Tower Hill Nursery

Tower Hill Nursery Tower Hill, Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, B42 1LG

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20 February 2017 Not applicable

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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 key-person system is not fully effective in ensuring that staff build close relationships with parents in order to work with them on tailoring every child's care according to their best interests.  Teaching is not of a consistently good quality and the range of activities offered is not sufficient to secure children's good progress over time.  Staff do not use their assessments of children's progress well enough to plan activities that precisely meet their learning needs and challenge them to make consistently good progress from their starting points.  The monitoring of staff practice and the programme for staff professional development are not focused sharply enough on raising the overall quality of teaching to a good standard.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff have a good understanding of child protection issues and the procedures to follow if they are concerned.  The nursery is bright and clean and staff adopt good practices to prevent the spread of infection.  Staff quickly identify those children who need extra encouragement and offer one-to- one support to help them join in activities.  The meals provided are freshly prepared, healthy and nutritious.

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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 key-person system to ensure staff build close relationships and strong working partnerships with parents to help them tailor care in children's best interests 28/02/2017

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Due Date

 ensure that a challenging and enjoyable range of activities and resources that promotes all aspects of children's learning is consistently provided 14/04/2017

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Due Date

 improve the use of the information gained from assessing children's progress to plan challenging activities with a clear learning intention that help children make good progress 14/04/2017

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Due Date

 improve the arrangements for staff professional development to ensure all staff receive the support they need to raise the quality of teaching to a consistently good level. 14/03/2017

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Inspection activities

 This inspection was carried out as a result of a risk assessment, following information received about this provider.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector spoke with staff and children during the inspection.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery deputy.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager, deputy and provider. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector 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

The leadership team does not monitor staff practice effectively enough or use supervision well to help swiftly improve the quality of teaching. As a consequence, the quality of teaching is not consistently good and requires improvement. Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. There are appropriate vetting procedures in place to help ensure the suitability of staff working with children. Appropriate staffing arrangements are in place to make sure children are kept safe. This includes ensuring there are enough staff available to care for the children present. A daily risk assessment is carried out to help ensure the premises and environment are safe. The leaders are keen to secure improvement and do take some steps to reflect on and improve practice.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Activities are not planned well enough to ensure they are clearly understood by the children taking part. In addition, staff do not make sure that activities always help children to build successfully on what they already know and can do. Some activities lack challenge or are too difficult for the younger children in the group. The range of activities on offer is too limited to make sure children have enough opportunities to build as far as possible on their knowledge and skills. Consequently, children do not always remain motivated and interested by what is provided. In contrast, when teaching is good, children are better engaged and enjoy their learning. For example, children in pre-school are keen to take part during group activities, such as singing the welcome song or learning about letters and the sounds they represent.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff do not always adopt close working relationships with parents to ensure their wishes are respected and arrangements for children's care always have their best interests at heart. For example, on occasions the nursery routine for outdoor play is rigidly followed, rather than taking into account what parents tell staff about children's changing needs on the day. That said, staff caring for babies do know them well. They take care to accommodate their individual sleep patterns and eating habits. Children, including babies, are confident in their environment and have close relationships with the staff. Staff remind children about the rules in place for their safety and they respond well to this direction. Staff place a clear focus on teaching children about healthy foods. For example, the nursery has a policy of no sweets, chocolates, crisps or fizzy drinks. This helps children to develop good eating habits.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children do not all make consistently good levels of progress from their starting points. This is because teaching is not sufficiently focused on meeting each individual child's learning needs. That said, children do learn about their own cultures and those of others. They enjoy sensory activities, such as playing with sand, water, dough and food, when they are made available. The most able children are beginning to show an interest in counting and writing.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY500560 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 1084598 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 100 Number of children on roll 88 Name of registered person Tower Hill Nursery Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07515485521

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reference number

Tower Hill Nursery was registered in 2016. The nursery opens Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an early years qualification at level 6, nine hold level 3 and two hold 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

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

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