Higher Folds 2 Year Olds

Higher Folds 2 Year Olds HIGHER FOLDS COMMUNITY CENTRE, Stirling Close, LEIGH, WN7 2UB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24/09/2014 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

 Staff are caring and nurturing. This helps children build secure emotional attachments and fosters self-esteem and confidence.  The management team provides strong leadership and constantly reflect on practice within the nursery. Plans for improvement are well targeted to further improve the high quality of the provision.  Safeguarding is given high priority in the nursery as the manager conducts a rigorous recruitment procedure, which includes vetting checks, to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.  Staff have a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and use their knowledge and skills to effectively teach and engage children in their learning. Children make good progress in their learning and development.  Partnerships with parents, other providers and professionals are strong. This ensures consistency of care and learning for all children.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Occasionally, staff do not give children enough time to answer questions, and sometimes pre-empt them. As a result, children's already good opportunities to think creatively and critically are not maximised.

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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 nursery room and the outdoor area.  The inspector spoke to staff and gained the views of parents.  The inspector held a meeting and conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's development records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and the nursery's self-evaluation.

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Information about the setting

Higher Folds 2 Year Olds was registered in 2014 and is on the Early Years Register. It is situated in a self-contained area within Higher Folds Community Centre in Leigh, which is in the borough of Wigan. It is operated by a private provider. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children aged from two years. It operates from one playroom, which has integral toilet facilities. Children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area with another childcare provider based in the same community building. The nursery opens Monday to Friday during term times only. Sessions run between 9am and 3pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 15 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children and supports children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs four members of staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years

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Information about the setting

qualifications at level 4 and two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3.

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

 enrich children's creative and critical thinking skills even further by enabling them to answer questions with more than one possible answer, giving them time to think about and formulate their responses.

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who attend

Children enjoy their time in this friendly nursery which is welcoming, bright and very well organised. The room and the outdoors are very well planned. For example, all of the equipment is accessible to the children and the areas of learning are clearly defined with labels and pictures. Staff provide children with a wide range of good quality, exciting and stimulating resources, which support play and their learning. Staff have a secure knowledge of how young children learn. There is an effective blend of child-initiated and adult-led experiences with activities across all of the educational programmes that capture children's interests and encourage them to explore. Consequently, children are actively involved and encouraged to use their imagination and thinking skills. Therefore, they all make good progress. Staff undertake regular observations and assessments for each individual child. They use these together with information gathered from parents, to

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who attend

identify the next steps in children's learning. Activities are planned to securely build on what children know and can do. As a result, children are challenged at an appropriate level and are enthusiastic and motivated learners. This results in children making good progress in relation to their starting points. Teaching is good because the staff provide interesting activities that encourage children to become confident learners who spend their time productively. Children have access to a good range of play equipment and mark-making materials to help them learn about shapes, colours, and writing for a purpose. Children develop mathematical awareness by singing number songs and counting rhymes, and through everyday activities. They confidently count props from the song box and staff support children's counting as they line up before going outside to play. Activities are organised to maximise children's

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who attend

independence and staff are skilled at responding to children's interests. For example, in the outdoor area children express an interest in soldiers, this leads to staff developing a play activity about marching. This is extended further, as staff provide musical instruments and march alongside the children while encouraging them to follow instructions, such as stop and go. This activity captures children enthusiasm, and as a result, children's interests are well supported. Children are provided with continuous access to natural, creative and malleable materials to promote their sensory development. For example, children hide dinosaurs in the low-level tray filled with grass and eagerly explore in the bark outside, scooping up and filling buckets. Children delight in listening to the sound that the shaking bottles filled with pasta and rice make as staff support them, encouraging them to shake faster or slower.

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who attend

Children use a variety of writing tools both indoors and outdoors as they practise writing their names at the easel or drawing with the chunky chalks. Staff provide tools for children to make marks in sand and trains to make prints in paint using the wheels. Children show good control and coordination as they move confidently in the outdoor area and handle equipment, tools and resources effectively. For example, children enjoy riding bikes around the outdoor area and are provided with a range of physical apparatus. They climb and balance and delight in trying to keep the balls on the parachute as staff support them to hold onto the handles. As a result, children develop their physical skills. Children are eager to discover new things. They learn to carefully listen and capably follow instructions as staff use strategies, such as the Elklan programme to further support children's communication and language development. Staff support children during activities and

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who attend

introduce words in both English and their home language, which enhances their vocabulary. Staff also use signs and a range of visual prompts, in addition to speech, when communicating with children. As a result, all children are able to communicate in their preferred way. Staff model the use of effective language through repetition of words, such as up and down as children play with the parachute. Consequently, children are supported to build up their range of spoken language. Overall staff use a range of effective questioning strategies, such as 'what can we see?' or when exploring in the soil and bark they ask the children 'where has the spider gone?' However, occasionally staff do not give children enough time to answer questions, and sometimes pre-empt them. As a result, children's already good opportunities to think creatively and critically are not always maximised.

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who attend

Staff have created very positive relationships with parents and are committed to encouraging parents to be involved in their children's learning. The staff work closely with parents when children first start to find out what children can already do. This enables them to plan a range of activities to meet every child's needs right from the start. Staff undertake the progress check for children aged between two and three years and share this effectively with parents and appropriate professionals. This ensures that strategies which best support children's needs are shared at home and in the nursery. By the time the children leave the nursery they are well equipped with the skills they need for their future learning and school.

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

Staff support children to feel emotionally secure and comfortable through routines and close relationships with their key person. Children form strong and secure attachments, which provide a solid foundation to develop their personal, social and emotional skills. The nurturing and caring interactions between staff and children, through a strong key-person system, ensure that all children form positive and trusting relationships. Children settle well because the staff find out good information from parents about their child before they start at the nursery. This is to ensure all children's needs are known and effectively met. For example, staff find out if the children have any comforters to help during the settling in period. Staff plan varied and imaginative learning opportunities based upon the individual interests of each child. To help prepare children for school, staff work closely with local schools and have devised very effective transition strategies in partnership with

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

parents, which include home visits. Consequently, children are emotionally well prepared and make the move to school with ease.

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

The learning environment has a range of resources which are readily available to the children. This enables children to follow their individual interests independently. Staff provide regular outdoor play opportunities for children to allow them to take risks and challenge themselves further. For example, children jump onto the climbing apparatus and negotiate the obstacle course as they ride around the bike track. Children delight in running across the bridge and hiding in the woodland area as their friends try to find them. Staff effectively promote children's independence and sense of responsibility through a good balance of child-initiated and adult-led experiences. For example, at snack time staff provide crunchy carrots and juicy raisins as children select and serve themselves and all eat together, competently pouring their own milk or water. Staff act as good role models, helping children to learn how to be healthy, such as washing their hands before

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

lunch. They maximise opportunities to talk to children about healthy foods, to reinforce messages about the benefits of making healthier choices. Children are able to manage their own self-care because staff provide good guidance and give them time to complete tasks. For example, children put on their own coats before playing outside as staff offer guidance while allowing them to do it for themselves.

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

Staff model positive communication strategies, to help children understand about acceptable behaviour. For example, staff use happy and sad faces and flash cards to show children how they are feeling. Behaviour is good. This is because children feel a sense of security and emotional well-being and become confident in the routines and expectations of staff. Staff use frequent praise and encouragement with children as they play. Consequently, children learn to play cooperatively together. Staff respond sensitively to children's needs. For example, any instances of inappropriate behaviour are sensitively and effectively dealt with in line with the nursery policy. This includes the occasional prompt by staff to encourage sharing or turn taking or by re-directing children's play. This ethos is consistent, resulting in consistently good progress being made in personal, social and emotional development for all children.

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provision

Safeguarding arrangements are strong. Staff understand their role in protecting children from harm and are confident in what to do should they have a concern about children's welfare. The provider and manager are proactive in ensuring that staff have a high level of safeguarding awareness. For example, all of the staff team have attended safeguarding training and the nursery has two designated officers for safeguarding. All of the required documentation relating to children and the safe organisation and management of the nursery is in place and is comprehensive. Staff deployment is effective, and as a result, children are suitably protected. For example, there is a secure procedure to gain entry to the nursery through the community centre and only authorised personnel have the entry code. In addition, visitors identity is verified and visitors sign in on two registers. There are effective procedures for the safe recruitment of new staff. The manager ensures that

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provision

suitability checks are undertaken, a thorough induction process is followed and a minimum of two references are gained prior to any new staff being appointed.

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provision

The relatively small staff team, who are experienced and well qualified, know the children well. As a result, the quality of the learning environment and planned activities are well promoted. Staff role model how to use resources, play with children at their level, model effective language strategies and support children's learning. Staff have good knowledge of the educational programmes, which ensures that children are able to benefit from challenging and exciting learning experiences. This ensures that children are supported to make good progress towards the next steps in their learning and development. Staff are fully supported to improve and develop their own knowledge and this is reflected in their enthusiasm and commitment to their ongoing professional development. The ongoing suitability of staff and the quality of their teaching is monitored through supervision, peer- on-peer observation, appraisals and a targeted programme of professional development

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provision

training. Staff have recently accessed training on communication and language development, paediatric first aid and training specifically designed for staff to meet the needs of two-year-olds. This training enables staff to update their knowledge and allows them to further promote children's learning and development.

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provision

Self-evaluation is accurate and the manager demonstrates the capacity to improve the nursery because there are focused plans to ensure any identified areas for improvement take place. The manager and the deputy work directly with the children and staff. This enables the management team to identify areas of strength and weakness. The manager uses observations and feedback to inform the action plans. For example, she gains feedback from parents, from the local authority and from the staff team. Interventions are sought at the early stages to identify any group falling behind their peers or below their expected achievements. This results in children's needs being met effectively and relevant support services being involved. The setting works very closely with local schools, which means that children are very well-prepared for their transition into school. Partnership with parents are effective in promoting children's well-being and progress. Staff undertake

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provision

home visits with parents to further establish a consistent approach to all children's learning and development. The nursery communicates with parents using a range of methods including noticeboards, newsletters and social media. Parents speak extremely highly about the nursery and the staff team and feel thoroughly involved in their children's learning and development.

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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 EY475547 Local authority Wigan Inspection number 968068 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 15 Name of provider Higher Folds Community Centre (Leigh) Ltd Date of previous inspection not applicable Telephone number 01942 674548

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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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