Swan Meadow Cottage Day Nursery

Swan Meadow Cottage Day Nursery Delph Cottages, Slackcote Lane, Delph, Oldham, OL3 5TW

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 June 2017 18 February 2013

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding 1

p.1

This inspection: Outstanding 1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding 1

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 Leaders are passionate about the care and education of children. They continually reflect on and monitor all aspects of the nursery provision, and make changes where needed. Leaders strive for consistently high standards, which is reflected in their ambitious vision and the quality of their practice.  No child is left behind. Staff closely monitor children’s progress, which enables them to identify children at risk of falling behind, and they take prompt action to help them catch up. As a result, all children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, make excellent progress from their starting points.  Highly effective teamwork by leaders, managers, staff and the maintenance team ensure that children enjoy an abundance of exciting learning opportunities. Most notable are the vast outdoor play areas, which fuel children’s curiosity and passion for learning. Teaching is excellent.

p.1

This provision is outstanding

 Parents are highly supportive of the nursery. They are kept up to date on all aspects of their children’s care, learning and development. Staff actively seek parents’ views and take their suggestions on board. For example, parents have created the nursery menu, which now includes Cypriot pasta bake and Moroccan curry.  Managers carefully monitor the progress of different groups, such as boys and girls, and summer-born children. They use this information to identify areas that need to improve. However, the system does not yet include data for the most able children.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

p.2

What the setting needs to do to improve further

 strengthen the systems for cohort tracking, for example, by considering the progress made by the most able children.

p.2

Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection.  The inspector spoke to the managers and staff about children's progress and development.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector observed the quality of teaching and the impact this has on children’s learning.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability of staff to work with children.  The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including safeguarding policies and the nursery's self-evaluation form.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management is outstanding

Staff are extremely well supported in this vibrant nursery. They have excellent access to training, which enhances the quality of their teaching. For example, staff understand that some children learn best outdoors. As a result, all children, including babies, benefit from excellent access to the indoor and outdoor learning environments, which provide a wealth of learning opportunities. The managers rigorously monitor the quality of teaching to ensure consistently high standards. Safeguarding is effective. Staff undertake regular risk assessments to ensure children’s safety. The nursery is secure and staff are fully aware of procedures to follow in the event of a child protection concern.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is outstanding

Staff captivate children’s curiosity by providing innovative activities that build on their interests. For example, toddlers use their senses as they act out their favourite story by embarking on an exciting bear hunt. They talk about different textures as they ‘squelch, squelch’ through the mud, and staff skilfully introduce new words, which extends their vocabulary. Staff have high expectations for children and offer lots of challenge to help children make rapid progress. Staff know their key children exceptionally well and they take responsibility for observing and assessing their level of development. Partnership working is excellent, which ensures that children are fully prepared for their move on to school. Teachers visit the nursery on a regular basis, transition meetings are arranged and detailed handover forms are completed for all children.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children’s behaviour is exemplary. Babies form special relationships with their key person who offers lots of cuddles and kind words. Consequently, babies are extremely settled and secure. They crawl or walk with confidence, and staff are always close by to offer support if needed. Toddlers show respect for their friends as they listen to each other during group time activities and they know to take turns climbing up to the tree house. Pre-school children operate a voting system. For example, before children ventured on an imaginative journey into space, they created a tally chart to decide whether they were going to visit Neptune or Venus. The chosen destination was Neptune and the child who was outvoted responded tremendously well, which demonstrates children’s resilience and acceptance. These fundamental skills prepare children incredibly well for their transition into school.

p.3

Outcomes for children are outstanding

Children’s enthusiasm for learning is captivating. Staff nurture children’s confidence by planning meaningful experiences that build on their creativity. For example, children who enjoy digging in the sand and compost are given the task of finding and matching different reptiles, which supports their mathematical skills. Children carry out experiments by mixing different substances, such as bicarbonate of soda and vinegar, to create a colourful volcano. They learn about lava and know that when the lava dries it makes a pumice stone. All children, including babies, are encouraged to be active learners, which sets them off to a flying start.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY449310 Local authority Oldham Inspection number 1100077 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 79 Number of children on roll 139 Name of registered person Swan Meadow Private Day Nursery Limited

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 18 February 2013 Telephone number 01457877826

p.4

reference number

Swan Meadow Cottage was registered in 2012. It is situated in the Delph area of Oldham and is managed by a limited company. The nursery employs 25 members of childcare staff. Of these, one is a qualified teacher, one has achieved early years professional status, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 6, one holds a qualification at level 5 and one holds a qualification at level 4. There are 14 members of staff qualified at level 3 and one member of staff holds at level 2 qualification. The nursery also employs four apprentices who are working towards a childcare qualification. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery provides funded early education for two- three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

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. 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

p.4

reference number

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.

p.6

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.6

reference number

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

p.6