Little Joeys Nursery

Boomerang Safeplay Centre Unit 7/8, Merlin Way, Bowerhill, Melksham, Wiltshire, SN12 6TJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/04/2014 01/11/2012

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early years provision

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

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This provision is good

 Children enjoy being at nursery. They make good progress in their learning because knowledge and capable staff plan interesting activities and opportunities, which support their learning well.  Children become confident learners because staff establish warm and supportive relationships with them.  Staff develop effective partnerships with parents, which enable them to provide effective care and learning for children.  Staff have a clear understanding of the skills children need when they start school, and so plan activities and routines which prepare them well.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always use routines or unplanned opportunities consistently to develop children's counting skills and understanding of number.

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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 children indoors and outdoors.  The inspector spoke to children and parents.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled documentation, such as children's learning records, planning and policies.  The inspector spoke with the manager and staff.

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Information about the setting

The Boomerang Safeplay Centre includes Little Joey's Nursery and Didgeridoo after school club. Didgeridoo registered in 2001, and extended the registration in May 2012, to provide care in the nursery unit for younger children. It is situated on the light industrial estate at Bowerhill, near Melksham, and serves the town of Melksham and the suburb of Bowerhill. Children spend the majority of their time upstairs. They also have use of the soft play area, activity rooms and outdoor play space. Access to the nursery and after school club is by stairs or a lift. Boomerang Safeplay Centre is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. Little Joey's Nursery offers care to children all year round, with the exception of Bank Holidays. The nursery opens Monday to Saturday from 7.30am to 6pm. There are 19 staff who work with the children, of whom nine have childcare qualifications at level 3, and five have a qualification at level

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Information about the setting

2. The manager has a level 6 qualification in Early Years and Childcare. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged three and four years. Didgeridoo after school club and holiday club offers care to school age children. They offer care in the school term from 3pm to 6pm and in the school holidays from 8am to 6pm each day. There are 107 children in the early years age group on roll.

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

 use daily routines and unplanned opportunities more fully to develop children's understanding of number and counting skills.

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who attend

Staff have a good understanding of how children learn, and the knowledge and skills children need when they start school. They organise the rooms effectively and plan interesting and enjoyable activities, which they match well to children's development stage and individual interests. Staff carry out regular observations which they use well to assess children's progress and identify next steps for each child's learning. They use daily opportunities and parents evenings to share children's progress with parents, and to find out from them what children can do and their interests at home. This means that they have a more accurate assessment, and plan suitably challenging activities and opportunities for each child. They quickly identify if children might need additional support and discuss this with parents, involving other specialists where this will be of benefit to the child. Staff attend relevant training, such as outdoor learning, which keeps their skills

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who attend

updated. They use this knowledge to strengthen their teaching further. Consequently, children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress in their learning and become confident learners, who are well prepared for starting school.

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who attend

Staff have a secure understanding of how to develop children's language skills effectively. They provide simple commentaries as babies play and do simple signing with children, which help them to make links between the spoken word and their actions. Staff make sure that children have plentiful reasons to want to talk. Outdoors, children excitedly talk about the items they find on their hunt with magnifying glasses. Staff use questions well so that children are keen to share their ideas, and they to help clarify children's understanding. Staff extend children's vocabulary as they talk with them about the blue water in the shallow tray and the different sea creatures they find in it. They draw children's attention to the way the bubbles change as the children move their hands through the soapy water. Staff listen and respond perceptively to what children want to say, which builds children's confidence and enthusiasm as communicators. Staff sing

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who attend

songs and use simple and fun activities which help children to tune into the different sounds in words and rhyme.

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who attend

Children develop the skills they need for reading and writing. Staff read well-chosen stories to them with expression, which captures their interest. They draw their attention to what is happening in the pictures and ask questions to support their understanding of the story they hear. Staff set out resources such as sand trays, paints, brushes, scissors, paper and crayons so that children have opportunities to explore making marks and drawing. These opportunities develop the hand control needed for writing. Staff use creative activities to give children a purpose for writing. For example, the children have watched the frog spawn in the tank in the classroom as it changed into tadpoles, and make a mobile with drawings and simple words for each stage of the frog's life cycle. Staff have developed excellent activity packs which focus on the different skills children need for writing in readiness for starting school. These include information for parents about

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who attend

how to use them and what children learn, and invite parents to say how their children enjoy the activity.

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who attend

Children learn about their own and other cultures through activities relating to festivals and celebrations, such as Chinese New Year and Easter. They start to learn about the seasons as they grow bulbs and talk about the crops growing the fields around them.

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who attend

Staff plan effective activities for children to develop their counting skills, teaching them to touch each item as they say the number. Children start to learn about shape as they play with balls in the small ball pool and enjoy rolling them across the floor, and as they stack 'crates'. Staff use some unplanned opportunities to talk with children about shapes and size, such as the shadows of hoops changing from circles to ovals as children twirl them. However, staff do not always make effective use of routines, such as mealtimes or unplanned opportunities during play, to develop children's counting skills.

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

Parents highlight that children enjoy being at Boomerang Safeplay Centre. Staff skilfully develop very warm and supportive relationships with children. They use effective systems to find out about children and their care needs, routines and preferences before children start. This means they can meet children's needs and provide consistency with home practices. Staff encourage parents to spend some time with their children when they start at the nursery. They keep parents informed about children's first sessions so that the settling-in process meets their children's needs. Parents are involved in discussions about when their children are ready to move up to the next group. The key persons in each room work closely with each other and the parent to support the child during this time. Consequently, children settle in well when they start and when they move to a new group within the nursery. Staff are vigilant to children's emotional needs and meet these well.

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

Parents comment that staff keep them well informed about how their child has been and discuss any concerns with parents, working closely with them to support children's needs.

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

Children behave very well at nursery. This is because they feel secure and valued. Staff plan and organise the rooms and resources well, which means children are active and interested learners, and can find the resources they want to play with. Staff make good judgements about where children will benefit from playing and exploring independently, and where and how they can join in with the child's play to extend their learning. An appropriate behaviour policy is in place, which staff understand and follow. They are clear about appropriate and consistent methods to manage any inappropriate behaviour well. Staff use effective approaches to promote positive behaviour. They understand the factors that can sometimes affect a child's behaviour, and know when to discuss any concerns with parents or seek advice from the Early Years Inclusion Team. They make effective use of praise and are specific about what children have, so that they understand their

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

achievements. This also motivates children to persevere. Staff use opportunities to share the praise with other adults, which builds children's self-esteem. Staff provide positive role models, they are respectful to children and other adults and have a calm manner. Staff remind children about saying ?please? and ?thank you?. They skilfully develop children's social skills. They use fun activities such as bubble making and ball games, which build up children's confidence as they enjoy playing alongside others.

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

Staff carry out daily safety checks of the rooms, outdoor areas and resources, and supervise children well. They deploy themselves so that children are in sight and/or hearing at all times. Older children start to learn about managing risk as staff include them in carrying out the checks. Staff follow suitable hygiene procedures. Children have individual bedding and staff keep nappy changing areas and toilets clean. Staff remind children to wash their hands and talk with them about what they need to do to make sure they are clean. Children learn to enjoy healthy lifestyles as they enjoy healthy meals and snacks, prepared on the premises. They enjoy being outdoors and develop their confidence in their physical skills as they learn to balance on large tyres, run across the grass, play ball games, climb on the low frame and play on the slide. Children also develop positive attitudes to exercise as they have access to a large soft play area where they can

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

play, climb and explore. Staff also take children to a local park to be physically active.

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

Staff know what children will need to do at school, and organise routines and set expectations which prepare them well. Staff supervise older children as they serve themselves food from large dishes set out on low tables. When children struggle, they talk to them about how to use the large spoon to dig into the food, and they praise and encourage them. They give children opportunities to put on their own coats. They gently remind older children to sit and listen during story time.

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provision

Management have a secure understanding of their responsibilities under the Statutory Framework for Early Years Foundation Stage and have put in place appropriate systems, policies and procedures to fully meet these and to monitor the quality of provision.

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provision

Management have effective systems in place to keep children safe from harm. Staff recruitment systems are thorough, and all staff have had enhanced criminal record checks. Staff know that they must not leave children alone with adults who have not been fully vetted. They supervise children well at all times. New staff go through a comprehensive induction process, which makes sure that they understand all policies and procedures for safeguarding, including child protection, use of mobile phones, whistle blowing and behaviour management. Staff explain key policies and procedures to parents. All staff receive safeguarding training. Of these five have attended training at level 2 and five at level 3. Staff are alert to possible concerns about abuse and understand the procedures they would follow should they have a concern about a child. Management keeps staff focused on their safeguarding responsibilities at staff meetings. Doors into the nursery are

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provision

secure at all times to prevent unauthorised access. Suitable risk assessment is in place for all areas of the provision, indoors and outdoors, and for outings. Children wear high visibility jackets on outings and when playing in the soft play area. Key documentation, such as accident and incident forms are suitably completed and maintained, and discussed with parents. Emergency evacuation drills are regularly completed.

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provision

Management use systems well to evaluate the effectiveness of the provision and to identify priorities for development. They demonstrate there is good capacity to bring about improvement. They have fully addressed actions from the previous inspection. They have also taken effective measures in light of recommendations raised, and are developing a purpose built outdoor area for children, which will extend play opportunities and enable fuller access to the outdoors throughout the year. Management monitors the quality of practice well, for example, through regular supervision sessions, room observations and appraisals. Good systems are in place to monitor individual children's progress. Management regularly sample observations, assessment and planning, and have regular discussions with staff about the progress of their key children. Staff are encouraged to develop their qualifications and attend relevant training to support their role. This has a

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provision

positive impact on the quality of teaching and care they provide.

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provision

Management have a clear understanding of the importance of working in partnership with parents to bring about the best outcomes for children. Parents comment they feel they are well informed and that there is very good communication with them. Management have established with local schools, which support the transition to school, which consider the particular needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They make contact with other settings children in the nursery attend to promote collaborative working. Management have good links with other professionals, which means that they quickly identify and put in place relevant support 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 145794 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 962148 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 86 Number of children on roll 107 Name of provider Gary Cooke Date of previous inspection 01/11/2012 Telephone number 01225 702000

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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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