Bloxcidge House Day Nursery

Bloxcidge House Day Nursery Bloxcidge House, Bloxcidge Street, Oldbury, West Midlands, B68 8QH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/11/2014 01/02/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 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 use observation effectively to reflect on what arouses children's curiosity and interests. As a result, teaching is mostly purposeful and developmentally appropriate activities encourage children to learn through play.  Management have a good overview of children's needs through detailed monitoring of practice and robust systems for evidencing assessments of children's development. This results in children being supported to make good progress, depending on their starting points and capabilities.  Children are emotionally secure and confident in the welcoming, nurturing environment provided by staff, because they form appropriate attachments with their key-person and other familiar adults. This helps prepare them well for the next stage in learning.  The nursery engages very well with parents and other professionals. Regular communication ensures information is shared to promote continuity in children's care,

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This provision is good

learning and development.  Management place a high focus on the safeguarding and welfare requirements. As a result, children are protected from harm because all staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities with regards to child protection.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff are not always consistent in helping children to keep on trying if they encounter difficulties so as to solve their own problems.

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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 carried out a joint observation with the provider and acting assistant manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed teaching and learning activities in the indoor and outdoor learning environment, speaking to children at appropriate times while they played.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the provider, the acting assistant manager and she had discussions with other staff members about their roles and responsibilities, including safeguarding.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at evidence of self-evaluation, including the views of parents from contributions made in documentation and those spoken to on the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a range of documentation, which included the safeguarding policy, children's learning and assessment records and the planning of activities.

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Information about the setting

Bloxcidge Day Nursery was registered in 1990 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in the residential area of Oldbury, West Midlands, and is managed by a private organisation, Landmark Traders Ltd. The nursery serves the local area, is accessible to all children and also provides after-school care for children up to the age of eight years. It operates from seven rooms in a large converted Victorian detached house and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery employs 17 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and two at level 2, including two with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Early Childhood Studies. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, except for bank holidays. Sessions are from 7am until 6.30pm and children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 80 children attending, of

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Information about the setting

whom 72 are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early years education for two-, 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.

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

 enhance all staff's practice so they are able to consistently motivate and encourage children to maintain concentration and make links between their ideas and actions, through even more meaningful and purposeful interactions in every situation, so that children are always supported to develop their thinking skills.

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who attend

The management team have a very good understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result, they have developed effective systems to support staff, so that they can use their knowledge about how children learn to plan activities to encourage individual children to make progress. Staff collect valuable information about children's interests, likes and dislikes from parents before they start in the nursery. They use this information alongside their own initial observations to plan a broad range of activities that are linked to children's interests and next steps in their development. As a result, children are encouraged to learn through play. For example, older children are engaged in playing a mathematical game involving sharing cookies and identifying numerals on a dice. Staff plan this so they can find out what children already know about quantities of objects. As a result, children play

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who attend

cooperatively, sharing and taking turns, promoting their personal, social and emotional development in managing feelings and behaviour. Staff use good levels of descriptive language to encourage children's thinking and curiosity. As children recognise that there is a rainbow shining on the playroom floor. Staff use open-ended questions and allow time for children to respond and consider how the sun shining through a crystal hanging in the window is making this happen. As a result, children are helped to make sense of what they know about the world. However, there is further scope to enhance all staff's use of more meaningful and purposeful interactions in every instance so that children are consistently supported to remain engaged and interested in their learning.

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who attend

Staff ensure that children have easy access to a broad range of resources that cover all seven areas of learning, through effective planning for continuous provision. This motivates children to initiate their own play in the well-organised environment provided for them. For example, babies are confident to move around the space available to them, investigating and making sense of their world. They share their understanding of technology with their key-person, as they press buttons and turn cogs to make lights flash. As babies explore further, they begin to move to music when staff demonstrate which button they need to press. Staff then skilfully encourages babies to keep trying when they are not too sure how they were first able to make it work. As a result, babies are helped to explore and experiment with how their actions can make things change. Younger toddlers are well supported in developing their speaking and listening skills, as

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who attend

they are skilfully engaged in very small groups to listen to stories. Staff model language very well and help children to make links with concepts they already know and can do. For example, staff explain that a character is hiding in the story, like the children did earlier in their play.

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who attend

All staff make useful observations of children's achievements, with regards to their learning and development and collect this information in individual learning journeys. Effective and clear systems for evidencing and assessing children's learning show that staff have a good understanding of how they can help children to learn more. The findings are shared with the child's parents through daily chats and regular sharing of the development records in written summaries of children's progress. Staff share children's individual progress with their parents so they too have opportunities to extend their child's learning when they return home. The nursery manager has developed robust systems for tracking children's progress. As a result, staff have a good understanding of individual children's learning needs and how to identify any gaps in their learning. They can then detect any possible delay in development early. Staff are highly motivated to support

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who attend

individual children's needs in planning activities to help narrow this gap swiftly. For example, children who speak English as an additional language are well supported due to the extremely close relationships built with parents. This results in staff consulting with them from the start about what their children already know and what interests them. Staff then plan individual interventions to strengthen their development. They make very good use of the support of other children in the nursery who are able to welcome newcomers in their home language. This results in children making relationships with others and making good progress in their communication and language development from their starting points. Staff are fully aware of the procedures to access specialist support from other professionals to provide targeted support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff recognise that children who attend after school, have had a busy

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who attend

day at school, so their choices are paramount and create a welcoming environment for them, that is suitable for the age range of those attending. Overall, staff have a good understanding of the learning and development requirements and support children well, so that they develop skills in readiness for the next stage in their learning.

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

Staff make sure they find out about children's interests and preferences by gathering good information from parents. This results in the foundations for establishing effective relationships before children start at the nursery. Good settling-in procedures mean that the move between home and nursery is a positive experience. For example, staff take advantage of this time to share with the child and their parent all useful information about the nursery from the view of a child, they call a child induction. Relationships with parents are supported through daily handovers and information sheet that includes information about what their child has done during their day. Children's emotional well-being is promoted through a key-person system which helps them develop appropriate attachments with familiar adults. All staff are deployed effectively to ensure ratios are always maintained, this promotes consistency and enables them to build positive

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

relationships with individual children. As a result, children's sense of belonging is reinforced, they feel secure to explore and investigate their surroundings and make best possible progress. For example, familiar staff use close interactions to help toddlers who are still settling-in, to participate in activities that other children are engaged in. Whilst older children are confident in exploring the play equipment in the outdoor area and are secure in the knowledge that they can check back in with their key person at times for reassurance and affirmation.

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

Children are taught about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. At times during the day they have access to the well-organised outdoor area, whilst babies and younger toddlers have open access to a small decked area. As a result, children get fresh air and exercise and develop their physical skills. All reasonable steps are taken to ensure children's safety through effective risk assessments and good steps are taken to remove or minimise any potential risk. Children are encouraged to behave well as staff provide them with clear and consistent boundaries and routines. Staff consider how they can creatively find out how children are feeling. They do this successfully through colourful wall displays and pictures of children expressing their moods. They then invite children to indicate which one represents how they are feeling. The outdoor area is organised well to support children in taking developmentally appropriate risk as physical activities are kept

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

separated from quieter activities. For example, toddlers are encouraged to balance on raised beams, with appropriate encouragement and support. Whilst older children who want to try to slide down the fireman's pole are skilfully encouraged to hold on with two hands before attempting to move their feet from the platform. As children's physical skills are promoted they benefit from receiving continuous praise and encouragement from staff for their efforts and achievements and their self-confidence and self-awareness is reinforced.

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

Children learn about keeping safe as they regularly take part in fire evacuations, so they are familiar with what they have to do in an emergency. Through daily routines, children learn to independently manage their personal care needs. For example, children understand that when they have finished their snack they put their cups on the side for washing up and their rubbish in the bin. Staff promote children's understanding of good hygiene habits as they are encouraged to wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating snacks and meals. Children's health is well promoted as the provider is committed to providing a healthy menu, including snacks. Children are confident in sharing their understanding of healthy lifestyles, they know that they can have their dessert when they have eaten their main course and that they grow bigger because they have eaten it all up. Snack and meal times are a social occasion when children and staff sit

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

together around the table to enjoy their food and each other's company. Staff encourage children's independence as all ages are encouraged, in some way, to serve themselves. Children actively contribute to the conversation, paying attention to what others say and respond appropriately. As a result, children's self-confidence in speaking and listening is fully supported. This helps them to make relationships with others and promotes their communication and language development.

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provision

The provider, management team and staff fully understand and fulfil their responsibilities in meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. All staff attend relevant safeguarding training and there is a designated safeguarding person. As a result, staff have a good understanding of how to identify and respond to a safeguarding concern about a child in their care or if an allegation were being made against a member of staff. All required documentation and records are clear and well written, including effective risk assessments and procedures for daily checks. Policies and procedures are appropriately kept and available for parents at all times. There is good evidence of effective vetting and recruitment procedures and strong induction processes that ensure all persons employed are suitable to work with children. The identity of visitors is checked and there are clear boundaries around internet security and

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provision

the use of cameras and mobile telephones. As a result, staff's practice is effective in underpinning children's safety and welfare.

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provision

The management team have a secure knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This is reinforced through a passionate and committed attitude of the staff team. They have continued to follow the manager's ethos and working practices in supporting children's welfare and development during her maternity leave. The monitoring of children's progress is strengthened by the use of regular effective tracking of assessment. The management team makes very good use of the data collected so that they can target and rapidly close any gaps in learning. The manager has developed a successful way of monitoring staff practice, as she maps the progress that children are making. As a result, each room has a particular area of learning on which to focus their improvements and staff are observed and rewarded for their achievements. Staff performance is monitored further through an annual appraisal

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provision

system. There are effective systems in place to ensure that all regulatory training is up-to- date and any further training needs are enthusiastically considered. Staff feel well supported in their professional development and show commitment and enthusiasm as they have opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills through attending training. For example, a member of staff is currently working towards an appropriate early years qualification at level 3.

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provision

Self-evaluation is used to reflect on the staff's practice and they seek opinions of parents through questionnaires. The management team consider how they can improve practice further through continued professional development for the staff team. The management team plans for regular opportunities for staff to discuss their practice in meetings. As a result, there are opportunities for regular reflection of practice that have a positive impact on learning outcomes for children. Partnerships with parents are good and there is sound evidence of their contributions, which staff collect to provide continuity with regards to children's care, learning and development. Parents are happy with the nursery and comment positively. For example, they comment how happy they are with the nursery and how they value information that is shared every day, alongside, regular written summaries of progress and invitations to parents evenings twice each year. Older children are able to

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provision

share their opinions as they describe the nursery as 'fantastic'. Staff have good systems in place to provide parents with a written summary of the progress check for children between the ages of two-and-three years. They complete and share this with parents and make good use of the information to help identify any appropriate intervention. The nursery are fully aware of their responsibilities when children attend more than one setting. So that children benefit from a shared approach that helps them to make the best possible progress in their learning and development.

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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 255133 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 866930

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 52 Number of children on roll 80 Name of provider Landmark Traders Ltd Date of previous inspection 01/02/2010 Telephone number 0121 544 7335

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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

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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