents' meetings and view their child's records. Staff encourage them to add their comments and support learning at home. Management seek the views of parents through questionnaires and discussions.

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provision

Management respond appropriately and thoroughly investigate any concerns parents have. Management and staff work closely with other professionals involved in children's care. This supports them with meeting children's individual needs.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY344955 Local authority Bournemouth Inspection number 956586 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 124 Number of children on roll 194 Name of provider Tops Day Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 20/06/2013 Telephone number 01202 720111

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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

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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