Highwood Day Nursery

Highwood Day Nursery 54 Stanton Road, BURTON-ON-TRENT, Staffordshire, DE15 9RP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22 November 2016 14 November 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 Good 2

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This provision is good

 Children are at the centre of the nursery's philosophy. The provider and manager are highly motivated and strive for excellence. They regularly reflect on practice. Effective systems are in place to monitor the service they provide. These help to prioritise improvements and constantly improve outcomes for children.  Staff observe, assess and monitor children's progress effectively. They reflect on children's interests to creatively plan imaginative activities and experiences. All children are curious and motived to learn through play.  All children benefit from successful communication methods used to involve parents in nursery experiences. Leaders fully understand the importance of working together to close any gaps in children's development. Staff confidently share relevant information to promote continuity in children's care and learning and development.  The key-person system is effective. Children form strong and caring relationships with

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This provision is good

familiar adults. They are well supported as they move on to the next stage in their learning within the nursery and when they are ready for school. Children are emotionally secure and confident in the welcoming, nurturing environment provided by staff.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Some staff who work with younger children are not as experienced as others in guiding children's learning as they play.  Some activities are not organised well enough to help younger children maintain their attention, concentration and to be prepared for what will happen next in the daily routine. For example, when staff are setting up for new activities and at mealtimes.

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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

 develop staff's skills and attributes so that younger children are provided with more opportunities to investigate and develop their own ways for doing things  organise activities and daily routines more effectively so younger children are better supported to concentrate and deal with changes in the daily routine.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager and discussed the effectiveness of supervision and monitoring of practice.  The inspector observed teaching and learning activities, speaking to children at appropriate times while they played.  The inspector held meetings with the provider and the manager of the provision. She also had discussions with other staff members about their roles and responsibilities, including safeguarding.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.  The inspector looked at evidence of self-evaluation and action plans. She took into account the written views of parents and those spoken to on the day of inspection.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including the safeguarding policy, children's learning and assessment records and the planning of activities.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Recruitment and induction procedures ensure that staff are well qualified and suitable to care for children. The provider and leaders fully understand their responsibilities to respond to any concerns about a child's welfare. Staff are familiar with local safeguarding procedures. They are always alert to the signs that may indicate that a child is at risk of abuse or neglect. The quality of teaching is monitored. Leaders use tracking of children's progress to identify areas of improvement. They organise staff training to continually develop staff's skills and knowledge. Staff supervision sessions are used to discuss how to enhance experiences offered to children.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The staff team demonstrates a strong commitment to their work with children. They consistently use the setting's effective systems to observe children's play and plan for the next steps in their learning. Leaders have a good overview of children's needs through effective systems used for tracking assessments of children's development. This includes how they prioritise learning for particular groups of children. All children, including those who are in receipt of free funded education are well supported to make good progress from their starting points. Staff ask questions and use descriptive language so that babies build their vocabulary as they explore. Children follow instructions and identify written numerals as they play a number game. Staff use open-ended questions and allow time for children to think and respond. Staff use books and dressing-up props to promote speaking and listening skills. This helps younger children to make sense of what they know about

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Leaders place a high priority on ensuring that staff are deployed effectively to ensure ratios are always maintained. This promotes consistency and enables staff to build positive relationships with individual children. Pre-school children develop confidence in speaking in a group. They learn to respect others and their listening skills are promoted as they take turns and respect each other's opinions. All children have the opportunity for outdoor learning. This promotes their good health, well-being and physical skills. Staff skilfully lead a discussion during Forest School sessions. This helps pre-school children to gain a good understanding of how to stay safe and deal with appropriate risk.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children who speak English as an additional language are well supported. Their home language is respected and used to provide continuity for their learning. Children's sense of belonging is reinforced; they feel secure to explore and investigate their surroundings. Staff expertly arrange resources to help babies to practise their physical skills. Babies reach for, and grasp, toys, with much encouragement and praise from staff. Children's early literacy, mathematics and communication skills are promoted. Older children learn about numbers and quantities as part of the daily routine. They make purposeful marks and learn initial letter sounds. Babies and younger children listen to stories and join in with songs and rhymes.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY446455 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 1060197 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 79 Number of children on roll 84 Name of registered person Poppins Day Nursery (UK) Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 14 November 2012 Telephone number 01283 565 069

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reference number

Highwood Day Nursery was registered in 2012 and is one of a small chain of privately owned settings. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, one at level 2, one at level 5 and two at level 6. The nursery opens all year round from Monday to Friday, except for one week at Christmas and bank holidays. Sessions are from 7am until 6.15pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. They support children who speak English as an additional language.

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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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