Start Point Northam

Start Point Northam Kent Street, Northam, Southampton, Hampshire, SO14 5SP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 8 October 2015 9 February 2009

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Staff follow excellent procedures to get to know children as individuals before they start at the nursery. They build positive relationships with families and, as a result, children soon settle. They are ready and eager to start learning because they are emotionally secure.  Children make excellent progress in their learning and development because they are enthusiastic learners. The dedicated staff team inspires children to be inquisitive and learn through experimenting and wanting to develop new skills.  The manager provides an exceptional role model for staff. She drives improvement through setting extremely high standards and supporting staff in meeting them. As a result, the quality of teaching is outstanding.  Staff assessments of children's progress are precise and effectively inform planning to offer children individualised learning. The qualified staff team tailors activities to suit children's specific needs.

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This provision is outstanding

 Children who are learning English as an additional language receive exceptionally skilled support. The highly motivated staff know children extremely well. They provide a relaxed environment with an abundance of fun activities where all children are respected and valued. This provides children with a strong base to build on and develop their learning so they make rapid progress.  There are strong partnerships with parents who are involved in their children's learning. The staff team actively listens to children and parents. They value their views and act on what they say.

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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 even more opportunities to share information with all parents about their child's learning and development.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff interactions with the children and the quality of teaching during a range of activities, indoors and outdoors.  The inspector spoke to parents, staff and children.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector sampled documentation, including children's records, policies and procedures, and evidence of the suitability of staff.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The manager is highly qualified. She has an ambitious vision for the pre-school and responds to the needs of the children and families. The manager is extremely effective at monitoring children's learning and development. She ensures they identify gaps in learning quickly and provide specific support to close them. This includes using additional funding to obtain resources to encourage children's learning at home. Although the manager and staff provide an abundance of information about the pre-school and children's learning, they do not always provide it in a wide range of different ways to make it easily accessible for all parents. Safeguarding is effective. The manager ensures the premises are safe and secure. She implements comprehensive procedures to ensure the supervision of children, particularly at collection times, is highly effective. Staff attend regular training and know what to do if they have concerns about a child's welfare. The manager uses rigorous staff

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

supervision processes to ensure all staff remain highly trained and suitable for their role.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

The quality of teaching is outstanding. Children have long periods of uninterrupted time to fully engage in their chosen activity. The well-qualified staff team understands how to teach and knows when to join in to extend children's learning. Staff skilfully question children and give them time to think and respond with their ideas. Children independently turn a cardboard box into a car and develop their play as they hunt for a steering wheel. Staff successfully use signs and model language, for example, to help extend children's vocabulary. All children make excellent progress and learn to talk confidently. Staff quickly recognise when children make less progress than expected. They work closely with parents and other professionals to identify strategies to help children reach their next step.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

The behaviour of the children is exceptional. Children take turns, share resources willingly and resolve conflicts quickly. Children have excellent relationships with staff. They are confident to try things for themselves and explore the inviting environment. Staff support children to be self-motivated and to take care of themselves. They put on coats to go outside and find a tissue for a runny nose. Staff talk to children about eating healthily as they choose from a range of fresh fruits at snack time. Children develop excellent physical skills as they use a wide range of equipment. Staff teach children about staying safe. For example, they remind them to use the handrail when walking down steps.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Outcomes for children are excellent with all children succeeding extremely well. Children show high levels of motivation and are exceptionally keen learners. They develop an exemplary range of skills ready for starting school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 131570 Local authority Southampton Inspection number 825507 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 32 Name of provider Southampton City Council Date of previous inspection 9 February 2009 Telephone number 02380 336527

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Setting details

Start Point Northam registered in 2000. It is run by the local authority and operates from Northam Community Centre. The nursery opens each weekday during term time only. Sessions run from 8.45am to 11.45am and from 12.30pm to 3.30pm. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early years education for children aged two, three and four years. There are nine members of staff. One holds Qualified Teacher Status, one holds a qualification at level 6 and the remainder hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or 3.

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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

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

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