St Albans Little Learners C I C

St Albans Little Learners CIC St Albans Church Hall, Finstock Avenue, Blurton, Staffordshire, ST3 3JS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 19 July 2016 18 March 2016

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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

 There has been significant and rapid improvement, led by the managers, in response to the actions and recommendations raised at the last inspection. This has led to sustained, ongoing improvement in the quality of teaching and provision for children.  Rigorous planning and assessment identifies activities that build on what children already know and can do. This helps promote their good progress in all areas of learning and ensures their individual needs are now well met.  Behaviour is very good. Children develop a sense of respect and understanding for one another and show empathy for their friends. They follow consistent guidance from staff and respond quickly to the new daily routines which have been introduced.  Staff are highly committed to ongoing professional development and have accessed a wide range of training opportunities. Recent training in the use of questioning has been quickly implemented by staff and has directly benefited the children.

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This provision is good

 Partnerships with parents are good. Parents speak very highly about the effective communication with staff and the opportunities they have to contribute to their child's assessments and learning at home.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 In some activities, staff do not always provide enough opportunities to challenge children to develop their creative skills to the highest levels.  The monitoring of different groups of children is not yet precise enough. This means that staff are not fully aware of any variances in the progress different groups of children are making.

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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

 provide more opportunities for children to explore a wide variety of materials and experiment with colour, design and texture  reflect more precisely on the progress of different groups of children so that any variances are promptly identified and addressed.

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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 joint observations with the manager and deputy manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and deputy manager. She looked at relevant documentation, such as the nursery's self-evaluation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector sampled a range of other documentation, including planning, the learning and development records of children, the nursery's policies and procedures and risk assessments.  The inspector spoke to staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. She also spoke to parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. A robust policy for safeguarding is fully implemented and staff demonstrate a secure understanding of their role to keep children safe from harm. Managers track the progress of individual children to identify any gaps in learning, which are quickly addressed. Staff work well with other professionals involved in children's care and learning. They share information which helps to provide a consistent approach. The capacity to continually improve is good. An effective process of self- evaluation is in place which considers the views of staff, parents and children. Managers lead by example and monitor staff performance well through an effective system of supervision. This helps to target support and coaching where they are most needed.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff provide a good range of experiences that enables children to lead their own learning and build on their interests. Pre-school children learn key skills in literacy through daily writing and letters-and-sounds activities. They enjoy recalling the key parts of their favourite stories, using a puppet theatre or the outdoor story-themed playhouse to act these out. Younger children enjoy experimenting with water, paintbrushes and chalks to make patterns. Children's communication and language development are supported well. Staff engage children in purposeful dialogue and encourage them to talk about their ideas. Staff skilfully incorporate numbers, counting, shape and size into everyday activities and promote children's early mathematical skills extremely well. Staff are enthusiastic as they encourage children to explore exciting sensory experiences. Young children are fascinated by frozen jelly, which sparks their curiosity and sustains their engagement.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Key persons are attentive and children form warm, trusting relationships with them. This helps to promote children's emotional well-being and they demonstrate high levels of confidence and self-esteem. Staff teach children about the importance of a healthy lifestyles and good hygiene. For example, they discuss the healthy choices they make and visit the local market to buy different fruits and vegetables. Children benefit from regular access to the newly developed outdoor environment. This helps them to learn about the natural world, develop their physical skills and try different problem-solving activities. Pre- school children take great delight in riding their bikes. They learn about safety and diversity as they respond to signs which indicate stop and the disabled parking bay. Children are encouraged to tidy away their toys. They develop a sense of responsibility by acting as helpers to serve their friends at snack and mealtimes.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children are positive, active and motivated learners. All children, including those who speak English as an additional language, achieve well and make good progress. Children learn to value each other's similarities and differences. Staff support children to meet their own self-care needs effectively. For example, during snack time, children butter toast and pour their own drinks. This helps to promote their developing independence and prepares children well for when they start school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY385005 Local authority Stoke on Trent Inspection number 1045434 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 1 - 5 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 55 Name of registered person St Albans Little Learners Nursery CIC

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 18 March 2016 Telephone number 01782 367470

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reference number

St Albans Little Learners CIC was registered in 2008. The nursery employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, two members of staff hold an appropriate early years qualification at level 5, six staff hold a qualification at level 3 and two hold a qualification at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. The nursery supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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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

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

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