Headstart Nursery

Headstart Nursery The Old School, Dudley Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 9AB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15 January 2016 25 September 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

 Leadership and management are exemplary. The extremely effective supervision systems in place ensure teaching is consistently of an inspirational quality. Staff are exceptionally responsive to meet all children's individual needs.  Staff demonstrate high expectations for all children. The leadership team values and actively seeks the views of staff, parents and children. They ensure all children continue to reach high levels of achievement.  Activities are inspiring and meticulously planned. They consistently provide children with learning experiences that provide optimal challenge. They ignite children's curiosity, stimulate their imaginations and spark their creativity.  Staff make accurate assessments of the progress children make. These and the robust monitoring of the achievements made by different groups of children, quickly identify where children may be slow to develop.  Children are extremely confident and very self-assured. They behave exceptionally well.

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This provision is outstanding

They do not distract others or become distracted themselves.  Children enthusiastically explore the exceptionally motivating outdoor resources and equipment. This helps them to develop their skills of movement and coordination. The wealth of excellent construction materials, building catalogues and car manuals particularly, help to promote boys' reading and writing skills.  Children make consistently high rates of progress in relation to their starting points. They are energetic learners, confident communicators and assertive problem solvers.  Successful relationships with other childcare professionals ensure that all children, including disabled children and those with special educational needs, get the additional support they need.

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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

 consider additional ways in which to improve the settling-in processes to further support the emotional well-being of children who speak English as an additional language.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact this has on the children's learning.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager and the deputy manager.  The inspector held meetings with the manager, deputy manager, area manager and owners of the nursery.  The inspector looked at all areas used by the children and spoke with them and staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector looked at the assessments of children's progress and the planning documentation.  The inspector checked the evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff and discussed the nursery's self-evaluation form and improvement plans.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of inspection and read parents' written testimonials.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The leadership team creates a culture of vigilance where staff are highly trained in child protection. All staff fully understand the procedures to follow should they have concerns about a child's welfare. Leaders keep up to date with changes in national and local childcare policies. They ensure all staff, through a highly focused programme of professional development, continually meet all statutory requirements to an exceptional standard. Management works closely with the local authority, local colleges and other childcare providers. They are active members of the Local Leaders of Education Project. The focus of the project is to enhance the emotional well-being of children who speak English as an additional language. Managers are further exploring how they can strengthen the settling-in arrangements and relationships with parents for this group of children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Well-qualified and experienced staff have expert knowledge of the age group of children they care for. Staff caring for toddlers, including funded two-year-old children, have undertaken supplementary training in how best to care for and promote the learning for this group of children. Staff share good quality feedback with parents about the progress their children make. Parents highly value the support staff give them and are actively involved in their children's learning at the nursery and at home. This further contributes to the rapid progress children make. Successful deployment of staff ensures children have the freedom to choose where they want to play. This actively contributes to providing children with the time to become deeply involved in their chosen activity. Older children listen intently to, and are highly interested in, what adults and their friends have to say.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children's welfare is central to everything staff do. This is evident through the highly remarkable nursery environment which is purposefully designed to meet all children's individual needs. The layout of each room promotes children's confidence in their own abilities and independence skills exceptionally well. Children demonstrate a very strong sense of belonging. The homely smell of bed linen which parents provide helps staff to reassure babies and toddlers throughout the day and at sleep times. Babies, in particular, love to look at photographs of themselves, their friends and other important people in their lives. This, as well as an exceptional range of resources, reflects and values the diversity of children's experiences and backgrounds. The key-person system is highly effective. Staff sensitively help children to form close bonds with them and other members of staff. They support children's moves within the nursery exceptionally well. Children only

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

move to the next room when they are emotionally and confidently ready to do so.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children's achievement is outstanding. Children enjoy meeting challenges for their own sake and are proud of their accomplishments. Staff help children develop exceptionally strong foundations for future learning, such as starting school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 253674 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 854828 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 11 Total number of places 145 Number of children on roll 212 Name of provider Diane Smith & Susan Jenkins Partnership Date of previous inspection 25 September 2009 Telephone number 01476 591744

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Setting details

Headstart Nursery was opened in 1991 and re-registered in 1994. It is privately owned. The nursery employs 23 members of childcare staff. Of these, 19 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, one at level 4 and one at level 5. The manager holds Early Years Teacher Status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round, except for bank holidays and for one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Before, after-school and holiday club sessions are available for children up to the age of 11 years. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports disabled children and those with special educational needs, and those who speak English as an additional language.

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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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