Castle Nurseries at Dunstanburgh Road

Dunstanburgh Day Nursery Dunstanburgh Day Nursery, 1 Bywell Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE6 2QN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/07/2014 30/10/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 The quality of teaching and learning is good and staff have a secure understanding of how children play, learn and develop. Precise assessment and individualised planning ensure children make good progress in their learning and development.  The key person system ensures that children receive consistency of care. Children and staff form secure attachments, and this enables children to feel safe and happy.  Partnerships with parents, other professionals and agencies are highly effective. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive sensitive, nurturing care and make excellent progress in their learning and development from their initial starting points.  Children are effectively safeguarded through the nursery's robust policies and procedures. Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of child protection issues and procedures, which protects children from potential harm.

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This provision is good

 The nursery is led and managed effectively. The management team demonstrate a clear focus and vision for future improvements to strengthen practice and improve the provision for all children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities for children to develop critical thinking skills are not fully developed as some staff do not always make the most use of open-ended questions to enhance and extend children's learning experiences.

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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 activities in the three playrooms.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the deputy manager.  The inspector held meetings with the management team.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

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

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Information about the setting

Dunstanburgh Day Nursery opened in 1991 and is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is managed by the local authority and operates from purpose-built premises in Walker, Newcastle upon Tyne. Children are cared for in two rooms in the main building and a portable room at the rear of the building. They have access to three enclosed outdoor play areas. The nursery opens five days a week from 8am until 6pm for 51 weeks a year. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 123 children on roll in the early years age range. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year- olds. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. There are currently 15 staff working directly with the children, all of whom have an appropriate early years qualification, with 14

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Information about the setting

holding qualifications at level 3 or above.

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

 build on opportunities to enhance and extend children's learning and understanding by ensuring that all staff have a consistent understanding about how to ask open- ended questions that support children's thinking skills.

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who attend

Children are enthusiastic and motivated learners and are supported by staff who understand how young children learn. Staff observe children as they settle into the nursery and speak to parents to find out together what children can do. This information, followed by accurate observations and assessments, creates a clear picture of children's current learning and informs next steps for future learning and progress. Precise monitoring of children's learning means that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress. Any gaps in children's learning are quickly identified and addressed. This means that staff target support where it is needed. Consequently, children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning, such as school.

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who attend

Staff tailor activities to support children's current interests and provide enhancements to support them. For example, children observe a thunderstorm in the morning and take great pleasure in listening to thunder music and make their own thunder sounds using musical instruments. Staff place a strong focus on communication and language development and demonstrate effective teaching skills. Babies' language skills are supported as staff listen carefully to them and value their attempts to communicate, repeating the sounds they make. As children get older, staff repeat words that children attempt to say, teaching them the correct way to say them. Staff value non-verbal communications and use visual timetables to help children with delayed speech to communicate. For example, sign language is used throughout the nursery by both staff and children. Children become so used to using it that they sign when speaking to staff.

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who attend

For example, children use the sign for water when they want some to mix with the powder paints. Pictures are also used with children to support the routine of the day. At group times they sit together and talk about what will happen next and refer to the pictures that show stories, lunch and the playroom. This helps them to understand what is going to happen next.

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who attend

As children move through the nursery, they become independent learners through the support they receive from staff. For example, when pre-school children have finished their painting, they need to cut the paper off the roll to display their picture. They know that they need to get some scissors and go and get a pair. They demonstrate their use of these tools as they make snips in paper. Staff understand how to motivate children in their activities, and children join in enthusiastically. For example, staff observe children banging a spoon on an upside down tin. They enhance this for children by singing a song about banging. Children join in repeating the word 'bang' with a big grin on their faces. Staff help children learn how to appreciate books, and group story time is a favourite part of the day for children aged two years. Staff fully involve children in the story and they join in with familiar refrains. Staff make the story personal for children when they ask is the

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who attend

character happy or sad. Children immediately recognise that they are sad. This teaches children about different feelings. Most staff in the nursery ask questions that promote thinking rather than questions that require a definite answer. However, not all staff consistently use open-ended questions to enhance and extend children's learning experiences.

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who attend

Parents are actively engaged in their children's learning. Staff provide them with regular summaries, such as the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years, and share written reports every 12 weeks for all children. This means that parents know what their children are learning and are able to support them at home. Parents also respond positively to the nursery's request for ongoing information about what their child can do when they are at home. They write on sticky notes to add to their children's observations for their learning record, or talk to staff about what they have done at home. Two-year-old children take home 'Dora' the bear, and parents write about and add photographs about what they have done while they have the bear. This means that staff can take into account as much as possible about the child when planning for their development.

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

Staff have created a warm and reassuring environment. The key-person system is effective and ensures that children make secure emotional attachments and feel safe and secure. The warm relationships give children a strong base and develop their confidence and self-esteem, enabling them to progress, which also supports their move to school. Children show that they are happy and content. A programme of settling-in visits based on individual children's needs help them to make a smooth move from home into the nursery. Children's behaviour is positive due to the clear guidelines and boundaries provided by staff. Staff talk calmly to them and give lots of praise for children's efforts. This develops children's self-esteem. In particular, they love to receive a hand stamp when they have done something well. Timely reminders are given about managing their own safety, such as not to run in the playroom in case they slip.

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

Children have opportunities to play and explore and are active learners. They demonstrate high levels of confidence as they freely move around the environment and make independent choices about what they want to do. This is due to resources in each playroom being easily available for children on low-level units. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the importance of regular physical activity and model this to the children. Waterproof clothing is provided on rainy days so that children benefit from the fresh air. Staff support children's growing physical skills. For example, pre-school children show an interest in climbing a tree. Staff talk about how children can keep themselves safe while doing this. They note who is proficient at it and plan the next steps for children's development when they notice that some children need to develop their climbing abilities further. Meal and snack times are sociable occasions where children relax, take time to

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

enjoy their meal and have the opportunity to chat to their friends. Staff teach children about making healthy choices and develop their understanding of the different foods available by talking about them. Children are curious when they spot some seeds on an apple and this leads to discussions about the difference between kiwi and apple seeds and what might happen if they plant the apple seed. Children's self-care skills develop as they attempt to feed themselves from a young age. Staff ensure that they progress with this skill by providing the correct cutlery to promote children's independence.

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

Staff are aware of their responsibility to prepare children emotionally for their move to other settings or school. Teachers are warmly welcomed into the nursery so that they can meet the children, and this helps children become familiar with them. As part of preparing children for the move, staff invite a road safety person in to talk about how to cross the road to school safely. A transition summary of children's learning and development is completed and passed on to the new setting to help staff understand where children are in their development.

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provision

Arrangements for safeguarding children in the nursery are good. The inspection was prioritised following a concern being raised about the provider's ability to manage the safety of children to minimise accidents in the nursery. The inspection found that an accident had occurred due to some new resources that staff provided for children. However, the provider has acted to ensure an accident of this type does not happen again. All accidents are reviewed and amendments are made to practice where serious injuries occur or there are repeated patterns of accidents. The resources that caused the accident have been removed from the playrooms and all staff informed of this possible hazard. This ensures that children continue to be cared for in a safe environment. Good adult-to-child ratios are maintained and staff are deployed well, ensuring that children are safe and well supported in their play and learning. Robust risk assessments are in place

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provision

for all aspects of the nursery, complemented by daily visual checks by staff to make sure the environment is safe for the children who attend. The safeguarding of children is given high priority by all staff, who understand their role in reporting any child protection concerns and know how to follow the correct referral procedures. All members of staff have attended safeguarding training and comprehensive policies and procedures underpin practice. Secure recruitment, vetting and induction processes ensure that all those working with children are suitable to do so and understand their roles as soon as they start. Ongoing suitability is thereafter monitored through supervision, with the manager monitoring the professional development of staff to identify any training needs. The management team carry out peer observations of staff working with the children. This means that practice is evaluated and advice is given about adapting activities, so that the

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provision

best possible learning outcomes are sought for children.

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provision

The nursery's self-evaluation form and development plan clearly illustrate that management fully understand their responsibility to meet all the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Parents are involved in the evaluation process through questionnaires and are very positive about the provision in their responses. Management take on board any suggestions made for improvement, such as chairs being removed from a playroom as they may cause children to trip. Management clearly monitor the delivery of all educational programmes and monitor the achievements and progress of all children closely. Since the last inspection the manager has worked closely with the staff team in reflecting and improving upon their practice and, with support from their local authority, they have successfully addressed the action and recommendations from the last inspection. For example, children access cause and effect resources, such as torches, to

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provision

use in their play. They know how to operate them and turn them on and off. This leads to a discussion about batteries when one does not work. Staff have made a strong commitment to improving their understanding of good quality childcare by attending courses. These have had a positive impact on the care of children. For example, staff have attended a course on developing attention and listening, to support children's language and learning.

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provision

Links with external agencies are strong. For example, the nursery works closely with a range of other professionals, such as, health visitors, speech and language therapists, education psychologists and inclusion officers, to ensure the needs of all children are met. Staff in the nursery believe in working closely with parents to engage them in nursery life. They are currently piloting a drop-in session on Friday mornings for parents to access additional support within the nursery. Sessions are run for parents to support their children within the home environment, such as 'stay and play' and behaviour management. Parents spoken to on the day of the inspection comment on how they particularly value the friendly and approachable nature of the staff team and the effective way staff help their children to learn and develop.

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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 EY104355 Local authority Newcastle Inspection number 980833

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 55 Number of children on roll 123 Name of provider Newcastle City Council Date of previous inspection 30/10/2013 Telephone number 0191 2654546

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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