Lexham Gardens Playhouse

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13 July 2015 4 May 2012

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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

 Observation, assessment and planning methods are effective. The quality of teaching is good and staff plan challenging next steps for children's learning. Consequently, all children make good progress in preparation for school.  Children are provided with a good balance of planned activities and opportunities to choose their own play. Children have fun; they are enthusiastic and motivated to learn.  Staff support children's well-being effectively, as there is an established key-person system in place. Therefore, children settle-in well and build strong relationships.  The management team shows a strong commitment to improve outcomes for all children. The team uses effective systems to monitor and evaluate most aspects of the provision and continually makes improvements to benefit children.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff have not managed to find enough successful ways to encourage all parents to support their children's development and learning at home.  Staff do not always extend opportunities for children to develop their understanding of counting and numbers as they undertake activities.

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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

 extend the good relationships the nursery already has with parents by finding additional ways of encouraging all parents to support their children's learning and development  provide more opportunities for children to use numbers and counting in their play.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spent the majority of the inspection time observing the children in the nursery as they played.  The inspector sampled children's information and development records.  The inspector held discussions with the registered provider and manager.  The inspector talked to one parent and read recent feedback forms to obtain parents' views about the nursery.  The inspector and manager completed a joint observation at circle time.

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who attend. This is good

Children enjoy lots of interesting and exciting activities to help them learn. There is a good balance of adult-led activities, planned together with lots of time for children to lead their own play. Children particularly enjoy many sensory activities and spend some time engaged in this exploration. For example, children are completely absorbed in sand and water play, where they transfer the water to the sand. They notice how the sand texture changes as it becomes wetter and enjoy feeling the wet sand drip through their fingers. Staff plan some focused activities and use an interactive white board to support telling a story about going on holiday. Children enjoy this small-group time and join in with a game. Afterwards, they recall and choose what they would add to their suitcase. This supports children's communication and language, and their developing understanding of the world.

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good

Children settle quickly and form secure bonds with the staff. Children's independence is flourishing, as staff teach children good self-care routines. Children serve themselves healthy, well-balanced meals at lunchtime and pour their own drinks. Staff teach children healthy habits by taking them outdoors in the garden for fresh air and exercise. They enjoy running and exploring the many areas in this interesting space. Parents are welcomed into the nursery and are encouraged to share information about their children. Staff continue to look for new ideas of how to strengthen partnerships further. They have built up links with other agencies, having a particularly good relationship with the local children's centre. Staff complete regular daily checks to ensure the premises and equipment are suitable. Management acts promptly on any advice given in regards to safety on the premises and this protects children's overall safety.

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provision is good

Strong leadership ensures that staff are clear in their roles and responsibilities. They receive good support to guide their professional development through regular supervision and opportunities to complete further training. Since the last inspection, the staff team has undergone extensive training to support its observation, assessment and planning knowledge which is now embedded and effective. In addition, the staff team is creative and innovative in using new ways of working. In particular, the team shows enthusiasm for making the best use of sensory materials to engage children's learning. This has a positive impact on outcomes for children. Staff have a secure knowledge of the safeguarding procedures to follow should they be concerned about a child's welfare. This helps them to protect children from harm.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY431892 Local authority Kensington & Chelsea Inspection number 823728 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Domestic Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 24 Number of children on roll 20

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Telephone number

Lexham Gardens Playhouse registered in 2011. The nursery operates from domestic premises in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 3pm, during school term times. A holiday play scheme runs during some of the school holidays. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs five staff; of whom, four hold relevant childcare qualifications.

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Telephone number

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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Telephone number

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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Telephone number

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Telephone number

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

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