Little Wonders Nursery and Educational Services Ltd.

Little Wonders Nursery 50-54 Fishwick Parade, PRESTON, PR1 4XQ

p.1

Inspection date

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

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 4 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

p.1

This provision is good

 Children's learning is effectively promoted because staff plan activities based on children's interests and developmental needs. Clear monitoring of the educational programme ensures all children make good progress in all areas of learning.  Children receive warm, loving care and attention from the staff, promoting their emotional well-being at all times.  Children are protected through robust procedures to prevent them from coming to harm. Staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities and the correct steps to take should they have a concern about a child.  Partnership with parents, other agencies and providers are good. This ensures that children are given access to appropriate help and that they are well supported in their moves into the nursery and on to other settings, including school.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 Resources, such as real and everyday items in the role play areas, are not used to fully promote children's rich imaginary and pretend play.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the playrooms and the outdoor space.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector met with the manager, looked at children's development records, evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working in the nursery and a range of other policies and procedures.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to the manager of the setting, staff members and children during the inspection.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the information from the nursery's development plan, as well as the parents' views spoken to on the day and those expressed in parental questionnaires.

p.2

Information about the setting

Little Wonders Nursery was registration in 2006 on the Early Years Register. It is operated by an organisation, which is run by a charitable committee. The nursery is based within converted premises, situated within walking distance from the town centre of Preston, Lancashire. It serves the local area and is accessible to all children. Children are cared for within three rooms on the ground floor of the property. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. There are 10 members of staff, all of whom hold early years qualifications at level 3 and above, including the manager who has a level 6 qualification. The nursery operates from 8.50am to 11.50am and 12.30pm to 3pm each weekday, term time only. Children attend on a part-time basis. There are currently 58 children, aged from two to under five-years-old on roll. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as children with English as an additional language. The

p.3

Information about the setting

nursery provides funded early years education for two-, three- and four-year-olds.

p.3

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

 extend further children's opportunities to engage in role play, for example, by providing them with more exciting and stimulating resources in the home corner area.

p.3

who attend

Teaching and learning are good. All children in this nursery have access to a good range of activities and resources that cover all areas of learning and encourage them to be interested and motivated to learn. A balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities are provided and children learn through playful and enjoyable experiences. Staff members have a good understanding and knowledge of the learning and development requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. This supports children's good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff observe children's progress and use this information to plan the next steps in their learning. This enables the children to develop appropriate skills and attitudes for the next stage of their learning. The assessment and tracking processes of the children are robust enough to enable each child's key person to successfully complete the progress check at age two years and

p.3

who attend

identify any gaps in their learning. This enables them to be able to identify when early intervention is needed, so that children receive the appropriate support to meet their learning needs.

p.3

who attend

There is a strong focus on promoting children's personal, social and emotional development and they show that they are familiar and comfortable with the daily routines. They explore the rooms with confidence to select their toys and choose the activities they would like to play with. Children benefit from a good balance of independent learning, small group work and whole group activities. For example, staff members are skilled at engaging with children as they choose a book to read and encourage their interaction throughout. This successfully maintains children's interest in the story, which positively promotes children's early literacy skills. Children's further understanding in literacy and mathematics are well supported. For example, children show that they understand the initial sounds of their names as they write their names with paint and sponges and extend their counting skills when singing rhymes. Children use good mathematical language. They

p.3

who attend

name the colours and size of blocks, which they are sorting and count them as they build towers and buildings. Staff acknowledge that they are right and praise them for their efforts. Other children are busy pursuing their interest in the role play area as they act out roles of nurses or superheroes as they care for their patients or save their friends. However, the role play area is not always used to best effect. Practitioners do not extend the resources in this area to enhance children's creativity, for example, through the provision of real life items or resources. As a result, opportunities to extend children's imagination are not always fully explored. Children's communication skills are promoted effectively by staff, who encourage children to share their thoughts and ideas. For example, at circle time, they initiate a discussion about new songs they know and identify the actions to be followed. Staff are able to support children in their home language as

p.4

who attend

well as English. This helps children to settle well when they first start nursery and supports their progress and self-esteem.

p.4

who attend

Children learn about the natural world as they plant flowers, herbs and fruit and learn how to water them to grow effectively. This helps them to learn about growth and change and how to care for things in the environment. Children are provided with a broad range of experiences to develop their physical skills. In the indoor environment, children use scissors to cut paper and card to decorate their pictures, they use paint to create pictures and use knives competently to spread butter on their crackers at snack time. They have access to a large indoor climbing frame with tunnels and a slide where they enjoy chasing their friends. In the outdoor environment, children paint with water and brushes and dig for worms and insects in the soil tray. As a result, children effectively develop the key skills they need for the next steps in their learning, including those required when they attend school. The nursery promotes successful partnerships with parents. Parents and

p.4

who attend

carers are well informed about all aspects of their children's achievements, well-being and development. Staff provide ongoing feedback about children through their daily discussions and regular access to their progress records. This supports parents' involvement in their child's learning and development at home.

p.4

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

The successful key-person system supports children to feel valued and promotes a sense of belonging. Caring practitioners warmly welcome the children and their families. The move from the home into the nursery is managed well through the effective settling-in process. Time is taken to ensure information is gathered with regards to each child's individual needs and care routines. Consequently, children form secure bonds and close attachments with practitioners, confidently seeking them out for reassurance. Children play cooperatively and their behaviour is good. This is because practitioners share consistent expectations and set a good example themselves. The nursery is set up to enable the children to explore and investigate their surroundings. Low-level units enable children to self-select most of the activities and resources, promoting their independence and decision-making skills. Children willingly take on responsibility, for example, tidying

p.4

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

away toys and resources. Staff are skilled at helping children become as independent as possible. For example, children pour their own drinks, prepare their own snack and three- and four-year-olds use a self-registration system in preparation for starting school.

p.5

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

Children understand the importance of good hygiene practices and independently wash their hands before snack time and after toileting. Their understanding of healthy eating is effectively promoted by the provision of fresh drinking water, milk and a range of healthy food at snack time. Children learn to take turns during snack time, as they take a cracker and pass the plate onto their friends. Practitioners teach children about road safety as they go on outings to the local park. Children independently use the slide and climbing apparatus, which helps them to learn about managing risks for themselves. Children also have opportunities to exercise in the fresh air as they take walks into the local community, which further benefits their well-being and physical development.

p.5

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

To help prepare children getting ready for school, staff work closely with local schools and have devised effective transition strategies in partnership with parents. Relationships with parents are very good and they are actively encouraged to contribute to meeting children's needs. Parents chat on a daily basis, either before or after a session. Parents contribute to their child's learning through the sharing of the learning journals and completing the home observations sheets. Staff then plan and provide activities based on information received from parents. As a result, children form strong, secure emotional attachments, which provide a solid foundation to develop their personal, social and emotional skills.

p.5

provision

The nursery manager shows a thorough understanding of her responsibility to meet the welfare and learning requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Safeguarding procedures are good. All staff place high importance on children's safety and have a good awareness of safeguarding issues. They are knowledgeable about the procedures to follow and who to contact in the event of any concerns about children or colleagues. All staff have undertaken safeguarding training and follow procedures and policies to protect children at all times. A clear range of policies and procedures successfully underpin daily practice and regular reviews are carried out. Robust recruitment and vetting systems ensure all adults working with children are suitable to do so. Security is good and staff monitor the door at the beginning and end of the session. Also the door is locked once the session has started. Visitors' identity is checked and they are required to sign in. This

p.5

provision

ensures that an accurate record is maintained of everyone coming in or out of the nursery. Detailed risk assessments are completed and carefully considered to ensure that children remain safe, both indoors and outside. Since the last inspection, the new manager has made effective changes to the practice and procedures within the nursery. This has had a positive impact on the education and care for all children. As a result, children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. Each action set at the last inspection has been met through careful consideration and the development plan sets out clear targets for continued development. The manager observes and evaluates staff performance, which leads to the setting of individual targets and attendance at training courses. Regular supervision ensures staff have opportunities to discuss a range of issues, including their key-person roles and

p.5

provision

There is a good system in place to evaluate the provision, which staff and parents are involved in to ensure continuous improvement. Staff are motivated to provide a very good service to the children and families attending the nursery. Partnerships with parents are well established and they share good information to promote children's learning and care needs. Parents speak highly of the nursery and they feel that staff keep them well informed of their child's learning and development. The nursery has developed good links with local schools and other professionals, in order to identify all children's needs and help them to make good progress. This effectively promotes continuity of care and learning and helps ensure that no child is disadvantaged, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number EY337869 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 963265

p.8

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 58 Name of provider Little Wonders Nursery and Educational Services Ltd Date of previous inspection 05/12/2013 Telephone number 07828 170004 or 07973 340 667

p.8

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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

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,

p.9

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’.

p.10

Type of provision

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

p.10