First Chapter Day Nursery

1st Class Nursery Toll Bar Cottage, High Lane, Burscough, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L40 7SN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12 February 2016 22 November 2011

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Inadequate 4

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Inadequate 4

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate 4

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This provision is inadequate

 The provider's recruitment and vetting procedures are not thorough or robust enough to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. As a result, children's safety is compromised and their well-being cannot be fully assured.  The management team does not yet use information as well as possible to check the progress made by different groups of children.

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It has the following strengths

 Children enjoy their time in a well resourced and interesting learning environment. An exciting range of activities covers the seven areas of learning and is tailored to the children's individual stages of development. Children make good progress.  An extremely well established key-person system and effective deployment of staff helps children to form strong, secure emotional attachments. As a result, children are emotionally ready for their next steps in learning.  Children's behaviour is good. Staff use effective methods to motivate children to behave well and try hard. Staff consistently recognise children's individual achievements and give praise for their efforts.  Opportunities for parents to share information about their children and to become actively involved in their children's learning are promoted continuously.  The management team evaluates the setting and their priorities for improvement are

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It has the following strengths

clear. This supports the continuous improvement of the provision and benefits children in a positive way.

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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

 ensure that a robust recruitment and vetting process is implemented, including taking up professional references and undertaking relevant checks by the Disclosure and Barring Service to ensure that all staff looking after children are suitable to do so. 11/03/2016

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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

 enhance the use of information from assessments and further check the progress made by different groups of children.

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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, deputy managers and provider. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's self-evaluation methods 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 is inadequate

The arrangements for safeguarding are ineffective. The provider has failed to implement robust and thorough recruitment checks on one occasion. This compromises children's safety. Furthermore, new members of staff, while not left unsupervised with children, have commenced their employment without the necessary checks and references being sought. This conflicts with the setting's own internal procedures. Nevertheless, staff have a secure knowledge of safeguarding procedures. They understand what to do if they have concerns about a child's welfare. The management team completes regular observations of staff practice and identifies staff's professional development needs. This supports staff to regularly update their knowledge and has a positive impact on practice. Overall, effective monitoring ensures that the planning and assessment process is consistent and that children's skills and abilities are accurately identified. However, systems to check the

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate

progress made by different groups of children are still in their infancy.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The well-qualified staff team works hard to demonstrate high levels of commitment to the nursery. Children are cared for in a stimulating environment. Outside play is highly valued, supporting children who prefer an outdoor learning environment. Staff naturally join in with children's play, talking with them and asking them questions that help develop their thinking and language skills. Children have lots of opportunities to develop their mathematical skills. For example, they match puzzle pieces together and count how many pieces they might need. Staff support children to recognise numbers and introduce positional language during play, for example, as they build a house with wooden blocks. Children are excited about their learning and demonstrate high levels of concentration and motivation. Partnerships with parents are very good. Effective communication keeps parents informed of their children's time at the nursery.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are inadequate

Children's welfare is compromised because the provider has failed to check the suitability of all staff. Children develop a healthy lifestyle through regular physical exercise. They learn about different foods and enjoy healthy snacks and nutritious meals provided by staff. Staff are good role models for children. They offer regular praise and encouragement and continuously recognise children's achievements. One example of this is when children receive a 'happy cup' to use at mealtimes when they have been helpful, kind or considerate. This helps to promote children's confidence and self-esteem and encourages positive behaviour. Children learn how to keep themselves safe through daily routines and planned activities, such as not running indoors. Children display independence skills as they serve themselves at mealtimes, put on their own coats and boots and tidy away after themselves.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress from their starting points and are well prepared for future learning and their move to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY272250 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 848570 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 38 Number of children on roll 54 Name of provider 1st Class Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection 22 November 2011 Telephone number 01704 893 279

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Setting details

1st Class Nursery was registered in 2004. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round, closing for one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.45am 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

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

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