Media City Nature Kindergarten

Holyrood Day Nursery, Media City Unit 3 Central Park, 3 Ohio Avenue, SALFORD, M50 2GT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/03/2014 29/07/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Staff work closely with parents, which supports continuity of children's care routines and their learning and development.  Staff have a sound knowledge of safeguarding procedures and the action to take if they have any concerns about children's welfare.  Staff regularly observe and assess children playing, which helps to plan relevant next steps and ensure they make consistent progress in relation to their starting points.

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It is not yet good because

 Mealtime routines are not well established. Staff are not able to spend enough time sitting with the children while they are eating. This means their needs are not always met during this time.  Teaching is not consistently good as not all staff's knowledge of child development is secure. This means some activities with younger children are overly adult directed and do not always meet their needs.  Resources in the room for children aged one to two years do not provide many sensory opportunities for them to explore a range of textures and materials.

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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 the staff and children interacting, and children playing indoors and outside.  The inspector spoke to staff, children, parents and the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled safeguarding policies and procedures, risk assessments and all staff's suitability to be working with children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked accident, incident and medication policies and documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled children's observations, and the assessment and planning documentation.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Information about the setting

Holyrood Day Nursery, Media City was registered in 2011 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in purpose-built premises in the Media City UK, Salford, and is managed by Happititots Day Nurseries Limited. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from two open-plan rooms and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery employs 27 members of childcare staff. Of these, 17 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, including one with Early Years Professional Status. The manger holds a degree and four other staff have foundation degrees. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 145 children on roll who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-

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Information about the setting

olds. It supports children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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must:

 ensure staff are appropriately deployed at mealtimes so routines are well organised and staff are clear about their roles and able to support and meet all children's needs

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must:

 develop all staff's knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and child development to ensure that all teaching is consistently good and meets the needs of all children.

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

 improve the accessible resources in the one- to two-year-old room, so children are able to explore a range of textures using their senses, particularly mouthing, for example, by providing baskets of everyday resources made from a range of different materials.

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who attend

Overall, staff have an appropriate understanding of how to meet the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff regularly observe children to find out their current interests and what they can do. These observations feed into the weekly planning, which helps some staff to provide relevant and interesting activities and experiences for the children. Information which parents provide when their children start attending means that staff can monitor children's progress in relation to their starting points. This helps staff to plan activities which provide suitable challenges for children and will interest them. Parents are able to view observations and next steps in their child's online profile. Staff use their observations and assessments to complete the progress check at age two and share these with the parents. Consequently, parents are able to see the progress their children are making and work alongside staff to support

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who attend

Some teaching is good. However, this is not consistent as only some of the staff have a secure knowledge of child development. This results in some activities with younger children being overly adult directed, instead of following the children's lead. For example, toddlers who are enjoying playfully splashing in the water tray are asked not to and given other toys to play which are chosen by staff. In addition, children who are still at the mouthing stage of development are inappropriately asked not to put toys in their mouth. Staff working with children use open-ended questions to engage children in thinking and help them to solve problems. For example, when children are making footprints with paint, staff encourage them to think about how they could do this. Staff follow children's interest in a well-known story, by helping them to make a den from natural materials, which they use to play in and act out the story. Children of all ages enjoy listening to stories and

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who attend

looking at books. The nursery is well equipped with a range of age-appropriate books for all children, many of which have been recently purchased. Babies enjoy looking at and touching textured book with adults. Toddlers enjoy looking at a range of books independently and they confidently take books over to adults, sit on their knee, and look at them together. Older children look at books independently. Adults bring stories to life by being creative. For example, they read stories to children that are set in the woods, while they are all sat on a log in the outdoor woodland area.

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who attend

Children make satisfactory progress in mathematics. They enjoy playing with different shapes and making towers with wooden blocks. Staff encourage children to use numbers while they are playing on crates outside. For example, they say 'one, two, three and jump'. Children enjoy exploring a range of media and materials to support them making progress in expressive arts. Older children enjoy making marks with a range of media, such as paint, chalk and pencils. Children enjoy cutting and sticking with a range of materials and textures to make models and pictures. Babies have access to a range of different textures and textiles in baskets, which they are able to explore using their senses. However, there are less opportunities for the children in the one- to two-year-old room to explore a range of different textures and materials using their senses, particularly mouthing. Children enjoy playing in the outside area and make progress in physical

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who attend

development by climbing on the climbing frames, crates and tyres and by playing on bikes. Toddlers enjoy climbing on the indoor slide and tunnel. Babies have room to crawl and resources to support them in learning to walk.

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who attend

Staff care for a number of children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They liaise with external professionals to implement care and individual educational plans. They are involved in the 'Every Child a Talker' programme which has supported them to develop opportunities to improve children's communication skills. Regular consultations with parents and professionals mean that plans for children's learning and development are regularly checked. This means that as children progress, plans are adjusted to meet their changing needs and achievements. Staff support a number of children who speak English as an additional language. They work with parents to find out key words in children's home languages. This helps them to communicate and reassure children as they settle into the nursery. Dual-language books and visual signs around the nursery further help children to settle and begin to learn English words and understand instructions.

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who attend

Consequently, children are making consistent progress in relation to their starting points, which supports to prepare them for their next stage in learning.

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

Staff work closely with the parents to help children to settle in to their new surroundings. Parents stay for several sessions with their children in the nursery, which enables children to explore their new environment and build relationships with their key person. Consequently, children are happy to leave their parents and are ready to learn through play. Key persons are attentive to children's individual needs. Staff working with the younger children provide cuddles and reassurance when they feel uncertain or tired. Older children have similarly close relationships with their key persons. Consequently, children's personal, social and emotional development is supported. Children are encouraged to eat and drink independently at mealtimes. However, the organisation and routines of mealtimes in the one- to two-year-old room are not effective and do not meet children's needs. Staff are busy doing different organisational things, such as serving food and

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

changing children, which means they are not able to sit with the children and support them while they are eating. The current routine is not well established so children do not know where to sit; children sit down to eat at different times which means they are finished at different times, consequently, some children are eating dessert while others have just started eating their main course. This means some children are sometimes unsettled during this time. The nursery has a planting area, where children enjoy planting herbs and vegetables. This helps children to learn about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. The children all enjoy short group sessions where they sing songs and look at stories; these are now better organised to ensure that children are focused and not distracted by others.

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

Children behave well at the nursery, as staff teach them to share and take turns when playing. Staff model appropriate social manners when talking to each other and to the children, which children copy. For example, children say 'please and thank you'. In addition, consistent praise from staff builds children's confidence and self-esteem and helps to ensure children learn how to manage their own behaviour. Children enjoy playing outside in the nursery's outdoor area. This has a large play area, a woodland area, animals and a planting area. The nursery has chickens and rabbits, which the children enjoy helping to look after. There are three doors which lead outside so all children enjoy good access to the outdoor areas. The nursery has wet weather clothes for the children so they can play outdoors in all weathers. This helps to develop children's physical skills and they benefit from being outside in the fresh air.

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

There are four rooms in the open-plan nursery. The children gradually move to the next room when they ready to do so. They are supported to do this by visits to the new room with their current key person. The nursery encourages children to be independent in all rooms. Children are able to access resources independently. Babies are able to select a range of resources from baskets on the floor, and older children are able to select resources from shelves and baskets. Pegs for coats are at child level, the children self- register when they arrive in the morning, and older children are encouraged to pour drinks. Staff look at books and talk about starting school with the children. These all support children in being confident and being emotionally ready for their next stage in learning.

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provision

This inspection was brought forward following concerns raised by an external agency about weak staff practice at mealtimes and an event that took place in the nursery. An external agency member of staff who was trying to settle two children to sleep fell asleep for around 30 seconds. The manager has since taken steps so that this will not happen again by ensuring that there are more robust methods in place to make sure that senior staff and staff are aware of their role in supporting each other in the room. The nursery no longer employs this member of staff. There is a new, experienced manager who has been in place since January 2014. She is driven and committed to supporting the nursery to improve. However, the inspection confirmed weaknesses in the organisation of lunchtime routines in the room for one- to two-year-olds. Since the last inspection, the new manager has ensured there are more through risk assessments in place for indoor

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provision

and outdoor activities. There is now a computer system to allow her to analyse the children's progress and compare groups of children. Peer observation regularly takes place and has resulted in an increase in staff confidence. The manager has a suitable understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. All staff have undergone safeguarding training. Therefore, they are able to demonstrate an appropriate understanding of what steps they should take if they have any concerns about children in their care. Staff carry out risk assessments and daily visual checks on the indoor and outside environments. These ensure that hazards to children are identified and minimised. For example, staff ensure that cleaning sprays are kept out of children's reach. The nursery is cleaned daily by a cleaner, and staff also carry out daily checks to ensure that it is clean and safe. Regular

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provision

fire evacuations support children in understanding how to keep safe.

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provision

The nursery has robust recruitment procedures. This means that new staff undergo all the necessary checks to ensure their suitability to be working with children. Staff are required to demonstrate their skills in practice before being offered a position. The manager also ensures that new staff provide proof of their qualifications and identity. All staff are checked through the Disclosure and Barring Service, which ensures they are suitable to work with children. An induction programme helps staff to become familiar with the nursery's policies and procedures, including health and safety and safeguarding. Ongoing meetings support staff as they learn their individual roles and responsibilities. The manager completes regular one-to-one supervisions and yearly appraisals of staff. The manager also regulary checks observations and planning. Any issues with staff practice and performance are monitored through additional action plans. This system means the

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provision

manager is aware that not all teaching is good and is supporting staff to develop their knowledge through action plans and meetings. Annual appraisals by the manager enable staff to further their professional development by identifying additional training opportunities. These are sourced through the local borough or in-house training which head office provides. The nursery provides training to apprentices, as well as giving staff opportunities to gain new qualifications. Staff are involved in tracking the progress of their key children. The manager then analyses this data to ensure that there are no gaps in children's learning. Consequently, children are making consistent progress in relation to their starting points. Parents have opportunities to see their children's online learning journals and discuss with key persons the progress their children are making. Regular parents' evenings, daily diaries and verbal discussions further support the two-way flow of

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provision

information. Parents are able to find out what they can do at home to support their children's learning. In addition, parents share information about what they have seen their children do at home, which helps staff to plan activities according to current interests. Parents are also kept up to date with what their children are learning through newsletters, parent information boards and a parents' forum.

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provision

The manager uses self-evaluation to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the educational programmes and environments children play in. The views of the parents and staff are requested in various ways. Children's views are gathered through using displays that encourage children to talk about their views. For example, a display of the outdoor area helps gather the views of parents and children on ideas for development. This helps to put in place plans to support the continuous development of the nursery and promote positive outcomes for children. Current plans are to develop the planning system. External partnerships with professionals, such as doctors and speech and language therapists, work well to support children's individual needs. Staff work closely with healthcare professionals to support the dietary and medical needs of children who attend. Other partnerships help to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Therefore, children

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provision

make consistent progress and are ready for the next stage in their learning.

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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 EY436473 Local authority Salford Inspection number 956126

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 134 Number of children on roll 145 Name of provider Happitots Day Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 29/07/2013 Telephone number 08007819726

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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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