Sodbury Vale Day Nursery

Sodbury Vale Day Nursery Ridgewood Community Centre, 244 Station Road, Yate, BRISTOL, BS37 4AF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16/07/2014 10/11/2011

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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

 The key-person system is effective in supporting children's individual care and learning needs, resulting in children progressing well across all areas of learning.  Children develop effective communication, language and thinking skills as staff make good use of open-ended questions as children play.  Staff use the stimulating outdoor learning environment very effectively to further develop and promote children's learning.  Links with other providers and professionals are good. Consequently, children's individual needs are well supported and continuity of care is valued by all.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always provide opportunities for children to consider concepts such as weight, measure and capacity and the use of numerals in their play.  The good systems for monitoring staff performance do not include peer observations, so that staff can learn from each other through honest and critical reflection.

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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 activities in the playroom and the outside learning environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the joint providers, staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at safeguarding policy and procedures, children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of staff working within the setting and a range of other documentation.  The inspector invited the joint providers to undertake a joint observation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day, and information and feedback from parent questionnaires.

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Information about the setting

Sodbury Vale Day Nursery has been established for over 30 years and registered under the current management in 2009. Since 2000 it has been based at the Ridgewood Community Centre on the border of Yate and Chipping Sodbury, South Gloucestershire. The nursery occupies a self-contained area on the first floor with its own entrance. Access is by a flight of stairs. The nursery is open each weekday from 8.30am to 4pm term time only. Children can attend on a sessional or daily basis. There is an enclosed outdoor play area for the children to use. At present there are 60 children on roll aged from two years to under five years. The nursery receives early education funding for children aged two, three and four years. Children come from the local area. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery employs ten members of staff, all of whom hold early years qualifications to at least level 3. One member of staff

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

 extend the range of opportunities to promote children's mathematical development by providing practical experiences for children to consider concepts such as weight, measure and capacity and the use of numerals in their play

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

 build on existing systems for the monitoring of staff performance, for example, by fully establishing peer observations so children continue to receive the best teaching and care possible.

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who attend

Staff demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. All children make good progress in relation to their starting points and pattern of attendance. The quality of teaching is good. Staff work closely with parents when children first attend to establish children's starting points and care routines. Staff record observations of children at play, assess their progress and then use this information to plan and enhance further learning experiences. This results in children making good progress, given their starting points and prepares them for their future learning in school when the time comes. Parents receive regular daily feedback and more detailed periodic written summaries and assessments showing them what their children have achieved. Parents also contribute well to their children's learning records and record what children are learning at home. This ensures continuity of learning

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who attend

and good identification of children's individual progress. Consequently, parents are fully included and are helped to understand how to support their children's learning.

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who attend

Staff give high priority to supporting children's communication and language skills. For example, they engage children in conversation as they play, such as encouraging younger children to name the colour of the dough and the different shaped cutters they are using. Children have ready access to a wide selection of good quality books. Some children explore books independently, while younger sit with staff and listen to stories. Children select activities in the free-flow areas available to them. They develop their imagination well during role play as they prepare to go on a picnic, and offer visitors the opportunity to go with them. Children have good opportunities to develop their small muscle skills along with their expressive arts and design. They sit at the table and draw their 'mummy' who they describe as 'picking blackberries'. Children hold their pencils well and discuss with staff that they have had to draw one foot slightly larger than another as there is a 'thorn'

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who attend

stuck in it. Staff ask good open-ended questions and give children time to think and respond. Advice received from speech and language therapy services is well used and further meets children's individual communication needs. Consequently, they make good progress in their learning.

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who attend

The outdoor area is well designed to offer children a wide range of enjoyable activities and children clearly enjoy their time outside. Older and younger children mix well because the staff ensure they deploy themselves well, supporting children and extending their play. Children enjoy building with crates and climbing on equipment, such as the large wooden climbing frame with ropes. Children enjoy running up and down slopes and crawling through tunnels. They enjoy exploring how things grow in the gardening areas where they grow beans, potatoes and flowers. Children laugh and shout as they carry buckets of water together. Staff encourage the children to take the lead in their play and know when to join in and intervene effectively. Children play imaginatively in the outdoor classroom and pretend to be popular story book characters. They are starting to learn and understand how to share and take turns during play. This enhances their personal and

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who attend

social development as they begin to form friendships with others and play cooperatively. However, staff plan few opportunities for the more able children to work with numerals and to experience weighing, measuring and capacity through activities such as sand and water play, to further extend their mathematical learning.

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who attend

Children have good opportunities to use a range of technology as part of their core play and learning experiences. For example, they use the nursery's computer and programmable toys. Children have opportunities to make marks and be creative, for example, they paint with a selection of colours and sprinkle glitter onto their pictures, understanding that the glitter will stick to the paint. The very good displays of photographs of children involved in activities, their work and their name labels helps children develop a sense of belonging. The nursery is full of information for children at their height, posters with the alphabet and numbers on and about different cultures, through flags and different festivals that specific countries celebrate. This develops children's knowledge and understanding of the wider world.

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who attend

The providers and staff demonstrate a good knowledge of the requirement of the progress check for children at age two. Information and resources are in place that help to ensure that these include all of the required information for parents and others. All of these elements enable staff to accurately assess two-year-old children's development and provide relevant information to aid their progress.

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

Staff are well deployed and work well together as a team to safeguard and promote the learning, development and welfare of the children in their care. The key-person system is well embedded and helps to ensure that most children have formed secure emotional attachments to key staff who know and care for them well. For example, children are placed with staff that they respond to, which helps enable them to build strong bonds. Staff work closely with parents to ensure they are fully informed of the child's individual routines, interests and dislikes, which means the care they receive in the nursery is an extension of their home life. Children are confident to approach staff if they need comfort or support and enjoy staff's interaction in their play. For example, children thoroughly enjoy sharing and celebrating their news with staff during group times and as they sit together to eat. As a result, children develop high levels of self-esteem and confidence

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

because there is a strong emphasis on celebrating achievement. This helps them form secure bonds and promotes their emotional and physical well-being.

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

Children's behaviour is good and they demonstrate appropriate manners as they say 'Please' and 'Thank You' with occasional reminders from the staff. Children of all ages play alongside each other and they watch as they each play and develop good friendship bonds. Children learn to share and take turns. For example, they pass their friends the food at lunchtime and help each other. Staff introduce any visitors to children and explain why they are there, which helps them to manage any changes to their day. For example, children confidently approached the inspector and one child spontaneously drew her a picture, to make her feel welcome. Children's understanding of safety is demonstrated by the way they move around the nursery and while outdoors, giving consideration for others and their own safety. For example, they wait patiently by the door before going outside and take care while using the stairs and the outdoor balancing beams. Their

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

understanding of keeping themselves safe is further enhanced by staff who are good role models and frequently explain the reasons why certain actions are important. For example, tidying toys from the floor and moving chairs carefully.

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

Children begin to develop good self-care routines because staff offer sensitive support, such as toilet training and hand washing. Children know why they need to wash their hands before eating and staff encourage children to notice the effects of exercise on their bodies. Children make healthy choices at meal times and are eager to enjoy their fruit snack during the session. Careful planning and preparation to meet individual dietary needs means that all children enjoy healthy foods and are learning this contributes well to a healthy lifestyle. Staff have strong links with other agencies and professionals, who provide support with their specialist knowledge and skills. This helps to enable the successful inclusion of children with any special educational needs and/or disabilities to ensure they have the necessary support to help them achieve well. Times of change are managed effectively to support children's well-being. For example, children's individual

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

needs are promoted by working with parents through the key person system to arrange visits to new rooms and to discuss suitable times for moves. This also helps children learn to manage moves well in the future, such as progression to school.

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provision

This inspection was carried out as a result of a concern raised to Ofsted regarding the nursery's safeguarding procedure, with particular regards to the mobile phone and camera policy. The inspection found that the provider responded to a concern that had been notified to them, as required. The joint providers acknowledge that this incident did occur. A member of staff took a photograph of a child using her mobile phone during an activity in the main playroom. The photograph was uploaded directly onto the nursery's web page to reassure a parent their child was settled and happy in the nursery. This was because the nursery's camera was due to be replaced, because it was not in full working order. All parents have signed photographic and social media consent forms. The joint providers have taken comprehensive action to ensure that this does not happen again. For example, all mobile phones are stored in a separate room away from the children and staff cannot

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provision

access them during the session. The nursery's mobile phone and camera policy and procedure, and risk assessment have been reviewed and is known by all staff and implemented. All staff know and understand the safeguarding arrangements. Parents are made fully aware of the nursery's duty of care to act in the child's best interests at all times. Management and staff understand their responsibilities to inform Ofsted and relevant agencies about any concerns relating to children or staff. Children's safety is given high priority by staff that closely supervise children and are vigilant and responsive at all times. Consequently, safeguarding is good because the joint providers understand their responsibility to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements.

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provision

Staff recruitment and selection procedures are sound and follow 'safer recruitment' guidelines. All staff working in the nursery are appropriately vetted and all hold early years qualifications. Robust recruitment and induction procedures are in place to ensure vetting and assessing the suitability of all staff and students is embedded. Induction, supervision and appraisals are effective tools that the leadership team use to support staff and ensure that they have the opportunities for continual professional development, through attending further training. However, the use of peer observations is not fully developed to improve the ability of staff, who already have effective teaching skills. The joint providers regularly monitor planning and assessment. This ensures they are consistent and precise and provide an accurate understanding of all children's skills. Staff complete weekly planning, which is adapted to meet all children's interests, any additional needs are

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provision

identified and their stage of development recognised. This ensures children's skills and abilities are monitored and that they continue to make good progress in their learning.

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provision

The premises are safe and secure and the maintenance of the facilities and the management of safety systems are good. Staff carry out risk assessments, including daily checks, to ensure the environment remains safe at all times with any potential hazards identified and minimised immediately. Self-evaluation involves all staff and this is visited at regular staff meetings alongside the nursery's policies and procedures to ensure all staff have opportunities to contribute to the process with their views and ideas for improvement. Very effective partnerships with parents enable them to play a full and active role in their child's learning. Parents' views are sought through discussion, open evenings and an open-door policy where parents are welcomed into the nursery, should they have time. Parents are provided with good information about the setting via their social media site and extensive website and daily information. All parents spoken to at the

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provision

time of the inspection comment extremely positively about the nursery, stating their children are extremely happy and settled. They all commented on the friendly professional staff team and highlighted the quality resources and facilities provided.

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provision

Management and staff have formed good partnerships with external agencies to ensure children with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from further support as required. Links with other providers are effective and promote the sound integration of care and support for all children. Teachers from schools that children attend are encouraged to visit the nursery prior to children leaving and good transition procedures are in place to ensure continuity of care and learning for all children.

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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 EY367490 Local authority South Gloucestershire Inspection number 982131 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 60 Name of provider Sodbury Vale Day Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 10/11/2011 Telephone number 01454 329590

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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

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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