The Nursery at Wilmslow Preparatory School

The Nursery at Wilmslow Preparatory School Wilmslow Preparatory School, 7 Grove Avenue, WILMSLOW, Cheshire, SK9 5EG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 27 June 2016 14 November 2011

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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 quality of teaching is not consistently good across the nursery. This variable practice in teaching means that not enough children make the best possible progress from their starting points.  Not all staff are well qualified or experienced and this is reflected in the quality of teaching. The monitoring of staff practice and the programme for staff professional development is not focused sharply enough on raising the overall quality of teaching.  Not all staff make consistently good use of the risk assessments in place to fully minimise identified risk. They do not take enough account of these when preparing the environment for children.  The leadership team do not have well-focused plans for improvement in place or use self-evaluation effectively to identify precisely all areas that need further improvement.

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It has the following strengths

 There are effective systems in place to work with parents to help meet their children's care needs and to involve them in their children's learning.  Teaching in the pre-school room is often good. Staff support the children's literacy development well and many children show a keen interest in linking letters to the sounds they make.  Links with the school are extremely effective. Staff work together to make sure children have a good experience when they move from the nursery to the 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

 ensure that all staff consistently take account of the risk assessments in place and minimise any risk identified when preparing the outdoor environment for children 27/06/2016

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Due Date

 ensure all staff across the nursery consistently use what they know about children's learning and respond to each child's emerging needs and interests, guiding their development through positive interaction 31/07/2016

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Due Date

 improve the programme of professional development, coaching and training for staff and raise the quality of teaching and the quality of the learning experiences provided. 31/07/2016

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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

 use self-evaluation more effectively and identify precisely where there are weaknesses in the provision in order to improve the quality more swiftly.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the deputy and held a meeting with the owner/manager and the deputy.  The inspector looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the playgroup.  The inspector spoke to a small selection of parents and carers during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Staff qualification requirements are met. However, not all staff are well qualified or experienced enough to have a good understanding of how to fully support children's learning. The leadership team conduct regular staff supervision and monitor staff practice. However, they do not place a clear priority on helping staff to understand what steps they need to take to improve their teaching further. As a consequence, teaching is variable across the nursery and requires improvement, particularly in the toddler room. The management team have not successfully identified all areas for improvement or what action they will take to raise standards. Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are able to identify and understand the signs of abuse and neglect, and they understand the procedure to follow if they are concerned.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff work well with parents to identify what children already know and can do when they first start. They observe children regularly and assess their development. However, not all staff use this information well to help them plan a challenging and exciting range of activities for children. As a result, children do not always show good levels of interest in the activities provided. This is particularly evident in the toddler room. Staff interaction with children is variable and not consistently good enough to help all children make the best possible progress. In contrast, when the room leaders and experienced staff plan and deliver activities with a clear learning purpose, teaching is good. They support children well to make progress and challenge their learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Overall, the environment is safe and suitable. Prompt action is taken to remove hazards when identified and a detailed, written risk assessment is carried out to help minimise risk. However, not all staff in the toddler room consistently follow these written risk assessments in place to help prepare the outdoor area before children use it. For example, staff are not diligent enough in identifying when children are using resources which need cleaning, or that rainwater has collected on some resources over the weekend. There are clear procedures in place for responding to children who are ill or infectious, in order to prevent the spread of infection. First aid, medication and accident requirements are met. Staff caring for the older children teach them how to keep safe and that exercise and eating healthily is good for bodies. All staff, including those who are new, make it a priority to build a close relationship with their assigned key children and their parents.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Not enough children, particularly in the toddler room, make good progress from their starting points and are well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Those children who are identified as needing additional support are not consistently supported by all staff to make the best possible progress. However, most children in the pre-school room catch up quickly and acquire the key skills needed in preparation for school. Children enjoy adult-led activities and story sessions. They independently negotiate roles as they play imaginatively with their friends.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY421376 Local authority Cheshire East Inspection number 1054833 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 29 Number of children on roll 53 Name of registered person Wilmslow School Nursery Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 14 November 2011 Telephone number 01625520842

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reference number

The Nursery at Wilmslow Preparatory School was registered in 2011. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round except for the period during Christmas and New Year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two- and three-year-old children. There are 13 members of staff, including the owner/manager. Of these, one holds the qualified teacher status, two hold a qualification at level 6, five hold a qualification at level 3, two hold a qualification at level 2.

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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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