St Martins Private Pre School Nursery

St Martins Private Pre School Nursery King Street, Talke Pits, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST7 1QJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 5 March 2018 8 December 2014

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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 make sure that all complaints are responded to appropriately.  The provider does not make sure that all required records are easily accessible and available to share with appropriate agencies.  Staff do not provide enough opportunities for children to develop their understanding of letters and sounds to the highest possible level.  Staff do not always involve parents, as much as possible, in the assessments of their children's learning when they first start at the nursery.

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It has the following strengths

 There are strong links between the staff in the local school and other professionals that support children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. These partnerships help staff to evaluate and build upon their practice, to ensure that children make good progress from their starting points.  Staff provide children with a stimulating environment, indoors and outdoors that keeps children motivated and interested in a broad range of activities.  Staff build effective relationships with children. For example, staff in the baby room use endearing words, play peek-a-boo and cuddle the babies. Additionally, staff in the toddler room sit with children and gently pat their backs to help them go off to sleep.  The management team regularly observes and evaluates staff's teaching practice. They also provide individual meetings with staff where they can discuss concerns and development opportunities. Teaching is effective and children make good progress.

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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

 ensure that the complaints policy is consistently followed so that children's and their family's individual needs are quickly met 05/04/2018

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Due Date

 ensure all information and records required for the safe and efficient management of the setting are easily accessible and available for inspection. 05/04/2018

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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

 provide even more opportunities for children to develop further their understanding of letters and the sounds that they represent  gather more information from parents about what their children already know and can do, to involve them more fully in the assessment of their child's starting points in learning.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities indoors and assessed the impact this has on children's learning.  The inspector evaluated staff's assessment of children's progress and how they plan for children's next steps in their learning.  The inspector completed a joint observation of an activity with the manager.  The inspector held a meeting with the manager and deputy. She looked at relevant documentation, such as children's records and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the nursery.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and children spoken to on the day.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The provider does not make sure that all complaints are responded to appropriately. They also do not make sure that all required records are easily accessible and available to share with appropriate agencies, such as evidence of staff qualifications. However, the arrangements for safeguarding are effective because this does not have a significant impact on children's safety or their learning and development. Staff have a suitable knowledge of the possible signs of abuse and neglect. They know what to do should they have a concern about a child in their care. There are effective recruitment and induction procedures in place to ensure staff's suitability to work with children. Staff assess any possible dangers to children in the playrooms or outdoor learning environment and take action to minimise any risks. The management team reflects on the progress of individual and specific groups of children. However, they do not monitor how well staff involve

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

parents in the assessment of children's learning when they first start at the nursery.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff understand and use a wide range of effective teaching strategies. For example, staff in the baby room encourage children to explore different textures as they share, touch and feel books. They describe the materials children are touching to develop their understanding of language. Staff in the toddler room encourage children to match shapes as they complete the animal inset puzzle boards. They name each animal, encourage the children to make the associated animal noises and ask open-ended questions to promote thinking. Each child is praised for their attempts, thereby developing their self-confidence. Staff in the pre-school room encourage children to learn about seed germination. They identify each seed and help children to learn concepts, such as big and little. During such activities, staff talk about what seeds need to grow and encourage children to place their seeds in the wet paper towel inside a sealed plastic bag. The management team checks

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

the activities provided to make sure all the areas of learning are included in the planning. However, there is scope to maximise the opportunities children have to develop their understanding of letters and sounds throughout the day.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

The management team does not always respond appropriately to complaints about the service provided. This means that some children's welfare is not fully promoted as these unresolved concerns sometimes result in children's attendance at nursery being disrupted. Staff provide children with a nutritious and well-balanced diet. They make sure that the outdoor environment offers children plenty of opportunities to climb and balance, and to take manageable risks in their play. Staff use successful strategies and positive role modelling to help children behave well.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress and develop the skills they need in readiness for school. They explore their own ideas and select and use toys independently. Children are self- assured and seek out others to share experiences with.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY305959 Local authority Staffordshire Inspection number 1126142 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 - 7 Total number of places 53 Number of children on roll 61 Name of registered person JRL Nurseries Ltd

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 8 December 2014 Telephone number 01782 777169 or 01782 799656

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reference number

St Martins Private Pre School Nursery registered in 2005. It is one of two nurseries managed by J.R.L. Nurseries Ltd. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate qualifications, one at level 6, six at level 3 and one at level 2. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks a year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It also provides a before- and after-school provision, and a holiday playscheme for older 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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