Dowry House Nursery School

Dowry House Nursery St. Marys Road, Bamber Bridge, PRESTON, Lancashire, PR5 6TE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/08/2014 11/05/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2

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This provision is good

 Staff observe and assess children with accuracy and good detail and consequently plan challenging activities, which motivate children and extend their learning.  Staff manage children's behaviour exceptionally well. They effectively link with parents regarding children's needs and this means that children are emotionally secure at nursery and understand what is expected of them.  Children have an excellent understanding of how to keep themselves safe through continuous, thought provoking discussions with staff, consequently, children are safeguarded.  Children's needs are being met effectively as monitoring and evaluation of the educational programmes is thorough and reflective.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Not all staff use open questioning to enhance children's exploration of the outdoor environment. As a result, opportunities for them to talk about what they can see, feel or hear are sometimes missed.  The programme for professional development is not yet fully embedded. Consequently, opportunities to further enhance the already good practice are not being maximised.

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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 took into account the views of parents and children spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with staff at appropriate times during the inspection and conducted a joint observation with one of the managers.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the playrooms and the outdoor learning environment, as well as observing meal times in the dining area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed a sample of policies and procedures, checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff, the provider's self-evaluation form, as well as planning, learning and assessment records.  The inspector held meetings with the management team.

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Information about the setting

Dowry House Nursery is privately owned and was registered in 1990 on the Early Years Register. It operates from a detached property in Bamber Bridge, Preston. The nursery school serves Bamber Bridge and the surrounding areas. The nursery school is mostly accessible to all; however, the entrance is accessed via steps. There is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery school opens Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am until 5.30pm. Children are able to attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 45 children on roll who are within the early years age range. It provides funded early education for three- and four-year-olds. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery school employs seven members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The

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Information about the setting

management team are highly qualified, holding qualifications, which include level 6 in Early Years, Early Years Teacher Status and Qualified Teacher Status. The nursery school receives support from local authority advisors and is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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

 maximise children's opportunities to explore the natural world by consistent use of good quality questions

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

 extend further the programme for professional development of staff, so that it is even more targeted to enhance the already good quality of teaching.

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who attend

Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of how children learn and develop and as a result, are able to motivate and engage children in their learning. Children are constantly encouraged to reflect and recall previous experiences. Whilst listening to a popular story about a monkey that is looking for its mother, children notice that a butterfly is involved in the story. They are able to confidently explain that baby butterflies are caterpillars, which go into a cocoon before turning into butterflies. The children recall this as they watched this process happen at nursery. Consequently, their interest is being maintained and learning is being consolidated by linking to past experiences. Staff skilfully ask questions, which encourage children to think about what might happen next and the reasons why things happen. For example, when children are attempting to communicate with each other through a piece of shower hose, the volume of their voices increase. A member of

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who attend

staff reminds them that they both have an eardrum and to consider what might happen if a noise is too loud. Children reflect on this and are able to demonstrate they understand why they should talk more quietly into each other's ears. This also enhances their understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Children are given opportunities to think and respond. This means that their learning is being enhanced and confidence is being developed. However, not all staff always make the best use of questioning to enhance children's exploration of the natural world. As a result, opportunities for them to talk about what they can see, feel or smell are sometimes missed.

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who attend

Children move freely between the vibrant indoor and outdoor provision. The superb resources children access offer a good level of challenge to develop their skills further, and this is something that is reviewed regularly by the nursery managers. For example, in the outdoor area many children enjoy riding wheeled-toys across the stone flags. To enhance and develop their play further, staff have created an area to make a road for children to ride around. This area also includes a petrol pump and a shop front where children can exchange money. This means that their understanding of the world, mathematical and social development is also being effectively supported. Children enjoy playing out in the nursery garden, where there is a vegetable patch, climbing equipment, a fantasy garden and an open lawn on which they delight in having races. The nursery has an outdoor classroom for stories and for activities about exploring the outdoor environment.

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who attend

Additionally, there are some hens, which roam freely across the garden, which children delight in talking to and stroking. Children are very well stimulated by the outdoor area as it covers all areas of learning.

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who attend

The high quality of teaching results in children making good progress from their starting points when they join the nursery. When children have settled in, an initial assessment is completed on what the child already knows and can do, to inform the next steps in their learning. Children's progress is tracked effectively and monitored to ensure that early intervention can be provided if necessary. Staff plan activities that provide an appropriate level of challenge in order to develop children's skills further. Consequently, they are well prepared for their next steps in learning and move onto school. Staff complete comprehensive assessments of children's learning and development as part of the required progress check between the ages of two and three and ask for parents input and feedback. Staff also use a communication diary in order to inform parents what children have been learning at nursery and how they might continue this at home. Parents feel

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who attend

able to approach their child's key person in order to discuss any concerns they may have. Where children's progress is less than expected, the staff team liaise with other agencies to ensure that targeted support is put in place and a consistent approach is implemented. Children that are more able are supported by advanced activities, for example, early phonics, to ensure that they are continually able to make progress and remain engaged in their learning.

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

Children's well-being is exceptionally well supported by the highly motivated and enthusiastic staff team. Children develop an excellent understanding of how to keep themselves safe, due to rich, thought provoking discussions with staff. For example, children listen to a story and identify that a character is standing on a chair, which is not safe. Children tell staff that the character should ask an adult for help in case they fall off the chair and hurts themselves. Opportunities are available for children to take appropriate risks, for example, climbing on purpose built equipment, which provides optimal challenge for children to develop their physical skills and actively foster their confidence and self- esteem. Accident and injury records are well maintained by staff to ensure that accurate information is always recorded. Staff ratios are adhered to at all times to ensure that children are being kept safe and well supervised. Children's behaviour is exemplary, as

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

staff set very clear boundaries for them and explain why these boundaries are in place. Some children are awarded stickers for spontaneously tidying an area of the main room. When a member of staff asked if they could have a sticker too, they are informed by one child, 'You can't have a sticker because you didn't help to tidy up'. This means that children's behaviour is being positively reinforced by staff and motivates them to be helpful and polite at all times.

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

Children are extremely confident and self-assured as their emotional well-being is significantly fostered by the highly effective key-person system. Parents are aware of who their child's key person is and are able to build open and honest relationships with them. This ensures staff have superb knowledge about children from when they first join the setting in order to support them during the transitional period. Transition arrangements are meticulously well managed, as the nursery has created a 'transition form', which presents an excellent opportunity for parents, children and staff to record information for the child's new teacher. The nursery arranges for teachers to visit the setting to get to know children. They facilitate visits for parents and children to attend the school to familiarise themselves with the setting. Staff also request prospectuses from each school and introduce these during daily routines. This means that children are able to familiarise

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

themselves with the name and images of their new school to ease their move across to reception. Staff have created an accessible and inspiring environment for children, which operates as free-flow continuous provision. This enables children to make outstanding choices about what they would like to do and fosters their excellent independence. Resources are plentiful and at children's level, to ensure they can self-select activities to follow their own interests.

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

Hygiene practices are exceedingly well embedded. Children are supported in washing their hands after playing outdoors or before having a meal or snack. This ensures their continuing good health and greatly reduces the risk of cross-infection. Snack time offers a fantastic opportunity for children to help in preparation and serving of their own snack. Parents comment that their children now want to help prepare food at home and are extremely proficient in doing so. Consequently, children are being exceptionally supported in their growing independence and making superb healthy choices. During snack time, children discuss what they are going to do for the rest of the day. They decide they will dig up potatoes from their allotment and the practitioner skilfully questions them on what they think they could make out of the potatoes. Therefore, children's opportunities to extend their thinking are being maximised and they are learning about healthy food

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

choices. Lunchtime is both a learning and highly social experience for children. They are asked to help set the table, counting out cups and cutlery. They are encouraged to consider how many cups they will need in total when two more children have finished washing their hands in the bathroom. During the meal, children talk with their friends and demonstrate beautiful manners while thanking staff for helping them to pour their drink or cut up their food.

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

The importance of healthy lifestyles and being physically active is demonstrated in a highly innovative way by the nursery. Children are offered swimming lessons, dance classes and a variety of physical equipment in the outdoor area to keep them healthy. The nursery also runs an annual sports day, which is a very popular event for parents, carers and children alike. Sporting activities are adapted to ensure all children are able to participate and this emphasises the importance of being active and fosters their self-esteem. Children have used a full sized tennis court, which was created, in the nursery garden due to the popularity of sports day. A local tennis coach ran a session to help children develop their physical fitness and coordination skills.

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provision

The management team have a clear understanding of their responsibilities in ensuring the learning and development and safeguarding requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are being met. They demonstrate robust recruitment procedures. The staff team has been well established for a number of years and their continuing suitability to work with children is assured by regular observation and supervision. Appropriate checks are undertaken and references requested to ensure the quality and suitability of staff. This ensures children are well safeguarded. The management team demonstrate a thorough knowledge of how to keep children safe and the action they would take if they had any concerns about a child's welfare. They review policies and procedures, including risk assessments with efficiency. They ensure these are cascaded to staff, so that knowledge is being shared and procedures are consistently implemented.

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provision

The management team monitor and evaluate the educational programmes on a regular basis to ensure continual improvement. They are fully committed to overseeing children's progress, so that targeted interventions can be made if appropriate. Through effective self-evaluation, the team have identified priorities for improvement. Action is already being taken on highlighted areas. For example, investing in technology to enhance children's learning and developing the outdoor provision to give learning experiences more relevance and meaning. The evaluation of practice by the management team is comprehensive and ongoing to ensure that they are able to continually meet the needs of children attending the setting. They strive to improve their quality of practice and seek feedback from staff, parents and children on how to do so.

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provision

Staff are well supported by the management team through termly supervision meetings and annual appraisals. They are given opportunities to discuss their observations, assessments, learning journals and any concerns they may have. This ensures that the management team are able to provide guidance and support on obtaining intervention if appropriate. The staff team are well qualified and meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage, which ensures that their quality of practice is good. Staff are able to request additional training if they feel they require support in a specific area. Informal sessions are offered to staff to develop their skills, relating to phonics, for example. However, the targeted programme of professional development is not yet fully embedded, to further enhance staff's already good practice to make it even more effective.

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provision

The management team are fully committed to building strong partnerships with parents and it is evident they are successful in doing so. Parents 'cannot rate the nursery highly enough' and recommend it to their friends. They say this is because the staff team are well established, approachable and the nursery setting itself is homely resulting in their children making good progress when attending. Parents are invited to attend events at the setting, provide feedback on children's assessments and contribute to the nursery's self- evaluation process. The management team have also used the language skills of parents to translate their newsletter into other languages, to ensure that all parents are able to read and understand what is happening at the nursery. Links are also well established between the nursery and the local authority advisors, as well as external providers of services such as dance sessions and tennis coaching.

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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 309291 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 867858

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 25 Number of children on roll 45 Name of provider Irene Wilson Date of previous inspection 11/05/2011 Telephone number 01772 628 410

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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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