Aston University Nursery

Aston University Nursery Coleshill Street, Birmingham, B4 7PB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 16 August 2016 Not applicable

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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 well qualified and experienced staff team demonstrates a very good knowledge and understanding of how children learn and develop. There is a wide range of stimulating and challenging activities to promote children's learning at every opportunity.  Children confidently investigate the well-organised resources which help to promote creativity and develop their problem-solving skills. Children take the lead in their play and follow their own ideas. Staff sensitively guide children's interests to ensure that they are consistently motivated and interested in their play.  Staff give high priority to promoting children's language and communication development. They swiftly identify children with language delay or behavioural concerns and work well with other professionals to provide effective teaching and support. This helps to ensure that all children make good progress.  Staff work well as a team. They have regular meetings, supervision and appraisals.

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This provision is good

Staff make effective links with parents. They talk to parents on a daily basis about their children's day and achievements and invite them to regular workshops.  Staff are very good role models and consistently reinforce rules and boundaries. This helps all children to have a clear understanding of their expectations and they learn how to be respectful towards others.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff do not provide enough opportunities for all parents to share information about what their children achieve at home, so that they can use this when planning future activities.  Staff do not fully consider all children's interests when planning adult-led activities. At times, young children quickly lose interest.

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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

 consider ways to encourage all parents to share more information about their children's achievements at home, and use this to strengthen activity planning  consider the interests of all children when planning adult-led activities, in order to further support children's enjoyment and engagement in learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's development and progress. She spoke to staff and children at appropriate times.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager and discussed the findings.  The inspector reviewed relevant documentation, including evidence of the suitability of members and staff, relevant training certificates and a selection of policies and procedures.  The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to on the day.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and discussed the nursery's self- evaluation.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All staff undertake child protection training. They have a secure understanding of the action they must take if they are concerned about a child's welfare. Staff recruitment is thorough and regular performance management meetings for staff ensure their ongoing professional development. The manager tracks children's development to ensure that any gaps are quickly recognised and support strategies swiftly put in place. The manager effectively uses self-evaluation to identify strengths and further areas for improvement. She values the opinions of staff, parents and children in the process and acts on their input to raise the quality of the provision.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff know their key children well. They gather information from parents to assess what children know and can do when they first start and carefully monitor their ongoing progress. Staff demonstrate effective teaching skills. Staff provide children with meaningful, age-appropriate opportunities to practise their mark making in different ways. Children roll cars in paint and large tyres in water to explore the marks and prints they make. Young children use their fingers and a variety of tools to make patterns in the sand. Older children eagerly write their names on artwork. Staff model language and introduce new words, such as squirt, splash and soft, helping to develop children's language skills while they play with paint. Babies enjoy playing in the water as they pour from different containers. They like crawling around the garden and enjoy sitting quietly in the shade or banging metal objects to create sounds as they sing action rhymes and songs. Staff

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

prepare children well for the move from the nursery to school. They invite teachers to see children in the nursery and complete transition reports to promote consistency in learning. Children also create books about their new schools, enjoy dressing up in school uniforms and pretend to be teachers.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff celebrate children's achievements with praise, helping to boost their confidence and encourage further positive behaviour. Children behave very well. They learn to share and take turns and are encouraged to listen to each other during group times. They play and explore in a rich learning environment, both indoors and outdoors. When outside, children demonstrate their eagerness to participate in different activities that help develop their physical skills. Children are keen to show visitors their garden yoga positions and staff offer weekly ballet and gyms sessions to ensure children stay fit and healthy. Staff provide children with healthy meals and snacks.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children are confident learners and are motivated to engage in play and learning. They make very good progress in their learning in relation to their starting points. Children are developing key skills to help prepare them for starting school. They practise their early writing skills and learn how to spell and write their names clearly.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY495721 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 1034638 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 104 Number of children on roll 64 Name of registered person Aston University

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 0121 204 4624

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reference number

Aston University Nursery was registered in 2015. The nursery employs 18 members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above. The deputy manager holds a level 6 qualification and the manager has achieved early years teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round. 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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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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