Castle Nurseries at Rye Hill

Rye Hill Community Nursery Rye Hill Nursery, Colby Court, NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, Tyne and Wear, NE4 6HL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/05/2014 27/02/2012

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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

 Staff make very good use of open-ended questions to encourage pre-school children to use talk to represent their ideas, thus extending their communication and language skills.  Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are exceptionally well supported in the nursery and as a result, they make excellent progress, based on their starting points.  Children are safeguarded and fully protected from harm. This is because all staff have been checked and are suitable to work with children and fully understand their role and responsibility in protecting children.  Children's needs are quickly identified and well met through the effective partnerships between parents and external agencies and services.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Younger children have less opportunity to explore and follow their own interests because staff are very keen for them to learn and sometimes intervene too early in their play.  Occasionally, activities carried out with pre-school children, at group time, are too long and do not always provide excellent opportunities for less able children to extend their listening and attention skills.

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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 had a tour of the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and the manager's self-evaluation form and action plans.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed teaching and learning activities in all nursery rooms, including the outdoor environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day of inspection.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager and deputy manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out a meeting with the manager and deputy manager of the nursery and discussed a range of policies and procedures.

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Information about the setting

Rye Hill Community Nursery was registered in 2003 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from a purpose- built building situated in a residential area in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and is managed by Newcastle City Council. The nursery serves the local area. It operates from four rooms and there are enclosed areas available for outdoor play. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff, including two apprentices. Of these, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, four members of staff hold higher qualifications, including two with Early Years Professional status and one member of staff with Qualified Teacher Status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm and children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 83 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded

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Information about the setting

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.

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

 strengthen opportunities for children to engage actively in their learning, by ensuring they have time and space to explore and follow their own interests for extended periods of time

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

 reflect on activities delivered at group time for pre-school children to ensure they provide excellent opportunities for less able children, to fully extend their listening and attention skills.

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who attend

Staff demonstrate a high level of awareness of supporting children in this well-established nursery. They fully understand the individual learning and development needs of each child in their care and provide suitably challenging and interesting experiences for them to explore each day. Children are provided with purposeful and developmentally appropriate toys and equipment and staff arrange the indoor and outdoor spaces very well. They make sure resources are relevant to children's interests and plan first-hand experiences appropriate to their development. For example, good use is made of the outdoor area for two- and three-year-old children to give opportunities for planting and developing an awareness of the natural world. Consequently, children make good progress in their learning and development. Staff are very enthusiastic and clearly enjoy working in the nursery. They support children very well as they play and encourage them to discover new

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who attend

things. However, at times, there are fewer opportunities for children to have the time and space to explore their own ideas.

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who attend

The quality of teaching in the nursery is consistently good and at times, is outstanding. Staff have enhanced their knowledge and skills in the development of early language acquisition through initiatives, such as the 'Every Child a Talker' programme. This is clearly evident in practice. Where practice is strong, staff in the 'Sunshine' room make excellent use of prompts, such as 'good listening' and 'good talking' when supporting children who are one- and two-years-old. They use them throughout the session to heighten children's awareness of the skills required for effective communication. This helps children to develop an understanding of why it is important to pay attention when others are speaking and helps them to feel confident about expressing themselves. Staff support older children very well to engage in imaginative role play. For example, when playing outdoors in a large boat, children pretend they are going to the fair. Staff make very good

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who attend

use of open-ended questions to encourage children to use talk to represent their ideas and develop their own narratives, therefore extending their communication skills. This supports children's readiness for school. Staff make generally good use of group time throughout the nursery to teach skills, such as recognising rhythm in spoken words. Effective use is made of the outdoor area and children sit on appropriate seating to form a circle. However, occasionally, group time for pre-school children is too long and is not sufficiently focussed on the listening and attention needs of less able children.

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who attend

Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are exceptionally well supported in the nursery and, as a result, they make excellent progress, based on their starting points. Staff have a first class understanding of children's individual and specific needs and are extremely confident in describing how they support children, in partnership with external agencies and services. The deputy manager takes a lead role in coordinating support for this group of children and has robust and highly effective ways of documenting information. For example, documentation is collated electronically for each child and provides an overview of intervention received and children's current level of learning and development. Good quality information is shared with all parents and carers and they are kept well informed about their children's progress. Staff encourage them to share information about children's learning at home, which provides an all-round picture of their

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who attend

development. Staff work well with parents to support children for whom English is an additional language. For example, they obtain key words from home and display them on the nursery walls. This means that children are helped to use their home language in play, therefore supporting them to make good progress.

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

Children's health and safety is given high priority in the nursery. Staff ensure children are aware of potential risks. For example, they talk to younger children about playing safely with small balls when they are near very young babies and remind older children to take care as they walk around the room holding scissors. Consequently, children develop a good understanding of safe practices as they play. Behaviour management is good in the nursery and, as a result, children behave well. Staff provide consistent role models for children by giving gentle reminders of expectations within the nursery. They skilfully deal with minor conflicts by discussing the importance of playing safely. For example, children respond well when staff talk to them about their actions when they throw sand at other children. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are very well supported to prepare for changes to their routine through the effective use of visual

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

Children are very well cared for in this warm and welcoming nursery. Their emotional and physical needs are very well met, their feelings are accepted and they enjoy relationships that are close and supportive. As a result, children very quickly develop a sense of belonging to the nursery and develop strong attachments with their key person and other adults working alongside them. Staff support very young children and babies exceptionally well. They hold and handle them sensitively, providing warm, loving and consistent care. This supports children to build security and develops a strong attachment. Very young babies show how settled and content they are when they fall asleep on the shoulder of their key person. Highly effective settling-in procedures are in place and children make a number of visits, based on their individual needs, before staying for the whole session. Parents are encouraged to stay with the child and share a wealth of good quality

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

information with staff. For example, details of children's family set-up, comforters, sleep routines, allergies and other key information is gathered. This ensures children are very well supported when they move from the home environment into the nursery and continuity is provided in their emotional and physical well-being. Children are well supported when they move rooms within the nursery. Staff share key information about individual children, which is shared between staff and parents. Staff prepare children equally well when they leave the nursery to go to local schools. School teachers are invited to observe children in the nursery and children visit their new classrooms with their key person. Good quality information is shared between the nursery and school to ensure continuity for children's individual needs.

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

Children demonstrate good independence skills for their age when they find and put on their own coats and when they scrape their plates following each meal. Independence is promoted further when children find and return what they need in the indoor and outdoor areas. This is because all environments are organised effectively and resources are easily accessible to children. Staff give consistently clear messages to children to ensure they are developing a good understanding of why it is important to have a healthy diet. A range of fresh, healthy foods are offered to children at meal times and good use is made of pictures displayed on dining area walls. Children's health and well-being is well promoted in the outdoor area and staff support them to grow a wide range of vegetables, such as cucumbers, lettuce, broccoli and carrots. Daily opportunities are provided for children to explore, use their senses and be physically active and exuberant. Children show great

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

excitement about being outdoors. For example, they giggle and laugh as they attempt to balance on bucket stilts.

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provision

The manager takes all necessary steps to keep children safe and well. A well-written policy is in place to safeguard children. This is in line with guidance and procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children Board. All staff, including apprentice staff, have a good awareness of the procedures in place in the nursery and understand their role in keeping children protected and safe from harm. For example, all staff know who to contact if they have concerns regarding the welfare of a child or if they have concerns regarding the practice of other staff members. The manager ensures all staff are suitable to fulfil the requirements of their role and have had appropriate checks carried out. Children are protected further as all areas of the nursery they come into contact with are safe and secure at all times, and any accidents or injuries sustained are effectively recorded and managed. Staff carry out daily risk assessments to ensure all areas accessed by children

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provision

are safe and free from hazards. They are vigilant throughout each day, supervise children well and remove any potential risks, such as broken toys, which may cause a danger to children. This effectively addresses previous recommendations set at the last inspection. Safeguarding procedures have been reviewed recently and are well documented in improvement plans, alongside other areas for improvement, which are identified through consultation with staff, children and parents.

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provision

The manager and her deputy know the nursery very well and accurately identify actions to overcome weaknesses that aim to improve practice and provision for children over time. For example, there are plans to further develop the outdoor area to incorporate a 'mud kitchen' and a larger space for open-ended construction. The manager implements an effective policy and procedure for managing complaints from parents and/or carers. For example, a written record is maintained of all complaints received and their outcome. This information is shared with the complainant within specified timescales. The manager is well supported by her deputy and staff who hold Early Years Professional status, to maintain an overview of the educational programmes available throughout the nursery. Collectively, they have good understanding and fulfil their responsibilities in meeting the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Good

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provision

partnerships are in place with local authority professionals who have supported them further in developing and sustaining a high quality nursery where children are able to enjoy learning and grow in confidence. Both the manager and deputy spend time working in the nursery rooms. This ensures staff are deployed effectively and allows them to gain first-hand experience of what is working well and identify areas for improvement. They support the staff team well through regular discussion, carrying out joint observations which help them to improve their already very good practice. Regular supervision and appraisal systems further strengthen the support available to all staff, alongside effective induction and monitoring procedures. The manager and her deputy work closely with staff to analyse progress tracking information. This ensures all children's strengths and areas of weakness are identified and intervention is sought, if required, to meet children's specific

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provision

Partnerships with parents are good. The manager and her staff team demonstrate a willingness to engage with all parents and provide support to address individual circumstances. Information is shared on a daily basis regarding children's care and well- being and staff ensure parents receive key messages regarding their children's welfare. Parents are clearly satisfied with the level of care and learning provided by the nursery and make verbal comments, such as 'this is the best nursery ever, staff treat children like their own'. A comments box is located in the entrance area to the nursery and parents regularly make written comments, such as 'we both love the nursery, our child is more independent than before and is a fab helper around the house'. Partnerships with external agencies and services are extremely well embedded and make a very strong contribution to meeting children's needs. Information received from services, such as speech and

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provision

language therapy, is well used. This ensures children get the help and support they need to address their individual needs and circumstances.

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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 EY222442 Local authority Newcastle Inspection number 967899

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 83 Name of provider Newcastle City Council Date of previous inspection 27/02/2012 Telephone number 0191 2731618

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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

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’.

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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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