The Learning Tree

The Learning Tree Unit 7, Whitehills Business Park, Whitehills Drive, Blackpool, FY4 5LW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26 October 2015 12 January 2011

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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

 The quality of teaching is excellent as staff provide rich, varied and imaginative experiences based on children's interests and learning styles. As a result, children are highly motivated, eager to explore and develop a thirst for learning.  The key-person system is exceptionally good. Each child is respected and valued. Children form very strong attachments with the very well-trained staff who care for them each day. Children are supported exceptionally well to develop a growing understanding of how to tackle new challenges with confidence and self-assurance.  The highly reflective management team uses innovative methods to constantly drive up standards across the already outstanding nursery. The manager is well qualified and has a real passion for research and development, to further enhance her team. She shares her superb knowledge and skills with staff and parents, to help inspire and harness diverse and effective learning experiences for children.

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This provision is outstanding

 Children's safety and safeguarding is central to everything staff do. Children have outstanding opportunities to think and learn about staying safe in a wide variety of situations. The teaching about hygiene routines and why some rules are needed to promote children's well-being is exceptional.  Partnerships with parents are exemplary. They contribute to the comprehensive assessment documents to enable any gaps in children's learning to be promptly identified, so that early support can be sought, if necessary. This shared approach supports children's learning and development, and well-being both in their own home and in the nursery.  Children are provided with an inspiring, welcoming and stimulating environment, indoors and outside. The enthusiastic and caring practitioner team ensures that imaginative and engaging learning opportunities are provided throughout the nursery.

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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 support children's understanding of different religions, faiths and customs.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outside, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held meetings with the provider and managers of the setting.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the provider's self-evaluation form and improvement plan.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The highly dynamic and inspirational management team has high expectations of themselves, the children and staff. Managers have an excellent understanding of the requirements of the statutory and other government requirements. Procedures to recruit, induct and train new staff into the nursery are highly robust. There are exceptionally rigorous systems to bring about continuous improvement in staff practice, including the identification of their training needs. Regular staff supervision and an ongoing programme of highly focused training and continuous professional development means that staff are extremely competent. This has an extremely positive effect on the quality of teaching and learning. Parents regularly communicate with staff about their children's needs and experiences, and provide detailed initial information when they start. The views of parents are sought frequently, and inform

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

targets, as part of the highly successful drive for continuous improvement.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

The highly motivated and dynamic staff provide children with a superb range of opportunities and experiences that encourages their eagerness to learn. The quality of teaching is consistently outstanding. Staff expertly promote children's communication skills. They respond to children's interests and curiosities by interacting exceptionally well throughout the day. They use a variety of very effective strategies to encourage children to talk about their thoughts and ideas, which contributes to their growing confidence in speaking. Staff skilfully introduce mathematics and literacy throughout children's play. Children begin to develop excellent early reading and writing, and critical-thinking skills. Planning, assessment and tracking of children's development is focused, precise and extremely effective. As a result, all children make excellent progress from their starting points.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff provide first-class support for children's emotional and physical well-being. Care practices are exceptionally well targeted to meet their individual needs. Staff make highly effective use of all opportunities to promote children's development of independence, including their self-care skills. As a result, children are confident and self-motivated because their emotional well-being is very well promoted. Staff are superb role models and have high expectations of the children. Children fully understand what is expected of them and their behaviour is exemplary. There are a variety of well-considered opportunities for children to learn about similarities, differences and diversity in the local and global community. Children become familiar with Christianity as they say grace before meals. However, there is capacity to enhance children's understanding of other religions, faiths and customs.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children thrive and make rapid progress from their starting points. They are very well prepared for the next stages in their learning, including when the time comes to move to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY315896 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 873167 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 124 Number of children on roll 95 Name of provider Sarah Jayne Garside Date of previous inspection 12 January 2011 Telephone number 01253 699599

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Setting details

The Learning Tree was registered in 2005. The nursery employs 19 members of childcare staff. Of these, 18 hold appropriate early years qualifications from level 3 to level 4, and the manager holds Qualified Teacher Status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. 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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