Stonecroft Nursery

Stonecroft Nursery 11 High Street, Yatton, Bristol, North Somerset, BS49 4JD

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 5 December 2016 17 June 2013

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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:

 The management team does not monitor the quality of assessments effectively to ensure consistency throughout the nursery. Some staff do not make frequent and accurate observations, which limits the progress some groups of children make.  The management team does not provide staff with effective support, guidance and training to ensure they improve their knowledge, understanding and practice.  Staff miss opportunities to help older children identify letters and sounds to extend their early literacy skills in readiness for school  Staff do not gain comprehensive information about children's learning and development from parents when they start at the setting, to inform planning.  Although the management team uses self-evaluation to identify areas to improve, they have yet to implement their action plans, which leads to inconsistency in staff practice, for example, in the quality of assessments.

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It has the following strengths

 Children have high self-esteem. They form strong attachments with caring staff and build friendships with other children. Staff consistently encourage and praise children, and respect their decisions.  Older children play harmoniously. For example, they use their imaginations well to create a 'sleeping train' using available resources well to extend their ideas. Children listen and respect each other's ideas, creating roles as they build stories together.

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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

 monitor the quality of assessment and ensure that all staff make regular observations to accurately identify and support all children's next steps in learning 30/01/2017

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Due Date

 provide effective support, training and guidance to ensure that all staff offer high-quality learning and development experiences, which help children to make good progress. 30/01/2017

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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

 increase opportunities for older children to learn letters and sounds to support their early literacy skills  gain further information from parents about children's starting points when they first attend, to help inform the initial planning  make better use of self-evaluation to address identified areas of weakness promptly, to improve outcomes for children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed staff interactions as children played inside and outside.  The inspector spoke with parents, children, staff and the management team during the inspection.  The inspector completed two joint observations with the manager.  The inspector sampled documentation including children's assessment records, staff suitability checks and the nursery's self-evaluation.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Safeguarding is effective. Staff assess the play spaces well and provide children with safe and secure learning environments. The management team and staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities to report any safeguarding concerns about a child's welfare. There are suitable recruitment and vetting arrangements for staff, although monitoring of staff's practice is inconsistent. There are suitable partnerships with parents and other professionals to support children with special educational needs, overall. However, staff do not gain as much information as possible from parents about what their children already know and can do, to influence the initial planning. Self-evaluation is not fully effective to ensure the management team addresses identified areas to improve staff practice, for example.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The management team does not closely monitor the quality and regularity of how well staff assess children's learning. They do not effectively and consistently improve staff's practice in this area, which has led to inaccuracy in assessing some children's progress and identifying their next steps. Staff use their training to plan a range of experiences across all areas that consider children's learning styles, however some activities do not consider what children need to learn next. Staff encourage children to develop their communication and language skills. For example, older children listen carefully and respond well to questions. Staff talk to young children about what they do as they play, using sign language to expand their language effectively. Younger children engage well in interactive song times and staff introduce them to counting and early calculation.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are happy, confident and have a good sense of belonging. Staff help children to follow routines and practices to keep them healthy and safe. Staff respect children's choices, for example when younger children do not wish to participate in singing activities. Younger children decide when they are ready to move to the next room and staff support them well in this process. Children have many opportunities to be active, for example, bouncing on the trampoline. They develop valuable physical skills, for example younger children enjoy learning to use the brush to sweep oats from the floor.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Overall, children gain suitable skills for future learning. However, weaknesses in staff skills and assessment lead to inaccurate next steps for some children, which limits their progress. Older children listen and concentrate well at group time; however, they do not consistently learn to link sounds to letters. They are respectful of each other's ideas, play amicably and learn to be independent. Younger children explore how things work.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY455192 Local authority North Somerset Inspection number 1063125 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 39 Number of children on roll 61 Name of registered person Sarah Louise Thomas

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 17 June 2013 Telephone number 07962149961

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reference number

Stonecroft Nursery registered under the current ownership in 2012. The nursery operates from the village of Yatton, North Somerset. The nursery operates Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm, for 50 weeks a year. The setting receives funding for free early education for children aged two, three and four years. The owner employs a manager who holds an early years qualification at level 4. She is supported by 10 members of staff; of whom, one holds an early years qualification at level 4, eight hold early years qualifications at level 3 and one holds an early years qualification at level 2.

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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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