The Old School Children's Centre

The Old School Children's Centre Church Hill, Whitchurch, TAVISTOCK, Devon, PL19 9ED

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27/10/2014 04/11/2013

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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 provide a range of fun and interesting activities that engage children interests.  Children are confident, happy and settled. They form strong attachments to their key person, which helps them feel secure.  Staff establish positive relationships with parents, which contributes to effectively meeting children's individual needs.  Staff effectively promote children's learning through play, taking into account their individual interests and preferences for learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 At mealtimes, not all staff consistently extend children's developing communication and language skills by engaging them fully in discussions and conversations.  The main playroom for the younger children far less welcoming than other areas, to provide children with a stimulating learning environment that inspires their creativity and imaginations.

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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 all rooms of the nursery and outdoors  The inspector went with staff and children on a visit around the local churchyard.  The inspector held discussions with management, staff, children and parents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector undertook a joint observation with a member of the management team.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including children's records, planning and staff records.

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Information about the setting

The Old School Children's Centre operates from the old Whitchurch primary school on the outskirts of Tavistock. It is a privately owned day nursery and is one of three provisions owned by this partnership. The premises are accessible from the front yard and there are steps down to the birth to three-year-old rooms and outdoor play areas. All children have access to secure outdoor play areas. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. Care is available for children aged from birth to 11 years. There are currently 128 children on roll, of whom 86 children are in the early years age range. The setting receives funding to provide free early education places for children aged two, three and four-years. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am until 6pm, for 51 weeks of the year. There are 24 staff employed to work with the children, all of whom have early years qualifications. This

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Information about the setting

includes three members of staff with Qualified Teacher Status. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who learn English as an additional language.

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

 make better use of meal times to extend all children's developing communication and language skills further

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

 improve the organisation in the younger children's room, so it is more stimulating to promote children's creativity and imaginative play.

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who attend

The nursery is divided into three rooms known as caterpillars for the under two's, ladybirds for two to three-year-olds and butterflies three to four-year-olds. At inspection, the two younger groups amalgamated due to the low numbers over the half-term holiday. Staff have a good understanding of how children learn. They plan a broad range of interesting and fun activities, which supports their learning in all areas. Staff work closely with parents to gather detailed information about children's background, their individual needs and development before starting at the nursery. This helps staff in planning to support children to help them settle quickly. From the start, staff make regular observations of children to effectively plan activities that provide challenges and identify their next steps in learning. As a result, children are engaged in interesting activities and make good progress in their learning and development. Staff use their thorough

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who attend

assessments to collate information to complete the progress check for two-year-old children and share with parents. In addition, staff regularly talk to parents about their children's progress and provide various ideas for parents to support and extend children's learning at home. As a result, parents are clear and up-to-date with their child's development.

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who attend

Overall, children have good opportunities to practise and extend their communication and language skills. Staff put their recent training on the talk together project to effective use. For example, they wait for a response from children, having asked a question, rather than answer for the child. Children chat happily together, with staff and each other, and share imaginary experiences. For example, children talk about flying on the broomstick or eating various food items in the witches' home. Staff use play opportunities to promote children's communication and language, for instance, when finding a croissant in the home corner, they shared with child where this particular type of food comes from. They reminded the child of an adult they both knew who was French. The child then said 'au revoir' as she moved away. This clearly demonstrates children are learning to make connections as they develop their language to communicate. However, not all staff successfully extend

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who attend

children's communication skills, particularly the older ones, at lunch time, to engage them in discussions and conversations.

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who attend

Overall, the nursery provides a welcoming environment for children, particularly the butterfly's room, which is currently set up for Halloween. This inspires these children to be highly imaginative and creative in their play and ideas. The organisation and attention to detail provides fun opportunities for children to want to come into the room to explore. It lends itself to imaginative play and creativity particularly well. However, this is less so in the caterpillar area for younger children, where the dcor, particularly at the children's level, is not as inviting and there is more clutter. This means the environment is less stimulating to inspire children's creativity and imaginations.

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who attend

Friendships are evident between many of the children, and older children play well with the younger ones. Children are confident and make choices about their play as they move between areas inside and the outdoors. They explore the range of activities and resources. For example, children confidently shared with adults, how by switching certain buttons on the torch, you can make the bulb change different colours. This shows they develop curiosity and an increasing understanding of cause and effect resources. Older children make marks and are creative, for example, children wrote their own potion recipes and enjoyed making up potions. Children enjoyed the paints and various coloured glitter. Staff foster children's imagination well in the ladybirds room, using open-ended questions to extend the play further. This encourages children to use their imagination and act out familiar and imagined scenes, such as being baby and big monsters. They

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who attend

informed staff share they only have 'wiggly worm juice' to drink in the witches' home corner.

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who attend

Children gain an early understanding of shape, space, size and colour. For example, young children explore leaves, twigs, and branches. Babies explore the outdoor environment crawling through the leaves. Staff encourage young children to use their listening skills and share what they can hear. They got them to hold out their hands and catch raindrops from the falling leaves. All of these help develop younger children's sensory skills and sense of exploration. Consequently, children acquire the skills, abilities and attitudes to prepare them well for their future learning and for school. Children participate in outdoor play on a daily basis. Children regularly go on listening walks around the churchyard, village and across local fields. There are very good displays within the nursery of children involved in activities, children's creative work and different cultures. All of which, help children learn about the world around them and their local community.

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

Children are happy and most separate from their parents with ease when coming into the nursery. Older children are confident to share with staff when things frighten them and staff respond appropriately to reassure them. This demonstrates children feel safe and secure with the familiar adults. The effective key-person system works well, which means staff know children really well and are very sensitive to factors that affect their feelings. This helps children form close attachments to staff, which successfully supports children's emotional well-being. The buddy system enables children and babies to always receive support from adults that are knowledgeable about their care needs. This also reassures parents because they discuss their children's needs in detail with the key person. This helps staff to get to know children's individual characters and interests. In addition, younger children's routines and information is on display, which enables all staff to be

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

familiar with children's individual needs. The effective use of the key-person system provides good communication links with parents and valuable support to enable children to move through the nursery confidently. This in turn provides older children with a sense of security and promotes their self-confidence.

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

Staff act as good role models and encourage children to be polite and caring towards each other. Children learn to share and take turns as they play. They begin to understand the rules and boundaries, such as not running around in the classroom area. Staff manage behaviour well. They use visual communication cards to help prepare children for what is going to happen next. This means children are clear about expectations and routines, promoting their good behaviour.

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

Staff encourage children to develop their independence by giving them lots of opportunities to do things for themselves and offering lots of praise. Staff promote good health and hygiene practices. Their effective measures and action taken in identifying any contagious illnesses, protects children and staff. This prompt action helps to reduce the risk of an infection spreading throughout the nursery. Children manage their own needs with help from staff only when required. For example, older children go to the toilet independently and children put their coats on to go outside. At lunchtime, children carry out some tasks for themselves, for example, they pour their own drinks and wash their own plates. As a result, children develop their personal independence in readiness for school.

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

Children learn about keeping themselves safe from a young age. They follow clear practices on outings. For example, before going off the nursery grounds for a walk, staff talk to the children about being safe. They ensure all children wear high visibility tabards, are suitably strapped into pushchairs or hold staff members' hands and wear reins. Staff stand on the pavement with the children, and together, they listen and look for cars before crossing the road. This helps to make children aware of their environment and to follow safe practices.

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provision

Since the last inspection, the management team and staff have made significant strides. They demonstrate a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Each unit manager has an action plan for their individual room; this includes the previous actions and recommendation raised at the last inspection, plus additional on-going areas identified. This shows the staff team as a whole, are continually looking at ways to improve the provision for children. For example, key staff learn phrases and key words to support those children who learn English as an additional language. Each room has a member of staff who takes the lead on promoting diversity. The nursery has purchased additional resources to promote difference and diversity, including posters with various languages on display in all rooms. This means all children and parents feel welcomed and valued, regardless of their background and individual needs. This also helps children to

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provision

make good progress. Staff now provide children with plates to eat from at lunchtime. This supports their health and teaches them about positive expectations for future learning. Management and staff identify ways to further develop children's learning and independence during mealtimes. As a result, staff sit at each table with the children. This allows them to offer support where needed. The unit manager in each room has responsibility for ensuring they deploy the staff team appropriately to meet the children's needs. Staff inform each other, for example if they are leaving the room. This enables all staff to supervise and support children well and keep them safe.

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provision

Key persons keep records relating to children's learning and development, including planning, observation and assessment for their individual learning needs. Staff update these regularly with parents to ensure they meet the children's needs and interests. Management regularly track children's development to ensure children are meeting their targets and are progressing according to their learning needs. This helps all children to make good progress from their starting points.

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provision

Staff have a clear understanding of their responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting children's welfare. Management ensures staff attend safeguarding training to update their knowledge. As a result, staff have a secure understanding of child protection issues. They are clear about the procedures to take should they have a concern about a child in their care.

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provision

Staff work effectively in partnership with parents and other professionals, recognising the benefits this makes to children's learning. Parents express how happy they are with the care and support their children receive. Parents state they know staff 'put their child's needs first' and 'meet regularly with their child's key person to discuss what the next step will be'. Parents report they receive regular communication through the daily chatter book and discussion with their child's key person. Parents state their children 'like coming to nursery'. Parents are aware they can look at their child's learning record anytime and not wait for the parent meetings. They receive encouragement from staff to share children's achievements from home through wow cards. Management and staff have valuable links with external agencies including nursery plus, and speech and language. This enables them to support children's specific needs.

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provision

Management and staff successfully evaluate their provision. They clearly demonstrate that self-evaluation is a beneficial and ongoing process. Management support staff well to attend training to drive improvement in practice. For example, staff have attended the talk together project to identify ways to engage children and promote their language. Management extended this further by offering sign language training for staff. This supports them well overall, in developing children's communication and language skills. Management undertakes regular observations of staff practice and encourage them to reflect on how they can improve. Formal supervision sessions for all staff throughout the year enable them to reflect on their professional development and to discuss and plan any training needs. Management make regular checks of children's learning records to ensure staff are using their observations to assess and consistently monitor children's progress.

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provision

Reflective practice is ongoing at all levels and effectively used to review and improve practice. Self-evaluation routinely takes into account the views of the children, parents and staff. Management has actively sought parents' views through daily verbal discussions and questionnaires. In addition, staff have discussed with children what activities they enjoy and collated this information. Children comment they like the communication cards, stating 'it shows us everything we are doing at nursery'.

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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 EY422875 Local authority Devon Inspection number 962913 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 11 Total number of places 56 Number of children on roll 128 Name of provider Lesley Griffiths, Natasha Weake & Abigail Gardiner Partnership Date of previous inspection 04/11/2013 Telephone number 01822612362

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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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