Small Talk Nurseries Ltd.

Small Talk Nurseries Ltd. 85 Grove Lane, Handsworth, BIRMINGHAM, B21 9HF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14/10/2014 23/04/2014

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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

 Teaching is consistently good and all children make good progress as a result of effective planning and assessment.  Staff involve parents in children's learning, as they are actively encouraged to contribute to their progress records and support their learning at home.  Children are safe at the nursery, as the management team ensures staff fully understand and implement rigorous policies and procedures.  Children's behaviour is very good, as this is now managed very effectively and staff have high expectations. Staff are caring and meet all children's needs, so that they are emotionally secure.  Leadership and management are strong, which leads to effective and much improved systems for monitoring and self-evaluation. This means there is continuous improvement in the provision.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities for staff to share ideas and best practice regularly with other early years providers are not yet maximised.  There are further opportunities to extend the ongoing, targeted professional development of staff.

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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 five playrooms, including a joint observation with the manager of the nursery.  The inspector held meetings with the manager and the providers of the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at and discussed children's assessment records, the self- evaluation process, planning documentation, evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents, carers and children spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Small Talk Nurseries Ltd. opened in 2010 and is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery operates from the ground and first floors of a converted building in the Handsworth area of Birmingham. It is privately owned and managed by a limited company. The nursery opens on Monday to Friday, from 8am to 6pm, all year round, with the exception of bank holidays and a week at Christmas. It also runs a before and after school club and a holiday club. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The manager has a level 5 qualification. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 53 children attending who are within the early years age range. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an

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Information about the setting

additional language and receives support from the local authority.

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

 build on the effective links with other local early years providers, so that staff share ideas and best practice on a regular basis to continue to improve the nursery provision

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

 extend and enhance the professional development of staff, so that good quality learning experiences for children are maintained.

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who attend

Staff establish a clear starting point for each child's learning. They use information obtained from parents and their own assessments of what children already know and can do. These are carried out once children are settled at the nursery and at regular intervals. Staff record their observations of children's play and their individual learning styles, which informs planning which they use to plan relevant activities. This means children are engaged in their activities, as they are based on their own interests and needs. Parents are active in their support of their children's learning and development at home. This is because they work with their child's key person, so they know how best to support their child's next steps in learning. They are very well informed about children's activities and progress and are welcomed into the nursery at any time. Parents share daily information with staff about children's achievements and interests and these are added to their

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who attend

progress records. Staff have a good understanding of the progress check completed for children aged between two and three years and carry these out effectively. These are shared Staff share the reports with parents, further supporting a collaborative approach to children's learning.

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who attend

Babies explore objects around them and staff encourage them to reach for toys they like, so they develop their muscle skills well. They laugh and gurgle as they look at animal books with staff and try to repeat sounds. Staff provide good support for children who are beginning to crawl or walk. They help children to use walkers and place them on comfortable mats, so children can roll onto their tummies ready to crawl. Two-year-old children enjoy clapping, moving and joining in with action songs. They concentrate very well as they listen to a story in a small group and join in with the parts they know. Each room is cosy and well-organised, so that children can easily access the toys and resources they need. Toddlers use a wide range of paints, chalks and other media to practise making marks and to express themselves on paper. They enjoy playing with animals and different sized containers in the sand and water. Staff guide their play well and build on

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who attend

each child's next steps in learning through their activities. They know children well, even though many have only just started at nursery. This is because they record daily observations of children's play, so that they and challenge each child at their own level so they make good progress.

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who attend

Teaching is consistently good throughout the nursery. Staff engage very well with the children and provide many opportunities for them to develop their communication skills further. They help children to count, sort and order objects, which supports their mathematical skills well. Older children are very well prepared for school, as they learn to recognise and write sounds, letters, numbers and their names. They enjoy a wide range of good quality books and benefit from reading these with their key person. They discuss the story and pictures and children act out their favourite stories as a group. This builds their confidence and supports their recall and understanding of the story. Pre-school children learn about nature and the seasons through their frequent trips to the park. They create imaginative displays from the leaves and twigs they collect. Children develop their physical skills well through regular music and movement sessions in a large, shared room, as the

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who attend

nursery does not have an outdoor area. They use the climbing and balancing equipment at the nearby park several times a week and use the space to run around and play games. Children who speak English as an additional language are well supported, as staff speak several languages between them and they use pictures and gestures and work with parents to support children in their effective communication.

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

Children settle well at the nursery, as staff invite parents to stay for as many settling-in sessions as each child needs. The caring staff obtain information about children's needs from parents, so that these needs are met. They work closely with parents, for example when weaning a baby, so that children have consistency in their care. Children thrive in the welcoming atmosphere of the nursery and parents report how much they enjoy attending. They form close bonds with their key person, who has very effective daily contact with parents. Children are calm and emotionally secure because staff are very aware of their needs and ensure they are busy throughout the day. Children gain confidence and good self-esteem, as staff value their ideas and opinions. Children's individual dietary requirements are well met and they are provided with healthy meals and snacks. They access fresh drinking water throughout the day and pre-school

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

children pour their own, which supports their independence in readiness for school. Children's health is well protected as staff are aware of which children have allergies to certain foods and the nursery environment is kept very clean. Staff practise good hygiene when handling food or changing nappies. Staff encourage children to be independent in their self-care routines, to dress themselves and choose their activities. Children learn to manage risks safely as they cross the road and use the equipment at the park. Staff teach them about the importance of exercise and what happens to our bodies as we move about. This builds on children's learning about healthy lifestyles.

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

Children's behaviour is now very good because staff have high expectations and have benefitted from behaviour management training. The rooms have been successfully reorganised to provide small areas for different types of play, which has had a very positive impact on children's behaviour. A dedicated member of staff is now responsible for supporting and advising staff on how to manage this aspect of care. Staff now manage this in sensitive ways which are appropriate to children's ages and understanding. They teach children to share and take turns, so that all children play safely together. Children's moves to new rooms in the nursery are smooth, as they spend increasing amounts of time in their new room with their key person, so they remain emotionally secure. Their needs are exceptionally well met during their moves to school, as staff work very effectively with school staff to help individual children to settle gradually, so that they are calm and feel

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provision

Effective risk assessments are understood and implemented by staff throughout each day, so that children are safe. The new manager monitors safeguarding practice very effectively and tests staff each week on their knowledge of the detailed policies and procedures. Safeguarding training has been updated for all staff since the last inspection with the support of the local authority. This means they are now confident in how to identify and report any concerns or allegations, so that children are safe. The premises are secure and fire detection equipment is checked each week to ensure it is in full working order. Staff suitability checks are in place and the providers have improved the recruitment process, so that new staff and students are competent and suitable to work with children. They supervise children very well and correct ratios of staff to children are maintained at all times. Staff deployment is now more effective, so that children's safety is

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provision

not compromised during staff break times.

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provision

Since the last inspection by Ofsted, where the nursery received a number of actions to improve, and two subsequent monitoring visits, the new manager has worked extremely effectively with the providers and staff. Consequently, the quality of the provision is much improved and there have been many positive changes. She observes and monitors staff performance very closely and spends time working with staff in each room. This means that strengths and weaknesses are easily identified and targets set as a result. Consequently, there have been significant improvements in the quality of teaching, staff motivation and effective teamwork. However, there are further opportunities for staff to shape their professional development through attending more regular training courses. Staff are very well supported and their contributions to the self-evaluation process are valued by the management team. This means that staff, parents and children now work

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provision

effectively together to address identified areas for improvement and form an ongoing action plan. This means that children's learning experiences continually improve. Staff have an increased sense of security in knowing their roles and responsibilities. This has had a positive impact on children's learning and good behaviour. Parents are well informed about the nursery's policies and procedures and their views are actively sought. They report that they are welcomed into the nursery at any time if they wish to speak to their child's key person or the manager. The providers are on the premises each day, so they are well known to all children and parents. This contributes to the welcoming, friendly environment and the sense that everyone is working together for the benefit of the children.

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provision

The manager has established strong partnerships with the local authority early years team and local schools, which has brought about rapid improvements in the provision. Very effective links with the other settings that children attend mean that their learning is complemented and their needs are particularly well met. Nursery staff work with other professionals, when the need arises, in order to support all children and their families. There are good links with other local early years providers, but these are not yet maximised to enable staff to share ideas and best practice on a regular basis.

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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 EY390736 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 981058

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 53 Name of provider Small Talk Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 23/04/2014 Telephone number 0121 5543445

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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

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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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