The Stables Nursery

The Stables Nursery The Stables Day Care Nursery, Margaretting Road, Galleywood, CHELMSFORD, CM2 8TS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 10 February 2016 9 September 2013

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 The management team's monitoring of staff's teaching practice is not thorough enough to ensure consistently good quality of teaching across the nursery.  In group activities, staff do not adapt to the differing needs and capabilities of all children to actively engage and enthuse them and provide them with sufficient challenge.  Staff miss opportunities to extend and build on children's thinking skills to develop their understanding of why things happen and how things work.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff form positive partnerships with parents. Staff update parents on their children's progress and encourage them to support their learning at home.  Children have opportunities to experience fresh air and physical exercise regularly. They have daily outdoor play in the nursery garden and take part in physical activities, such as football and dancing.  Children are provided with healthy, freshly prepared meals. Staff are diligent in meeting children's allergy and dietary requirements. They regularly liaise with parents to ensure their health needs are met.  When children first join the nursery, staff support them to settle and encourage them to make friendships with their peers.

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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

 improve the performance management of staff's practice to identify weaknesses in the quality of teaching and ensure that these are promptly addressed 10/06/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that staff plan activities effectively to take account of children's differing needs and capabilities and provide them with sufficient appropriate levels of challenge. 10/06/2016

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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

 provide children with more opportunities to think about why things happen and how things work.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The lead inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery's early years teacher.  The inspectors held a meeting with the nursery's early years teacher and the nursery manager who is also the provider. They looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff.  The inspectors spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspectors spoke to a small selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views in written testimonials.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The management team's evaluation of the nursery identifies some areas for improvement and includes the views of parents, children, staff and other professionals. However, action taken to address the recommendation set at the last inspection has not been fully successful. The management team's monitoring of staff's teaching practice is not sufficiently focused on delivering consistently good teaching throughout the nursery. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff can identify the possible indicators of abuse and take appropriate action to protect children from harm. Risk assessments and daily checks of the premises effectively promote children's safety and keep the premises secure. Staff are offered regular training and meet with the nursery's early years teacher to discuss any worries or concerns they have. Children's progress is checked on a regular basis to identify and begin to address gaps in their learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The quality of teaching throughout the nursery is variable. Staff are well qualified. However, they do not consistently engage children in purposeful interactions to extend and build on what they already know. Staff do not always adapt their practice to meet the differing needs and interests of the children. During the inspection, staff did not respond to children's wandering attention during singing activities and story time. These activities were too long for some children to sustain their interest. Children's motivation to learn and their ability to remain engaged are not always supported. Staff also often miss opportunities to build on children's thinking skills. Staff's assessments of children's achievements are accurate. However, due to the inconsistencies in teaching, the planning is not consistently used to challenge children in practice. Staff work appropriately with outside agencies to implement sufficient support for disabled children and those with

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

special educational needs. Staff incorporate the home languages of children who speak English as an additional language into play activities.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff often miss opportunities to get down to the children's level to engage with them appropriately to reassure them and build on their confidence. Older children develop some independence skills as they are encouraged to attend to their personal-care needs. Younger children build close attachments to their key person and with each other. Staff manage children's movement between nursery rooms appropriately. They share information about children's care needs and development with the next key person. Children have regular settling-in sessions before making the permanent move. Their behaviour is positive. Children learn how to share and use good manners.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children are not making progress beyond what is typical for their age and stage given their starting points and capabilities. Children are developing some skills they need to be ready for school as they gain independence and socialise well with each other. They use chopsticks to pick up grains of rice, helping to develop their finger muscles and coordination in preparation for early writing.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 204074 Local authority Essex Inspection number 1028728 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 120 Number of children on roll 123 Name of provider Avis Richardson and Susan Mann Partnership Date of previous inspection 9 September 2013 Telephone number 01245 348159

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Setting details

The Stables Nursery was registered in 2000. The nursery employs 20 members of childcare staff. Of these, 18 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including one with Early Years Professional 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. It supports disabled children and those with special educational needs and children 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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