Dale Avenue NurseryOfsted inspection, 6 Jul 2015

Dale Avenue Nursery 41 Dale Avenue, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 6AD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 6 July 2015 15 March 2011

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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:

 The provider does not always make effective use of the available space inside and outdoors to provide a calm environment for children to play comfortably. As a result, children are not able to fully concentrate due to the noise level.  Some activities led by adults are not effective. This is because staff do not give children clear instructions, which results in disorganisation at times and hinders children's learning experiences.  Staff do not always extend children's mathematical skills during activities, in particularly their understanding of numbers and counting to help them progress further.  The management team does not effectively review the quality of the provision to identify areas that require development. Therefore, they miss opportunities to fully drive forward improvement.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff make suitable use of the different languages they speak to support children's varying communication needs.  Staff have a clear understanding of how to safeguard children, including the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child's welfare.  Staff make effective use of everyday routines to build children's independence. Therefore, children learn to manage their self-care skills in preparation for their future move to school.

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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

 ensure the premises are organised in a way that meets the needs of children at all times  improve staff knowledge of planning suitable adult-led activities that engage all children in learning more effectively.

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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

 provide more opportunities for children to develop their mathematical skills, in particular their recognition of numbers and counting  review self-evaluation processes to accurately identify areas of strengths and further development, and to consistently improve the quality of the provision.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spent the majority of the inspection observing the interaction between children and staff in the nursery and garden area.  The inspector sampled children's information and development records.  The inspector held discussions with the manager.  The inspector spoke to some parents regarding the nursery.  The inspector and manager completed a joint observation in the play room.

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who attend. This requires improvement

Staff maintain children's learning records, which include details about their likes, dislikes and interests; they use this information to plan suitable activities. However, the quality of teaching is variable at times. This is because some activities led by staff are not effective due to the large number of children taking part all at one time; this hinders children's enjoyment and concentration level. Despite this, staff set up the play room ensuring that there is a suitable range of resources available for children to explore. In addition, staff store toys at low-level to encourage children to make free choices and lead their own play. Staff promote children's interest in nature and, therefore, children enjoy learning about the lifecycle of the caterpillar. However, staff miss opportunities during some activities to extend children's recognition of numbers and counting skills.

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requires improvement

Staff generally provide a safe environment for children and offer age-appropriate resources. However, staff do not always make the best use of all the space available to fully engage children and reduce the noise level, particularly indoors. Staff suitably implement the key-person system and offer flexible settling-in sessions, which they adapt for each child to meet their emotional well-being. Staff are aware of children's individual dietary needs when preparing snacks, which includes a variety of fruit and vegetables; this helps to promote healthy lifestyles. Staff welcome parents and extended family members, such as grandparents, to stay and help their children become familiar and confident in the nursery. Parents comment that they are happy overall with the care. Staff develop effective links with other professionals, in particular the local schools, to support children when they move on to the next stage of their learning.

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provision requires improvement

The provider maintains the required adult-to-child ratios and is aware of space requirements. However, she does not organise the premises effectively to ensure children benefit from all available space, to improve the quality of learning experiences for children. The manager carries out regular staff supervision and appraisal meetings, and uses these opportunities to discuss individual performance and areas for improvement. Consequently, staff have attended behaviour management training and have implemented positive changes to promote children's well-being. The management and staff team use self-evaluation processes to target some areas for development. For example, they are continuing to develop the outdoor area. However, they do not always focus on fully identifying all weaknesses in practice in order to raise the quality of the provision.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY315868 Local authority Harrow Inspection number 847521 Type of provision Sessional provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 30 Name of provider Shanthini Sivanathan Date of previous inspection 15 March 2011 Telephone number 07790164635

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Setting details

Dale Avenue Nursery registered in 2005 and operates in Edgware, in the London Borough of Harrow. The nursery is open each weekday from 9am to 12pm during term time only. The provider is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two, three and four years old. The provider employs four staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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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