Mighty Oak Trees Nursery School, Southend

Mighty Oak Trees Nursery School, Southend 46 Chase Road, Southend On Sea, SS1 2RE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15 August 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:

 Systems for staff supervision do not give staff the support they need to enable them to raise the quality of teaching to a consistently good level.  Not all staff do enough to help young children learn during their play and activities.  Management do not always identify gaps in new staff's knowledge at the earliest opportunity to ensure that the induction process is thorough.  Methods for self-evaluation are not robust enough to identify areas for continual improvement.

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It has the following strengths

 Children behave well and show kindness, concern and respect for others. Staff encourage children to share and take turns.  Children and babies benefit from warm relationships with the staff that care for them. They feel relaxed, happy and enjoy their time at nursery.  Parents are kept well informed about the progress their child is making and are involved in their learning. Children take reading books home to share with them.  Children's creative talents are valued. Staff present examples of children's paintings, drawings and early mark making around the walls of the nursery school.

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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

 ensure that the supervision arrangements provide the manager and staff with a clear programme of support to raise the quality of teaching to the highest level 15/10/2017

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Due Date

 improve the quality of teaching to ensure staff consistently challenge children’s learning 15/10/2017

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Due Date

 improve the induction procedure to ensure that gaps in new staff’s knowledge are identified from the earliest opportunity. 15/10/2017

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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

 enhance the self-evaluation process in order to identify clear areas of development and drive forward continual improvements.

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Inspection activities

 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 school manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery school manager and deputy manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery school.  The inspector spoke to a parent during the inspection and took account of their views.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The nursery school has secure systems in place to check the ongoing suitability of staff to work with children. Staff are trained in how to safeguard children and know the appropriate action to take if they have a concern about a child. Staff understand and implement policies and procedure, including those for administering medication and dealing with accidents. Management has effective recruitment procedures in place, however, they do not always identify gaps in new staff's knowledge early enough in their induction programme. Adult to child ratios are met and staff are deployed effectively to ensure children's safety. Risk assessments are carried out at regular times throughout the day. Staff are reminded of the importance of identifying risks and acting promptly to minimise them. Management has made some recent improvements to the nursery premises, which have had a positive impact on outcomes for

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

children. The manager monitors the progress of all children. She knows how to observe staff practice. However, she does not use this opportunity to identify aspects of teaching that require further improvements. Systems for self-evaluation are not used effectively to identify and address weaknesses in practice.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff monitor children's development through their assessment systems to check that they make steady progress. However, the quality of teaching is inconsistent. Some staff do not make best use of their interactions with children to facilitate their further learning. They do not always plan appropriate activities to fully challenge children's thinking. Staff do, however, support children's developing communication and language skills. They talk to children about what they see them doing as they play. Older children join in conversations eagerly with staff. Children's exploration and investigation skills are promoted. Babies develop their physical skills as they explore the environment around them.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Because of inconsistencies in teaching, not all children make as much progress as possible in their social and emotional development. Staff provide daily opportunities for children to enjoy fresh air and exercise, which contribute towards a healthy lifestyle. Children enjoy a range of healthy and nutritious meals and snacks and are developing an awareness of why it is important to be healthy. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to make sure the care children receive meets their needs.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Not all children make good enough progress because the quality of teaching is inconsistent. Nevertheless, overall, children, including those who speak English as an additional language, are steadily developing the key skills they need for the next stage in their learning, including school. Children enjoy stories and singing songs to promote their speech and language development.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY495476 Local authority Southend on Sea Inspection number 1110996 Type of provision Sessional provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 36 Number of children on roll 23 Name of registered person Mighty Oak Trees Childcare Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 07800593118

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reference number

Mighty Oak Trees Nursery School, Southend registered in 2016. It is one of two settings run by Mighty Oak Trees Childcare Ltd. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, four members of staff holds a qualification at level 3, and four members of staff holds a qualification at level 2. The manager holds early years teacher status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7am until 6.30pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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