Little Alphabet

Little Alphabet 319 London Road, Portsmouth, PO2 9HQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29 September 2017 3 July 2013

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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

 Children form strong attachments to staff. Staff are kind, caring and respond well to children's emotional needs. This helps new children to quickly settle into their new surroundings.  Partnerships with parents are good. Parents are very complimentary of the staff and how they help their children become successful and confident learners. Staff regularly share information regarding children’s development with parents.  Staff are skilled in responding to children's interests and ideas as they play. They encourage children to explore sensory activities and to choose tools themselves to extend their play further.  All children make good progress from their starting points and staff ensure they are well prepared for the next stages in their learning. For example, staff support the children’s move to the sister setting, ‘Alphabet corner’, to help them feel comfortable about the move across from babies to toddlers.

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This provision is good

 Staff are excellent role models and show children how to be kind and caring towards each other. This supports children's very good behaviour.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Young children from diverse backgrounds do not have consistent opportunities to use their home languages and share their cultures within the nursery.  Managers do not consistently explore ways to further improve how they monitor and review staff performance to help raise the quality of teaching to the highest levels.

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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

 develop systems to extend young children's understanding of diverse backgrounds and support and value their home languages and cultures  continue to further develop regular effective systems to monitor and review staff performance to help improve the quality of teaching.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed and interacted with the children in the inside and outside environments.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and checked relevant documentation, including the improvement log, policies and procedures, qualifications and evidence of the suitability of staff.  The inspector spoke with parents and took account of their views.  The inspector looked at a sample of children's assessment records and discussed the systems for planning children's play experiences with key staff.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a good understanding of how to protect children and know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare. They supervise children effectively and are vigilant about their safety. They carry out regular risk assessments to identify and reduce potential hazards. The management team reviews the provision effectively to identify areas for improvement. For example, staff have recently reorganised the play areas to incorporate a quieter focus area for younger children. The manager and staff have addressed the recommendation raised at their last inspection well. For example, systems are now in place to monitor and track individual children's learning and development as well as groups. This gives management a clear overview of how children are progressing within the nursery and helps to quickly and effectively identify any gaps in learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff know the children very well. Staff effectively promote and extend young children's language skills. For example, staff continuously talk and offer a narrative during play, which helps children to understand and put meaning to their actions. Staff respond enthusiastically to babies' babbles and smiles. They talk with them repeating short sentences and single words. This helps babies develop their early communication skills. Staff make effective use of routine times of the day, such as group time when they sing familiar songs using sign language, to enhance children's skills. Staff develop children's early counting skills successfully. For instance, when cleaning hands after breakfast a staff member counted the child's individual fingers reinforcing number names and order.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff support children's emotional development successfully and help them to develop their self-esteem and confidence. Children respond well to the praise they receive for their achievements by smiling or clapping their hands. Staff support children's good health effectively. Children learn about good hygiene routines and enjoy healthy meals, snacks and drinks. Staff encourage children to use cutlery independently during mealtimes. Staff are attuned to younger children's sleep needs. They recognise the signals when younger children begin to tire, and they respond in a nurturing and compassionate way. Children enjoy plenty of fresh air and exercise as they have daily access to the outdoor learning spaces. Younger children are beginning to learn rules and boundaries with support, for example, when taking turns in play with the same toy.

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Outcomes for children are good

Young children demonstrate good concentration skills, such as when they engage in role play with dolls and resources in the home corner. Babies explore confidently and make new discoveries. For example, they investigate toys with buttons and levers, pushing and pulling them to see what happens. Children are confident and sociable learners who display a real enthusiasm to learn new skills. They make at least typical progress for their age.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY451629 Local authority Portsmouth Inspection number 1062905 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 2 Total number of places 21 Number of children on roll 30 Name of registered person Anderson & Brett Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 3 July 2013 Telephone number 02392 177020

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reference number

Little Alphabet nursery registered in 2012. It is located in the North End area of Portsmouth in Hampshire. It operates Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 6pm for 51 weeks of the year, closing for one week over the Christmas period. The nursery employs seven staff. Of these, one holds early years professional status and five others have appropriate early years qualifications.

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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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