Blossoms Day Nursery

Blossoms Day Nursery 109 - 110 Waddon New Road, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 4JE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22/08/2014 27/02/2014

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 4 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

 Staff make effective use of the observation, assessment and planning process. Overall, key persons know their children very well and plan effectively to promote their individual development.  Staff are effectively deployed to ensure the staff to child ratios are met at all times.  Children benefit from well-established planning and assessment methods, which staff follow to provide activities shaped to children's interests and next steps.  Staff are well organised and work effectively as a team. They promote children's safety well and support learning successfully.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always extend activities to fully challenge children's problem-solving skills and critical thinking.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children at play in the playroom and outside.  The inspector spoke to the children, parents, staff, deputy manager and provider.  The inspector and deputy manager carried out a joint observation.  The inspector examined a range of documentation and records.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed and discussed the action plan from the last inspection with the deputy manager and the provider.

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Information about the setting

Blossoms Day Nursery registered in 2004 and is registered on the Early Years Register. There are currently 43 children on roll. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. It operates from a two- storey detached building on a main road in Waddon, in the London Borough of Croydon. The nursery is located in a residential area close to the local school and transport links. The nursery is close to a bus service, tram service and two train stations. Children are accommodated in three group rooms, two on the ground floor and one on the first floor. Children have access to a garden area at the rear of the property. The nursery offers football and French classes as part of their curriculum. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6.15pm all year, except for public holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year. The nursery supports children who are learning English is an

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Information about the setting

additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are nine staff working directly with the children. Seven members of staff have a recognised childcare qualification, one of whom holds Early Years Professional Status.

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

 increase the level of challenge in children's activities, particularly in the toddler room, to enhance their critical thinking skills.

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who attend

Staff have a secure understanding of how children learn and develop. They know children well and use this knowledge to provide activities that truly interest and motivate them. Having worked as a team for some time, they have well-established skills in providing a broad and balanced curriculum, which gives children interesting activities across all seven areas of learning. Children are independent, active learners who are continuously engaged in purposeful play. As a result, they make good progress given their starting points and capabilities.

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who attend

Staff are skilled at supporting children's communication and language skills. They talk with children as they play, speaking clearly, repeating and introducing new words for them to hear. Staff make the conversations interesting with emotional responses such as showing enjoyment and surprise. They use skilful questions, which help children to answer in their own words and give their ideas; staff also wait for children to respond, so that they have time to think. This helps children establish a wider vocabulary and become confident communicators. Staff maintain conversations with children as they play. For example, in the toddler room as children played with the lentils, staff talked to them about what they were cooking and the number of spoonfuls they had put into the bowl, extending their play. Children in the pre-school enjoy a wide variety of play activities and staff adapt them according to children's interests. For example, staff identified when children began to

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who attend

become disengaged with what they were playing with and asked the children what they wanted to play with. Staff asked questions such as 'I wonder what that does?' and 'what do you think is going to happen?' to support children in thinking about what they were making, encouraging them to express how they thought the story would develop and to make predictions. However, this was not consistent across all ages, particularly in the toddler room, where some activities lacked good amounts of challenge to fully support children's thinking skills.

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who attend

Staff are diligent in assessing children's progress and planning for their individual needs. They collect important information about children's starting points in learning through discussions with parents and from observations. They assess children's development routinely to ensure that children are on track for their ages, including completing relevant checks for two-year-olds. Activities are freely available for all age groups and support during adult-led activities is very well planned, and, as a result, staff are clear about what they want children to learn. They identify children's next steps in learning and incorporate these into planned activities effectively. Staff keep parents well informed of children's progress and encourage them to share observations of development at home. Key persons know their children very well and provide age-appropriate activities linked to their interests to support the children effectively both in free play and adult-focussed activities.

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who attend

The learning environment in all areas of the nursery and outside is well organised with a good range of resources and activities for each age group. Staff take clear account of children's interests when planning activities so that children are motivated and engaged in their learning. All resources are presented well in the garden to encourage children to use them purposefully. Children have good opportunities to develop their literacy skills as staff include writing and mark-making equipment in different play areas. Books are also in a wide range of places so that children can pick them up anywhere.

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who attend

Staff in the baby and toddler room provide a friendly and calm environment so that children feel confident to explore and to be inquisitive. They are sensitive to children who are not sure about joining in; gently encouraging them to engage in play activities. Staff provide a good range of equipment for children to develop their physical skills. As a result, children become increasingly confident in handling objects; for example, in the toddler room children confidently use the scissors to cut paper with close supervision from staff to guide them. This promotes their independence and helps them to develop important skills for their future learning. Staff support children well to improve their concentration skills, enabling them to become increasingly focused on the activities on offer.

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who attend

Children in the pre-school successfully develop a range of skills in preparation for starting school. Staff support them to experiment with letters and sound by introducing a letter of the week. Staff encourage children to count during everyday experiences and they introduce a range of mathematical language and concepts. Staff sensitively talk to children about starting school and introduce self-registration. The children are encouraged to put their coat and shoes on before going into the garden to help them become independent. These experiences help them to become familiar with the routines they will encounter in the future, supporting them well to be emotionally ready for the challenge. Staff plan interesting and relevant activities to encourage children's creative skills and to help them learn about the world around them, for example by going on days out. Staff evaluate their plans and children's learning so that they can shape and adapt them according to

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who attend

children's needs. Staff track children's learning against expected levels of development so that they can identify any achievement gap and devise ways to address them. The trackers show that children are making good progress in their learning and development to meet the early learning goals.

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

Children are happy and confident. They establish a secure attachment to their key person and develop positive relationships with other adults and children. Photographs of children are displayed prominently in the nursery enabling them to feel a strong sense of belonging. Staff are kind and attentive and they meet children's individual care needs promptly. This promotes children's well-being and enhances their sense of belonging. Staff sit alongside the children at their eye-level, as they play and interact positively at all times. Children are clearly valued and respected, which enhances their sense of self-worth. Staff are positive role models, who are consistent in their practice and set good examples to children. As a result, children follow their lead and are respectful of each other and well mannered. They show concern for others and learn to share and take turns. Children know how to keep themselves and others safe, as staff encourage them to identify and

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

manage everyday risk. For example, staff include children in carrying out risk assessments of the nursery and ask the children why they think something is not safe and what they can do to make it safe. They are also involved in tiding up toys, which helps to give them a sense of responsibility and encourages them to think about their safety and that of others. As a result, children move carefully to negotiate obstacles. Staff are vigilant in maintaining children's safety and supervise them appropriately at all times. Consequently, due to the attentive nature of staff, children feel safe and secure.

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

Children's health is promoted well as staff implement effective hygiene procedures to reduce the spread of cross-infection. For example, children are encouraged to wash their hands after playing outside, before and after snacks, meal times and after using the toilet. Daily opportunities for outdoor play enable children to benefit from fresh air and physical exercise. The premises are well organised to allow children maximum space to move around safely. Staff provide a very well-resourced and stimulating environment, which helps to promote children's learning and sense of security. There is a wide range of interesting activities for children to enjoy. They are well organisation under the areas of learning, giving children more opportunities to extend their independence. For example, children in the pre-school playing on the computer did so without any disruption from the rest of the group, allowing them to focus fully as they learnt to master skills needed to use

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

the equipment appropriately. In addition, children are not restricted to what they play with, which helps to enhance their confidence and prepare them for starting school.

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

The outdoor area reflects the learning children can access indoors, which enables children who may learn best outdoors to flourish. This also provides opportunities for children to enjoy fresh air and physical exercise as they run, jump, push wheeled toys, explore and investigate. Staff have established positive links with local schools, which in turn helps children move seamlessly on to new experiences.

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provision

Staff are experienced and suitably qualified. They have a good understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This helps them to maintain children's safety, promote their well-being and support them in making good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff have a secure understanding of the local safeguarding procedures and are confident to follow these if required to help keep children safe. The staff demonstrate a good commitment to ongoing professional development to help to improve the quality and standard of the nursery provision. For example, in addition to having recently completed safeguarding training to update their knowledge and skills, they identify further appropriate training during their regular supervision meetings. The lead member of staff for safeguarding children provides strong support, advice and guidance to all staff on an ongoing basis. Staff are aware of who to go to for support if needed to help

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provision

them to protect children's welfare. The team meet on a regular basis and they review policies and produces together. This helps staff become familiar and have a better understanding and the lead members of staff give support to the team. Good recruitment, vetting, induction and monitoring procedures are in place. In addition, regular appraisals are used to establish ongoing suitability and to monitor the performance of staff. A comprehensive range of written policies and procedures are used to maintain continuity in staff practice.

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provision

A written risk assessment is in place and staff complete daily visual checks on the premises, toys and equipment. An assessment of outings takes place, in order to monitor and maintain children's safety at these times. Children participate in regular emergency evacuation procedures to develop their confidence, familiarity and understanding of what to do in the event of a fire. They also learn how to identify and manage risk during everyday routine activities. This is because staff remind children how to handle tools and equipment safely and encourage them to move carefully indoors and outdoors.

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provision

The provider works closely with the staff team to evaluate the effectiveness of their practice. As a result, they successfully identify appropriate areas for future development. This currently includes enhancing the changes made to staff deployment, particularly at lunchtime, which improves staff to child ratio at all times and prioritises children's safety. Staff report this arrangement is working very well.

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provision

Overall, children benefit from a broad range of learning experiences. As a result, they make good progress. Staff monitor and assess children's progress well, but miss some opportunities to extend children's learning fully during some activities. Parents meet their key person each term to view their children's files and they routinely contribute to their children's ongoing learning process. Staff communicate with parents, other settings and outside professionals to effectively put in place strategies to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities or children who are learning English as an additional language. This ensures that the needs of all individual children are being successfully met. Parents spoken to during the inspection were happy with the service and felt that they were helped to become involved in their child's learning.

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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 EY294365 Local authority Croydon Inspection number 975986 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 43 Name of provider Blossoms Day Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 27/02/2014 Telephone number 0208 760 0540

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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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