Small Talk Nurseries

Small Talk Nurseries 125-129 Shawsdale Road, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, B36 8NG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12 January 2017 2 September 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:

 The provider and managers have made some improvements since the last inspection. However, progress has not been rapid enough to ensure that children are provided with consistently good opportunities that promote their learning.  Performance management arrangements for staff, including for managers, are not always effective. The provider has not yet identified where further support is needed to enhance staff's skills and to improve the quality and consistency of their practice.  Although a system to assess and review children's progress has been developed, the information gained is not always used well enough in order to effectively plan, so that teaching meets all children's individual needs, especially during adult-led activities.  The progress check for children aged between two and three years has not been carried out consistently for all children. In addition, when this check has been completed, parents have not been involved in the process.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff spend time playing and interacting with the children and show interest in what they are doing. This contributes to children building strong relationships with staff, which helps to promote their emotional well-being.  Children benefit from opportunities to be active. They have access to an outdoor play area and staff make use of spaces inside to help children to develop their physical skills as they take part in stretching and movement sessions.  Staff help the high number of children who enter the nursery speaking different languages to gain a suitable understanding of English.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

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Due Date

 improve the programme of professional development for staff, including managers, and focus more precisely on monitoring all aspects of staff practice 12/03/2017

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Due Date

 use the information gained from the assessment of children's development to plan more precisely for children's individual learning needs during adult-led activities and help all children to make at least good progress in their learning 12/04/2017

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Due Date

 improve the arrangements for carrying out the progress check for children aged between two and three years, and involve parents more in this assessment of children's development. 13/03/2017

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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

 strengthen the evaluation of the nursery to accurately identify areas for further development and secure continuous improvement.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities.  The inspector held a meeting with the nominated person and discussed the impact of self-evaluation and monitoring.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the deputy manager.  The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector spoke to staff, parents and children during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The provider has not ensured that performance management for staff, including the managers, is focused on evaluating their practice. As a result, teaching is sometimes weak and children's learning is not promoted well enough. The managers have worked in partnership with the local authority to make some improvements since the last inspection. However, this progress has not been rapid enough. Overall, monitoring and evaluation have not been used well enough to identify other weaknesses linked to assessment and planning. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff have a good understanding of the action to take if they suspect that a child is at risk of harm. A programme of training helps to ensure that staff update their knowledge and skills, which helps to promote children's welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The manager has not ensured that the progress check for children aged between two and three years has been carried out for all children in this age range. Furthermore, when staff have undertaken this statutory assessment, they have not successfully involved parents in the process. Staff are beginning to monitor children's progress. Where they identify that children are falling behind in their expected development, they speak to parents and make referrals to other agencies as required. This results in children getting any help that they need. Overall, staff have an appropriate understanding of children's levels of development. The new arrangements for assessment are beginning to help staff with planning. However, staff do not always give enough consideration to children's differing needs when they carry out adult-led activities. This means that they do not always identify children who do not have the skills to be able to join in. In addition, the most-able children are

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

often not challenged to help them make better progress in their learning.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

The overall quality of staff practice is not yet good enough to ensure that children's individual needs are promoted effectively. Children generally enjoy their time at the nursery because they access suitable activities that they can explore at their own pace. Staff teach children about the importance of washing their hands before meals and help them to develop appropriate self-help skills. Children use cutlery and learn to feed themselves from a young age because staff provide encouragement and praise at mealtimes. Children begin to develop an understanding of different cultures through the experiences that they have. Parents and staff communicate well with each other, discussing children's care needs and experiences on a daily basis.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children are not making good enough progress from their starting points due to the weaknesses in staff practice that limit some opportunities for their learning. However, older children show that they are gaining some of the skills required in readiness for school. They are interested in counting and recognising numbers, which helps to develop their understanding of maths. Children play well together because they understand the importance of sharing and taking turns.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY493609 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 1073312 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 1 - 11 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 49 Name of registered person Rak Day Care Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 2 September 2016 Telephone number 0121 776 7474

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reference number

Small Talk Nurseries was registered in 2015. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, the manager has a degree and eight staff hold early years qualifications at level 3. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday all year round, except for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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

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

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