The Rocking Horse Childcare Centre

Rocking Horse Day Nursery 81 Heanor Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 8DY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 01/08/2014 03/02/2014

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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

 Staff deliver challenging activities and plan well for the next steps in children's learning. Therefore, children make good progress from their starting points.  Staff recognise the uniqueness of each child. The good key-person system enhances relationships with children effectively, which helps them to feel secure and supports their emotional well-being.  Children are kept safe because staff know and understand their responsibilities concerning safeguarding and teach children about acceptable behaviour through role modelling and discussion.  The management team and staff work closely with parents and other professionals to meet children's individual needs effectively.  The management and staff team show a strong commitment to improving outcomes for all children. There are successful systems in place to evaluate all aspects of the provision in order to inform continuous improvement.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children do not always have sufficient opportunities for to use numbers and counting within their play and activities to increase their mathematical skills.  Not all opportunities are used to maximise children's understanding of a healthy lifestyle.

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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 children taking part in indoor and outdoor activities and during mealtimes and care routines.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector had discussions with the management team and spoke to staff, children and parents during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's observation and assessment records, the register of attendance and children's records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including health and safety policies and procedures, staffing rotas, accident records and risk assessments.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with the children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.

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Information about the setting

Rocking Horse Day Nursery was registered in 1990 and is on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from three rooms on the ground floor of a converted house and a self-contained unit in the grounds in Ilkeston, Derbyshire and is one of seven family owned nurseries. All children share access to a secure outdoor play area. The nursery serves the local area. It is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm all year round, except for the week between Christmas and New Year and on Bank Holidays. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 78 children on roll, all of whom are within the early years age range. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-olds. It employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds Early Years Professional status, two have a teaching qualification, one has a foundation degree, three hold a qualification at level 5, two hold

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Information about the setting

level 4, two hold level 3 and five hold level 2. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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

 enhance the opportunities for children to use numbers and counting within their play and activities, in order to enhance their understanding of, for example, simple calculation

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

 extend children's understanding of a healthy lifestyle, by consistently teaching them about the importance of exercise and the effect this has on our bodies.

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who attend

Children are happy to attend this friendly nursery and arrive with excitement and enthusiasm. Staff are welcoming and demonstrate that they know the children well. They have a secure knowledge of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff understand that children learn best through play and plan a wide range of stimulating activities that are of interest to the children. Staff gather detailed information from parents about their child's preferences, characteristics and capabilities. They use this, along with children's initial assessments, to form children's starting points. Consequently, children settle quickly into the nursery routine. Staff continue to teach, observe and assess the children while they play. The information they gather is analysed and used effectively to identify children's individual next steps in learning and to inform further planning. Assessment is robust enough to enable staff to successfully complete the

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who attend

progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. In addition, they help staff to identify if there are any gaps in children's learning in order to address these promptly. As a result, children are supported well to make best progress given their starting points. Consequently, they are progressing well towards the early learning goals and acquiring effective skills for their readiness for school. Parents have daily communication with staff about their children's achievements and progress and how to support learning at home. Staff complete summary reviews of children's development and invite parents to discuss their child's progress. This helps to promote a consistent approach and continuity of learning for children.

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who attend

Staff promote and enhance learning through play with positive attitudes and good teaching. Children are active and enjoy their learning. They concentrate, listen to instructions and independently choose their play, gaining useful skills for the eventual move to school. Children enjoy opportunities to develop their learning by exploring and investigating and solving problems for themselves. For example, children in pre-school transport water from the water tray to the garden and merrily try to make mud pies using a variety of tools, such as spades, forks and buckets. As the water spills over and runs away, they hurry to fetch more. Staff are at hand and ask problem-solving questions, such as why they think the water keeps going away and how they can stop it. Children respond to these questions and begin to build a dam and then realise the best place to store the water is in containers. The baby room is very relaxing and calm and staff tune into

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who attend

children's needs sensitively because they know children very well. Babies display confidence in their surroundings and make choices with support from staff that arouse their interest or curiosity. They have sensory experiences, which helps them to learn about the world around them. For instance, they thoroughly enjoy playing with the treasure basket and exploring different textures. They smile and giggle as they make they rustle the shiny paper and make noises as they bang musical instruments together. Toddlers are progressing well and show confidence as they move around the outside area. They develop good physical skills as they climb and balance and learn how to manoeuvre themselves down off the climbing frame. Staff are attentive to their needs and provide well for their individual learning. Both babies and toddlers enjoy using cause-and-effect toys as they press buttons and watch lights flash and make sounds. This fascinates them

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who attend

and they repeat the activity, showing they are learning about how things work. This activity also helps handling skills and builds their self-esteem, as staff praise their efforts well. Children of all ages use their handling skills creatively and efficiently. For example, they handle different tools, such as paintbrushes, glue spreaders and sponges, to make patterns to create their own pictures while painting and sticking. They carefully complete a jigsaw and build towers, trucks and people out of the construction toys. Staff support these activities well, encouraging the children to 'have a go' and to find ways to solve the problem.

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who attend

Staff foster communication and language skills well. They explain what they are doing clearly, ask open-ended questions and hold purposeful conversations and broaden children's vocabulary well. Children throughout the nursery participate with enthusiasm as they sing popular rhymes, using actions skilfully. Children develop their literacy skills as they enjoy stories. Both pre-school children and toddlers sit attentively and listen. Older children answer questions and repeat the end of sentences with excitement and refer to sounds of the alphabet well. Toddlers turn pages correctly and discuss the pictures on the page. This helps children to understand that books bring pleasure. There are good selections of books that are easily accessible to the children. They learn early writing skills efficiently as they begin to write for a purpose, such as writing sentences and shopping lists and writing their names accurately on their pieces of artwork. Early mathematical

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who attend

skills are taught generally well. Activities, such as sorting by size and colour, as well as sand and water play, help children find out about shape, space and measurement. They fill and empty containers. Children also sing number songs and refer to numbers. However, staff do not always fully extend and build on the children's mathematical learning to introduce them to simple number problems. This means they have fewer opportunities to learn about adding and subtracting items as they play and during routines, such as snack time. Children use their imagination well and staff provide suggestions to enhance their play. For example, children go on a journey to the seaside. They push the dolls around the garden, go to the vegetable patch and collect some food to take with them, pretend to be on a train and arrive at the sand tray, which is the beach. They take off their shoes and socks and begin to play in the sand, building

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who attend

sandcastles and hunting for shells. Staff encourage this and lead their imagination. Children talk about eating ice creams, swimming in the sea and finding crabs. These activities thoroughly enthuse and excite children, which in turn provide very good levels of challenge and opportunities for children to think and be effective active learners.

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

Children form very strong relationships with key persons, who effectively support their emotional and physical well-being and help them to feel secure in the nursery. Staff welcome children warmly on their arrival and give cuddles which comfort children when they are unsettled. Children benefit from consistent carers. Staff know the children well and spend time getting to know children when they start, understanding what interests them and motivates their learning. The settling-in period is tailored to children's individual needs and staff take account of parents' requests when providing care for children, for example, eating and sleeping arrangements for babies and young children. Therefore, children experience a smooth transition from home to the nursery due to the continuity in practice. The changeover from one room to another is managed well as children move up through the nursery. Key persons spend time in new rooms with children, allowing them

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

to feel at ease. Consequently, they form new relationships easily as they learn to play with older children. The interaction with others helps children to develop social skills that prepare them for their move to other settings, including school. Staff have a calm and consistent approach. They give support and guidance that encourages children to behave very well, and children respond positively to this. Staff remind children to be kind to each other and share toys and resources when required. Staff and children have put together rules, developing their understanding of the boundaries of behaviour.

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

Children's good health is promoted well. Children learn to manage their own personal needs when they wash their hands before they eat or after messy play. Staff help children learn about healthy lifestyles. They benefit from snacks that are healthy and nutritious and take into account their dietary needs, for example, fresh fruit with milk or water. For lunch they enjoy hot meals, such as sausages, cabbage and mashed potato, with fruit and yoghurt to follow. Mealtimes are social occasions; staff sit with children and promote their social skills through conversation. They talk of favourite vegetables and the benefit of drinking water. Children thoroughly enjoy the freedom to play outside. They have fun practising their physical skills as they run around throwing and catching balls and maintaining a healthy lifestyle through fresh air and exercise. However, when children participate in the regular dance session, which involves some vigorous movement, staff

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

miss opportunities to talk about the effects of exercise on their bodies. For example, they do not discuss and compare the difference between their heartbeats before and after exercise.

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

Children are accommodated in a clean, comfortable environment that is secure and well maintained. Staff and management put a lot of effort into the presentation of their rooms. As a result, these are inspiring, attractive and cheerful. For example, there are displays of children's art and craft work showing different techniques and bright and cosy areas in all rooms. This helps to create an exciting and comfortable learning environment. Children have access to a broad selection of high quality resources and toys, which are well maintained and cover all areas of learning, both inside and outdoors. Babies and young children have dedicated quiet and sleep areas, which are clean and comfortable for when they wish to sleep or rest. Staff are deployed efficiently throughout the nursery to encourage and support children's learning and emotional needs effectively. The effective deployment of staff ensures children are competently supervised during activities. Staff

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

are vigilant in promoting children's safety. They check the premises for hazards on a daily basis and supervise children closely at all times. Staff make sure children remain safe in the nursery. Children are involved in supervised risk taking, which helps them to learn about managing their own safety. For example, Staff talk to them about being careful when running around outdoors. Also, children take sensible risks under supervision while using scissors to cut complex shapes they ask staff for guidance. By concentrating on how staff move scissors around the curved shapes, children develop a clear understanding of using one-handed tools. Children of all ages take part in regular fire drills so that everyone knows what to do in an emergency.

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provision

Leadership and management are strong. There are vast improvements since the last inspection. Recently, Ofsted made a monitoring visit to the nursery and the inspector found that all requirements from the last inspection had been effectively covered. There were major improvements to the toddler room, including to the quality of teaching, behaviour management, planning and assessment taking into account young children's stage of development, the organisation of space and key-person support. In addition, these elements made reference to improving the supervision of staff and supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. These elements were all looked at during the inspection and are effectively implemented when required. The toddler room is well run and children are cared for efficiently. The arrangements for safeguarding children in the nursery are effective. The manager has a well-developed understanding of

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provision

meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. For instance, she ensures staff have consistent opportunities to discuss safeguarding matters at team meetings. Therefore, staff have a good understanding of child protection procedures, and in turn children's welfare needs are promoted and met fully. Copies of policies and up-to-date information about safeguarding are displayed in all rooms. Consequently, staff develop confidence about their responsibility to keep children safe. Rigorous recruitment and induction procedures ensure adults are suitable to work with children, and ongoing suitability is regularly checked through discussion. Risk assessments of the premises and for outings ensure children are kept safe at all times. All records required for the smooth running of the nursery and to meet the individual needs of children are available.

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provision

Management has a clear understanding of the learning and development requirements, and review activities by talking with staff. Room leaders regularly check the planning and assessments to ensure children receive effective support and key persons track children's achievements on grids. This enables them to be able to identify when early intervention is needed so that children receive the appropriate support to meet their learning needs. Management have developed robust methods for monitoring staff practice during teaching and learning activities. Consequently, opportunities are always explored to enhance further the effective practice of promoting children's learning and development. Performance management processes are effective to support consistency of practice. There are comprehensive supervisions and observations of staff in place and a detailed appraisal system. Staff complete a range of training courses and they are encouraged to

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provision

continue to increase their knowledge through ongoing training. These not only help to assure personal professional development, but also enhance the nursery provision and lead to maintaining good quality care for all children. For example, staff have attended all of the core training including behaviour management, diversity and food hygiene. Management have put together a training programme, to ensure the training also meets the needs of the children and improves their learning and care. They have recently enrolled senior staff on the local authority training for 'Every Child a Mover', to help increase children's movement skills.

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provision

There are successful partnerships with parents, who receive a wide range of information about the nursery. A prospectus includes activities offered under the Early Years Foundation Stage to raise parents' awareness of what is taught. Copies of policies and information about the organisation of the nursery are displayed on the parents' board. Through regular newsletters, parents know about events and changes in the nursery. They are highly satisfied with the service they receive and children's happiness in the nursery. Many compliments about staff are recorded in parents' questionnaires, which also include the views of children. The manager consistently invites parents to suggest areas for improvement, and their comments are sought regarding changes. For instance, the introduction of coffee mornings has increased the number of parents attending to look at and discuss their children's learning journey records. As a result, parents share more

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provision

information about their children's learning at home. Consequently, the two-way communication helps children's learning and development overall. The management team work equally well with other professionals who offer support for the benefit of children. The management team are clearly well informed about the importance of sharing information to promote children's individual learning and development needs.

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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. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 206286 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 966287

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 78 Name of provider The Rocking Horse Nurseries Ltd Date of previous inspection 03/02/2014 Telephone number 0115 930 5240

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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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