Mama Bear's Day Nursery

Mama Bear's Day Nursery Former Broomhill Youth Centre, Allison Road, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 4NZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19/02/2014 16/12/2013

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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

 Staff have a good awareness of how children develop and use a range of different teaching approaches to help them make effective progress.  Early writing opportunities are available throughout the nursery and there is a clear emphasis on developing children's mark making skills.  A strong partnership with parents is a real strength at the nursery and staff foster this relationship by actively involving parents in their child's learning.  Management demonstrate a good understanding of their responsibility for keeping children safe and clearly follow the safeguarding policy and procedures.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always select age appropriate story books for younger children. Consequently, children lose focus and become distracted.

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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 rooms including the outdoor area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with parents, staff and children and held a joint meeting with the regional manager and nursery manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation including children's assessments, parent questionnaires and a range of policies and procedures.  The manager conducted a joint observation with the nursery manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children.

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Information about the setting

Mama Bear's Day Nursery is one of 19 nurseries owned by a family group. This nursery registered in January 2004. It is located in the residential area of Broomhill in Brislington, Bristol. It operates from converted single storey premises and has fully enclosed play areas at the front and rear of the property. There are three main playrooms, each with their own enclosed outside area and toilet facilities. The nursery opens each weekday from 7.30am to 7.00pm for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 123 children in the early years age range on roll. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery supports children who are learning English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are 31 members of staff, of whom two

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Information about the setting

hold Qualified Teacher Status. In addition, one member of staff has a childcare qualification at level 4, 12 staff have a qualification at level 3 and seven staff have a childcare qualification at level 2. There are four staff working towards a childcare qualification at level 3 and two staff working towards a qualification at level 2. The team are supported by head office staff and a regional general manager.

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

 ensure younger children are fully engaged during story sessions by selecting suitable books, taking into account their age, interest and level of understanding.

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who attend

All children make good progress in their learning and development. This is because staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff work closely with parents to learn about their child's interests and experiences so they can extend this further at the nursery. They effectively use initial observations as well as valuable information from parents, to assess babies' and children's starting points. There is a robust system in place for ongoing assessments. The use of detailed planning ensures babies and children are progressing well. For example, staff display children's individual next steps in each room. This helps parents and all staff to identify what stage of learning each child is at and how to extend this further. Staff plan children's next steps for learning by referring to the characteristics of effective learning; therefore placing an emphasis on the importance of valuing different learning

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who attend

styles. Staff closely monitor and track children's progress and record this in their individual profiles, which are shared with parents. Children with additional learning needs including those with English as an additional language make good progress. This is because staff have a good awareness of how children develop and use a range of different teaching approaches to support them. In addition, staff work with parents and other professionals if necessary, to identify targets by using personal and individual educational plans. As a result, gaps in children's learning are narrowing. The nursery's Special Educational Needs Coordinator in particular, works closely with children and families who need extra support. This means that children are getting the tailored care and support they need as soon as possible. All staff have a high expectation for all children to achieve and do well while in their care.

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who attend

Babies and younger children make good progress in the prime areas of learning and development. Effective use of group sessions, such as singing and story time, help to develop children's social skills as well as communication and language development. For example, babies clap their hands and move their bodies when staff sing, 'Miss Polly has a dolly.' They eagerly join in with the actions by swaying their arms, pretending to cradle a 'dolly.' They show a good level of concentration when listening to songs and are learning to vocalise the words. As babies move up to the next play room to toddlers, they demonstrate an increasing use of confidence in speaking and listening with their friends and adults. Older children speak with confidence, expressing their thoughts and ideas. They like to draw upon their experiences from home by linking them in with their play. For example, while engaging in a fruit collage activity, they chat to each and staff about going

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who attend

on holiday and places they have visited. Staff effectively model the use of language during activities, which helps to extend children's vocabulary. For example, staff use visual picture cards to teach children the name of the different types of fruits and vegetables. Staff are skilful is using suitable questions to extend children's learning which helps them to think and explore. For example, staff ask children to compare the different fruits displayed in the bowl and to identify differences in colour, texture and size. This helps to promote children's mathematical thinking skills.

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who attend

Early writing opportunities are available throughout the nursery and there is a clear emphasis in developing children's mark-making skills. Staff teach children how to hold a pencil correctly and support children to develop good hand and eye coordination. Large indoor and outdoor chalkboards and painting easels including a writing table with a range of accessible materials are all made available for children to practise their writing skills. The nursery is using a letter and sounds programme to develop children's early reading skills. Staff are knowledgeable about how to teach children to recognise early phonic sounds. They also make use of alphabet wall displays in the environment as well as written labels so children become familiar with the concept that print in their room conveys a meaning. Such rich learning opportunities provided by the nursery help prepare children for the next stage of learning when they move up to school. Babies and children

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who attend

enjoy looking at books. They handle the books with care and babies are at the early stages of developing their skills in listening to stories in small groups. However, staff do not always select suitable books for young children taking into account their age, level of understanding and interest. Consequently, younger children lose focus and attention, which results in them getting distracted as they are not fully engaged in the story time.

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

Staff show a good understanding of their role in building secure attachments with babies and children. Consequently, staff have established a sound key person system that ensures babies and children receive the emotional support they require when they first start at the nursery, and as they progress from room to room. Staff ensure parents are fully involved in the transition process and both agree on a suitable schedule of settling in, which is done over a period of time to ease any distress. Staff share transition records with the next key person when children move rooms. Parents also contribute to this by highlighting what their child's current interests are including their favourite play items so staff can include these in future plans.

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

Babies and children settle quickly into the daily routine because staff create a warm and welcoming environment. Babies and toddlers show increased independence as they explore their environment. Staff promote this further by making sure the resources are easily accessible and within their reach. The nursery rooms are organised well. Babies have suitable space to practise moving around in different ways, which helps them to develop gross motor skills so they can walk confidently. Staff support younger children with their toilet training needs and work closely with parents to ensure children are ready for this next stage. Older children confidently manage their personal self-care needs but staff are always nearby to remind them to use the bathroom. They also encourage children to wash their hands before meal times and after using the toilet. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of hygiene practices. Staff conduct daily risk

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

assessments and checks in all areas of the nursery rooms including outdoors, which means that any hazards are minimised straightaway. In addition, all equipment and play items are maintained for cleanliness and staff carry out a deep clean of specific areas if needed, to prevent the risk of cross-contamination.

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

The nursery promotes a balanced and healthy lifestyle for all children. Healthy snacks and drinking water are available for children throughout the day as part of the daily routine along with their main cooked meals. Each child has a personalised placemat for mealtime, which contains detailed information relating to suitable food options for their specific age group. Children with special dietary needs and requirements are fully catered for. They have a special colour-coded placemat so all staff can identify this clearly. Following mealtime, babies and toddlers have a rest within their designated sleep areas, which promotes their physical well-being. The older children have access to a quiet room as well as comfortable areas to sit and relax if required.

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

Children have plenty of opportunity to exercise and regularly access fresh air. This is due to the layout of each room, where children are very fortunate to have free-flow access to their own enclosed outdoor area. Children learn to run, climb and balance while exploring a range of outdoor play equipment. Children learn about boundaries and show an increasingly good understanding about being kind towards others by sharing resources and turn taking. Children are polite and show consideration towards the feelings of other children. Children are encouraged to take balanced risks and have suitable challenges in their play. Staff use visual cards and relay the nursery rules to children, reminding them of behaviour expectations. Staff effectively use 'reflection time' as part of resolving conflicts between children. Children are given time to think about their actions, which staff feel is a positive approach. Staff are always present to help children to understand and manage

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

The nursery celebrates a range of festivals including more recently, Chinese New Year, where children undertook a food tasting activity. Children have contributed to the 'our world flags' display by painting the different flags of countries their families come from. The role-play includes a range of dressing-up clothes, reflecting community people as well cultural outfits such as saris. Children have access to a range of books that show positive images of people including scripts in different languages displayed throughout the nursery including outdoors. This rich and diverse learning environment helps children to develop an understanding of their world, different people and communities.

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provision

Management have effective arrangements in place to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements. All staff demonstrate a good understanding of their roles in keeping children safe. Management ensure additional staff are deployed in the rooms so ratios are maintained at all time and staff have adequate breaks. All staff understand their responsibility in protecting children from any risks and danger by ensuring they not left unsupervised at any time. All staff have received safeguarding training. Management refer to the Bristol early years training manual to identify suitable training for staff. The designated safeguarding person understands her role and attends advanced child protection training. Management regularly review the safeguarding policy and procedures with the staff team to include any changes to legislation, such as the use of mobile phones in settings. Management fully understand their responsibility in following the safeguarding

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provision

policy if an allegation is made against any staff member and implement the robust procedures in place. They ensure all staff are fully vetted and references checked in order to ascertain their suitability before they are recruited. All staff including bank staff and students have gone through a comprehensive induction programme. Staff receive ongoing support from management through regular one to one supervisions and yearly appraisals. This helps management to identify any concerns earlier on and offer appropriate support where needed.

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provision

Management have a good understanding of their responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements. They consistently monitor each child's progress using an effective tracking system. Children with additional needs are closely monitored using a separate tracker form to ensure they receive specific and targeted help to make effective progress. A colour-coded tracking system helps staff to identify those children who are not progressing and those to monitor regularly. Staff use individual action plans for children who speak English as an additional language to monitor their progress. In addition, the nursery works closely with other professionals including the speech and language therapist to agree suitable strategies to support children's communication and language needs.

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provision

The staff team value the importance of continuous improvement and the nursery is a part of the Bristol Standards Quality Assurance Scheme. They also work closely with the local authority as part of the Quality Improvement Framework (QIF) to improve areas of the provision and raise standards. Their current self-evaluation identifies areas for development including enhancing the secondary key person system. Following their last inspection, they have improved the nappy changing area by moving it near to the bathroom for privacy as well as to promote children's independence. The management has further reflected on the previous recommendation for staff to improve their awareness of supporting children's mathematical development. They have arranged suitable training to staff as well as extending the mathematical provision. The next improvement action planned by the nursery is to continue refreshing the rooms by painting and decorating

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provision

A strong partnership with parents is a real strength at the nursery and staff continue to foster this relationship by actively involving parents in their child's learning. Parents are provided with monthly feedback forms to share their views on the nursery. Parents recently attended the tenth anniversary of the nursery to celebrate their success. Staff also use parent questionnaires to improve the provision. One parent when spoken with during the inspection commented, 'my child is happy and has lots of friends' and another parent said, 'I will ring up and the staff are very good at keeping me informed. I am impressed with the nursery.' In addition to parents, the management have a good relationship with other providers. For example, the nursery shares information with childminders used by parents to ensure continuity of care and education. This is a positive and consistent approach, which helps children to flourish.

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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 EY267805 Local authority Bristol City Inspection number 950715 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 72 Number of children on roll 123 Name of provider Mama Bear's Day Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 16/12/2013 Telephone number 0117 9728234

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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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