Dicky Birds Pre School Nurseries Ltd – Claremont Hall

Claremont Hall Claremont Hall, Claremont Road, SURBITON, Surrey, KT6 4RL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 02/06/2014 05/09/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 1 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children benefit from a welcoming, inclusive nursery. They have access to a wide range of good quality, stimulating resources and play materials to initiate their own play.  Staff provide a variety of interesting and challenging activities and experiences for children that promote their good progress in their learning.  Staff work closely with parents and keep them well informed.  There is strong leadership of the nursery and the management and staff team are very committed to providing a high quality service.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Daily routines are not always effectively organised to meet children's needs.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children in all of the nursery rooms taking part in indoor and outdoor activities.  The inspector had discussions with managers and staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled records including children's files, risk assessments and staff suitability records.  The inspector spoke to parents at the setting and took account of their views.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector completed a joint observation with a member of the management team.

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Information about the setting

Claremont Hall was registered in January 2009. It is one of six nurseries owned by Dicky Birds Pre-school Nurseries Limited. The nursery operates from a two storey purpose- converted church hall in Surbiton, within the Royal Borough of Kingston. There are eight playrooms for children and two outdoor play areas, including a roof terrace.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. It is open from 8am to 6pm each weekday throughout the year, apart from one week at Christmas. There are currently 206 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years old. It supports children who are learning English as an additional language. The nursery curriculum is influenced by Steiner philosophy.

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Information about the setting

A total of 50 staff work directly with children at the nursery. There is one qualified teacher and five staff who hold relevant level 6 qualifications. There are 25 staff with level 3 qualifications and one who has a qualification at level 5.

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

 review daily routines to ensure that all children's needs are met during transitions such as before lunch or going outside, and that they are occupied well and do not wait for long periods.

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who attend

Staff welcome all children into the nursery. They gather detailed information about each child's background, starting points and needs. They make home visits, invite children to 'play dates' before they start, talk to parents during settling-in visits and ask them to fill out comprehensive registration forms. This ensures staff to get to know children well and can provide all the support that they need. Staff make regular observations of children's achievements. They plan a wide range of interesting and exciting activities that effectively build on children's interests and skills. This helps ensure children have good opportunities to develop and extend their own play. As a result, children make good progress in their learning in relation to their starting points and capabilities. Staff talk to parents to give feedback every day and invite them to review meetings twice a year to discuss children's progress. Parents have easy access to their child's individual learning journey folder and

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who attend

can look at it at any time. Staff are also developing strategies for further engaging parents in their child's learning. For instance, they have begun to introduce 'chick challenges', with suggestions for activities that parents can continue with children at home, to help promote their individual next steps.

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who attend

Staff teach children a range of useful skills that prepare them well for the next stage of learning and for school. They support children's early language and communication skills effectively when they sing and talk to babies as they play, repeating and reinforcing words and listening carefully. They successfully extend conversations with older children by asking questions and introducing new vocabulary. Older children speak confidently during group times and younger children begin to express their wishes and needs. Staff support children who are learning English as an additional language well. They find out key words and greetings from home and use signs and labels in children's home languages around the room. Staff provide children with plentiful opportunities to make marks and begin early writing. Young children have fun making big swirls in paint and exploring different media with their hands. Staff encourage older children as they make lists or write their name on

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who attend

their work and children begin to read and write simple words and phrases. Children enjoy sharing stories and looking at books in the book areas with their friends.

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who attend

Staff promote children's understanding of number, size and capacity well as they fill containers at the water tray or make their own play dough. They encourage children to build and construct on a large scale by providing inviting construction areas in each playroom with a good variety of natural resources to stack, balance and build with. Staff offer consistent encouragement for children to try things for themselves and allow children the time and space they need to develop their own ideas. Young children select their own paper and a tube of paint from the graphics trolley and staff praise and encourage them as they squeeze the paint into a pot by themselves. Older children develop and extend their imaginative play when staff provide resources so they can make their own camp site. Staff teach them about the world around them when children learn how to spot animal footprints and how to look after the countryside while they are camping. Young children

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who attend

enjoy cooking in the mud kitchen outside and staff show them how to use a magnifying glass to examine things around them closely.

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who attend

Children benefit from a balanced variety of experiences throughout the day and spend time both indoors and outside. They are purposefully engaged in interesting and stimulating activities for most of the day. However, circle time activities for older children before lunch do not always fully engage them and sometimes go on for too long. Staff are busy at this time preparing tables for lunch and beds for sleep time and, as a result, children's play is interrupted and some children wait for long periods before it is time for their lunch. Some children in Starlings are also restless and unoccupied during the morning tidy up and nappy-change routine while they wait to go into the garden before their lunch. This routine is also not always effectively organised to meet their needs.

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

Children are happy and settled in the nursery. The effective key-person system and a sensitive settling-in process means that children form strong bonds with staff that they know well. Staff have a warm and caring approach and are sensitive to children's individual needs. They make sure that they follow children's home routines when they start, which helps them settle quickly and feel secure. This effectively promotes children's physical and emotional wellbeing and helps children adjust to the changes in their lives. Staff involve older children in agreeing the rules and give them responsibility for different areas of the classroom. This helps children quickly learn the rules and expectations of the setting. They help tidy up the construction area, sweep the sand off the floor and line up nicely when it's time to go on an outing.

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

The nursery is welcoming and very well organised. There is a wide range of resources available according to children's age and need. The use of some domestic furniture such as sofas and chairs helps create a homely atmosphere. Children show high levels of confidence and independence as they select a variety of easily accessible play materials. Staff are vigilant in promoting children's safety. They make daily checks of the areas where children play and supervise them closely at all times. An external consultant also monitors the safety of the nursery and offers advice and guidance on a regular basis. Staff help children gain a good understanding of risks and how to keep themselves safe when they ask them to conduct their own risk assessment of the roof terrace, using a pictorial checklist. Children learn to use equipment such as scissors carefully and to walk up and down the stairs holding on to the rail. They take part in monthly fire drills so that everyone

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

Staff effectively promote children's good health. Young children learn to manage their own personal needs when they wash their hands before lunch time or get a tissue if they need to blow their nose. Staff follow careful procedures for changing nappies, such as wearing aprons and gloves, which helps reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Children benefit from freshly prepared meals and snacks and staff take great care to meet the requirements of any children with special dietary needs. Younger children develop their physical skills as they learn to feed themselves with spoons and older children confidently serve themselves pasta and pour their own drinks while chatting to staff and their friends. Lunch times are a sociable occasion and older children enjoy sitting at caf-style tables with tablecloths, flowers and their own menu. Children play outside every day as part of a healthy lifestyle, benefiting from the fresh air and exercise. They also enjoy regular

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

outings, including swimming and ballet lessons for older children.

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provision

This inspection took place following a recent safeguarding allegation that the provider notified to Ofsted. This incident resulted in Ofsted issuing a Welfare Requirements Notice to the provider. This was because Ofsted found that the provider and manager had not followed their safeguarding procedure when an allegation of abuse was made against a member of staff. The provider has now made sure that all staff, including the lead practitioner for safeguarding children, have attended suitable safeguarding training. This ensures they have an up-to-date knowledge and can recognise and respond appropriately to signs of possible abuse and neglect. The provider has also updated the nursery's policies and procedures to ensure that agencies with statutory responsibility, such as children's social care services, are notified of any concerns without delay. Staff have used the incident effectively to improve their practice and ensure the nursery continues to

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provision

safeguard children's welfare appropriately.

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provision

Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure that staff are appropriately qualified and suitable to work with children. The nursery has recently reviewed the checks they do on staff before they start and the way that they continually monitor the suitability of all staff who work at the nursery. As a result, they have introduced more stringent systems for ongoing vetting. All required documentation is in place to support the smooth day-to- day running of the nursery. Records are comprehensive and well organised. The management team monitors staff performance through regular supervision, appraisals and room observations. Staff attend local courses and receive in-house training to develop their knowledge and skills. This results in a well-trained, supported and motivated staff team.

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provision

The management and staff team are very committed to continually developing the nursery and providing a high-quality service. Staff have a good understanding of the learning and development requirements. They provide a rich and varied curriculum for children and have introduced systems to monitor and track children's progress closely. Staff are involved in reviewing their practice and developing their own room improvement plans, which creates a sense of ownership of the changes made. They are currently extending outdoor experiences and are developing cosy, snug areas both indoors and outside. This continual review and reflection ensures that children benefit from varied experiences that stimulate and challenge them. Staff seek the views of both children and parents about any changes to the nursery. For instance, parents were recently consulted about changes to the celebration of birthdays in the nursery, and preschool children were involved in

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provision

decisions about the location of their book area.

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provision

Parents are kept well informed and value the nursery highly. They have access to comprehensive policies and procedures and receive a weekly email newsletter. This includes photos from the week's activities as well as details of the book of the week and items for 'show and tell'. Parents comment that staff are caring, patient and helpful and they are very happy with the care their child receives. Staff work in partnership with other early years settings that children attend where this applies, sharing day to day information through a communication book. They have links with other professionals and agencies so that appropriate support can be provided if children have additional needs. This helps ensure children benefit from a consistent approach to their learning and care.

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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 EY382955 Local authority Kingston upon Thames Inspection number 976153 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 120 Number of children on roll 206 Name of provider Dicky Birds Pre School Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 05/09/2013 Telephone number 020 8942 5779

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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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