Cotton Tails Too

Cotton Tails Too 14 Leach Green Lane, REDNAL, Birmingham, B45 9BL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10/03/2014 30/11/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children settle well within the nursery because staff know children well and provide warm affectionate care, that promotes their emotional well-being.  Leadership is strong and staffs' knowledge and understanding of the requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage is good. Children are making good progress in their learning.  Children are protected from harm because staffs' safeguarding knowledge is good, and recruitment procedures and performance management for staff are robust.  Teaching is good because staff understand how to promote children's learning and they provide an exciting and interesting educational programme. As a result, children are motivated to learn.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to enhance communication with parents about their child's next steps in development to enable them to extend learning at home.  Systems to monitor children's progress are not fully embedded to enable staff to monitor progress overall.

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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 inspector observed activities in all areas used by children including the outdoor play area.  The inspector and nursery manager carried out a joint observation.  The inspector spoke to staff and children throughout the inspection.  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 the children.  The inspector read and discussed the nursery self-evaluation document.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a sample of records and policies relating to children's welfare, health and safety.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Cotton Tails Too is one of three nurseries run by Cotton Tails Day Nurseries Limited. The nursery opened in 2001 and operates from a converted house in the Rubery area of Birmingham. The nursery serves the local area. The nursery is accessible to all children and there is an area available for outdoor play. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children are able to attend for a variety of sessions. A maximum of 49 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 63 children attending who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications to level 3 and one is working towards a level

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Information about the setting

3 qualification. The owner holds a Degree in Early Years. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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

 enhance the level of information given to parents about their children's next steps in development, so that they can further extend and consolidate their child's learning at home

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

 embed management systems to monitor children's learning overall, in order to identify any groups of children where progress is less than expected.

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who attend

Children are making good progress because staff prepare a wide variety of activities that interest and motivate them to learn. Educational programmes have depth and breadth across all areas of learning, which enable children to engage in a balanced range of experiences. The nursery is well organised and provides a safe and stimulating environment for the children who attend. Planning ensures that children's individual needs are given consideration. Staff identify if activities will require enhancements to extend learning, or additional support for those children that may require it. Children are motivated to join in with activities because staff consider what children like to do or are interested in. Teaching is good because staff understand how to promote children's learning and they provide an exciting and interesting educational programme. As a result, children are interested in what they are learning. For example, children in the School

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who attend

Room have been learning about the life cycle of chickens. They have been able to watch live chicks hatch from eggs and have then helped to take care of the chicks at the nursery. The children recall information that they have learned about the chicks and say 'boy chicks are yellow and girl chicks are brown'. They can also recall what happens when the chicks hatch and are very enthusiastic about this topic. Staff have used this interest to extend opportunities for learning by encouraging children to write or draw about the chicks and they enjoy pointing to their work that is displayed on the wall. As a result, children are gaining the good skills, knowledge and understanding needed for the next stage in their learning.

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who attend

Children's progress and achievements are monitored because the nursery uses assessment documents that identify attainment or any gaps in progress. These include a Learning Journey document that contains observations, photographs and children's work. These documents evidence children's progress because they are regularly updated. The established key person system ensures that staff get to know individual children well. Children's skills when starting nursery are recorded on 'my first days at nursery' sheets, which record useful information about children to be used alongside staffs' initial observations of what children can do. Key persons have a good understanding about children's individual needs and their next steps are recorded on observations and assessment documents. On occasions, this information is not always shared regularly enough with parents and carers to provide them with information to continue to support

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who attend

their child's learning at home. This means that sometimes parents and carers are not always aware of their child's individual learning targets. However, routine assessments, such as the progress check at age two and annual summative assessments, are completed. These provide parents with a written summary of their child's strengths or any areas where learning is less than expected. The nursery also ensures that they seek support from outside agencies to provide valuable training and guidance if required. These professionals come into the nursery to work alongside staff, ensuring that all children get the best possible support to make good progress from their starting points.

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who attend

Opportunities to develop children's independence are promoted throughout the nursery and, as a result, all children appear happy and confident. For example, older children serve themselves meals and pour their own drinks and younger children are given encouragement to use a spoon to feed themselves independently. This ensures that children are developing important skills that support them in the next stage of their development. Children move around the variety of activities provided, showing interest and curiosity. They show that they are beginning to understand routines by readily taking part. For example, children in the Nursery Room sit together as a group to listen to a story. Staff ensure that all children are able to participate by using a range of props and resources that interest the children. As a result, the children enthusiastically join in, taking it in turns to choose animals from the story out of a story bag. Staff skilfully gain and

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who attend

maintain children's attention by using different tones, repetition and gestures. This helps children to develop good listening and attention skills, which supports them in all areas of their development and provides key attributes needed for starting school.

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

All children appear happy and settled at the nursery and they quickly begin to play and explore on arrival. They form secure attachments with staff who are positive and approachable at all times. Consequently, children are developing a sense of belonging in this welcoming environment. Staff ensure that all children feel special because each room has a 'special person' display board. Individual information about a child is displayed on this board. This includes photographs of family members, favourite toys and comments from others about why this person is special. Staff in the nursery ensure that all children have the opportunity to have their special information displayed. This supports children's emotional well-being because they feel important and valued by others. The management of children's behaviour is good because staff make sure that they talk to children at eye- level and use calm and encouraging language. Recently staff identified that some groups

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

of children were finding it difficult to play together during periods of the day. The nursery worked in partnership with outside agencies to evaluate strategies used and put into place a number of new approaches. These are having a positive impact within the nursery. For example, children in the School Room have been given increased access to the outdoor area for structured games which are having a positive effect on their personal and social development. During one of these periods staff encourage the children to take part in a group activity that involves sitting as a group, taking it in turns to choose a friend and then running around the circle to sit down first. Children clearly enjoy these games that promote cooperation and provide children with challenges and opportunities that also support their physical development.

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

Children learn about a healthy lifestyle because they are provided with a balanced diet. All meals and snacks are prepared on site and the nursery adopts a healthy eating policy. This means that children are offered a range of meals and snacks that include a variety of fruit and vegetables, which contributes to a balanced diet. The nursery asks parents and carers to provide information about any preferences, allergies or specific dietary requirements. Children have access to resources which encourage them to take exercise. All children have regular opportunities throughout the day to play in the outdoor area, which is well laid out. Children also go on planned walks in the local area, for example, older children take items to the local recycling centre. This supports their understanding of the world around them as well as providing exercise. Children are reminded to wash hands after going to the toilet, prompted to put on and then fasten their coats. Older children

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

show increased independence by doing this without support from an adult. As a result, these children are gaining more independence in preparation for their move to school. Communication has been established between local schools that ensures that important information is shared to support this transition.

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

Children's safety is given high regard and staff are vigilant about safety. They record children's attendance and re-check numbers of children when moving between outdoors and indoors, which ensures their safety at all times. Accidents and incidents are recorded and parents and carers are asked to sign any records as appropriate. Staff at the nursery have attended the required first aid training which means that they can safely administer first aid. Risk assessments are carried out routinely which includes safety checks at the beginning and end of each day and before individual activities are carried out. This ensures that all staff are vigilant in considering children's health and safety at all times. Daily routines have been established that provide children with specific times to rest and relax if required. This includes timetabled short periods of the day when some children watch parts of films or short programmes of choice on a television. This encourages them

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

to rest and have some quieter time if required. During these times alternative activities are also provided so that children get to have a choice about what they are doing. These sessions are carefully balanced with a wide variety of other activities throughout the day that provide children with a good range of experiences.

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provision

Overall, leadership and management is strong and there is a clear motivation to develop the nursery in order to improve outcomes for all children that attend. The nursery ensures that children are kept safe from harm and all children make good progress as a result. Safeguarding responsibilities are understood by all staff and information to support safeguarding practice is displayed in all rooms. Lead members of staff with safeguarding responsibilities have been identified and all legal requirements have been met. The nursery has a robust recruitment procedure that includes obtaining an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and verifying staffs' suitability to work with children. This is achieved through the requesting of references and viewing certificates of relevant qualifications. Induction of new staff involves ensuring that all required policies and procedures are understood and a checklist is used to record this. The performance

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provision

management of all staff is managed efficiently and includes evaluation of performance meetings between staff and the manager on a regular basis. Staff also take part in peer observations of each other's practice and complete a 'self-reflective evaluation sheet' afterwards to share observations. Consequently, staff have the opportunity to discuss good and any weak practice which helps to maintain consistency across the nursery. The manager works closely with other nurseries owned and managed by the same provider and the owner is frequently on site. This ensures that the manager receives ongoing professional development and support. Training is coordinated between the group of nurseries so that staff can regularly update their training and attend statutory courses, such as first aid. Policies are reviewed regularly and implemented consistently by all staff. Comprehensive risk assessments ensure that any risks within the environment are

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provision

minimised due to staff carrying out safety checks on a daily basis.

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provision

Children are making good progress overall in their learning and development and a wide range of planned activities and experiences support this. Children's progress is regularly assessed which enables staff to plan activities that support children's next steps in learning. Systems to monitor children's progress overall are not yet fully embedded to enable the manager to identify any groups of children where progress may be less than expected. However, the management team have begun to devise ways to embed a system to undertake this. Teaching and learning is consistently good across the nursery and staff show that they have an in-depth understanding of how children learn. Educational programmes are varied and interesting to children which means that they are enthusiastic about what they are learning. Staff reflect on the characteristics of what makes learning effective and plan experiences to support children's differing learning styles and needs. As

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provision

a result, all children are engaged in purposeful play throughout the day and appear happy and confident. Advice and support is sought from outside professionals when required which demonstrates a commitment from staff to continually reflect on their practice and seek training to provide the best possible environment for the children who attend. The nursery ensures that all required information about children's progress is given to schools when children move on.

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provision

The provider and manager are committed to the further development of the nursery. Detailed self-evaluation documents have been completed that identify priorities for improvement. The views of parents, carers and children are gained through the use of questionnaires and discussion, these are considered as part of this process, although, there is scope to strengthen the communication links with parents and carers to enable them to further support their children's learning at home. Good relationships between staff, parents and carers exist and parents are complimentary about the nursery.

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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 507648 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 952879

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 49 Number of children on roll 63 Name of provider Cotton Tails Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 30/11/2010 Telephone number 0121 453 3000

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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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