Highview Kindergarten Ltd

Highview Kindergarten Off Belmont Road, Sharples, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 7DZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 01/08/2014 24/06/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 2 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 1

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This provision is outstanding

 The quality of teaching is outstanding because all staff have an exceptional awareness of how young children learn and develop. They show a great deal of respect for the children and have high expectations of them. Consequently, children are making excellent progress in their learning, as they are encouraged to think for themselves, develop independence and make choices throughout the day.  Managers and staff place the utmost priority upon supporting children's physical, personal, social and emotional development extremely well. They are exceptionally caring, sensitive and skilled in helping children to form secure emotional attachments. This, in turn, nurtures children's self-esteem, confidence and overall well-being.  The inspirational and highly motivated managers and staff continually update their professional development by attending numerous training courses and implementing what they learn into their practice. Managers regularly monitor and evaluate the

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This provision is outstanding

practice of all staff, which results in continual developments being made to an outstanding setting.  Excellent safeguarding policies and procedures are well known and implemented by the staff, who place the utmost importance on ensuring children are extremely safe and secure at all times.  Excellent partnerships with parents and external agencies ensure that children's individual needs are well known and superbly supported.

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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 had a tour of the premises, observing practice and speaking with children and staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the managers of the provision and looked at and discussed a range of policies, procedures and documentation.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.  The inspector carried out joint observations with the manager.

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Inspection activities

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

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Information about the setting

Highview Kindergarten opened in 1987, was re-registered in 2002 and is privately owned. It operates from a stone-built residence in the Sharples area of Bolton. The kindergarten serves the immediate locality and also the surrounding areas. It opens five days a week from 7am until 7pm all year round, except for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. Children attend for a variety of sessions. They are cared for across four rooms and have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 92 children on roll in the early years age range. The kindergarten receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English is an additional language. There are currently 22 staff working directly with the children, all of whom have an appropriate early years qualification. The kindergarten receives support from the local

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Information about the setting

authority. It is registered on the Early Years Register.

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

 implement the plans to develop the outdoor environment in order to further support children's awareness of numbers and enhance the children's already excellent learning opportunities outdoors.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is outstanding. The experienced and highly skilled staff have an excellent knowledge of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They have very high expectations of themselves and the children. Staff have a superb understanding of how to support children of all ages to achieve the best they can in their learning and development. Children thoroughly enjoy their time spent with the enthusiastic and dedicated staff, who provide an excellent and imaginative range of high quality resources and activities, both inside and outside. Staff help children to settle easily and happily by gathering information about their interests and individual learning needs from the parents when they first start attending. From this information, they ensure that superb activities and learning opportunities are made available based on the children's interests. Staff assess and identify children's starting points and ongoing

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who attend

developmental stages extremely well. They undertake regular observations and precise assessments of the children and use this information to plan for their individual next steps in learning. Any identified gaps or delays in children's development are identified and addressed through early intervention and support from the staff and other agencies to progress children's learning. Children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who speak English as an additional language, receive outstanding support at this kindergarten. For instance, there are examples of some of the children's home languages presented in signage and displays around the setting. Staff have highly successful methods of engaging parents in their children's learning when they first attend and thereafter on an ongoing basis. Parents provide photographs and written information about children's achievements at home to add to their learning journals. These are used to provide a complete picture of

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who attend

children's overall development. This joint approach supports the children extremely well to make very rapid and exceptional progress towards the early learning goals. Staff have an excellent ability to engage and enthusiastically interact with children, which results in them being highly motivated and eager to learn. Children of all ages enjoy opportunities to take part in activities that cover all of their learning needs extremely well.

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who attend

Staff speak to children, engaging them in conversations and extending their language and vocabulary during activities. Children demonstrate excellent communication and language skills, as staff ask them appropriately challenging questions to make them think and find out more. For example, during snack time, staff encourage children to talk about different vegetables. The discussion leads onto talking about those they like. Children are asked if they know where broccoli comes from. Initially the response is 'the shop', but, after further thought and guidance from staff, they reply 'from the farmers field'. Children talk about going to the dentist and, through careful questioning, they learn why it is necessary to clean their teeth and what foods are good and bad for their teeth. Staff also teach children to develop excellent listening skills through playing games. For example, in the pre-school room, children are encouraged to listen carefully to instructions; they are

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who attend

shown a number and they collect fish that equate with the number. Throughout these activities, children clearly show their enjoyment in trying new experiences and they beam with delight when they receive regular praise for their efforts and achievements. This builds upon their confidence and they successfully develop a 'can-do' attitude. Children enjoy selecting their favourite storybooks to read with the staff and become engrossed in stories. Staff skilfully support children's interest in literacy and language by sensitively using early phonics to help them to identify the letters in their names and helping them to spell out the letters and recognise the sounds. Staff ensure they are using teaching methods, consistent with the local schools, in phonics and letter formation, in order to fully support children in their learning for when they make the transition. Staff's excellent approach to guiding children's play, without taking over, results in them developing high

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who attend

levels of creativity and maintaining focus on the activity for some time. This also prepares children extremely well for their next stage in their learning.

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

The nursery is vibrant, stimulating and welcoming. Staff are highly skilled and experienced in working with children and they sensitively support them to settle happily at kindergarten by using carefully planned introductions and settling-in sessions. All children have their own key persons who take great care to make sure they forge close working relationships and excellent communication with parents. Key persons have an extremely good understanding of all children's individual care needs and routines. All children form exceptionally close bonds with their key persons, which support their emotional well-being exceedingly well. As a result, children are settled and exceptionally happy in their care. Consequently, they are extremely confident, independent and self-assured individuals.

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

Children of all ages very confidently explore the environment and happily make choices and decisions about their play from the extensive range of resources available to them. Staff have excellent procedures in place for supporting children in their transitions within the kindergarten. They visit the children regularly, so that they become familiar with them before they move rooms. Staff in the pre-school room ensure that children are emotionally well prepared when it is time for them to move on to school. Their smooth transitions to school are well supported due to the excellent relationships established between the staff and the local schools. Children thrive because of the positive praise the staff offer to support their confidence and emotional well-being. Staff encourage positive behaviour by calmly explaining the importance of sharing and ensuring that all children develop skills in playing harmoniously with each other. They learn to keep themselves safe and effectively

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

learn to take risks in a safe manner. For example, staff encourage children to develop skills in using items, such as scissors, during craft activities and they are taught to be careful so that they do not harm themselves or others.

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

The kindergarten has achieved the local authority highest grading for environmental health, food hygiene and safety, and are currently working towards healthy eating awards. This demonstrates their commitment to promoting the importance of eating healthy food. Children enjoy nutritious meals, which are freshly prepared on the premises. Children learn about looking after their health, for example, they help themselves to drinking water when they are hot and thirsty. They develop excellent self-care skills and are becoming competent in managing their personal needs, relative to their ages. For example, children wash their hands before and after meals and brush their teeth, with many of them doing this without being prompted by staff. The nursery is scrupulously clean. Exemplary hygiene practices are adhered to by all staff consistently. Antibacterial handwash is available throughout the kindergarten for staff and visitors to use, in order to reduce the

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

risk of infections. Children's physical health and development are promoted exceptionally well as staff provide them with excellent opportunities to access fresh air and exercise in the wonderful outdoor play area. Their outstanding opportunities to learn in the outdoor environment is being further enhanced by plans to enrich it by introducing numbers into the area.

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provision

Managers are inspirational due to their strong drive and determination to maintain the already excellent standards of care and education provided for all children who attend this setting. The provider and managers are extremely enthusiastic and motivated in their work and they value their staff. This has a very positive impact upon the staff morale and attitudes towards maintaining exceptionally high standards of care and education for their key children. The provider, managers and staff have a superb understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The outstanding standard of teaching by all staff results in children being animated, highly motivated and enthusiastic learners. Consequently, all children are making excellent progress in their learning and development given their starting points. The managers meet with the staff regularly to discuss their key children's progress and to monitor the

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provision

children's learning journals. They check that staff plan for children's next steps in their learning and that these are consistently followed through effectively. The managers also monitor the progress of groups of children, which effectively illustrates exactly what stage of development the children have reached. For example, many children are receiving excellent additional support to enhance their communication and language skills due to the input from the highly trained staff.

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provision

The provider, managers and staff have an outstanding knowledge of how to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. All staff have undertaken safeguarding training and have a thorough understanding of what to do should they have concerns about a child. The safeguarding policy includes procedures to be followed if there are allegations made against staff members and regarding the use of mobile telephones and social networking sites. When appointing staff to work at the kindergarten, extremely robust vetting procedures are undertaken, including Disclosure and Barring Service checks on all staff, to ensure that they are suitable to work with young children. The provider and managers have extremely high standards and only appoint highly committed and motivated staff. Excellent induction systems are effective in ensuring all staff fully understand and implement the kindergarten policies and

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provision

procedures. Rigorous monitoring of staff performance and conduct is given priority. Regular staff supervisions and peer observations are undertaken to monitor the continued professional development and training needs of staff. Regular staff meetings and training effectively support staff in their daily work with the children. Due to the vigilance and excellent care provided by the staff, children remain extremely safe and secure in the kindergarten and outdoor area. The managers ensure that the correct staff-to-child ratios are adhered to at all times. Great care is taken to ensure that staff are effectively deployed, so that children are always well supervised and have their individual needs met extremely well. Robust risk assessments and rigorous daily safety checks undertaken inside and outside minimise hazards, in order to reduce the risk of accidents to children. Thorough procedures for dealing with accidents are stringently followed. All staff are

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provision

trained in paediatric first aid and are, therefore, prepared to deal with any accidents or medical emergencies promptly and effectively.

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provision

Partnerships between staff and parents are excellent. Parents' comments are extremely positive and include examples, such as 'all staff are happy, friendly, professional and do a superb job' and 'I feel completely confident leaving my baby at the kindergarten and I know my child is happy, content and well cared for'. Many parents comment on how well their children are progressing and how involved they feel in their children's learning. The reception area has an abundance of useful information for parents to read. Parents also have opportunities to provide anonymous feedback by using the suggestion box. This ethos of openness and joint working is exceptionally strong, which greatly benefits the children who attend. Managers constantly and proactively seek the views of children and parents to contribute to their thorough evaluation and have a clear and well-targeted plan of action for future developments. An example of this is the recent parent questionnaire.

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provision

Future developments also include plans to improve the outdoor environment, in order to extend children's already excellent learning opportunities outdoors even further by enriching it with numbers. The manager and staff work closely with the local authority advisers and swiftly address any recommendations they make. All staff are extremely committed and determined to maintain the already very high standards in this outstanding kindergarten. Partnership working with external agencies and professionals, such as speech and language therapists, health visitors and staff based in the local schools is excellent. They are very welcome to visit the children at the kindergarten. This joint working is extremely effective in ensuring that children are receiving the best possible, consistent care and education.

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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 EY230831 Local authority Bolton Inspection number 869932

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 56 Number of children on roll 92 Name of provider Highview Kindergarten Limited Date of previous inspection 24/06/2009 Telephone number 01204 595 315

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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

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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