Smart Start

Smart Start Oberlin Cottage, Oberlin Street, Greenacres, Oldham, Lancashire OL4 3HS

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Inspection date 15 January 2019 Previous inspection date 19 June 2018

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Requires improvement Effectiveness of leadership and management Good 2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2 Outcomes for children Good 2

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This provision is good

n The management team produce detailed development plans. They listen to the views and opinions of staff, parents and outside agencies and use these to evaluate and improve their nursery. The team demonstrate an ambitious approach and are committed to providing a high-quality provision. n Staff support children to develop strong communication skills. For example, they regularly assess children's speech and language and put effective measures in place to support their development. This means that all children make good progress, including those children who speak English as an additional language. n Staff support children to learn about healthy choices. For example, staff use imaginative techniques to encourage children to brush their teeth. They use an egg timer so that children know how long they need to brush for and provide protective gloves and masks and children pretend they are dentists. n Motivated children work well together to make potions in a wheelbarrow. They work

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This provision is good

out how to transport different materials from other areas, such as water, sand and mud. They cooperate with each other, share resources, calculate how much water they need in their pots and thoroughly enjoy mixing and pouring their potion. n While the management team support staff's progression with appraisals, training is not precisely targetted to further improve practice.

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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

n enhance the training opportunities offered to staff to help them to develop their skills and knowledge even further.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector took a tour of the setting and considered the learning environment. n The inspector conducted a joint observation with the manager and evaluated both the teaching and the manager's assessment. n The inspector met with parents and discussed their opinions and views on the nursery and staff. n The inspector held a discussion with the management team and assessed their evaluation of the nursery. n The inspector viewed documentation pertaining to the vetting of staff and the monitoring of children's development.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. The management team and staff know how to identify signs and symptoms of abuse and understand their responsibilities in reporting concerns. The manager monitors ratios and the deployment of staff carefully. This helps to maintain children's welfare. She ensures that all staff are fully vetted to work with children. The management team implement effective systems for the assessment and monitoring of children. They support children who have had a difficult start in life and work with parents and outside agencies to ensure children's needs are met. The management team use additional funding effectively to support children to progress. For example, they purchase outdoor resources which staff use well to improve children's outcomes in physical development. This helps to close identified gaps in children's learning.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The management team promote early literacy and numeracy skills throughout their well- resourced provision. For example, they create specific areas for writing both inside and outside and provide a wide range of mathematical resources. Spontaneous staff engage with children's interests to extend their learning. For example, as children become fascinated with builders working outside, staff provide children with construction resources and take them into their stimulating outdoor area so they can mimic the workmen. Staff skilfully encourage children to think about what might happen next and what they should do. For example, as children become absorbed in imaginative play together, they pretend to help 'sick' children get better. They discuss giving them ice cream and water to stop them being too hot.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Caring staff sensitively attend to new children who become a little upset. They help them adjust to unfamiliar routines in their own time and with constant encouragement. Staff work alongside parents to ensure new children settle quickly. Well-organised lunchtimes provide a pleasant social occasion for children and staff. Children eat healthy lunches while they talk with their friends and key persons. Staff support children to serve themselves lunch and pour their own water from jugs on the tables. Diversity and equality of opportunity is at the heart of the setting's ethos. For example, they provide an environment rich in the languages of all children. Staff manage children's behaviour very well. They support children to resolve conflicts and encourage them to share and take turns. Staff build children's self-esteem through constant praise.

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Outcomes for children are good

Most children develop at the levels expected for their age and some children develop at a higher than expected rate. Children learn how to follow safety rules and boundaries. With staff support, they walk carefully downstairs holding the rail and clearly know the routine of holding onto a 'walking caterpillar' as they cross the playground together. Children choose to sit quietly at the writing table as they practise writing letters and numbers. Children proudly write their own name. These skills help to prepare them for school. Children initiate conversations and confidently talk about what they are doing and what they observe.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 503883 Local authority Oldham Inspection number 10089421 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 124 Number of children on roll 58 Name of registered person Connell, Cheryl Maria

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 19 June 2018 Telephone number 0161 785 0945

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reference number

Smart Start registered in 2001. The nursery employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3, one member of staff holds a level 2, one holds a level 4, one holds a level 5 and the owner holds qualified teacher status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday for 50 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. 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.ofsted.gov.uk . 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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