Mama Bear's Day NurseryOfsted inspection, 11 Jul 2014

Mama Bear's Day Nursery 3a Coronation Road, Downend, Bristol, BS16 5DH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/07/2014 01/07/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Babies and young children have access to suitable activities and experiences that promote their learning within the seven areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Children are extremely happy and their individual needs are exceptionally well met. Staff provide a very warm and welcoming environment for children and their families.  There is a well-established key-person system; as a result, babies and young children immediately form secure attachments with staff.  The manager and staff team show a real drive and dedication for improvement through their self-evaluation process.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always plan activities effectively to ensure they minimise any risks to children; as a result, they are not fully equipped to deal with hazards such as spillages.  Staff do not always provide a variety of accessible items for younger children to choose from in order to encourage their free choice and develop their independent learning.  On occasions, during breakfast time, staff provide children with an adult-size serving bowl, pouring ladle and milk jug, which prevents them from serving their own meal and hinders them from developing self-care skills.

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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 babies and children in their individual rooms and in the outdoor environment throughout their daily routine.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the manager, the staff and the children throughout the inspection and undertook a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, the planning documentation and the systems for monitoring of children's progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of staff suitability and sampled a range of documentations including the safeguarding policy and risk assessments.  The inspector spoke to parents and carers and took their views into consideration.

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Information about the setting

Mama Bears Day Nursery opened in 2010. It is one of a number of local nurseries operated by the same family-run company. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. It runs as a baby and toddler unit for children under three who then transfer to a neighbouring pre-school unit run by the same company. There are currently 61 children on roll. The nursery operates from a self-contained, single storey premises, set back from the road in a residential area of Downend, South Gloucestershire. Children have access to outdoor play areas at the setting and use is also made of the garden at the pre-school unit. Onsite parking for drop-off and pick-up is available and the building is accessible to those with limited mobility. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks a year, from 7.30am to 6pm with an additional hour from 6-7pm where needed. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged two and

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Information about the setting

three years. A team of 18 members of staff is employed. All staff are either qualified or working towards qualifications in childcare ranging from level 3 and 4.

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

 ensure staff are fully alert to risks as they arise during messy play activities and are equipped to swiftly minimise any hazards

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

 provide a range of accessible materials and items for children to choose from during free play and adult-led activities, to promote their independent learning

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

 provide child-size serving utensils to encourage children to serve their own food and drinks during mealtimes, to develop their self-care skills.

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who attend

Staff at this baby and toddler unit demonstrate a secure understanding of child development. They are knowledgeable about the individual learning and development needs of babies and young children. Staff work in partnership with parents to meet the needs of all children. They regularly encourage parents to share information about their child's interests, likes and preferences as well as personal care needs. Staff are effective in using this information to plan suitable learning experiences that challenge children's learning. As a result, babies and young children are making good progress in their overall learning and development, taking into consideration their starting points. Staff record and track children's learning well to ensure they are meeting their developmental milestones. This helps babies and young children to achieve the necessary skills and close any gaps in their learning and development. Staff plan children's next

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who attend

steps as part of their continuous learning provision. Staff regularly share child observations and their summative assessments with parents and carers to keep them up to date concerning their child's progress. Staff ensure parents contribute any feedback in their child's progress check, which staff complete for all children when they reach two years old. Consequently, staff effectively prepare children for the next stage of learning when they move onto pre-school education and later onto school.

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who attend

Babies and young children have access to suitable activities and experiences that promote their learning within the seven areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff provide a balance of daily adult-led experiences as well as opportunities for children to freely explore both indoors and in the outdoor environment. However, staff do not always provide a variety of accessible items for younger children to choose from in order to encourage their free choice and develop independent learning. For example, there are fewer writing mediums and craft materials such as crayons, glue sticks and a variety of paper within easy reach, so children can create their own drawings and practise their mark-making skills.

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who attend

Staff provide uninterrupted time to engage with babies and are attentive to their needs. For example, they ensure they are at good eye level and engage with them by using positive gestures and repetitive phrases. Babies and young children have fun as they explore in the ball pool. Staff join in with their play as they roll and throw the ball to each other. Staff repeat the word 'catch' to get their attention, which also extends children's vocabulary. They offer suitable praise and encouragement at all times, which motivates babies to keep trying. Staff share books, sing nursery rhymes with babies and young children, and encourage them to join in. For example, as staff sing a familiar rhyme with babies, they change the tone of their voice, begin to whisper, and then suddenly quicken the pace of singing, which excites the babies. Consequently, babies smile and wriggle in excitement while clapping their hands. Staff encourage children's communication and

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who attend

social skills well by providing group-learning experiences. For example, children sit in small groups for circle time including meal and snack times throughout the day. Staff use everyday routines to introduce mathematical concepts such as colours and counting. For example, when children create their individual summer collages during an adult-led activity, staff encourage them to count and recognise the different colours they are using. Staff repeat the words 'purple' and 'red' while mixing the colours together to help extend their vocabulary. Younger children discuss their summer pictures with staff who respond effectively by using open-ended questions, which encourages children to think and explore ideas.

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who attend

Children enjoy exploring messy play including water and sand. Younger children play with shaving form and use rollers to create patterns. Staff provide children with a shallow bucket of water and brushes to make marks on a large chalkboard. Children show excitement as they dip their brushes into the water and splash them onto the board as they make marks and patterns. This messy-play experience develops children's small- muscle control as well as hand-to-eye coordination. However, in their excitement of splashing the water, the floor becomes very wet. Staff do not have the resources to immediately deal with the situation neither are they able to leave the children unattended to get assistance. Consequently, staff do not always plan activities effectively to ensure they minimise any risks to children because they are not fully equipped to deal with hazards such as spillages as they occur.

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

Children are extremely happy, and staff meet their individual needs exceptionally well. They provide a very warm and welcoming environment for children and their families. There is a well-established key-person system; as a result, babies and young children immediately form secure attachments with staff. The nursery has paired the key person with a buddy who knows the family and child well. The buddy steps in when necessary if the key person is not available to provide continuity of care. Settling-in arrangements for new children, including babies when they move between rooms, is comprehensive. Staff provide parents with a routine booklet to encourage them to record their babies' individual care routines including sleep patterns and comfort objects. Staff keep parents informed about their babies' daily activities and share sleep records, eating patterns and overall progress in their development. This ensures there is consistency of care between the

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

home and setting. As a result, staff are effective in supporting the emotional well-being of babies and young children.

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

Younger children display good social skills. They quickly learn about acceptable boundaries because staff reinforce this well through effective role modelling. For example, staff use visual cards during circle time to discuss feelings and encourage positive attitudes towards one another. Younger children show increasing independence in managing their own personal care needs. For example, they immediately approach the low-level sink in the room to wash their hands, realising its time for snack. Staff are always on hand with a wet flannel and encourage children to clean their faces after meals. However, during breakfast time, staff provide an adult-size serving bowl and pouring ladle, which prevents children from pouring their own porridge. In addition, when children request more milk during breakfast, the jug is too tall and without a lid, which hinders them from independently pouring their own drink without adult support.

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

Staff promote children's health well. All children have a personalised placemat, which staff use to record individual dietary requirements. Staff work closely with parents during the weaning process to ensure babies receive balance nutritional food that caters for their individual requirements and preferences. Babies and young children benefit from daily fresh air and exercise; they have access to well-equipped outdoor spaces. Children have opportunities to run, climb, ride bikes and crawl through tunnels. Children learn to keep themselves safe and regularly participate in the fire drill evacuation procedures. Staff extend children's understanding of safety further by involving them in their own mini-risk assessment of the nursery. This provides an opportunity to extend children's awareness safety as they explore potential hazards and risks in their environment.

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provision

The staff team effectively work together to ensure the educational programme on offer helps all children to make good progress. They show a good understanding of meeting the learning and development requirement of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The manager monitors children learning and reviews their assessments records to ensure they are making effective progress. She regularly reviews children's next steps to ensure staff are meeting the needs of all children. The manager works closely with the Special Educational Needs Coordinator to identify and support children who require additional help. Children who are learning English as an additional language receive appropriate support and they are making good progress. For example, the manager has introduced specific learning resource files to represent the languages spoken by the children at the nursery. Staff use these files to support individual learning by identifying key words in the child's home

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provision

language. Parents further benefit from this resource as they are encouraged by staff to take it home to extend their child's learning.

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provision

Staff and management fully understand their role in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements. The manager has attended safer recruitment training. Consequently, she demonstrates a secure knowledge of the required suitability checks for all new staff prior to working with children. The induction process for new staff is thorough; staff receive the necessary support and guidance to fully understand their role and to familiarise themselves with the nursery's policies and procedures. All staff demonstrate a robust understanding of the safeguarding procedures and know what to do if they have a concern about a child in their care. Staff have accessed e-learning courses to extend their knowledge on safeguarding and the manager regularly tests their understanding through group discussions and a regular staff quiz. All documentation relating to health and safety are in place. The manager and staff work together to conduct daily safety checks in all

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provision

areas including risk assessments for planned outings. Staff are suitably first-aid trained and qualified to administer first aid, both onsite and during outings.

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provision

There is an effective well-established programme in place for supporting staff's professional development. The manager offers regular one-to-one staff supervision and yearly appraisals to provide ongoing support. The manager further uses these opportunities to identify staff's training needs. She uses a staff training audit to monitor staff's training needs and refers to the local authority training manual to identify suitable courses. The manager and staff team show a real drive and dedication for improvement through their self-evaluation process. Staff meet regular to discuss plans for improvement and contribute their ideas, which they display on a self-evaluation board. The manager uses questionnaires to obtain the views of parents to influence any future plans. Furthermore, staff draw on daily discussions with children and observation to obtain their views, to influence any future plans. Since the last inspection, the staff team have focused

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provision

on improving the outdoor provision. They have improved the outdoor resources to include more natural materials and objects to promote children's sensory learning experiences.

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provision

The nursery has a good system in place to share information with other providers that children may also attend. They encourage visits and exchange assessments records between the key people with parental consent. This demonstrates they are committed to ensuring continuity of care and learning for children. Parents are complementary about the service they receive. During the inspection, parents provided encouraging comments including; 'the staff are brilliant; they understand children's needs and will give my child lots of cuddles and offer reassurance.'

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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 EY402948 Local authority South Gloucestershire Inspection number 845777 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 64 Number of children on roll 61 Name of provider Mama Bear's Day Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 01/07/2010 Telephone number 01179565893

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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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