Little Pumpkins Nursery Ltd

Little Pumpkins Nursery 2-4 Crowther Road, London, SE25 5QW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/04/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children form warm and trusting relationships with the caring team and develop good social skills in preparation for school.  Staff support children's language and communication skills well, including children who are learning English as an additional language.  Staff have a good understanding how children learn and develop, which effectively meets children's individual learning and development needs.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Younger children have fewer opportunities to explore with natural and real materials, so they can learn through their senses about the world around them.  Staff do not consistently give children opportunities for them to be independent when serving their own lunches.

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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 compulsory part 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 children's play in all rooms, and the garden area.  The inspector took into account parents' views during the inspection.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager.  The inspector sampled policies and procedures and children's learning journeys.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the provider, manager and staff at appropriate times throughout the day.

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Information about the setting

Little Pumpkins Nursery registered in 2013. It operates from a converted house in South Norwood, in the London Borough of Croydon, near the town centre. Children mainly come from the local area. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm all year round. The nursery is arranged over two floors containing four rooms. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 22 children attending in the early years age group. This provision is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. The nursery employs eight members of staff including the cook. Of these, the manager holds a qualification at level 4, three staff hold qualifications at level 3, one holds a qualification at level 2 and three staff are unqualified. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for three- and four-year- olds. The nursery supports children learning English as an additional language.

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

 extend opportunities for children to explore a variety of natural materials

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

 provide opportunities for older children to be independent, for example when serving their own meals.

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who attend

Children arrive happy at the nursery and smile as they see staff in the morning. The positive and friendly environment gives children confidence to leave their parents in the morning and they are able to choose activities from the available resources. Staff gather good information from parents about the background of children during the settling in process and this is clearly documented on the registration forms. The information is based on the children's starting points and staff use this effectively to help them plan activities to meet children's specific needs. Staff support children who are learning English as an additional language to strongly support their developing English language skills. Staff observe children through the day and plan well for their interests and their next steps of learning.

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who attend

Staff have good knowledge of the seven areas of learning and how children play through planned activities and from children's interests. Staff actively engage and teach children with flash cards as they show the children different visual pictures on the cards. This develops children's communication and language skills. Staff praise children well for their responses, resulting in children smiling back and clapping, showing their appreciation and contentment. Staff sing to the children to greet them using their names, helping them feel a strong sense of belonging. Children rock from side to side and clap their hands to the songs as they join in enthusiastically. This results in children learning their friends' names and develops their awareness of songs and rhymes. Staff provide musical instruments for children to bang and tap as they explore the different sounds. As a result children are able to use their physical skills as well as creating moves from their imagination. Staff ask

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who attend

children which songs they would like to sing. As a result children are being valued as an individual and are given choices.

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who attend

Children in the baby room have resources set out for them to freely explore, for example construction, musical instruments, sand play, soft fabric book, dolls and role play. However, the younger children do not consistently benefit from opportunities to explore real materials in their play to learn through their senses. There is a large display board for children to use to develop their early writing skills. Staff read books to children as they show interest in the pictures during circle time. Children point to the pictures with excitement as they move closer and smile and develop their language skills as they identify the pictures using words.

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who attend

Children in the pre-school room engage in a creative activity as they use scissors independently to cut their own materials. They ask staff questions throughout the activities, such as 'what are these used for?' Staff encourage children to try and answer their own questions to extend their own knowledge and skills solving problems. As a result children are developing their communication and language of understanding. Children develop good mathematical skills as they count their own materials.

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who attend

Children explore potato at the malleable table as they add their own water to mix the two ingredients together. They talk about the texture and colour, commenting how 'it is soft, white and squidgy'. The children use their imagination well by pretending to be making sandcastles or porridge and staff extend the activity by asking the children if they would like to add colour. Children independently mix the colours remarking 'wow, look it is turning purple; the colours are changing and disappearing'. This results in children developing their communication and language skills as they talk about the colour and texture.

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who attend

Staff in the toddler room provide activities to support the younger children's development. Activities range from exploring books, puzzles, construction role play and using writing equipment. Staff support children well as they fix the puzzles together by looking at pictures provided. As a result children are developing their awareness of shape and space as they work out how to fit pieces together.

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who attend

Children have access to an enclosed garden area where they play energetically throughout their time at the nursery. Children use bicycles and cars with skill, showing they are aware of their environment and safety as they negotiate the space around them.

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

Children are greeted well in the morning as they arrive at the nursery and staff are caring and affectionate, helping children feel comfortable and safe. Children receive many cuddles and show secure attachments with their key person in the nursery. As a result children are happy, confident and secure in the nursery. Children take part in small group activities and staff use positive language to encourage children to be responsive to their own ideas and thinking. Staff meet the children's emotional needs well. Younger children smile when staff walk into the room and snuggle into them for comfort, which supports their well-being. Staff support children through transitions well as they move from home to nursery and room to room. The good key person system they have in place means that children settle well into the nursery as they meet the key person and other staff within the rooms. This results in children moving from each room with the support and guidance

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

from the caring staff. As a result children's well-being is well fostered.

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

Children's care needs are managed well and staff talk to children through their individual care routines such as nappy changing times, helping them build close relationships with their key children. Children are calm and well behaved as they confidently choose their own activities throughout the day. They engage well with each other, talking about whose turn will be next to use a resource. Staff encourage children to develop their resilience, for example when they initially say they are unable to put on their coats, and children help each other to do their own buttons. Staff praise them for their achievement when they succeed. The recognition or their efforts and achievements makes them feel proud and then they go off to play happily.

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

Staff effectively promote children's good health and support their specific dietary needs well. Children learn to manage their personal self-care needs as they wash their hands before they sit for meals and wipe their own noses with tissues. Staff talk to the children about the foods they are eating and what foods are healthy for them. However, staff do not always encourage to serve their own meals so that they gain strong independence skills.

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

The staff ensure the nursery is safe and secure for all children. On entrance to the nursery visitors are asked for their identification, and they are also signed into the visitor's book. Visitors are asked to wear shoe covers whilst in the building to help keep the premises hygienically clean. Children have access to a secure outside area where they are able to play and move around safely each day so they get plenty of fresh air and physical exercise. Staff record details of their daily checks of the areas where children play to help them to promote the children's safety.

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

The nursery is well organised and clean. There is a range of appropriate resources available according to children's ages and needs. Children show great independence as they select a variety of easily accessible play materials that support their learning through play effectively.

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provision

Management and staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements and their responsibilities in protecting children. Management hold regular staff meetings and send staff on relevant training for their own professional development and to help improve the provision. All staff have a good knowledge of learning and development requirements and how to meet children's needs so they make good progress in all areas of learning relevant to their age. Management oversee the assessment and planning for each of the rooms. This helps to ensure consistency in all the rooms and it allows staff and management to identify and specifically support any gaps in children's learning. The staff positively develop children's skills for their next stages of learning to support their readiness for school.

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provision

The management team are committed to continually developing the nursery and provide a high quality service. When they review the nursery they take effective steps to address any areas which need development. For example, they have redecorated the nursery and resources are well organised in the rooms to promote children's independent play. The management team continue to talk to parents about their views about the nursery to help them identify further areas for development to raise standards and outcomes for children.

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provision

Parents speak highly of the nursery staff and the positive impact they have on the children. They value the caring, friendly approach of staff and feel their children are safe and well cared for. The staff share information with the parents about children's learning and development and well-being, which means they have a cohesive approach. The deputy manager makes good links with the local school, for instance when children prepare to move on to school. Management work closely in partnership with the local authority and other professionals to support their ongoing improvement.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY468690 Local authority Croydon Inspection number 938847 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 51 Number of children on roll 22 Name of provider Little Pumpkins Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 07956312065

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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

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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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