Albion House Day Nursery

Albion House Day Nursery 9 Albion Street, GRANTHAM, Lincolnshire, NG31 8BG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/03/2014 14/09/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Teaching is good and as a result, children are motivated to learn and explore as they engage in lots of free play opportunities. Staff plan an additional range of interesting hands-on learning experiences for them to participate in. This enables them to learn through play.  Links with parents are strong. Relevant information is shared and children's individual needs are supported and met very well. This means all children are fully included and have a positive attitude to learning.  Children are well safeguarded. This is because staff are very knowledgeable about their role and responsibility to keep children safe and the premises are kept secure.  Leadership and management is very good. The owner/manager is passionate about the staff's work with the children. As a result, the staff team work effectively together to ensure that the children receive a good quality early years education.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always ensure the management of behaviour consistently helps some children to learn the consequences of their actions to help them to begin to appreciate the effect that their behaviour has on others.  There is scope to develop the existing skills of staff in using open-ended questions consistently to enhance and extend children's learning and development experiences.

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the manager of the nursery, the deputy, 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 nursery's self-evaluation and improvement plan.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Albion House Day Nursery was registered in 2005 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a converted terraced house in the town centre of Grantham, Lincolnshire and is privately owned. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from three playrooms and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 4, five at level 3, including the manager with Early Years Professional Status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, closing only for all main bank holidays and Christmas week. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 43 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It

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Information about the setting

supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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

 build on the already good practice of staff with regard to using every opportunity to enhance and extend children's learning and understanding through the consistent use of open-ended questions that support children's learning and development experiences

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

 enhance the ways in which staff in the toddler/pre-school room implement agreed behaviour management strategies to help some children to learn the consequences of their actions and help them to begin to appreciate the effect that their behaviour has on others.

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who attend

Teaching is consistently good across the nursery. Staff all have a good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage; they are able to confidently describe how children learn and how they adapt activities to support individual children. Staff discuss children's needs during taster sessions. Parents complete 'starter's information from home' sheets that detail their child's care routines, likes, interests and the learning they do at home. Staff use this information to help children settle. They also carry out their own initial observations to determine the child's starting points in their learning and development. The planning process for babies and toddlers incorporates children's individual interests and development needs. When children reach pre-school, staff differentiate focus activities to include all children. This reflects the changing stages of development of children. Observations are carried out regularly providing information for staff to link learning to

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who attend

development targets and plan next steps. Staff observe children in their play and as a result, activities are carefully planned to capture children's interests. For example, children become totally engrossed as they introduce pirate play in the sand pit. Staff discuss enhancing this interest by planning for a treasure hunt. Consequently, children learn to explore, investigate and find things out for themselves. Procedures for monitoring children's development are effective in tracking the progress they make over time. Staff complete termly summaries to monitor children's progress, this includes a progress check at age two.

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who attend

Babies have close contact with staff, who sit at their level and interact with them effectively. For example, when a baby brings staff a handbag, the member of staff immediately responded with 'shall we find something to put in your bag?' This enables babies to feel confident within the environment and supports the building of self-esteem. Staff engage in a wide range of conversations with babies and children. However, they do not always use open-ended questions effectively and sometimes do not give children enough time to respond before asking another question. As a result, children's critical thinking is not always encouraged. Early writing skills are supported within the nursery. For example, babies are encouraged to make marks in the outside area. They use paint brushes and water to make marks on all surfaces and are encouraged to make lines and circles. Children's readiness for school is well supported because staff give them the

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who attend

opportunity to engage in early reading and writing skills. For example, at welcome time children are starting to identify their names and practise sounding out the letters.

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who attend

Staff use welcome time to count the numbers of children and they extend this mathematics further by supporting children to calculate how many boys and how many girls. Children then locate the correct numeral and count the correct number of spots on the domino card. Pre-school children have a good understanding of basic calculating as a result of this practice. During a yoga session the teacher enthuses and motivates children by joining in with actions and modelling the correct language. This activity enables children to develop listening and attention along with following instructions. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well by staff, as they obtain basic words from parents in children's home language and ensure they communicate effectively. Parents comment positively on the effort staff make to learn words in their language. Children's achievements from home are written on leaves that form a 'Wow tree' wall

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who attend

display. Parents are engaged in the children's development and learning through discussions with staff and regular opportunities to look through children's learning journal. During parents' evenings, the key person talks through the child's learning and development summary. As a consequence, parents are actively encouraged to contribute to their child's learning overall.

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

Children are all happy and confident at the nursery and they have strong emotional bonds with the staff. Staff see who the children make attachments with and then allocate a key person, who is responsible for meeting that child's needs and supporting them during their time in the room. The key person system is effective and staff all know their children well because they gather good information from parents about their child's needs. Children show confidence in staff, who demonstrate a very friendly and inclusive approach, helping everyone to feel valued and included. The warm welcome supports children to become confident and independent learners. There is a supportive settling-in procedure and detailed information gained from parents enables the care to be tailored to support children's individual well-being from the outset. The walls contain examples of children's creative work and this gives them a sense of belonging and shows them that their

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

Children learn to share and take turns and these cooperation skills are skills for life. Staff consistently offer praise and encouragement, which helps to promote children's self- esteem and confidence. The staff are good role models and mostly use positive techniques for managing children's behaviour. However, at times, staff do not offer explanations to children of the consequences of rules and boundaries. As a result, this lessens children's understanding of the impact their actions may have on other children. Nonetheless, this does not have an impact on children's learning and development. The nursery indoor rooms are 'shoe-free' zones and children are encourages to take off and put on their outdoor clothing and shoes themselves. The toddler/pre-school room makes good use of routines to promote independence, particularly at snack time. Children have small plates of fruit on the table and serve their own portion. They cooperate with friends, passing the

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

food along and asking for a turn. As a result, the children enjoy their food and their self- esteem is promoted. Children are encouraged to safely take risks. For example, they use resources to build obstacle courses, taking care to construct and use them carefully. Children play and learn in a well-resourced environment that provides a good range of resources, which are mostly kept within reach so children can make choices for themselves.

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

Children have daily opportunities for physical play outdoors and they spend time in the local community when they go on outings. For example, children visit a local supermarket to purchase ingredients for snack. Parents comment, how well behaved their children are while shopping, after their nursery excursion to the supermarket. Transitions are good between rooms. Depending on the child, depends on whether the key person takes them on short settling-in visits, or they confidently go alone. Children only move to a new room when they are developmentally and emotionally ready. As a result, children enjoy their time at nursery and the strong support from their key person ensures that they are emotionally secure. Children are well-prepared for school as there are good links with the local schools and teachers who come in to meet children. Staff complete transition documents, which provide information about the children's learning and development

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

achievements during their time with them. This supports a seamless transition when they move to different settings.

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provision

Arrangements for safeguarding children within the nursery are good. Staff have knowledge of child protection procedures and what to do if they are concerned about a child in their care. Useful information is displayed in the entrance halls regarding safeguarding. This means that staff and parents have a quick reference guide if they are in any doubt about policies or procedures. The manager has a good understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and monitors the children's individual progress through regular cohort studies. These are used to analyse which areas of the curriculum are being offered and allows staff to make any changes necessary. The recruitment process is robust and the manager ensures all staff are suitable to work with children and continue to be so. There is a good system for inducting new staff, which ensures they fully understand their roles

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provision

and responsibilities. The manager has a great deal of experience and knowledge and is skilled at motivating the staff team. As a result, staff have clearly forged close working relationships, which enables them to work very well as a team. This helps to create a positive welcoming atmosphere.

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provision

Staff receive regular supervision and appraisals from the manager. This process ensures that staff have regular opportunities to discuss any areas for improvement. Regular staff meetings are held, allowing the manager to discuss any key issues and for staff to air any concerns they may have. The manager has a training matrix that gathers information regarding staff knowledge and skills and this clearly identifies relevant training. Staff are actively encouraged to attend training which has a positive impact on the children. For example, staff return from baby room training, enthused and full of ideas. As a result, the baby room now resembles a home from home environment where babies settle and thrive instantly. The manager has a good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and has clear policies and procedures to support this. These are regularly reviewed and changes

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provision

made to reflect any changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage. Written risk assessments ensure all areas accessed by children are safe and suitable and staff to child ratios consistently meet the requirements. All staff remain vigilant to children's safety and undertake daily visual checks on each area the children use.

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provision

Effective self-evaluation fosters an ethos of reflective practice. Survey questionnaires are used to obtain the views of parents. This enables the manager to analyse the effectiveness of the nursery. It helps to develop a clear action plan for future improvements to develop practice and the environment further, benefitting children's care. For example, the nursery are currently developing their use of the 'characteristics of effective' learning. Children's opinions are valued. For example, when planning the outdoor refurbishment, children were consulted and as a result, the play area is welcoming and popular. Parents speak highly of the nursery and there is a strong partnership. There is a high number families who choose the nursery again and again for siblings. Parents comment positively on how well the learning journal is shared and that this allows them opportunities to build on learning within the home environment. The

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provision

manager understands the importance of sharing information with other early years providers and professionals who may be involved with the care of children. This means that, children are supported by a consistent approach to teaching that develops their learning and contributes to the good progress they make.

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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 EY318956 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 878055

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 34 Number of children on roll 43 Name of provider Melanie Jane Hart Date of previous inspection 14/09/2009 Telephone number 01476562078

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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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