Poplars Day Care Nursery

Poplars Day Care Nursery Stratton Road, Wanborough, Swindon, SN4 0AA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 31 August 2016 9 October 2012

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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

 Children enjoy playing in the stimulating indoor and outdoor learning environments and gaining independence. They are keen to join in, confidently develop their own ideas and learn to do things for themselves, such as serving their own meals.  Staff keep a close check on children's development and keep parents well informed. They provide interesting activities based on what each child needs to learn next. Skilful teaching supports children to make good progress from their starting points.  Children lead very healthy lives at the nursery. They are physically active every day, enjoying the extensive and varied outdoor activities. They thoroughly enjoy the freshly prepared nutritious meals and learn good hygiene routines.  The management team monitors staff practice effectively and encourages them to develop their skills and knowledge to benefit the children. For example, recent training has helped staff gain confidence and skills to successfully care for children who have

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The management team does not always ensure that children's key persons are available to help them settle quickly when they first attend or move rooms.  Staff do not always organise group activities successfully for pre-school age children to engage them all, meaning at times, some children lose interest and do not gain as much as they could from the activities.

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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

 strengthen the key person system further to provide children with greater continuity when they first attend the nursery or change rooms, to help them settle as quickly as possible  make sure that group activities, especially for pre-school children, are interesting and appropriately challenging for all the children taking part.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with staff and children. She observed staff care routines and the quality of teaching in all rooms, and the impact this has on children's learning and well- being.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the nursery manager and discussed how the managers monitor and support staff practice.  The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including policies and procedures, evidence of staff suitability checks and training, children's records, the complaints record and self-evaluation documents.  The inspector held a meeting with the owner and manager to discuss the nursery's improvement plan.  The inspector spoke with parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The management team has successfully created an environment where children's safety has the highest priority. Staff are alert to child protection concerns and are confident with the procedures for reporting these. The management team works effectively with other early years professionals to identify areas for improvement. For example, schools noted that children starting Reception year could not hold a pencil correctly. This prompted the nursery to provide more activities to strengthen children's fingers, including activities for parents to do with children at home. Effective partnerships with parents and other professionals help to ensure that staff meet children's individual needs and that children progress as well as possible. The management team is currently developing further effective systems for monitoring children's development to ensure they identify and rapidly close any gaps in learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff support children's speech very well. They respond warmly to babies' babbles and gestures. Staff introduce new words, for example, as toddlers have fun making a 'big splash' and a 'little splash'. Staff use picture prompts to help children who find it difficult to communicate. Staff routinely provide activities to help older children develop skills in readiness for learning to read at school. For example, exciting outdoor parachute games help children learn to recognise the sound that their name starts with. Staff help children to become deeply involved in their play and capture their interest with new and unusual objects, such as pea pods. Children develop good coordination as they shell the peas and pick them up with tweezers. They confidently add and subtract, matching peas to numerals.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Overall, the key person system helps staff to understand and meet children's individual needs effectively. For example, staff cuddle, sing and talk to babies. They sit nearby providing a reassuring presence as they explore their surroundings. Children form strong bonds with the staff, which helps them become confident and independent. Children behave well. They play cooperatively and are sensitive to others' feelings. For example, a young child reassures another by offering a hug and telling them, 'we are all friends here'. Through a variety of resources and activities, children learn to value one another.

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Outcomes for children are good

Older children hear sounds in words and begin to link these with letters. They learn to hold a pencil correctly and develop strong fingers in readiness for writing. Children count and sort objects as they play, developing good mathematical skills. Children behave well and follow instructions. They successfully gain key skills to prepare them well for school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY337327 Local authority Swindon Inspection number 1058840 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 - 8 Total number of places 160 Number of children on roll 285 Name of registered person Ranu Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 9 October 2012 Telephone number 01793 790 774

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reference number

Poplars Day Care Nursery registered with its current owner in 2006. The owner has another nursery in Swindon. Poplars Day Care Nursery operates near the village of Lower Wanborough, Swindon, Wiltshire. The nursery opens each weekday all year round, from 7.30am to 6.30pm, with the exception of bank holidays. A holiday club and after-school provision are also available. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery employs 35 members of staff to work directly with the children; of these, 30 staff have appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. This includes three staff who hold qualifications at level 5, two at level 4 and five 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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reference number

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