Bright Horizons St Mary's Day Nursery and Preschool

Bright Horizons St Mary's Day Nursery and Preschool 18 Marcham Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, OX14 1AA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 4 July 2016 11 September 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 role of the key person is not embedded into practice, which prevents staff from understanding their part in meeting children's emotional needs consistently.  The quality of teaching is variable. Staff do not always support children's learning fully. For example, the use of observations to assess children's progress is not accurate and plans for their next steps in learning are inconsistent. This hinders children from having enough challenge in their learning and from making good progress.  Leaders do not always make full use of supervision processes to extend the quality of support given to staff and to strengthen their skills and knowledge. For example, some staff lack confidence in wider safeguarding issues and recent changes in legislation.  Self-evaluation processes are not robust. Leaders do not reflect on all aspects of the provision to identify key weaknesses fully and to target improvements in the provision.

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It has the following strengths

 Children learn about the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle and staff cater well for their individual dietary needs.  Staff have secure partnerships with parents. There are daily opportunities to share information. Parents comment that they are happy with the care their children receive.  Children enjoy daily outdoor opportunities for exercise and more energetic activities.

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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 staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities as key persons, in particular, to support children's emotional well-being 29/07/2016

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Due Date

 improve the quality of teaching, including the use of observation and assessments, to ensure children receive consistent learning opportunities that engage, support and challenge them fully in their learning and development. 29/07/2016

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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

 improve processes for monitoring and supporting staff, in particular, to identify professional development opportunities and to address any gaps in their knowledge, including those relating to current changes in childcare and relevant legislation  make better use of self-evaluation processes to clearly identify and plan specific targets, to improve the quality of teaching and to achieve better outcomes for all children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors observed activities in the four base rooms and garden.  The inspectors carried out joint observations with the manager and checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.  The inspectors sampled relevant documentation, including children's learning records, planning and some of the setting's policies and children's records.  The inspectors held meetings with the manager, the regional manager and the quality assurance manager, and spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspectors took account of the views of parents spoken to during the inspection and through their written comments made available during the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Leaders do not implement a robust system to monitor staff practice and to enhance their professional knowledge. This has led to weaknesses in teaching and learning practices, including gaps in staff knowledge relating to wider safeguarding issues and changes in legislation. Safeguarding is effective. Staff are aware of their responsibilities to protect children from possible harm. For example, they understand the local safeguarding procedures and have access to relevant contact numbers. They are aware of the processes for reporting any immediate concerns about a child's welfare to senior staff. Staff recognise the importance of developing partnerships with schools to help support children's eventual move. Leaders use self-evaluation to review some aspects of the provision. However, these processes are not robust, particularly in improving the quality of staff teaching practice and in promoting children's learning and development fully.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff do not always match children's learning experiences and their teaching practices, to meet individual needs. For example, staff do not always make the best use of observations and assessments to identify and plan children's next steps precisely enough, to extend their learning experiences fully. Despite this, staff encourage children to develop their early literacy skills. For example, children learn to explore and make marks, and develop their pen control, while older children have suitable access to a variety of writing equipment. Younger children are curious and imaginative, and enjoy playing outside daily. For example, while they play with large construction pieces, they learn to count, look for shapes and discover how things fit together.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

The key-person approach does not support all children, in particular new children settling in. For example, some staff do not always quickly respond to young children who are upset or those that are less engaged. Nevertheless, most staff are perceptive and respond to children's interests. Staff supervise children and complete safety checks to keep them safe. They complete accurate daily attendance records and maintain appropriate staff ratios. Older children enjoy playing together, such as in the climbing area, while using the water tray and when kicking balls to their friends. Children learn about diversity, including different cultural celebrations. Children understand how to behave and treat others fairly.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children do not always make good progress due to inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning. However, they develop some necessary skills for their continuing education. For example, they are confident in managing some daily tasks, such as washing their hands, feeding themselves and tending to their own personal needs.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY458407 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 1055060 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 - 5 Total number of places 124 Number of children on roll 204 Name of registered person Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 11 September 2013 Telephone number 01235534114

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reference number

St. Mary's Day Nursery registered in 2013. The nursery operates near the centre of Abingdon, Oxfordshire. The nursery is open each weekday from 7am to 6.30pm, all year round, with the exception of a week between Christmas and New Year. The provider receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged three and four years. The provider employs 37 staff to work with the children; of these, 22 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3.

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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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