Little Harwood Children's Centre

Little Harwood Children's Centre Robinson Street, Blackburn, BB1 5PE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18 November 2016 26 September 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 Outstanding 1

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This provision is good

 Managers organise the provision well. They and the staff team are committed to the continuous improvement of the quality of learning experiences for children. The views of parents and children are embedded into the evaluation of the provision. Actions for improvements are clear and achievable.  Staff have built effective relationships with parents. They identify what guidance and support parents may need and share ideas for parents to continue their children's learning at home. For example, they suggest favourite books and lend these to parents to help continue children's literacy and language skills at home.  The quality of teaching is good. Staff plan a good range of stimulating activities and allow children to play and explore freely. Staff intervene sensitively and recognise when to join in with children's play to extend their learning further.  Children's behaviour is exemplary. They demonstrate excellent social skills and share

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This provision is good

and take turns naturally. Staff are good role models. They encourage children to work together and share ideas, such as when making cakes with dough to sell in their pretend shop.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff, on occasion, do not take the opportunity to introduce simple counting to help children's growing awareness of mathematical concepts.

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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

 maximise further opportunities for children to develop their growing awareness of mathematical concepts.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector undertook a tour of the premises.  The inspector observed activities and the quality of teaching in all the playrooms.  The inspector sampled children's assessment records, planning documentation and a range of other records, policies and procedures.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the operational manager.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children, the provider's self-evaluation and improvement plans.  The inspector took account of the views of children, staff and parents spoken to on the day of inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff are aware of the correct reporting procedures that help to keep children safe. The nursery is well organised and equipped with quality resources. Management and staff have a very good understanding of the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage. Staff have attended specific training on how boys learn in direct response to children's developmental needs. This has resulted in improvements in the communication and language skills of boys. Staff supervision systems are effective and have a strong emphasis on improving teaching standards to an outstanding level. Recommendations from the last inspection have been addressed and parents' contributions to their child's learning and development are good.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff take opportunities to enhance and extend children's vocabulary. They use words, such as squelchy, when describing the feel of porridge oats as children add water to them. Staff promote children's communication and language skills consistently. They help children to develop and embed their emerging language. Staff give children time to evolve conversations about personal experiences during small-group story sessions. Staff are able to incorporate home languages into conversations and children's play. This helps ensure children who speak English as an additional language are fully involved in the learning experiences. Children use technology effectively and delete information from the interactive whiteboard confidently.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children have exceptional independence skills. They help themselves to cups and plates and sit happily at the snack table in turns, without adult intervention. They pour their own healthy drinks and self-serve the fruit they want, before passing to the next child. Staff praise children constantly for their achievements. This helps to boost children's self- esteem and they are confident and proud. Younger children put on their own aprons for creative and messy activities with little help from staff. Staff provide children with excellent opportunities to promote their physical development. Children take part in regular exercise sessions to music. Children join in eagerly as they jump and stretch, following the routine on the screen. Safety messages are embedded into routines and children promote these messages to other children and tell them not to run.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress from their starting points. Strong partnerships with other agencies ensure children who have special educational needs have the best support to help them reach their potential. Older children are confident to talk about events in their lives. Gaps in attainment are closing because of interventions, including for those children who speak English as an additional language. Children are ready for their next stages of learning, including the move on to school.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY336018 Local authority Blackburn Inspection number 1059733 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 2 - 5 Total number of places 109 Number of children on roll 120 Name of registered person Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 26 September 2012 Telephone number 01254 506 910

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reference number

Little Harwood Children's Centre was registered in 2007. The nursery employs 23 members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above, including one staff member who holds qualified teacher status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, term time only. Sessions are from 8.40am until 11.40am and 12.20pm until 3.20pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery supports children who have special educational needs or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language.

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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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