Happy Days Nursery, Saltford

Tiddlers Day Nursery Limited 480 Bath Road, Saltford, Bristol, BS31 3DJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31/07/2014 08/03/2010

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early years provision

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

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This provision is good

 All children are happy and relaxed and make good progress, due to the positive relationships they form with their key person and other staff.  Staff know the children very well and ensure children's safety and well-being to a high degree.  There is a strong partnership with parents and carers which enables staff to ensure they meet children's individual interests and needs.  Staff use robust monitoring and assessment systems for identifying children's needs and giving parents and carers feedback about their child's progress and well-being.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Although the indoor areas are well resourced, the outdoor area for toddlers is not yet stimulating enough to fully develop their imagination, curiosity and critical thinking.  Staff do not always provide the more able children with sufficient levels of challenge and resources to enable them to reach their full potential.

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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 staff's interactions and children's play, indoors and outside.  The inspector talked to staff, children and parents at convenient times.  The inspector carried out joint observations with the deputy manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled children's records, policies and procedures, and other documentation.  The inspector checked evidence of staff suitability, qualifications and training.

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Information about the setting

Tiddlers Day Nursery Limited is a privately owned setting that opened in 1997. It operates from a single storey building in the village of Saltford, midway between Bath and Bristol. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor area. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6.00pm all year round, except for bank holidays.

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Information about the setting

The setting is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 42 children aged from birth to three years on roll, some in part-time places. The nursery provides funding for free early education for two-year-old children.

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Information about the setting

There are 11 members of staff, of whom nine hold appropriate early years qualifications and one is unqualified. The manger holds a Foundation Degree in Early Years Education. Three members of staff have recently achieved a further level 5 Diploma in Leadership for Children and Young Peoples Service in Education. One member of staff is an apprentice and holds a level 2 and is being supported to reach level 3.

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

 extend children's imagination, creativity and critical thinking, for example, by developing the outdoor toddler area further so that it is more stimulating and conducive to their learning

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

 strengthen teaching strategies to ensure that the most able children are further stimulated and challenged to enable them to meet their full potential.

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who attend

Children make good progress in all areas of learning and development in relation to their starting points. This is largely because the sensitive, committed and knowledgeable staff take great care to get to know the children as unique individuals from the moment they start at the setting. It is also due to the strong emphasis on working collaboratively with parents to understand their child's needs and interests. In addition, the robust observation, planning, monitoring, assessment and feedback systems help staff to ensure that children receive the attention and support they need to thrive. Staff make observations of children as they play. They use this information to plan how to improve children's progress. They regularly feedback on progress to parents and listen carefully to parent's comments and suggestions. The two-year-old progress checks are completed in a friendly and professional manner. This ensures children's provision can be uniquely

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who attend

tailored to their needs. Parents are invited to get involved in their child's learning and development every step of the way and say that they appreciate this very much.

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who attend

Babies enjoy a peaceful and orderly environment that includes a soft mat area for group time, where they learn action songs, counting rhymes and play games. Babies love songs and games that involve acting like animals, for example, they relished staying very still then leaping up to hop like rabbits. They are encouraged by skilful staff to come up with new animals to act out, and they choose tigers, penguins and elephants independently. The babies enjoy each other's company. They smile and communicate well and are happy to play alongside each other. The babies are very well supported in their personal, social and emotional, physical and communication development. The baby outdoor area is attractive, with a large tree for shade and a soft floor surface for babies to crawl on. There are posts and tyres which encourage babies to pull themselves up, develop strong muscles and explore their environment.

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who attend

Babies also explore materials through their senses. Interesting boxes of objects containing different textures are placed at floor level, making them accessible and inviting. Staff provide messy play, which allows the young children to explore new materials and widen their experiences. Staff provide activities to meet children's differing stages of development and abilities to enable them to gain self-confidence as learners. For example, when a baby is not keen to touch sticky or unusual materials, such as shaving foam, staff put foam into sealed plastic polythene pockets, with small objects hidden in the foam for babies to find. This way the child can start to get a feel for the new substances in a way that captures their interest and that feels safe and comfortable for them. Babies enjoy making marks and staff encourage them to use different materials, such as large chalks, wax crayons, pens. They made marks confidently, drew circles and chatted about this,

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who attend

imitating words used by the staff. These activities help babies to progress well in their communication and language skills, their knowledge of the world and their creativity.

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who attend

Likewise toddlers enjoy many stimulating resources appropriate for their age and stage of development. The toddler rooms contain activities, such as books, construction toys, puzzles, materials for making marks and role play areas. The boxes of resources are clearly labelled and accessible, which encourages children to make choices and develop independence. Visual timetables support toddlers to feel emotionally secure by helping them to learn the routines and know what is coming next. The toddler's outdoor area is partly shaded by a canopy, which offers a large open space for running freely, riding bikes and trikes, as well as for construction, sand and water play, planting, painting and mark making. Toddlers thoroughly enjoy the challenge of the climbing equipment which provides them with excellent opportunity to develop their physical self-confidence. While the toddler outdoor area is spacious and is used daily, there are fewer resources in this

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who attend

area for the children to develop their imagination and curiosity.

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who attend

There is a good balance between free play, where children are supported to follow their own interests, and age appropriate adult-led activities. For instance, when a toddler was interested in the pips in her apple core, staff supported the children in planting the seeds and enabled them to learn about conditions for growth and care of plants. Staff carry out adult-led activities in small groups so that children get the attention they need. For example, they organised a short and focused session to help children learn about colours and colour matching through resources that capture the children's interest. Toddlers sat in a circle and listened well to the clear instructions staff gave them. They were keen to try the challenge the staff set, such as finding a red teddy from a mixed selection of coloured objects and matching it to the red place mat. Older toddlers were challenged to find a small purple dolphin, which required them to focus and concentrate. Children are

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who attend

encouraged to take turns and managed this well. Staff praised children warmly, which helps them gain confidence in group learning.

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who attend

Staff enthusiastically promote children's learning and development as they play. They take genuine interest in the children's learning and role model critical thinking, mathematical language and affirm with praise. For example, staff said, 'Wow what a tall tower! Well done! Is the tower taller or shorter than you are? Let's see'. This encouraged the child to investigate the height of the tower compared to his own height. When children turned a box into an aeroplane, staff encouraged discussion about where the plane was going. This stimulated the child to make the sounds of the engine and form sentences, such as 'mine is going up, up, up'. This level of support helps to promote good creativity, communication and language skills.

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who attend

Staff use specific educational programmes well to develop children's communication and language effectively. For example, the use the 'Every child a talker' programme, sign language, 'talk time boxes' and focused work in small key groups. As the toddlers and babies are ready, staff encourage them to hold their pencil using a tripod grip. The support children receive through these programmes and activities, together with the focus on socialising and independence during meal times, prepares the children well for their move on to the pre-school and then to primary school when the time comes. At times, staff do not always provide the more able children with enough challenge. For example, one child, who had already been identified as knowing a wide range of colours, was asked about colours during the adult-led activity, during free time painting and again while exploring at the sand tray. This demonstrated that staff are not using appropriate levels of

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who attend

teaching strategies and resources to challenge and extend all children's learning fully effectively.

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who attend

Staff work with parents effectively so that learning continues at home. For example, staff have been successfully developing the children's ability to name and understand their feelings. They do this by using cards which show pictures of different feelings, such as happy or sad, and wear these round their necks so they can use images to communicate about feelings as well as words. There is also an interactive feelings board for the children and staff to use. This good practice has been shared with parents and some have reported that they are delighted that they all now have a, 'language of feelings' to use at home. These and other effective strategies enable the children to talk about what is going on inside and to get their needs met more easily. This is having a positive impact on the children's personal, social and emotional development.

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

Babies and toddlers develop high levels of confidence and self-esteem. There is an excellent key-person system in place which enables children to feel safe and emotionally secure. Throughout the child's learning journey at the setting, the needs of individuals and the wishes of the parents are taken seriously so that there is continuity and consistency of care. Family customs and routines are valued and great care is taken to help children from all backgrounds to integrate and settle. Staff are able to support children to make successful transitions, for example, to eating solid food, using the toilet and to sleeping independently. Parents vouch for the strong bond that their children make with their key person and also that they are friendly and happy with all the staff. They describe the nursery as, 'a friendly, happy place where everybody knows everybody'. Parents also say that the close attention staff pay to the children's well-being and safety makes them as

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

parents feel happy and secure. This in turn cascades out to the children to promote their well-being effectively.

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

Staff promote children's physical development well through the activities and play opportunities. In addition, children are encouraged to eat a healthy diet. Fresh fruit is provided at snack time, along with milk and water. Toddlers are encouraged to be independent during snack time cutting their own fruit and pouring their chosen drink. Staff use the inevitable spills as opportunities for children to learn to mop up and staff help children to do this. All the children eagerly enjoy a delicious cooked lunch delivered by outside caterers each day. Children are encouraged to help serve the lunch and this promotes a friendly atmosphere and develops confidence and self-esteem. Staff encourage all babies and toddlers to learn to wash their hands before meals and about the importance of this to stay healthy and well. This promotes children's good health well.

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

Children behave well because staff are good role models and they work together to constantly remind children of clear and straightforward rules. Staff provide babies with a calm atmosphere in which they can relax and develop. Toddlers learn how manage frustrations through naming and talking about their feelings and having the support of staff who will listen and guide them.

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provision

The management team has a very clear understanding of their responsibilities for meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They have relevant policies and procedures in place that staff become familiar with at induction to make sure they are aware of the safe and effective day-to-day running of the nursery. The owner/manager has put in place robust policies and procedures for safeguarding and child protection. Staff understand and implement these well. The management team carry out a full Disclosure and Barring Service check and ask for references before they appoint new staff. All staff participate in appropriate safeguarding training to make sure they know what to do if they have concerns about a child's welfare. In-house training is in use to make sure that this is a priority. All staff have current paediatric first-aid certificates and have undertaken a basic food-hygiene qualification. Risk assessment is comprehensive and covers all areas indoors

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provision

and outdoors children use. The assessments are reviewed and updated regularly to ensure all risks and hazards are removed or minimised to keep children safe. Staff are meticulous in ensuring visitors sign in and out, keeping exits locked and ensuring that children are protected through a password pick up system at the end of the session. This creates a calm and safe atmosphere in which the children can develop and learn.

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provision

Most staff have attained a relevant childcare qualification at level 3 or above and have a positive attitude for continued professional development. A robust system of one-to-one supervision is in place and this helps staff identify areas for celebration, as well as those for improvement. Areas for improvement are successfully addressed through staff attending courses or observing a more experienced member of staff.

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provision

Partnership with parents is excellent. Parents now receive a regular newsletter with updates and photographs of the children at play. Parents report that they love the photographs and they are also invited to join a parent forum. These forums provide opportunities for parents to discuss things that matter to them. For instance, parents raised staff managing children's behaviour as a concern. This led to the staff undertaking training and the subsequent development and successful use of the feelings cards, enabling staff to manage children's behaviour more effectively.

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provision

The management team are highly committed to ongoing self-evaluation and improvement. For example, while monitoring and assessment practice is already very strong, a new electronic recording system through which parents will be able to access all information specific to their child is being introduced this September. The managers have been inspired to do this so that parents can be updated immediately with photographs and observations of their child. In addition, this new system will enable staff to analyse assessment data more easily to further improve practice and enhance the outcomes for children.

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provision

While there are currently no children attending who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, or who are learning to speak English as an additional language, there are good assessment systems in place that quickly identify any children who would benefit from additional support. The setting has worked closely and effectively with other agencies when needed so that the progress that all children make relative to their starting points is good.

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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 133097 Local authority Bath & NE Somerset Inspection number 825547 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 47 Number of children on roll 42 Name of provider Tiddlers Day Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 08/03/2010 Telephone number 01225 872088

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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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