Conkers Day Nursery

Conkers Nursery Dewhurst Road, Langho, BLACKBURN, Lancashire, BB6 8AF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 07/08/2014 27/04/2009

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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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Safeguarding is prioritised. Children's safety is well supported through the comprehensive and consistently applied risk assessments. Staffing ratios and good deployment ensures children are cared for in a safe and secure environment.  Teaching is good because practitioners have a thorough knowledge and understanding of how young children learn. This means they plan a range of activities that help children to make good progress in their learning and development.  Children's welfare and development is well supported through the effective partnership working with parents.  The management are focused, driven and passionate. Therefore, priorities for improvements are well defined and implemented.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to provide more opportunities outside for older children to experiment with numbers and become more familiar with numerals, in order to build on their mathematical development.  Opportunities for practitioners to learn from each other and share their best practice, for example, through peer observations is not yet fully embedded to further improve teaching.

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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's play and practitioners interaction throughout the visit both inside and outside.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the manager, deputy manager, individual practitioners and parents at appropriate times throughout the inspection, and carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children, the setting's improvement plan and a selection of policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day of inspection.

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Information about the setting

The Conkers Nursery was registered in 2002 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a purpose built premises in the Langho area of Blackburn and is managed by a limited company. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from a purpose- built building on two levels and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery employs 20 members of childcare staff. Of these, 19 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm and children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 104 children on roll who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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

 enhance the stimulating learning environment outside to enable older children to further extend their understanding of mathematics and experiment with matching numbers, numerals and objects

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

 build on the good existing systems for the monitoring of practitioners' performance to focus, even more sharply, on raising the practice of all staff to the highest levels, for example by embedding peer observations.

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who attend

Children are welcomed into the friendly and warm environment where they show that they feel safe and secure. They clearly enjoy learning through play, eagerly choosing what they wish to do from the varied range of resources offered. Children demonstrate a positive approach to learning, supported by the cheerful interactions of the practitioners caring for them. Attentive practitioners play alongside children offering gentle support and encouragement, extending children's learning with individual attention. Information gathered by the key person when children first attend provides a good base for establishing children's starting points in learning. This enables practitioners to plan for individual children's progress from their earliest days in the nursery. As a result, children settle quickly because practitioners understand their needs well and meet them consistently. Practitioners have a secure knowledge of how children learn and teaching is

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who attend

good. Through precise observation, assessment and individual planning of children's next steps by practitioners, children make good progress considering their starting points, age and capabilities. This information is also used to inform the required progress check that takes place between the ages of two and three years and is shared with parents. Practitioners plan activities and opportunities together as a team, taking into consideration children's interests. Good quality information regarding children's needs and the activities they take part in are shared. Parents are actively involved in contributing to their children's development through daily discussions. These enable parents to support their child's learning at home, in order to help children make optimum progress. They are actively encouraged to access their child's record of learning and share information about their child's learning at home. Resources, such as library books, which children choose and then

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who attend

take home, further involve parents in children's learning.

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who attend

All areas of the nursery are well organised to allow children to select activities for themselves. Inspiring displays of children's work give them a sense of being valued resulting in their confidence and esteem being promoted. A well-organised balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities means children learn to explore, think and play together. Through social occasions, such as lunchtime, children develop their personal, social and emotional skills. Children enjoy the social aspect of their time at the nursery, becoming independent and confident individuals. Children are able to move around freely and have access to a secure, well-resourced outside space where they can use a wide range of toys and equipment to promote their physical development, which is progressing very well. They show confidence and an awareness of safety in exploring the outside space by balancing, climbing and riding bicycles. Children clearly enjoy taking part in

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who attend

action and rhyming songs, as they enthusiastically identify part of their body, learning to understand words have meaning. Access to a range of writing materials allows all children to explore their early writing skills. Children recognise print carries meaning through the wide array of labelling in the environment. However, opportunities to further develop children's understanding of mathematics and experiment with matching numbers, numerals and objects is less well supported outside. This is because numbers as labels are not used as well as they could be to ensure children's learning is always extended in this area. Activities that promote children's hand-to-eye coordination are promoted indoors and outdoors. For example, children pour water into containers, thread bobbins using cord, and fill and pour using different utensils in the sand.

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who attend

Children are secure in communicating their needs and preferences and they confidently approach the practitioners to ask for help when needed. Practitioners are good at asking open-ended questions, which also encourage children's problem solving skills. For example, when children use the pencils to draw and colour their picture, the pencils become blunt. The practitioner asks the children what they need to do to continue using the pencils. The children go and collect a pencil sharpener and take turns at sharpening the pencils. This shows that practitioners use children's interests to extend and challenge their knowledge and understanding of the world. When practitioners read stories, children sit and listen and are interested to hear what happens next, their enjoyment and concentration is abundantly clear. These activities support children's early language development and literacy skills and promote their knowledge and understanding of the

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who attend

world around them. Children are active and animated learners, who are developing the skills and attitudes needed to prepare them for their next stage of learning, such as moving onto school.

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

Practitioners are positive role models, who are calm and caring in all their interactions with children. They have a good understanding of expectations of children's behaviour, taking account of their individual needs and stage of development. They support children exceedingly well in developing their understanding of differences and caring attitude. Practitioners recognise and offer praise for their kindness and their very positive behaviour. The key-person system is successful and ensures that children feel secure and safe, enabling them to confidently explore and develop their independence. The environment provides a good range of age-appropriate toys, games and resources, which are easily accessible to children to promote their learning. All children benefit from access to an outdoor play area. Here they enjoy a good range of activities, such as, wheeled toys, fixed climbing apparatus and digging and planting activities where they can develop their

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

own ideas and experiment. Their self-esteem, confidence and emotional security are well supported through acknowledging their individual needs and traits. All children show an extremely strong sense of belonging within the nursery and are developing a good understanding of how to manage risks and challenges relative to their age. For example, practitioners support children to stay safe when using the bicycles. They explain where it is safe to ride their bicycles, to keep themselves and others safe. Children understand the potential risks when using stairs and they use these confidently and sensibly when they want to go to the outside area. Practitioners support younger children as they fill containers in the sand tray practicing their control of using utensils. Children's physical development is supported very well.

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

Behaviour across all age ranges within the nursery is excellent. Practitioners ably encourage children from an early age about the importance of sharing and turn taking. They gently guide children as they talk about this, supporting them through distraction and by encouraging them to join in with other toys. Older children demonstrate their understanding as they take turns and listen to each other. They work together showing effective negotiating skills as they cooperate to share the sacks, as they all get ready for a sack race. Other children show how they work extremely well independently as they engage in practising their mark making skills, writing their names on their pictures. Children show a significant understanding of responsibility within the nursery as they confidently follow routines. They wash their hands before snack and eagerly and expertly tidy up at suitable times.

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

A variety of healthy snacks is offered to children during the day. Lunch menus are varied and healthy and reflect a variety of cultures. This ensures that children enjoy healthy food and experience a variety of tastes. All children have access to drinks throughout the day helping to ensure they do not become thirsty. Children learn good self-care skills as they learn to be independent by putting on high visibility jackets and choosing to play outdoors. For children at the potty training stage, practitioners work exceptionally well with parents and at the child's pace, sensitively assisting them to adjust to new routines. Practitioners skilfully support children changing rooms within the nursery, this is at their own pace and working in partnership with parents. This means their emotional well-being is truly supported. Parents and children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning and development as the setting supports them in making the move to school. They develop

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

confidence in various social situations, which prepares them for moving on. Good links with local schools ensures that children's interests and needs are effectively met. Links with other outside agencies are extremely strong.

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provision

Practitioners are confident of their responsibilities to safeguard children. They know the procedures to follow and fully understand who to report any concerns to. The designated safeguarding officers provide leadership in this field. All practitioners complete safeguarding training and the manager monitors their knowledge through specific questions asked at supervisions and discussion about policies at staff meetings. Children's safety and protection is further assured because practitioners are also secure about the procedure to follow regarding concerns about adult behaviour. A robust recruitment and vetting process is in place to check and monitor practitioner's suitability to work with children. All practitioners and students receive induction training and a checklist monitors that they have been informed of all the relevant policies and practices. Staff ratios are good and children are supervised stringently at all times. Practitioners are deployed well

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provision

throughout the nursery to ensure children's needs are effectively met. Comprehensive policies and procedures to promote children's health, safety and welfare are in place and successfully underpin the nursery's daily practice. This includes a policy about the use of mobile telephones not being permitted in the nursery and the procedure practitioners must follow to lock their mobile telephones away during working hours. All practitioners fully understand and comply with this procedure. A written risk assessment is reviewed annually and comprehensive individual risk assessments are carried out for new activities and each outing outside the nursery. This includes completing a risk assessment when rooms are reorganised and resources are stored in different places, which could pose a potential hazard to children. Detailed risk assessments are also completed for the stairs leading to the outdoor play area, because children use these regularly. Robust procedures

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provision

are in place to ensure that there is always one practitioner at the top of the stairs and one at the bottom to keep children safe. Records of complaints are accurately recorded and effectively managed. Legally required records for children's welfare are accurately maintained, such as children's attendance records and medical records.

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provision

The management team have a detailed understanding of their roles and responsibilities with regard to meeting all requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. There is a strong drive for improvement to support children's achievements over time, reflected in effective systems for self-evaluation. This includes close monitoring of the planning and delivery of the educational programmes and the assessment of children and their progress. For example, the manager regularly reviews children's records of learning and assessment to ensure good progress is being made for all children. This ensures early intervention for individuals or groups of children who may need additional support. Practitioners ensure that children are provided with a wide range of challenging experiences to support their good progress towards the early learning goals. The management team are continually reflecting on what they do to improve the quality of the

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provision

provision. Children and parents are involved in the process; their views are actively listened to and their ideas and suggestions implemented. The manager and deputy monitor the quality of teaching through direct observations, reviewing the outcome and setting performance targets for staff members. Although, practitioners have begun to carry out peer observations, these are not yet embedded to see the practice of staff raised to the highest level through honest and critical reflection. Appraisal sessions offer practitioners support and identify opportunities for professional development. Practitioners have good opportunities to pursue training and develop their professional skills. The management team are committed to developing the self-evaluation process further and have identified specific areas for improvement and drawn up action plans to support these developments. They have successfully met the recommendations that were raised at the

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provision

last inspection. For example, observation and assessment track children's progress effectively and clearly identify individual learning priorities. This improves the learning outcomes for children. Sleep arrangements have been reviewed in the tweenies' and toddler rooms to reduce the risk of spreading cross infections. All children have their own sleep mats, baskets and bedding. This promotes children's health and well-being effectively.

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provision

Partnerships are well established. Communication takes place between the nursery and external agencies supporting individual children on a regular basis to ensure information is shared to promote children's well-being and learning. Positive relationships with parents are well established, ensuring each child's needs are met. Parents are very complimentary about the nursery and make positive comments, such as 'we get good feedback from our children's key person'. They comment that the practitioners are friendly and approachable and support children's learning and development well. The manger recognises the importance of these partnerships and continually strives to find new ways to encourage parent involvement.

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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 EY241094 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 984407

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 74 Number of children on roll 104 Name of provider Home from Home Childcare Ltd Date of previous inspection 27/04/2009 Telephone number 01254 240 059

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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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