Great Totham Nursery

Great Totham Nursery Great Totham Village Hall, Colchester Road, Great Totham, Maldon, Essex, CM9 8NH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 4 June 2015 25 March 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

 Arrangements for safeguarding children are robust so children are very well protected at this setting. Staff are vigilant and have an excellent understanding of their responsibilities to keep children safe.  Children's independence is well promoted. They are confident and developing good social skills because of the good support and encouragement that they receive from the staff. As a result, children are emotionally well prepared for the move on to school.  Children make good progress because teaching is of high quality.  The provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is good. Staff draw on the expertise of other professionals and make necessary adjustments which enable children to succeed in their learning.  Strong partnerships with parents and other professionals mean that children receive the support that they need to achieve.  Staff work very closely with the receiving schools to ensure that the transfer to school

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This provision is good

is a pleasant experience for children and their parents. The nursery shares information with other settings that the children attend to ensure continuity of learning and care.  Accurate self-evaluation incorporates the views of parents, children and staff, contributes to the successful improvements in the provision and good standards of achievement for the children.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not always provide sufficient challenge for the older children during story time sessions.  Opportunities for reinforcing and extending children's already good early writing skills are limited in the outdoor learning environment.

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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

 review the arrangements for story times in order to provide good levels of challenge appropriate to children's age and stage of development  provide more opportunities to reinforce and extend children's already good early writing skills through outdoor play.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the manager and conducted a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector observed learning activities in both indoor and outdoor play areas.  The inspector interacted with children and staff.  The inspection looked at documents relating to safeguarding, children's assessment records, staff records, policies and the nursery's self-evaluation.  The inspector checked evidence of staff qualifications and suitability.  The inspector spoke to parents present on the day.

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who attend. This is good

Teaching is rooted in the staff's good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Rigorous observation and assessment systems enable staff to plan rich learning opportunities that engage and motivate the children. Planning is thorough and takes account of children's individual needs and interests. Children's language and communication skills are very well supported. Children thoroughly enjoy role play at the 'doctor's surgery' as they book appointments and write out prescriptions. Their play is well supported because of good modelling from the staff. Children share books in the book corner and begin to link letters and sounds. They join in with a familiar story at story time although the organisation of this activity is not always effective. At times, there is insufficient challenge for the older children and some younger children become distracted. Nature walks provide good opportunities for children to explore the local area and observe

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who attend. This is good

seasonal changes. Children's basic skills are developing well in readiness for school. However, there are very few opportunities for early writing activities in the outdoor play area. Parents are well-informed on how to help their children at home because of the good support they receive from the staff.

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good

Children are well cared for in this safe, fun and stimulating caring environment. They form strong bonds and emotional attachments with their key persons. This helps them feel safe with a strong sense of belonging. Staff are highly skilled in promoting children's independence. Children self-register, help themselves to snacks and water and manage their self-care well. Children are exceptionally well behaved because they know what is expected of them. The nursery's rules are reinforced during group discussion times to ensure that children adopt safe practices at all times. Children's efforts and achievements are praised and rewarded which boosts their self-esteem. Children enjoy healthy snacks, which contributes to their good health. There are good arrangements for children with special dietary needs. The new outdoor play area provides good opportunities for children to be physically active on a daily basis.

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provision is good

The manager provides strong leadership for a highly effective team of committed and well-qualified staff. Staff are thoroughly checked to ensure their suitability to work with children. Systems for monitoring staff performance are good. A well-established programme of professional development means that the staff are well trained according to their roles and responsibilities. This enables them to successfully meet the diverse needs of the children. Staff are very reflective of their practice and strive to improve outcomes for the children. Robust tracking systems mean that the manager has an accurate overview of children's progress. This ensures that gaps in achievement are promptly identified and addressed. Parents are highly appreciative of the quality of learning and care provided. They are kept well informed of their children's progress.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 404897 Local authority Essex Inspection number 869032 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 26 Number of children on roll 56 Name of provider Great Totham Nursery Committee Date of previous inspection 25 March 2011 Telephone number 07960947931

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Setting details

Great Totham Nursery was registered in 2000. The nursery employs 10 members of childcare staff. All of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above, including one with Qualified Teacher Status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Morning sessions are from are 9.30am until 12.30pm every day, and afternoon sessions are from 12.30pm until 3.30pm from Monday to Thursday. 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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