Ellergreen Nursery School and Childcare Centre

Ellergreen Nursery School and Childcare Centre Ellergreen Road, Norris Green, Liverpool, Merseyside, L11 2RY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21/07/2014 30/08/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 4 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

 Practitioners use effective teaching strategies, which support children to make good progress, relative to their starting points.  Practitioners are good role models of appropriate behaviour. Consequently, children behave well.  Very good partnerships with parents, local schools and other professionals prepare children well for their next stage in learning, including school.  The setting is led and managed very effectively, with a strong emphasis placed on monitoring and evaluating the provision. This means that managers are very clear about how to keep children safe and enhance the outcomes for children's learning and development.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Practitioners do not consistently enhance children's imaginative role-play activities, in a way that encourages their use of expressive language to a higher level.  Practitioners do not maximise all opportunities to talk about healthy foods with children, to reinforce messages about healthier choices.

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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 checked all relevant documentation and scrutinised requested policies and procedures, including those for safeguarding and recruitment of practitioners.  The inspector had a tour of the premises, indoors and outdoors.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's records, learning journals and observation, assessment and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of practitioners' suitability to work with children, the provider's self-evaluation and action plans in place, to secure continued improvement.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day and from written comments.

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Information about the setting

Ellergreen Nursery School and Childcare Centre was registered in 2004 on the Early Years Register. It is situated in the Norris Green area of Liverpool. The setting serves the local area and is accessible to all children. Childcare provision is located in a building on the nursery school premises and is governed by the Ellergreen Nursery School and Childcare governing body. It is managed on a daily basis by the childcare manager. The provision employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The nursery school head teacher has Qualified Teacher Status and one member of staff has Early Years Professional status. The childcare centre opens Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. There are currently 65 children attending, who are within the early years age

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Information about the setting

group. The setting supports children, who speak English as an additional language and children, who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 enhance further imaginative play experiences for children, for example, by encouraging them to explain their ideas to encourage their use of expressive language to a higher level

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

 maximise the opportunities to talk about healthy foods with children, to reinforce messages about healthier choices.

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who attend

Teaching is good and all practitioners match play activities to children's individual interests. As a result, children are very well motivated to learn and make good progress. High quality training has had a positive impact on children's communication and language development. For example, practitioners provide a range of activities, such as singing and musical rhythm sessions, which helps children to learn about sounds and word patterns. Furthermore, practitioners plan learning using the information gathered from parents on entry to the setting and on an ongoing basis. Parents contribute to learning booklets that are sent home on a regular basis as a communication tool and practitioners plan activities based on information from parents and share ideas from the setting, to promote learning at home. As a result, very good relationships with parents are actively contributing to children's learning and progression.

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who attend

Children show good control and coordination as they move confidently in the outdoor area and handle equipment, tools and resources effectively. For example, children enjoy completing obstacle courses using a range of physical apparatus. They climb and balance, challenging themselves to move higher or faster, always supported by practitioners, who know when to intervene and when to let children attempt physical challenges independently. As a result, children develop their physical skills. In addition to this, children use tools for planting, digging up vegetables and making mud pies. They use mark-making materials indoors and outdoors, as they practise writing their names or paint the walls using large brushes and water. Children particularly enjoy art and a range of materials enable them to be creative. They take great pride in showing adults and other children their artwork on display.

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who attend

A range of multi-cultural resources positively promote respect for all cultures through rhymes, song and expressive arts. Children, who speak English as an additional language, make good progress. Practitioners work closely with parents and appropriate professionals to ensure that strategies, which best support children's needs, are shared at home and in the setting. Therefore, children, who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, also make good progress, relative to their starting points. Children develop their knowledge of information and communication technology and competently use technology appropriate to their stage of development. They play with toys, which switch on and off and use cameras to take their own photographs. Children particularly enjoy story time, with staff, who engage their interests very well. For example, children act out their favourite stories, such as hunting for bears in the garden, or looking for treasure in the

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who attend

sandpit. However, there is scope to enhance further imaginative play experiences for children. For example, by encouraging them to explain their ideas, to encourage children's use of expressive language to an even higher level.

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

Practitioners support children to feel secure and comfortable through routines and close relationships with their key person. Children form strong, secure emotional attachments, which provide a solid foundation to develop their personal, social and emotional skills. The sensitive and caring interactions between practitioners and children through a strong key- person system, ensure that all children form positive and trusting relationships. Children settle well because practitioners find out good information from parents about their child before they start at the nursery. This is to ensure all children's needs are known and effectively met. Practitioners plan varied and imaginative learning opportunities based upon the individual interests of each child. To help prepare children for school, practitioners work closely with local schools and have devised very effective transition strategies in partnership with parents. Consequently, children make the move to school

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

The learning environment is bright and welcoming, with a range of resources readily available. This enables children to follow their individual interests independently. The outdoor area is now very well resourced, which provides opportunities for children to take risks and challenge themselves further, for example, balancing on crates and negotiating obstacle courses. Furthermore, children benefit from the use of a climbing area, small apparatus and a bug area and they have devised their own risk assessments for keeping safe in the garden. Practitioners effectively promote children's independence and sense of responsibility through a good balance of child-initiated and adult-led experiences. For example, at mealtimes, children choose from a healthy varied menu and all eat together, competently using appropriate cutlery. Practitioners act as good role models, helping children to learn how to be healthy, such as washing their hands before lunch. However,

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

practitioners do not always maximise opportunities to talk to children about healthy foods, to reinforce messages about the benefits of making healthier choices.

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

Children are able to manage their own self-care because all practitioners provide good guidance and give them time to complete tasks. For example, children set the table for lunch and clear away their own crockery and cutlery. Practitioners model positive communication strategies, to help children understand about acceptable behaviour. Consequently, children's behaviour is good. This ethos is consistent throughout the nursery, resulting in rapid progress in personal, social and emotional development for all children.

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provision

Since the last inspection by Ofsted, where the setting received a number of actions to improve, the management team has made many changes to their practice. These have had a positive impact on the education and care for all children. They work closely with the head teacher and local authority advisors to improve what is offered and are proactive in meeting any actions set. As a result, children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. Each action set at the last inspection has been met through careful consideration and clear targets are monitored through a robust development plan. A new system, developed by the manager, is now fully implemented to ensure that all children's learning and development needs are met, in an inclusive and respectful environment.

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provision

Safeguarding procedures are very thorough. All practitioners prioritise children's safety and they have a very good awareness of safeguarding issues. They are competent in their knowledge of the procedures to follow and who to contact in the event of any concerns about children or colleagues. Practitioners are fully aware of who the nursery's designated child protection managers are and the process to follow if they are concerned about any issues within their practice. An extensive range of policies and procedures successfully underpin daily practice and regular reviews are carried out. Extensive risk assessments for all areas of the building, the outdoor area and resources, ensure that children's safety remains paramount. Effective recruitment and vetting systems ensure all adults working with children are suitable to do so. As a result, children are safeguarded appropriately.

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provision

Leadership is good and focused improvement plans are in place to secure continuous improvement. All practitioners share a vision to provide an excellent service for the children and their families, therefore, making a positive difference to their lives. Practitioners are very well motivated in their continuous professional development and are continually seeking ways to improve. Managers continue to monitor provision within the setting and ensure that practitioners are deployed effectively, according to their qualifications and experience with specific age groups of children. They have a good understanding of the requirements to effectively monitor all children's skills, abilities and progress. Interventions are sought at the early stages to identify any group falling behind their peers or below their expected achievements, which results in children's needs being met effectively and relevant support services being involved. The setting works very

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provision

closely with local schools, which means that children are very well prepared for their transition into school.

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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 EY284604 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 941386

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 54 Number of children on roll 65 Name of provider Ellergreen Nursery School and Childcare Centre Governing Body Date of previous inspection 30/08/2013 Telephone number 0151 233 4594

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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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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