Clever Cloggs Day Nursery

Clever Cloggs Day Nursery 26 Honey Road, Little Canfield, Takeley, Essex, CM6 1FF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26/11/2014 05/06/2014

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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

 Children are proficiently protected from harm because practitioners demonstrate secure knowledge of their responsibilities with regards to safeguarding them. Practitioners regularly update their safeguarding knowledge through training.  The quality of teaching is good. Practitioners demonstrate a clear understanding of the seven areas of learning and how children learn. They create a vibrant and exciting environment for children to explore and discover in. Planning is effectively tailored to meet each child's learning needs.  Partnerships with parents and others are robust. Parents are provided with a good amount of information about the nursery and they are encouraged to play an active role in their children's development.  Children are keen and active learners. They enjoy being able to guide their own learning and move confidently around the nursery. Practitioners recognise the importance of developing strong and independent young people and achieve this by

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This provision is good

providing them with an enabling environment where they are encouraged to try things for themselves before asking for help.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Opportunities to enhance children's knowledge of the world by making effective use of outdoors, including the local environment, are not maximised to their full potential.

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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 tour of the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed play and learning activities and spoke to children and staff in the indoor and outdoor environments.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out a meeting with the manager to look at and discussed a range of policies, procedures and documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at evidence to show that managers and practitioners are suitable to work with children and she looked as copies of practitioners training certificates and qualifications.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to during the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Clever Cloggs Day Nursery was registered in 2010 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is located within the Takeley area of Essex. It is managed by a private company. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery employs 25 members of childcare staff. Of whom, 22 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, 3 and 5. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round, from 7am until 7pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 147 children attending, of whom 124 are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and who speak English as an additional language.

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

 enhance children's knowledge of the world by making effective use of outdoor experiences, including walks and trips in the local neighbourhood.

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who attend

Children enthusiastically participate in a good range of freely-chosen and adult-led learning experiences. Practitioners are knowledgeable about the seven areas of learning and ensure that each area is appropriately planned for within their weekly planning. Practitioners also recognise each child's differing learning styles and incorporate ways of accommodating these within the plans. Key persons use their acute observational skills to observe and track children's progress. They complete regular summative assessments of the children's development, which are effectively shared with parents. Evidence available shows that children across the nursery make good progress in their learning, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those, who speak English as an additional language.

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who attend

Children are keen, active and constantly busy. They move confidently between the range of toys and activities on offer to them and engage in play with small groups of friends. Practitioners are on-hand at all times to support them and do so proficiently. Practitioners enhance children's thinking through clear questions and by encouraging them to consider what will happen next. Practitioners promote children's communication and language skills effectively by speaking clearly and providing them with ample time to consider their responses. Comfortable areas within each room, provide good opportunities for children and adults to share books together. The nursery environment is rich in print, enabling children to see that print has meaning. Children are creative and expressive. They have good opportunities to participate in a wide range of creative activities. Each of the rooms also have messy areas, where children can freely access paints, glue, collage materials

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who attend

and drawing resources. Children's literacy skills are effectively promoted in each of the rooms and the garden. For example, they have a good range of clip boards, notepads and writing resources presented throughout the nursery, including in the role-play areas.

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who attend

Babies enjoy exploring a good selection of age-appropriate toys. They also have access to some natural and heuristic materials. Babies, who are beginning to become mobile, have opportunities to learn to stand and walk by making use of the furniture and resources available to them. Their babbles are enthusiastically responded to by practitioners to enhance their early communication skills. Older children develop a wide range of skills, which prepare them for their next stage of learning. For example, they are encouraged to recognise their name through self-registration. They develop physical skills, which help them to dress and undress, for example, when they put their coats and outdoor shoes on and off to play in the garden. They are encouraged to participate in group games and activities, to help them to develop concentration skills and learn to listen for instructions.

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

Children are happy, settled and relaxed in the nursery. They enter the setting confidently and immediately engage in play, sometimes stopping for a cuddle with their favourite adult on the way. Key persons, parents and children play an active role in each child's settling-in experiences, ensuring that their early days at nursery are positive, happy and exciting. Practitioners skilfully recognise the importance of promoting children's emotional well-being to enable them to become strong and independent young people. They achieve this through constant praise and encouragement and by providing opportunities for children to lead their own play and learning. Children behave well as they receive consistent and clear information about the practitioners' expectations of them. They know to be kind and caring towards their friends and to be considerate of each other's needs.

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

Changes to the nursery environment over the previous months have proven very successful. Each of the six large playrooms are bright, welcoming and attractively presented. Some internal walls within some of the rooms have been lowered to create a more open space, while still partitioning areas. The nursery management has also introduced and equipped a sensory room, which children access at various times during the day. The nursery benefits from a large and well-equipped garden. Practitioners and managers have worked on developing the garden to ensure that the ongoing provision creates learning opportunities across all seven areas of learning. One end of the garden has also been sectioned off to create a space for younger children and babies. When playing in the garden, children have excellent opportunities to explore insects and bugs, who may be living in their 'bug hotel'. The provision has recently been provided with a

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

plastic book rack, which enables practitioners to provide a good range of books outdoors to enhance children's literacy skills. Children enjoy books while sitting on sofas and chairs, which are placed in an undercover area. They also have opportunities to be creative outdoors in another undercover area, where they have access to paints, sticking, collage, model making and a wide range of other messy play resources. At present, the nursery management does not promote children participating in trips and outings in the local area. Consequently, opportunities to enhance children's knowledge of the world outside of the nursery are not fully maximised. However, this is something they are reviewing.

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

Children learn about keeping healthy and safe as practitioners follow the nursery's clear procedures for healthy eating, exercise and fresh air and good hygiene practices. For example, they understand the importance of washing their hands before touching food and after using the toilet. Practitioners act as good role models, ensuring that they also wash their hands regularly. Children are provided with good opportunities to develop independence throughout their day, but especially during snack and mealtimes. They are actively involved in mealtimes, helping to serve their own meals and clearing away when they have finished. Children learn to take some risks through these routine activities, for example, as they carefully move the food from the communal bowls to their own plates, remembering that it will be hot. They are well prepared for changes in their lives. For example, when moving from one nursery room to the next, they are well supported by

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

their current key person and their new key person. This ensures that the move is paced appropriately for each child and is smooth.

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provision

Children are well protected from harm as practitioners and management understand their responsibilities with regards to safeguarding children. The designated persons for safeguarding have attended appropriate training and cascade their knowledge to the rest of the team. Other practitioners regularly update their safeguarding knowledge through appropriate training courses or on-line training. A good understanding of the nursery's safeguarding procedures, results in confident practitioners, who proficiently follow the correct systems for referral if they have any concerns about children in their care. All adults working at the nursery have been vetted and evidence to demonstrate their suitability is available on file. An electronic entry system to the nursery means that the premises are only accessible to nursery managers, practitioners, support staff and parents. Visitors to the nursery are closely monitored and only gain entry when a senior member of

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provision

the team allows them access. Effective use of risk assessments and daily safety checks ensure that the nursery remains clean, safe and well maintained.

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provision

The nursery is owned by a private company. The registered provider, until earlier this year, took a back seat in the management of the provision. However, following an inadequate inspection judgement, the registered provider has been based at this provision on an almost full-time basis. A new nursery manager has recently been employed and between the registered provider, the new manager and the deputies, every aspect of the nursery has been reviewed, evaluated and improved. Policies and procedures are now effectively followed to ensure the smooth running and high quality of the provision. Developments within each of the nursery rooms, such as walls, which previously separated areas within the rooms, being lowered to create a more open space, have proven very successful. Practitioners are now much more comfortable that they can supervise children effectively and the ambiance of the rooms has become calmer. Management have

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provision

effective systems in place to ensure the ongoing maintenance of these changes and improvements. Practitioners are knowledgeable about their roles as early educators and implement an effective educational programme, which is tailored to meet each child's individual learning needs. Managers monitor the effectiveness of the planning and assessment in each room and now have a clear system for tracking the progress of all children. The introduction of more thorough tracking has enabled managers to identify gaps in children's learning. Appropriate interventions are being sought to help to close these gaps. The nursery team consists of mostly level 3 qualified practitioners. Managers provide good opportunities for practitioners to use their skills and expertise within their roles and to progress their professional development. Effective supervision and appraisal systems ensure that all managers and practitioners are fully supported in their role.

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provision

Partnerships with parents and others are secure. Parents are provided with clear information about the nursery through a well-presented prospectus and through the nursery's website. Effective, ongoing communication ensures that parents are kept well informed about the nursery and any changes. Parents spoken to during the inspection shared their views on the way that the nursery has changed and developed over the previous months. They commented on the friendliness and enthusiasm of the team and how their children feel comfortable and happy in the nursery. All parents spoken to were knowledgeable about their children's key persons and felt that they were kept well informed about how they were developing and progressing. Partnerships with others are strong and the local authority has provided ongoing support to the nursery to help them to review and develop the provision. Systems to enable key persons to work more

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provision

effectively with other settings, which children also attend, are proving successful to ensure that learning across all aspects of their lives are complemented.

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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 EY409684 Local authority Essex Inspection number 984717

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 145 Number of children on roll 147 Name of provider Clever Cloggs Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 05/06/2014 Telephone number 01279 871 687

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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

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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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