Nannas Neighbourhood Nursery

Nannas Neighbourhood Nursery Hazelmere Infant School, Hawthorn Avenue, Colchester, Essex, CO4 3JP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27/06/2013 25/11/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 1 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

 Children flourish in the caring, stimulating and enabling environment and are making excellent progress. They benefit from an imaginative and innovative range of first-hand experiences, which support and promote their learning and development.  Children are sensitively settled into the nursery and build strong bonds with their key person. Consequently, they are happy, confident and secure and are very well prepared for future transitions, both within the nursery and on to school.  The competent and highly motivated leadership team has a strong drive and commitment to continuous improvement. Rigorous self-evaluation enhances the existing high quality practice.  Highly positive and trusting partnerships are established with parents. Open and regular communication between parents and staff supports parents' involvement in their children's learning and a consistent approach to meet children's individual needs.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The outdoor area for babies and toddlers does not offer sufficient shade in hot weather and improvement is required in monitoring and regulating the temperatures in the baby rooms.  There is scope to utilise the growing area in the garden to offer children further opportunities to learn more about the natural world, for example, by growing edible fruits and vegetables for children to care for and sample.

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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 observed activities in the main playrooms and outdoor areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection and discussed activities with them.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector interacted with the children during the inspection and accompanied a small group for part of a Forest School session.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a discussion with the nursery director, area manager and nursery manager and undertook a joint observation with the nursery manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning journey development records, planning documentation, the nursery's self-evaluation form and a selection of policies and children's records.  The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of the staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day and of information included in the nursery's own parent questionnaires.

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Information about the setting

Nannas Neighbourhood Nursery was registered in 2004. It is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery is situated in purpose-built premises in the grounds of Hazelmere Infant School in Colchester, Essex. It is one of two nurseries owned and managed by Nannas Limited. There are four playrooms and three enclosed, outside play areas. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Most staff hold an appropriate level 3 qualification and one staff member has early years professional status. In addition the Director and Area Manager hold early years degrees.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 6.30am until 6.30pm, all year round, except for bank holidays and one week at Christmas time. There are currently 95 children attending, who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for 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. The nursery receives support from the local authority and is a member of the National Day Nurseries Association.

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

 make use of plans to provide more shade in the babies' and toddlers' outside area, to enable children to play more comfortably and safely and ensure the temperature in baby rooms is monitored, and regulated accordingly, particularly during periods of warm weather

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

 offer children further opportunities to learn more about the world and explore change over time, and increase their understanding of healthy food options, for example, by growing edible fruit and vegetables in the nursery growing area which children can care for and sample.

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who attend

Staff have an excellent understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and how young children learn. They have high expectations of what children can achieve and offer a superb, imaginative range of fun activities and learning opportunities to ignite children's interest and support their progress. Consequently, children are highly motivated and keen learners, enthusiastically exploring the rich and stimulating environment using all their senses. Through discussions with parents, and their own observations, the key person gets to know children very well as individuals. This helps them establish children's starting points and plan appropriately challenging activities, tailored to each child's individual needs, to support the next stage in their development. Consequently, children of all ages, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are making extremely rapid progress from their starting points. Children's progress in the prime areas of

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who attend

learning, which are communication and language skills, physical and personal, social and emotional development, are exceptionally well supported, offering an excellent foundation for future learning. This enables the majority of children to reach or exceed the expected development range for their age or significantly reduces any initial shortfall.

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who attend

Children have liberty to flow freely between indoors and outside. They relish playing in the outdoor areas, which are superbly set up and resourced to cover the seven areas of learning. The nursery also has regular use of part of the adjacent school field, offering children the opportunity to run and move freely on grass and negotiate obstacle courses, developing their physical skills and competence. Dynamic, hands-on activities promote children's understanding and exploration of the world. At a weekly Forest School session children excitedly explore a local wood, hunt for bugs, make dream catchers and learn how to use tools to whittle wood. Children delight in making a 'bug hotel' with logs, crates and leafy twigs, in the natural area of the garden, as they learn how to encourage insects. Some flowers have been planted but there is scope to further develop the use of the earthed area, to enhance children's understanding about the growth of edible fruits and

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who attend

vegetables. Spontaneous opportunities are excellently used by staff to extend children's learning. For example, a nest found in one of the trees outside prompted much discussion about the eggs and birds and how nests are made. Photographs taken by staff are displayed in the area the nest was found, to remind the children and encourage further discussion and learning.

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who attend

The nursery is rich in print, with labelling both indoors and outside, helping children to recognise that text has meaning. Labels on their coat pegs and trays help children to recognise their names. Some older children are beginning to form recognisable letters as they write their names. Excellent opportunities are offered to encourage children to freely make marks and practise writing skills, for example, on chalk boards, painting, clipboards and in sand and flour. Staff skilfully encourage those less keen to write, such as some of the boys, by inspiring them to draw plans for dens and other buildings. The children then enthusiastically use tarpaulins, bricks and planks to construct them. An appealing and carefully considered range of books and catalogues, attractively presented for children in cosy areas, encourages children's exploration and appreciation of books. Story-telling is superbly brought to life with the effective use of props and story sacks, which engages

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who attend

children's attention and encourages their own story-telling.

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who attend

Children experience a delightful variety of creative media and textures. Frothy foam ignites children's imagination to make ice creams and children of all ages have access to play dough, sand and water. A stepping stone game offers a fun way of promoting children's learning of colours and shapes. Staff are skilled at promoting children's speech and language and are attentive to children's efforts of communication. They give children time to think and respond to questions or comments. Some Makaton signing is well used to include children with more limited communication skills. Diversity is highly valued and embraced. Children who have English as an additional language are encouraged to use their own language in the nursery, for example, counting in French.

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who attend

Staff rigorously monitor children's progress using detailed 'learning journey' development records. Key persons record accurate and precise observations, which are used to inform weekly planning. Observations are clearly linked to the areas of learning and often supported with photographs and examples of the children's work. Staff systematically and meticulously refer to guidance from Development matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage to make accurate assessments of children's progress. Detailed termly reports, and the progress check at age two, provide summaries of each child's progress and identify well-targeted aspects for their future learning. A development wheel chart clearly tracks and demonstrates children's progress in each area of learning.

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who attend

Excellent partnerships are forged with parents to support children's learning. Key persons offer regular feedback on children's progress and share summaries with parents, as they are completed. Children's development records are readily available for parents to view at any time and excerpts are displayed on the playroom walls, valuing children's achievements. Parents' contributions and comments about children's learning at home are actively invited and welcomed. They are encouraged to support their children's learning at home, for example, by borrowing story sacks and chatter boxes. Parent evenings offer opportunities for parents and the key person to review and discuss their child's progress in detail.

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

The nursery offers an extremely welcoming, stimulating and well-equipped environment, to support children's care, learning and development. Children's artwork adorns the walls and each child's handprint is displayed on a gallery of ceramic tiles lining the main corridor, helping children feel valued and a sense of belonging. An appealing range of toys and resources, including many natural items, are readily available to children in low-level storage, encouraging them to make their own choices and be independent. Following a considered review of the environment, some areas of the nursery have been sensitively and thoughtfully refurbished to offer calmer and more subtle decor. For example, in the baby room there is a neutral, coordinated colour scheme and many natural resources, to help children settle, focus and feel at ease.

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

Staff work very closely with parents to carefully plan a gradual settling-in process, to promote a seamless transition for children from home into the nursery. The child's key person talks with parents in detail about their child and parents complete a care plan covering their child's particular likes, dislikes and care routines. This helps the key person to get to know the child as an individual. Children are offered settling-in sessions of increasing length to ensure that they feel totally secure. Sensitive flexibility regarding the allocation of the key person accommodates children's preferences and bonds with particular staff. Babies settle very well at the nursery and clearly feel happy and secure. They develop close and trusting bonds with their key person and seek them out when visitors are nearby. Warm and affectionate smiles are shared with babies and toddlers who freely snuggle up to their key person for cuddles. Daily diaries are exchanged between

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

parents and the key person and offer an additional means of communication regarding each child's particular well-being and needs.

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

Children have daily opportunities for fresh air, daylight and exercise, developing a healthy lifestyle. They know how to keep themselves safe and learn to judge their capabilities, for example, babies carefully negotiate the small step in the decking and older children confidently climb onto a concrete block when they visit the nearby wood. Much of the time children can freely move between indoors and outside, enabling them to explore and play in their preferred environment. The garden area for the older children is well shaded with trees and a canopy. Staff ensure babies wear hats and sun cream is applied to their skin. However, in hot weather the decked area for babies becomes very warm. The nursery management are exploring possibilities for providing shading to cover more of this area, to enable the babies and toddlers to play more safely and comfortably. The baby room also becomes uncomfortably warm and requires careful regulating. Staff have thermometers in

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

the room to help monitor the temperature.

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

Staff are very good examples and role models of behaviour and treat children with kindness and respect. Children are well behaved. They are learning how to manage their own behaviour and are developing consideration for others. Parents comment on the excellent manners children learn at the nursery. Good behaviour is acknowledged and positively reinforced by staff in a way children can understand. For example, the two- to three-year-olds are shown relevant pictures at a group time as staff remind them to be kind to one another and share toys. Children learn how to keep themselves safe through daily routines and reminders from staff, for example, practising road safety on outings.

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

The nursery provides an imaginative variety of healthy and nutritious snacks, including a varied selection of fruit and vegetables, to help ensure children receive their 'five a day'. Healthy eating is highly promoted and a dietician has been consulted to offer advice and ideas. Children are encouraged to try a variety of textures and tastes, to develop a preference for healthy foods. Parents provide children's packed lunches and they are encouraged to provide healthy options for their children. Examples and pictures of suggestions are available in a folder in reception and a healthy eating week focuses on good food options. Staff encourage children to eat the healthiest items in their lunch boxes first and have discussions with parents, if required, to offer suggestions and alternatives. Excellent hygiene is promoted, with minimal reminders required from staff. Children know to wash their hands before eating and brush their teeth after main meals.

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

Children's progression through the nursery is very well managed, to ensure the move to each new room is a positive experience. Staff provide excellent support to children when they are preparing to move on to school. For example, school uniforms are made available for children to dress up in and staff plan purposeful opportunities for children to visit their new school and encourage visits from teachers. A picture of 'Travelling Ted', the nursery teddy bear, is sent to each school, who return photographs of Ted in the school, which are shared and discussed with the children. As a result, children become more familiar with their new school and are exceptionally well prepared for their transition.

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provision

The leadership and management have an exceptionally high commitment to offering excellent quality care and learning experiences for all children at the nursery. All aspects of the nursery are closely monitored and there is a clear vision and well-documented drive for future improvement. The educational programmes, planning and assessment are rigorously monitored to ensure they offer a breadth of experiences across all areas of learning, to effectively support all children's individual progress and development.

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provision

The safeguarding of children is paramount and clear policies and procedures, plus relevant training, support the excellent practice. Staff at all levels are clear of their roles and responsibilities to protect children from harm. Robust recruitment procedures work effectively in practice, and there is a thorough induction and probationary period, to ensure the suitability of staff. Thorough risk assessments are undertaken to promote children's welfare. The inspection took place following an investigation to ensure the nursery was meeting the Early Years Foundation Stage safeguarding and welfare requirements. Following the visit, a recommendation was made to improve the quality of the accident/injury reporting format. Management subsequently reviewed the relevant policies, procedures and documentation and accident forms have been improved to offer more detail and clarity about any incidents. Self-evaluation has identified the need for

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provision

improved shading in the baby outdoor play area, although this has yet to be taken forward. Parents', children's and staff's views are used to inform ongoing reflection and the rigorous self-evaluation. A detailed, time limited and well-targeted action plan clearly identifies priorities for future development, to raise quality further and support children's ongoing achievements.

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provision

There is an established and effective method of professional development to further improve existing good practice within the nursery. Ongoing staff development is extremely well supported through regular supervision and both in-house and external training. High quality performance is encouraged, recognised and rewarded. This results in high quality practice with the children, through a professional, competent and motivated staff team.

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provision

Extremely positive and trusting partnerships are established with parents. A welcoming foyer area offers parents a wealth of relevant information and staff are readily available to speak to them. Parental involvement is actively encouraged, for example, by joining the 'Friends of the nursery parents' forum. Their views and input are welcomed, both verbally and via questionnaires and a suggestion box. Parents' comments are highly valued and, when appropriate, acted upon. Parents express that they are very happy with the progress their children are making and feel they are kept well informed of their child's learning and development. Partnerships with other settings and early years professionals are very well established, to ensure individual children receive the support they need. There are close links with the nearby children's centre and schools, for example, teachers visit the pre- school to meet and observe children.

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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 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. 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 the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

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 EY288950 Local authority Essex Inspection number 901078

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 56 Number of children on roll 95 Name of provider Nannas Ltd Date of previous inspection 25/11/2009 Telephone number 01206 791501

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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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