Willow Children's Centre

Willow Children's Centre Willow Childrens Centre, 1a Holbrooke Court, London, N7 0BF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27 October 2015 13 July 2011

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is good

 Children feel secure in the care of highly sensitive and nurturing staff. They make sure they get to know children extremely well, building their confidence and helping them to enjoy learning.  Children play with a range of activities and resources in a well-presented and warm environment. Staff plan activities well, such as those that reflect children's preferred styles of play, which help children become highly engaged.  There are many strategies in place that support children to understand the natural world and their place in it. Staff have developed the outdoor play space exceptionally well and offer children plenty of fresh air and exercise.  Parents have a good level of involvement in their children's learning. Staff find out about children's learning at home, and work with parents and other professionals involved in children's learning to ensure continuity.  Leaders make good use of government funding they receive to promote children's

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This provision is good

development and to help them gain the essentials skills needed for later learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Occasionally, staff do not always use daily activities to challenge older children in order to help them find their own ways to represent and develop their ideas.  Leaders do not always make the best use of monitoring systems to help them improve the good standards of teaching even further, particularly to identify ways to help older children make more rapid progress.

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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

 increase the challenges presented to older children to help them find their own ways to represent and develop their ideas to extend their learning further  improve monitoring processes to help raise the already good quality of teaching, particularly to support older children to make more rapid progress.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents.  The inspector spoke with staff, children and parents at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the deputy manager.  The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including the setting's policies, procedures and children's records.  The inspector observed children's daily play activities.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Leaders are highly skilled and embed daily procedures that reflect the needs of the children; they ensure the safety of staff and children is paramount. Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a secure understanding of local child protection procedures. They have a good level of knowledge to help them identify possible signs that may raise cause for concern. Leaders set high expectations for children's behaviour and embed a positive approach to managing any challenges. Self-evaluation processes are effective. They reflect the views of parents and other professionals in order to help identify ways to drive forward improvement. Leaders implement effective systems for staff supervision, including professional development opportunities such as further training to update staff knowledge and skills.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff plan activities for children based on a secure system of assessment. For example, they work with parents from the very start to establish children's developmental levels and to identify what they need to do in order to extend children's learning. Children get a great deal of support from staff to develop and become ready for school. Children develop good communication and language skills through activities that build a foundation for early literacy. For example, staff use signing and picture books when singing with babies, who respond by giving eye contact and copying their gestures, showing a clear level of understanding for their age.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children make outstanding progress in their personal development and behaviour. Staff place children's welfare at the centre of everything they do. Staff are highly skilled in ensuring children develop strong emotional attachments. Strategies are securely in place to help those children who need extra support to feel confident and safe in their care. Overall, children develop a positive sense of themselves, and gain strong personal, social and emotional skills. There is a great emphasis on the importance of physical play and staying healthy. Staff have high standards of care for the children. For example, they keep nappy changing facilities and milk preparation areas exceptionally clean and tidy. Children develop an awareness of their own and others' achievements. For example, staff encourage them to recognise and celebrate other children's artwork and creations, which are on display for all to see.

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Outcomes for children are good

Outcomes for children are good. They make effective progress in their learning and development. They are acquiring the necessary skills to help prepare them for their future learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 131749 Local authority Islington Inspection number 987897 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 70 Number of children on roll 62 Name of provider The London Borough of Islington Date of previous inspection 13 July 2011 Telephone number 020 7527 1990

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Setting details

Willow Children's Centre registered in 2006 and is managed by the London Borough of Islington, the borough in which they are located. The setting is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, all year round. The provider employs 30 members of staff, 22 of which hold relevant childcare qualifications. The provider receives funding to offer free early education to children aged two, three and four years.

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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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