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Early years · Early years inspection (CIF)

Pear Tree Nursery School & Kidz Club

Inspected 9 Jun 2014 · published 6 Aug 2014 · URN EY415109

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Summary

Requires improvement

Ben Hartley

What we read, and from where

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  • Inspection datesingle source

    9 Jun 2014

  • Inspectors verified

    Ben Hartley

  • Overall effectivenesssingle source

    Requires improvement

  • Postcode verified

    LE3 6NP

  • Name on report verified

    Pear Tree Nursery School & Kidz Club

  • URN verified

    EY415109

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of the report

Deep dive

What this report says

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Grade profile

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  • OverallRequires improvement

Tone of the report

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+36Positivemore positive than 83% of reports of this type graded Requires improvement
OutstandingGoodMetRINot metInadequate

In line with other reports of this type graded Requires improvement.

Markers show where typical reports of each grade sit.

Praiseeffectivelyeffectiveenjoycaringpositivelypositiverobustvery well
Criticisminadequateinconsistentnot alwaysnot metnot consistentlyrequires improvementlimited

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FindingsWhat needs to improveAbout the inspection positive critical
  • Findings66w+13
  • What needs to improve1954w+35

Strengths

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No standout praise found.

Concerns

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No strong criticism found.

Next steps

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Anatomy of the report

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Pages
10
Words of findings
1,948
longer than usual (typical 773)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 44, typical 48
Average sentence
16 words
Next steps
8
typical 8
Hedged sentences
7%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 2%What needs to improve 65%About the inspection 33%

Full report text

Pear Tree Nursery School & Kidz Club 291 Liberty Road, LEICESTER, LE3 6NP

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/06/2014 09/09/2011

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

p.1

This provision requires improvement

 Staff promote children's development and provide a range of interesting activities for them to take part in. As a result, children make reasonable progress.  The nursery takes reasonable steps to engage with parents and involve them in their child's learning.  Effective safeguarding measures ensure that children are protected within the nursery.  Staff have a caring and affectionate nature. This means that children make secure attachments and that their emotional development is promoted.  Reasonable partnerships with local schools and other agencies have been developed. This helps to increase children's readiness for school.

p.1

It is not yet good because

 The quality of teaching is inconsistent. This means that children are not always engaged in their learning.  Routines are not always managed according to children's individual needs or in a way that protects their dignity.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector had a tour of the premises with the manager.  The inspector observed activities in the main playrooms and the outdoor areas.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector checked policies and the suitability of staff, their qualifications, assessment records, self-evaluation and planning documents.  The inspector held discussions with children, staff and parents.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager.

p.2

Information about the setting

Pear Tree Nursery School and Kidz Club was registered in 2010 and is one of three settings under the current ownership. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from four rooms in a purpose-built building in Leicester. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates mainly from rooms on the ground floor, with the pre-school area down some stairs. There are two enclosed areas available for outdoor play. Both areas are partially covered to enable access all year around. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff, of these 12 hold appropriate qualifications at level 2 or above. One member of staff holds Early Years Professional status and two staff have level 6 qualifications. The nursery opens Monday to Friday for 51 weeks a year and sessions are from 7.15am until 6pm. There are currently 92 children on roll, who are

p.3

Information about the setting

all in the early years age range. The nursery supports children who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery receives support from the local authority and provides a drop-off and collection service from numerous local schools. The nursery works in partnership with East Midlands Housing Association and Sure Start.

p.3

must:

 ensure that planned activities are appropriate for children's stage of development in order to sustain their interest and attention throughout

p.3

must:

 undertake a programme of mentoring, support and training for staff in order to improve the overall quality of their teaching.

p.3

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

 protect children's dignity more effectively by managing personal care routines according to children's individual needs.

p.3

who attend

The nursery environment is generally appealing to children, particularly in the outdoor areas. This enables the nursery to provide a range of experiences across the seven areas of learning. Opportunities for children to engage in creative activities are particularly evident. For example, within each room, there is an area designated for messy and creative activities and this allows children the opportunity to engage with these resources fully. Children have recently used leaves for painting. Additionally, children are given opportunities to learn about the world around them. For example, children have been learning about the life cycle of butterflies that have recently been released back into their natural habitats. This provides children with meaningful and first-hand learning opportunities. There is some good quality teaching within all areas of the nursery, however, some planned group activities do not include or engage children. As a result,

p.3

who attend

these activities have a limited effect on their learning. For example, during a group talk time a few children dominate the activity to the detriment of others. This is caused partially because some staff supporting the activity do not provide sufficient input. Furthermore, the size of the group does not cater for children's individual learning needs or styles. This means that some children quickly become distracted and lose interest.

p.4

who attend

Children, including those who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make reasonable progress in relation to their starting point. The nursery is able to identify and put measures in place to support children, particularly with their acquisition of language. For example, the nursery uses flashcards in order to support children who speak English as an additional language. Staff have undertaken specific training that enables them to quickly identify children's learning needs in relation to their language and to put appropriate measures in place to support them. Additionally, the nursery takes reasonable steps to increase children's readiness for school. For example, the nursery has recently welcomed teachers from local schools into the nursery in order to gain specific guidance to support children when the time comes for them to move on. This means that in general, children are adequately prepared for school.

p.4

who attend

Staff routinely plan activities, using their assessments of children's progress to inform their ideas. Children demonstrate some of the characteristics of effective learning. For example, they persist at their chosen activities for a considerable period and are eager to find out more by asking questions of staff.

p.4

who attend

The nursery makes reasonable efforts to engage parents in their children's learning. For example, parents have recently attended a parents' evening and a summer fayre has been planned. Information about children's learning is shared well and this helps parents to continue their child's learning at home. Staff have a sound understanding of how to promote children's development and background knowledge of their preferences. This, as well as regularly undertaken assessments of children's progress, is used to inform the planning. The assessment programme includes the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. These assessments give staff an accurate picture of what children can do, so they can identify clearly what children's next steps in learning are and address any areas where children are making less progress that expected.

p.4

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

An embedded key-person system allows children and their families to form meaningful relationships with familiar staff. Additionally, staff have a caring and affectionate nature. This means that children make secure attachments and develop their emotional well- being. Children behave positively during their time within the nursery because staff are positive role models and reinforce their clear expectations. This results in a calm environment that children enjoy and means children are becoming increasing confident in themselves. Children are encouraged to take manageable risks during their play. For example, children have built their own steps to climb up to a slide. Furthermore, the outdoor area contains a slope that children enjoy exploring on their bikes and this allows them to manoeuvre skilfully and quickly. This means that children are to learn about how to keep themselves safe. Children remain settled for their time within the nursery and

p.4

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

their care routines are usually well planned. However, on occasions children's individual care needs are not consistently met. For example, pre-school children who need nappy changes are changed on the floor in the doorway to a toilet. This does not adequately maintain their dignity and means that other children are constantly walking round them as they go to wash their hands. Information about children's care throughout the day is shared effectively with parents, so they know how staff support these.

p.5

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

Children are given daily opportunities to play outdoors. Parts of the outdoor areas have a cover, which means that children can play in the fresh air, whatever the weather. The nursery uses this area to help children learn more about the natural world. For example, a growing area has been created where children tend and grow plants. This enables them to learn more about life cycles as well as how to care for other living things. Staff demonstrate a sound understanding of the importance of daily physical exercise and the environment allows children to access the outdoors freely. Staff are deployed effectively to ensure that children's safety is not compromised and a high standard of supervision is maintained. Children demonstrate their increasing levels of self-confidence. Transitions throughout the nursery are managed well and this ensures children move easily within the rooms based on their level of development. For example, children are supported in their

p.5

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

early stages within each new room by undertaking visits and building up their confidence in the new environment. This allows them to begin to develop friendships with their peers and build relationships with staff.

p.5

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

The nursery promotes healthy lifestyles for children, providing them with a wide range of choices for their meals and snacks. As a result, children enjoy the well-balanced nutritious diet that is provided for them and make positive choices about their food options. Staff communicate the individual dietary requirements of children effectively and this ensures their individual needs are met. Additionally, children are encouraged to maintain their own personal hygiene. For example, children are encouraged to wash their hands before mealtimes. As a result, they are beginning to recognise the importance of maintaining their own personal care independently.

p.5

provision

Children are kept safe within the nursery through effective policies and procedures as well as a sound knowledge from staff about how to protect them. All staff have been suitably checked, including new staff. As a result, only suitable adults have access to children. Policies and procedures support staff in maintaining children's safety. For example, there is a robust procedure for entering and leaving the premises. Parents fully understand this and implement it effectively. This ensures that only suitable adults have access to the building at all times. Additionally, the front of the building is monitored by the management to quickly identify any potential risks. Robust risk assessments are completed to ensure the safety of the premises. Furthermore, the regular outings that are undertaken all have appropriate risk assessments. Staff attend regular training to ensure their understanding is kept up to date. The management team have a strong

p.5

provision

understanding of the requirements to keep children protected. Additionally, they thoroughly understand and respect confidentiality, ensuring that any relevant information is kept securely within the premises. Furthermore, the management team understand their legal responsibility to report significant events to Ofsted.

p.6

provision

The staffing team are highly qualified, in particular the management team. However, their skills and knowledge are not fully used to provide other staff with detailed feedback in order to improve the overall quality of teaching. Accordingly, the quality of teaching is inconsistent. The manager and room leaders do take some steps to effectively monitor the planning and assessment. For example, the planning documents are monitored on a weekly basis. Additionally, learning journeys are analysed and notes are provided to staff in order to help them improve the quality of their observations and assessments. Staff are currently undertaking training in order to improve their qualifications as part of their professional development. This demonstrates the drive of the staff team to improve the overall quality of the provision. Staff are involved in the self-evaluation process and this demonstrates that the nursery is committed to improving the quality of their provision.

p.6

provision

Additionally, this shows the capability of the nursery to act positively on the actions raised at the previous inspection.

p.6

provision

The nursery has developed effective partnerships with parents and in particular outside agencies. For example, the nursery works closely with the housing agency that is contained within the building. This means that they provide appropriate care for children in order to support the families in improving the overall quality of their own lives. Additionally, the nursery works with the local Sure Start centre, providing places for children that attend and using the knowledge of the centre during staff training. Parents play an active role in the nursery and this is demonstrated by the variety of ways in which the nursery welcomes them into the setting. Furthermore, their opinions are considered in order to improve the quality of the nursery.

p.6

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

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

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 EY415109 Local authority Leicester City Inspection number 977559

p.8

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 52 Number of children on roll 92 Name of provider Steven Chadwick and Yazmin Chadwick Partnership Date of previous inspection 09/09/2011 Telephone number 07899951806

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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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

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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