M & S Nurseries

M & S Nurseries Century House, West Parade, Halifax, HX1 2TE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25 June 2018 1 March 2016

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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

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

 Although staff are well qualified, they do not consistently make accurate assessments of children's ongoing progress. Therefore, they do not always plan activities that challenge and support children to make good progress.  Staff do not ensure that fresh drinking water is accessible to children at all times during the day, especially on very sunny days, to make sure they stay hydrated.  At times, staff do not organise large-group activities as effectively as possible to help all children to remain fully engaged in learning.  Staff do not gather relevant information from parents about what children know and can do when they join the nursery.  Some staff do not extend children’s learning effectively. Staff do not consistently encourage children to develop independence and manage simple tasks for themselves.  The manager does not monitor the progress made by different groups of children.

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It has the following strengths

 Children are happy and form close bonds with staff and other children. They develop positive social skills. Parents comment how happy they are with the nursery.  Children are well behaved. They respond well to the staff and play alongside their peers. Children share and are considerate of each other.

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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

 improve assessment of children's learning and the planning of activities so that all children enjoy a wide range of stimulating experiences based on their individual needs, interests and stages of development 25/08/2018

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Due Date

 ensure all children can access fresh drinking water at all times, especially during hot weather. 25/07/2018

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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

 review the organisation of large-group activities so that all children engage in learning as well as possible  gain more information from parents when children start at the nursery, to help staff understand and build further on what children already know and can do  support staff to recognise when to encourage children to manage tasks independently and when to build further on their learning and understanding  monitor the progress made by different groups of children to help identify any gaps in children's learning, and put appropriate strategies into place to close these.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities and the staff interacting with the children, indoors and outdoors.  The inspector spoke to children, staff and parents at appropriate times during the inspection.  The inspector carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager.  The inspector checked evidence of the suitability checks and qualifications of staff working with children, and discussed the provider's improvement plan.  The inspector sampled a range of documentation, including children's records, safeguarding procedures and other written policies and procedures.

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Effectiveness of the leadership and management requires improvement

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff understand the procedures they should follow if they have any concerns about a child's welfare. Regular checks are undertaken by staff to ensure that risks are minimalised and that children remain safe. Detailed recruitment and vetting procedures are followed to determine the suitability of staff to work with children. The manager regularly meets with staff to discuss their professional development needs. She has started to look at children's assessments more closely. However, she does not effectively monitor the progress of key groups, such as children who speak English as an additional language. Self-evaluation is developing, and the manager and staff are committed to improvement.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Staff regularly observe children to plan for their individual next steps in learning. However, some assessments are not accurate and do not reflect what the children can already do. Staff and parents exchange information about the children on a daily basis. However, further work is required on gathering information when children start, to find out what they already know and can do. During group times, some staff do not promote children's listening skills and more confident children dominate the activity. This means that some children lose focus and do not participate. Staff provide appropriate support for children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work well with parents and other professionals to identify the children's individual needs and ways to meet these. Children enjoy opportunities to look at books and hear stories being read to them. They have fun exploring the sand and being creative with the play dough.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare require improvement

Staff do not encourage children to drink plenty of water during hot weather to ensure they stay hydrated. They sometimes do things for children that they could manage for themselves. Staff do not always recognise when to build on children's learning. For example, they do not help children to develop their understanding of staying safe in the sun, such as wearing hats when they play outside. Even so, children have regular opportunities to play outdoors. They eat healthy snacks and wash their hands before they eat. Staff support children to find out more about their local community and the wider world, for instance, through trips to the seaside and cinema.

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Outcomes for children require improvement

Staff do not always closely match activities to children's individual needs, and so activities do not provide enough challenge to help children make consistently good progress. Even so, staff communicate well with children. For example, they model vocabulary clearly and use visual gestures alongside speech, which helps the children to understand, especially those who speak English as an additional language. Older children begin to recognise and link some letters to the sounds they represent. Staff effectively support their literacy development. Children develop the basic skills needed for future learning.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY478337 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 1139369 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 - 13 Total number of places 100 Number of children on roll 99 Name of registered person Michelle Anne Cook

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 1 March 2016 Telephone number 07983149583

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reference number

M & S Nurseries registered in 2014. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round, except for one week between Christmas and New Year and on bank holidays. The breakfast club sessions are from 7.30am until 8.45am, and the after-school club runs from 3.15pm until 6pm. A holiday club runs during the school holidays from 7.30am until 6pm. The nursery employs 18 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualification at level 6, one holds level 4 and 14 hold level 3. The nursery 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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