Sycamore House Day Nursery

Sycamore House Day Nursery 36 Hadham Road, BISHOP'S STORTFORD, Hertfordshire, CM23 2QS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18 January 2017 3 July 2014

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3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2

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3

Outcomes for children Requires improvement

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 Systems for monitoring practice through supervision meetings are not sufficiently embedded to promptly identify concerns. There is a delay in supporting staff through coaching and training to improve their personal effectiveness, relating to their quality of teaching, at the earliest opportunity.  Staff do not consistently make regular assessments of children's level of achievement in order to help them understand children's learning needs. They are not always able to shape learning experiences precisely to support all children to make good progress.  Staff do not always keep parents informed about their child's development and progress. They do not consistently make regular up-to-date assessments available to parents in a timely manner.

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It has the following strengths

 All children benefit from the regular outdoor learning opportunities that staff are now including in the planned daily experiences.  Parents and staff have good relationships that support children to feel settled and secure in the nursery. They work well together to meet children's care needs and foster their emotional well-being.  Staff working with the oldest children make good use of the daily small-group time to help children share their thoughts, knowledge and ideas.  Young children have good opportunities to explore their environment and develop their physical skills.

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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 use of supervision to identify solutions to problems as they arise and ensure coaching to improve their personal effectiveness, relating to their quality of teaching, is implemented rapidly 08/02/2017

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Due Date

 undertake frequent observations of all children and assess their level of achievement, use the findings to shape learning experiences more precisely 08/02/2017

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Due Date

 provide all parents with up-to-date information about their child's progress and learning needs. 22/02/2017

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspectors spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspectors completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspectors held a meeting with the setting manager and provider. They looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting.  The inspectors spoke to a number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

A new manager is now in place. She is working with other experienced staff to review and improve procedures and practice across the nursery. At present, the arrangements for monitoring staff practice and quickly tackling weaknesses in the quality of teaching are not robust enough. Most staff have attended a supervision meeting but there has been insufficient action to bring about rapid and sustained improvements in all aspects of teaching. Staff often delay completing assessments for children. Consequently, they are unable to share these with parents on a frequent basis to keep them fully informed about their children's progress. The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff receive regular training. Managers have put in place further checks on staff safeguarding knowledge to ensure they are able to recognise and report any concerns appropriately. Staff make sure daily safety checks are completed on all areas of the nursery.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Teaching across the nursery varies. Some staff offer children suitably challenging and interesting activities. However, at times, some staff do not recognise children's interests. They do not give children enough time to think and respond to questions. Some staff are not observing children frequently enough to get a good understanding of their exact learning needs. They are not consistently identifying children's next steps in learning or matching their teaching to these. Children often demonstrate good levels of concentration and a desire to explore and investigate things for themselves. They find the ice on a frosty morning fascinating as they look at what it has done to the sand and other outdoor resources. Older children show their ability to use their imagination as they build a vehicle from plastic crates. Staff encourage babies to explore a variety of textures, such as shaving foam, where staff model making patterns and promote children's speech.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children have a good range of resources to explore and use as they learn through play. Staff have provided colourful wall displays that include some of the children's artwork, information to support learning and pictures and print that reflects the wider world. Staff gather useful information about children's care needs when they first start at nursery. They use this to plan routines for children that fit with their pattern for eating and sleeping. Children eat well-balanced meals and snacks. Staff are vigilant in following the procedures in place to ensure children with specific dietary needs eat food that is appropriate for them. Children are well behaved. Staff offer children guidance and reassurance. They have realistic expectations of children's behaviour, taking account of their age and stage of development.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children do not all make good progress in readiness for school. They are not consistently supported to achieve the basic skills that form the foundation of later learning. However, some children are making suitable progress and demonstrate appropriate mathematical skills as they estimate the number of objects and count them to find out if they are correct. Older children are developing their knowledge of letters and sounds.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY460413 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 1080424 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 76 Number of children on roll 103 Name of registered person Sycamore House Day Nursery Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 3 July 2014 Telephone number 01279465097

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reference number

Sycamore House Day Nursery was registered in 2013. The nursery employs 21 members of childcare staff. Of these, 14 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7am until 7pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children and supports children 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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