Little Lot Nursery Limited

The Little Lot Nursery West Avenue, Stockton Heath, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 6HX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15 September 2015 20 June 2011

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 The manager's supervision of staff does not effectively identify strengths and weaknesses in staff practice. Therefore, staff do not receive appropriate support and coaching to improve their teaching.  Staff do not use the information gathered from their observations and assessments to plan suitably challenging activities based on children's individual next steps in learning.  The manager does not effectively monitor the quality of practice to ensure that children's individual needs are being met consistently.

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It has the following strengths

 Children are happy and settled. They have formed good relationships with staff and other children. This helps to support their confidence and emotional well-being.  Staff successfully promote children's developing language and communication skills. They discuss activities with children that they are involved in and pose questions to help extend children's learning and critical-thinking skills.  The well-resourced outdoor area is used every day by children and provides a wide range of learning experiences. Children are provided with plenty of opportunities, which supports a healthy lifestyle.

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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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Due Date

 implement appropriate supervision and performance management of staff to identify strengths and weaknesses in their practice and provide advice and guidance as to how they can improve the quality of their teaching 18/01/2016

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Due Date

 develop and embed the new assessment systems to identify specific next steps for children and use these to plan challenging activities that support and extend children's learning and development. 18/01/2016

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Due Date

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

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Due Date

 improve the monitoring of the quality of teaching, including the planning and assessment systems, so that weaknesses are quickly identified and effective action is taken to secure consistently good practice.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager and provider. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to a small selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The provider understands her responsibility to ensure that the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are met. She displays a commitment to making improvements and evaluates the provision with the support of staff and the local authority. Since the last inspection the manager has introduced new ways of assessing children's progress. However, these are not yet effective as the manager fails to monitor these closely enough to be able to identify any gaps in children's learning or inconsistencies. A recent audit has resulted in some positive changes to the learning environment and the experiences available to children. Staff have opportunities to attend training and the provider ensures all mandatory training, including first aid is kept up to date. However, supervision and monitoring of staff practice is not effective. This is because the manager does not set clear targets for individual staff as to how they may improve or develop their teaching skills.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have a good awareness of the policies and procedures to follow should they have concerns about children in their care.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff use a range of strategies to support children's developing language and communication skills. They include opportunities for numbers and counting in everyday activities, such as songs and number rhymes. Staff complete observations and assessments of children's learning and development. However, the information gained is not always used effectively to identify individual next steps in children's learning. This means that activities and experiences planned for children do not always take account of their individual needs and address any gaps in their learning. Parents have access to children's learning files and are invited to attend meetings with their child's key person. Children have access to a well-resourced environment both indoors and outdoors, where they can follow their own interests and make choices in their learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

The key-person system works well and supports children to settle quickly into the nursery. Staff are good role models they regularly offer children guidance and gentle reminders about their behaviour. They give praise and encouragement to children during activities and this helps to support their self-esteem. Children's good health is promoted by offering a range of healthy snacks and by encouraging children to follow good hygiene routines. The organisation of the outdoor environment supports children's developing physical skills well. The staff help to prepare children for their next stage in learning and move to school by establishing relationships with the local schools and through sharing information.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

All children make steady progress in their learning in relation to their starting points. Children are provided with opportunities to develop their literacy skills. They learn about different letters and sounds and practise their mark-making skills. This helps to prepare children with some of the basic skills needed for their next stage in learning and move to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 315319 Local authority Warrington Inspection number 868299 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 40 Name of provider The Little Lot Limited Date of previous inspection 20 June 2011 Telephone number 01925 215642

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Setting details

The Little Lot Nursery was registered in 1992. The nursery employs six members of childcare staff. All of these hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, term time only, from 8.30am until 3.30pm. 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

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Setting details

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