Dots 'N' Spots Day Nursery and Out of School Club

Dots 'N' Spots Day Nursery and Out of School Club Ltd Skelton Primary School, Station Lane, Skelton-in-Cleveland, SALTBURN-BY-THE-SEA, Cleveland, TS12 2LR

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/06/2014 12/11/2008

p.1

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

p.1

This provision is good

 Teaching is good because staff demonstrate a secure knowledge and understanding of how children learn. Consequently, all children make good progress given their varying starting points.  Children benefit from secure attachments that promote their emotional well-being and provide a secure foundation for their learning.  Children are kept safeguarded at all times because staff have a very good knowledge and understanding of how to protect the children in their care.  Leadership is strong. All staff embrace reflective practice and work closely together to constantly monitor and evaluate the provision.  Partnership working with parents and other professionals is highly valued. As a result, all children's learning and care needs are very well met.

p.1

It is not yet outstanding because

 Occasionally young children sit for too long, for example during circle time, which sometimes has an impact on their ability to concentrate on their learning.  Opportunities for children to engage in open-ended activities with natural objects and materials are not as well supported indoors as they are outside.

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

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector talked to the managers, staff, children and parents.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching and adult and child interactions indoors and outdoors.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector looked at a sample of children's developmental records.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector checked staff records including suitability checks, qualifications and training.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including planning, policies and procedures and risk assessments.

p.2

Information about the setting

Dots 'N' Spots Children's Day Nursery and Out of School Club Ltd was registered in 2003 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a purpose-built premises in the Skelton area of Cleveland, and is managed by a voluntary committee. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from a building within the grounds of Skelton Primary School and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery employs 28 members of childcare staff. Of these, 23 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, one at level 4, two at level 5, one at level 6 including one with Early Years Professional Status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year, excluding Bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 213 children on roll, 123 of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery

p.3

Information about the setting

provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

p.3

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

 maximise opportunities for younger children to focus and concentrate on their learning, for example, by ensuring they do not sit longer than they need to during circle time

p.3

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

 enrich opportunities for children to access natural and open-ended resources indoors to enhance their exploration and imaginative skills.

p.3

who attend

The quality of teaching is good. Staff have a sound knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and how young children learn. As a result, children enjoy a rich, varied learning experience that meets all seven areas of learning and their individual needs. Parents complete an informative 'All About Me' form when their children first start at the nursery and staff carefully observe children as they play. This means staff gain a good understanding of what children are interested in and what they can already do. Staff continually observe and assess children's development. Observations and assessments are detailed and clearly highlight children's progress and the next steps in their learning. Consequently, any gaps in children's learning and development are quickly highlighted. This means interventions for children who require additional support are quickly sought. As a result, all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities,

p.3

who attend

make good progress in their learning. Staff support children's communication and language development well. They continuously talk to children about what they are doing and engage in their play. Staff model language effectively and support children to repeat words by speaking slowly and making good eye contact. For example, children successfully repeat the names of play food, such as 'carrot', as they play in the home corner. Staff use effective methods to embed children's understanding of language by supporting them to make links between what they see and hear. For example, children listen carefully to the animal sounds, naming them and matching them to the appropriate picture. Staff continuously praise for effort and achievement, which builds children's confidence in using and understanding language. Staff support babies communication skills by making good eye contact and responding gently to them as they point to things that capture their attention. Children have good

p.3

who attend

opportunities to explore and be investigative outdoors. They enjoy digging in the soil, hunting for bugs and playing in the large sandpit. They use their creativity and imagination to build with crates and have great fun making a course with tubes for water to flow down. However, opportunities for children to engage in open-ended activities with natural objects and materials are not as well supported indoors as they are outside. Staff successfully promote children's understanding of number, measure and colour as they play. For example, they discuss how the worm 'looks bigger' as they look at bugs through the magnifying glass and count pieces of pasta into different coloured bowls. Children's physical development is supported well. They learn to climb, balance and control wheeled vehicles. Staff support babies physical development by encouraging them to crawl and pull themselves up to a standing position when they are ready. Babies and toddlers develop

p.4

who attend

strength in their arms and hands through painting with chunky brushes and making marks in sand. Older children exercise their fine muscles by manipulating dough and through using a good variety of mark-making tools, such as pencils. This helps children develop good early writing skills. As a result, children are well equipped with the skills they need for the next stage in their learning.

p.4

who attend

Staff show they highly value parent partnership as they provide very good opportunities for parents to be involved in their children's learning. For example, parents receive regular emails informing them of their children's weekly learning focus so they can support their learning at home. The nursery has an open door policy and parents can request a meeting with their children's key person at any time to suit their needs. The welcoming entrance holds a wealth of information for parents about the nursery, staff and the curriculum. All children have a learning record, which parents have access to and can contribute to at all times. The manager has developed an example learning record file to show prospective parents how their input into the children's learning is valued. Daily sheets provide parents of babies and toddlers with information about their children's feeding, sleeping and intimate care needs. Staff share regular progress reports, including the progress check for

p.4

who attend

children between the age of two and three years, with parents to keep them informed of their children's development. As a result, parents are well informed, feel valued and are fully involved in their children's learning.

p.4

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

Children settle quickly in this caring nursery because staff are kind, compassionate and child focused. The effective key person system ensures children always have a second named key person to cover in the event of a staff absence. This means children feel safe, secure and supported at all times. Key persons meet with parents before children start at the nursery to arrange flexible settling sessions and gather information about children's development and care needs. Staff develop care plans for babies and toddlers to ensure their care routines and individual needs are well supported. For example, babies are cuddled in to bottle feed; sleep safely in cots with their own bedding and nappies are regularly changed to help them feel comfortable. As a result, children make secure attachments and show a high level of emotional well-being. Staff support children to make friendships by singing the 'hello' song in circle time and through supporting them to share

p.5

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

and take turns. However, occasionally young children sit for too long, causing them to become restless, which sometimes has an impact on their ability to focus and concentrate on their learning. Staff support children to be kind, helpful and well mannered. Staff offer lots of praise and encouragement to build children's confidence and self-esteem. Effective reward systems, such as stickers and special tasks help to embed this further. As a result, children are confident, polite and well behaved.

p.5

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

Children of all ages display a strong sense of belonging and confidently explore a well presented and accessible learning environment. The secure outdoor area, which all children have open access to, is highly stimulating. Babies and toddlers have their own dedicated outdoor play space, which is equally stimulating and accessible. This means children have daily access to fresh air and enjoy playing and learning in a safe environment. Children's physical development is promoted well as they learn to walk and run on a variety of different surfaces and gradients, such as grassy banks. They learn about nature as they hunt for bugs, plant and dig. Staff ensure children are safe and support them to learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, children wear high- visibility jackets and understand the rules they should follow when walking from the school to nursery at lunchtime. Staff support children to understand about good hygiene practices

p.5

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

as they wash their hands after playing in the garden, going to the toilet and before eating. Key persons encourage and support babies and toddlers to feed themselves according to their stage of development. Older children eat in a separate dining area, where staff encourage them to set the tables and serve their food at lunch time. As a result, children develop good independence and self-care skills, which help them to be emotionally ready for school.

p.5

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

Children's personal, social and emotional development is well fostered. This promotes children's confidence and their enthusiasm for learning, which helps to ensure children are well-prepared for their transition into school. Staff discuss children's move into the school nursery or next room with teachers and parents, and provide numerous opportunities for children to visit. Consequently, children's move on to the next stage of their learning is smooth. This means children are reassured and their individual learning and care needs are well met.

p.5

provision

The safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are very well met throughout the nursery as the manager has a clear understanding of her responsibilities in meeting these. Children's welfare and well-being are promoted because staff receive training on safeguarding and are knowledgeable of the procedure to follow in the event of a concern about a child. Robust policies and procedures are implemented consistently to ensure all concerns are prioritised and dealt with effectively. Robust risk assessments and thorough daily checks of the indoor and outdoor environments ensure that the nursery is safe for the children who attend. Staff deploy themselves effectively to ensure adult to child ratios are maintained efficiently both indoors and outdoors. Detailed records of visitors are maintained and a register of the children's attendance is in place. Staff supervise children well and are alert in ensuring that children stay safe. Recruitment

p.6

provision

procedures are robust and management implement a thorough induction programme. All staff have completed thorough background checks and hold appropriate qualifications, which ensures that they are suitable to work with children. This means staff are very clear on their roles and responsibilities from the start and of the expectation for high standards. Consequently, children are kept safe and receive high quality learning experiences.

p.6

provision

The nursery is very well run by a knowledgeable, committed and reflective manager. Children are well cared for by highly qualified, motivated and experienced staff. Photographs and information about staff and their roles are displayed. This means that parents are fully aware that their children are cared for by suitable people. Through observing staff practice, the manager monitors the effectiveness of the quality of teaching. Staff performance is monitored through staff supervision and performance reviews, which help to identify future training needs. Professional targets are individually set to support the ongoing development of staff's knowledge and skills, and to enhance the already good quality of practice. Staff access regular training and development opportunities, and regularly meet as a team to further develop the provision. The qualifications of staff and continual professional development have a positive impact on outcomes for children's

p.6

provision

learning and development. For example, recent training on the Boosting Language Auditory Skills and Talking has helped staff to effectively support children with communication delays and difficulties. The highly motivated manager and her team have effective procedures to monitor the overall educational programme for each child. This involves tracking children from their starting points to when they leave, monitoring their progress over time and ensuring any delayed development or gaps in progress can be quickly and effectively addressed. Consequently, all children benefit from a good range of activities and experiences that help them make good progress in their learning and development.

p.6

provision

Self-evaluation is at the core of the nursery's operation and is effectively used to identify priorities for improvement. The manager and her team are committed to providing a high quality learning provision and value partnership working. They gain the views of staff, parents and children, and work with the local authority development worker to identify further areas for development. They have made improvements to practice by addressing the areas identified at the last inspection. Clear action plans and challenging targets for even more improvement means the setting has capacity to improve their already good practice further. The nursery has very good partnerships with other professionals and supporting agencies, such as the speech and language and portage team. This enables them to support families and children, ensure children receive additional help quickly and that everyone is fully included in the nursery. These well-established partnerships with

p.6

provision

relevant professionals ensure any children falling below their expected level of achievement are fully supported. Where appropriate, outside professional help is sought to ensure all children are included and aided to achieve their full potential. Partnership working with parents is very good and staff are committed to involving parents in the nursery. Parents' views are sought and they have opportunities to complete an annual questionnaire. A vast array of thank you cards and written correspondence from parents comment that the 'fantastic' staff go 'above and beyond' to care for their children. They also state that 'staff clearly love their job and it shines through with the care and attention they give'. Parents spoken to on the day of inspection comment on how much progress their children have made and that they 'highly recommend' the 'child friendly' nursery.

p.7

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

p.7

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.8

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.8

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.9

Setting details

Unique reference number EY268443 Local authority Redcar & Cleveland Inspection number 860711

p.9

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 116 Number of children on roll 213 Name of provider Dots 'N' Spots Day Nursery & Out Of School Club Ltd Date of previous inspection 12/11/2008 Telephone number 01287 654930

p.9

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.9

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.9

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.9

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.9

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.10

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.10

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.11

Type of provision

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

p.11