Kids Planet Bromley

The Learning Journey Day Nursery 64 Bromley, BRIERLEY HILL, West Midlands, DY5 4PJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/05/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 good understanding of how children learn and plan effectively to ensure a balance of activities across the areas of learning.  Staff demonstrate good teaching skills and promote children's speech and language acquisition extremely well.  Children are happy, settled and have good emotional attachments to their key person.  Children benefit from the effective partnerships that exist between their child's key person and their parents.  Safeguarding is given high priority as staff are very aware of safeguarding requirements, which means children are kept safe.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always maximise opportunities for children to fully participate during activities, such as story time.  There is scope to enhance children's learning about the environment in the outdoor area.  The setting has yet to fully extend partnerships with schools and other settings in order that children's information is shared effectively.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the interactions between the staff and the children during their play.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector went on a tour of the setting and viewed the equipment and resources available to the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed a sample of the children's development records including planning and progress checks.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of the setting documentation including, Disclosure and Barring Services checks, qualifications, policies and procedures and risk assessments.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed the self-evaluation form and the action plan of the setting and discussed these with staff.

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Information about the setting

The Learning Journey Day Nursery was registered in 2013 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in the Brierley Hill area of Dudley, and is managed by a private owner. The setting operates from four playrooms and there are two enclosed areas available for outdoor play. It serves the local area and is accessible to all children. There are seven staff employed, of whom one holds a qualification at level 5, one at level 4, one at level 2 and four hold early years qualifications at level 3. The setting opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting receives support from the local authority. There are currently 60 children attending who are in the early years age group. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children with special educational needs

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

 enrich opportunities for all children to participate during story time, in order to further develop their levels of concentration and self-confidence

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

 enhance the outdoor area, for example, by providing areas for planting and digging to enrich children's learning about the environment around them

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

 extend partnerships with schools and other providers to ensure that children's information is shared in order to further support children's care and learning.

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who attend

Staff know the children extremely well and talk confidently about where they are in their learning and development. They have a good awareness of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and understand the characteristics of effective learning. Staff translate this effectively into practice, evaluating their observations of children as they play, to identify the next steps in their learning and plan for their continuing progress. They observe and assess children when they start, which means they identify children's starting points along with any special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff support children's special educational needs effectively. For example, they provide specific areas to assist with their learning and development, such as a sensory room and a communication area. This means that the setting values all children's individual needs and supports them to make good progress.

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who attend

Children's developmental progress is monitored effectively to ensure that they are working comfortably within the expected development band for their age. This helps to ensure that children are prepared for school and any concerns about their development are quickly identified and consistently managed. Each child has a written 'learning journey' in which staff record their observations, along with photographic evidence. These are shared with parents to keep them informed about their children's developmental progress. Staff complete the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. Any areas of concern that staff identify as potentially needing to be addressed, with the help of external agencies, are shared with parents. Parents are encouraged to contribute to their children's learning by recording what their children are doing at home. This means that staff can then take this into account to ensure that their planning is firmly rooted in

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who attend

Teaching is good as staff engage well in children's play and become involved in their activities with appropriate interactions. Children's speech and language is promoted at every opportunity including meal times and nappy changing times. Staff engage children in conversation and model taking turns, asking questions to challenge their thinking and giving them time to process the question before answering. The setting has established activities during the day, such as story time. However, there is scope to extend this activity to ensure that all children have the opportunity to fully participate and develop their concentration levels. Staff skilfully extend activities to promote early mathematical skills, such as counting and shape recognition. For example, when making salt dough children are encouraged to count the number of rolling pins on the table and to identify different shaped cutters. Children enjoy manipulating the salt dough and are encouraged

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who attend

to use different equipment to make marks. They have opportunities for painting and using scissors for cutting. These activities promote children's small physical skills and their creativity effectively. Children demonstrate their imaginative and creative skills while playing in the role-play area, as they make food for their friends. Staff's good teaching techniques mean that children progress and learn well, and acquire effective skills for their next stage of learning.

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

The setting has a strong key-person system, which means that all children form strong attachments with staff, when they start. Staff spend time settling new children so that their physical and emotional well-being is met effectively. Younger children seek out familiar staff for cuddles and all children are confident to approach staff for help when needed. The layout of the rooms allows children to make choices for themselves from a range of equipment. Children show confidence as they make decisions about their own play activities. Staff are good role models; they treat children respectfully and work well as a team. Children learn how to behave as staff model good manners and speech; staff also remind children of behaviour boundaries. The staff use praise and positive encouragement regularly, such as 'well done' to acknowledge and reward children. This means that children's confidence and self-esteem is well promoted.

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

Staff provide children with nutritious food and snacks throughout the day, which supports children's secure understanding of the importance of being healthy. The setting gains information from parents when children start about their interests and care routines, including any medical needs or special dietary requirements, to ensure they remain healthy and safe. The setting has incorporated physical activity sessions where children are able to move their bodies in different ways and develop control over their large muscle movements. In addition to this, they have access to equipment, which also helps to extend their physical skills further. However, there is scope to extend the resources available in the outdoor area, which reflect the environment, such as by providing planting and digging areas. All children are able to help themselves to fresh drinking water throughout the session. Older children competently learn to manage their own personal

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

hygiene and develop their understanding of cleanliness. Staff support children consistently in learning about hygiene routines, for example, they remind children to wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating. As a result, children are competent in managing their personal needs, which prepares them for their move to other settings and school.

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

The setting is safe and secure as staff undertake daily checks and regular risk assessments. Children practise regular fire drills, which help them to learn about what to do in the event of an emergency. Children learn about risks as they use equipment, such as scissors, and are well supported by staff. This enables them to learn how to keep themselves safe and develop skills to underpin their further learning. Regular visits to different rooms within the setting allows children the opportunity to play with other children and develop friendships, which also helps to prepare them for their next stage in learning. Children have effective continuity of care and learning because staff make sure that when children change rooms, they are extremely secure in their attachments and parents are fully involved. All babies and young children have planned visits before moving to another room with their key person. They spend time with the children to build up the

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

visits to ensure that their moves into another room are smooth.

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provision

Children's welfare is safeguarded as staff have a secure knowledge of child protection procedures. The management team clearly communicate and give guidance to staff to help them understand and implement safeguarding policies and procedures. This helps to promote the welfare of the children. The premises are secure and safe for children and staff are deployed effectively to support their care and learning. Staff implement clear and concise risk assessments and all hazards are identified and minimised. This results in children benefiting from a safe and secure environment, both indoors and outdoors. Detailed procedures for vetting and assessing the suitability of staff are in place. Clear induction procedures help new staff to be confident in implementing the setting's policies and procedures effectively. All required documentation is maintained and kept securely on site. The management team is clear about their responsibilities to meet the safeguarding

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provision

and welfare requirements. All staff demonstrate a strong knowledge of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and closely monitor the effectiveness of the educational programme. They understand how children develop and learn and provide a wide range of activities suited to the individual needs of the children. Partnerships with parents and carers are good because staff develop a number of ways to help them feel comfortable and welcomed. Parents exchange information with staff at the beginning and end of the day and are encouraged to give feedback on their experiences, likes and dislikes by completing questionnaires. The information and ideas are used to drive forward the setting to ensure it meets everyone's individual needs. Feedback from parents indicates that the staff are approachable and that the environment is immaculate and beautifully presented. They describe how they feel confident in leaving their child at

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provision

the setting and that they are very happy with the opportunities offered to their children. Staff listen to the views of the children and their interests and ideas help to influence activities and routines for the day. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well cared for by caring and experienced staff. Health care professionals and other outside agencies regularly visit the setting to help children learn and develop to their full potential. For example, they hold regular meetings to discuss progress and set precise individual targets that are implemented well by all staff. Through well-planned interventions, the setting ensures all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported to be fully included. The setting values sharing information with other early years providers, in order to provide continuity of care and learning for children. Links with other professionals, such as the local authority advisers,

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provision

are becoming well established and ensure that the setting is continually updated on current childcare issues and trends. The setting is also in the process of extending links with local schools and other providers, to promote continuity in children's care and learning further.

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provision

The management team monitors staff performance effectively through regular supervision meetings and appraisals. Staff are suitably qualified for their roles and have access to ongoing training in order to further enhance their practice. As a result of this, the setting demonstrates a clear capacity to improve outcomes for children. The owner demonstrates a high level of commitment to the setting and is inspired to drive forward improvements. Self-evaluation and well-targeted action plans are in place and are developed in conjunction with staff, parents and 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 EY471673 Local authority Dudley Inspection number 948354 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 85 Number of children on roll 60 Name of provider The Learning Journey Day Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01384261615

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Setting details

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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