Grove Cottage

Grove Cottage 151 London Road, BISHOP'S STORTFORD, Hertfordshire, CM23 3JX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25 March 2015 1 December 2008

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3

Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Good 2

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3

The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Good 2

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3

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Requires improvement The setting does not meet legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 The provider has not informed Ofsted of changes to members of the board of trustees.  Children are not able to see and use the visual timetable to enable them to gain a better understanding of the routine of the session.  Staff do not always help children to fully develop their independence, particularly with their hygiene routines.

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It has the following strengths

 Children enjoy their play at this welcoming nursery as staff know children's individual needs extremely well. They plan a wide range of stimulating activities around their interests, skilfully adapting them to ensure that all children are included. As a result, children make good progress in relation to their starting points.  An effective key-person system enables the dedicated staff team to form secure and trusting relationships with children and their families. Staff are perceptive to children's needs and attuned to their verbal and non-verbal communication. Children's specific needs are understood and their well-being is effectively promoted.  Regular visits from a laughter specialist provide children with a real boost which increases their self-esteem and self-confidence. Weekly swimming lessons and visits to the little gym help develop their strength.  There is a strong ethos of working in partnerships with parents and specialist

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It has the following strengths

professionals. Staff provide parents with valuable emotional support and a wealth of ideas to support their children's learning at home. They attend regular coffee mornings and are encouraged to borrow specific resources.  Staff implement effective practices and procedures to safeguard children, which keeps them protected from harm. These include rigorous risk assessments to identify and minimise hazards on and off the premises.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 help children to understand the routine of the session, for example, by enlarging and making the visual timetable more accessible  maximise the opportunities for children to be independent, particularly with regard to managing their own hygiene, for example, by consistently encouraging and supporting children with wiping their noses.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 inform Ofsted of the name, date of birth, address and telephone number of any partner, director, senior officer or other member of the governing body (compulsory part of the Childcare Register).

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the indoor and outdoor areas of the nursery.  The inspector spoke to members of staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector held a meeting with the chief executive officer, the nominated person and the manager of the provision.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.  The inspector looked at children's records, planning documentation, evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting and a range of other documentation, including policies and procedures to safeguard children's welfare.  The inspector reviewed the setting's self-evaluation form.

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who attend. This is good

Staff's detailed observations and precise assessments of children's skills enable them to accurately identify and precisely plan for their next steps in learning. Overall, the quality of teaching is good. For example, children's attention is immediately captured during group story time. This is because staff are extremely animated. They make stories come alive by introducing musical instruments and encouraging children to dance like the animals in the story. Staff talk to children about the routine and activities of the session. There is a visual timetable in place. However, the location and size of it means that not all children can understand it or use it as an interactive tool for communication. Children are motivated and persevere at challenging, but realistic tasks. For example, they develop good control and coordination as they work out how to connect plastic eggs together. This is because staff provide a high level of praise and encouragement.

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good

Access to the inviting and stimulating outdoor area inspires children to be active. The physical arrangement of high quality specialist equipment and toys ensures that all children, including those with mobility difficulties access these with ease. The fantastic multi-sensory room provides children with an oasis of relaxation and interactive experiences vital for their emotional well-being. Staff are very effective in deploying themselves throughout the session to support their individual key children. They place a high priority on managing children's dietary and health requirements. Staff plan some specific activities to encourage children to develop a good independent hygiene routine. For example, children explore the sensation of soap foam in preparation for hand washing. However, opportunities to support children's self-help skills further are not consistent. For example, staff do not consistently encourage children to wipe their own noses in order to

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good

further promote their independence in personal hygiene.

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provision requires improvement

The provider has not fulfilled the legal duty of informing Ofsted of changes to members of the board of trustees. Most members have current Disclosure and Barring Service checks. However, Ofsted has not been given sufficient information to complete the full suitability checks. This does not have direct impact on the welfare of the children. Current practice means that the members are not in the nursery during operation. The enthusiastic manager and dedicated staff team continuously evaluate and build upon their practice. There is a clear vision for improvement. For example, exciting plans are in place to seek larger purpose-built premises for the nursery. The manager's careful attention to monitoring the educational programmes ensures that children enjoy their experiences and make good progress. The manager encourages staff to continually enhance their knowledge by attending regular training to specially support those children attending. She

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provision requires improvement

is currently supporting three members of staff to achieve their Early Years Educator qualification.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY372502 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 858128 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 15 Name of provider Bishops Stortford Mencap Date of previous inspection 1 December 2008 Telephone number 01279 656085

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Setting details

Grove Cottage opened in 1972 and is run by Bishop's Stortford Mencap Society. All children attending have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. All of these hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above, including one with Qualified Teacher Status. The nursery opens from Monday to Thursday during term time only. Sessions are from 9.30am until 2.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Setting details

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

procedures set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Setting details

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Setting details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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