Early Learners Day Nursery

Early Learners 2 Bridle Road, Bootle, L30 4XS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/10/2014 02/05/2014

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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

 The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good and, as a result, all children make good or better progress, particularly in developing their language and communication skills.  Strong partnerships with parents and external agencies are in place, meaning that staff have the information they need to ensure that children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.  A well-embedded, key-person system is in place. This means that children develop strong relationships with their carers and, subsequently, their individual needs and emotional well-being are met at all times.  Safeguarding procedures are fully implemented by all members of staff, therefore children are kept safe and protected at all times.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Although the management team have systems in place to monitor staff performance, the processes for completing staff observations is in the early stages and is inconsistent at times.  Staff do not always make the best possible use of the outside area to enhance children's learning experiences.

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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 compulsory part 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 looked at children's assessment records and the planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke to children and staff throughout the inspection. She observed play and learning activities within the three playrooms and also outdoors.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager.  The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the qualifications and the suitability of staff and looked at a range of policies, procedures and documentation.  The inspector carried out a tour of the premises.

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Information about the setting

Early Learners 2 was registered in 2013 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It is situated in purpose-built premises in the Bootle area of Liverpool and is managed by a private provider. The setting serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from three playrooms and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The setting employs 19 members of childcare staff. Of these, ten hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, two at level 4, three at level 6 and one with Qualified Teacher Status. The setting opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 97 children attending who are in the early years age group. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. They support a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The

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Information about the setting

setting is a member of the National Day Nursery Association.

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

 strengthen the already good strategies to monitor practitioners' performance by, for example, embedding arrangements for more formal observations of practice in order to continue to improve

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

 provide a more exciting, enabling outdoor environment for toddler-aged children by, for example, extending the range of resources and activities available, so they can continue to build on the learning that takes place indoors.

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who attend

Teaching in the setting is good because all staff fully understand, and have a secure knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Their good understanding means they are effectively supporting children and preparing them for the next stage in their learning. Additionally, staff are highly qualified, which equips them to have an understanding of what constitutes good teaching and learning. Right from the beginning, staff work with the parents to complete an All about me booklet and gather information on what the parent already knows about their child. They use this information to accurately assess children's starting points on entry. As a result, children's next steps are well planned for and children gain the necessary skills for the next stage in their learning. The educational programmes are varied and offer interesting activities which cover the seven areas of learning. Consequently, all children are engaged in suitable activities that are planned

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who attend

according to their stages of development. This means that they quickly become confident and active learners. Babies enjoy banging and making lots of noise with natural objects, such as spoons and pans. Toddlers enjoy searching for objects in the leaves outside and pre-school children are actively involved in playing in the gloop, while the practitioner uses effective teaching strategies to challenge their thinking. As a result, children make consistent and ongoing progress.

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who attend

Children are developing well in the prime areas of learning and support for children's communication and language skills are fostered particularly well through play. Staff comment that children have made progress in their communication and language since they attended recent training to support their practice. Staff model the use of effective language at every opportunity and use effective questioning to encourage language skills. For example, when the children are outdoors it starts to rain, and the practitioner asks, 'What can I feel?' and 'Where do you think the rain has come from?' The use of open- ended questions encourages children to become active learners and challenges their thinking. Consequently, children are acquiring the skills to be confident when speaking in a group. Staff promote the development of early writing skills from an early age. For example, young children use chalks to make marks on chalk boards when playing outside.

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who attend

Children's reading skills are promoted well in the setting and they have access to a wide range of books. They enjoy sitting with staff listening to stories. Consequently, they are making good progress in literacy. Babies play and explore in their environment by touching and investigating resources from the treasure baskets. Staff are attentive to their needs and interact with the babies well. There are clear plans for activities that help children to learn about and feel confident with change, to support children into the next phase in their learning. This supports the children to be prepared to move into the next room with confidence, in order to continue their learning and development. As a result, children of all ages acquire the skills, attributes and dispositions they need for the next stage of their learning.

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who attend

Staff complete a learning file for each child and record their progress onto a development tracker. These include observations, photographs and samples of children's work. From the information gathered, staff share achievements with the parents on a regular basis and they are invited to contribute information of evidence of progress made. Parents are fully involved in the child's learning. They are invited to the nursery to look through the file and discuss their child's progress at key points during the child's time in the setting. For example, they are involved with the progress check for children between the ages of two and three years. This is a strength of the setting and, as a result, parents feel valued and involved in their child's progress. Children with identified special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported very effectively because staff meet regularly with parents and other professionals involved in their care and learning, to ensure that children receive

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who attend

all of the intervention and support they need to make consistently good progress.

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

Children's emotional well-being is effectively promoted throughout the nursery. Staff support children to feel safe and children develop close relationships with their key person. This is a strength of the setting and provides a foundation to develop their personal, social and emotional skills. Children and their families are warmly welcomed into the calm, nurturing environment. As a result, relationships between staff and families are very good. Children are keen to explore their environment as they know that their key person is close by, so they can look back for reassurance when needed before exploring the environment further. Children separate well from their parents, giving them a kiss and happily saying 'bye', as they excitedly run off to meet their friends and explore the environment. Children settle well because staff find out accurate information from the parents to ensure their child's needs are fully met. Through well-embedded routines and an effective key-person

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

approach, children are emotionally well prepared for the move on to the next phase in their learning. Staff are deployed well at all times both indoors and outdoors. This ensures that children's behaviour in the nursery is managed very well as staff role model positive behaviour at all times. Through clear, consistent boundaries and gentle reminders, staff teach children to listen and follow simple instructions. This supports children's understanding of rules, boundaries and how to play safely.

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

Healthy lifestyles are promoted in the setting as children benefit from continuous outdoor play as well as developing their physical skills. For example, they use their skills to ride bicycles or take turns throwing a ball to their friends. This means that children benefit from fresh air. Menus are varied and dietary requirements are well catered for. Children are very well nourished because they are provided with a good variety of nutritious snacks and meals. Snack times are social occasions as children sit together and chat to their friends. Staff use this opportunity to encourage conversation and communication skills. Children's independence and care for others is actively encouraged as they hand out plates and cups to their friends. They are supervised as they learn to use the toilets and are encouraged to wash their hands and wipe their faces. This promotes children's well- being and prevents cross infection, further instilling the principals of a healthy lifestyle for

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

children. Children are encouraged to develop their self-help skills during the day. For example, children learn to use the toilet independently and they know they need to wash their hands after using the toilet in order to prevent the spread of infection. As a result, they develop self-help skills of independence and confidence in caring for themselves and others, appropriate to their age and level of understanding.

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

All children have access to a well-resourced secure learning environment which helps children to develop their self-confidence and enjoy the social aspect of their play. Indoor spaces within the setting are organised well to promote learning for all children, through the use of furniture, equipment and resources. Low-level shelving and accessible storage means that children can select and retrieve resources independently. Consequently, the children know what they need and where to find it. Very good use is made natural resources that support all areas of learning, particularly in the younger age group. This allows children to be independent and enhances their play experiences, allowing them to take risks in a safe environment. Displays reflect children's work, pictures and photographs, giving children a sense of pride in their work and a sense of belonging. However, staff do not make the best possible use of the outdoors to enhance further

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

children's learning experiences. For example, in the outdoor area available to toddlers the resources and experiences available not always support children fully to build on the learning that takes place indoors.

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provision

Staff fully understand their role in protecting children from harm, and are fully aware of what to do should they have a concern about children's welfare. Senior staff have attended relevant multi-agency training and all staff have attended regular safeguarding training. There are robust procedures for recruitment and vetting of all staff working with children. All staff have a current Disclosure and Barring Service check. Recruitment procedures are thorough and new staff benefit from an in-depth induction plan. As a result, safeguarding arrangements are strong and children are kept safe at all times. The setting has a comprehensive set of policies and procedures which is reviewed on a regular basis. This underpins staff practice in the setting. Risk management in the nursery is good. Staff carry out regular risk assessments in their own environments to minimise any potential hazards that would impact on children's learning or safety. This ensures that

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provision

children are protected. Staff and management are vigilant at all times with regard to keeping children safe. For example, visitors are always required to sign in and out of the building.

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provision

The management and staff team have a very good understanding of their responsibility to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The majority of staff hold suitable early years qualifications. This is reflected in the effective teaching throughout the setting and has a positive impact on the outcomes for children's learning and development. The management team have systems in place to monitor the ongoing development of staff. Staff receive regular supervisions and receive opportunities to extend their knowledge by attending training specific to the needs of the setting. However, the completion of formal staff observations to monitor good teaching strategies are in the early stages, and their use and effectiveness can be inconsistent at times, so they do not fully support staff to improve. Effective systems are in place to monitor and track children's development and progress. Through effective and well managed data

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provision

gathering, the management team have a clear overview of how well the children are making progress. This ensures intervention is received at the earliest opportunity to provide the best outcome for children who require additional support.

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provision

Leadership is good, management and staff work together to develop focused improvement plans to secure continuous improvement. Since the last inspection, when the setting was set actions to improve, and one subsequent monitoring visit, the manager has developed a robust plan of action to address the issues raised. The manager and staff have ensured that previous actions have been addressed. For example, the manager now ensures that the appropriate ratios are maintained at all times throughout the day. As a result, staff have a greater understanding of meeting the Statutory Requirements for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Partnership with parents and external agencies are effective. Excellent relationships, information sharing and good communication systems ensure that parents are kept fully informed of their children's progress. Parents feel that they receive good information about their child's progress and that their children have made progress in their

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provision

learning since starting at the setting. Staff work with the local children's centre to deliver sessions on healthy eating and oral hygiene. This further supports parents in the children's learning. As a result of these strong partnerships, children benefit from a consistent approach to teaching that supports their development and contributes to the good progress they make.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY467810 Local authority Sefton Inspection number 975995 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 72 Number of children on roll 97 Name of provider Kenneth Alan Cosgrove Date of previous inspection 02/05/2014 Telephone number 07836616299

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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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