St Michael's Nursery

St Michael's Nursery Rear of St Michael's Court, off Crocketts Lane, Smethwick, West Midlands, B66 3BX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12 April 2016 29 April 2015

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires Improvement

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This inspection: Good 2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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This inspection: Good 2

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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This provision is good

 The setting has a long history of failing to meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage. However, in the last year, effective support from the local authority and the leader's and staff's determination to succeed has resulted in significant improvements to the quality of teaching, assessments and learning.  Effective performance management, supervision and monitoring systems have helped to drive up the standards of care, teaching and learning at the setting.  Children make good progress from their starting points. Children who access early education funding, and those in receipt of the Early Years Pupil Premium, make rapid gains in their learning. Consequently, they catch up with their peers in their learning and development.  Good joint working with key partners ensures that children with special needs and disabilities access timely support.  Parents who made their comments known hold the setting in high regard. They help to

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This provision is good

evaluate the effectiveness of the setting through regular discussions with staff, questionnaires and via the Comment Tree.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 More can be done to help parents to further support their child's early literacy at home.  A few children do not attend the nursery when they are expected to.  Leaders have yet to secure good links with one school in the area that has proved difficult to engage with.

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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

 enhance the information for parents so they can further support their child's early literacy  further support children's good progress by ensuring that parents understand the importance of good attendance and punctuality and how these impact on children's learning  enhance the existing transition arrangements by making links with those schools in the area that are proving difficult for leaders to engage.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed the improvements that leaders have made since the last inspection and their plans for future improvement.  The inspector observed children during a range of play and learning activities in the designated play areas, including outdoors. They carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held meetings with the leaders, staff and designated individuals.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation including children's learning journals and the adult's planning of children's learning and development activities.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability of all staff working at the premises and the professional qualifications and training of leaders and staff.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and those of children spoken to on the day.  The inspector explored the safeguarding arrangements, the security of the premises and how effectively the leaders have identified and taken steps to minimise any

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Inspector

Deborah Jane Udakis, Her Majesty's Inspector

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

In the last year, effective leadership has driven up the quality of provision. Leaders have introduced a programme of positive performance management and monitoring of staff’s practice. Staff provide good teaching and care to children, as a result of the leader's effective support and coaching. Consequently, outcomes for children are now good and improving. Leaders successfully target objectives with staff to improve their practice and performance. The arrangements to safeguard children are effective. Leaders apply a consistent and rigorous approach to the recruitment of staff. All staff are vetted to ensure their ongoing suitability to work with children. Children are well protected from risk of harm in the care of the attentive and knowledgeable staff. .

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff provide an effective educational programme, based on their accurate observations and assessments of children’s learning. During literacy sessions, the older children show their understanding of letters and the sounds they make. Children eagerly link their prior experiences and reflect on their learning. For instance, they develop their mathematical thinking as they independently sort beads into groups, counting to 10 and beyond. Activities are well-paced and sustain children’s concentration and attention. Staff demonstrate their secure knowledge of how children learn and they made effective use of resources, positive teaching and humour to support children's good learning. For instance, children sing familiar rhymes using a fast paced rapping style to develop their speaking and pronunciation. Staff support children’s spontaneous learning well as the children investigate the world around them. For instance, when children find a worm on the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

ground, they examine it with great interest. Staff seize on chances to encourage children's conversations by asking pertinent questions to challenge children's critical thinking.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children form trusting and emotional attachments to their key persons. The children thrive in their learning because of the good quality support from staff who enthusiastically join in with the children's play and discussions. Children’s behaviour is good. The older children act as good role models as they share and take turns. The younger children learn good behaviours as they watch the older children, follow instructions and listen attentively when spoken to by staff. Children’s personal care needs are well met. Children’s attendance is generally good. Most children arrive each day, on time and ready to learn.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are becoming increasingly well prepared for their future learning and they make good progress from their starting points. Most children are on track to reach the early learning goals at the end of the Foundation Stage. Outdoors, older children show increasing skill as they leap from one stepping stone to another. The younger children stand and balance on the stepping stones, and walk along the beam holding the adult's hand. These periods of physical activity help the children to concentrate and focus; to develop their coordination, balance and physical core strength.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY336687 Local authority Sandwell Inspection number 1032511 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 48 Number of children on roll 48 Name of provider Albert Nathanial Watson Date of previous inspection 29 April 2015 Telephone number 01215583446

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Setting details

St Michael's Nursery opened in 2006. It is privately owned and operates from Smethwick in Sandwell. The nursery opens five days a week from 7.30am until 6pm all year round, except for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. A total of nine staff work directly with the children. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 5, six hold a qualification at level 3 and two hold a qualification at level 2.

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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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