Little Saints Nursery

Little Saints 59 Halefield Street, ST. HELENS, Merseyside, WA10 2DW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/04/2014 17/09/2012

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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

 The staff and manager have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures as they regularly update their knowledge. There are clear monitoring systems in place to ensure children are kept safe and secure.  Children are active and animated learners who are developing skills that will help them make the transition to school at the appropriate time.  Parents are very happy with the care and education their children receive and feel they are making good progress.  Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are very effectively supported through targeted teaching and strong partnerships with health professionals.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to extend how the learning for individual children is evaluated, so that their unique next steps are more clearly identified and used precisely when planning adult-led activities.  There is room to extend supervision to include the effectiveness of teaching, so that all staff and apprentices know exactly what they need to do to help children make very good progress.

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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 and care practices in the playrooms and within the outside play area. She conducted joint observations with the manager, looking at the practice of staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including planning, observations and assessment records. She also looked at a range of policies, staff rotas and attendance registers, as well as information used to assess the suitability of staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to children and staff throughout the day and to parents and carers when they came to collect children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined a sample of organisational and health and safety documentation, looked at the nursery self-evaluation form and held a meeting with the manager and provider.

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Information about the setting

Little Saints was registered in 2012 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from a purpose-built single- storey building close to the town centre in St. Helens. The nursery is owned and managed by a private individual under a company status. It serves the local area and beyond. The nursery is accessible to all children and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications at levels 2 and 3, and the manager and deputy manager hold level 6. The nursery opens Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 109 children on roll in the early years age range. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. It supports 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:

 enhance the current method of planning group activities by clearly identifying and evaluating individual children's unique next steps and using these more precisely

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

 develop staff supervision further by adding specific targets to help staff know exactly what they need to do to be even more effective teachers.

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who attend

Children are supported by an experienced staff team who have a secure understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This means that they can build a strong base on which children can learn. The friendly staff team work closely together, they know children well and this is supported by an effective key-person system. Staff work closely with parents from the start, obtaining a wide range of information about children's individual likes, routines and learning. This information is used effectively to assess children's starting points. Ongoing observations of children are linked to the areas of learning and show which developmental bands children are working in and their next steps. This allows the setting to track children's progress and identify any gaps in their development. However, although planning is clearly based on children's interests, learning is not always clearly evaluated so that children's unique next steps are

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who attend

more precisely identified and used when planning adult-led activities. Nevertheless, staff clearly know children well; they talk confidently about their interests and their next steps in learning and plan a good range of enjoyable experiences. As a result, children show high levels of independence, curiosity and confidence in the setting. This supports them to make good progress in their learning and demonstrate the key skills they need in preparation for starting school.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is good. Most staff use the outdoors very effectively to support children's developing language and literacy. For example, they stop and encourage children to listen to environmental sounds, such as an aeroplane overhead, they draw the initial letters of children's names in the sand and introduce new words when looking closely with children at daffodil bulbs. However, a small number of newer staff have not yet found the right balance between supervision and teaching outdoors and sometimes miss opportunities to extend children's thinking. Babies enjoy joining in with nursery rhymes as they sit on a picnic blanket and jiggle about to the songs. They investigate musical instruments and are inquisitive about the different sounds they make. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities have regular one-to-one sessions with their key person, working in a playful way on speaking and listening skills. Consequently,

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who attend

children are very good communicators and make good progress from their starting points. Children's mathematical skills are enhanced as staff teach them to count and recognise numbers. Staff introduce descriptive words, such as 'big' and 'little', into children's play and support them to understand concepts, such as more and less. For example, children excitedly fill up a homemade bird feeder with seed, while staff ask 'Is that enough or do we need more?' Children become engrossed in transporting water and filling and pouring from different sized containers. They independently push the taps to fill up their buckets, working out how to fit the bucket into the sink. When their clothes get wet as a result, children learn to undress and dress themselves in dry clothes with the support of staff. As a result, children are developing the skills and persistence they will need to be ready for school, when the time comes.

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who attend

The nursery implements good procedures to keep parents informed about their child's learning. For example, parents receive copies of their child's observations and regular summaries of their progress. They have access to their learning records, which keeps them up to date with what their child has been doing. The nursery also sends home regular newsletters, which keeps parents informed about the activities they have planned. In addition, children take turns to take home a special soft toy and parents are encouraged to write an account of any interesting activities the toy and their child have shared. This effective two-way sharing of information results in parents who are very happy with the nursery and who state that 'Staff bend over backwards to help me' and 'My child loves it'.

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

Parents comment that their children have settled in to the nursery quickly and enjoy spending time with their key person. Children are confident, communicative and independent; this shows they are forming secure attachments. Flexible settling-in sessions ensure staff quickly get to know children's likes, dislikes and familiar routines. For example, very new children play while holding on to their comfort blanket, which helps them to feel emotionally secure. Regular visits to the next room and sharing information between key people is very effective in supporting children to make the transition from one room to another. Consequently, children's personal, social and emotional development is well supported. Children are supported in making the transition to nursery or reception class as nursery staff take and collect them and share information with teachers. Younger children play with pre-school children when they are picked up from nursery, and so

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

develop friendships that will continue when they start nursery class.

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

The nursery environment is bright and welcoming and offers children opportunities to play in a number of very well-equipped areas. The playrooms are arranged so children can access resources themselves and have spaces to be messy, as well as cosier, cushioned areas for relaxation. Children play well together and enjoy each other's company, and they help with housekeeping tasks, such as setting the table for lunch and tidying up. Staff speak to children in a calm and quiet way and gently remind them to share and look after the resources. They regularly praise children when they cooperate in play. Consequently, children's behaviour is very good.

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

Children are offered a healthy and nutritious diet that includes fresh fruit and vegetables daily. Older children pour their own drinks and serve themselves at mealtimes, and this helps to promote their growing independence. Posters, discussions and visits to the community garden to grow vegetables help children to learn about healthy eating. Outdoor play is available every day, whatever the weather, and children can ride bicycles, throw and kick balls, balance on crates and dig in sand. This further develops their physical skills and helps children to develop a healthy lifestyle. Staff encourage younger children to negotiate climbing equipment with their support. Consequently, children of all ages are beginning to learn about safety and risk. This attitude helps children to persist with more challenging activities when they eventually move on to school.

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provision

The provider and her manager form a cohesive partnership. They have a good understanding of their responsibilities in meeting both the welfare and the learning and development requirements of the revised Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Safeguarding is good because the manager and staff understand their responsibilities. Staff have recently updated their safeguarding knowledge through training. Staff know what to do if they have a concern about a child, and a current list of contact details is displayed in the nursery. Several staff have current first aid qualifications, and accident and medicine records are robust. The manager ensures that staff are effectively deployed so that children are well supervised at all times. In addition, daily risk assessments ensure all the areas of the nursery are checked and hazards identified. There are effective recruitment and induction procedures in place which ensure

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provision

that all staff have appropriate suitability checks carried out. Consequently, children are safe and protected from harm.

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provision

Self-evaluation is good. The management team have a detailed improvement plan and know how they can improve the nursery further. They welcome suggestions from parents on how they could improve, and act upon advice from the local authority. For example, they have recently reorganised the playrooms after an environmental audit and reviewed how children can most effectively access the outdoor space independently. In addition, staff have regular supervision meetings where they discuss their work and highlight training needs, which are linked to the improvement plan of the nursery. However, the most recent focus has been on developing consistency in observation and planning, with less focus on the improvement of teaching. Consequently, a small number of staff prioritise supervision over teaching in the outdoor area. As a result, they sometimes miss opportunities to clarify and extend children's thinking. The management team have a good

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provision

understanding of children's achievements. They monitor assessments so that they can highlight any gaps in their provision and plan appropriate interventions. For example, they have recently added mark-making resources outside to support early writing.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are good. They comment that their children are very happy in the setting and they feel that the nursery goes above and beyond to support the children and their families. Parents know what their children have been doing because they receive daily diaries. In addition, detailed verbal handovers inform parents what children have been doing that day. Regular parents' meetings and coffee mornings keep parents up to date with their child's development. The nursery have developed effective partnerships with other providers. For example, schools are invited to visit the nursery to see the children in their familiar surroundings, and staff discuss children's progress with other settings they attend. This demonstrates the nursery's commitment to working with other providers to enhance children's learning. In addition, staff work closely with a variety of agencies in order to provide very good levels of support to children and their families.

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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 EY446372 Local authority St. Helens Inspection number 956618

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 74 Number of children on roll 109 Name of provider Fielding Leisure Limited Date of previous inspection 17/09/2012 Telephone number 01744808985

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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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