Westgate Whirlybirds

Westgate Whirlybirds Brooklands Close, Hospital Road, BURY ST. EDMUNDS, Suffolk, IP33 3JX

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21 September 2017 18 June 2014

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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 manager and staff reflect well on the service they provide. An action plan is in place to bring about continuous improvement to the quality of care, teaching and learning.  Staff are committed to working together with parents. Parents are kept well informed about their children's day and are actively encouraged to remain involved in their learning and development. Parents hold staff in very high regard.  Staff understand how children learn. They plan and provide a varied range of activities that actively promotes children's enjoyment of their play and learning. Activities are rooted in children's interests and support them well as they get ready for school.  Staff provide a warm and welcoming learning environment in which children are secure and confident to express themselves. They build close emotional attachments to their key person and other staff.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Staff occasionally overlook opportunities to further promote children's developing thinking skills. They sometimes ask questions but then move on before children have had time to think and express their own responses.  Staff have not fully explored all ways to support children's understanding of each other's similarities and differences and people and communities beyond their immediate experiences.  Monitoring of the attainment levels of different groups of children is not wholly effective to ensure that gaps in their learning are quickly identified and managed.

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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 more closely on consistently supporting children's developing thinking and problem-solving skills  build on the opportunities children have to develop an understanding and appreciation of similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among families, communities and traditions  improve how the learning and development of different groups of children is evaluated so that any gaps can be identified and addressed at the earliest opportunity.

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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 at appropriate times throughout the inspection and completed a joint observation with the provider/manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the provider/manager and also discussed self- evaluation.  The inspector looked at relevant documentation, such as evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting, children's records and a selection of policies and other records.  The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The manager and staff demonstrate a strong commitment towards providing a good- quality care and learning experience for children. They are enthusiastic, motivated and work well together as a team. The management team supports the professional development of staff well. They are encouraged to work towards higher qualifications and improve their childcare skills and knowledge. An established programme of supervision is in place to tackle underperformance and foster a culture of mutual support. Staff have developed good links with others who provide care and learning for the children. Strong partnerships have also been established with the host school. This helps to ensure that children's individual care and learning needs are met. Safeguarding is effective. The management team and staff are aware of the process to follow if they have a concern.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff observe children as they play and evaluate their observations well. This supports them to identify where individual children are in their learning and what they need to do to support their continuing progress. The quality of teaching is good. Staff support children in purposeful play and respond well to children's changing interests. For example, when children take part in pretend play they use glove puppets to talk about feeling poorly and what they need to do to help them feel better. Staff respond well when children lose interest in this and they use the puppets to go to look for bugs in the garden. Children benefit from interesting resources, indoors and outside, that promote all areas of learning. Staff pay good attention to planning for outdoors, helping to ensure that those children who learn best from being outside are able to do so.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

The key-person system is implemented well. Each child has a named person to take responsibility for ensuring that their care and learning needs are met. Key persons build friendly and trusting relationships with parents and children. Children's move from home to the setting is managed well. Settling-in procedures are tailored to the individual needs of children and their parents. Children are happy and settled. They confidently go to staff for a chat and invite them to join in their play. Children behave well and respond positively to the high expectations of staff. Staff are good role models who talk to children in a calm and respectful manner. They gently remind children about the need to share toys and consider the needs and feelings of others. Children develop their physical skills in the well- resourced garden. They enjoy music and movement times indoors, where they are able to experiment with different ways of moving.

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Outcomes for children are good

Staff check the progress of individual children to ensure that they are making good progress. Children develop the key skills needed to be ready for school. They are motivated learners who are confident to lead their own play. They understand that print carries meaning and are beginning to recognise their first name when it is written. Children manage their self-care relevant to their age and stage of development.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 251714 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 1087713 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 2 - 13 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 42 Name of registered person Westgate Whirlybirds

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 18 June 2014 Telephone number 01284 754 014

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reference number

Westgate Whirlybirds registered in 1980. The setting employs nine members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 or above. Two staff hold a relevant qualification at level 6. The pre-school opens from Monday to Friday during school term times. Sessions are from 9am until 3.30pm. A breakfast and after-school club are also offered during school term times, with sessions from 8am until 9am and 3.30pm until 6pm. A holiday club operates from 8am until 6pm during the school holidays.

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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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