Big Bear Nursery

Big Bear Nursery The Healthy Living Centre, 1 Walton Court Centre, Aylesbury, HP21 8TJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 6 February 2018 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:

 Some staff do not fulfil their role as a key person. They do not share information with parents to help to meet each child’s individual needs fully, with particular regards to healthy eating.  The management team does not make the best use of supervisory meetings with staff to check the accuracy of their assessments on children’s development and plans towards their next steps in learning. Not all children are making consistently good progress for their ages and stages of learning.  Staff miss some opportunities for children to share their knowledge and ideas. For example, they do not give children the time they need to talk about their experiences at home.

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It has the following strengths

 The new manager has prioritised improvements at the setting. For example, she has made changes to the provision to ensure that staffing arrangements and ratios are always met. She seeks support from other professionals, such as local authority early years advisers to help to improve the provision further.  Staff make use of everyday opportunities to support children’s mathematical and literacy development. Children show a keen interest in counting and practising their early reading and writing skills.  Children are happy and settled. They behave well and form close relationships with the staff. For example, they seek adults for comfort when they begin to feel tired.

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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

 strengthen the role of the key person to help to improve the partnerships with parents and meet children's needs fully 27/02/2018

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Due Date

 strengthen support for staff to improve the accuracy of assessments on children's progress to help them promptly identify and support any gaps in children's learning. 26/03/2018

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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

 increase the opportunities for children to share their knowledge and ideas, giving them the time they need to think and respond to any questions.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's activities indoors and outdoors.  The inspector undertook a joint observation with the manager.  The inspector had discussions with the children, staff and the manager.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection and through written feedback.  The inspector looked at a range of relevant documentation relating to safeguarding and staff suitability, as well as policies, procedures and children's progress records.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The newly appointed manager is suitably driven and keen to improve the quality of the setting. She has actively sought support from the local authority early years advisers to help to develop and make changes. However, the manager does not use supervisory meetings effectively to help her to monitor the accuracy of staff assessments of children's development and planning to raise the outcomes for children. The manager accesses any appropriate training to support staff roles. For example, staff attend training to learn about supporting the development of children who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. Safeguarding is effective. Staff understand their responsibility to keep children safe from harm. They know the procedures to follow should they have concerns about a child's welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

The quality of teaching is inconsistent. Staff do not make the most of all opportunities to challenge and extend children's learning. At times, children try to speak about their experiences from home but staff do not give them the time they need to answer questions and share their knowledge. Staff provide some suitable resources and activities that engage most children in play. However, they do not complete accurate assessments on children who will be moving on to school or plan precisely to support any gaps in some babies' development. Most children are developing suitable mathematical and literacy development. For example, babies enjoy number songs and listening to stories. Older children count to 10 and beyond and recognise some numerals. They share books and begin to recognise and write familiar letters in their names.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Children arrive happy and settle into play well. Parents comment that staff are friendly and make appropriate relationships with the children. However, some key persons do not form fully effective partnerships with parents, particularly around promoting children's healthy eating. For example, they do not support parents to provide well-balanced and nutritious lunches for their children. Children have suitable opportunities to exercise and develop their physical skills. They behave well. Staff explain the reasons for the rules they have and encourage children to take turns and be kind to each other.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Some children do not progress as well as they might due to limitations in the quality of teaching and monitoring procedures. For example, children do not consistently have opportunities to challenge themselves to meet their next steps in learning. Nevertheless, all children develop some of the skills they need in readiness for school. For example, babies learn to feed themselves and older children tend to their toileting needs. Children of all ages follow suitable hygiene practices, such as washing their hands before eating.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY495328 Local authority Buckinghamshire Inspection number 1033540 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 1 - 4 Total number of places 29 Number of children on roll 44 Name of registered person The Healthy Living Centre CIC

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reference number

Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01296-334562

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reference number

Big Bear Nursery registered in 2015 and is based in The Health Living Centre in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. The nursery currently employs 13 members of staff. Of these, eight have appropriate early years qualifications, including three staff who have a degree in early years. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm, for 50 weeks of the year. The setting receives funding to provide free 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

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

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