Playhouse Nursery

Playhouse Nursery 24 Abbey Road, Malvern, Worcestershire WR14 3HD

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Inspection date 13 June 2019 Previous inspection date 31 October 2014

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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 experienced provider and knowledgeable manager demonstrate a strong commitment to improving the quality of the provision. They recognise what they do well and identify areas they would like to develop. This has a positive impact on the outcomes for children. n Children are happy and settled in the welcoming and homely nursery. Children enthusiastically explore and experiment with a wide range of play activities and resources available to them. They develop good relationships with their key person and display high levels of confidence, showing they feel safe and secure. n Babies and young children sleep peacefully in comfortable surroundings. Staff regularly check on them to ensure they are safe and well. n Children's behaviour is good. Staff offer clear and age-appropriate reminders to help children to understand what is expected from them. Children happily share, take turns and cooperate with their peers. Children confidently approach visitors, asking questions

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This provision is good

and inviting them to join their play. n Staff teach children about the importance of keeping themselves safe. For example, they are reminded to walk when indoors and learn to handle tools, such as scissors, safely. n Partnerships with parents are good. Staff work closely with parents when children first start at the nursery, gaining information about their child's individual needs. Parents state that they are kept very well informed about their child's care needs and achievements. They speak highly of the kind, caring staff and the approachable management team. n Occasionally, staff prioritise routine activities over joining in with children's play. n Sometimes, the planned next steps in children's learning are too broad. This means staff are not able to plan precisely enough to ensure children make even better progress.

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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 monitoring processes and help staff to focus more on joining in with children's play to help them to become even more absorbed in their learning n plan even more precisely for children's learning to make sure their identified next steps are more specific and achievable so that they make even better progress.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector had a tour of the premises and observed children engaged in a variety of learning experiences indoors and outdoors. n The inspector observed and evaluated a learning activity with the manager. n The inspector viewed evidence of the suitability of staff working at the nursery. n The inspector spoke to the provider and manager about their priorities for improvements. n The inspector spoke to staff and children during the inspection. n The inspector took account of the views of parents through discussion and written documentation.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. Staff undertake regular training to refresh and update their safeguarding knowledge. They are aware of the possible indicators that raise concerns for a child's welfare. Staff understand the procedures to follow should they need to refer their concerns to the management team or other agencies. The nursery has clear and concise action plans in place to drive continual improvements. For example, the manager is keen to embed the newly introduced planning system. The manager monitors children's progress effectively to ensure any gaps in learning are identified. Staff are supported to gain further qualifications and regularly complete online and face-to-face training. Recently, after attending training to support children's communication skills, staff in the toddler room introduced visual timetables. This has enabled the younger and less-vocal children to more easily make their needs and preferences known.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of how children learn and develop. They provide a wide range of stimulating and exciting learning opportunities for children to explore and develop their own ideas. Children are focused and show high levels of concentration as they dig in soil and splash water. They work as a team, thinking out loud and sharing their ideas as they build a waterfall with pieces of guttering. Young children manipulate dough and use a range of tools to cut and make shapes. They use their imagination as they engage in role play, dress up and pretend to cook and feed the dolls. Babies explore paint and use their fingers to make marks.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children display a strong sense of belonging at the nursery. They approach staff with ease, climbing on their lap for a cuddle and inviting them to join their play. Children's health and physical development is promoted successfully. The on-site cook prepares healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. Children understand good hygiene routines and learn to do things for themselves, such as helping to serve their own food at mealtimes. Children wash their hands before meals and conscientiously clean their teeth after lunch. Children develop good physical skills and benefit from daily opportunities to play outside in the fresh air. Children skilfully take part in yoga sessions and join in with jumping games.

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Outcomes for children are good

All children make good progress in their learning and develop and acquire the key skills required for school. They are confident and display a can-do attitude to learning. They practise new skills, such as changing their clothes ready for exercise. Babies babble in their play and grasp finger foods at mealtimes. Early literacy skills are developing. Pre- school children have good pencil control and form letters from their name. All children listen attentively to stories and join in with action songs. Children count the snails they find in the garden and describe them to their peers, announcing, 'Look, they are tiny'. Young children demonstrate good hand-to-eye coordination as they chase and pop bubbles.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 205295 Local authority Worcestershire Inspection number 10106086 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 - 4 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 63 Name of registered person Walker, Larraine

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 31 October 2014 Telephone number 01684 563379

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Playhouse Nursery registered in 1986. It is situated in a converted house in Malvern in Worcestershire. The nursery employs 15 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least level 3, including two with early years professional status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round from 7.45am until 6pm. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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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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