Bright Horizons Cheshunt Day Nursery and Preschool

Cheshunt Pre-School & Day Nursery 97 Crossbrook Street, Cheshunt, Waltham Cross, EN8 8LY

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18/08/2014 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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

 Managers and staff effectively safeguard children by efficiently implementing the robust policies and procedures.  There is a strong engagement with all parents. They are fully encouraged to contribute to the planning of children's next steps and share information about their children's learning and development from home.  Teaching is good as staff plan a varied and imaginative programme of activities in tune with children's interests and enthusiasms. Staff identify children's next steps through precise and accurate assessment.  A well-established key-person system enables staff to work closely with parents to ensure they identify and meet children's individual care and learning needs.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not fully promote children's understanding of a healthy lifestyle, because they do not always provide clear explanations for why they need to practise good hygiene procedures.  The management do not consistently use the views of parents to fully support the further identification of strengths and weaknesses of the nursery and set targeted plans for improvement.

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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 nursery, talked with the staff and conducted a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector viewed the areas of the premises and garden used by the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of the suitability of staff members and a range of other documentation, including the safeguarding procedures.  The inspector spoke to and took into account the views of parents.  The inspector reviewed the provider's self-evaluation form.

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Information about the setting

Cheshunt Pre-School and Day Nursery was registered in 2014 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a converted house in the Crossbrook area of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire and is managed by Asquith Court Nurseries. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from four base rooms, as well as a learning and parents' room, and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7am until 7pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 56 children on roll who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. It supports children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery employs 19 members of childcare staff. Of these, 14 hold

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Information about the setting

appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above.

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

 strengthen children's understanding of a healthy lifestyle by providing further explanation of the reasons why they need to practise good hygiene procedures

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

 enhance the process of reflective practice by consistently including the views of parents in the identification of the strengths and weaknesses and setting targets for even further improvement.

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who attend

Staff provide an extensive range of learning experiences that reflect children's individual needs and interests, and therefore capture their attention and imagination. They engage in their play and are active learners. This is because staff are well qualified and skilled at quickly getting to know the children and deploy themselves effectively to support all children. The assessment of children's learning is thorough and precise, and helps to ensure that each child is developing in line with expectations, based on their age and ability. Staff use observations to identify children's next stage in their learning and inform the planning. Parents share what their children do and enjoy at home and are involved in their children's ongoing learning. For example, they add any special events their children have experienced, their observations and children's current interests to the 'parents tree' and 'home learning stories'. Staff use this information to contribute to the planning and

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who attend

share children's achievements from home. This enables them to effectively plan for children's learning needs. Staff complete detailed assessments in relation to the progress check for children aged between two and three years. They share these with parents and use them to identify any areas where children's progress is less than expected and then develop plans to address any concerns. Staff work with other professionals to support them in meeting the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, children are making good progress. There are strong strategies in place to ease communication for children who speak English as an additional language, such as audio books, a visual timetable and key words, which reflect the various languages used by children in each room. Staff also plan further next steps for communication and language development for those children who speak English as an additional language.

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who attend

Therefore, staff consistently support children to make the best progress possible.

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who attend

Staff use effective teaching methods, such as modelling language and repetition, to help children communicate. For example, staff ask children what sound each animal makes as they play with the animal hand puppets, and then they repeat the sounds. Staff sing familiar songs with babies, who respond by babbling, swaying their bodies to the music, pointing and clapping. This shows their comprehension of the language used. Staff use skilful questioning to encourage children to think for themselves. For example, they take turns to pick items out of the bag and describe them. When talking to young children, staff provide them with a choice of two answers, simplifying their language appropriately. Staff follow children's spontaneous interest and use this to extend their learning. For example, young children show an interest in using the scissors, and staff model using them safely and then repeat saying 'open' and 'shut' to describe the action that they need

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who attend

to snip the paper. This also helps the children to develop their concentration, listening skills and how to follow instructions. Staff provide young children with low-level apparatus for them to crawl and climb on, increasing their mobility and coordination. The baby room has an outside area with purposefully uneven ground to provide challenge for babies as they start to walk. The babies thoroughly enjoy the exciting outdoors often, stopping to look and laugh at themselves in the mirrors. Staff foster children's personal, social and emotional development well. They support children effectively in their moving up sessions and children are encouraged to express their feelings. At group time, staff ask young children, in turn, how they are feeling, and staff expand on this to reinforce their understanding, for example, by acknowledging the smile on their face shows that they are feeling happy.

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who attend

Flexible activity planning that follows the interests of children and input from parents, means that children have balanced opportunities to play independently and to participate in adult-directed activities. Children make progress in line with the expected developmental levels. Planning shows how staff differentiate activities to ensure they challenge and meet children's individual needs. For example, children use the touchscreen to identify numbers of objects and match this with the corresponding number. Staff adapt the programme to use higher numbers for more able children. The thoughtful provision of some resources means that children are encouraged to explore and experiment. For example, children make 'ice cream cones' using flour and water and explore the textures of cornflour and water and shaving foam. Children develop early literacy skills, as they borrow reading books to share at home through the library scheme. Staff extend children's

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who attend

recognition of letters and sounds by blending sounds together to make simple words with the magnetic letters. For example, children are encouraged to sound out the word 'bat' and asked what other word sounds similar and see if they can find the initial letter to change the word. Staff simplify this by using the actual objects as a prop. Signs and notices around the rooms and transcripts of what children have said demonstrate to children that print has a meaning and that staff value what children have to say. Staff encourage children to explore numbers in everyday situations, such as counting children before going outside and counting how many steps they have to climb. Children build with numbered blocks and practise counting out plates and cups for lunch. Staff build on this by asking children how many more they need. Consequently, children effectively develop the skills that prepare them for the next stage in their learning and their eventual move on

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

The nursery implements an effective key-person system to aid communication and support partnership working with families. For example, each child also has a secondary person who takes over the key responsibilities in the absence of the key person. This helps to ensure that children feel secure, form close relationships with their key person and make confident transitions from home into the nursery. For example, the key person is integral to the settling-in process, making home visits and supporting the child and parents when they initially visit the room they will be in. Staff follow detailed procedures that help to support new children in quickly settling. For example, the key person spends time with parents and gathers information about their children's needs, abilities and preferences. They use this information to inform the initial planning of activities and resources and develop family books for each child with photographs of people who are important to

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

them. Staff work closely with parents to meet children's needs by following children's individual routines. For example, babies are comforted and rocked to sleep, as they would be at home. Age-appropriate resources are accessible to children in each room and staff encourage them to explore these, making choices in their play and expressing their preferences. Children are well behaved and show an able understanding of appropriate social behaviour. Staff promote children's self-esteem and confidence well as they offer them support and encouragement and praise them for their efforts. For example, staff give children stickers as a reward for listening well.

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

When children start at the nursery, staff provide opportunities for parents to stay and view their child from the parents' room. Staff help children to transfer smoothly on to the next room within the setting by organising moving up sessions where their key person visits with them and shares information. The key person updates the 'All about me' record at every transfer within the nursery so the new staff have the most recent information about the child. Staff support children very well in their move on to school by inviting class teachers to come and visit the children in the nursery and sharing their learning journeys. Children spend time in the 'learning room' in smaller groups, discussing what to expect when they start school and have opportunities to dress up in school uniform. As a result, children are emotionally ready for the move on to school.

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

Children develop an awareness of personal safety as they learn to use the steps safely when going to the toilet. The garden provides opportunities for young children to take risks, as they climb on the uneven ground and crawl through the tunnel. Staff remind children why they need to bend their knees as they jump down from the climbing apparatus. Staff practice excellent hygiene procedures, such as wearing aprons for food preparation. However, they do not always explain to children the need for good hygiene or a healthy diet. Therefore, opportunities for children to learn about having a healthy lifestyle are not maximised. Children eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and staff support young children in their appropriate stage of weaning. For example, some babies have soft broccoli to hold as finger food, rather than having it mashed up. Children manage their own personal needs, relative to their ages, and are developing their independence. They

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

attempt to put their shoes on and staff always encourage children to try for themselves, but also give support if needed. They help to lay the table for lunch and pour their own drinks. Staff encourage children to enjoy fresh air and exercise as they have daily opportunities to use the outside areas, where they can dig in the mud and use the climbing apparatus. Staff provide additional clothing and boots, so that children are able to access the outdoors in all weathers.

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provision

Arrangements for safeguarding children are strong and well embedded. All staff have received basic safeguarding training, and regular discussions at staff meetings and refresher workshops ensure that they all have a good understanding of the process to follow should they have any concerns about a child in their care. There are robust recruitment and induction procedures to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children and the management maintain staff's continuous suitability by ensuring all staff sign a declaration to confirm this. Staff complete comprehensive risk assessments and daily safety checks of each room, and they remove or minimise hazards to ensure that the setting is safe for children. In addition, the management collate all accidents into a tracker, which highlights any rooms or equipment that may need further monitoring of hazards. This contributes to children's enjoyment of their time at the setting by enabling

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provision

them to play in a safe and secure environment. The management implement a range of clear, detailed policies and procedures, which are available to parents.

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provision

The management have recruited a staff team who are mostly well qualified and experienced. They ensure that staff learn from one another by encouraging them to visit the more established nurseries within the company and share good practice. The management often visit in the rooms and will role model particular practices, for example, how to make the best use of outdoor learning. Therefore, staff are able to support children effectively in making good progress towards the early learning goals. The supervision of children is good because staff maintain ratios in each room and their deployment is effective. The management's thorough monitoring of staff performance means that their work is valued and they have good support for developing their professional practice. For example, ongoing supervision meetings, probationary reviews and peer-on-peer observations are effective in checking on performance and reviewing the

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provision

training needs of each staff member. Highly effective monitoring of the planning and assessment of children's learning means that the management has an accurate view of the quality of teaching and how this impacts on children's progress. As a result, they are able to identify where children are not making as much progress as they could be and know what action to take to improve this. There are strong partnerships with parents, and staff keep them up to date about the provision. For example, the nursery offers regular themed open days, so that parents can gain an insight into how staff deliver different aspects of the Early Years Foundation Stage and get ideas for activities they can do at home. Staff have daily verbal exchanges with parents, as well as sharing the communication sheets with them at collection. Parents are fully involved in their child's learning from the start, talking with staff about what they

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provision

think their child's next steps are, and attending parents' evenings to discuss children's progress. The nursery has established good links with other professionals in order to support children and their families. The advisory teacher and the speech and language therapist visit regularly. There has been involvement from the area special educational needs coordinator to advise staff how they can further support those children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, the key person has worked with the advisory teacher to implement a more appropriate tool for assessment, which links to the Early Years Outcomes, for these children. There are practical procedures in place for sharing information with other early years settings, such as communication books used for children who attend other provision. Staff invite class teachers from the various schools to visit the children in the nursery, and they share children's learning journals via email. This

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provision

develops a shared understanding of children's individual needs. The management has a clear vision for the nursery and demonstrates this through their targeted plans for improvement. For example, they have introduced a 'learning room' for those children who are moving on, offering smaller group activities to provide more formalised learning opportunities to prepare children for school. Further plans focus on children's readiness for school, for example, introducing physical education sessions and days when children can have a packed lunch so that they can have similar experiences to those at school. However, although parents have some opportunities to voice their views, managers do not consistently use this feedback to fully support them in making further improvements.

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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 EY471019 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 953780 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 62 Number of children on roll 56 Name of provider Asquith Court Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01494779012

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Setting details

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

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

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

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Type of provision

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

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Type of provision

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

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Type of provision

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

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Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Type of provision

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

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