Heron Day Nursery

Heron Day Nursery St. Johns Centre, Brick Kiln Lane, WIGAN, Lancashire, WN1 1XH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 02/05/2014 12/06/2013

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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

 The key person system is well embedded, which helps children to form strong emotional attachments and feel secure. Consequently, they are confident to explore the learning environment and make independent choices about their play.  Knowledgeable staff use accurate assessments of children's learning to plan challenging educational programmes. Managers monitor developmental progress well, ensuring that individual needs are targeted and appropriate interventions sought.  Strong partnership working enables staff, parents and other professionals to share information regularly. This provides continuity for children's care and their learning.  Risk assessments are used effectively to minimise hazards in the nursery, to maintain a safe, clean environment. Arrangements for safeguarding children are effective and are well understood by the staff. Therefore, children's welfare is protected and they are kept safe from harm.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children are not always given enough thinking time to put their thoughts into words, to develop their communication and language skills to the optimum level.  Older children's ability to maintain concentration in small group activities is not fully supported, due to the occasional distraction caused by younger groups of children.  Opportunities to help children make independent choices about resources to use for their writing and representational drawing are not fully extended.

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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 carried out a tour of the premises.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's activities and staff interaction in the playrooms and the outdoor play area.

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Inspection activities

 Discussions were held with children, individual staff members, both managers of the nursery, a local authority advisor and some parents. A joint observation was carried out with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at documentation, including observations, assessments, planning, systems for tracking children's progress and a sample of other records, including policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, staff training records, the nursery's self-evaluation and improvement plans.

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Information about the setting

Heron Day Nursery was registered in 2007 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in self-contained premises in the town centre area of Wigan and is owned by a private individual. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from the ground and first floor of the building and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery employs twelve members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6, two hold qualifications at level 5, one holds a qualification at level 4, six hold qualifications at level 3 and two hold qualifications at level 2. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 95 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for

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Information about the setting

two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of 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:

 improve the support for children developing language skills; give children enough time to think, so that they can put their thoughts into words to develop their speaking further

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

 review the location used for focussed key group learning in the pre-school room, to ensure that activities promoting children's communication and language development are carried out in an area where children can listen and concentrate consistently, without distraction from their peers

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

 develop further the range and organisation of writing materials to enable children to express and follow their own preferences and interests.

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who attend

During gradual admission visits staff gather information from parents to assess their children's starting points for learning. They use this knowledge of what children can already do, along with their interests, to plan activities that are fun and stimulating. Staff have a good knowledge of the learning and development requirements and observe children well during their play. They assess children's development regularly and plan tailored next steps for individual learning. This means that all children make good progress from their initial starting points. Children's development is tracked very effectively every term, so that staff can offer any additional support to individual learning in a timely manner. Children's individual learning and development records contain annotated photographs, written observations and accurate assessments. Parents record observations from the home environment and staff build on these effectively, by providing

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who attend

complimentary learning opportunities for children. Staff provide resources and ideas to help parents support their children's communication skills and literacy at home. For example, in the pre-school room staff share story books and small activity bags with parents for them to read at home. This enhances children's listening skills and their vocabulary and means that parents are engaged in their children's learning. Staff have completed the progress check for children at age two and write regular developmental reports, which they share with parents. These detail children's progress across all seven areas of learning. Consequently, parents are well informed about their children's development. Staff support children with English as an additional language by asking parents for lists of familiar words to help with their communication skills. For example, parents explain that during settling-in visits they were asked to provide commonly used

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who attend

words and phrases, such as 'mummy is coming back soon'. Children with additional needs and/or disabilities are supported well. Key persons highlight gaps and strengths in children's development, through accurate regular assessments of their learning. Managers seek additional support, when required, from other professionals to support children's learning and development.

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who attend

Children are happy in the nursery and are engaged in activities that they enjoy. Staff have high expectations of children and provide good quality learning experiences. Consequently, children are motivated and becoming active, confident learners as they carry out their own ideas with enthusiasm. For example, older children notice that an adult is writing in a note pad. They are confident and happy to start a conversation, asking 'what are you writing about?' Children copy what they see, independently helping themselves to paper and pencils. They begin to write as they watch their peers play, explaining 'this says he's my friend'. This shows that children give meaning to the marks that they make in their emergent writing, supporting their literacy skills. Children's communication skills are enhanced through effective use of implementing ideas from the Letters and Sounds phonics programme. Young children sing familiar rhymes, engaging in

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who attend

the use of rhythm and repeated refrains. They enjoy singing and join in with immense enthusiasm as they build to a shout as the bobbin goes 'snap'. Staff use techniques learnt from attending Every Child a Talker training to enhance children's communication skills. They provide dens, to create small communication friendly spaces for young children to talk and listen to each other. Staff provide focussed, targeted learning activities for small groups of children. This ensures that the learning objective is matched to children's stage of development. Consequently, the teaching is effective at providing appropriate levels of challenge. For example, older children match letters to their sound, and can find on an alphabet chart the initial letter of their name. Babies cuddle in close to staff as they read a story and explore cause and effect as they press buttons on interactive books. They are thrilled and laugh when the book makes animal sounds. Babies repeat this action many

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who attend

times, demonstrating their delight and independent learning. Children draw pictures of themselves and their families, as staff encourage them to think about the colour of their skin and what their hair looks like. This supports children's understanding of differences and diversity, as they explain 'my skin is brown' and 'my daddy has got no hair'. However, opportunities to help children make independent choices about resources to use for writing and representational drawing are not fully extended. This is because many of the coloured pencils need sharpening and are unavailable for children to choose.

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who attend

Babies and young children explore a range of messy play activities to enhance their creativity and sensory development. Babies investigate sensory everyday objects and enjoy looking at themselves in a mirror. They chalk on the floor, making random marks with different strokes, which enhances their physical development. Babies sit on large sheet of paper and delight in exploring the texture of paint which enhances their sensory development. Toddlers play with dough, printing patterns with different textured rollers. They look for matching building blocks, as staff help them to understand similarities and differences of shape and relative size. This enhances their mathematical development and their physical development as they fit comparable pieces together to build towers. Toddlers delight as they jump in response to staff singing action rhymes. Staff support learning well and use a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities to extend

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who attend

children's learning. However, occasionally when staff ask children questions to support their critical thinking, they do not always give them sufficient time to formulate their answer. This means that staff do not consistently develop children's communication and language skills to the optimum level. Children clap as they eagerly count out loud to 20 and use positional language of up, down and under as they move boats around ramps in water play. They accurately describe how their drawings have 'long' legs and 'short' hair which further supports their mathematical development. Through the varied learning opportunities that are provided, children are acquiring skills that will support them when they move on to school.

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

Staff build strong relationships with parents and during the gradual admission process they gather effective information about children's individual needs. This ensures that when children join the nursery key persons are aware of their likes, dislikes and personal routines. This enables staff to build around children's interests, to help them settle and form secure attachments with their key person. Staff respect home routines, ensuring continuity of care, which supports children's well-being. The key person system is well established and staff know children well. Staff act as positive role models for children. They set high expectations and are consistent in supporting children's understanding of boundaries for appropriate behaviour. Children contribute to setting the nursery's golden rules and consequently, they play well together. They learn to share and take turns, which means they are acquiring good social skills and are gaining personal confidence. These are

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

personal attributes that will help children when they move on to school. Staff help children to respect each other's differences, which supports their understanding of diversity. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are helped with their understanding of what is happening next by the use of visual aids. Sleeping children are closely supervised and respected as they are given time to wake up slowly before re- joining the play activities. Staff keep written records of times children sleep, and record how much of their meals children have eaten during the course of the day. Daily diaries are used, as well as discussion at the end of the day, to share accurate information with parents. Key person's support children well as they move rooms through the nursery. This is because they offer emotional security to children as they make new attachments in a different environment. Staff provide continuity for children by sharing information about

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

individual routines and learning and development. Consequently, children are very happy throughout the nursery are demonstrate that they feel safe in their surroundings. When children are getting ready to move on to school, teachers are invited to come and spend time in the nursery and share information with their key person. This helps to provide continuity of care and learning for children. Partnership working has been extended to include the local schools where some children attend. This means that staff are able to provide some complimentary learning experiences for young children who attend the nursery before and after school.

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

Children are emotionally secure and use this confidence to explore the stimulating learning environment. High-quality resources are stored at low level, which enables children to explore their own interests as they help themselves to the resources independently. The learning environment is warm and welcoming. Staff provide children with group learning experiences that develop their social skills and opportunites to enhance their own independence. Smaller, targeted group work enables staff to focus on specific learning objectives. For example, staff use small alphabet tiles to demonstrate to a small group of older children the oral blending of letter sounds. However, the location used for this focussed activity is not conducive to children maintaining their high levels of concentration. This is because they are distracted by the loud noise of toddlers marching past on their way to the bathroom. All children in the nursery have access to an outdoor

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

play area, through a daily rota. This enables staff to plan activities that can be targeted at meeting different groups of children's needs, while ensuring sufficient challenge. Children learn to take appropriate risks in their play, as they walk carefully across the balancing beam. Younger children jump up and down on the swing bridge as they hold onto the supporting chains to keep their balance. This exercise in the fresh air supports their physical development and well-being. Children go on trips into the local community to enhance their learning. For example, they walk to the local park, learning about road safety, as staff explain about how important it is to stop at the kerb. Children are encouraged to look and listen for cars before crossing roads, which helps them learn how to keep themselves safe. They visit the farm to learn about animals and enhance their knowledge of the world. Staff use good effective risk analysis to maintain the safety of the

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

nursery environment and for all outings, which supports children's safety. Children learn about how to keep themselves safe in the event of an emergency, by taking part in regular fire drill practises.

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

Children's health and well-being is well promoted by staff as they ensure children eat meals that are healthy and meet their individual needs. For example, children's weaning preferences and cultural requirements are catered for, which respects family requirements. The nursery provides meals that are nutritious and freshly cooked on the premises. Children are offered an alternative meal if they do not eat their initial lunch. Meals are saved for children who are sleeping, and are served to fit around individual routines. Children are encouraged be independent, as they wash their hands at appropriate times and cut up their own fruit at snack time. Babies and toddlers are encouraged to feed themselves to support their self-help skills. Consequently, children learn to use tools appropriately and begin to make healthy choices about food from an early age. The nursery has received a healthy eating award and a smile award. This is in

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

recognition that it supports children to eat healthy snacks, drink water and to brush their teeth. Therefore, children's good health and well-being are appropriately fostered. Children are asked to help to set the table for lunch by giving out the plates and cups. This gives them a sense of responsibility and boosts their self-esteem. In the pre-school room, children use the bathroom, which is integral to their playroom, independently. Changing areas in the playrooms and bathroom support children's privacy and staff follow hygienic procedures to minimise risks of cross-infection. Staff maintain high standards of cleanliness throughout the nursery, which supports children's good health and well-being. For example, a ramped entrance into nursery leads directly into a small carpeted alcove of the pre-school room. Procedures are in place to ensure children that can play in this quiet area, protected from the risk of cross-infection from dirty buggy wheels.

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provision

Managers have a good knowledge of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. Staff are well aware of their safeguarding responsibilities, as they receive training as part of their induction programme. This training is regularly updated to strengthen their knowledge. Consequently, they are able to explain clearly the nursery's safeguarding policy and the whistleblowing procedure. Staff understand the procedure for the safe use and storage of devices with cameras used on the premises, such as mobile phones. All statutory documentation is well recorded, including investigations into complaints raised, and written responses to parents. Managers monitor accidents and incidents that occur to children in the nursery and those that occur in the home. This supports effective safeguarding of children and demonstrates that managers review and reflect on any actions that can be taken to improve the quality of the provision. Managers are

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provision

experienced and know who to contact, and when to make referrals, to protect children from potential harm. Staff recruitment is robust, and managers have recently updated their training in safer recruitment practices. Consequently, effective vetting procedures are in place to support the protection of children. All staff have Disclosure and Barring Service checks and regularly sign to say that there have been no changes to their circumstances that affect their ability to work with children. This means staff ongoing suitability is very well monitored. Managers explain that new staff are not allowed to work with children unsupervised, until their vetting check is approved. Children are safe because staff use effective risk assessments and appropriate levels of supervision. Before offers of employment are confirmed, potential staff undertake a practical interview, which enables the manager to observe how they relate to children and the effectiveness of their

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provision

interactions. All new staff benefit from an induction programme, which ensures they are aware of the nursery's policies and procedures. Peer observations enable staff to share good practice amongst themselves, supporting collaborative coaching and mentoring. A fingerprint recognition key pad means known familiar people can enter the premises through the main door. It ensures that no other points of entry can be used without assistance of the staff, which supports children's safety.

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provision

Managers have a good understanding of their responsibilities with regard to the learning and development requirements. Staff plan educational programmes that offer high levels of challenge based on regular assessments of individual children's development. These are thoroughly monitored by managers who moderate each key person's observations and assessments to ensure their quality and the progress of individual children. As a result children's learning is supported well, and they make good progress from their starting points. Managers have a good knowledge of early intervention. Effective action is taken to help children with gaps in their learning or further challenge children who have been identified as working at a higher level than their chronological age. Staff have developed strong effective partnership working with parents and other professionals to support children's care and learning. This provides continuity for children and enables

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provision

complimentary learning experiences to be planned effectively.

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provision

Parents make very favourable comments about the nursery. They say that the staff are 'excellent and professional' and that they 'feel 100% safe' to leave children in their care. Parents comment that staff keep them well informed about their children's care and development. Managers of the nursery seek parents' views through discussion and regular questionnaires. This enables their views to be considered, in order to improve the service the nursery provides. Early years advisors from the local authority and from private companies share their expertise with staff, to enhance learning experiences for children. Staff share their views with managers through regular staff meetings and appraisals. They contribute to the action plan of the setting by offering advice on resources that will help further children's development. Managers monitor staff performance by regularly reviewing the effectiveness of their teaching as well as their written records of children's

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provision

learning. These assessments of individual practice are used to inform future training need so that staff are able to refresh their knowledge and further support children's learning. There is a strong ethos of continuing professional development for staff, with many having achieved further professional qualifications. All staff are expected to work towards qualifications at level 3, if they do not already have this, when they join the nursery. Responsibilities of staff and both managers are clearly defined. The managers performances are regularly reviewed and monitored by owners of the nursery, to ensure that they continue to be aware of the high standards expected. Managers have developed a future action plan for the nursery with realistic targets, that are achievable and meaningful. Both recommendations from the previous inspection have been fully addressed. This demonstrates commitment and a desire to drive forward continuous

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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 EY358603 Local authority Wigan Inspection number 966562

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 118 Number of children on roll 95 Name of provider Heron Day Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 12/06/2013 Telephone number 01942202198

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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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