Alexandra House

Alexandra House 20 Crownhill Fort Road, Plymouth, Devon, PL6 5BX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 23 August 2016 19 December 2013

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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 manager does not consistently support all staff to monitor their effectiveness and provide appropriate levels of input, to develop their skills and meet children's learning and development more effectively.  The observation, assessment and planning procedures are not fully effective. The manager does not ensure that staff consistently assess and identify next steps for all children, to influence planning and ensure that activities challenge children effectively and appropriately.  The key person system is not fully effective during the holiday periods when not all staff work. This means parents are not clear about who to share information with, and not all staff are aware of children's individual needs and next steps.  The manager does not ensure that staff support and challenge older children well enough during the holiday periods, to meet their next steps and better support their move on to school.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff provide a welcoming environment. Children arrive happy and confident.  Staff work closely with other professionals to support children who have special educational needs.  Staff provide children with lots of space to move around and make their own choices from the inviting range of toys.

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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

 provide effective and consistent support for all staff, to encourage a culture of support, teamwork and continued improvements to their practice 28/09/2016

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Due Date

 improve observation, assessment and planning to ensure that staff provide suitable challenges for all children that help them make good progress across all areas of learning. 28/09/2016

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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

 improve the key person arrangements so that staff know how to support individual children when children's allocated key person is not available, and work more effectively with parents  improve the organisation of staff and the grouping of children, particularly during the holiday periods, to support and challenge the older children effectively.

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Inspection activities

 The inspection took place following a concern raised, which was risk assessed by Ofsted.  The inspector observed children and staff interacting indoors and outdoors.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager.  The inspector took into account the views of parents spoken to during the inspection. She spoke to representatives of the trustees, and to staff and children, at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector viewed a range of documents, including staff supervision records, children's learning and development records, planning and accident records.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Since the last inspection, the new board of trustees and the manager have identified key weaknesses and begun to apply changes, for example, to improve the support for children with additional needs. However, they have not taken prompt action to address other key issues. Systems to support staff and develop their skills are not fully effective or consistent for all, resulting in weaknesses in the observation, assessment and planning process, the key person arrangements, and how well staff challenge children, especially the older ones during holiday times. The manager has prioritised training to develop staff skills to support individual children who have special educational needs. Safeguarding is effective. The management team and staff have a good understanding of child protection issues and the procedures to follow to keep children safe. They complete regular risk assessments and the manager reviews any accidents within the nursery each month to identify potential

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

hazards. The nursery provides a secure environment for children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The support and teaching, particularly for the older children, does not always challenge children effectively when grouped with the younger ones. There are inconsistencies throughout the nursery in the recording of children's progress and planning for their next steps in learning. This hampers how well staff know and can meet children's individual interests and abilities, especially when children's key persons are not working. This limits staff effectiveness and the progress that children are capable of making. Younger children enjoy building and knocking down towers. Staff support children well to pour and mix ingredients to make a cake. Staff share information with parents each day about their children's experiences, so parents can support their learning at home.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Inconsistencies in the assessment of children's needs mean that not all parents are aware of changes to their children's key person and who to share information with about their children. Staff meet children's care needs well; however, they do not always know what children need to learn next to help them be more successful and active learners. Staff support children's independence and behaviour well. They acknowledge children's achievements and kindness towards each other. Children learn about keeping safe, for example, they talk about ovens being hot and only adults can touch them.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children enjoy coming to nursery and make steady progress overall. They enjoy the range of activities but these lack sufficient challenge, especially for older children, to help them make good progress. Children enjoy stories. Children are sociable and confident, gaining some skills that prepare them for their eventual move to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY281026 Local authority Plymouth Inspection number 1067802 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 1 - 4 Total number of places 56 Number of children on roll 66 Name of registered person Alexandra House

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 19 December 2013 Telephone number 01752 781 888

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reference number

Alexandra House registered in 2004. It is a charity-run organisation, operating from purpose-built premises to the north of Plymouth city centre. It opens each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm for 50 weeks of the year. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 15 members of staff employed to work with the children. . The manager holds a relevant qualification at level 6. One member of staff has qualified teacher status, one holds a qualification at level 4, and 11 staff are qualified to level 3. One member of staff is unqualified.

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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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