Little Pioneers Nursery & Pre-School, Sutton

The Co-operative Childcare Sutton Buffer Bear Nursery, 21b Cheam Road, SUTTON, Surrey, SM1 1SN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/06/2014 04/12/2013

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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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Staff give each child the individual support they need to make good progress in their learning.  Staff provide an interesting and varied curriculum which is stimulating for children of all ages and abilities.  Staff form strong, secure attachments with each child that makes them feel safe and confident.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff recieve regular supervision although these do not consistently focus on evaluating the impact of their practice on children's learning.  Staff have not considered various ways to engage all parents in their child's learning.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff and children of all ages, indoors and outdoors.  The inspector spoke with staff, parents, children and managers.  The inspector looked at documents and paperwork.  The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the manager.

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Information about the setting

The Sutton Nursery is one of a large chain of nurseries run by The Co-operative Childcare group. It opened in 2000 and re-launched under Mid Counties Co-operative in July 2011. It operates from five rooms within the site of Sutton Baptist Church. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is within the heart of a busy commercial and residential area and is open each weekday from 7.15am to 6.30pm for 52 weeks of the year. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. There are currently 81 children aged from 3 months to under five years on roll. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged three and four years. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. In addition to the manager and four domestic staff, 23 staff are employed to work with the children. The manager and 18 staff have a level 3 early years qualification, one has a level

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Information about the setting

2 qualification and one a level 6 qualification.

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

 continue to help all parents to engage with their child's learning and development.

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

 develop the use of staff supervisions so they consistently focus and evaluate the impact of staff's practice on children's learning

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who attend

Staff at this nursery get to know their key children in detail. They gather information from parents and use focussed observations to understand each child's care needs, skills and abilities as soon as they have settled in. This enables staff to plan activities to move children forwards in their learning soon after joining the nursery, which makes very good use of the time children spend here. Each key person knows exactly which experiences their allocated children need to make progress, and they use the planning system effectively to ensure these are delivered.

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who attend

Staff prepare a good variety of highly engaging activities for children of all ages and abilities. For example, two-year-olds concentrate intensely while pouring water down guttering and four-year-olds are very keen to join a trip to the train station to spot numbers in the environment. This demonstrates the skills of the staff team in motivating children to learn. Children learning English as an additional language are well supported by a range of techniques including sign language, picture cards and staff learning words and phrases in the children's home language. Careful planning by staff ensures that each child experiences a broad curriculum matched to their stage of development. Plans also show staff consider the balance between adult-led and child-led activities, and each child's initials are added to plans for activities which specifically meet their learning needs. Staff plan adaptations to activities to meet the needs of children who have additional needs.

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who attend

This results in all children receiving highly individualised and targeted experiences to support their learning. Each room is well equipped and thoughtfully set out to encourage children to explore their environment and make their own discoveries. For example, staff in the baby room have filled socks with herbs and spices to stimulate the children to use their sense of smell when exploring. They have researched colour vision in young babies to fully understand how they experience their environment. This demonstrates the dedication of staff to maximise learning opportunities by providing age appropriate resources. Staff encourage children to use the resources inventively and they do not interrupt children who are concentrating. This shows that staff understand how to support active learning in the children they care for.

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who attend

Staff make frequent and astute observations of their key children which identify what they are learning and their learning style. Staff use these observations to make regular assessments of each child's progress in each area of learning. These assessments show that all children are making good progress across the curriculum. For example, children learning English as an additional language are making good progress in their speaking, listening and understanding, which shows that the support they receive is effective. Staff have adapted assessments for children with complex additional needs to provide a meaningful overview of their progress. Staff are supported by the management team in using assessments to identify each child's next steps in learning. Children who are achieving highly are given especially challenging activities and children experiencing difficulties are given varied opportunities to consolidate their learning. In this way, the

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who attend

observations and assessments made by staff directly shape the experiences they plan for each child.

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who attend

Some staff have excellent teaching skills. A member of staff supporting children's spontaneous play in the mud kitchen uses open questions to stimulate thought, introduces the language of time, models using books to find information and encourages children to link ideas from their previous learning. Another staff member enthusiastically leads children to act out a familiar story and supports them to identify with the emotions of the characters. Some staff are less confident about the learning intentions of the activities they are supporting which results in less focussed teaching.

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who attend

Parents are offered a wide variety of opportunities to become involved in their child's learning. Regular meetings with their key person keep them informed of the progress their child is making, and daily diaries and 'wow' certificates encourage parents to inform staff of progress made at home. The manager organises information evenings for parents to understand the curriculum, and monthly 'stay and play' sessions encourage parents to understand the impact of the educational programme on their child's learning. Parents who do not understand much English are provided with translations of policies in their home language. However, at times not all parents engage fully in these opportunities, which means the staff are not successfully helping all parents to contribute to their child's learning and development.

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

Staff at this nursery use the key person system very effectively. Each child has formed a strong bond with their key person, which they demonstrate in a variety of ways. Babies snuggle into their key person as they settle to sleep, toddlers hide behind their key person for security when they feel shy, and older children confidently ask for help when they need it. Children each have a photo of their key person which they can share with their family which helps to consolidate the strong relationships. Every key person knows their allocated children very well, including their individual care needs. For example, staff know how each baby likes to be settled to sleep and which children need opportunities to develop their confidence. This enables staff to provide care that is tailored to meet each child's individual needs. Staff are skilled at providing the secure base young children need to develop their independence. They give enthusiastic encouragement to children trying to

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

do things independently and they praise children persevering with difficult tasks. As a result, children at this setting are confident, happy and keen to learn.

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

Staff work very effectively to prepare children for a wide variety of moves. New children joining the nursery are given the full attention of their key person to help them to form a strong bond. Staff also understand the importance of forming good relationships with parents during the settling period, and the impact this has on children's trust of their new carer. As children approach the age at which they would move to the next room, staff carefully assess whether they are ready to make the move. Staff then work very well together to enable the child to form a bond with their new key person before moving rooms. This shows staff have a solid understanding of the importance of emotional security and how to promote it. Children who will be starting school are very well prepared in the broadest sense. Staff teach them the skills they will need, such as changing their clothes for P.E. lessons, negotiating turns to use equipment and recognising numbers and

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

letters. Children are supported to be keen learners, confident communicators and to behave considerately which enhances their school readiness. Staff create wall displays to help children to know which of their friends will be going to the same school as them. They also take children on walks to look at their future schools. These measures help ensure children are emotionally prepared for the move to school. Parents have free access to a resource library carefully prepared by staff which gives information on how to support their children during transitions at home, such as the arrival of a new baby.

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

Children are almost always engaged with inviting and challenging experiences. This reflects the thought and time the staff give to preparing a stimulating learning environment for children to explore. The children cooperate well for their ages and are very well behaved. Staff show a clear understanding of the positive behaviour management techniques which have shaped this good behaviour. Staff organise potentially difficult times, such as when all children wash their hands before eating, to avoid boredom and frustration which can lead to unwanted behaviours. Older children are given responsibilities like laying the table for lunch, which develops their sense of contributing to their community and promotes cooperative behaviour. Staff have established a children's council which gives children a voice in making decisions about their nursery. This also promotes positive behaviour.

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

Staff have established highly effective ways of teaching children how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Children contribute to checking the garden for safety every morning, which teaches them how to spot potential hazards. Three-year-olds take turns wearing high visibility vests and acting as safety monitors, which teaches them the dangers of toys left on the floor and spilled water. Children help to clean the tables before eating which shows them good food hygiene practices. As a result, children develop a very good understanding of how to avoid accidents and stay healthy. Staff assess potential risks to children during all of their activities and outings, and the accident record shows that they are effective in minimising most hazards and keeping children safe from harm.

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provision

The management team has successfully led the staff through several significant improvements since the last inspection. They have effectively addressed their weaknesses and as a result the children are experiencing a higher quality of education. All members of this nursery's community have shared their views on the impact of the recent improvements and on how to make further improvements. The manager has collated these views into a new action plan and is already organising its implementation. This demonstrates a strong and successful drive to improve.

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provision

The manager uses a variety of systems to monitor all aspects of the provision. As a result, she is very well informed about the strengths and weaknesses of the nursery. She reviews each key person's weekly planning to ensure that each child's individual needs are included. She checks assessments and observations to ensure they are consistent and of high quality. She uses this information to ensure that each child is making strong progress and that the curriculum is broad and vibrant. Any gaps in a child's progress are promptly identified and staff receive support from a variety of professionals to address them. Staff form highly effective partnerships with agencies and professionals outside the nursery to enhance children's learning. For example, key persons attend speech and language therapy sessions with their key children and parents to fully understand their needs and how to meet them. This results in children receiving exactly the support they need to

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provision

The management team uses thorough and robust recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff are comprehensively vetted before they start working with children. Each new member of staff is allocated a mentor and they work through a detailed and well- structured induction programme. This gives new staff the knowledge and skills they need to maintain the high standards of this nursery. All staff are supervised by the manager every week and she makes good use of her detailed knowledge of early education to coach them. This coaching has been focussed on embedding the new systems for planning and assessment, and on the breadth of the curriculum. Staff are now confident at using these systems and delivering a broad curriculum, showing that coaching is an effective way to raise standards. The quality of teaching is not scrutinised during supervisions which leads to some minor inconsistencies in the children's experiences. The

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provision

manager agrees this as an area for improvement, showing that she understands how to raise standards further.

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provision

A very high proportion of the staff are trained and qualified childcare professionals. They share an enthusiasm for the changes they have made and they are all proud of the impact these have on the children. This shows that the management team successfully motivates and supports their staff, and recognises their achievements. Staff have access to ongoing training though internal training sessions, external courses and online e-learning modules. This enables them to improve their knowledge and skills continuously. Staff all speak confidently about safeguarding issues and how they can protect the children in their care. This shows that safeguarding training has been effective. Room leaders receive training to understand the full extent of their responsibilities. This enables them to give clear and consistent guidance to their room staff and to maintain the standards of the setting.

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provision

Parents express great satisfaction with the service they receive. They praise the warm and friendly staff and the strength of the relationships they form with the children. They feel well informed about their children's learning and development, and they value the support staff give them.

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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 139904 Local authority Sutton Inspection number 950489 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 66 Number of children on roll 82 Name of provider Buffer Bear Limited Date of previous inspection 04/12/2013 Telephone number 020 86435278

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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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