The Oxford Nursery

The Oxford Nursery The Nursery, Sanders Road, Oxford, OX4 4GD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23 February 2016 18 August 2015

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Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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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:

 Temporary staff who work at the nursery do not have an induction to enable them to carry out their role and responsibilities effectively.  Assessment procedures to monitor children's progress are not sufficiently developed to target support and help children make good or better progress in their learning.  Staff do not always successfully include the developmental needs of all children when providing planned group activities in the pre-school room. This results in missed opportunities for learning.

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It has the following strengths

 Leaders and managers have identified training needs and have begun to support staff in developing their skills and knowledge. Many of the changes introduced to bring about improvement are still in their early stages but show a secure foundation to build on.  Children behave well and staff act as positive role models. Children are encouraged to respect their friends, they use ‘kind hands’ and listen to stories which help them to understand different emotions.  There are many opportunities for children to develop their independence skills through the daily routine. For example, they clear their plates following mealtimes, developing skills they need in readiness for school.

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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

 continue to develop staff practice so that all children benefit from consistently good or better teaching 04/04/2016

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Due Date

 ensure that all staff who work on a temporary basis complete an induction which enables them to be familiar with the health and safety procedures, including emergency evacuation and risk assessments 14/03/2016

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Due Date

 develop the monitoring systems for identifying gaps in children's progress further and use this information to improve planning for the next steps in children's learning. 04/04/2016

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation, such as records of children's learning and progress, safeguarding policies, and suitability checks.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager in the pre-school room to assess the quality of teaching and support for children's learning.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching both indoors and outdoors to assess the impact on children's learning.  The inspector held a meeting with the members of the senior management team.  The inspector spoke to parents, staff and children at appropriate times throughout the day.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Leaders and managers conduct supervision meetings with staff and have recently attended training to help improve their understanding of effective supervision. Regular training opportunities are provided for all staff which improves their professional development. For example, training in story telling has seen positive improvements in the way in which staff engage children and capture their attention through the use of props. Safeguarding is effective. Daily risk assessments are completed and staff are vigilant when supervising children during the daily routine and activities. For example, staff are deployed effectively to ensure they can see children at all times in the garden. Safer recruitment procedures ensure that staff who work with children, are suitable to do so. Unlike temporary staff, newly appointed permanent staff have an induction that includes health and safety procedures.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff throughout the nursery engage well with children and support them as they learn and play. However, teaching is not consistently good because staff do not incorporate the developmental needs of all children into the planned activities. Consequently, there are missed opportunities for younger children to learn from their experiences. New electronic systems have recently been introduced for recording and assessing children’s progress. This encourages parents to contribute to their children’s learning and to share their achievements. The staff create an environment that encourages children to participate in a wide range of activities that support all areas of their learning. Staff promote children’s communication and language skills well and encourage their interest in books. Staff provide many opportunities for children to develop their mark making and early writing skills, both indoors and outdoors.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Children benefit from secure relationships with the staff who care for them. Younger children make their needs known through body language and early communication, which staff respond to promptly. Children are learning how to keep themselves safe, through planned activities. For example, they are able to explain the fire evacuation procedures, should there be a fire. Children have regular opportunities to go outdoors and play. They enjoy taking part in parachute games; they laugh and giggle as the balls bounce up into the air. Staff encourage children to learn new skills, such as moving the pedals on the tricycle and praise children for their achievement. This promotes their self-esteem and confidence.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

The systems for monitoring children’s progress have recently been reviewed and updated. Consequently, the process is not fully embedded in practice. The tracking of children's progress does not include differences in the progress made by individuals or groups of children. As a result, the staff are not able to identify where there are gaps in children's progress. Overall, children are making typical progress from their starting points.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY233317 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 1034061 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 - 8 Total number of places 72 Number of children on roll 29 Name of provider The Oxford Nursery Ltd. Date of previous inspection 18 August 2015 Telephone number 01865 396792

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Setting details

The Oxford Nursery, Science Park, is one of four nurseries run by The Oxford Nursery Ltd. It operates from the Oxford Science Park and opened in 2002. The nursery is open on weekdays from 7.30am until 6pm all year round with the exception of bank holidays and three training days per year. It also offers out-of-school and holiday care. The nursery employs seven members of staff, who work with the children. Of these, six staff hold a relevant early years qualification.

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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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