Tot Town Nursery Ltd

Tot Town Nursery Ltd 1 Fryers Lane, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, HP12 3AN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 01/07/2014 31/01/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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 good assessments of the children's attainment and plan effectively to help children make good progress in their learning.  Good quality teaching in mathematics helps children to learn how to count, recognise numerals and understand mathematical language and concepts.  Staff are good role models and give children consistent messages, which help them to learn to behave well and play co-operatively together.  Staff help their key children to feel emotionally secure. The youngest children form good bonds and secure attachments with their key person.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Most creative activities are adult-led; this means children do not have sufficient opportunities to express themselves freely by exploring a variety of materials.  The staff do not provide sufficient opportunities for older and more able children to write for a purpose and build their literacy skills for future learning.

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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 observed activities in the playrooms and the outside areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at the children's assessment records and planning documentation.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager of the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager and special educational needs coordinator.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and grandparents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Tot Town Nursery Ltd is a privately owned group, which registered in 1999; the pre-school room opened in 2002. The nursery operates from a single-storey building in High Wycombe. The nursery is open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Children attend for a variety of sessions and they have access to outdoor play areas.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. There are currently 59 children aged from three months to five years on roll. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged three and four years. The nursery supports children who learn English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 12 staff; these include nine who work directly with the children, a cook, an administrator and a maintenance person. All staff working directly with the children hold level 3 early years qualifications.

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

 provide a variety of media and tools for children to use to express themselves freely by exploring and experimenting with colour, design and texture

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

 increase the opportunities for older children to write for a purpose to develop their literacy skills.

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who attend

Staff plan and organise the environment well so children can move freely and access resources independently to support their play. Children enjoy the good range of activities available, which give them opportunities to explore and enhance their learning. The quality of teaching is good. Children are making good progress in relation to their starting points. Staff skilfully observe children, allowing them uninterrupted time to play. They stimulate and extend children's learning when helpful, to encourage children to manage what they are trying to do. These experiences aid children's learning in preparation for school.

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who attend

The staff make good assessments of the children's development and plan effectively to help them make good progress in their learning. Staff provide good support for children who are learning English as an additional language. The staff team speak a range of languages; consequently, children learn that their home languages are valued. Staff help children requiring more support to acquire English during quieter activities. They plan individual time with children, which helps to build their listening skills, understanding and vocabulary. The special educational needs coordinator gains advice from other professionals when required to support the children's learning.

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who attend

Children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories. They eagerly anticipate familiar parts of the story and respond to what they hear with relevant comments and questions. Staff strengthen children's developing vocabulary by introducing new words as they play. Staff teach pre-school children to recognise letter names and sounds. They can say the initial sounds in words and recognise words that rhyme. The more able children confidently use their knowledge of the names and sounds of letters to read words. Staff provide a range of resources to encourage the younger children's developing skills for writing. Children use paintbrushes, crayons and chalk to make marks during their play. These experiences underpin early writing skills. However, staff do not always encourage pre-school children to add their names to their work, or help those that can confidently recognise and link sounds to letters to practise writing words, labels and captions.

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who attend

Teaching for mathematics is a strength. Staff teach children to count, recognise numerals and understand mathematical language for weight, capacity and shapes. For example, as children built towers with bricks staff encouraged them to see how high they could build the towers. Children confidently counted the bricks and delighted in knocking the towers down. In addition, staff taught older children the names of two- and three-dimensional shapes. They confidently used the correct names during play, explaining that they were placing 'a pyramid on top of the house, it's like a roof.'

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who attend

Staff plan a range of adult-led creative activities. However, this means that children do not have sufficient opportunities to express themselves freely by exploring a variety of materials to explore techniques and design. Children engage in pretend play, adapting their ideas based on their own experiences, and think creatively. They take on the role of mummy and nurse to make a doll better, make a bed in the pushchair to use as an ambulance, and go to the shops. Staff skilfully extend children's imaginative play by asking, 'What will you buy the poorly doll from the shops, to make her better?' Children confidently put forward their ideas and reply, 'We will get her medicine to make her better.'

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

All children have a key person who makes sure they are happy and enjoy their time at nursery. The youngest children form secure attachments with their key person, which supports their developing self-confidence. The key person, or their buddy key person, is available to greet their key children and parents at the beginning and end of each session. They use this time to chat with parents to share their news from home and to discuss what their children are learning in nursery. These effective practices help children to feel safe and secure during their time at nursery. As children grow older, their key person helps them to prepare for their move to a new room in nursery or to school. They accompany children on their visits to their new room. They help them to get to know their new key person and children in their new group. In the term before children move to school, key people help children plan their graduation

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

party and invite the children's new teachers to visit them in nursery. This helps them to understand their time at nursery is ending and they will soon make their move to big school.

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

Staff are good role models and give children consistent messages, which help them to learn to behave well and play co-operatively together. Staff support children's play sensitively to improve children's social skills by helping them to share and take turns. Staff help children to keep themselves and others safe with simple and clear explanations. Staff remind children not to talk with food in their mouths because they might choke. Children inquisitively ask, 'What will happen if I choke?' The children's key person explains she would give first aid, ' until the food comes up.' This good teaching helps children to understand the consequences of talking with their mouth full and about using first aid.

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

The chef prepares nutritious meals which the children enjoy. Staff talk to children about the selection of foods, helping them to develop an understanding of why it is important to have a healthy diet. Staff encourage pre-school children to be independent. For example, they learn to manage their personal hygiene, pour their own drinks and help to clear the table when they have finished their meal. This helps them to manage their self-care in preparation for school. Staff plan regular opportunities for all children to spend time outside in the fresh air. Staff teach children to practise their physical coordination and use a range of equipment and resources to climb, balance and develop their muscles. Children learn to scoot and pedal bicycles, and the older children competently race around, learning carefully to negotiate space. Children have a positive attitude to being outdoors, which promotes their understanding of the importance of healthy living.

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provision

The management team has good systems for child protection and implements the safeguarding and welfare requirements. They understand their responsibilities to train all staff to understand their safeguarding policy and procedures. Staff complete risk assessments and daily checks, as well as ongoing visual checks. Therefore, they are vigilant around the children and promote their safety. Staff have attended the local authority safeguarding training and can confidently explain their responsibilities to keep children safe from harm. They can describe the nursery's child protection procedures and changes in children's behaviour that may cause concern, and know how to report these concerns.

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provision

The management monitors the effectiveness of teaching, the educational programmes and individual children's progress in learning. Regular observations of staff's teaching practice and the review of individual children's and key groups development records ensure management identify any areas for improvement. This supports individual staff to make changes to their practice to ensure teaching helps children to make good progress in their learning. Self-evaluation informs the nursery's improvement plan. The management work with the local authority and the staff team to set priorities and use these to set targets for improvement. For example, the staff have improved the use of mathematical resources, and teaching helps children to make good progress in their mathematical development.

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provision

Staff recruitment and selection systems are effective. The management ensure that all staff complete the necessary Disclosure and Barring Service checks. This helps to check the suitability of any adult involved in the nursery. The management help new staff to understand their roles and responsibilities using a thorough induction. The management provides a mentor to support new staff's learning during induction. This helps new staff to feel confident to carry out their role. Management supports the professional development of all staff. Appraisals take place annually in order to identify the staff's strengths and where any additional support may be required. This helps the management to identify training to extend staff's professional development. Training supports staff to make improvements to their practice. For example, recent training on nutrition has helped staff to enhance the promotion of children's understanding of healthy eating more confidently.

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provision

The chef has also made some amendments to the menu to reduce concentrated sugars in children's snacks and meals.

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provision

Parents say they are pleased with nursery and are very happy with the progress their children are making. They comment on how very kind and considerate all the staff are and that feedback from their key person is very good. One parent says, 'I have seen real progress' and that their child's speech 'is developing especially.' Staff are effective at engaging parents in their children's learning in the setting. They give parents opportunities to discuss and review their children's learning and to contribute to their children's learning journeys. This shows staff are working in partnership with parents to promote their children's learning at home. Staff work with parents and other professionals to secure additional support for children to secure appropriate help for children if required.

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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 116697 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 842709 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 55 Number of children on roll 59 Name of provider Tot Town Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 31/01/2012 Telephone number 01494 440066

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Setting details

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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