Littlehampton Day Nursery CIC

Littlehampton Day Nursery C.I.C Elm Grove Road, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 6AH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19/08/2014 28/04/2010

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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 is good because staff effectively support and extend children's learning. They are skilled at questioning children, introducing language to promote their communication well.  Staff complete a comprehensive and detailed handbook with parents so they have a wealth of useful information about each child before they start at the nursery.  Children have unlimited time outside, with the same learning opportunities available as inside but with the added benefits of lots of space to be active, fresh air and enjoyment of the natural environment.  Students are supported well to integrate into the staff team through a strong induction system.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Some of the resources in the baby room are in cupboards or high shelving that babies cannot reach, so they are unable to explore freely and select what they want.  Staff are not always encouraged to attend courses to enhance their initial training and skills and continue to improve the quality of their 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 activities in both play rooms and the outside area.  The inspector had discussions with parents, staff and children.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation including children's records, policies, action plans and risk assessments.

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Information about the setting

Littlehampton Day Nursery C.I.C is a privately run, not-for-profit nursery that opened in 2007. It operates from purpose-built premises in the grounds of the Littlehampton Academy, West Sussex. Children have access to a large outdoor play area. The nursery is open each weekday from 8 am to 6 pm all year.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 78 children aged from birth to five years on roll, some in part-time places. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This provision is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Information about the setting

There are 19 members of staff, 16 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least National Vocational Qualification level 3. Two members of staff have achieved Qualified Teacher Status and one has an early years degree. The nursery provides funded free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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

 improve the organisation of resources for babies so they can begin to make choices about their play

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

 strengthen the programme of professional development by supporting staff to have more regular training.

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who attend

Staff gain a wealth of information from parents about new children's likes and routines, supplementing this with some early observations to know children's starting points in learning. This enables staff to plan effectively for children's learning and progress from the start. Staff assess children's progress in partnership with their parents to identify and plan for children's next steps in their learning. They also suggest things the children can do at home, to involve families and to complement children's learning. The regular, ongoing review process effectively tracks each child's learning and contributes to the progress check for two-year-old children. Children who require extra support benefit from a range of intervention strategies that include opportunities for parents to engage with, and support, their children's learning. Consequently, all children, including those with special educational needs or disabilities, make good, consistent progress in all areas of learning

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who attend

Staff encourage children to choose what they do from the resources that are always available and arranged so children know where to find them. Children frequently transport things to other places, as they use their imagination to create their games and develop their ideas. For example, when children outside become aware of the builders working next door, they find the hard hats to wear and construct a roadway and bridge with wooden planks for cars to travel along. Staff encourage the children to think for themselves and to solve problems by asking them pertinent questions, such as, 'Is that plank long enough?' and 'Will the bridge stay up like that?' Children work collaboratively to achieve their aim as staff encourage them to persevere and try things out.

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who attend

All staff, including those caring for the babies, encourage children's language development well. They talk continually to children, repeating their sounds and words, asking them questions and commentating on what they are doing as they play. Babies respond well, showing that they understand. Staff plan many good opportunities for babies to explore through using their senses, For example, staff show them how to blow a trumpet and babies jump up and down with excitement and pleasure when they manage to make the sound come out of it. Babies develop their physical skills constantly as they get used to using and controlling their bodies. They climb and toddle around indoors and outside, where they regularly mix with the older children. All children frequently enjoy looking at books. Some choose to sit with their friends and share the books so they can discuss the pictures. This supports their developing literacy skills in readiness for their future learning

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who attend

Staff quickly pick up on cues from children and identify learning possibilities as they play. For example, they encourage children to count as they put pasta in containers, to support children's early mathematical development. Staff are also sufficiently skilled at knowing when to observe children, leaving them to explore and try things for themselves, and when to step in to offer support. This creates an environment that enables children to lead learning at their own pace and which allows them to be inquisitive and develop confidence in their own abilities.

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

Children settle very well at the nursery as they are assigned a key person from their first day. The key person spends a lot of time getting to know both the child and their parents, to find out as much as possible about children's abilities and interests. By the time the children stay for the first time alone, they have developed a firm relationship with their key person and are sufficiently confident to be with them and explore their surroundings.

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

Children learn to make choices independently. They know where to find what they want as resources are always in the same place, arranged in areas of interest and learning. There are cosy spaces for children who want to relax and the outdoors is always accessible to those children who want to be more active and adventurous. However, in the baby room some toys are kept in cupboards. This means that children cannot see what is available and be independent in choosing what they want to play with. Staff constantly monitor the condition of the equipment, to make sure it is safe for children to use and they check the premises every day to identify any hazards. Staff give high priority to the safety of children, and children demonstrate a growing understanding of how to keep themselves safe. For example, they help themselves to the broom to sweep up dried pasta from the floor, to prevent anyone from slipping.

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

Staff are very calm which encourages children to behave similarly. They give children gentle reminders of how to handle situations effectively and considerately. For example, staff remind children who want to play alone with the construction toys to 'use their words' rather than physically push others out of their play space. Children generally play very well together. They have friendship groups and enjoy each other's company, cooperating well in their play. All children go out every day and many prefer to spend most of their time outside in the fresh air. There is ample space for them to be active by climbing, running or by riding on wheeled toys such as trikes, for example.

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

Staff encourage the children to eat well. Fresh, healthy food is supplied by a local company every day and meets individual children's dietary needs. Older children develop independence and self-help skills as they serve themselves with the amount they want to eat. Mealtimes are social occasions where children chat to their friends. Babies are fed, or supported to feed themselves, by staff who sit with them round the table.

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

Staff support children well when it is time for them to move to another setting or school by helping them to feel emotionally ready for the next big step in their learning. Babies move up to the next room around the age of two years, when the staff assess that they are ready, and they prepare babies for this move by arranging regular visits with their new key person. Older children who are about to start school have visits from teachers, who talk to them about what to expect. Children learn to dress themselves as they practise wearing the uniforms in the dressing-up area. Throughout their time in the nursery staff work to ensure children are confident and eager to learn, ready to move on to school and to continue their learning.

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provision

Management monitors and review all aspects of the nursery and has a very clear understanding of its responsibility to meet the welfare, care and learning requirements for all children. Staff are well supported by managers who include them in every aspect of running the nursery. They have daily discussions to reflect on the activities and how effectively they met the children's learning needs. All new staff, including students, have a thorough induction programme, so that they know the policies and procedures of the nursery from the start. All staff complete paediatric first aid and safeguarding training. There is a clear safeguarding policy and all staff have undergone the necessary background vetting checks to help ensure they are suitable to work with children. They have a good understanding of how to identify a child at risk of harm and are confident about the procedures to follow to protect children.

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provision

Management supports staff through annual appraisals and by designating responsibilities according to experience and skills. However, although most staff have early years qualifications, they are not encouraged to attend training frequently, to further extend and refresh their skills and knowledge so that they continually improve their practice.

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provision

Managers promptly addressed all recommendations set at their previous inspection and have clear plans for future development. They welcome comments and feedback from everyone involved in the nursery, including parents. Staff contribute their ideas during staff meetings and through frequent discussions about the running of the nursery and about how to improve practice. This contributes to an action plan with clear targets to support continuous improvement. There are plans, for example, to plant fruit trees in the garden so that children can grow and harvest their own snacks.

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provision

Staff work well in partnership with parents and other professionals to provide good outcomes for children. Parents speak highly of the nursery. They say they appreciate the quality of information they receive about their children's progress, and they are keen to praise the support their children receive. Effective partnerships with other professionals ensure that children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive the support they need to make good progress and build firm foundations for their future learning.

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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 EY346116 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 915244 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 43 Number of children on roll 78 Name of provider Littlehampton Day Nursery C.I.C Date of previous inspection 28/04/2010 Telephone number 01903 724162

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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

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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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