Denehurst Day Nursery

Denehurst Day Nursery 2a Haymans Green, West Derby, LIVERPOOL, L12 7JG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/08/2014 19/08/2009

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Staff know the children extremely well and plan a wide range of interesting play opportunities to support the next steps in their learning. As a result, children make good progress and thrive in this warm and welcoming setting.  Children demonstrate strong emotional attachments with their key persons. Consequently, they feel secure and display high levels of confidence and self-esteem.  Staff demonstrate a very good understanding of their roles and responsibilities with regards to safeguarding and protecting children from harm. As a result, children are kept safe.  Strong partnerships with parents and other professionals are firmly established, to support children's ongoing development.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff do not always evaluate the appropriate length of time for some adult-led activities and, therefore, some children lose interest.  Sometimes staff only ask children questions that require a yes or no answer. This reduces the opportunities to extend children's thinking and language to the maximum potential.

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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 activities in the playrooms and the outdoor learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager of the setting.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.  The inspector looked at and discussed the settings improvement plan.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoke to on the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.

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Information about the setting

Denehurst Day nursery was registered in 2006 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in converted premises in the West Derby area of Liverpool and is privately owned. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from a two storey building and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, seven at level 3 and three at level 4. The Manager has an early years qualification at level 6. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 65 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children with special

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

 evaluate more effectively how well children are engaged in some adult-led group activities, such as circle time, and consider the length of time the activity is planned for to always ensure that children's participation is maximised and they do not lose interest

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

 strengthen conversations held with children to extend, even further, their language and thinking skills, for example, by asking even more open-ended questions.

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who attend

The management team and staff demonstrate a secure understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They provide children with a wide range of stimulating activities, closely linked to their interests and, as a result, children enthusiastically engage in meaningful play throughout their time at the nursery. Staff work very closely with parents from the start, obtaining, through discussion and the use of an All about me document, a range of information about children's individual likes, dislikes, routines and current learning. This information is used alongside initial observations to assess children's starting points in learning. Each child has an individual learning journal record, which includes examples of their work, monthly observations of their learning and spontaneous observations of children's activities and interests. Staff clearly know the children well. They talk confidently about their interests and achievements, and plan a good range of challenging and

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who attend

enjoyable experiences for children. As a result, children show good levels of curiosity and confidence in the setting. This supports them to make good progress in their learning, in relation to their starting points, and to demonstrate the key skills they need in preparation for the next stage in their learning. Staff use effective teaching to encourage children to talk about their ideas when they are involved in activities. For instance, when playing in the water, they discuss movements, such as round and round, and up and down. Consequently, children learn new vocabulary. However, on occasions staff miss the opportunity to maximise children's communication and language, because they ask questions that only require a yes or no answer. This reduces the opportunity children have to further extend their thinking and to verbalise their ideas. Outside, mathematical concepts, such as size and shape, are discussed as part of a den-building activity,

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who attend

increasing children's knowledge and confidence with these concepts.

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who attend

Staff warmly embrace children, as they enthusiastically enter the nursery. Children explore the environment confidently and quickly engage in the wide range of activities on offer, both inside and outdoors. Children enjoy their play with staff and eagerly join in activities. However, staff do not always notice children's cues during adult-led activities. For example, after a while some children lose interest at circle time because this is too long. Staff work extremely well with parents and other professionals to support children's individual needs. For example, professionals from the local authority visit the setting, to offer staff advice and guidance, to further support children with special educational needs and also to support children with medical conditions. These visits promote children's holistic development and enable staff to provide excellent care, support and education for the children and their families.

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who attend

Staff give high priority to encouraging parents to contribute and play an active part in their children's learning. For example, parents are invited to regular stay and play sessions, where they are supported by staff to understand the value of play in children's learning and the Early Years curriculum. They are also given the opportunity to view their child's learning journey record and make their own contributions. Consequently, parents state that they feel involved in the setting and that the setting provides a range of activities, which meet their own and their children's needs. Communications with parents are strong. The setting provides parents with a wealth of information about their child's progress and how they can support their learning at home, including one-to-one time with the key person, to discuss any pertinent issues. As a result, parents and children feel valued and listened to.

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

Children are valued and made to feel welcome. Consequently, this is reflected in their high levels of confidence and self-esteem. Key-person relationships are very positive and involve seeking parents' views about their children's development and care needs. Settling-in sessions ensure that there is a smooth move from home to nursery, and they promote children's personal, social and emotional skills. Children are happy and openly chat in their play. For example, outdoors, older children have built a school in the wooden den and they discuss with staff their recent visits to 'big school'. This allows them to effectively use their imagination, as well as further supporting their personal, social and emotional development. Children have many positive opportunities to develop their understanding of adopting a healthy lifestyle. For example, they enjoy a wide range of fruits and vegetables, with milk and water readily available. Additionally, staff talk to the children all the time about the

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

food they are eating and which foods are good for us, which helps to develop their understanding of healthy eating and how to make healthy choices. Menus are closely monitored by the nursery cook, who ensures all dietary requirements are met, in line with parents' wishes. The nursery operates a system of open snack and self-service at lunch time, which promotes children's choice and independence. Children demonstrate their excellent independence skills as they serve themselves beans and pass each other the bread basket, with little support from the staff. Staff understand the need to promote fresh air and exercise. There is daily access to a well-resourced outdoor area, which includes lots of natural resources, to stimulate children's imagination and critical-thinking skills. Staff utilise the outdoor environment well, encouraging children to become involved in tasks, such as den making, painting and experimenting with sand and water. Staff are

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

vigilant in making sure children are kept safe. They encourage children to tidy away some toys on the ground, to keep the environment hazard free, which helps children learn how to independently identify dangers and manage risk. Behaviour management is very good. Calm and consistent messages are relayed by the staff, such as 'let's play together', with reminders to share and take turns. These are always followed by praise and encouragement. As a result, children display high levels of involvement and are responsive to staff's expectations of them.

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

Hygiene is good throughout the setting because children understand why they are washing their hands before meals and after using the toilet. Children use the toilets independently. They wash and dry their hands, which demonstrates their good understanding of daily routines. Older children explain why hygiene is important, which shows how successfully staff promote children's understanding. Nappy change routines are very good. Staff follow each child's care routine and have regard for their individual sleep and nappy change preferences, as discussed with parents. This ensures all children's needs are fully met. Infection control is good. Staff wear gloves and aprons, and a disinfectant spray is readily available. Staff disinfect the change mat after each use, this limits cross-infection and protects the health of all the children.

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provision

All staff and the management team have a clear understanding of their responsibility to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Safeguarding practices are extremely good and understanding throughout the setting is strong. For example, staff are confident of how to fulfil their roles and responsibilities. They know the procedure to follow if they have any concerns about children, the conduct of colleagues or the management team. The management team have a clear understanding of their duties and responsibilities, and demonstrate a strong commitment to the safeguarding of children. For instance, all required checks to ensure the suitability of adults working with children are completed and updated accordingly, to ensure children are protected at all times. Security is strong. Staff ensure all visitors sign the visitors book and they are also vigilant in ensuring they are never left unsupervised at any time. Additionally, the main door is

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provision

locked and the setting has closed circuit television, both indoors and outside, which is in operation 24 hours a day. Comprehensive risk assessments are in place and cover all aspects of the setting, such as outdoors, furniture and equipment. Staff also complete daily room checks prior to the children having access to them, to ensure that all risks are identified and minimised. This ensures the safety of children, staff and visitors at all times. Accident and medication records are completed, signed by staff and parents, and stored securely.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are extremely good. Parents state they are very happy with the settling-in arrangements, and feel they and their children are exceptionally well supported and cared for by the staff, who they clearly state are 'great'. This demonstrates that partnerships are strong and very positive. Communication between home and the setting is very good. Arrangements are in place for parents to be involved through daily exchanges with their child's key person, and their views about improvement are actively sought and acted upon. For example, regular questionnaires are sent home and parents are invited into the setting to attend many different sessions, to help further support their children. Partnerships with other professionals are well established and are having a positive impact on improving outcomes for the children. The setting has good links with the community, local schools and children's centres. The setting also works in partnership

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provision

with local authority advisors. This ensures positive outcomes for all children and their families.

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provision

The management team are passionate about staffs' professional development. There is an effective appraisal system in place that focusses on targets for the future. Supervision is sharply focussed and carried out regularly. This ensures that staff have clear expectations and are given the opportunity to constantly improve their already very good practice. The manager works very closely with the team and ensures, through regular support, educational programmes offered to children are monitored and effective. As a result, the setting benefits from highly enthusiastic, dedicated, well-qualified and long-serving members of staff. Additionally, training needs are identified and addressed on an ongoing basis. Staff are encouraged to further develop their skills through further education and training. For example, senior staff are qualified to at least level three, with some staff achieving their early years qualification at level four. This commitment demonstrates the

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provision

management team's vision for a high-quality workforce, leading to better outcomes for children who attend the setting. The recommendations that were raised at the last inspection have all been successfully met, which has improved the overall safety and learning for children. The management team reflect well on driving their own improvements. They clearly identify the strengths and areas to develop within the setting. They are passionate about the continued success of the setting and are working on improvement plans, to ensure children receive the best possible care and education. For example, they are adapting the outdoor play area to create a separate play space for the babies, and are investing in new resources to support their physical and sensory development even further. This commitment and dedication ensures the continued success of this already very good, well-established early years setting.

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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 EY338827 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 862792

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 46 Number of children on roll 65 Name of provider Denehurst Day Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 19/08/2009 Telephone number 01514741133

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Type of provision

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

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

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

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Type of provision

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

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Type of provision

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

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Type of provision

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

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Type of provision

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

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Type of provision

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

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