Little Owls Nursery Rothwell

Rothwell Children's Centre Daycare Cornwell Crescent, Rothwell, LEEDS, West Yorkshire, LS26 0RA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/04/2014 11/07/2011

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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 are confident in their teaching. They promote and support children's learning well, placing good emphasis on communication and language. Consequently, children are well-motivated and make good progress in their development.  Children's transitions into the nursery are managed well. Key persons work closely with parents to ensure information about children's individual needs is shared very effectively, which provides good security and stability for them.  All staff have a very good understanding of their roles and responsibilities in terms of child protection and safeguarding children. As a result, children are well-protected and kept safe and free from harm at all times.  The nursery is led and managed very effectively, with good emphasis placed on monitoring and evaluating the service to promote continuous improvement and enhance the outcomes for children's care and learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to enhance the opportunities for children to play imaginatively and see print in the outdoor area.  Older children are not able to make full use of number displays to support their mathematical development.

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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 had a tour of the premises and observed children in the playrooms and the outdoor area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector met with the deputy manager and centre manager and spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and discussed the provider's improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's records, planning documents and policies.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector undertook a joint observation with the deputy manager of a group of children involved in a language activity in the toddler room.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Rothwell Children's Centre Daycare registered in 1985 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in the Rothwell area of Leeds and is run by Leeds City Council. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from three rooms in purpose built premises, with an enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, one at level 4, two at level 6 and one has Qualified Teacher Status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round from 8am to 6pm, with the exception of bank holidays, three days between Christmas and the New Year and five staff training days. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 93 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and who speak English as an additional language.

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

 enhance children's imaginative play and opportunities for them to observe and use print in the outdoor area, for example, by providing props for role play and displaying words and signs in context

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

 maximise the opportunities for older children to use numerals indoors, such as making number lines available for reference at their height so they can use them more easily in their play and learning.

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who attend

Staff are confident in their teaching. They make clear links between observation, assessment and planning of activities, providing children with rich learning experiences that are tailored to their individual developmental needs and interests. The nursery has forged valuable links with external agencies and staff provide additional tailored support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Consequently, all children become active learners who make good progress in their development and are well- prepared for school, when the time comes. Staff give high priority to supporting children's development in communication and language. For example, if children speak English as an additional language staff obtain key words in their first language from parents and ask how to pronounce these phonetically, to aid communication in the early days. Staff caring for babies respond positively to them as they babble, which shows very young children's

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who attend

early attempts at conversation are valued and encouraged. Staff caring for toddlers make focused language activities fun by incorporating the use of props. For example, one member of staff takes various toy animals from a box and enthusiastically makes the corresponding noise of the animal as she places them on the floor. This captures children's interest and actively encourages them to use their listening skills. The member of staff repeats each noise and asks children in turn to find the corresponding animal and name this. This effectively helps children to make connections in their learning and to use words to describe. Staff make good use of open-ended questioning to extend children's thinking. For example, as she looks at a book with a group of children a member of staff ask 'What is the girl eating?' She gives children time to think and formulate their ideas, which results in one child correctly identifying the answer is an apple.

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who attend

Staff provide a welcoming and well-resourced environment for children. Toys are presented at their height, which promotes choice and means children become independent learners. For example, babies delight in sitting in the heuristic area and freely exploring a range of natural and household items. As they do so, one child pretends to feed herself using a wooden spoon and empty tin, which shows she is relating her own experience of meal times to her play. Older children delight in freely exploring a tray of salt, learning about capacity in their own way as they scoop this up to fill containers and empty them out again. All playrooms are bright and welcoming, with good examples of children's work on display to show their efforts are valued and appreciated. Print is used effectively to show children words have meaning. For example, containers are labelled to help children identify the contents and older children use their name cards to self-register on arrival.

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who attend

However, these rich opportunities are not fully extended to the outdoor area. This means children's understanding of how words can be used in context in different environments is not promoted as well as it could be. In addition, numbers are displayed in the older children's room but these are not at their height. Consequently, they cannot use them easily to practise and further develop their learning about ordering numbers and counting from group times.

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who attend

Staff working with older children pay very good attention to supporting them to develop their writing skills. For example, they bring in examples of newspapers and explain to children how these are used to convey events through stories. Staff encourage children to write their own stories using drawings and words, which really captures their interest and imagination. This is evident as one child becomes fully immersed as they draw detailed pictures to depict a story about a princess. A member of staff gives the child time to write their story and take ownership of their learning. She skilfully gauges the right time to support the child to extend their learning, for example, by suggesting she scribes words alongside the pictures for the child to copy. The child responds positively to the idea and their success at completing the task is acknowledged with lots of praise by the member of staff. This means children learn to have faith in their abilities. Parents are fully informed of

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who attend

their children's developmental progress in the nursery. Staff make children's individual progress files accessible to them at all times. They provide regular summaries of children's learning and ideas for parents to support their children's learning at home. Parents are actively encouraged to share their children's achievements from home with their key person. This means staff can plan effectively for the next steps in children's learning because they have a full picture of children's development, both in and outside the nursery.

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

Children's transitions into the nursery are managed very effectively. This makes the experience pleasant for both the child and their family. For example, prior to the placement beginning the child's key person makes a home visit to meet the child in a familiar environment and to start the bonding process. Settling-in visits are arranged according to children's individual needs and they are also allocated a 'significant second' who covers any absences and shift patterns of the main key person. This provides continuity and stability for children and parents. Consequently, children soon settle in the nursery and are happy to attend. This means they are emotionally secure, which provides a secure base for their learning and development.

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

Children learn to behave well. Staff provide secure boundaries so children know what is expected of them and they are good role models for children to follow. For example, they acknowledge children's efforts and achievements with meaningful praise. This makes children feel good about themselves and raises their self-esteem. Toddlers and older children are provided with good opportunities to work together in small groups at certain times throughout the day. This means they learn to cooperate, take turns, express their ideas and develop their concentration skills. For example, a group of older children take turns to select a word card and have a go at spelling the word phonetically. This prepares children well for similar activities they will encounter at school. Staff actively encourage children to develop a responsible attitude to their own personal safety from a young age. For instance, they encourage them to help put away the toys after use, to keep the

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

environment tidy and prevent trips and falls. They are further taught to take care of the environment by placing items, such as used paper, into recycling bins.

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

Staff give good attention to promoting children's good health. For example, they follow effective practices when changing nappies to prevent the spread of infection. They provide good support and guidance to help children manage their self-care, such as teaching toddlers how to rub soap into their hands as they wash them, to dry them using a paper towel and to put this in the bin afterwards. Children have ongoing access to the outdoor area throughout the day, which means they benefit fully from lots of fresh air and physical exercise. They develop good physical skills as they pedal and push wheeled toys and dig in the sand with spades. Children relish the time they spend outdoors and the new dimension this brings to their play. Staff also delight in this too. For example, when it rains staff are not fazed by this, they simply help children to put on wellingtons and waterproofs, put up their umbrellas and to carry on playing. As a result, children delight in

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

splashing in and using water in puddles to 'paint' with large brushes and making marks in the mud with sticks. However, there is not a rich range of resources to fully support children's imaginative play in the outdoor area. This means children are not supported as well as they could be in dressing up and acting out different scenarios. Children are provided with nutritious meals and snacks that further promote their good health. Staff sit with children to eat at lunch time, which promotes a calm and family orientated environment. Older children have good opportunities to develop their independence as they serve themselves second helpings and develop their social skills as they join in with conversations initiated by staff.

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provision

Staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities in meeting the welfare requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. For example, they all attend safeguarding training in line with their roles and responsibilities. Consequently, they have a very good understanding of the potential signs of abuse and neglect and fully understand the procedures for reporting and monitoring any child protection concerns. This includes the procedures for sharing concerns about other adults working with children. There are thorough recruitment and vetting procedures in place, which means all necessary checks are carried out and informed decisions about staff's suitability to work with children are made by management. New staff undergo a detailed induction programme, which ensures they fully understand how the service operates. The premises are secure and potential risks to children's safety are minimised effectively. Staff

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provision

are deployed effectively around the nursery, which means the required adult-to-child ratios are maintained and that children are supervised well at all times. This promotes children's safety and significantly contributes to meeting their needs.

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provision

Management and staffs' commitment to improving the provision for children is good. Good use is made of self-evaluation and reflective practice and the local authority 'quality conversation' programme, to identify the nursery's strengths and areas for improvement. This enables management to devise a clear development plan in order to sustain improvement over time. Parents are fully involved in the process through the use of questionnaires, a comments box and discussions. Their views are valued and any suggestions for improvement are responded to positively. This means they help to shape the service to meet their needs and those of their children. For example, when several parents wanted guidance on how to support their children's mathematical development staff provided a workshop to give them advice and ideas. All recommendations for improvement raised at the last inspection have been addressed successfully, which has

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provision

further enhanced the opportunities for children to use their independence and the recording of children's progress so this is more precise in identifying the next steps in their learning. Effective tracking arrangements are in place to monitor the progress of all children in the nursery. These are used effectively by staff and management to identify any gaps in children's learning and decide how these can be addressed so they reach their full potential.

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provision

The programme of professional development and performance management of staff is good. All staff are well-qualified and are supported well by management to enhance their skills further. For example, through peer observations, regular supervisions, discussions at staff meetings and an annual appraisal and further training opportunities. Any issues of underperformance are tackled by management in a sensitive and supportive manner to bring about improvement. Staff establish and maintain good relationships with parents. Parents receive good information about the service when the placement begins and on an ongoing basis. For example, a daily diary for very young children provides good information about their child's day, such as sleep and feeding patterns. This information assures parents that their children are receiving continuity in their care. Comments expressed by parents demonstrate that they are very happy with the care and education

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provision

their children receive. For example, they say staff are friendly and approachable, meet their children's individual needs well and that they are pleased with the progress their children are making. Staff work well with other professionals involved in children's care and learning. For example, they have strong links with local schools and work together to ensure the transition to school is a smooth experience for children.

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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 512423 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 869449

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 93 Name of provider Leeds City Council Date of previous inspection 11/07/2011 Telephone number 01132822319

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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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