Merchant Square Day Nursery

Merchant Square Day Nursery Harbet Road, Paddington, London, W2 1AJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13 June 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

 Leaders and managers set high expectations for children's achievement. They monitor the quality of work, support staff development and use their expertise to provide continual improvement in practice. Children make good progress.  Staff adapt routines sensitively to children’s individual needs. Babies are settled with comforting words and cuddles. Staff and parents communicate well to ensure children's changing care and dietary needs are met.  Teaching is good. Staff adapt their interaction with children well to match the different styles of learning. With the very young age range of children in mind, staff focus effectively on supporting children's core physical, social and communication skills.  The spaces within the nursery are well organised for each age group. Staff are highly vigilant to ensure safety and security, for example at the front door. Children learn to move around confidently and safely.

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This provision is good

 Joint activities with the nursery's partner pre-school prepare children well. As a result, children seamlessly move on to their next steps in care and learning. Children grow confident in tackling new challenges and making new relationships.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Outdoor activities are not planned and evaluated as meticulously as those indoors. Staff do not assess precisely how each child benefits from enjoyable daily walks.  Staff have had limited success in finding ways to involve parents routinely in their child's learning. Purposeful relationships between staff and parents are less well focussed on learning and development than continuity of care.

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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

 enhance the planning and evaluation of children's participation and learning in outdoor activities to ensure children make the best possible progress, wherever they play and explore  build on the good relationships with parents to involve them more fully in their child's learning in the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities indoors and in the 'indoor-outdoor' area. She spoke with staff and children at suitable times throughout the day.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held discussions with the manager and representatives of the management company.  The inspector looked at a sample of policies, procedures and documents relating to the management of the nursery, including those relating to checks on the suitability of staff.  The inspector spoke with parents and took into account parents' written feedback to the nursery.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Leaders and managers use accurate tracking of children's progress to set action plans for continual improvement. The provider has strengthened supervision in each room by deploying staff with extensive experience with specific age groups. Staff benefit from effective appraisal, coaching and training. For example, support for children's physical development has been strengthened. The manager takes the views and comments of parents into account in the nursery's development plans. Safeguarding is effective. The premises are kept safe and secure. Recruitment, induction, supervision and training procedures ensure staff are suitable for their roles. Training ensures staff act effectively to secure early help if they have concerns about a child's welfare or development.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Experienced staff tailor spaces and activities expertly for each age group. Children are keen to explore the enticing resources set out for them. Staff track children's progress to identify gaps in learning for groups and individuals. Staff skilfully support children's communication and language development in all activities. For example, staff and children sing and say rhymes while playing with water and sand. Staff accurately describe shapes and clarify animal names, such as 'whale' and 'shark'. To promote physical development, staff ensure children take part in enjoyable daily walks and spontaneous games, such as hide and seek, in the indoor-outdoor terrace. During outings, staff observe that groups of children learn to keep safe, listen well and cooperate. However, they do not assess each child's learning for more detailed planning in these activities.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff build positive relationships with parents to ensure good continuity of care. Children's physical and emotional well-being are strongly supported. Staff foster a sense of belonging with the partner setting so that children begin to look forward to moving on. Children treat each other with kindness and respect as they follow staff's positive examples. Children learn about healthy eating, exercise and good hygiene through the routines of the day. Parents’ views are incorporated into assessments, especially during the progress check for two-year-olds. Parents are kept well informed about their child's progress. Managers and staff are at an early stage of exploring developing a family book for each child and exploring ways of lending resources.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children maintain good progress from their starting points. Babies confidently explore their surroundings under the guidance of expert staff. Children develop good coordination skills as staff encourage them to move around in different ways and handle objects safely and with care. Toddlers and two-year-olds gain the social skills that are typical for their age. Children make good progress in communication and language. They confidently make their needs known. This includes children receiving funded early education and those at a very early stage of speaking English. Experienced staff secure any additional help children need to catch up, such as speech and language support. Children’s enjoyment of new experiences prepares them well for the next stage in their learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY481188 Local authority Westminster Inspection number 1051614 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 3 Total number of places 69 Number of children on roll 63 Name of registered person Merchant Square Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07968500336

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reference number

Merchant Square Day Nursery registered in 2014. It is one of two nurseries, working in partnership, run by Merchant Square Day Nurseries Limited. It operates from first floor purpose-built premises with an all-weather 'indoor-outdoor' covered terrace shared by all children. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6.30pm all year round, except for Christmas week and bank holidays. It provides for children aged from three months up to three years. This includes children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and those who speak English as an additional language. It provides funded early education for two-year-olds. The manager is qualified at degree level and has Early Years Professional Status. She is assisted by twenty members of staff working with the children, of whom 17 hold appropriate early years qualifications and three are apprentices.

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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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