UNITOTS - University of Worcester

UNITOTS - University of Worcester Henwick Grove, St Johns, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR2 6AJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 05/12/2014 02/11/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 1 Previous inspection: 1 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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Children's learning and development are exceptionally well supported and very successfully extended by the staff team's exemplary, high quality of teaching.  Children benefit from sensitive and nurturing relationships with staff that significantly support them to build considerable levels of confidence and self-esteem.  Partnerships with parents are successfully supported through the highly effective systems that ensure information is shared in a wide variety of ways.  The manager works closely with staff to effectively monitor all aspects of the nursery and ensure they continue to strive for substantial improvement in all areas.  Children's safety is significantly supported through a wide range of daily and ongoing checks. Children are securely safeguarded through effectively implemented policies and procedures.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out observations of activities in all nursery rooms and outside play areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager and interacted with the children and members of staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning records, planning documentation and a selection of nursery policies and procedures.

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Inspection activities

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

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to at the time of inspection.  The inspector carried out a joint observation of practice with the manager.

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Information about the setting

UNITOTS - University of Worcester was registered in 1992 and is on the Early Years Register. It is situated on the University of Worcester campus, and is owned and managed by the university. The nursery serves university staff and students and the wider community. It is accessible to all children and operates from several ground floor rooms and has three enclosed areas available for outdoor play. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff who all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, including two with Early Years Professional status and three with Qualified Teacher Status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday for 50 weeks a year, from 8am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 47 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four- year-old children. It supports 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:

 consider the use of peer observations to enable all staff to share, reflect and build on each other's practice and to continue the already excellent professional development.

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who attend

The staff team show a clear and exceptionally in-depth knowledge of how children learn and develop and of their individual learning styles. As a result, staff confidently plan to ensure each child makes unmistakable progress from their individual starting points in all areas of learning. The manager's excellent monitoring systems, the ongoing supervision and good role modelling positively supports staff to develop and maintain significantly high-quality teaching methods. Staff confidently make significant use of observations and assessments. This ensures that key persons provide a focused and precise picture of each child's development. As a result, gaps in learning are swiftly identified and immediate steps taken to ensure children make the best possible progress. Children positively benefit from a wide range of activities and experiences that are carefully planned to successfully extend their learning. At each stage, children are provided with a secure settling-in

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who attend

process as they move up through the nursery. The children's learning records are successfully shared with parents and the nursery makes links with local schools to support children who are moving on. As a result, children are well prepared and supported to gain the skills for the next stage in their learning.

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who attend

All children's learning and development is supported by the remarkably well-planned and enabling environments. Staff encourage babies and toddlers to explore and investigate through play in their own secure indoor areas and the shared outdoor areas. For example, babies delight in exploring the forest school where they investigate the fallen leaves and look for bugs and worms. Staff support the babies to find different ways to make sounds by striking the ringing pipes with sticks they find on the ground. To extend the babies communication skills the staff describe what they are doing as they play, talking about the feel of the leaves and the sounds of the pipes. Inside the nursery the toddlers eagerly engage in a drumming activity, playing their drums loudly and then quietly. Staff use verbal and sign language to encourage and praise them for good looking and good listening. To extend the toddler's learning staff introduce a song that includes animal

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who attend

noises, which the children copy with sheer delight. Pre-school children's learning is exceptionally well supported and extended across all areas and children benefit from activities that allow them to explore and to think creatively. For example, children engage in an exciting and stimulating activity where they dismantle broken technological toys. The children skilfully use the screwdrivers and the staff use an extensive range of language to help children describe what they are doing. Children are intensely focused as they explore the insides of the toys. They eagerly experiment with magnets and investigate how cogs are connected as they turn. The staff use an extensive range of open questions to support children to develop their thought processes and introduce new words as they name the different parts of the toys. Children enthusiastically explore and discover, extending their knowledge of the world and supporting their mathematical development. At all activities

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who attend

staff make excellent use of planned and naturally-occurring situations to extend and develop children's learning through their well-timed and highly-skilful interactions. Throughout the nursery children are animated and eagerly engage in all activities supported by enthusiastic and vibrant staff.

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who attend

Children's learning records are comprehensive and clearly show how children make outstanding progress. The observations and assessments of learning are precise and focused. An effective mixture of formal tracking and spontaneous observations are used to gather a valuable range of information. The systems to assess and track children's progress and to plan for the next steps in their learning are exceptionally efficient. Children's records are effectively shared with parents to ensure they are fully aware of their progress and the ways in which they can extend their children's learning at home.

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

Children's personal, social and emotional development is carefully and very skilfully promoted. Children are warmly greeted as they arrive and clearly feel well-settled, safe and secure in the nursery. Staff gather a wide range of information from parents when children start at the nursery and through ongoing meetings and conversations. As a result, staff build a particularly clear picture of each child and successfully develop an understanding of their needs. Staff work closely with parents to ensure that the care of each baby and toddler precisely follows their individual routines. Children positively benefit from strong, nurturing attachments with staff that support them to explore and investigate their environments with high levels of confidence and independence. Positive behaviour for all children is sensitively promoted through the staff's perceptive use of consistent strategies. For example, children are supported to share and take turns with tools and

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

resources and staff talk to children about the ways they can help each other. As a result, children are calm and confident and well supported to develop good skills for self-control.

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

Children are effectively supported to learn about good hygiene practices from an early age. For example, older children are encouraged to use the bathroom independently and toddlers are sensitively introduced to appropriate practice in-line with their daily routines. Children develop high levels of personal independence and self-assurance. For example, staff encourage children to put on their own coats and shoes and pour drinks for themselves. Children benefit from the option to have freshly-prepared meals. The manager works closely with the university chef to ensure that meals are healthy and well- balanced and appropriately meet children's individual dietary needs. Children develop secure and trusting relationships with the staff, which means their time at the nursery is a very positive and nurturing experience. As a result, children develop high levels of confidence and self-esteem, supporting them to be emotionally ready for school or the

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

Children learn about the importance of being healthy and take part in an exceptional range of physical-play opportunities in the extensive outdoor spaces. For example, in the forest-school space, children use a wide range of tools to explore and discover and they climb, balance and swing with skill. Children learn how to manage their own safety as staff use open questions to support them to think about the risks at different activities. Children of all ages are encouraged to be confident about experimenting with their physical skills, carefully observed by staff. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are extensively well supported and staff work closely with all other agencies, to ensure children's ongoing and changing needs are consistently well-met.

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provision

The manager's practice is exemplary and clearly inspires the staff team to consistently ensure the best outcomes for all children. The manager and staff team have a comprehensive understanding of their responsibility to safeguard children. The manager is the designated safeguarding person and she has a thoroughly secure knowledge of the recording and reporting procedures for child protection. All staff are provided with ongoing safeguarding training. For example, staff are required to complete a questionnaire to show they have fully understood the procedures they would need to follow if they have any concerns about a child. As a result, staff successfully implement the policies and procedures and ensure children are safe, secure and protected in the nursery. Staff are consistently vigilant and carefully supervise and observe children and high ratios are maintained at all times. Visitors to the nursery are met at the main entrance and are

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provision

required to provide identification and complete the visitor's record. Recruitment and selection procedures are rigorous and robust checks are completed on all staff to check that they are suitable to work with the children. The manager has worked with the university's senior management team to ensure the recommendation set at the last inspection has been fully addressed.

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provision

The manger and whole staff team are exceptionally well motivated and demonstrate high levels of commitment. The manager takes time to fully observe staff and makes very effective use of a range of supervision to carefully monitor performance. As a result, staff are extensively supported to develop a culture of outstanding practice with children of all ages and abilities. Parents' and staff's views are taken into account through regular meetings and discussions. This supports the manager to ensure improvement plans are focused on providing the best outcomes for the children. This well-qualified staff team are supported to continue their professional development through a wide range of training opportunities. The manager recognises that the introduction of peer observations across the age groups will provide an additional opportunity for staff to further share, reflect and build on each other's practice.

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provision

Staff develop excellent partnerships with parents and other professionals involved in the children's care. Parents benefit from extensive arrangements to share information with them about their children's development and the planning for their next steps in learning. Key persons complete a progress check for children between the ages of two and three years, which is effectively shared with parents. The parents forum provides them with opportunities to fully take part in nursery life and to provide ideas for improvement. Parents make very positive comments about both the care and education their children receive.

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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 205116 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 854357

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 47 Name of provider University of Worcester Date of previous inspection 02/11/2011 Telephone number 01905 855277

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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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