Oak Tree Day Nursery

Oak Tree Day Nursery Newton Park, Newton St. Loe, Bath, Avon, BA2 9BN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 May 2015 2 November 2009

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Previous inspection: Good 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend Requires improvement The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children Requires improvement 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:

 Managers and staff do not deploy themselves effectively at all times. This means younger children are not consistently supervised to ensure their care needs are met. Managers and staff do not offer children an effective balance between activities adult- led and child-initiated play, to fully support children's spontaneous ideas in play.  The quality of teaching is variable. This is because staff's questioning techniques are not consistent across the nursery. As a result, some children are not always given time to use their language skills or extend their vocabulary.

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It has the following strengths

 Children are developing a clear understanding about healthy lifestyles. Managers and staff provide opportunities for them to play outdoors, and enjoy forest school activities. This promotes their physical development.  Managers and staff provide clear and consistent boundaries to children. As a result, children demonstrate age-appropriate, acceptable behaviour.  Partnerships with parents are established. Regular updates on children's interests and achievements are shared between staff and parents and they speak positively of the care that their children receive.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage the provider must:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

 improve the supervision and deployment of staff to ensure children are adequately supervised and their care needs are met at all times in the baby room  improve the quality of teaching to a consistently good standard by ensuring activities are less structured and there is a balance between activities adult-led and those children spontaneously choose for themselves  ensure children's communication and language development are promoted using age and stage appropriate questioning and conversation to enhance their vocabulary.

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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

 ensure a sufficient number of persons is present at all times to ensure the safety and welfare of children (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure a sufficient number of persons is present at all times to ensure the safety and welfare of children (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities throughout the nursery and outside play area.  The inspector held discussions with the management team and spoke with children and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including staff suitability checks, the self-assessment information, children's observation, assessment and planning records, and documentation linked to managing children's progress.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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who attend. This requires improvement

Managers and staff cannot ensure they are consistently meeting children's individual needs. This is because not all staff deploy themselves effectively. For example, one member of staff looked after eight young children while other staff completed domestic duties, such as cleaning tables or changing nappies. Despite this, the risk to children is not significant because staff are within hearing distance. Managers and staff make regular observations of what children do, like and enjoy. This helps them identify and plan for children's next steps in learning. However, staff do not always provide a balance of adult- led and spontaneous child-initiated activities. For example, children sat for over an hour and a half as they participated in story time, lunchtime and then a structured singing session. Consequently, children lost interest. Children have opportunities to be creative and managers and staff provide opportunities for children to develop mathematical skills.

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who attend. This requires improvement

As a result, children make satisfactory progress to support their readiness for school.

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requires improvement

Managers and staff assign each child a key person who helps them settle. Consequently, children are confident and form emotional attachments with their special person. Key people manage children's move between rooms until children feel settled in their new environment. Children enjoy a range of healthy snacks, such as crackers, fresh fruit and toast, which meets their individual dietary and cultural requirements. However, managers and staff do not make the most of routines, such as mealtimes, to encourage children's understanding, communication and language. For example, at snack time young children identify and tell staff that they have a pear and banana. However, staff do not extend conversation and often reply with a one-word answer. This limits the opportunities that children have to benefit from teaching that should help them develop their vocabulary and extend their learning.

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provision requires improvement

Managers and staff understand their duty to protect children if they have a concern about a child's welfare. The staff team receives adequate support through the appraisal and supervision process and managers monitor the delivery of the educational programmes. This helps to identify training needs and contributes towards professional development. For example, all staff recently attended emotional well-being and involvement training. As a result, children make satisfactory progress. Appropriate arrangements are in place to evaluate the setting and include the opinions of parents and children. Managers and staff understand the importance of working in partnerships with other settings. This means adequate strategies are in place to ensure all children receive continuity in their care.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 133089 Local authority Bath & NE Somerset Inspection number 840945 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 27 Number of children on roll 29 Name of provider Bath Spa University Date of previous inspection 2 November 2009 Telephone number 01225 875590

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Setting details

Oak Tree Day Nursery opened in 1995. The nursery operates from the grounds of the Bath Spa University, Bath. The nursery is open from 8am to 6pm, from Monday to Friday throughout the year. There are seven members of staff, of whom two hold an early years degree, one holds a Leadership and Management Degree and an appropriate level 3 qualification, the remaining 4 hold an appropriate level 3 qualification.

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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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