The Pod

The Pod St. Gregory the Great School, Cricket Road, Oxford, OX4 3DR

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 3 November 2016 Not applicable

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

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This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

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This provision is outstanding

 Leaders and managers work tirelessly to ensure that children receive care and education of the very highest quality. They provide inspirational leadership to their equally committed staff team.  Leaders have successfully established a culture in which staff really value the training and guidance on offer. Staff learn to reflect on their own performance and are continually working towards improving their already excellent teaching skills.  Staff make every possible effort to ensure all children and parents feel equally valued and welcome. The nursery is a very happy place to be.  Staff create a vibrant and exciting learning environment that fully engages children's natural curiosity to learn. Children show outstanding levels of involvement and concentration, especially in their self-chosen play.  Children make excellent progress. Managers and staff rigorously assess all children's progress and quickly identify children who need extra support to help them to catch up.

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This provision is outstanding

They are highly successful at providing this support.  There is a real 'family feel' to the nursery. Children quickly develop the confidence to explore, play and learn, safe in the knowledge that there will always be a member of staff they know well to offer encouragement, smiles and cuddles when needed.

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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

 continue to develop opportunities for children to learn about their own and others' cultures and beliefs to further enhance their understanding of their local community and the wider world.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children and staff indoors and outdoors.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector spoke with parents and took account of their views.  The inspector talked to staff about their understanding of safeguarding and first aid.  The inspector sampled documentation including staff qualifications, the children's records and the provider's polices.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Managers work closely with leaders at the adjacent school to lead staff in a programme of continuous evaluation and ongoing improvements. For example, they are creating additional opportunities for children to learn outdoors in all weather. They also recognise that they could further improve opportunities to teach children about different cultures and beliefs. Staff are fully encouraged to gain additional qualifications and attend training. Staff make excellent use of training to support language development for example. Safeguarding is effective. Leaders implement robust recruitment procedures to ensure the suitability of those employed. Staff receive highly effective training to ensure they know what to do if they are concerned about a child's welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

More experienced staff help and support their less experienced colleagues to develop their teaching skills. Staff ensure that children receive their full attention; other tasks can always wait. Staff take time to teach young children to turn pages and listen to stories. They provide expert support to children developing their speaking skills. Children quickly develop independence in meeting their own needs. Staff take every opportunity to reinforce to children the benefits of trying hard. For example, children beam when staff comment on how hard they have worked to learn how to pour their own milk.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Staff use their expert knowledge to ensure that children's well-being is at the heart of all that they do. Parents really value the time staff take to visit families at home and know that the strong partnerships between staff and parents play an important part in ensuring children settle well and love going to nursery. Whenever possible, children are cared for by consistent staff members throughout their time at nursery and staff organise each day to enable children to spend time with the staff and children they know the best. Staff meet children's physical needs just as successfully. Children need no encouragement to spend time outdoors; the garden is a very interesting and exciting place to explore.

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Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children are extremely well prepared for their future learning including their move to school. Leaders continue to monitor their progress after they have left the nursery and are rightly proud of how well these children do. All children develop a very strong set of skills on which to build as they continue to learn and develop. They learn to share their ideas, to explore independently and understand the importance of trying again when things go wrong. They behave extremely well and consider the needs of others. Most of all, they find out that learning is fun and exciting and something they want to continue to do.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY481566 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 999546 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 1 - 3 Total number of places 19 Number of children on roll 22 Name of registered person The Dominic Barberi Multi Academy Company

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01865 749933 Ext 263

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reference number

The Pod at St. Gregory the Great School registered in 2014 and is situated in Oxford. It operates from 7.30am to 5.30pm on Monday to Friday during term time only. The provider is registered to provide care and education to children aged under three years, and is receipt of funding to provide free early years education to children aged two years. The provider employs 11 members of staff; of whom, three hold qualified teacher status and seven hold relevant qualifications from levels 2 and 5.

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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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