Scarcroft Green Nursery

Scarcroft Green 54a Nunthorpe Road, York, North Yorkshire, YO23 1BP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 01/04/2014 16/09/2008

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early years provision

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

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This provision is good

 Partnerships with parents are excellent. This ensures information about children's individual care and learning is shared in a highly effective manner. Consequently, children settle extremely well and parents have complete faith and trust in the staff who care for them.  The caring and very nurturing environment created by staff in the baby room is a particular strength of the nursery. Consequently, children develop a keen interest in finding things out from a very young age.  The nursery is led and managed very effectively, with high priority being given to providing a safe and secure environment and to evaluating the quality of the service. This means children are well protected and the outcomes for their care and learning are continually enhanced.  Staff are skilled practitioners who are confident in their teaching and promote and support children's learning well through a wide range of interesting activities.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Older children are not always encouraged or supported by staff to enjoy and benefit from the social aspect of lunchtime.  There is scope to enhance the opportunities for children to play imaginatively and use their investigation skills in the outdoor area.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the premises and observed children playing in the playrooms and the outdoor area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector met with the manager and spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and discussed the provider's improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's records, planning documents and policies.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector undertook a joint observation with the manager of a number activity that involved a group of children in the toddler room.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Scarcroft Green was registered in 2003 and is on the Early Years Register. It operates from two-storey premises sited in the grounds of Scarcroft Primary School in the Scarcroft Road area of York. It is managed by York Childcare Ltd, which is overseen by a board of trustees. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. Children are cared for in three rooms and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. There is no lift access to the first floor. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, one holds level 2, one holds level 4, one holds level 5, two have Early Years Professional Status and one has Qualified Teacher Status. A cook is also employed. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 8am until 6pm all year round, except for Bank Holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year. Children attend for a variety of sessions and there are currently

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Information about the setting

110 on roll in the early years age range. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. It supports children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 strengthen the organisation of lunchtime in the older children's room so the opportunities for them to benefit from the social experience are maximised, for example, by staff sitting with children as they eat and initiating conversation

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

 enhance children's imaginative play and opportunities for them to investigate and explore in the outdoor area, for example, by providing props for role play and resources, such as magnifiers, so they can observe objects, such as insects, more closely.

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who attend

Staff are well qualified and are very confident in their teaching. They provide children with a wide range of activities that are planned to meet their individual interests and learning needs. This ensures children are very motivated to learn. As a result, children make good progress in their development and are well equipped with the necessary skills to move on to school when the time comes. Staff caring for very young children fully understand how children of this age learn to make sense of their world through tactile experiences. For example, they provide a large tray on the floor containing oats, toy cars, spoon and containers. Children flock to the area and become fully engrossed in scooping up the oats and transporting them to another tray containing toy animals. This very successfully supports children to develop control of their small muscles. Staff enhance the activity by providing lengths of guttering for children to send toy cars down into the oats, which helps

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who attend

them to learn about cause and effect. Staff keep very detailed and well-presented records of children's progress and these are shared with parents on a regular basis to ensure they are well informed. This sharing of information is reciprocated by parents, who complete 'interests from home' sheets to inform staff of their child's progress in their home environment. This means staff have a holistic view of children's development and can plan precisely for the next steps in their learning.

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who attend

Staff promote children's understanding of mathematical concepts well during activities and everyday routines. For example, toddlers are encouraged to learn about quantity as staff talk to them about having one head, but two arms and legs. Older children are encouraged to join in with head counts when they return indoors. Children are supported very well by staff to learn in different ways. For example, they learn to concentrate and listen as part of a larger group at story time and are given time and opportunities to initiate their own learning. For example, a small group of older children play together with a train track they have set up. After using a dustpan and brush to sweep an area of the floor, an older child decides to make a representative model of this using recyclable items. She confidently selects items she needs, using language well to talk about the process she is following. For example, she says 'This small box will be useful for a handle'. A member

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who attend

of staff observes the child and gives her the time and space to develop her own ideas, providing items, such as glue, when the child asks for these. This means the child can develop autonomy in her learning. A group of children show curiosity and interest in a ladybird they find in the outdoor area. They are fascinated by its spots and in watching it move around on the ground. However, magnifiers are not readily available in the area, so children can use these to observe the very small creature and others they may find much more closely. Consequently, this aspect of their learning is not supported as well as it could be.

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who attend

High priority is given to promoting children's development in communication and language. Staff initiate conversation with children from a very young age as they play. For example, as babies explore items of play food, a member of staff teaches them the names for each item, which successfully supports them to make connections between words and objects. As toddlers play with a selection of toy animals, a member of staff explains one is called a shark. As the child pretends this is flying through the air, the member of staff responds with 'Your shark is high up but sharks like to swim down below in the sea', which supports the child to develop his knowledge in a relaxed way. All rooms in the nursery are well organised and are bright with posters and examples of children's artwork. This provides a stimulating learning environment. Toys and resources are varied and of good quality and are presented to support and encourage children to make independent choices

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who attend

in their learning. Children also know to return these to their storage place after use. For example, babies delight in helping to carry discovery bottles back to the shelf after exploring them. Labelling is used well throughout the nursery to show children how words have meaning and how they are used for a purpose. For example, older children use their name cards to self-register on arrival.

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

Children's transitions into the nursery are managed very well. For example, good information is gathered from parents to ensure staff understand children's individual needs and how to meet them. Settling-in visits are arranged and tailored to children's individual needs so they become familiar with their new environment at their own pace. This means children settle quickly and bond well with their key person because they feel safe and secure. This is crucial in promoting their emotional well-being. Parents praise these arrangements highly and those for helping their child's transition between rooms. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well. For example, staff learn key words to aid communication in the early days. Staff expect children to be capable from a very young age, which means they develop high levels of independence and confidence in their self-care skills. For example, babies are given a flannel and encouraged

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

to try and wipe their own face after mealtimes. They confidently rise to the challenge and staff gain as much pleasure from their achievements as the children do, which demonstrates their very nurturing approach. As children progress through the nursery, an 'independence table' is provided in the room where tissues, cups and a jug of water are stationed for children to help themselves to as needed. Older children are given time to try and put on their own coats before going outside and they are given responsibility for taking their plate back to the serving trolley when they have eaten their lunch. This plays a significant part in preparing children for what is expected of them when they move on to school.

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

Children's good health is promoted very effectively. For example, children are provided with nutritious meals and snacks, and those with special dietary needs are catered for in a very safe manner. Children have good first-hand opportunities to learn about food sourcing and healthy eating. For example, with the support of a parent they grow their own produce on an allotment. They harvest this and bring it back for the cook to include in the menu. Children sit together to eat at lunchtime. However, staff in the older children's room do not organise the activity in a way that enables them to fully engage with children at this time to promote conversation. This means children do not benefit fully from the social experience of mealtimes as well as they could do. Children of all ages have good opportunities to play outdoors several times during the day. This means they benefit from lots of fresh air and develop good physical skills as they use spades to dig,

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

manoeuvre wheeled toys and coordinate their movements as they use equipment for climbing and balancing. Children delight in using their imagination as they pretend to make 'chocolate pies' using wet sand. However, there are not a rich range of resources to support children's role play in the outdoor playhouse. This means children are not supported as well as they could be in acting out domestic situations, for example, in their play.

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

Children are supported by staff very effectively in learning to behave in a safe and considerate manner. For example, they provide children with established boundaries and codes for working together. This means that children know to line up for their head count before going back indoors to make sure everyone is accounted for, and toddlers know to hold onto the banister when walking up and down the stairs to their room. All children are taught to share and be kind to one another. For example, an older child asks another if she can have a pair of scissors back because she has not finished with them, and this is greeted with a positive response from the other child. Staff praise children for their efforts and achievements, which means they have confidence in their abilities, feel good about themselves and have high levels of self-esteem. Children of all ages have valuable opportunities to learn outside the nursery. This enables then to develop confidence in

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

interacting with other adults and to learn about their local community. For example, toddlers recently visited a local Chinese restaurant to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

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provision

The nursery is led and managed well. For example, the manager acts very competently as a leader, mentor and motivator for the staff team. Clear policies and procedures are in place and these are followed consistently. The premises are safe and secure, with closed circuit camera surveillance on the front door. This ensures there is no unauthorised access to the premises. The arrangements for recruitment and vetting are robust and this ensures that all staff working with children are suitable to do so. Regular supervision sessions, peer-on-peer observations and appraisals are used successfully to continually assess staff's ongoing performance and identify further training needs. Any areas of underperformance are addressed promptly. This means practitioners continually develop and hone their skills to support children's care and learning. High priority is given to safeguarding children. Staff all attend training in child protection and are confident in their

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provision

ability to recognise the possible indicators of abuse or neglect. They know to whom they should report any concerns about a child's welfare. The manager has a secure understanding of how to deal with incidents and has notified relevant agencies if these are serious or require further intervention. This ensures children are kept safe.

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provision

The staff team is well qualified, friendly and approachable, and all members work very well together. For example, at the start of their shift they go into all rooms to greet their colleagues and children, which promotes a caring and family-orientated environment. The manager is enthusiastic and driven to providing a good quality service for families, and strives to continually improve this and the outcomes for children's care and learning. Staff, children and parents are fully involved in the monitoring and evaluation process, which promotes an inclusive approach and enables the manager to complete a detailed self- evaluation form and clear development plan. For example, regular team meetings follow a set agenda and enable practitioners to share their views on various topics. Parents can express their opinions at 'parent forum' meetings and children are encouraged to tell staff what it is they like about the nursery. For example, toddlers have taken photographs of

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provision

their favourite things and these are displayed. Staff as key persons meet with their room leader and the manager on a regular basis to analysis the progress children are making. This enables the manager to compile a tracking document that shows the progress of all children in the nursery, to identify any gaps in their learning and decide how these can be addressed, so they reach their full potential. The manager is very receptive to shaping the service to meet the changing needs of parents. For example, a toddler room has been created to meet the increasing demand for places, and the menu reviewed and adapted at the request of some parents.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are outstanding. They receive a wealth of information when the placement starts and on an ongoing basis, so they are fully informed of the service and their children's day. They are fully involved in the life of the nursery. For example, social events are organised to raise funds and enable parents to get to know one another. Parents are unanimous in their praise for the setting. Many took the time to seek out and speak to the inspector to express their comments. For example, they say that they find all practitioners friendly and very approachable, and they are very pleased with the progress their children have made since starting at the setting. They describe the care their children receive as 'excellent' and particularly praise the way staff adapt their practice to meet their children's individual needs. The nursery has forged valuable links with external agencies, and in conjunction with them devises tailored learning plans to support children with

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provision

special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff have very strong links with foundation stage teachers at the local schools, to ensure children's transitions to the next stage in their learning are supported very effectively. For example, teachers are invited to lunch at the nursery, so they can get to know children in a familiar environment. These visits also enable key persons to discuss children's progress with teachers prior to them moving into their care, so their starting points are known and continuity in their learning can be promoted. Children also join in with activities, such as a teddy bears' picnic at the school where the nursery is sited, which further supports relationships and children's transitions.

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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 EY227482 Local authority York Inspection number 957072

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 51 Number of children on roll 110 Name of provider York Childcare Limited Date of previous inspection 16/09/2008 Telephone number 01904 672 696

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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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