Tortoise Nursery

Tortoise Nursery 7 Wrekin Professional Centre, Holyhead Road, Wellington, TELFORD, Shropshire, TF1 2EH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29/04/2014 08/11/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 4 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Staff have a secure knowledge of how to support children's play and interests and provide a rich and varied environment. Consequently, children are motivated to learn and enjoy their time at the nursery and make good progress from their starting points.  Children feel secure and have a strong sense of belonging due to the nurturing relationships fostered with staff. Interactions are based on a caring and professional relationship and respect for children's feelings.  Strong partnerships with parents and carers results in staff meeting the children's individual care needs and educational needs very well. Consequently, all children are well prepared for their next stage of learning.  The strong leadership team work and robust monitoring of the teaching and learning results in the whole staff team working extremely well together to raise their skills to improve experiences for children and help them make good progress in their learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to further enhance the programme for mathematics to include increased practical opportunities for more able children to consider mathematical concepts in the role-play area, water, sand and the outdoor environment.  On occasions, staff do not introduce children to and encourage them to use the full range of experiences, to help them more fully exploit what is on offer to further enhance their learning.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the play rooms and the outdoor play area.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and carried out a joint observation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of staff working within the nursery, the provider's self- evaluation, action plan and a range of other documentation.  The inspector also took account of the feedback surveys from parents and carers.

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Information about the setting

Tortoise Nursery opened in 2000 and is one of two nurseries, owned by the same proprietor. It is a single-storey building situated in a business and care complex, close to Wellington town centre, Telford. Children access three main rooms and an enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery has sole use of the building and is open each weekday, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round, except bank holidays and one week at Christmas. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 69 children on roll in the early years age range. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of early years education for children aged two-, three- and four-years. The nursery supports with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs nine staff. Of these, seven

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Information about the setting

hold a qualification at level 3 in early years, of whom two are working towards a qualification at level 5, one holds a qualification at level 2 and one is unqualified and working towards a level 3 qualification. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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

 use more fully the role-play area, sand, water and outdoors to provide even more practical opportunities for the more able children to consider mathematical concepts, such as weight, measures and capacity

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

 make the most of the full range of experiences on offer by introducing children to and encouraging them to fully exploit what is on offer, to further enhance their learning.

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who attend

Staff have a secure understanding of how to use the robust observation and assessment system and use it well to plan for the children's individual learning needs and their next steps in learning. They work extremely well with parents and carers when their children first start to fully capture the children's starting points, to help build on their learning. Staff make useful observations of children's learning and parents and carers also actively contribute their own observations of what their children can do. This results in a comprehensive and accurate assessment of each child's stage of development with clear next steps for learning. These next steps are routinely shared with parents, including activity ideas on how they can further support their children at home. This strong, collaborative working result in all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, making good

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who attend

progress in their learning from their starting points. Therefore, children learn the key skills needed for their next steps in learning and are well prepared for school.

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who attend

Children are confident, busy and well engaged by the broad range of experiences on offer to them. Children increase their independence as they move around deciding what to do and show good levels of interest in their play. Children enjoy their day and the routine. For example, children in pre-school respond with delight when they realise it is their daily 'dancing time'. Staff provide good opportunities for all children to be physical both indoors and outdoors. For example, all children have a set time to use outdoors, which results in even the babies making the most of their time outdoors. Indoor, music and movement sessions, tunnels and tents and the parachute are thoroughly enjoyed by the children. Children's communication and language is supported well because staff place a clear focus on ensuring all their interactions with children are meaningful. All staff place a strong emphasis on increasing the children's vocabulary during their play and interactions. For

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who attend

example, all the activities provided have a clear learning intention and therefore, staff give good thought to the concepts and new words they want to introduce to the children. Children in the toddler and pre-school benefit from group time to initiate discussions and children are confident speakers and keen to listen. Staff act as good play partners and are fun and, therefore, children happily involve them in their play. This results in staff skilfully using playful teaching to challenge children's learning and in particular, their thinking and communication. Books and songs are selected carefully, in relation to the children's interests and topics to further reinforce new words, concepts and ideas. All staff, including those caring for the babies, use singing, actions songs and musical instruments well, to capture their interest and promote their communication. For example, in the baby room they use visual aids and puppets to keep children interested and engaged. During

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who attend

activities, staff are fully absorbed with the babies and their interactions. For example, a baby is fascinated by the jelly cubes in the water. The staff show a genuine interest and delight in her fascination and support the child well to explore further.

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who attend

Staff provide a good range of resources for children to build secure foundations for early literacy. Children make sense of symbols and recognise their own names. For example, older and more able children recognise their names as they self-register and learn print carries meaning. Staff place a strong focus on reinforcing sounds and letters during the daily routine and through play. All children have abundance of opportunities to make marks as they use the writing areas, paint, shaving foam, chalk boards, water and sand, freely both indoors and outdoors. For example, in the toddler room, children enjoy using a variety of objects, such as, rolling pins, natural sponges and rags with the paint. All children use a variety of materials to use their senses as they explore resources, such as, natural items, dough, cereals and pasta. Role-play areas and small world toys are presented well and, therefore, children make good use of them. For example, with the

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who attend

farm and tractors on the floor sand is also provided and a suitcase in the role play area inspires the children's imagination. Children's mathematical learning is fostered well. Staff use the daily routine and naturally occurring events for children to consider shape, count and problem solve. Staff reinforce mathematical language well, such as, heavy, more and less with the children and use the computer to help children problem solve, match and recognise numerals. Children have practical opportunities to weigh and measure during baking activities and as they use the rulers to measure the plants they have grown. However, there is scope to further enhance opportunities for the more able children to consider mathematical concepts, such as weight, measures and capacity in the role play area, water, sand and the outdoor environment. Staff provide good opportunities for children to learn about their own and others families, traditions and the natural world. A

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who attend

good range of photographs and pictures placed in the book areas, help create discussion about difference and similarities and children learn about a variety of religious festivals. Children show a keen interest in the outdoors and changes in the environment in relation to the changing seasons. They begin to show a real interest in living things. For example, children identify the different birds that visit the bird table and learn to care for the seeds they have sown in the greenhouse and the herbs they have grown in the garden area.

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

Strong care practices are in place ensuring children's individual needs likes, dislikes and preferences are noted by the staff and used well to meet their individual needs. Each child is assigned a key person who takes responsibility for getting to know the child and their parents and carers, close working results in meeting well their individual care and educational needs. Supporting the children's personal, social and emotional development is a key strength of the nursery. Consequently, children, including babies, are happy, confident and settle quickly into activities and are eager to try new experiences. Children are well behaved and respond well to gentle reminders from staff about how to behave. For example, the expectations of behaviour are displayed in writing and through photographs of the children doing what is expected of them. This results in children easily knowing the agreed codes of behaviour and they learn to respect each other.

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

Staff incorporate good opportunities for children to learn about staying safe. For example, they listen to the parents, and incorporate into planning, any difficulties they may be encountering on keeping children safe. This has resulted in teaching children about the risks of cleaning products and road safety. In addition, they have had the police visit to reinforce key messages about keeping safe. Children show a comprehensive understanding about being healthy and why exercise in important. For example, during snack time, children recall why milk is good for them and talk about calcium for their strong bones and teeth. Another child mentions how other minerals are also in the milk. The nursery is kept clean and hygienic and there are effective systems in place to secure the children's health and well-being. Children benefit from healthy and nutritious meals and snacks, which are enjoyed by the children.

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

The environment is safe and children are supervised well. For example, staff do a head count of the children when the take them outdoors to ensure they are kept safe. The resources are of good quality and used well by the staff team to provide a broad range of experiences around all areas of learning. However, on occasions all staff do not make the most of the full range of experiences on offer by introducing children to and encouraging them to fully exploit all of what is on offer, to further enhance their learning. Secure working relationships with parents and carers, the effective communication amongst the staff team and other settings, results in good transition within the nursery and when they leave to go to school.

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provision

All staff have had recent training on child protection and have up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues, including how to identify signs of possible abuse and neglect. Daily checks of the environment and written risk assessments, ensure areas are safe and children can move safely and freely. In addition, all the required records, policies and procedures are in place to secure the children's safety and welfare.

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provision

The leadership and management team consists of the registered individual, the general manager, who oversees the two nurseries in the group, the manager and deputy. Significant progress has been made since the last inspection and all the actions set at the last inspection have been fully addressed. This has resulted in improving the quality of teaching and learning, securing robust observation and assessment arrangements for children and staff's increased knowledge of child protection issues and keeping children safe. The management team have worked extremely well with the local authority to secure improvement and to develop clear and concise actions plans and use self- evaluation to continue to secure and maintain improvement. The programme for monitoring staff and apprentices' performance is extremely robust and effective. For example, along with the annual appraisals, all staff benefit from supervision every term

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provision

and each staff member is observed monthly by the manager or room supervisor. They place a clear emphasis on using these observations to help staff improve the quality of teaching. For example, a criterion, which includes the characteristics of effective teaching are explored fully at each observation and any action followed through in supervision. This strong focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning is clearly evident in the practice of all staff throughout the nursery and the progress children make. Staff are reflective, enthusiastic and extremely positive about the process and keen to continue to improve their skills, to help children make even better progress.

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provision

Effective partnerships between other professionals, staff and parents and carers means the children's health, education and welfare is supported well. Parents are kept well informed about the provision, curriculum and all aspects of their children's achievements and progress. For example, notice boards, regular newsletters and the website keeps them up-to-date. Parent surveys are very positive, especially praising the nursery about the good progress their children have made. Links with parents and carers continue to strengthen through the effective strategies employed. For example, many parents use the 'I can sheets', to report children's achievements and complete the 'home story' sheets, by writing an account and taking photos of special events to share at nursery.

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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 208279 Local authority Telford & Wrekin Inspection number 963069

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 42 Number of children on roll 69 Name of provider Joy Annice Francis Date of previous inspection 08/11/2013 Telephone number 01952 254040

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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

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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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