Amberley Hall Nursery

Amberley Hall Nursery 21 Richmond Dale, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 2UB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30 May 2017 8 May 2015

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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 manager does not ensure that all aspects of staff recruitment and any ongoing suitability are as thorough as possible to fully assure children’s welfare. In particular, to ascertain any information that may lead to the disqualification of an employee.  The quality of teaching and assessment is variable. For example, some staff lack the knowledge and skills to extend children’s learning effectively, such as encouraging them to be independent in making their own choices and decisions. Not all children receive the support they should to make the best possible progress in their learning.  The current systems for monitoring children’s progress are not yet embedded to help staff plan precisely for individual next steps based on what children already know.  Systems for self-evaluation are not rigorous enough to identify areas for improvement, such as to identify breaches in the legal requirement and weaknesses in teaching.

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It has the following strengths

 Children are well behaved. They respond well to the staff and play alongside their peers. Children share and are considerate of each other.  Staff use suitable strategies to help children to follow routines. For example, staff use the clock to help children to learn to recognise what time they are collected.  Staff establish suitable partnerships with parents. Parents say that their children are well cared for and enjoy their experiences in the setting.

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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 staff vetting processes and ongoing suitability checks, with particular regard to ascertaining any information that may lead to the disqualification of a staff member through association, to keep children safe 12/06/2017

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Due Date

 develop effective support systems to ensure staff understand their roles fully to raise the quality of teaching and assessment to a good standard. 23/06/2017

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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

 review systems for monitoring children's progress to help identify more suitable activities that match their abilities and support their next steps in learning  develop systems to evaluate and reflect on practice effectively to identify and address any weaknesses promptly and raise the quality of the provision.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of the parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the interactions between the staff and children.  The inspector looked at written documents, including staff files, policies, procedures and risk assessments.  The inspector held a leadership and management meeting with the manager and spoke to the staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector carried out a joint inspection with the manager.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff understand the procedures they should follow if they have any concerns about a child's welfare. However, managers do not implement thorough vetting checks at recruitment and throughout staff employment. For example, they do not verify with staff any relevant information that may lead to their disqualification, such as through association with any disqualified person. Despite this, children are not placed at significant danger as all staff have undergone the required Disclosure and Barring Checks and know how to report any allegations if they suspect a child may be at risk of harm. Staff performance is not monitored effectively. The new managers have not considered ways to evaluate the provision fully, such as to support staff with their assessments and to raise the quality of teaching practice.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

In general, staff monitor the children's progress. For example, they regular observe children to plan for their individual next steps. However, despite this, some assessments are not accurate or based on what the children can already do. Parents are informed about what their children are learning, including how to support their children's learning at home. However, the quality of teaching is inconsistent at times. For example, some staff overly direct children by selecting play items for them, which reduces their options to explore freely and lead their own learning. Children gain a suitable awareness of early mathematics. For example, they compare the pieces of train track by length, putting them in size order as they use mathematical language.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff act as suitable role models for children. They help them to learn about equality and diversity. However, due to gaps in verifying staff's ongoing suitability checks, children's welfare is not always assured. Children learn about healthy lifestyles and benefit from daily physical exercise. They enjoy stretching and using their large muscles. Staff provide children with opportunities to learn about growth. For example, they do gardening sessions during which they plant seeds and make insect houses. Staff suitably support younger children to understand the emotions and feelings of others. For example, they talk about being gentle and using kind hands while the children play. Children form suitable relationships with the staff and settle with the support of their key person.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children gain some basic skills for the next stages in their learning. They enjoy listening to stories and develop their early writing skills. For example, they describe the marks that they make in the paint. However, due to inconsistencies in teaching and assessment, not all children make good enough progress from their starting points.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 106894 Local authority Bristol City Inspection number 1089000 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 50 Number of children on roll 64 Name of registered person Mary Graham Butler

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 8 May 2015 Telephone number 0117 9741550 or 01458 850150

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reference number

Amberley Hall Nursery registered in 2001. It is located in Clifton. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am until 6pm for 51 weeks of the year, except for bank holidays. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children aged three and four years. The nursery employs 12 staff, of whom 11 work directly with children. Of these, one has qualified teacher status, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6, five staff are qualified to level 3 and two hold qualifications 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

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

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