The Apple Trust Neighbourhood Nursery

The Apple Trust Neighbourhood Nursery Ellis Ashton Street, Huyton, Merseyside, L36 6BH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/04/2014 25/03/2009

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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

 Practitioners use good teaching strategies, supporting children to make good progress relative to their starting points.  Practitioners are good role models of appropriate behaviour, consequently children behave well.  Very good partnerships with parents, local schools and other professionals prepare children very well for their next stage in learning.  The manager has a very good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements, meaning that children are kept safe and enjoy a broad range of learning experiences.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to reconsider the position of displays, to ensure that the children have maximum opportunities to consolidate their learning even further.  The good systems in place for monitoring children's progress have yet to be fully refined, for example, by tracking the progress of specific groups of children.

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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 checked all relevant documentation and scrutinised policies, procedures and record keeping, including written records of accidents, injuries, first aid treatment and risk assessments.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the Early Years Professional.  The inspector checked evidence of staffs' suitability to work with children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the nursery manager, individual staff, parents and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The Apple Trust Neighbourhood Nursery is one of two nurseries run by The Apple Trust. It opened in 2005 and operates from three rooms within a purpose-built building in Huyton. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery operates Monday to Friday from 8am until 5.30pm, all year round. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 36 children attending who are in the early years age group. Children attend from the local community and for a variety of sessions. The setting employs 12 members of childcare staff. All hold appropriate early years qualifications. The manager who holds a childcare qualification at level 6 and two members of staff holds Early Years Professional status. The setting supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The setting receives support from the local authority and has established close

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Information about the setting

links with the local children's centre, primary school and other childcare settings.

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

 reconsider the position of displays, to ensure that the children have maximum opportunities to consolidate their learning even further

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

 refine tracking systems to monitor the progress of specific groups of children.

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who attend

Teaching is good and all practitioners match play-activities to children's individual interests. As a result, children are well motivated to learn. High quality training, such as 'I Can' sessions has had a positive impact on children's development in the areas of learning for communication and language, and personal, social and emotional development. This ensures that all children make good progress in these areas of learning. Furthermore, strong links with parents, who fully contribute towards activities, mean that children are well prepared for school and their next stage of development. Every child has an individual profile and a record of learning that identifies children's progress. Parents contribute to learning booklets, which are sent home on a regular basis as a communication tool. Practitioners plan activities based on information from parents and share ideas from the setting to promote learning opportunities at home. As a result, very good relationships

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who attend

with parents are actively contributing to children's progress and preparation for school.

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who attend

Children use mark-making materials indoors and outdoors, as they practice writing their names or 'painting' the walls, using large brushes and water. Children particularly enjoy art and a range of materials enable children to be creative. They take great pride in showing adults and other children their displayed artwork. However, there is scope to reconsider the position of displays, to ensure that the children have maximum opportunities to consolidate their learning even further.

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who attend

Children develop their knowledge of information and communication technology, competently using technology appropriate to their stage of development. For example, they use toys which switch on and off, computers to retrieve information and software programmes which link to all areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Practitioners join in children's play, role modelling and extending their vocabulary, appropriate to children's stage of development. Children develop their communication and language skills, as they show interest in familiar sounds. For example, children sound out and recognise the initial sound of their own name and their friends, and some older children are starting to read and write their names. Furthermore, children hang their coats up independently, with older children recognising their name and younger children their own photograph. This means that children are learning to develop their language and

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who attend

thinking skills. A range of multicultural resources positively promote respect for all cultures, for example, rhymes, song and expressive arts. Children read and write as appropriate for their stage of development, they particularly enjoy story time and regular visits to the on-site library. Practitioners engage children's interests very well; children take part in role play, for example, they read stories about bakers and baking, which children thoroughly enjoy. Furthermore, the children visited a baker at work, who previously came into the setting and helped the children to bake bread. Practitioners encouraged the children to use a multi-sensory approach when baking, extending their communication and language skills throughout the activity. Therefore, children are highly motivated to learn and consistently display the characteristics of effective learning.

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

Children form strong, secure emotional attachments, providing a solid foundation to develop their personal, social and emotional skills. The sensitive, caring interaction between staff and children, through a strong key person system, ensures that all children form positive and trusting relationships. Children settle well, because practitioners find out appropriate information from parents about their child, before they start at the nursery, to ensure that children's needs are known and effectively met. Children show good control and coordination in large and small movements. They move confidently in the outdoor area and handle equipment, tools and resources effectively. For example, using a range of physical apparatus, children enjoy completing obstacle courses as they climb and balance, challenging themselves to move higher or faster. They are supported by practitioners who know when to intervene and when to let children attempt physical challenges

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

independently. In addition to this, children use tools for planting and digging up vegetables. As a result, they develop their physical skills very well.

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

The learning environment is bright and welcoming, with a readily available range of resources, enabling children to follow their individual interests independently. Staff effectively promote children's independence and sense of responsibility through a good balance of child-initiated and adult-led experiences. For example, at meal times children choose from a healthy and varied menu. Children enjoy the meals and all eat competently, using appropriate cutlery. Practitioners act as good role models, helping children to learn how to be healthy, for example, washing their hands before lunch and providing a healthy balanced diet. Children are able to manage their own self-care, appropriate to their age, because all practitioners provide good guidance and give them time to complete tasks. For example, children competently feed themselves and clear away their crockery and cutlery. Practitioners role model positive communication strategies, to help children understand

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

about acceptable behaviour. Consequently, children's behaviour is good. This ethos is consistent throughout the nursery, resulting in rapid progress in personal social and emotional development for all children.

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provision

The management team have a very good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage, which has a positive impact on the education and care for all children. They work closely with the local authority advisors to improve their provision. As a result, children are making good progress in their learning. A new system developed by the manager is now fully implemented to ensure that all children's learning and development needs are met, in an inclusive, respectful environment. Safeguarding procedures are very robust. All practitioners prioritise children's safety and have a very good awareness of safeguarding issues. They are competent in their knowledge of the procedures to follow and who to contact in the event of any concerns about children or colleagues. The majority of staff hold a paediatric first aid certificate and the manager has completed further epilepsy training. Practitioners are fully aware of who the nursery's designated child protection

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provision

managers are and the process to follow if they are concerned about any issues within their practice. An extensive range of policies and procedures successfully underpin daily practice, and regular reviews are carried out. For example, the nappy changing policy is robust and implemented fully by all practitioners. Extensive risk assessments for all areas of the building, the outdoor area and resources ensure that children's safety remains paramount. Robust recruitment and vetting systems ensure all adults working with children are suitable to do so. As a result, children are safeguarded appropriately.

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provision

Leadership is good and focused improvement plans are in place to secure continuous improvement. All practitioners share a vision to provide an excellent service for the children and their families, attempting to make a positive difference to their lives. They are very well motivated in their continuous professional development and are continually seeking ways to improve. Managers continue to monitor provision within the nursery rooms and ensure that practitioners are deployed effectively, according to qualifications and experience with specific age groups of children. As a result, they have a good understanding of the requirements to effectively monitor all children's skills, abilities and progress. The setting supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and work closely with other professionals. However, the good systems in place for monitoring children's progress have yet to be fully refined, for example, tracking the

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provision

progress of specific groups of children. The setting works closely with the local early year's team who provide training and support, which has enabled practitioners to provide a range of strategies to support learning and development for all children. Effective communication systems ensure that parents are kept fully informed of their children's progress. Photographs and informative displays cover the walls. These illustrate the breadth of activities that children are actively involved in, during their time at the nursery, accompanied by explanations relating to how children learn. Parents contribute to the initial assessment of their children's starting points on entry. They are also provided with a variety of opportunities to support and share information about their children's learning and development at home. The pre-school works very closely with local schools, meaning children are very well prepared for their move on to school. Individual planning for

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provision

children's development is shared with parents and appropriate professionals, such as speech and language therapists, if required. As a result, there is consistent and secure support for children with any identified needs, therefore, all children's needs are met.

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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 EY312526 Local authority Knowsley Inspection number 965467

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 36 Name of provider St Gabriels Area Partnership Enabling Play and Learning for Everyone Ltd Date of previous inspection 25/03/2009 Telephone number 0151 489 4120

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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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