YMCA Little Whale Day Nursery

YMCA Little Whale Day Nursery H M S Excellent, Whale Island, Portsmouth PO2 8ER

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Inspection date 1 August 2019 Previous inspection date 13 March 2014

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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 leadership team consistently and accurately evaluates the quality of the provision. It has a good vision for the nursery's future and carries out well-targeted action plans. For example, the environment in the pre-school room has been adapted to support two-year-old children's personal independence better. n Staff are warm and attentive towards children. They create a nurturing and stimulating environment which engages children in purposeful play and learning experiences successfully. This helps all children to make good developmental progress. n Children are extremely happy and have fun at nursery. They build very strong relationships with the staff and are very well behaved. Younger children moving to the pre-school room are especially well supported in their new and exciting environment. n The staff fully understand the needs of the children in the unique community they live in. They find solutions to support children emotionally. For example, parents on

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This provision is good

deployment take the nursery mascot 'Walice' with them and send photographs, which staff make into a book for children. n The staff provide excellent opportunities for children to participate in challenging outdoor play in the garden and on outings on the highly secure naval island. Older children relish time around the fire pit and learn good skills and knowledge about fire safety and outdoor cooking. n The management systems to monitor and develop staff practice are relatively new and not fully embedded. As a result, the teaching, particularly in the youngest age group, is not of the highest quality. n Staff work particularly well supporting and communicating with parents of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, the required written information shared with parents on children's learning and development between the ages of two and three lacks clarity.

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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 support staff receive to enhance their teaching and observational skills, particularly in the baby room, to help children make better progress n develop the required written information shared with parents on children's learning and development between the ages of two and three years.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n The inspector observed children's play and learning activities inside and out, and talked to children. n The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection. n The inspector carried out two joint observations with the manager. n The inspector held a leadership and management discussion with the manager and the quality operational manager, and looked at relevant documentation.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

Safeguarding is effective. All staff are trained well in their role of protecting children and demonstrate a good understanding of their responsibilities. They show confidence about who to contact if they are worried about a child, adult or wider issues such as families with extreme views. The provider places a strong emphasis on the recruitment and selection of staff. Underperformance is swiftly addressed and tackled. All staff receive regular coaching and one-to-one time with the senior team. They discuss their training, successes and areas to improve on all aspects of their job. Leaders and staff work effectively with local authority advisers and naval staff to ensure children's needs are met and local learning opportunities are fully maximised. For example, children benefit from their immediate community, such as through attendance at D-Day celebrations where they sit in helicopters and meet royalty.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Leaders and staff ensure children benefit from a wide range of stimulating play opportunities, indoors and out, to match their needs and learning style. For example, children build excitably with varied recycled play equipment to make a pretend animal home, negotiating well with friends and staff. Pre-school staff show good teaching techniques, asking questions to encourage children to think and solve mathematical problems. They deliver engaging, adult-led activities such as making play dough. Staff are enthusiastic and have high expectations based on accurate assessments of each child. For example, they set challenges in early writing skills when children show a keen interest in print and words. Babies enjoy purposeful interaction from staff who get down to their eye level to develop key skills such as first words and walking.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are very content and enjoy their learning in a safe, calm and harmonious environment. Babies settle well, because staff gain good information about each child from parents and follow their home routines carefully. Children swiftly go off to sleep either before or after lunch, well supervised by the staff. Any concerns about children's developmental progress are raised with parents, who help to put structured plans in place which they closely follow. Leaders and staff demonstrate a secure understanding of how to keep hazards to a minimum. They undertake good risk assessments, such as putting locks on the nappy-changing door to prevent inquisitive babies getting in alone.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children show valuable skills for their future learning. They demonstrate very positive attitudes and motivation to learn. Younger children are very curious, investigative learners. Babies smile broadly, developing strong emotional attachments. Older children recall experiences about their weekend and draw elaborate pictures. They confidently and accurately use mathematical vocabulary when describing and comparing the length of sticks. Children are very confident and articulate talkers. They explain their thoughts and ideas to staff well, while being imaginative with coloured pom-poms and cones, using tweezers and sticky tape.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY319060 Local authority Portsmouth Inspection number 10116618 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register Day care type Full day care Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 75 Name of registered person YMCA Fairthorne Group

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 13 March 2014 Telephone number 02392 547182

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reference number

YMCA Little Whale Day Nursery registered in 2006 and is one of 13 nurseries and pre- schools run by the YMCA Fairthorne Group. It is situated on Whale Island, a naval base within Portsmouth and operates from a purpose-built building. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. The setting receives funding for early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. There are 20 members of staff employed to work with the children, all of whom hold recognised childcare qualifications.

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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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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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