Mama Bear's Day Nursery

Mama Bear's Day Nursery Thicket Avenue, Hillfields, Bristol, Avon, BS16 4EH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/01/2015 06/01/2011

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision requires improvement

 Children enjoy daily outdoor play in a well-resourced and interesting environment that supports their all round development.  Children are safeguarded well by staff that who have a secure knowledge and understanding of their roles and responsibilities for safeguarding and child protection.  Partnerships with parents are positive, and these help staff get to know the children.

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It is not yet good because

 Staff do not achieve a good balance between adult-led and child-initiated activities when planning play, so children sometimes lose interest in what is happening.  Staff miss opportunities to question children effectively to continually extend their language, communication and learning skills, so teaching is not consistently good.  Some staff do not consistently meet children's care needs, because they do not respond in a timely manner to children who are upset.  Staff do not always take opportunities to promote children's independence at meal times.

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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 compulsory part 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 the playrooms and outdoor play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with both nursery managers, and spoke with the staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at the children's learning records, planning documentation, evidence of staff suitability to work with children, a selection of policies and procedures, and a range of other documentation.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the acting nursery manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the parents' and carers' views through discussion and reading some questionnaires.

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Information about the setting

Mama Bear's Day Nursery registered in November 2010, taking over ownership of an established nursery that originally opened in 2004. The nursery is one of twenty 20 privately run nurseries operated by the same company. It is situated in Hillfields, Bristol and operates from purpose-built premises. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 7pm all year round except Bank Holidays and a week at Christmas. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. There are currently 56 children on roll. The nursery offers support to children who have special educational needs /and/ or disabilities and for those learning English an additional language. The nursery has a team of 12 full- and part-time staff who work with the children. The nursery has an on-site chef. Of the staff team, all but one hold recognised early years qualifications; one holds

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Information about the setting

qualified teacher status and the manager holds early years professional status.

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must:

 raise the quality of teaching to a consistently good standard by ensuring there is a balance between adult-led and child-initiated activities so that children benefit from a good combination of experiences and progress well in their learning and development.

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

 develop further the staff team's use of questions so all used skilled questioning techniques to continually build-on children's language, communication and learning by ensuring they follow questions through with children and extend what they say

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

 improve the arrangements to support children's well being and care, by ensuring staff consistently respond to upset children as and when required

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

 extend children's independent skills by encouraging them to make choices and carry out appropriate tasks, such as cutting up and serving their own food at meal times.

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who attend

Most staff have a suitable understanding of how young children learn and develop. Staff complete regular observations to assess children's progress. They then plan for children's future learning by using the observations to identify their next stages for their learning and development. Parents engage with their children's learning by being able to look through and contribute to their 'learning journal' records and through having daily discussions with staff about what activities children have enjoyed. These communications keep parents up to date with what children do. Parents meet with staff to complete the required progress check at age two years. These arrangements promote a shared approach to the children's development and learning experiences and help staff meet some of the children's learning needs.

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who attend

The quality of teaching is inconsistent across the nursery and requires improvement. Staff working with the older children do not achieve a good balance between activities adults lead and those children choose for themselves. For example, staff expect these children to sit for 35 minutes during an adult-led 'circle time' at the start of the morning, immediately followed by another adult-led activity. The staff working with older children do not always match these learning experiences to the priorities identified for each child's learning needs. This means children lose interest and become distracted during the activities, and make satisfactory progress only.

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who attend

Children enjoy easy access to a broad range of books and reading material. Children of all ages enjoy singing and participating in story time. For example, younger children sat and listened well as staff used lots of expressive language and actions to re-tell a favourite story. The staff member then paused at intervals to encourage children to fill in missing words or phrases, so promoting their early literacy skills. This teaching helps to encourage children to become critical thinkers. On occasions, staff working with the older children use less skilled questioning techniques that do not build on what children have already said. This means that at times, staff do not extend children's communication and language well, which again slows progress.

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who attend

Children of all ages enjoy regular use of interesting outdoor areas, where staff offer children a wide range of resources that develop various physical skills; for example, children learn to balance on tyres or logs. This helps develop children's coordination. Mathematical language is introduced as children count during activities. They hear and use appropriate words, such as 'small', 'big' and 'more' when they use the building blocks or play in the sand. Overall, children experience suitable activities and develop the key skills required in readiness for school.

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who attend

Children enjoy creative and imaginative play. They play with toy cars and trains, using these to pretend to go on imaginary outings. Older children have a well-equipped role-play area where they can create their own scenarios using a range of resources, including dressing- up clothes, toy cooking equipment and toy figures. As a result, children use their imaginations well here, as they act out real- life and imaginary situations. Younger children show an interest in toys with buttons, flaps and simple mechanisms, which they are beginning to learn to operate. This experience promotes children's early understanding of technology, as they have room to explore and make sense of objects. All staff support children who speak English as an additional language or have special educational needs and/or disabilities well. Key staff liaise with parents and other professionals, and use individual plans to assess and support children. This means children make steady

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

Children are mainly well settled in the nursery. A senior staff member assigns each child a 'special person' who then helps children settle in, and maintains regular two-way communication with their parents. Younger children are beginning to settle well because all staff take the time to find out about their home routines, likes and dislikes through discussions with parents when children start. This approach helps staff to meet children's needs on entry because they use this information to help each child settle into the setting, whatever their abilities. However, although children are usually happy, on occasion staff do not respond to older children's care needs in a timely manner. For example, a child became upset after a minor bump and was not given comfort and reassurance quickly. This means staff occasionally miss opportunities to ensure that the care and well-being of children areis maximised at all times.

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

Children are beginning to learn about a healthy lifestyle through having regular fresh air and exercise in the well-organised outdoor play areas. Staff expect children to play an active part in risk assessment. This helps children behave in ways that are safe for themselves and each other. For example, children remind each other not to run indoors. They handle scissors correctly, transferring these safely from one person to another. Children are generally well behaved and have a developing awareness of right and wrong. They respond positively to guidance from staff. For example, staff encourage children to consider others' feelings, share resources and take turns to use equipment, which children do.

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

Children have fresh drinking water throughout the day. Children are competent in managing their personal hygiene needs and even younger children wash their hands independently before eating. Children enjoy a balanced diet with healthy snacks and hot meals freshly prepared on the premises. Staff make mealtimes a social occasion where children sit together to eat at a table. However, staff miss some opportunities for children to take on suitable responsibilities, such as serving and cutting up their own food, because they do not have consistently high expectations of them.

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provision

The management team and staff have an appropriate understanding of how to meet the safeguarding and welfare requirements. All staff have attended relevant safeguarding and first-aid training. All have a secure understanding on how to identify and report any possible signs that give cause for concern about a child's welfare. They know how to protect children. Staff understand the policy on use of mobile phones and cameras in the nursery and protect children from their misuse. The management team has vetted the backgrounds of all staff to help guarantee staff suitability to work with children. The staff carry out daily risk assessments, which help to ensure they immediately take all necessary steps to limit risks. The acting manager monitors accident and medication procedures carefully to identify any patterns to reduce hazards. This means that children play safely indoors and outside.

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provision

The management team implements appropriate induction procedures, and undertakes regular checks on staff performance. The management team helps support all staff in accessing further training to enhance the provision for children, but some weaker areas of teaching are overlooked.

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provision

The nursery is suitably led by the acting manager who is keen to promote continual development and lead the setting forward. The acting manager monitors the planning and delivery of the educational programmes and children's learning. Monitoring of the educational programmes is generally effective, although teaching requires improvement because staff working with older children do not always achieve a good balance between adult-led and child- initiated activities at the planning stage. This means they do not always meet the older children's learning and development needs well. Self-evaluation takes into account the views of parents, children and staff, and recognises strengths and some weaknesses. The acting manager attends regular meetings with other professionals and acts on advice from the local early years adviser, which assists in the monitoring of the provision and gaining children additional support if needed. The staff have well-

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provision

established links with local schools and invites Rreception teachers into the nursery before the children move into their care, to aid the transfer process. Parents spoken to on the day of the inspection talked extremely positively about the nursery and reported that that staff offer a, 'a friendly learning environment where everyone is welcome'.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY412950 Local authority Bristol City Inspection number 832043 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 45 Number of children on roll 56 Name of provider Mama Bear's Day Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 06/01/2011 Telephone number 01179655096

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Setting details

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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