Little Owls Nursery Meanwood

Meanwood Children's Centre Daycare Potternewton View, LEEDS, West Yorkshire, LS7 2DW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/05/2014 18/09/2013

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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

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This provision is good

 Management and staff give the highest priority to making the setting an inclusive and welcoming environment for all families. They fully recognise the uniqueness of each child and meet their individual needs very well.  Children's transitions into the nursery are managed very thoughtfully and sensitively. As a result, children settle quickly and feel emotionally secure.  Partnerships with parents are excellent. Consequently, they play a full and active part in the life of the nursery, which promotes the very good sharing of information, to fully benefit children's ongoing care and learning.  Children are provided with a broad range of interesting activities, particularly those to support their physical and imaginative play outdoors. Consequently, they become very motivated and enthusiastic learners who make good progress in their development.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to enhance the opportunities for younger children to observe and use numbers in the outdoor area, to further support their mathematical development.  Partnerships with some early years settings children also attend are not fully established, in order to promote the highest levels of continuity for children.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the premises and observed children in the playrooms and the outdoor area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector met with the deputy manager, the children's centre manager and the nursery teacher and spoke with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of the staff working with the children and discussed the provider's improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a selection of children's records, planning documents and policies.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector undertook a joint observation with the nursery teacher of a group of children involved in acting out a story in the outdoor area.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Meanwood Children's Centre Daycare was registered in 1974 and is on the Early Years Register. It is owned and managed by Leeds City Council and operates from purpose-built premises, in the Meanwood area of Leeds. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. Children are cared for in three rooms and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The setting employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, two at level 2, two at level 6 and one holds Qualified Teacher Status. The setting opens Monday to Friday, all year round, from 8am until 6pm, and children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 97 children on roll; all of whom are in the early years age group. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children and currently supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children

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Information about the setting

who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 increase the opportunities for two- and three-year-old children to see and use numbers in the outdoor area, for example, by displaying signs and providing numbered items that can be moved and ordered, to further support their developing skills in counting

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

 strengthen the ongoing sharing of information with providers of other early years settings where children attend, to ensure continuity of their learning is fully promoted.

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who attend

Staff are knowledgeable about how children learn and develop. They are confident in their teaching and provide a broad range of exciting activities, which are carefully planned to meet the interests of children. This means children want to take part and are motivated to learn. As a result, they make good progress towards the early learning goals and are well prepared for school when the time comes. For example, staff observe that children are interested in insects. To support and extend children's interest, a member of staff reads a book relating to this to a small group in the outdoor area. She enthusiastically encourages children to act out being a caterpillar, by suggesting they wriggle on their tummies through a tunnel to an area where various pieces of colourful fabric are placed. The member of staff models how children can use the fabric to represent butterfly wings. Children are captivated by this and they become fully immersed in flapping their 'wings' as

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who attend

they fly around the garden. This very successfully supports children to use their physical skills and imagination and to learn about nature in a very active and fun way.

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who attend

Staff give high regard to enabling children to follow their own interests and to become independent learners. At the same time, they know when to join in, to further support and extend children's learning. For example, a member of staff sits back and gives a child time to arrange large cardboard boxes to represent a train. She watches as the child sits in one of the boxes and explains how he is going up a hill, after which she suggests the child could use large blocks to make carriages. The child responds with enthusiasm to the suggestion and lines these up behind. This enables the child to build on his original idea. Staff provide a very stimulating and well-resourced environment for children to play and learn. Children's artwork is displayed, to show their efforts are valued and good use is made of print to show children how this has meaning and can be used for a purpose. For example, name cards are placed on tables at lunchtime for older children to identify where

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who attend

they are sitting. Resources are all easily accessible, which means children are able to follow their own interests and shape their own learning. For example, a child independently accesses paper from a drawer and makes marks that represent his idea of a train track. This supports children to lay the foundation for their future writing skills. The outdoor area is set out particularly well. This means children can explore on a large scale and use natural and found items, to support their imaginative play. For example, a group of children make a 'barbecue' by carefully placing small twigs under a metal rack to represent a 'fire'. They use sand and leaves to represent food, which shows they are confident in using one item to represent another. Another group make buzzing sounds as they busily run around and pretend to be bees. They gather leaves and pretend this is nectar, which they add to water to make 'honey' as they have learnt about in a book. This

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who attend

shows they can successfully use their newly acquired knowledge in their play.

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who attend

Staff give good attention to supporting children's development in communication and language. They constantly engage children in conversation, which means they become immersed in the spoken word. Staff make good use of open-ended questions. This encourages children to respond with more than one-word answers. For example, while in the garden, a member of staff asks a child 'what can you hear?'. The child responds with 'I can hear a bird'. This successfully encourages children to use their listening skills and to use descriptive language. Children's mathematical development is promoted well overall. For example, staff caring for babies lay the foundations for counting by saying 'one, two' as they clean children's hands before lunch. Staff caring for older children encourage them to count how many cups they need on their table and ask children to take 'two' meatballs at lunchtime. This enables children to use numbers for a purpose. Numbers are displayed

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who attend

indoors in context, such as price tags on items in an area set up to represent a shop. However, there are limited opportunities for two- and three-year-old children to observe and use numbers in the outdoor area. This means opportunities for them to practise their developing skills in counting, for example, in this environment, are not supported as well as they could be. Staff actively involve parents in their children's learning and development. For example, a question of the week is displayed for older children, such as 'do worms have legs?'. Parents discuss this with their child on arrival and help them to select a 'yes' or 'no' answer. All parents receive a summary of their child's progress at frequent intervals and they are asked to read this and sign to acknowledge they have done so. Parents are also actively encouraged to share information about their children's learning at home with their key person. This means staff can plan precisely for the next

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

Children's transitions into the nursery are managed very well. For example, key persons initially make a home visit to get to know children in a familiar environment and to start the bonding process. Following this, settling-in visits are provided, which are tailored to children's individual needs, so they gradually build up their confidence in their new environment. Children are also allocated a 'significant second', who takes responsibility for meeting their needs in the absence of their key person. If children speak English as an additional language, staff obtain and use key words in their first language to aid communication. As a result, children feel emotionally secure, which promotes their sense of well-being and means they have close and trusting relationships with their carers. For example, a very young child cuddles into her key person when she is a little unsure about the inspector's presence. The key person fully acknowledges the child's feelings and

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

responds with a clear explanation and reassuring words. As a result, the child soon becomes confident with the change to her normal daily environment and happily goes off to play. Staff talk to older children about their transition to school, so they know what to expect. This means they are emotionally prepared for the experience. For example, they show children photographs of their new teachers and discuss the uniform they will wear. Children are invited back to the nursery during their first half term at school for a 'reunion' party, to celebrate this significant milestone in their life.

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

Staff give good attention to promoting children's good health. They provide good support and guidance to help children develop independence in their self-care from a young age. For example, staff caring for very young children encourage them to try and use a face cloth, to clean their own hands and face before lunchtime. Children have very good opportunities to access the outdoor area during the day. This means they benefit fully from lots of fresh air and have very good opportunities to develop their physical skills as they use a wide variety of equipment. For example, children learn to coordinate their movements as they ride wheeled toys and dig in soil with spades. Younger children giggle with delight as they splash in a muddy puddle in their wellingtons, while older ones successfully negotiate a pathway, so they run and chase one another without bumps. Older children show determination as they carry empty boxes to the top of a grassy

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

mound to make a spaceship. They are willing to 'have a go' and test their skills as they use more challenging equipment, such as a rope swing and a scramble net. Staff also provide opportunities for children to take part in quieter activities in the area. For example, areas to look at books and to sit and draw are included. This means children can be active or quiet according to their needs.

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

Staff provide a safe environment for children and effectively support them to take responsibility for keeping themselves and others safe. For example, children are taught to use wheeled toys in a designated area outdoors, so this does not impact negatively on other activities. Children learn to behave well and are supported very effectively by staff to become independent and adopt a responsible attitude. For example, older children learn to use knives safely as they take turns to cut up fruit for snack and they pour their own drinks and serve their own food at lunchtime. This gives children confidence in their abilities. Staff make good use of praise to acknowledge children's efforts and achievements, which raises children's self-esteem and makes them feel good about themselves. For example, very young children beam back in response as a member of staff praises them for joining in with songs and action rhymes. Meal times provide good

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

opportunities for children to engage with one another and develop their social skills. For example, they sit at small tables, each with a member of staff, who initiates conversation.

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provision

Members of the management team act very competently as leaders, mentors and motivators for the staff team. They ensure staff are well deployed and that children are supervised appropriately. The nursery has a clear ethos, which is to value the uniqueness of all families. The nursery's hard work and determination in bringing this to fruition is endorsed by their achievement in gaining a recognised educational standard award at level 3. This involved parents, staff and children taking part in a range of activities and consultations, to evidence how all faiths and cultures are respected, and diversity welcomed and celebrated. Clear policies and procedures are in place and these are followed consistently. The premises are safe and secure, with camera surveillance on the main door. This ensures there is no unauthorised access to the premises. The arrangements for recruitment and vetting are thorough and this ensures that all staff

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provision

working with children are suitable to do so. All staff attend training in child protection and are confident in their ability to recognise the possible indicators of abuse or neglect. They know to whom they should report any concerns about a child's welfare or the practice of a colleague. Following an incident when a child gained unsupervised access to a secure outdoor area for a very minimal amount of time, management notified Ofsted of this. Management undertook a full investigation into the circumstances of the incident. To prevent a reoccurrence an additional handle that is not accessible to children has been installed on each door, which means children can no longer open the doors independently.

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provision

The effectiveness of the educational programmes and each child's progress is monitored very well. Children are assessed on entry, at frequent intervals during their time in the nursery and on exit. All assessments are recorded on individual tracker sheets by key persons and the data is then analysed by the nursery teacher each term, to identify and help staff to close any gaps in children's learning. This means each child reaches their full potential. The highest priority is given to promoting excellent partnerships with parents. They are kept very well informed about all aspects of the service. For example, they receive a welcome letter on entry, a policy is displayed each month for them to review and comment on and newsletters are issued regularly, along with daily discussion. Video recordings of children at play are also provided. This reassures parents their children are receiving continuity in their care, are developing well and are happy. Parents are fully

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provision

involved in the life of the nursery. For example, they are invited to social events, such as a 'Caribbean island' party and to be part of the nursery forum, so they can express their views of the service. Workshops are also provided to give parents ideas as to how they can support their children's learning at home. Parents are unanimous in their praise for the nursery. For example, they say that they find staff very supportive and that they are very pleased with the progress their children are making, and are delighted by the new knowledge they acquire.

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provision

Staff work closely with parents and other professionals, to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive tailored support, to promote inclusion. Links with schools children move on to are good, which ensures a seamless transition for them as they encounter the next stage in their learning. However, links with providers of other early years settings children also attend currently, are not fully established. This means a shared approach to children's care and learning across provisions on an ongoing basis is not promoted as well as it could be. The majority of staff are well qualified and the arrangements for their performance management are good. Regular supervision sessions, peer-on-peer observations and appraisals are used successfully to continually assess staffs' ongoing suitability and to enable them to share positive examples and ideas. Staff regularly attend both in-house training and courses run by external providers, which

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provision

means they continually develop and hone their skills, to support children's care and learning. All actions and recommendations for improvement raised at the last inspection have been successfully addressed, and monitoring and evaluating the quality of the service is carried out on a regular basis. This includes contributions from staff, parents and children, and the 'quality conversation' initiative implemented by the local authority. This enables management to draw up a detailed account of the nursery's strengths and areas for development and to devise an action plan to show how the service will be further enhanced.

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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 512407 Local authority Leeds Inspection number 973993

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 97 Name of provider Leeds City Council Date of previous inspection 18/09/2013 Telephone number 0113 2623592

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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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