Julia Durbin Day Nursery

Julia Durbin Day Nursery Old Road, Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford, OX3 7JU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/08/2014 21/11/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 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 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 across the nursery is outstanding. Staff provide an exceptional range of high quality learning experiences for children, both inside and outside. As a result, children are highly motivated, eager to explore and develop a real thirst for learning.  All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, make outstanding progress in their learning. Staff carry out frequent assessments to ensure the developmental needs of every child are accurately identified and meticulously planned for.  The nursery leadership team is highly effective in driving improvement. Staff demonstrate an uncompromising commitment towards achieving excellence in all areas.  Children form exceptional relationships with the staff who care for them on a daily basis. This means children's individual needs are always extremely well met. Children move between rooms effortlessly and quickly form strong attachments with all the staff.

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This provision is outstanding

 Staff teams work particularly well together and this means the organisation of the nursery is excellent. The nursery provides a relaxed, fun and homely environment where each child is respected and valued.  There are excellent partnerships in place between parents and the nursery staff. Parents are consistently informed about their child's daily routines and developmental progress and all aspects of nursery provision.

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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 the quality of teaching and the impact this has on children's learning, both inside and outside.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and regional director and looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's self-evaluation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to a small selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Information about the setting

Julia Durbin Day Nursery has been registered since 1994 and is one of 47 nurseries run by the Childbase Partnership. The nursery is located in the grounds of the Churchill Hospital in Headington, Oxford. It operates from a purpose built one storey building with enclosed outside play areas. The nursery is open each weekday from 7am until 6.30 pm all year round, excluding public holidays. It is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 179 children in the early years age range on roll. The nursery supports children learning English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The setting is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. It is part of the National Day Nurseries Association's quality assurance scheme. In total, a team of 42 staff work at the nursery. Of these, 23 staff hold

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Information about the setting

relevant qualifications equivalent to level 2 and 3. In addition, one staff member holds qualified teacher status and two members of staff hold foundation degrees in early years.

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

 Refine the systems for assessing children's learning by developing a process for tracking children's development within the Early Years Foundation Stage to provide more detailed information about the progress of all groups of children, such as boys and girls.

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who attend

The quality of teaching across the nursery is exceptional. Staff utilise their strong knowledge of how children learn and their expertise in teaching to provide an outstanding range of learning opportunities, both inside and outside. Children benefit from prolonged periods of uninterrupted time to play, explore and experiment within the nursery environment and follow through their own ideas and imagination. Staff are skilful in recognising each child's individual interests and creativity and provide a wealth of activities which consistently stimulate children, capture their curiosity and support learning. Babies in the Caterpillar room acquire key skills to support their development. Language and communication development is supported through the use of 'signs'. Babies communicate non-verbally with staff who are perceptively 'in-tune' with them and respond positively to their needs. For example, babies clearly understand the signs for 'milk', 'more' and 'thank

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who attend

you' and use these on a daily basis to convey their needs.

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who attend

The nursery environment provides a highly stimulating place for learning, both inside and outside. Children move between the indoor and outdoor areas freely, making independent choices about where they want to be. Staff deployment is excellent and every opportunity is utilised to enrich the curriculum and promote children's learning. For example, staff recognise children's interests in water and blowing bubbles. In response, staff provide a wealth of resources to promote this, allowing time for children to show fascination in the coloured water and recognise the different sized bubbles that are created. Many activities and learning opportunities are initiated by the children themselves which are then skilfully supported by staff. Consequently, children remain engaged and focused in activities and develop essential skills for learning, such as asking questions, solving problems and showing sustained concentration. This ensures all children are very well prepared for

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who attend

moving to the next age group or starting school. Throughout the nursery, staff work in close partnership with parents to ensure there is a shared approach towards supporting and promoting each child's learning needs. Information gathered through rigorous assessment is frequently shared.

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who attend

Across the nursery, children make outstanding progress from their individual starting points. This includes children who speak English as an additional language, and children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff have an in-depth knowledge of every child's preferred styles of learning and plan a meticulous range of activities to support these. Planning is individual to each child and this means activities are personalised and support the interests of every child. For example, a staff member in the Ladybirds room astutely recognised a child's fascination with sea life creatures and planned a programme of activities across all areas of learning based on this theme. Similarly, in the Pre-School room, staff recognised children's continued interests in a pirate theme and extended this topic to cover a broader range of activities to enrich children's knowledge and creativity.

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who attend

Throughout the nursery, planning and assessment arrangements are precise, meticulous and sharply focused on every child's needs. Frequent records of assessment are carried out, in partnership with parents and carers, to ensure every child continues to make rapid progress. Staff carry out monthly reviews on each child's learning to ensure all assessment records are accurate, up-to-date and support children's changing needs and interests.

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

Exceptional arrangements are in place throughout the nursery to care for children and support their well-being. Staff are highly skilled and sensitive in recognising the personal welfare needs of every child and continuously provide for these. As a result, staff know all the children exceptionally well and this means children form very strong emotional attachments. New children settle in quickly as staff support them well, allowing them time to explore the nursery environment at their own pace. Highly effective staff deployment means that children are fully supervised and kept safe at all times.

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

Staffing arrangements are consistent and this means children are very familiar with the staff who care for them and readily seek them out for comfort when needed. The daily routine is planned extremely well to support children's emotional security. For example, from the youngest age, nappy change routines, settling to sleep, bottle feeding and mealtimes are all carried out by the child's main carer. Throughout the nursery, children spend quality time with their key person during the day, especially at mealtimes and at small group times, to ensure any specific needs are recognised and identified. As a result, children develop the confidence to try new things, to explore independently and to be highly motivated in their learning and development. Transition arrangements between rooms and from nursery to school are very well-developed.

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

Children develop extremely good levels of confidence and self-esteem. There are excellent systems in place to support children's personal development and their ability to make friends and to play cooperatively. Staff are extremely good role models. They play alongside children and help the younger children understand how to share and play together in a small group. Behaviour management strategies are age-appropriate and consistent across the nursery. This means children quickly understand what behaviour is acceptable and they are supported to resolve minor disputes swiftly.

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

There are exceptional opportunities for children to develop a healthy lifestyle. Children have endless opportunities during the day to play outside, benefit from fresh air and exercise and undertake physical play. The nursery has a wealth of resources to encourage children to be physically active. From the youngest age, babies develop skills in crawling, walking and climbing. Older children delight in using wheeled toys and climbing equipment. The nursery garden has many areas for digging, such as the sand pits and the 'mud kitchen'. Children develop a keen interest in healthy eating. Many children delight in taking home a piece of fresh fruit each day, including apples from the tree in the nursery garden.

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provision

Leadership and management arrangements at every level are highly effective in supporting outstanding provision. There is strong accountability across all levels of staff and a shared commitment towards delivering exceptional standards. All staff feel valued and respected for their own role in providing care of the highest quality on a daily basis. Extensive arrangements for staff development mean all staff are actively encouraged to develop their skills and progress their careers. As a result, staff are highly motivated; they give their best and are proud of their work. Highly effective arrangements are in place for staff supervision and performance management. Leaders closely monitor the work of staff teams and any development points are quickly recognised and addressed. The good proportion of qualified staff means less experienced and newly-qualified staff have excellent role models and develop strong early years practice.

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provision

Robust procedures are in place for monitoring the quality of the educational programmes. Leaders and managers frequently carry out observations of staff practice and identify areas for professional development to enhance performance. A regime for peer-on-peer observations means all staff welcome the opportunity to review and reflect upon their own practice to make continuous improvement. Robust analysis of assessment arrangements means that leaders maintain a consistent overview of the progress of all children and any potential learning needs are quickly recognised and addressed. Effective, incisive self- evaluation is accurately identifying how the nursery can improve even further. For example, leaders have correctly recognised the need to strengthen the monitoring of the progress of groups of children who attend the nursery and are developing ways in which to address this.

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provision

The nursery management team demonstrates an excellent understanding of their responsibilities in meeting the learning and development, and safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff have an excellent knowledge of how to protect children and are fully trained in all child protection procedures. Comprehensive written policies help to ensure the safety and welfare of children at all times. Concerted action has been taken since the last inspection to address the identified improvement areas and this has significantly enhanced the safety and security arrangements of the nursery. This reflects the company's proactive approach towards making continuous improvement and taking every possible action to keep children safe.

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provision

Parents confirmed to the inspector the level of care provided for children is 'fantastic' and 'excellent' and all parents confirmed they would recommend the nursery to others. The views of parents and children are regularly sought by leaders and managers through parents' surveys and through informal feedback. A parent forum is in place to help the management team make improvements to the nursery based on parents' own requests. For example, as a result of this, changes were made to the timings and scheduling of parents' evenings. Extensive information is provided for parents to help them understand the nursery's policies and procedures and to support them in promoting their children's development at home. Regular 'Stay and Play' sessions mean parents have purposeful opportunities to visit the nursery and discuss their child's progress with nursery staff. Strong links with local schools, health professionals and other specialist agencies ensure

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provision

that the individual needs of all children are consistently met appropriately.

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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 134013 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 984596 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 125 Number of children on roll 179 Name of provider Childbase Partnership Limited Date of previous inspection 21/11/2013 Telephone number 01865 744448

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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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