Willows Centre for Children

Willows Centre for Children Battenburg Avenue, North End, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO2 0SN

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Inspection date 8 May 2019 Previous inspection date 27 January 2016

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 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 senior managers and practitioners are committed to ongoing improvement. For instance, all practitioners have an area of learning that they evaluate within the setting to continue to improve learning experiences for all children. n The senior managers and practitioners work together to support children with additional needs. They work closely with parents and external agencies effectively which improves individual children's outcomes. n Children form close attachments with practitioners. This enables children to feel safe and secure which has a positive impact on children's well-being. For example, children find a bird's nest and excitedly seek other practitioners to share their experience. n Practitioners do not provide a calm and engaging environment when children arrive at the setting. Therefore, children are not always fully engaged and this leads to some unsettling behaviour. n Practitioners promote independence for all groups of children. For example, children

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This provision is good

pour their own drinks at snack time and hang their coats up on their pegs. n Practitioners end activities too quickly during small-group work. This has a negative impact on children's concentration and their flow of learning. Therefore, children's engagement levels are hindered. n Parents speak positively about the setting and the support they receive, especially those families that are working with other agencies to support their children's individual learning needs.

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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 strengthen the organisation of activities on arrival into the setting so that all children can fully participate and engage in the learning experiences provided n develop further opportunities for children to finish play activities in order to maximise their individual engagement levels.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector observed the quality of teaching to assess the impact on children's learning. n The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager to discuss and evaluate practice. n The inspector sampled documents, including safeguarding procedures, staff suitability checks and children's development records. n The inspector spoke to parents, staff and children and took into consideration their views. n The inspector tracked children's learning and development from their starting points to view progress made.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Senior managers use self-evaluation effectively to improve practice. Views of parents, staff and children are sought. For example, parents complete questionnaires and give verbal feedback daily. Senior managers work with practitioners to develop their professional development and well-being. Recently the setting had an inset day where they had an early years speaker inspire practice and well-being in the workplace. Safeguarding is effective. Practitioners show a good understanding of how to keep children safe. Senior managers have robust systems for documenting welfare concerns and making referrals to other agencies. Senior managers have completed a safer recruitment training course which has enhanced their recruitment process further.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

The quality of teaching is strong. Practitioners make precise assessments of children's learning and actively plan activities in line with children's interests. To enhance this further, the activities on arrival could have a sharper focus to engage children fully. The key-person system works effectively to engage parents in their children's learning, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. Practitioners are skilled in recognising and supporting the individual needs of children. For example, when children show an interest in joining a water-play activity, staff quickly recognise that some need help and support with their aprons.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children learn the importance of adopting a healthy lifestyle. For example, practitioners talk to children about the fruit they are having at snack time. They encourage portion control by having numbered visual boards. Practitioners place a strong focus on developing children's physical skills through activities that motivate their play. For instance, they work with a rugby coach and dance teacher, which allows children to try new things and learn different ways to move. Children are learning to respect each other and living things. Recently children created a wormery and collected worms to rehome. Practitioners challenged children's ideas around taking care of the worms. Children know that worms 'need leaves to keep them happy and survive'.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children make good progress from their individual starting points. Those children in receipt of additional funding are supported well and gaps between groups of children are diminishing. Children are well prepared for their next stage of learning including their eventual move to school. For example, during group circle time, practitioners support children's early literacy skills by providing opportunities for them to recognise their names. Practitioners differentiate the individual needs of children well. Younger children recognise single letters and older children recognise their whole name.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY320122 Local authority Portsmouth Inspection number 10073621 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 3 - 4 Total number of places 23 Number of children on roll 23 Name of registered person Willows Centre for Children

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 27 January 2016 Telephone number 02392 666918

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Willows Centre for Children opened in 1973 and registered in 2006. It is run by the local authority and is situated in Portsmouth, Hampshire. The nursery opens five days a week, for 39 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am until 6pm. There are eight members of staff. Of these, one has early years teacher status, one is qualified to level 6 with qualified teacher status and five have relevant childcare qualifications at level 3. The nursery receives funding to provide free early education for children age three and four years, as well as the early years pupil premium.

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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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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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