Alphabets @ Frankley

Alphabets @ Frankly Plus Frankly Plus Childrens Centre, New Street, Rubery, REDNAL, Birmingham, B45 0EU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29/05/2014 12/03/2012

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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

 Teaching is good because all practitioners fully understand how to promote children's learning and have high expectations for their achievements. As a result, children's progress is good given their starting points and capabilities.  There are effective partnerships with other professionals and providers to ensure children are well prepared for their transition to school. Partnerships with parents and carers are effective because there is good two-way communication ensuring all parties are well informed and work together to meet the children's needs and interests.  Safeguarding children is of the highest priority within the provision. The self-evaluation process includes all stakeholders and improvements bring about effective changes that benefit the children. Effective management procedures, such as regular supervision and monitoring, enhances staff performance.  Children and their key persons form close attachments. Children are well behaved

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This provision is good

because key persons acknowledge good behaviour through praise and are positive role models for the children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to enhance children's listening and understanding skills during their indoor play activities.  There is scope to enhance children's self-confidence and self-awareness skills during the arrival of visitors.

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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 scrutinised a range of documents, including: attendance registers for children, staff and visitors; risk assessment; self-evaluation records and the provider's improvement plan; staff suitability and qualifications; the complaints log; safeguarding and risk assessment policies and procedures, which support the service provided.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager, held meetings with the manager and held discussions with various staff caring for the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of children and parents spoken to on the day and acknowledged a range of recorded statements.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the indoor and outdoor play areas used by the children.

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Information about the setting

Alphabets @ Frankly Plus is one of six childcare settings operated by the Longbridge Childcare Strategy Group. It was registered in 2006 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register, and is based in the Frankly area of Birmingham. The nursery has two large playrooms and is easily accessible. There is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery opens every week day for 48 weeks of the year, from 7.30am until 6pm. There are currently 65 children attending who are within the early years age range. The nursery also provides before and after school sessions during term times. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years

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Information about the setting

qualifications at level 3, two hold qualifications at level 6 and two are unqualified, working towards recognised childcare qualifications. There are also four ancillary staff members who help to support the management of the nursery.

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

 enhance children's communication and language skills, for example, by minimising background noise so that children can hear and understand clearly

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

 maximise the already good opportunities provided to support children's self- confidence and self-awareness, for example, by introducing them to visitors to the setting so that they know who they are and why they are there.

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who attend

Children's learning and development within the nursery is very well supported because the teaching is highly effective. The staff are committed to providing a challenging, interesting and accessible environment, which helps children progress towards the early learning goals. All staff and the management show high levels of enthusiasm and have a very good understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The staff display high expectations of the children they care for, thereby ensuring children make good progress given their staring points. The teaching strategies used by staff enhance children's physical and communication skills alongside their personal, social and emotional development. For example, the staff support older children's language and communication through the use of open questions that encourage children to think critically about what they are doing as they play. This supports children's

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who attend

confidence skills, which further supports children's readiness for the next phase in their learning, including school. Toddlers enjoy exploring a range of media as they use brushes to paint, glue to stick cotton wool and sprinkle over glitter to make their own pictures. During such times, the staff ask the younger children what they are making and provide a running commentary and praise for children, which enhances their language and communication very well. Through children's exploration of a variety of media, the staff ensure children are learning about the world around them. All children enjoy their outdoor play times. They like to dig in the sand pit with their peers, taking turns with the spades, while others practise their throwing and catching skills supported by the staff who make outdoor play times fun. The staff make the most of spontaneous opportunities to encourage children to think critically. For example, while older children paint the outdoor

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who attend

slabs with water from large bowls, children are encouraged to find items that may sink or float and are able to predict their findings. This helps children build on their mathematical understanding and further enhances their understanding of the world.

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who attend

As children play alongside one another they begin to build confidence in social situations with their peers and the staff caring for them. However, the staff do not always introduce visitors that arrive at the setting. As a result, children's feelings of confidence and self- awareness are not maximised during such times. The staff support children's literacy and mathematical skills through board games. This includes playing shopping games where the children take turns with dice and identify pictures as they play along. Children also enjoy building with construction resources and playing noughts and crosses using small blackboards and chalks. The staff use such times to demonstrate how to play games, take turns and listen carefully to instructions. However, the staff do not always ensure that background noise from digital video discs is reduced. As a result, children are not always able to hear clearly and thereby understand what is being said around them. The staff

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who attend

make good use of the local environment including the school grounds to support children's interests. This includes visiting the local shops and churches and watching the cars as they go through the local car wash. Children also enjoy visiting market stalls to buy fruit and fish and looking at the interesting artefacts displayed at the German market. The school grounds are used by the children to explore the wooded area, climb trees and notice the wonders of nature around them under close supervision of the staff.

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who attend

The staff effectively assess children's learning and development as they play. Children's interests are included in the planning of their activities, so that their individual needs are identified and met. The next steps in their learning are identified and children's progress is tracked to ensure that there are no gaps in their learning and development. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language are well supported. With parents' permission and support, all parties work together to ensure consistency and continuity of learning for all children on roll. This helps to support intervention for all children. Staff caring for toddlers within the nursery discuss with parents the most suitable time to provide a comprehensive summary of their child's learning and development in time for their progress check between the ages of two and three years. Partnership working with parents is supported through a variety of strategies.

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who attend

For example, staff engage parents in their child's learning and development through daily, two-way discussions and feedback. They also ensure parents are informed of ways they can further support their child's learning and development at home. The parents are encouraged to look at and add to their child's learning journal documents. Parents share what they know about their child, so that they and the key person are working together to support the individual child. As a result of this good two-way communication, children's learning and developmental progression is supported well. During settling-in sessions, parents and their child's key person, discuss routines and the child's learning, so that this and initial observations by the key person ensure securely identified starting points are identified on which to build children's learning and development across all areas over time.

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

The management and staff provide a warm and welcoming environment for the parents and their children. The emotional well-being of children is fostered well because the key- person systems are strong. All staff spend quality time interacting with the children they care for and undertake any writing up of observations and planning during office times only. This enhances close attachments and builds children's feelings of self-worth and sense of belonging. Staff use a range of positive strategies to manage and promote children's behaviour. This includes meaningful praise and encouragement as children play and enabling them to manage conflict resolution appropriate to their stage of development. Children enjoy seeing their photograph move across the displayed positive behaviour train. This leads to constant praise from the staff so that children are able to share and take turns, which builds further their self-esteem and sense of belonging in the

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

nursery. Strategies used by staff to support children's transitions are good. For example, parents and their children meet with their new key person before children move on to their next key group. The communication between the nursery, other settings and school ensures that everyone is working together. As a result, children become ready for the next phase in their learning and school.

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

Older children self-serve their meals and pour their own drinks at meal times, thereby enhancing their skills in independence and furthering their readiness for school. Children's healthy lifestyles are fostered well because they play in the fresh air each day, eat lots of fruit at snack times and drink lots of water and milk throughout the day. All staff are fully aware of any allergies, religious requirements and parent and child preferences and needs with regards to food. The staff support children's learning about personal safety as they include all children in the fire evacuation procedures of the nursery. They also talk to the children about road safety during outings off the premises.

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provision

The manager and staff work closely as a team. Everyone working in the nursery has a very good awareness of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. For instance, the staff vigilantly undertake risk assessments in all indoor and outdoor areas used by the children. Access to the premises is robustly monitored. This includes staff checking the identity of any visitors to the setting. This helps to keep the children and staff safe. Robust policies and procedures are followed to ensure children are cared for in a safe and caring environment. Management and staff are trained in safeguarding and are fully aware of the possible signs of abuse and what to do and who to contact should there be any concerns. The safeguarding policy and procedures are robust and made clear to all staff and are shared with the parents. A comprehensive whistleblowing policy is used by the staff to report any concerns about anyone working at

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provision

or visiting the setting. All staff have attended first-aid training, which further ensures children's safety and well-being. The recruitment procedures of the nursery are robust and include ongoing checks of the suitability of all staff to work with children. The management and staff know the procedures to follow to make sure Ofsted is informed of any significant events that may affect the care of the children attending and they follow these vigilantly. This includes reporting any child protection allegations to Ofsted. Any complaints are dealt with professionally and the management ensure parents are informed of any investigative outcomes. The complaints policy and procedure and log book are freely accessible to all parents. These, and up-to-date records, help to make sure children are kept safe.

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provision

The strategies in place for monitoring the teaching and learning programmes within the nursery are good. This ensures children's learning and development is fostered well. For instance, senior staff observe practice and provide individual feedback to staff through supervision so that practice continues to improve over time. Yearly appraisals are also conducted with all staff. This ensures there are no weaknesses in staff conduct and that all children on roll benefit from attending the nursery on an ongoing basis. Staff are well qualified and attend ongoing training to further enhance their already good awareness of how children learn through good levels of engagement. The continuing, targeted programme for the professional development of all staff ensures high levels of staff knowledge and understanding over time. The self-evaluation processes in place are good and include input from the provider, senior management, all staff and the parents and

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provision

their children. Areas for continuous improvement to benefit the children's learning and development are identified on an ongoing basis. This includes training. For example, senior members of staff have attended Designated Senior Person training which has defined how they will operate in the manager's absence and in particular how they will ensure that safeguarding is a priority within the setting at all times. The staff have also undertaken training on Every Child a Talker. As a result of this training, the staff have devised language booster times where they focus on how best to support children's communication and language through high levels of interaction.

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provision

Partnerships with parents and other providers and professionals are very effective. As a result, everyone works closely with the individual child to ensure their needs are identified and that any gaps in their learning and development are closing over time. Information is provided to parents about the provision, their child's care and their learning and developmental progress at all levels. Parents are encouraged to share what they know about their child and are provided with feedback about their child's routines and learning each day. This helps the setting to form strong relationships with parents from the start.

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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 EY339956 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 976374

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 42 Number of children on roll 65 Name of provider Longbridge Childcare Strategy Group Date of previous inspection 12/03/2012 Telephone number 0121 675 8358

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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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