Children 1st @ Leicester

Children 1st @ Leicester Riverview Day Nursery, Tarragon Road, LEICESTER, Leicestershire, LE2 7ET

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 02/04/2014 20/10/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 1 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 an excellent knowledge of how children learn and provide a rich, varied and imaginative educational programme, with precise assessment and planning for individual children. As a result, children make rapid progress in their learning and development.  Managers and staff have a secure understanding of their role and responsibility to safeguard children. They deploy themselves effectively and work well together as a team. As a result, children's welfare, care and learning needs are met well.  Communications and partnerships with parents are strong and they are provided with high quality information about their children and the nursery provision.  The key person systems is firmly embedded and great care is taken to build strong attachments with all children, which ensures they feel confident and self-assured in the nursery.  The manager and staff are dedicated to providing high quality care and learning for

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This provision is good

children. The rigorous monitoring of all aspects of the setting enables them to clearly target and continue to strengthen practice.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to extend and develop access to the garden to increase opportunities for children to move freely and enjoy outdoor play.

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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 four playrooms and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation and met with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessments records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the providers self-evaluation form and improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day and from information included in the settings own parent survey.

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Information about the setting

Children 1st @ Leicester registered in 2005 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is one of a number of nursery provisions run by Breedon House Nurseries Limited. It operates from a purpose built single storey building on the outskirts of Leicester. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 6pm all year round, except on bank holidays and for a week at Christmas. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 165 children in the early years age range. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for two, three- and four-year old children. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children for whom English is an additional language. There are currently 21 staff working directly with the children, 16 of whom have an appropriate early years qualification. 12 of

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Information about the setting

the staff have qualifications at level three and above. The nursery receives support from the Local Authority. The nursery is a CACHE accredited organisation.

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

 extend opportunities for children to move freely and engage in outdoor play by reviewing access to and making full use of the space available.

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who attend

Managers and staff have a very secure knowledge of how children learn and as a result, teaching is excellent. They know that children learn through play and provide a rich, varied and stimulating indoor environment where children feel secure and are confident to explore. Children's ability to play independently is very well supported through the accessible toys and equipment. As a result, children of all ages are able to confidently make choices about what they wish to play with. Staff know the children very well and complete precise and purposeful observations and assessments of the children on a regular basis. They successfully use these to plan an excellent range of meaningful play and learning opportunities that reflect individual next steps in learning. As a result, children make very rapid progress, enjoy what they are doing and develop the range of skills needed for their next steps in learning. Arrangements to assess children's starting

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who attend

points are excellently implemented and movements within the nursery are very well managed to support continuity of care. In addition, well established and highly successful relationships with other settings support older children's smooth move on to school and the next stage in their learning.

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who attend

The role of parents is highly valued in order to support children's learning and development. Staff speak with parents regularly about what children have been doing and they are actively encouraged to contribute to the initial assessment of children's starting points. This helps to provide a clear baseline from which to monitor progress. In addition, parents have ready access to their children's individual learning journals. They are provided with detailed periodic progress reports, invited to attend parents evenings and meet with their child's key person. Story and play sacks are available to borrow and information about group topics and individual plans for next steps are regularly shared. In addition, parents are encouraged to share what their children have been doing at home. This contributes positively to the two-way exchange of information and means they are provided with an excellent insight into their child's learning. Parents spoken to on the day

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who attend

of the inspection spoke very highly of the excellent progress their children have made. Staff have developed secure systems to enable relevant assessments to be made to inform the progress check at age two, and these are successfully shared with parents.

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who attend

Children's communication and language is extremely well promoted as staff pay very close attention in helping them acquire the necessary skills for the future. Staff talk to children as they play and through everyday routines. For example, they skilfully question and listen to older children as they revisit the morning's activities at circle time. During a painting activity young children's understanding is effectively promoted. Staff repeat and use single words to describe actions and are confident to sit back and give children time to respond. Great care is given to ensure all are provided with the necessary support to be fully included and make rapid progress in their learning. For example, staff use a range of strategies to include and support all children, such as visual time tables and picture cards. Staff talk to parents about language spoken at home and ask for key words, which helps them to meet children's needs. Materials for making marks are widely available and

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who attend

presented in different ways to capture the interest of all children. Young children use their hands and tools with increasing skill to make patterns and marks with paint and in the sand. Older children show their confidence as they write their names on the white board at circle time. Children give meaning to marks as they recognise their individual name cards and dinner mats. They self-register on arrival, choosing their coat peg for the day and find their space at snack and meal times. An excellent range of books and reading materials are readily available and children enjoy the one-to-one experience of sharing them with staff or participating in group story time. Staff provide a broad range of opportunities for children to seek out patterns, count, sort and match through a range of games, activities and everyday routines. For example, younger children count the number of plates at lunch time and explore shape, space and measure as they fill and empty

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who attend

containers of different sizes in the sand and water tray. Staff interact positively with the children and use words, such as 'full and empty' to promote their understanding. Older children successfully count the dots on dice and staff successfully extend learning further as they encourage children to add and take away the dots that they see. Children enjoy being active and enjoy good access to the outdoor play area. They climb slides and throw and catch balls with developing skill. Children show their delight as they participate in team games. Staff successfully motivate and encourage all children to have a go as they take it in turns to navigate a range of obstacles. However, there is scope to develop the available space and increase children's independent access to this area in order to further enhance their opportunities for outdoor play. Children's understanding of the wider world is well promoted through planned and spontaneous activities. They have excellent access

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who attend

to a range of programmable toys and technology in all areas of the nursery. Visitors from the local community are invited into the setting to share their experiences, providing good opportunities for children to learn about and value others.

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

A calm and caring atmosphere creates a positive learning environment for all and children are valued as individuals. A high level of consideration is made to the allocation of each child's key person. This, alongside the complimentary co-worker system, supports very close bonds between children and staff and provides a secure base for children to develop their independence and explore. In addition, parents acknowledge and appreciate the warm and welcoming staff group and the personalised approach. Children show a strong sense of belonging and settle well because staff have a good knowledge of their individual likes, needs and routines from the outset. They work closely with parents to gather all the relevant information and ensure that this is regularly updated to reflect any changes. Face-to-face discussion at drop off and collection and individual diaries provide daily updates of children's routines and opportunities to clarify any issues that may arise.

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

Movements within the setting are very well managed between key persons and parents. In addition, arrangements for the smooth transitions from one setting to another are robust as staff have established very positive partnerships with other providers. For example, staff exchange letters and emails and plan transitional meetings with schools where children will attend.

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

Managers and staff give high regard to the safety of children and ensure that equipment and resources are appropriate to their individual needs. Great care is given to the presentation of activities, providing a stimulating learning environment for children. Children are encouraged to develop healthy lifestyles and learn about the importance of exercise through planned activities indoors and outside. Staff consistently reinforce safe practice with equipment, to instil good habits from an early stage. For example, being mindful of steps and not throwing sand. Children show a good knowledge of how to keep themselves healthy as they wash hands before eating and are offered a balanced range of meals and snacks throughout the day. Details regarding individual dietary needs are discussed and agreed with parents and recorded appropriately. Colour coded place mats help to highlight specifics and staff ensure that they are vigilant and offer the necessary

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

support at meal times. Young children's care needs are well attended too and procedures have been recently reviewed and revisited to ensure that this is maintained consistently. Key persons take primary responsibility for liaising with parents to agree individual routines and care needs and feedback in writing and verbally at the end of each day.

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

Children demonstrate good self-help skills, For example, before playing outside they find and put on their own coats and shoes. Younger children are appropriately supported by staff whilst older children achieve this independently with minimal help from staff. This contributes positively to children's personal, social and emotional development and the skills needed for their next stage in learning, such as school. The calm and harmonious atmosphere supports children's learning and any minor disputes are diffused very quickly. Children get on well together, know what is expected of them, learn to take turns and value one another. Staff consistently acknowledge and celebrate children's achievements. As a result, they have strong self-esteem and confidence.

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provision

The inspection was prioritised following concerns being raised about the management of individual children's dietary and care needs and the transportation of children in an emergency. The inspection found that an incident had occurred and that the action taken was not appropriate in order to fully protect the safety of children. However, as a result managers and staff took immediate and effective action to address this issue and assure children's future safety and well-being. The already comprehensive range of policies and procedures have been revisited, reviewed and extended to include the action that should be taken in the event of a child needing emergency medical attention. This has also been disseminated to other nurseries within the group to ensure good practice is consistent throughout. Staff have completed in house training in order to revisit existing policies and procedures in relation to the management of the dietary and care needs of individual

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provision

children. For example, details of individual requirements, such as nappies, wipes and cream are discussed and agreed in writing with parents. Key persons have primary responsibility to undertake the care needs of specific children, which helps to ensure consistency in care. Furthermore, systems to ensure that senior managers are kept fully informed of individual cases have been implemented. This ensures that detailed records and lines of communication are maintained to ensure that parents and managers are provided with clear and accurate information to minimise the risk of any future ambiguities. Managers and staff demonstrate a passionate approach to the service they provide and are committed to taking swift and necessary action should a gap arise. They share the same vision for continued development and systems for ongoing self-evaluation are effective in identifying a detailed plan for future developments. Managers have a very

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provision

clear overview of the curriculum through the careful monitoring of the educational programmes. Planning and assessments are evaluated to make sure they are consistent and precise and peer observations are regularly undertaken by managers and staff to review practice and teaching. The setting consistently takes account of children's and parent's views, thoughts and feeling, to guide and inform practice. They are actively encouraged and their comments welcomed as they feedback their thoughts through questionnaires, parent partnership groups and suggestion boxes and books.

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provision

Managers and staff have a very good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures mean that staff undergo rigorous suitability checks and have completed training or are committed to do so. All staff complete a comprehensive induction process to help them understand their roles and responsibilities. Arrangements to mentor and support new and less experienced members of staff are effective. In addition, monitoring and performance management tools help managers to provide ongoing support to established members of staff. As a result, any practice or training issues are quickly identified and addressed. Managers and staff work very well together and they pay high regard to each other's strengths and areas of expertise. This effectively promotes a cohesive and positive environment for children to play and learn.

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provision

The setting implements robust risk assessments, which ensures a child friendly and safe environment for children to play and explore with confidence. Staff undertake daily visual checks and remain vigilant at all times. The close working partnerships between staff, supportive managers and effective deployment of staff ensures that the level of supervision is consistently high.

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provision

Managers and staff have formed strong partnerships with parents who value the service highly. They comment that they feel fully informed and involved in their child's care and learning and benefit from comprehensive written and verbal feedback. They state that they feel that 'staff know their children' and work with key persons to ensure that any specific care needs are well managed. Consequently, they feel assured that their children are safe and their needs met at nursery. Parents are invited to attend meetings about their children's progress on a regular basis and to participate in parents partnership groups. An extensive range of information is readily available to parents through display boards, newsletters and updates to keep them informed about current practice. The nursery have developed strong partnerships with other agencies and settings in the area in order to give high levels of support for individual 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 EY315827 Local authority Leicester City Inspection number 956326

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 96 Number of children on roll 165 Name of provider Breedon House Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 20/10/2009 Telephone number 0115 973 2600

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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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