Old Crofts Bank Nursery and Pre-school

Old Crofts Bank Day Nursery Old Crofts Bank Day Nursery, 14 Old Crofts Bank, Urmston, Manchester, M41 7AA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/11/2014 19/02/2009

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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 have a secure understanding of the safeguarding and child protection policies, including dealing with and reporting concerns about a child's welfare.  Staff provide children with a secure base from which they can explore. Therefore, children settle easily and show that they feel very safe and secure in their care.  The management team has clear systems in place to evaluate the service it provides. As a result, the capacity for continuous improvement is good.  Children are making good progress in their learning and development. This is because staff know children well and plan activities that interest and motivate them to learn.  Partnerships with parents are secure and staff include them well in their child's learning, by providing regular reports, daily discussions and through informal meetings to share children's progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children sometimes cannot access resources freely, particularly creative resources, because from time to time staff separate the toddlers into different rooms and this limits their opportunities to choose resources for themselves and to develop their creativity.  The resources and visual teaching materials available in the toddler rooms do not fully reflect cultural diversity to help develop children's understanding of similarities and differences even further.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in all rooms and talked with the staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of the staff members, and a range of other documentation, including the safeguarding procedures.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents, as recorded in written parental questionnaires and those parents spoken to on the day.  The inspector reviewed the providers hardcopy self-evaluation form.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Information about the setting

Old Crofts Bank Day Nursery was registered in 1997. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a detached premises in Davyhulme, Trafford, Greater Manchester and is privately owned. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from a two-storey building. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery employs 22 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and three staff are qualified at level 4. One staff member holds a qualification at level 6. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, for 50 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 124 children on roll who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. The nursery supports

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Information about the setting

children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery receives support from the Local Authority.

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

 extend opportunities for children to develop their creativity and creative thinking, for example, by extending the time in which they can independently access the full range of resources available

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

 support children's understanding of the wider world more fully, in particular the understanding of the similarities and differences between people and communities, for example, by increasing the range of resources that represent different cultures and ethnicities.

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who attend

Staff have a good understanding of how children learn and develop. They work closely with parents from the start to gather information about children's likes, dislikes and current learning. Each child has an individual observation diary, which includes examples and observations of their activities, achievements and progress. This helps staff to track the progress children make and helps them to identify next steps in their learning. Staff plan a range of interesting activities to motivate and engage the children. They provide children in the toddler room with free access to most resources during morning and afternoon play sessions. However, at times staff separate the children into different groups and rooms and so the time provided for children to access resources that promote their creativity is shortened. Consequently, opportunities for children to choose independently and to develop their creative thinking skills are not as well promoted as

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who attend

Staff successfully develop children's language skills as they play. They help children to learn new vocabulary as they master the words to new songs in time for the festive period. Older children show high levels of confidence with their speaking. For example, children stand and sing in front of others and experiment with rhyme and sounds as they make up their own words to songs. In the baby room, staff play with the children as they explore natural materials and provide a running commentary for what they are doing. Staff encourage babies to say single words by using animal puppets to make sounds. This helps to support babies in developing their confidence to use language to communicate. Children have opportunities to think and to find things out for themselves. For example, staff give children thinking time and prompt them with clues, so that they can find where jigsaw pieces belong. This also develops children's confidence and self-esteem. Staff

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who attend

support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities really well. Staff are sensitive to their individual needs and plan a range of activities to support them in their development. Therefore, all children make good progress. Staff are sensitive when developing children's awareness of differences and similarities, by using play activities to discuss these. For example, during a water play activity a staff member talks to a child about the water splashing on their glasses, which prompts the child to notice that they are the same. This helps children's understanding of the world around them. However, resources and visual-aids to further support children's understanding about cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, similarities and differences are not as well-developed in some areas, which means children are not supported as well as they could be in their understanding of the wider world.

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who attend

Staff invite visitors to the nursery to support children's interests and extend their experiences. For example, children take part in music sessions each week, which they find interesting and stimulating. Staff have also provided children with opportunities to observe fire and police services, during times they have invited them into the setting. Children have regular time outside and particularly enjoy riding on wheeled toys, making marks with chalks and building with large foam bricks, all of which support their physical development successfully. Young babies enjoy the experience of making marks in damp sand and they have ample space to move around and to practise their walking skills using toys to hold on to for support. Children enjoy spending time together outdoors, as they regularly observe what others are doing through the low-level picket fence. This supports babies with socialising, which prepares them for future moves within the nursery. Staff

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who attend

work closely with parents, sharing details of their children's learning at home. For example, children take turns taking home the nursery travelling bear. Parents write about their child's weekend with the bear and children share this with staff and other children. Staff make good use of this information to extend children's learning at the nursery. They send out regular news letters to keep parents up-to-date about the activities that take place. This means that parents can also extend children's learning at home, and helps provide continuity for children in their learning.

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

Staff effectively promote children's emotional well-being. Children have developed secure relationships with key staff who provide a secure base from which they can explore. This means children are happy, settled and effectively supported in their personal, social and emotional development. The calm and inviting environment helps children to feel safe in their surroundings. Staff know children well and plan to meet their individual needs well. This helps staff to support children to acquire the skills they need for future learning and ultimately for their move to school. Staff use settling-in sessions as a way of getting to know children as well and to build relationships with their families. They gather information from parents about children's likes, dislikes, routine and care needs before children start, which helps them to meet children's individual needs on entry. Staff support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities well. They complete a more

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

detailed care plan in conjunction with parents to find out about their child's care needs, medication and diet. They maintain a regular two-way flow of information through written feedback in children's daily diaries. This supports staff and parents further in continually meeting children's individual needs.

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

Staff are good role models and have high expectations for children's behaviour. They set clear, developmentally appropriate, expectations for their behaviour. They use effective strategies to help children to behave well. For example, staff plan specific activities in the toddler room to support children with sharing and taking turns. As a result, with support, children learn to tolerate each other during play. Staff in the pre-school room set children small tasks, such as, tidying away their toys and getting their own drinks, which help to develop their independence and prepare them for their next stage in learning. Older children are able to access toilet facilities independently, while staff appropriately support younger children. Staff undertake nappy changing according to children's individual needs. Staff provide children with a range of healthy and nutritious meals throughout the day and spend time discussing with children the importance of healthy eating. Older children plant

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

vegetables in the garden and take part in cooking activities where they taste the produce they have grown. As a result, children learn how to make healthy choices, which helps support their well-being.

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

Children thoroughly enjoy playing outside. The eagerly help to put on their coats, while staff teach them about keeping themselves warm in the cold weather. Children find their coats, demonstrating they are able to recognise their own and others' belongings successfully and independently, thus preparing them well for their move to school when the time comes. Staff understand the importance of daily fresh air and exercise for children. They plan opportunities for children to play outside routinely. Babies have continuous and free-flow access to the garden and are kept safe from harm because they have their own designated area to play. Staff encourage children of all ages to take risks in their environment as they climb on the climbing frames and use the slides. Older children learn how to negotiate space safely as they ride bikes around the pretend road. Staff discuss with children how to keep themselves safe as they cross the road, which

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

helps them to make links with real-life situations when they are away from the nursery. Staff risk assess the environment regularly to make sure it is safe and involve children when they assess risks in the outdoor play area. This means children are beginning to identify risks in their environment. Staff supervise children closely outdoors and the majority of staff hold a first-aid certificate, which helps them to respond to accidents and emergencies immediately.

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provision

The staff and management team have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities to meet the safeguarding and welfare and learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Staff are fully aware of how to implement the policies of the nursery, including the safeguarding and child protection procedures. As a result, they are confident in identifying and reporting concerns about a child's welfare. This helps to make sure children are well protected from harm. The majority of the staff team hold a paediatric first-aid certificate and effective systems to report on accidents and medication are in place. Managers effectively monitor accidents across the nursery to help them to identify hazards, patterns or risks to children. This helps to support staff in keeping children safe. Effective recruitment procedures are in place to ensure all staff employed to work in the nursery are suitable. Induction

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provision

procedures support staff in developing their knowledge of the setting's policies and procedures. The manager has recently enrolled all staff onto an e-learning programme to enable them to refresh their knowledge of safeguarding, learning and development requirements and other issues relating to early years practice. This effectively supports staff in their role.

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provision

The management team is focused and driven. The use of self-evaluation systems is effective, which enables the manager to identify strengths and areas for further development. These improvement plans are continually reviewed and monitored, which has supported the improvements that have been made since the last inspection. For example, improvements have been made in the garden to support children in all areas of learning and development, subsequently all previous recommendations have been met. Managers successfully include staff, parents, children and other professionals in the self- evaluation process. Parents complete parental questionnaires, and these include a section for parents to ask the views of their children; for example, some children say that they like singing and also the slide in the garden. As a result, staff provide opportunities for children to enjoy these types of activities on a regular basis. The manager monitors staff

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provision

performance, both informally through working alongside the staff, and more formally through annual appraisals and regular supervisions. Staff are supported to attend relevant training courses to help them to gain additional qualifications. The manager uses regular staff meetings to discuss and share ideas and practice issues to further promote effective outcomes for children. Management monitor the progress children make. They track individuals and groups of children to ensure they are achieving as expected for their age. This includes the completion of the progress check for children aged between two and three years along with the provision of additional support, to close gaps in children's learning.

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provision

Staff have created good partnerships with other professionals. They work closely with the Local Authority to help them in evaluating the service they provide. They have clear links with the early years support team to assist them in caring for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This means that all children receive very good support. Parents are extremely happy with the service and comment that it makes them feel at ease when their child shows excitement at going to nursery. Staff promote good links with other early years providers, which further aid children's progress and development. They also have good links with feeder schools. Staff collect some children from school so that they can attend nursery during the afternoon. They liaise with the school teachers to pass information to parents at the end of the day. This helps to provide children with continuity of care and consistency in their learning.

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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 310377 Local authority Trafford Inspection number 864962

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 79 Number of children on roll 124 Name of provider Old Crofts Bank Day Nursery Date of previous inspection 19/02/2009 Telephone number 0161 748 7767

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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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