Whickham Cottage Nursery

Whickham Cottage Nursery Nursery House, Sands Road, Swalwell, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, NE16 3DN

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 3 January 2018 8 September 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

 Partnership working with others is a key strength of the nursery. Parents and professionals speak very highly of leaders and their staff team in providing high-quality care for children. Leaders and staff share regular information about children's individual learning needs. This helps to provide a tailored approach to meeting children's needs.  Children are confident and self-assured. They behave very well. Children demonstrate secure attachments to their key person. This helps to promote children's self-esteem.  Children settle very quickly. Staff gather a wealth of information from parents prior to children starting the nursery. This helps them form an accurate assessment regarding what children know and can already do. Furthermore, staff help children prepare for their next stage in learning through effective transition arrangements.  Children are regularly engaged in their play. They explore various textures and

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This provision is good

ingredients, including oats and scented herbs. Children pretend to make cakes with their mixture. This helps to develop children's imaginative skills.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Leaders have not yet embedded monitoring systems that help to precisely identify progress made by different groups of children.  Leaders have not yet refined performance management to help to identify training needs and raise teaching skills even further.

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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

 extend the already good monitoring systems that help to analyse progress made by different groups of children  refine ways to build on existing performance management systems that help to identify specific training needs and enhance teaching skills.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the nursery manager.  The inspector held a number of discussions with the nursery manager. She looked at relevant documentation and evidence of the suitability of persons working on the premises.  The inspector spoke to children, staff and parents during the inspection.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Leaders and staff provide a safe and secure environment for children, in which they can grow and learn. They have implemented effective policies and procedures that underpin all aspects of practice. Staff complete daily risk assessments and check for any potential hazards. They encourage children to think about hazards during play. For instance, children make their own porridge and relate this to familiar stories. Children exclaim that the porridge is too hot. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of safeguarding practices. They know how to respond to a concern they may have regarding the welfare of a child. Leaders have implemented effective recruitment procedures and regularly review the ongoing suitability of staff. This helps to ensure children's safety. Leaders evaluate the overall quality of the setting. They use information from others to help them to identify and address any gaps in children's learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Teaching is good and in some instances outstanding. The very dedicated and well- qualified staff team completes observations and assessments of children's learning. They use the information gained to plan individualised activities that help to provide a good level of challenge to children. Children demonstrate excellent communication and social skills. They engage wholeheartedly in conversations about their own experiences, including trips to the hairdressers. Staff use very effective questioning when encouraging children to think about what might happen next. For example, pre-school children talk about what differences they might see when adding milk to coloured water. Children show great enthusiasm when describing what they can see happening. This helps to promote their thinking skills.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Staff provide children with very nutritious and healthy options during mealtimes. They make mealtimes a very sociable occasion and encourage children to serve themselves. This helps to promote their independence. Staff encourage children to follow good hygiene practices and tend to their self-care needs. For instance, staff remind children to use a tissue when they blow their nose.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress in their learning. Children draw pictures using chalks and build their own structures using wooden blocks. Older children use mathematical language as they participate in their own pretend play games. They re-enact visiting the shops and tell each other how much items are. Children listen to favourite stories and join in with action songs. They learn to move their bodies in various ways. This helps to develop their physical skills.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY476574 Local authority Gateshead Inspection number 1105822 Type of provision Full-time provision Day care type Childcare - Non-Domestic Registers Early Years Register Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 108 Number of children on roll 120 Name of registered person Nursery House Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 8 September 2014 Telephone number 01914960016

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reference number

Whickham Cottage Nursery registered in 2014 and is based in Swalwell, Newcastle. The setting employs 29 members of childcare staff. Of these, six members of staff are qualified at level 2, 15 at level 3, two at level 4, five at level 5, one at level 6 and one qualified at PGC level 7. The setting operates all year round from 7.30am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except for bank holidays. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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