The Apple Tree Nursery School

The Apple Tree Nursery School 373 Scraptoft Lane, Scraptoft, LEICESTER, LE7 9SE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 8 November 2016 18 May 2016

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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:

 Teaching for children aged between two and three years is not yet good. This means that children are not always sufficiently challenged in their learning and development.  Rooms in which children are cared for are not consistently maintained at a comfortable temperature.  Staff do not make the most of opportunities to help develop children's understanding of numbers, shapes and sizes during activities.  Arrangements to check the quality of staff's practice are not yet effective. The manager does not monitor the quality of staff's teaching well enough to ensure that it is consistently good.

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It has the following strengths

 The manager and staff team have made significant improvements to their practice to address the issues raised at the last inspection. These changes have had a positive impact on staff's knowledge and confidence, and on children's safety.  Children are encouraged to manage their own care needs. They wash their hands before snacks and after going to the toilet.  Staff are friendly and approachable. Children demonstrate they are happy and settled. The key-person system is effective.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and the Childcare Register the provider must:

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Due Date

 ensure the premises are always kept at a comfortable temperature that is fit for children to play in 15/11/2016

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Due Date

 improve teaching for children aged between two and three years to ensure staff plan appropriate and challenging learning opportunities to enable every child to make at least good progress from their starting points. 20/12/2016

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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

 provide more opportunities to help develop children's understanding of numbers, shapes and sizes, in order to help increase their mathematical skills  improve the process for overseeing staff performance; ensure practice is consistent across the nursery, and that children are appropriately challenged in their learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector evaluated the range of activities on offer with the nursery manager.  The inspector spoke to members of staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and had two telephone conversations with the provider. She looked at relevant documentation, such as policies and procedures, and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector looked at the assessments of children's progress and the planning documentation.  The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Rooms in which children are cared for are not consistently maintained at a comfortable temperature to support their health and well-being. Although the manager tried to rectify this during the inspection, the temperature at the setting remained cool. However, the manager and her staff team have worked hard to improve the provision since they were last inspected. Safeguarding is effective. Overall, the actions and recommendation raised at the last inspection have been met. For example, staff have a secure knowledge of the steps to take, should they feel a child was at risk of harm. All documentation pertaining to staff's suitability is in place, including their Disclosure and Barring Service checks, recruitment procedures and ongoing suitability. The manager has introduced new systems to monitor and appraise staff. This has yet to have a positive impact in all rooms in which children are cared for. Regular training is offered to promote staff's professional

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

development. Staff have established effective partnerships with parents. They exchange information daily both verbally and through communication books. Parents comment they are happy with the service provided.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Teaching is variable. Staff working with children aged between two and three years generally, join in with children's play and occasionally offer good support and encouragement. However, they are not using what they know of children's learning to ensure activities are planned effectively to challenge and match their individual learning needs. Despite this, children do have fun and really enjoy making pretend potions using paints, water and glitter. Staff working with the youngest children use well-placed resources to encourage them to move around and explore their environment. Pre-school children enjoy playing in the sand. They add water and enjoy transferring the contents into pots and pans, scooping and measuring just how much they have.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Weaknesses in teaching mean that some children are not consistently making good progress. Children behave well. They listen to what is asked of them and adapt their behaviour. Older children begin to show cooperation during play. They share and take turns with toys, without support from adults. Children take part in regular fire drills which helps them to learn how to keep safe. Transitions are positive and children are supported effectively as they move from one room to the other. Links with local schools children will move on to are appropriately established. Suitable opportunities for children to explore their physical skills and to build on their understanding of the world are provided. For example, they use wheeled toys and hunt for mini-beasts in the garden.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children develop some of the skills needed for the next stage in their learning. For example, they manage their personal care, choose when to have snack and begin to use numbers in their play. However, they do not yet make good progress from their starting points because teaching does not always ensure children have sufficient challenge.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY393094 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 1052600 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 - 4 Total number of places 42 Number of children on roll 28 Name of registered person The Apple Tree Leicester Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 18 May 2016 Telephone number 0116 2413351

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reference number

The Apple Tree Nursery School was registered in 2009. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, 3 or 5. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm.

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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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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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