St Helens College Nursery

St Helens College Nursery and Creche St. Helens College, Brook Street, ST. HELENS, Merseyside, WA10 1PZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 March 2016 21 November 2011

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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

 The staff team is well qualified and highly experienced. They demonstrate a strong commitment to providing the highest standard of care and learning. Staff use their extensive knowledge of how children learn and develop to plan an exciting range of activities and experiences that children thoroughly enjoy.  Self-evaluation arrangements are sharply focused and highly effective. The manager actively encourages staff, children and parents to contribute ideas and she takes account of their views when identifying areas for further improvement. This has an extremely positive impact on the drive to continually improve the provision and maintain high-quality practice.  Staff are very caring and interact positively with all children. They help babies and children to form extremely strong, emotional attachments and feel secure in the nursery. Children settle quickly, are confident and highly motivated to learn.

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This provision is outstanding

 Children's behaviour is excellent. Staff play alongside them, modelling positive behaviour and providing continuous support and encouragement. Children learn how to take turns, share and play together.  The manager successfully monitors staff performance and staff are supported to develop and enhance their existing knowledge and teaching skills. Staff benefit from high-quality supervision which helps them to reflect on their practice and identify further training needs.

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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

 develop the arrangements for working in partnership with parents to maintain and further enhance their involvement in every stage of children's learning and development.

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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. She looked at relevant documentation, such as children's learning records, planning documentation and a range of other records, policies and procedures.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the nursery's self-evaluation and improvement plans.  The inspector spoke to a selection of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have an excellent understanding of their role in keeping children safe and secure. They know the procedures to follow should they have any concerns about the welfare or safety of a child. The manager is very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and extremely committed. She is passionate about providing an outstanding service and regularly reflects on the quality of the provision to identify and address any areas for further improvement. For example, although partnerships with parents are highly effective, staff are currently working with parents to develop innovative ways of enhancing their involvement in the nursery provision even further. The manager closely checks the progress made by all children and compares the progress of different groups of children attending the nursery. This helps her quickly identify any gaps in learning and secure additional support when required.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff collect very detailed and precise information from parents about what children already know and can do when they first start at the nursery. They use this information, together with their accurate observations and knowledge of children's interests, to plan sharply focused activities for their next steps in learning. For example, children in the pre- school room show a special interest in the Little Red Riding Hood story. Staff quickly recognise ways to enrich the experience and provide children with an extensive range of resources, enabling them to explore the story in different ways. Furthermore, the nursery environment is extremely well organised and resourced, helping children to make exciting choices in their play. Staff develop children's communication skills exceptionally well. For example, they capture children's interest and engage them in discussions, asking questions and describing what they are doing. Staff working with babies creatively model

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

the shape and sounds of words, and respond positively to the noises babies make. They use a wealth of words and phrases in children's home languages, and visual prompts further enrich their understanding of English.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff are excellent role models and positively encourage good manners and respect. Children learn about other faiths and cultures in a range of different activities. For example, they enjoy tasting food from other countries and celebrating various festivals. Children's independence and self-care skills are very well promoted. They enthusiastically serve themselves at lunchtime, pour their own drinks, and their health and physical well- being are expertly supported. Children follow excellent hygiene procedures and learn how to keep themselves safe. They are provided with an extensive range of healthy meals and have daily opportunities to play outdoors in the fresh air.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

All children consistently make high rates of progress in relation to their starting points. Children of all ages and abilities gain the confidence and skills they need for the next stage in their learning, including starting school. They are highly motivated, enthusiastic and enjoy their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 323089 Local authority St. Helens Inspection number 855368 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 - 4 Total number of places 64 Number of children on roll 65 Name of provider St Helens College Date of previous inspection 21 November 2011 Telephone number 01744 623132 (office)

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Setting details

St Helens College Nursery and Creche was registered in 1986. The nursery employs 15 members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above. It opens Monday to Friday during term time only. Sessions are from 8.45am until 5pm. The nursery 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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