Southampton University Early Years Centre

Southampton University Early Years Centre Building 41, University Road, Southampton, Hampshire, SO17 1BJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 14 February 2018 15 April 2015

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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 Outstanding 1

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This provision is good

 The ambitious manager is an inspiration to the staff. He has high expectations and ensures staff benefit from ongoing professional development and training.  The manager uses accurate self-evaluation and development plans effectively to improve the quality of the provision.  Children are extremely happy and have lots of fun as they learn. For example, they excitedly search for numbered heart shapes in foam. They enjoy matching them to numbered plates and build on their developing mathematical skills.  Staff provide extremely high standards of care, welfare and safety throughout the nursery. Additional funding is used highly effectively to enrich children's experiences. Parents are well informed about their children's care and development.  Staff are exceptional role models and are highly perceptive of children's needs. They consistently help children to understand their emotions. For instance, they expertly

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This provision is good

explain about feelings and give children space and thinking time when needed.

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It is not yet outstanding because:

 Although staff have strong links with parents, the communication on home learning activities, particularly for those who speak English as an additional language, lacks specific detail to help children make even better progress.  The management does not consistently monitor the assessments of children's progress to enable children to reach consistently high levels of achievement across all areas of learning.

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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 partnership working and children's learning at home, particularly for families for whom English is an additional language  strengthen the monitoring of the assessments of children's progress to enable children to reach consistently high levels of achievement across all areas of learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors carried out a tour of the nursery inside and outside.  The inspectors carried out a joint observation with the manager and reflected upon this.  The inspectors sampled children's records, policies and procedures, staff records and documentation to support the welfare requirements.  The inspectors spoke to parents and took their verbal and written views into consideration.  The inspectors observed staff interactions with children at different times of the day.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management is good

The effective manager and his staff share a vision and drive for consistently high standards. The manager regularly monitors staff practice. He offers relevant support to embed good practice, such as recent behaviour training. This has helped staff reflect on their interactions and the benefits of a more consistent approach. Children's behaviour is impeccable. Safeguarding is effective. Staff have a strong understanding of the procedures to follow in the event of a safeguarding concern. They are confident in the indicators that may suggest a child is at risk of harm and understand their roles and responsibilities. The ongoing suitability of all staff is regularly checked and arrangements for recruitment are robust. The team works effectively with other professionals to support children who have special educational needs (SEN), enabling all children to make good progress.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff plan exciting activities for children based on their interests and stages of development. For example, staff skilfully use puppet persona dolls as they sing songs to help children understand how to behave and be kind. Staff consistently engage children in their play and children show strong communication and language skills. Staff support children to move freely around the enticing learning environment and encourage them to take part in new activities. For example, they encourage children to use a computer and make choices by touching the screen. Staff share progress of children's achievements with parents through a variety of ways, including regular parents' meetings. They carry out regular observations and assessments of children's learning and have a thorough knowledge of children's next stages of development.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are outstanding

Children feel extremely welcome, happy and settled because of the staff's exemplary caring interactions. Staff place a very high priority on consistently ensuring children's well- being. Children feel very self-assured and learn how to keep themselves extremely safe. For example, they understand which side of the stairs to climb up and down and show very high levels of confidence as they independently move around the nursery. Toddlers have an excellent awareness of managing their personal hygiene needs. For instance, they recognise when they need to blow their noses spontaneously, select a tissue from the dispenser and throw it in the bin.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children listen carefully to instructions. For instance, they stop and start pedalling on their tricycles to avoid collisions and keep themselves safe. They continually grow in confidence and independence. For example, children can manage putting on their coats successfully. Children are very well prepared for their next stages of learning and show increased understanding of the world around them as they engage in new experiences.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY258679 Local authority Southampton Inspection number 1091678 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 120 Number of children on roll 190 Name of registered person Southampton University

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 15 April 2015 Telephone number 023 8059 3465

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reference number

Southampton University Early Years Centre registered in 1976. It operates from a university building in the SO17 area of Southampton. The centre is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, all year. The centre provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years. There are 42 members of staff. Of these, two hold early years professional status and three are qualified teachers. A further 35 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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

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 .

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reference number

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

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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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