Flore Day Nursery

Flore Day Nursery Bricketts Lane, Flore, NORTHAMPTON, Northamptonshire, NN7 4LU

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27/10/2014 18/04/2011

p.1

early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 The nursery environment is extremely welcoming, interesting and stimulating. Excellent use is made of all areas of the nursery and garden to present exciting and inviting spaces.  Children make rapid progress in their learning and development, because staff know the children well, have excellent teaching skills and understand how children learn.  Staff are warm, friendly, sensitive and caring. Consequently, children's emotional well- being is fostered extremely well. Children quickly settle into the nursery routines and become confident, active learners.  The partnerships with parents and external agencies are highly effective. Staff ensure that parents are continually involved in their children's learning, share resources and provide support so that children's needs are continually met.  Children develop superb independence skills. Staff's encouragement and guidance support children in becoming self-assured and confident in their own abilities so that

p.1

This provision is outstanding

they are well-prepared for school.  The leadership and management are outstanding. Very strong links between the registered provider and managers mean that the high quality of the nursery is consistently maintained, resulting in outcomes for children being exceptional.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in all of the three age groups and the outside learning environments.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the provider and the manager of the provision and spoke to staff throughout the inspection when appropriate.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working within the setting, the provider's evidence of self-evaluation and a range of other documentation.

p.2

Inspection activities

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

p.2

Information about the setting

Flore Day Nursery was registered in 2005 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is one of a group of three nurseries owned by the same provider. It operates from a single-storey building in the village of Flore, in Northamptonshire. The nursery serves the local and surrounding areas and is accessible to all children. Children are cared for in three age groups and there are fully enclosed areas available for each age group to participate in outdoor play. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff, of these, one holds an appropriate qualification at level 5, eight hold early years qualifications at level 3 and two have a suitable qualification at level 2. 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 90 children attending who are all in the early years age group. The nursery

p.3

Information about the setting

provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery also offers provision, before and after school, for children aged five years to eight years who attend the local primary school. It is a member of the National Day Nurseries Association.

p.3

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

 consider more creative ways to further enhance the already excellent provision for children to independently access the outdoor area, for example, by having the door readily open.

p.3

who attend

Children are extremely excited, motivated and keen to learn. They excel in their learning as staff expertly deliver a fun, stimulating and challenging educational programme. Key persons proficiently tailor their planning to meet every child's learning needs as they maintain a sharp focus on each child's interests and next steps in learning. Children enthusiastically participate in a wide and exciting range of planned and freely chosen learning opportunities and guide much of their learning themselves. Staff proficiently follow their lead and facilitate their ideas and suggestions. Parents play an extremely active role in their children's learning through effective communication with their child's key person. They meet with their child's key person to discuss their progress and to help to plan for their next steps in learning. Additionally, parents receive regular progress checks, including one between the ages of two and three years, which they can then

p.3

who attend

share with their child's health visitor. Effective systems for assessing children's development show that all children throughout the nursery, including those who speak English as an additional language or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, make excellent progress in their learning.

p.3

who attend

Babies enjoy exploring an exciting and excellently stored range of play materials that fosters their independence through self-selection. They are presented with a superb range of different areas in which to play. For example, a large interconnected playroom with messy and physical exploration areas, a separate sensory room, and a decked and covered outdoor area. They have a range of comfortable and cosy areas both indoors and out as well as a designated sleep room. They delight in exploring their extensive and highly stimulating environment. Staff effectively support their play and learning and introduce new resources throughout the day to capture their interests. Children in the room for two-year-olds also enjoy exploring their spacious area and designated well- resourced outdoor play space. Staff are on hand to help and support children and intervene in a timely manner, providing excellent opportunities for children to guide their

p.4

who attend

own learning. Staff's support for literacy development is exceptional. Children delight in an inspirational storytelling session in their imaginative room. They shine torches in the dark tent and listen to a story about an owl who cannot get to sleep. Consequently, their imaginative and creative thinking skills are promoted extremely well and their personal, social and emotional development fostered. Staff teach children to consider and value each other's backgrounds through highly innovative activities which portray positive images of diversity and acknowledge cultural differences. For example, to learn about Diwali children explore beautiful sensory saris, diva lamps and an interesting photographic display from a child's recent trip to visit their family in another country.

p.4

who attend

Children in the pre-school room superbly develop their knowledge across all seven areas of learning through effectively planned activities and their access to an extensive and exciting range of resources. Children's speech and language skills are proficiently promoted by staff who speak clearly, use appropriate questions and provide children with opportunities to enter into discussions. The nursery environment is very rich in print, with labels and words displayed indoors and outdoors. The excellent selection of books, story sacks and various props, fully capture children's interest in storytelling. This results in children's literacy skills being effectively promoted. Staff expertly follow children's lead during both planned and freely chosen play. For example, during small group time in the top room children are closely supported to successfully navigate age-appropriate computer software and complete interesting jigsaw puzzles. Children problem solve well, and are

p.4

who attend

praised and encouraged by staff to concentrate, persevere and develop strategies. As a result, children are developing the characteristics of effective learning and the skills that they will need when they move onto school.

p.4

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

The nursery is vibrant, stimulating and welcoming. Staff are highly skilled in forging strong relationships with children and their families. As a result, secure attachments are formed and children's emotional well-being is fostered extremely well. All children have their own key persons who sensitively observe and support children as they play and learn. New children are effectively supported by staff to become familiar with new routines. Consequently, children quickly settle, showing confidence as they start to build friendships with other children. The highly effective staff deployment means that there is always and adult close by to offer to support children in their care, play and learning. Staff are thoughtful and attentive, helping children to develop a strong sense of belonging. Children moving through from the baby room to the two's room and then, subsequently, to pre- school are extremely well supported in their move. This is because key persons link closely

p.4

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

and share important information about the care and educational needs of each child.

p.5

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

Staff have excellent procedures in place for supporting children and ensuring they are emotionally prepared for moving onto school. Children are taught to be independent, confident and active in their learning, gaining the skills and dispositions that support them in future learning environments. Children behave extremely well and demonstrate secure knowledge of the nursery's safety rules and boundaries. Staff promote positive behaviour in children by speaking to them calmly and using clear positive language and explanations. Children develop an excellent sense of their community and the wider world through a vast array of interesting educational visits from local professionals, such as, pet companies, dentists, police and local farmers. This effectively develops their understanding of the world and fulfils the recommendation from the previous inspection.

p.5

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

Staff provide a wealth of opportunities to teach children about healthy lifestyles. They give children specific tasks and responsibilities, for example serving their own lunch, helping to prepare their tea and then clearing away when they have finished. As a result, children feel valued and respected and thrive in taking on different roles. Children enjoy a wide range of healthy snacks and nutritious meals during their nursery day, which are prepared on site by the nursery cook. Staff and children chat happily together as they consume their chosen foods at meal times, making the occasion an extremely beneficial social time. Staff teach children about the positive impact of going outside and getting fresh air. All of the individual outdoor areas are exciting, inspiring and create a feeling of exploration. There are a highly stimulating range of open-ended resources to allow children to develop their imaginative play, early writing skills and develop an understanding of the world. For

p.5

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

example, as they explore a variety of inviting digging areas and make exciting marks with rollers and paint trays. Children enjoy exploring the open spaces and develop their physical skills very effectively as they negotiate the different terrain and use the range of appropriately challenging equipment. However, staff do not consistently consider creative ways to further enhance the existing independent access children have to their outdoor areas.

p.5

provision

The provider, managers and staff have an excellent understanding of their responsibilities to safeguard children. The designated safeguarding officers are well trained and knowledgeable and all staff have undertaken safeguarding training. They demonstrate a thorough understanding of the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare. As a result, children are helped to be kept safe from harm. Staff consistently ensure that the premises and outdoor areas are safe and secure. Robust risk assessments are carried out regularly and daily checks ensure the areas where children play are safe. Thorough procedures for dealing with accidents and incidents are stringently followed, meaning that children are suitably treated in the case of an accident or medical emergency. Due to the vigilance of staff, excellent staff to child ratios and the outstanding care provided, children remain extremely safe and secure in the nursery and the outdoor

p.5

provision

Recruitment procedures are extremely robust. The provider and manager liaise closely to ensure that new recruits have the necessary skills and qualifications and are appropriately inducted to provide the very best care and education for children. As a result, they can maintain the safe and efficient management of the nursery. Highly effective monitoring of all aspects of the nursery, including the educational programmes, ensures that the manager keeps a sharp focus on every child's needs, progress and development. The manager closely supervises and supports each member of staff through first-hand observations and through regular supervision meetings. This precise and accurate monitoring means that any gaps in children's development, is identified early. The provider and manager strive for continual improvement and have extremely high aspirations. They work closely with the other nurseries within their group using well-

p.6

provision

established reflective practice tools to review and evaluate all aspects of their organisation. In addition, the nursery manager and staff work closely together and use regular meetings to discuss further areas of improvement, linked to everyday practice. Parents are consulted through the use of questionnaires along with daily feedback and children's views are taken into account, showing how they are valued and respected. This collective approach to self-evaluation results in a high quality, ever improving nursery.

p.6

provision

Very effective partnerships with parents and other providers ensure that children's needs are quickly identified and exceptionally well met. The nursery has extremely firm connections with the local school. They offer before and after school care for a small amount of children up to the age of eight years. A communication book is shared between all the settings that children attend. This means that there is excellent continuity and shared learning. Children who require the involvement of external professionals are supported by staff to the highest level. Information, such as induction questionnaires and assessments are translated into parents' home language, so that those who speak English as an additional language are not disadvantaged in any way. Staff use innovative ways to engage parents and carers in nursery life. For example, parents and children enjoy the family pumpkin carving competition and grandparents visit their grandchildren in the baby

p.6

provision

room for Grandparent's day. This means that all parents and carers feel valued and respected, which in turn has a positive impact on children's learning. Parents are keen to voice their opinions of the nursery and are highly complimentary about the care and education their children receive. Parents feel that their children's learning and development is excellently shared in a variety of appropriate ways including through the confidential parental portal on the nursery's website. They comment that the staff are welcoming, very friendly and approachable.

p.6

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

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.8

Setting details

Unique reference number EY318551 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 849068

p.8

Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 54 Number of children on roll 90 Name of provider Climbing High Nurseries Limited Date of previous inspection 18/04/2011 Telephone number 01327 349762

p.8

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.

p.8

Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.8

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.

p.9

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,

p.9

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’.

p.10

Type of provision

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

p.10