Ditchingham Day Nursery

Ditchingham Day Nursery Ditchingham Day Nursery, Belsey Bridge Road, Ditchingham, BUNGAY, Suffolk, NR35 2DT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/01/2015 11/02/2014

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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

 The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff provide a range of activities and experiences to promote children's learning. As a result, children are happy, engaged and making good progress.  Children, particularly babies, form secure attachments with friendly staff who are attentive to their needs. Furthermore, staff establish good relationships with parents. Consequently, parents are involved in their children's learning, which aids progress.  Leadership is strong. The manager effectively monitors the educational programmes. She identifies the strengths of the setting and areas for development, through clear performance management of staff. This demonstrates the management's drive to continually raise standards within the setting.  Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and ensure that children are kept safe from harm. Robust recruitment checks ensure all those working with

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This provision is good

children are safe to do so. This means children's safety and well-being are protected.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Staff are not always focusing on opportunities to extend mathematical play further, in order to build on children's awareness of numbers and counting.  Staff do not always maximise the learning opportunities in the outside environment, to ensure that those children who learn best from being outdoors are able to do so.

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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 the rooms used and the outside learning environment.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the management team, early years advisor and talked to staff throughout the inspection, when appropriate.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and the provider's evidence of self-evaluation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Ditchingham Day Nursery was registered in 2011, and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in the rural area of Ditchingham, Norfolk. The nursery is one of five settings run by the Benjamin Foundation. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from a former school building and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 52 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 a number of 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:

 extend the educational programme for mathematics even further, for example, by acting upon children's natural interests with mathematical language and counting

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

 enhance the opportunities for children's all round development outside even further by ensuring activities are well organised and mirror the strong practice inside.

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who attend

Staff have a good understanding of how children learn. They are well guided by children's own ideas, alongside the accurate observations and assessment of children's learning, in order to provide stimulating and challenging activities. For example, creative activities are provided for children to explore independently in the pre-school room, which supports the children to explore writing and text, including their own names. This activity works as an aid to support children with their early literacy skills. Therefore, children are being well prepared for school, when the time comes, because they gain the necessary skills to support their future education and develop a very positive attitude to learning.

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who attend

Children across the nursery are happy and confident and demonstrate they are eager to learn. Staff respond to spontaneous play well and ensure that all the children feel listened to. Useful prompts around the room support staff to encourage children's critical thinking skills, and provide positive praise to children which is meaningful. For example, children often independently wash their own hands for snack and dress themselves for outside play. Staff understand that children require recognition for such tasks and, subsequently, provide specific praise. As a result of the good teaching skills being used, children display the confidence to be active learners and making good progress in their development, given their individual starting points. Staff who work with the younger children have a good understanding of how to adapt their teaching for the age and stage of children present. They are confident to plan and provide activities that are suitable for the younger

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who attend

children. In the baby room, staff support the communication development of babies by modelling language and using simple instructions and sentences. During a walk to the local forest, staff get down to the babies level and introduce new vocabulary, such as 'twig', while exploring the natural area. As a result, younger children show high levels of engagement in activities and make good progress. However, there are less opportunities for older children to develop their numeracy skills as staff, on occasions, do not always extend activities to promote children's use of mathematical language and counting.

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who attend

Staff document children's development within individual progress records. Observations and regular assessments enable staff to track children's development, and help to identify where they need to plan, support and challenge children in their play. Children with special educational needs are supported in their development because staff ensure that planning is based on their interests and work in partnership with the setting's Special Educational Needs Coordinator. Parents' involvement in their children's learning is effective. They regularly record information in their child's progress record in order for the children's key person to shape the learning from a successful partnership approach. Parents and carers, spoken to on the day of the inspection, feel very well informed about their child's progress and value the regular communication they have with their child's key person.

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

Children demonstrate that they feel safe and secure in the nursery. They arrive happy and confidently follow the morning routine. For example, in the pre-school room, children join in with a small-group activity, where they ask each other how they feel, and staff use visual aids to encourage discussion. The key-person system is strong across the entire nursery and shows the secure attachments younger children, and babies in particular, have developed. Parents comment that they find all staff extremely supportive and work closely together when children first start to gather important information about children's likes, dislikes and routines, in order for them to feel safe and secure. This secures the foundations for the warm, trusting relationships that are formed, as well as the smoothest start for children. As a result, all children's personal, social and emotional development are secure.

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

Children independently follow good hygiene routines before activities, such as snack time and cooking activities. The staff ensure the level of independence depending on the children's age and stage of development. For example, in the toddler and pre-school room, children find their written name and wash their own plate and cup as part of the snack time routine. They are supported to add 'spread' to their own cracker and pour their own drinks. A well-balanced variety of snacks are offered to children, as well as the option of a hot meal during lunchtime. This ensures that children are growing in independence, as well as enjoying different foods and experiencing a variety of different tastes. All children gather together in the dining room to enjoy lunch. Staff sit alongside the children and show them how to keep safe while eating. They provide a language rich environment, which ensures that the experience is a valuable learning opportunity. Older children also

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

act as role models for younger children, cutting their own foods up and feeding themselves independently. The routine is effective in bringing all the children together as a whole setting, creating a 'community feel'. Babies enjoy their lunch alongside the older children and have the opportunity to be part of a social lunch routine.

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

Outside, there is less of a focus on children's all-round development. For example, children do not have as many resources or planned activities in which they can explore independently. Subsequently, practice is not as strong as demonstrated inside, to ensure that those who learn best from being outdoors are able to do so. Children choose when they want to play inside and outside. Staff have a good understanding of when children may need the outside space, and avoid any behavioural difficulties by acting upon the children's needs quickly. Children manage their own personal hygiene, relevant to their age and stage of development. Younger children are supported well through potty training. The learning environment is stimulating, friendly and calm. Resources are stored at low-level to encourage children's to find things for themselves, and the story corner in each room is well organised to encourage children's communication and language

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

development. Children are very well prepared for transitions from room to room within the setting and for their move to school. There is an effective procedure in place to ensure children feel safe and secure with their new key person, when they first leave their parents or when they move from one room to the next. Where possible, visits are organised by teachers from the local primary schools, who are offered the opportunity to visit the children in the familiar surroundings of the nursery. This fully supports children's well-being as they adjust to periods of change and prepares them well for school.

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provision

Safeguarding arrangements are strong. Staff are very knowledgeable about their role in protecting children from harm, and are aware of what to do should they have a concern about children's welfare. Recruitment and induction procedures are robust, to ensure that all those working with the children are suitable to do so. Regular supervisions and peer- on-peer observations ensure that the manager has clear performance management strategies, in order for the nursery to continue to improve. As a result, children are cared for in a safe environment. Sampled documentation and records are well maintained, giving a firm indication that all required documentation is in place and firmly underpins children's safety and welfare.

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provision

The manager is passionate about striving for continuous improvement of the nursery. The monitoring of children's progress has recently been strengthened due to a rigorous assessment process, to distinguish if there are any areas that need developing further. The manager has detailed her own areas for improvement within the setting's self- evaluation. This is acted upon, to ensure children receive a strong educational programme. Recently this has seen the story corner transformed and other areas of the environment reorganised. Regular staff meetings mean that any areas of development are quickly identified and shared with the whole team. Following the previous inspection, training has been sought in order for staff to continue to develop their teaching skills. Furthermore, the manager has completed training to support and lead the team. The manager has reviewed the previous procedure for training and, subsequently, adapted this

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provision

to ensure that it is more robust and enables individual staff members to reach their full potential. This allows staff to act immediately, to ensure that children make good progress because they are confident in their teaching abilities. The manager monitors the educational programmes to ensure that they are broad and balanced and reflect individual children's specific learning needs. Staff have recently implemented peer observations and reviewed the timeliness of the progress check for children between the age of two and three years. Good leadership and management means that staff feel supported, which develops a culture of mutual support. As a result, children are fully engaged in meaningful play and progressing well in their learning. Partnerships with parents and carers are strong. Managers share information with parents about the range of learning experiences provided in the setting through children's learning journals and daily opportunities for

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provision

discussions with key persons. Parents and carers are very complimentary about their children's progress and explain how important they find aspects that the setting plans for, such as 'transitions'.

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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 EY437684 Local authority Norfolk Inspection number 966952

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 33 Number of children on roll 52 Name of provider The Benjamin Foundation Date of previous inspection 11/02/2014 Telephone number 01986 895091

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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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