The Elms Nursery

The Elms Nursery The Elms Private Nursery Ltd, 717-719 Blackburn Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 7JJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17 May 2016 18 December 2012

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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 does not monitor staff's practice rigorously. This means that improvements are not always identified or acted upon swiftly and the quality of teaching is variable overall.  The management team is not yet monitoring the progress of different groups of children, in order to identify and address any differences in attainment.  Children who prefer to learn outside do not benefit from wide a range of resources and experiences to help further support and extend their learning.  Staff are not always deployed in the best possible way. This sometimes limits their ability to support children's well-being, behaviour and individual needs.  The management team is not using self-evaluation effectively enough to identify key priorities in order to drive forward improvements to the setting quickly.

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It has the following strengths

 The staff's relationships with children are sensitive and kind. Staff take time to settle children into the nursery and make sure their care needs are well met. This helps to support children's emotional well-being.  The management team has addressed the recommendation for improvement from the previous inspection. Children now take part in a range of activities which helps them to learn about equality and diversity.  Children's independence is fostered. They have lots of opportunities to practise their self-help skills, for example, setting the table for lunch, feeding themselves, washing their own hands and brushing their teeth.

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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 monitoring of staff's practice and raise the quality of teaching to the highest standard overall 22/07/2016

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Due Date

 review the organisation of staff deployment to ensure children's individual needs are well supported. 24/06/2016

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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

 monitor the progress made by different groups of children and identify weaker areas to be targeted, to help address any differences in attainment  enhance resources and experiences available to those children who prefer to learn outside, to further support and extend their achievements  evaluate the effectiveness of the setting and identify key areas for improvement that help to rapidly improve outcomes for 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 manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the provider and manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's self-evaluation, children's assessment records and staff supervision forms.  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 requires improvement

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff know what action to take if concerned about the welfare of a child in their care. Detailed policies and procedures are in place, for example, regarding the safe use of mobile phones and cameras. The management team gains feedback from parents using questionnaires. They have consulted parents about changes in the nursery as they work towards a healthy eating award. However, the management team does not regularly reflect on the setting's overall strengths and weaknesses in order to swiftly identify priorities for improvement and plan how to address these quickly. For example, staff appraisals are not fully completed. Observations of staff practice are also not frequent enough to effectively monitor the quality of teaching. Staff access some professional development opportunities which help to support their practice. For example, one member of staff has introduced activities to

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

promote children's language and communication.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Some staff effectively engage the children, for example, when encouraging children during action songs. However, the quality of teaching is variable and there are sometimes missed opportunities to fully engage children in learning. For example, children lose interest while playing in the sand due to limited ideas and resources provided by staff. Staff plan activities and highlight children's next steps in learning. They keep parents well informed about their children's development through discussions, daily sheets, mini reports and newsletters. Children in the pre-school room develop early literacy skills by learning the letter of the week and bringing objects from home that start with that sound. Children's communication skills develop as toddlers practise saying new words and babies clap their hands and babble to nursery rhymes. Staff use mathematical language during routines, for example, helping children learn to count how many cups are needed at lunchtime.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Children choose from a wide range of activities indoors. Babies enjoy exploring metal objects, such as spoons and tins. Toddlers have fun exploring with paint, and older children use their imagination to create a picnic. However, there are less resources and activities available to support and challenge those children who prefer to learn outside. Staff are not always deployed well, particularly after lunch when a large group of children is supported by one member of staff. At this time, children sometimes lose concentration and start to misbehave because other staff are limited in their opportunity to offer effective support. Children ride bikes and scooters, play football and take part in fun dance sessions. They are reassured and sensitively encouraged on their first day.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children make some progress in their learning and development. However, this is not monitored securely to ensure that all children make good progress from their starting points. Children are supported to develop some skills for their future learning. For example, they are encouraged to recognise and practise writing their names.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY363632 Local authority Bolton Inspection number 903277 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 56 Number of children on roll 45 Name of registered person The Elms Private Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 18 December 2012 Telephone number 01204 304258

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reference number

The Elms Nursery was registered in 1990. The nursery employs 12 members of childcare staff, 11 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and 3. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 50 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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reference number

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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reference number

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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