Harwell Day Nursery

Harwell Day Nursery Harwell International Business Centre, Curie Avenue, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QQ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 9 October 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:

 Managers do not focus sharply on monitoring, supporting and developing staff teaching to a consistently high quality, particularly their interactions with children.  Managers do not support staff to precisely plan and monitor experiences for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, to help them to make good progress.  The organisation of some routines, such as mealtimes and story sessions, does not sustain younger children's interest and, at times, they become distracted while waiting.  Staff do not consistently offer a range of opportunities to encourage children's use of everyday technology, to extend their growing understanding of the modern world.  Staff do not recognise how to support children's creative free expression successfully.

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It has the following strengths

 Staff give children's emotional needs priority. They quickly develop affectionate and supportive relationships with babies and nurture them well.  Parents praise the nursery staff and say their children are safe and well cared for. Staff communicate well with parents about children's activities and offer helpful advice.  Children are safe and secure. Leaders and staff are knowledgeable about how to protect children in their care and minimise the risks within the environment. Staff make effective use of the key-person system. They welcome children to the nursery and help children move between rooms with ease.

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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

 take action to identify weaknesses in teaching and provide staff with targeted professional development opportunities to ensure children receive consistently good-quality learning experiences 30/10/2017

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Due Date

 implement effective arrangements to support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities in line with the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. 30/10/2017

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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

 review and improve the organisation of some daily routines, to help reduce the time that children are waiting before they can engage in their chosen learning activity  strengthen opportunities for children to explore ways of using information and communication technology, to extend their learning about the world they live in  increase staff skills further, to help them support children's ability to express themselves independently and freely as they explore their creative ideas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in the six base rooms and garden.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager. She checked evidence of the suitability and qualifications of staff working with children.  The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including children's learning records, planning, a selection of the setting's policies and children's records.  The inspector held meetings with the management team and spoke with staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to during the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

Since registration, the nursery has had many changes in staff and management. The new management has worked hard to strengthen staffing arrangements. It uses effective recruitment procedures for staff and ensures their suitability is rigorously checked. Management has recently begun to meet with staff, evaluate the setting and identify some weaknesses in practice. However, it has not been successful in identifying some training needs and improving the quality and consistency of teaching. The staff have developed positive partnership working with parents and local schools. This approach promotes information sharing and supports continuity in children's learning and care. Safeguarding is effective. Management and staff understand their responsibility to act swiftly and appropriately to report any concerns about a child's welfare. Staff use a range of policies and procedures to help promote children's safety and welfare. There are suitable ratios in

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff routinely observe and assess children's progress and use this information to plan for their next steps in learning. However, teaching is variable and does not consistently support children's learning effectively. At times, staff busy themselves with routine tasks rather than having meaningful interactions with children to extend their learning. On occasion, the resources are not prepared sufficiently well or set out invitingly to encourage younger children to explore their creative ideas. Staff do not plan some experiences precisely enough to support the learning for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Nonetheless, most children are working at the levels expected for their age. They have suitable access to a variety of writing equipment. Staff encourage them to make marks while developing their pencil control. Younger children have few opportunities to explore and use technology in a variety of ways.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Overall, children are motivated and eager to be involved in activities. They develop social skills and slowly start to build friendships with others. Children behave well and learn how to share and take turns. They are encouraged to be physically active indoors and outdoors. For example, babies crawl through tunnels and develop their mobility skills. Children's independence and confidence within the nursery are fully encouraged. Older children develop an understanding of how to keep themselves safe as they take responsibility for ensuring their garden area is safe and tidy.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Children are confident. Staff prepare them adequately for moving on in their learning. Children learn skills that help them to be independent. For example, older children wash their hands before meals and from a young age children are encouraged to serve their own meals. Children follow staff's safety instructions, reinforced by the nursery's soft toy, Candyfloss. However, weaknesses in the provision mean that staff do not consistently support children to make the best possible progress in their learning, including children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY492874 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 1114498 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 92 Number of children on roll 106 Name of registered person Bright Horizons Family Solutions Limited

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01235 821255

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reference number

Harwell Day Nursery re-registered in 2015 as part of the Bright Horizons company. It runs from purpose-built premises on the outskirts of Didcot, in Oxfordshire. It provides care from 7.30am to 6pm, five days a week, for 52 weeks a year. The nursery receives funding for free early education for children aged three and four years. A team of 31 staff works with the children. Of these, one holds a qualification at level 6, and 14 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and level 3.

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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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