Lighthouse Centre

Lighthouse Centre Sandy Lane, Chorlton, Manchester, Lancashire, M21 8TZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 1 June 2016 6 July 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

 Leaders have high expectations of staff and children. The deputy manager carefully checks the accuracy of assessments. Most children are working within or above the levels typically seen for children of their age.  The partnership with parents is strong. Parents greatly appreciate the care their children receive, and the impact this has on children’s learning and development.  Good teaching is preparing children well for their move throughout the nursery and transition into full-time education. All areas of learning are promoted well and children excitedly choose from a good range of activities. Behaviour is good.  Staff form close bonds with children and respond sensitively to children’s personal and emotional needs. Safeguarding is effective. Staff know how to identify and report any concerns about children or adults, and this helps them to protect children.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Leaders observe staff and give them feedback to help them improve their practice. This process is not yet used consistently to help all staff improve.  Leaders can show where children are up to in their learning. However, they are less clear about children's progress from their starting points. They do not know how well they are helping individual children and groups of children who may additional support to catch up.  The nursery does not have enough safe resources help children to develop their climbing skills, although staff sometimes take children to the local park.

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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

 improve the consistency of arrangements to monitor and observe staff who work with children, in order to ensure all staff receive feedback and support to improve their practice  refine the use of assessment systems to help leaders to measure and compare the rates of progress of all children, including those who need more support to catch up  provide more opportunities to help children to make progress in their climbing skills.

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Inspection activities

 Her Majesty's Inspector (HMI) viewed all areas of the premises used by children, including the outdoor play areas.  HMI held meetings with the manager and deputy and spoke with a sample of parents, staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  HMI observed staff working with children and carried out three joint observations with the manager, who also accompanied HMI on most of the general observations.  HMI reviewed evidence of staff's suitability, and their qualifications and training records. HMI also looked at a sample of records linked to the supervision process, complaints, accidents and incidents  HMI sampled a selection of planning documents and children's assessments, including some two-year-old progress checks. She also reviewed a broad sample of policies and procedures, including those supporting safeguarding.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

External partnerships, for example with the local authority early years team, have helped the leaders to improve and to meet the legal requirements. Self-evaluation is used to set targets for further development. Parents report that they appreciate the loving care shown by staff and the accurate assessments of their children's learning. However, leaders do not yet know the progress of individual children or groups of children who may be at risk of not achieving as well as their peers. This is partly because they are still getting used to their new assessment system. Leaders have introduced a system to check the work of the staff team, but they have not yet monitored or observed everyone. This limits how well they help all staff to improve their teaching and build on their qualifications. The setting lacks resources for children to develop their climbing skills safely. Staff regularly update their safeguarding and first aid training, which helps them to protect children and keep

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The nursery is a calm, welcoming place to learn. Children are excited to join in the rich programme of activities. For example, babies select puppets to indicate which nursery rhyme they want to sing, and join in the gestures enthusiastically. Staff listen carefully when babies hum tunes and encourage the whole group to join in. Staff in the toddler room also build on children’s interests well. For example, a boy's interest in farm animals triggered staff to create a farm activity where children could hide plastic animals under hay, rice, and cornflakes. Staff skilfully extend children's learning. For example, they respond well to children's comments. Older children solve practical problems which encourage them to think, for example about what to pack for a summer holiday and why. Children are reminded to be gentle with living things when examining a snail outside.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff build very caring relationships between children. This helps children to manage their feelings and behaviour and to relate well to others. Staff are very alert to possible risks such as choking hazards when babies feed themselves. Toddlers and pre-school children listen carefully to instructions and take turns patiently. All children are encouraged to express their views and make choices, which helps them to become motivated learners. Older children independently attend to their toileting needs, while babies are encouraged to wipe their faces after eating. Children develop healthy habits such as eating nutritious food from a variety of cultures. They get regular exercise as they skilfully ride tricycles in the recently upgraded outside area, or join in weekly dance lessons.

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Outcomes for children are good

Although leaders cannot precisely show the extent of children’s progress yet, it was clear during the inspection that children of all ages are becoming confident communicators. They are developing good listening and speaking skills. Older children practice early writing as they chalk letters outside. Toddlers and pre-school children enjoy using tools to make play dough shapes. Children enjoy stories, counting rhymes and exploring sounds.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 500127 Local authority Manchester Inspection number 1052511 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 - 17 Total number of places 41 Number of children on roll 43 Name of registered person Margaret Hallam

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 6 July 2015 Telephone number 0161 881 1415

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reference number

Lighthouse Centre in Chorlton registered in 1991 and is managed by the Lighthouse Christian Centre, through charitable funding. The nursery opens from 8am to 6pm Monday to Thursday and from 8am to 5.30pm on Friday, all year round, except bank holidays and for five working days during the Christmas holiday. There are currently 16 staff, of whom 15 work directly with the children. Of these, 11 hold childcare qualification at level 3, and two hold childcare qualifications at level 2. The manager and the deputy manager hold recognised qualifications at level 6. The nursery provides funded early years 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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reference number

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reference number

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reference number

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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