The Little Ripley Day Nursery

Little Ripley Day Nursery 107 Warren Road, Birmingham, West Midlands, B44 8QL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/11/2014 28/07/2011

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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

 Children play in a welcoming and stimulating environment and are confident and enthusiastic learners. Practitioners recognise the uniqueness of each child and the good key-person system enhances relationships with children and their parents very successfully.  Teaching is good and practitioners make the most of opportunities to promote children's learning through play. Children make good progress in their learning and development.  The good leadership and management team together with a dedicated practitioner team show a strong commitment to improve outcomes for all children. There are successful systems in place to evaluate all aspects of the provision.  Good priority is given to safeguarding children. This is evident through effective practices that successfully promote children's well-being and safety.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities for babies and younger children to explore and investigate using all their senses by using natural resources and materials in their play, have not been fully embraced.  There is room to build on the information gained from parents about children's starting points in their learning when they first start the nursery, to further support children's learning and development.

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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 playrooms, in the outdoor area and children having their snack and lunchtime meal.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked to practitioners and children and held a meeting with the manager.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with the children, and looked at a range policies, procedures and risk assessment documents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector conducted a joint observation of children's activities and interaction between practitioners and children, with the manager of the nursery.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Little Ripley Day Nursery was registered in 2004 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It is one in a chain of 10 nurseries registered in the West Midlands and is privately managed. It operates from a detached, converted house in the Kingstanding area of Birmingham. The whole of the premises is used and children have access to an enclosed area for outdoor play. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. The nursery employs 16 members of childcare staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, from 7am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 79 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age range. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The nursery 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:

 maximise opportunities for babies and younger children to investigate using all their senses, by introducing more natural resources and materials in their play and learning

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

 extend the range of information gained from parents about children's starting points on entry to the nursery, to further support children's learning and development.

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who attend

Children are happy, enthusiastic and motivated learners, who enjoy their time at this welcoming and stimulating nursery. Children's enthusiasm for learning and the secure progress they make is enhanced by practitioners, who are confident in their knowledge of how children learn. Practitioners provide a broad range of stimulating activities linked to children's interests, ideas and individual next steps in learning. Teaching is consistently good throughout the nursery and children have many opportunities to freely choose toys and resources as they initiate their own play. Practitioners role model play effectively and show children how to use the resources to their best effect, such as how to roll their sensory cylinders along the floor and catch fish in their empty fishing nets. Older children are very confident communicators who express their needs well and happily share what they know and can do. They enjoy taking part in activities where they can demonstrate

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who attend

their mathematical skills and counting. Children listen attentively as practitioners ask open- ended questions to help develop their critical thinking skills. For example, while using counting cubes to measure a variety of objects, practitioners ask children to identify which object is shorter or longer. Children work together to count the cubes in the line and talk about their favourite colours. Practitioners talk to children about patterns as they play and introduce children to simple calculation, and matching and sorting games. Older children talk about being excited in their play particularly when using their imagination through role play and dressing-up. They like to dress-up as a princess and superhero. They play well together and fill their big bags with play food and talk to each other about the bags being heavy. All children have very good opportunities to be creative and their creative work is

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who attend

displayed, including some lovely drawings of their Mummy and Daddy, together with some clouds and a robot. Children develop a good understanding of the wider world and learn about differences within society through a range of meaningful activities. They use resources reflecting positive images of society, and they take part in well planned activities relating to a range of festivals and celebrations. Children are encouraged to talk about their family and events at home. Younger children have great fun exploring with torches turning them off and on and hiding in their den. They enjoy playing with a range of electronic toys and books where they press buttons and work out how to record their name. Older children keenly share their experiences as they talk about Bonfire night and they benefit from activities provided by outside visitors by taking part in French lessons and cooking sessions.

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who attend

Practitioners working with babies and younger children place a strong focus on the prime areas of learning. They interact very well with the children, encouraging their emerging communication and language by emphasising words, using gestures, responding to their babbling sounds and introducing new words as they play. All children develop a love of books, they enjoy listening to stories and singing action rhymes. Children's expressive art and design skills are fostered well throughout the nursery. They are provided with a wide range of materials to practise their mark making skills using paint, play dough and chalks to express themselves. Older children collect leaves from the garden to build on their collage work linked to the autumn theme. However, there is room to build on opportunities for babies and younger children to further extend their exploration and investigation skills by using natural resources and materials in their play. Children's

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who attend

physical skills and confidence are progressing well. They enjoy their time outside riding on bikes, sweeping up leaves and putting their umbrellas up and down when it's raining. Babies and younger children are provided with support to help them to walk. They use push along walkers and low-level furniture in the room to pull themselves to a standing position.

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who attend

Practitioners make continuous and accurate assessments of children's learning and development. They use the information gained from their observations to effectively extend children's learning based on their individual needs and interests. Planning is detailed, regularly monitored and evaluated to ensure learning intentions for each child are focused and challenging. Children's progress is successfully monitored, so that any gaps in learning are quickly identified and addressed. Parents are actively encouraged to share information with practitioners about their children's experiences and achievements at home. Children's progress is clearly recorded in their individual learning journey record and these are shared with parents on a regular basis. However, there is room to build on the information gained from parents about children's starting points in their learning when they start the nursery, to further support children's learning and development. Children

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who attend

develop good skills for the future. They are happy, settled and keen to learn in an environment which supports their learning and development needs very effectively. As a result, they are well prepared for the next stages in their learning and are skilfully supported by practitioners in their move to school.

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

Children's well-being is fostered successfully and they develop a strong sense of belonging and security in this warm and nurturing nursery. All children develop close and caring relationships with their key person, who is familiar with their individual needs and routines. This effectively provides them with emotional and practical support. All practitioners are very caring, attentive and sensitive to children's needs and they work closely with parents to ensure children's needs are met. They talk to parents and gain a wide range of information using an Individual care plan and All about me forms for each child when they start. Good consideration is given to settling-in procedures to ensure children easily separate from their parents, as they gradually increase the time they spend at the setting. Practitioners make sure that children follow a familiar routine, and receive individual attention and reassurance. Children are very effectively supported as they move

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

rooms in the nursery, with well-thought-out arrangements to ensure a smooth and confident move to their new room and key person. This ensures children's needs continue to be met well, which helps children to remain settled and happy at all times.

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

Nursery rooms are bright, welcoming and well-resourced to provide children with an enabling environment where they flourish. The environment is rich in print, and children's skills and abilities in all areas of learning can been seen in the delightful range of work displayed in all playrooms. This shows children's very good skills in mark making and writing, and how they use their imagination very effectively in expressive art and design. Children's safety is given good attention and they play in a safe and secure environment. Practitioners are well-deployed and children are safely supervised at all times. Older children are encouraged to walk safely down the stairs and concentrate on what they are doing to keep themselves safe. A good emphasis is placed on children's personal, emotional and social development at the admission stage. This focus quickly helps children develop the underpinning skills needed for their future success. Children's behaviour is

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

very good. They receive plenty of praise and encouragement, which helps build their confidence and self-esteem. Practitioners help children to explore and express their feelings during small group times and children build positive relationships with others as they share and take turns. Children are beginning to develop an awareness of responsibility within the setting and help to tidy away toys.

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

Partnerships with parents are good. The setting places great value in ensuring that parents and carers develop a sense of belonging to the setting and have a say in the care and well-being of their children. Parents are provided with opportunities to talk to practitioners at collection times when they receive feedback about their child's day. Inclusive practice is successful and there is good provision in place to secure timely intervention for children who may have any additional needs to ensure they achieve well. This is supported by well-established multi-agency links, which provide access to specialist knowledge and skills. Children who speak English as an additional language are supported effectively in the nursery. Practitioners use a range of strategies and work closely with parents. For example, they use picture cards, and find out some key words and play nursery rhymes in the child's home language to help them settle.

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

Good attention is given to encouraging children adopt healthy lifestyles and a healthy ethos is promoted at all times. Children's individual dietary needs are met effectively and details of any specific needs or allergies are recorded following discussions with parents. Healthy eating is a priority. Children enjoy nutritious fresh fruit snacks and well-balanced hot meals at lunchtime, which are cooked each day in the nursery. Mealtimes are a sociable occasion where children relax, and take time to enjoy their meal and have the opportunity to chat to their peers. Children have opportunities to spend time outdoors; this helps them to be physically active and promotes their well-being as they benefit from being in the fresh air. Very good hygiene practices are maintained throughout the nursery to help minimise the risk of cross-infection. This supports children's well-being very successfully.

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provision

Good leadership and management ensures the safeguarding and welfare requirements are met. The provider, manager and practitioner team continually reflect on their practice to improve outcomes for all children. They ensure that the environment and the educational programmes are constantly monitored and enhanced. This can be seen through their accurate identification of priorities through self-evaluation. The effective tracking and monitoring systems ensure assessments of children's progress are accurate and precise. This means that any gaps in children's learning are quickly identified and planned for. Teamwork in the nursery is strong; practitioners are well-established, enthusiastic and committed to their roles. All the required documentation and recording procedures to meet the welfare requirements are in place and maintained effectively. The management team and practitioners are well trained in their understanding of the policies and practice

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provision

to safeguard children. Arrangements for safeguarding children within the provision are very effective. All practitioners have a secure knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues and the procedures to follow in the event of a concern. A comprehensive range of policies and procedures is in place to ensure children's welfare and safety. All of the required documents are in place to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements. Documentation is maintained accurately, and stored securely to ensure confidentiality.

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provision

Practitioners demonstrate a very good level of commitment to promoting children's safety and well-being. Clear and well understood policies and procedures are in place to assess any risks to children's safety. Daily safety checks are conducted to identify and minimise any potential risks to children. The premises are secure and access to the nursery is closely monitored. The nursery has robust recruitment and vetting procedures in place to ensure practitioners' suitability to work with children. There are effective procedures in place for induction, supervision and appraisals to ensure a clear focus on good quality care and learning experiences. Good arrangements are in place regarding the programme for professional development to continually enhance the provision and promote outcomes for children. All children benefit from good levels of care because the committed practitioner team ensure all children feel safe, achieve well and are included in all activities.

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provision

The management team has good systems in placed to monitor the effectiveness of the educational programme and work with practitioners to analyse the quality of planning and assessment. The planning and assessment system for children under three years has been reviewed to ensure a stronger focus on children's individual interests. Good teamwork and focused leadership is successful in inspiring practitioners to constantly evaluate the learning environment, and look at how they can enrich learning and development experiences for children. Practitioners are deployed effectively to engage purposefully with the children, and the environment is organised effectively to meet children's learning and development needs.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are good. They are provided with a wide range of information to ensure they are well informed about how the provision operates and they are kept up-to- date about their child's progress, achievements and daily experiences. It is evident that parents appreciate what this nursery achieves for their children. Parents spoken to during the inspection express very positive comments about the nursery. They particularly like the well-established practitioner team and the continuity in children's care and learning this provides. They spoke about the wide range of activities children take part in, how children learn through play and the good feedback they receive about their progress. Parents said their children are happy and are provided with good healthy meals. Successful information sharing and partnership working with other providers and outside agencies ensure children's needs are identified and well met to help them make good

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provision

progress. They develop partnerships with local schools to ensure a smooth transfer as children move into the next phase of learning. Children enjoy attending this welcoming nursery where they develop positive relationships with practitioners and their peers. The management team and practitioners create an environment that is welcoming, safe and stimulating. This means that children enjoy their learning, grow in confidence and develop the underpinning skills needed for their future success.

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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 EY272237 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 872752

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 55 Number of children on roll 79 Name of provider The Little Ripley Day Nurseries Ltd Date of previous inspection 28/07/2011 Telephone number 0121 377 6442

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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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