Strawberry Poppets Nursery School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD Telephone: 0300 123 1231 Fax: 0300 123 3159 Minicom: 0161 618 8524 Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk Web: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Strawberry Poppets Nursery School Baneberry Drive Featherstone Wolverhampton Staffordshire WV10 7TR Our Reference 218500

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Monitoring for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Parm Sansoyer, monitored your provision on 13/06/2014 following your inspection where the provision was judged to be inadequate.

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Outcome of monitoring

As a result of our inspection on 19/03/2014, we sent you a notice to improve. If you were set actions at the inspection, or as a result of our subsequent monitoring or investigations, these are included at the end of this letter unless we have already verified that they have been completed.

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Outcome of monitoring

During the monitoring visit the inspector discussed with you the steps you have taken to address the actions raised in the notice to improve. She observed staff working with the children and had discussions with you and your staff. The inspector also spoke to a representative from the local authority and a senior teaching consultant. She looked at the Disclosure and Barring Service checks for all staff, children's observation and assessment records and the planning of activities and a number of written policies. The inspector also looked at your action plan and records of staff supervision.

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Outcome of monitoring

The inspector found that you have developed a comprehensive action plan to address the issues raised at your last inspection. You took immediate action to obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service check for the cook working on the premises. You have also introduced systems to evaluate the quality of the teaching and care and the impact this has on outcomes for children's learning and well-being. This action plan has enabled you to accurately address the areas for improvement identified at your last inspection and to plan for ongoing improvement.

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Outcome of monitoring

You have developed a more robust vetting system, which ensures you obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service check for all staff working on the premises, to secure the children's safety.

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Outcome of monitoring

The inspector found that there is an increased focus on teaching and learning during staff supervision and new systems to observe individual staff practice have recently been introduced to help improve practice. It is clear to see you are keen to develop the staff team as identified staff have been on additional training to increase their skills to improve teaching. Staff report they are more confident about the characteristics of effective learning. The inspector found that staff now provide an environment which offers children increased opportunities to explore freely from a wider range of resources, to convey their ideas. The inspector found that staff place a better focus on supporting the children's communication skills. Staff use more creative strategies to engage children in discussion and focus on the key vocabulary they can introduce during activities. The inspector observed an improvement in the

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Outcome of monitoring

interaction with children. Staff gave children more time to respond during conversation by allowing them time to think and showed a genuine interest in what children say. You have welcomed the support from your local authority to help improve the learning environment, observation and assessment systems and the quality of teaching and learning. The inspector found and you acknowledged more time is required to embed this practice further to ensure staff fully challenge children's learning at every opportunity.

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Outcome of monitoring

The inspector found that there are stronger systems in place to involve parents and carers and other professionals working with the children to identify children's learning priorities. This means children are better supported and receive a more challenging and enjoyable experience. In addition, staff now take into account information that has been gained about the individual learning needs of children when planning activities. Therefore, adult-led activities are better matched to children's abilities, to further extend learning and children show increased levels of involvement and enjoyment. The inspector found that staff place a better focus on valuing the languages children speak at home, by working more confidently with parents to obtain key words, songs and music and using these in children's play and learning. In addition, a written policy in relation to this means staff are clear about their role and parents and carers are clear about what they can expect from the

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Outcome of monitoring

The inspector found that clear strategies are now in place to ensure that the deployment of staff ensures staff meet the individual needs of children when key staff are absent. An increased focus on supporting the children's well-being has resulted in identified staff attending behaviour management training and the behaviour policy has been reviewed and re-issued to all staff. Staff now more confidently support children to talk and learn about the consequences of their behaviour, so that they can learn to keep themselves and others safe. Having considered all the evidence, the inspector is of the opinion that the setting has taken prompt and effective action to address the points for improvement.

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Next steps

The next step will be a full inspection.

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Next steps

I hope that you have found the visit helpful in promoting improvement in your setting. If you have any further queries please contact us on the number at the top of this letter.

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Next steps

Nick Hudson National Director, Early Education

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Action Due date Closed date

obtain an enhanced criminal records disclosure for all persons working on the premises, with specific regards to the cook 24/03/2014 13/06/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure the deployment of staff meet the individual needs of all children 24/03/2014 13/06/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

improve the supervision of staff and monitoring of teaching and children's learning within the nursery to foster a culture of mutual support and continuous improvement 31/03/2014 13/06/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

improve the support given to children to develop the languages they speak at home by providing them with opportunities to use those languages in their play and learning. 31/03/2014 13/06/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure all persons in regular contact with children is suitable by obtaining an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check, with specific regard to the cook (compulsory part of Childcare Register). 24/03/2014 13/06/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

promote all characteristics of effective teaching and learning, with specific regards to supporting children aged over two years to think critically and convey their ideas and to enabling children to play and explore from a range of accessible resources 31/03/2014 13/06/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

increase the support given to children to talk and learn about the consequences of their behaviour and to learn that some behaviour is unacceptable, so that they can learn to keep themselves and others safe, with particular regard to children over three years 31/03/2014 13/06/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

extend learning by using assessment information of children's individual achievements to: identify children's 07/04/2014 13/06/2014 learning priorities in partnership with parents, carers and other practitioners when children attend more than one setting, and to plan enjoyable and challenging experiences in all areas of children's learning so that they are ready for school improve children's communication and language skills for speaking, by, for example, using all opportunities to engage with younger children in turn- taking conversations, model building sentences and introducing new vocabulary, and providing older children with time to think and successfully answer questions 31/03/2014 13/06/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure all persons in regular contact with children is suitable by obtaining an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check, with specific regard to the cook (voluntary part of Childcare Register). 24/03/2014 13/06/2014

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