The Dolls House

The Dolls House 6 New Walk, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE1 6TF

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22 February 2017 26 October 2016

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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

 The experienced providers and well-qualified managers now supervise, coach and support staff very well. Together, they demonstrate an uncompromising drive to ensure they provide the highest standards of care and that all children achieve to their highest level. They have successfully addressed the actions raised for improvement at the last inspection.  The quality of teaching is consistently good. Dedicated and caring staff, know how to promote the learning and development of babies and toddlers and respond to their individual needs very well.  Staff regularly and precisely assess the children's learning. This helps them to plan activities that reflect their individual needs and interests and provide them with suitable challenges and experiences.  Staff build highly successful relationships with parents. They continually share information about the children's learning both in the nursery and at home. This

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This provision is good

contributes greatly to the progress children make and helps staff prepare children emotionally for their moves within the nursery.  Babies and toddlers settle quickly and soon feel confident in the warm, welcoming and homely nursery environment. Staff skilfully support children's care and emotional needs. This helps children to feel safe and form close bonds to their key person.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 The nursery's programme of staff professional development is not targeted highly enough on raising the standard of teaching to an exceptional level.  Systems for analysing the progress made by different groups of children are still being developed.

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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

 focus staff professional development more sharply and increase the potential to raise the quality of teaching to exceptional levels  build further on the arrangements for comparing the progress made by groups of children and check that they receive the support they need to increase the potential for them to achieve at their highest possible level.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took a tour of the nursery with the area manager.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outside and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector spoke with the providers, area manager, manager and staff and interacted with children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the area manager and two joint observations with the manager. She also held a meeting with the providers and the area manager.  The inspector looked at the assessments of children's progress and the planning.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of the staff and discussed the nursery's plans for improvement.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to during the inspection. She also looked at a sample of parents' written evaluations.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff are well trained in recognising the signs and symptoms of abuse. They fully understand the procedures to follow should they have a cause for concern about a child's welfare. Managers effectively monitor the quality of staff interactions with children. This helps to ensure teaching is consistently strong throughout the nursery. They check the staff's assessments of the progress their key children make. This helps to ensure any gaps in the children's learning are identified and additional support strategies are put in place where needed. Staff are very calm and caring role models. They deploy themselves well to provide the emotional support babies and toddlers require.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The daily routines are well organised, enabling babies and toddlers to have the time to become deeply engrossed in the activity of their choice. Spontaneous activities, such as water play, are used to help toddlers play alongside and form positive relationships with their peers. Staff know children very well and instinctively recognise when to intervene to guide children's play or extend their learning. Detailed information about children's achievements at home is gathered when they first join the nursery. This, as well as regular discussions about children's progress and interests at home help staff to plan experiences that promote their next steps in learning. Staff effectively promote children's language and speaking skills well. Toddlers, including those who speak English as and additional language, become confident talkers. They correctly recognise and say the colour of a picture of a lemon is yellow and confidently state bananas are yellow too.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children learn quickly what staff expect of them. For example, they understand throwing the plastic balls too hard may hurt their friends. Staff provide a good range of activities that helps babies to discover a range of media through sensory exploration. Babies prod and poke shaving foam which is placed between two layers of film. They show good thinking skills as they work out how to remove these layers that are stuck to the table. Staff promote children's sense of their own family as they look and talk about photographs of close family members. Children have opportunities to learn about the community outside the nursery. For example, staff take them to the local market where they buy fruit to eat at snack time. Parents speak highly about the nutritious meals the nursery provides. They comment on how successful staff are at helping their children eat a range of foods.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children meet and in some cases exceed the levels of development that are typical for their age. Toddlers sit well for short periods and listen to what staff have to say. They hold crayons and self-assuredly make their own marks. Some show increasing control as they attempt to copy staff and draw around their own hands. Staff successfully help children develop the personal, social and communication skills they need to be emotionally ready for their move on to the provider's other nursery when they reach the age of two.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY273915 Local authority Leicester City Inspection number 1078006 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 2 Total number of places 51 Number of children on roll 35 Name of registered person The D.H. Nursery Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 26 October 2016 Telephone number 0116 2223570

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reference number

The Dolls House was registered in 2003 and is one of two nurseries owned by the provider. The nursery employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold a BA (Honours) Degree in Early Childhood Studies, one holds a Foundation Degree in Early Years and five hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round from 7.45am to 6pm, except for one week at Easter and Christmas. The nursery 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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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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