Little Leprechauns Day Nurseries

Little Leprechauns Day Nurseries 19 Broad Pavement, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S40 1RP

p.1

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 18 December 2017 4 August 2014

p.1

3

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

p.1

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

 Assessments of children's learning are not precise enough. This means that not all children are provided with enough challenge to make good progress in their learning.  At times, the monitoring of staff practice does not precisely identify the support they need to help them raise the quality of their teaching to a higher level.  The self-evaluation process is not rigorous enough to accurately identify areas where there are weaknesses in practice and improvements are needed.

p.1

It has the following strengths

 Children's personal, social and emotional development is supported well by staff. Children understand the behaviour expected of them. Older children learn to respect staff and their friends, and demonstrate positive social skills.  The recently refurbished outdoor area provides exciting play opportunities for children of all ages and effectively supports those who prefer to play and learn outdoors.  Children gain a sense of independence through the accessible environment and through tasks that enable and encourage them to do things for themselves.  The management team ensures that the premises are safe and secure, and that staff supervise children effectively to help keep them safe.

p.1

What the setting needs to do to improve further

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

p.2

Due Date

 improve how well staff observe and assess children's learning, to consistently identify where children are in their development and to plan more precisely for the next steps in their individual learning, so that they make good progress. 03/01/2018

p.2

Due Date

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

p.2

Due Date

 develop the existing monitoring of staff practice to more precisely tailor the support given to them, to help raise the quality of teaching to a higher level  refine the process of self-evaluation to more accurately identify weaknesses in practice and areas for improvement, and take action to address them.

p.2

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 manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the nursery manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of staff working with children.  The inspector spoke to a small number of parents during the inspection and took account of their views.

p.2

Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The management team is supportive of staff, children and their families. Staff benefit from ongoing supervision and regular professional development opportunities. For example, staff attend a variety of training courses to support children's development, such as how to encourage their communication skills. Some self-evaluation takes place, however, this is not strong enough to identify all areas of teaching and provision where improvement is needed. Staff lack confidence in some aspects of their practice, for example, in planning activities that match individual children's next steps in learning. Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Children are continually supervised as staff deployment is addressed well in the indoor and outdoor play areas. Staff are aware of their responsibilities to protect children from harm. They ensure risk assessments are sufficient and that all areas of the nursery are clean and safe for children.

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Although staff are well qualified, they do not assess children's progress well enough. This means that planning is not sufficiently precise, so that any gaps in learning close rapidly and children are supported to make good progress in all areas of learning. In spite of this, children enjoy their time in the nursery. They have periods of free play where they access plentiful resources, indoors and outdoors. They make choices and follow their own play interests. Children in the pre-school room enjoy group-time activities. They enthusiastically join in with story sessions, where they excitedly take turns to make up story narratives and agree their own story endings. Younger children delight in exploring and investigating. They competently use small tools and enjoy emptying and filling containers. Older children begin to build firm friendships. They play cooperatively with their friends as they imaginatively dress up and play in the home corner. Staff play alongside the children and

p.3

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

ask pertinent questions to encourage them to think for themselves and share what they know.

p.3

Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Children are not always successfully inspired or encouraged to make as much progress as they can. Nevertheless, staff provide an inviting learning environment and a range of well- organised activities. They are attentive to children's care needs, and work with parents to help children settle and play happily. All children follow appropriate hygiene routines, and are effectively supported to manage their own self-care during routines. Staff help children to learn about each other's backgrounds and diversity, for example, through books and topic work. They use key words from children's home language, which helps children who speak English as an additional language to communicate.

p.3

Outcomes for children require improvement

Weaknesses in assessment and planning mean that children are not making consistently good progress from their starting points. However, older children are starting to match quantities to numerals, count up to 10 and add numbers together. All children confidently join in mark-making activities and enjoy listening to stories. Children are acquiring some skills in readiness for their eventual move on to school.

p.3

Setting details

Unique reference number EY308969 Local authority Derbyshire Inspection number 1104363 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 45 Number of children on roll 78 Name of registered person Little Leprechauns Day Nurseries Limited

p.4

reference number

Date of previous inspection 4 August 2014 Telephone number 01246 208746

p.4

reference number

Little Leprechauns Day Nurseries registered in July 2005. The nursery employs 18 members of childcare staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including one with early years professional status. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, closing on Christmas and New Year's day only. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

p.4

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.

p.4

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.

p.4

reference number

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/, write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.5

reference number

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our website for news, information and updates at www.ofsted.gov.uk/user.

p.5

reference number

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

p.5