The Firs Nursery

The Firs Nursery Chartham Primary School, Shalmsford Street, Chartham, Canterbury, Kent, CT4 7QN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 1 November 2017 19 March 2015

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3

Effectiveness of the leadership and management Requires improvement Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2

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3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement Outcomes for children Good 2

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This provision requires improvement. It is not yet good because:

 The provider does not fully understand her responsibility to notify Ofsted of any changes or significant events within 14 days. She did not ensure that relevant information was sent to Ofsted to enable it to complete suitability checks on all committee members.  Staff do not consistently provide interesting, stimulating resources that allow younger children to develop their different senses and curiosity about the world around them.  Occasionally, staff do not make the most of children's daily play to extend the learning of the most able children.

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It has the following strengths

 Children are happy and settled. They have built a suitable relationship with staff who are very caring and support their individual needs well, particularly children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.  Staff complete regular observations and assessments of children's learning. They use these to plan interesting activities. Children make good progress from their starting points.  The nursery has good links with the on-site school. The manager liaises regularly with the teachers to support collaborative working and visits help the children to settle quickly when they start school.  There is a strong partnership with parents where the sharing of detailed information is effective. This helps parents to know about their child's care routines and development, to support learning at home.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To meet the requirements of the early years foundation stage and the Childcare Register the provider must:

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Due Date

 improve knowledge of significant changes and events that must be notified to Ofsted within 14 days, and ensure the relevant information about committee members is provided for suitability checks to be completed. 01/12/2017

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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

 provide young children with more opportunities to explore and develop their curiosity, senses and understanding of the natural world  create more opportunities to extend the most able children's learning during their everyday play.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and the quality of teaching indoors and outdoors.  The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including key policies and procedures, improvement plans and children's development records.  The inspector took account of parents' views through discussions.  The inspector spoke to the provider, members of staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector and manager observed and discussed a planned activity. The inspector held meetings with the provider to discuss progress, staff supervision, training, safeguarding and how they evaluate the practice.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The provider has not correctly informed Ofsted of changes to committee members, to enable suitability checks to be completed. However, committee members do not have unsupervised access to the children and, therefore, this does not impact significantly on children's safety. Safeguarding is effective. Staff confidently know the possible signs and symptoms of abuse and they fully understand the procedure to follow should they have concerns about a child in their care. The manager and staff track and monitor children's progress effectively. This helps them to highlight gaps in learning and ensure all children receive the support required to continually make good progress, particularly for children who have special educational needs. Suitable links with other settings that children attend help promote continuity of children's care and learning. The manager holds regular supervision meetings with staff and observes their practice to support their individual

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

needs and plan for additional training to build on the good knowledge from their qualifications. Management reflects on its practice and involves staff, parents and committee members in the process.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff obtain relevant information from parents during settling-in sessions to help ensure an accurate identification of children's starting points and that children settle quickly. For example, children who have very recently started are content, happy and take part in activities that hold their interest. Staff provide children with a variety of resources to engage and interest them throughout the day. For example, staff reinforce mathematical language well. Children talk about 'more' and 'less' as they wash plastic spiders down guttering. Staff effectively support children who speak English as an additional language. For example, children have learned to say 'hello' in various languages, including the home languages of the children attending.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Although children have a wide range of interesting toys and resources to select in their play, there are limited opportunities for younger children to select resources to encourage them explore and investigate. At times, staff do not provide highly challenging learning opportunities for the most able children to encourage a greater sense of achievement. Staff are good role models and children behave well. Children develop their physical and independence skills well. For example, regular free-flow access to the outdoor learning environment ensures children have plenty of opportunities to independently build and balance on obstacle courses made of crates, tree stumps and a plank of wood.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children of all ages are active and confident learners who mainly show good levels of engagement in their chosen activities. They learn a good range of skills that prepares them well for the future and for starting school. For instance, children interact positively with other children, follow instructions and recognise their name.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127688 Local authority Kent Inspection number 1089376 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 - 4 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 54 Name of registered person The Firs Nursery Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 19 March 2015 Telephone number 01227 731876

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reference number

The Firs Nursery registered in 1994. It operates from premises located in the grounds of Chartham Primary School, near Canterbury. It is open each weekday from 7.45am to 6pm, during term time only. There are 14 members of staff, eight of whom hold relevant early years qualifications to level 2 or above, including two staff with early years teaching qualifications. The provider receives funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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

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

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