Headstart Nursery and Pre-School

Headstart Chester Ltd 32 Heath Road, Upton, Chester, CH2 1HX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 April 2015 31 January 2011

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This inspection: Good 2

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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This inspection: Good 2

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

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This inspection: Good 2

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

The setting meets legal requirements for early years settings

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This provision is good

 Staff organise a broad range of well-planned activities for children. The assessment of children's achievements is accurate and precise, which supports children to make good progress in their learning.  Younger children become confident and articulate during their play through the effective relationships they develop with adults and older children.  Children follow good hygiene routines. They enjoy healthy snacks and regular exercise outdoors, which promotes their good health.  Leadership and management demonstrate a strong commitment to promoting high- quality provision. Regular training opportunities undertaken by staff ensure qualification levels are appropriate and the quality of teaching is consistently good. This has had a positive impact on the learning experiences offered to children.  Staff effectively model good behaviour and have high expectations of children. Consequently, children behave well; they are caring and show kindness to others.

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This provision is good

 Staff hold current first-aid qualifications and have attended safeguarding training. They have a very good knowledge of the procedures to follow if they have any child- protection concerns.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Strategies to engage parents of children with additional needs in the assessment of their children's progress or to help them to guide children's learning at home are not always successful.

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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

 improve strategies to engage parents of children with additional needs in their children's assessments and in guiding their children's learning at home, by developing more effective ways of sharing information with them.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact this has on children's learning, both inside and out.  The inspector spoke to members of staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection and held meetings with 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, accident/incident reports, risk assessment documentation, evidence of the suitability of staff working in the provision and a range of other documentation, including policies and procedures.

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who attend. This is good

Staff provide a good range of activities to promote children's learning and development across the seven areas. Children have unlimited access to an excellent range of toys and resources that help them develop independence and lead their own play. Pre-school children are excited to explore cultural differences and enjoy learning Spanish to enhance their knowledge of the world. Staff in the baby room model language and make good use of opportunities to talk to children and introduce new words. As a result, children are making good progress in their communication and language skills. Staff effectively link assessments and next steps in learning to their planning to ensure challenging activities are provided for all children. An innovative system is used to exchange information about children's achievements. However, arrangements to engage parents of children with additional needs in discussions about future support are not always successful.

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good

Staff are warm and welcoming, developing positive relationships with children by offering praise and reassurance. Children have opportunities to be active and engage in physical play both indoors and in the extensive outdoor environment. They know why this is important to their health. Staff meet children's individual dietary needs with healthy meals and snacks. Children benefit from strong attachments with adults to develop their social skills and confidence. Staff help children to develop a good knowledge and understanding of the world. For example, staff encourage children to tidy away their resources and talk about the benefits of caring for people and the environment. Children develop positive attitudes to others and to learning, which help them get ready for school.

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provision is good

The management team have a secure knowledge of the learning and development requirements and how to keep children safe. They review risks in the environment regularly and involve children in helping to keep the nursery safe and secure. The management team are committed to promoting good-quality provision for children and their parents. Systems for evaluating what is working and what needs to improve are robust. They regularly seek the views of children and parents and use these to full effect in their planning. Effective systems for monitoring staff performance result in children having good-quality care and learning opportunities throughout the day. Monitoring of children's progress is linked to planning, to ensure consistency in extending children's learning. Effective partnerships with the out of school club and school help to maintain continuity for children as they move from one setting to another during the day.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY101776 Local authority Cheshire West and Chester Inspection number 855659 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 14 Total number of places 104 Number of children on roll 146 Name of provider Headstart (Chester) Limited Date of previous inspection 31 January 2011 Telephone number 01244 382333

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Setting details

Headstart Chester Ltd opened in 2002 and is privately owned. The nursery is open from 7.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday, all year round. The out of school club is open from 7.30am to 9am and 3pm to 6pm during term time and from 7.30 to 6pm during school holidays. There are 27 members of staff, including one early years teacher and 16 staff qualified to level 3 in childcare.

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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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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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