St Mary's Nursery @ St Mary's College

Inspection of St Mary's Nursery @ St Mary's College St. Marys College, Shear Brow, Blackburn, Lancashire BB1 8DX

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children thrive in this exceptionally warm, welcoming and fully inclusive setting. Their behaviour throughout the nursery is exemplary. Children develop respect for each other. They are kind and considerate and form firm friendships. Children are confident and show very high levels of concentration and perseverance in the array of rich learning opportunities provided. They are exceedingly happy and secure, demonstrating that they are highly enthusiastic learners who are confident and self-assured. Children are frequently fully immersed in their learning. For example, older children create a Christmas tree in the construction area. They work collaboratively with their friends as they test their ideas and theories. They negotiate how to stack large reels on top of each other to create a tree shape. They skilfully use scissors to cut tape to scaffold the structure and excitedly decorate it with baubles and tinsel.

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The provision is good

Staff are extremely kind and caring and build excellent bonds with children. The key-person system is highly effective and children's emotional well-being is paramount. Staff are good role models and support each child effectively, taking into account their individual needs. Staff have high expectations of children and use precise information to plan activities that truly reflect children's interests and abilities. Children's self-care and independence skills are nurtured wonderfully. Children serve themselves at mealtimes and follow stringent hygiene procedures. They relish the responsibilities they are given as they eagerly help staff, who acknowledge their contributions with an abundance of praise and encouragement.

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need to do better?

n Children have wonderful opportunities to learn about the wider world around them. Staff are highly successful at giving children experiences that promote an understanding of people, families and communities beyond their own. For example, children learn about the difference between English and Indian weddings. They find out about festivals such as Eid and Christmas and visit places in the local community such as the library, college and park. n Excellent attention is given to children's communication and language development. Staff skilfully talk to children as they play, asking them questions, introducing new vocabulary and using descriptive language. For example, staff playing with babies introduce words such as 'crunch' as they feel rice cereal. As children begin filling containers, staff explain to children that they are 'collecting' the cereal, deepening children's understanding of language. n Children benefit from meaningful experiences that cover all areas of learning.

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need to do better?

Staff have a good understanding of the different ways in which children learn. They use information from observations of children's learning to identify purposeful next steps that help children to make good progress. However,

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need to do better?

20 December 2019 occasionally, staff interrupt children's learning and engagement to implement routine activities. n Children are developing their awareness of number through the activities that staff provide. For example, as children create snowmen using dough, they count how many buttons and how many eyes they have. When children play with sand and water, staff introduce mathematical language such as 'full', 'empty' and 'half'. n Staff support children's emerging understanding of the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle that involves physical exercise and a healthy diet. Children play outside regularly and develop their physical skills and confidence as they balance, run and climb, negotiating space and obstacles as they move around the well-resourced outdoor area. n Partnerships with parents and other professionals are strong and effective. Children benefit from the shared approach to their care and learning needs.

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need to do better?

Staff keep parents well informed about their children's progress, which helps to extend learning at home. Families share 'wow' moments to celebrate children's achievements and collaboratively identify next steps in children's learning with staff. n Leaders robustly review children's progress to ensure that they continue to achieve the best possible outcomes. The staff are supported through a targeted programme of professional development to develop their knowledge and skills in providing high-quality experiences for children. Additionally, staff have regular opportunities to discuss their practice and well-being through purposeful supervision meetings.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff have a clear understanding of child protection procedures and the process to follow should they have concerns about a child's welfare. Staff have attended relevant training, which has strengthened their knowledge of safeguarding matters. This includes the action they should take if they had concerns about a colleague's practice. Staff accurately record any accidents and medication requirements. They maintain adult-to-child ratios and are deployed effectively to help ensure children's safety. Staff complete detailed checks of all areas that children access, and they report any repairs required in a swift and timely manner.

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should:

n consider the organisation of routines so that that they do not interrupt children's learning opportunities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY262363 Local authority Blackburn with Darwen Inspection number 10129161 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 1 to 4 Total number of places 60 Number of children on roll 88 Name of registered person St Mary's College Governing Body

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reference number

Telephone number 01254 586 996 Date of previous inspection 7 August 2015

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Information about this early years setting

St Mary's Nursery registered in 2003 and is run by the governing body of St Mary's College, Blackburn. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 6, one holds a qualification at level 4, five hold qualifications at level 3, and two staff hold qualifications at level 2. The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, except for bank holidays and a week over the Christmas period. 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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Inspection activities

n The inspector looked at relevant documentation, including training logs and evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting. n A joint observation of teaching was conducted with the manager. n The inspector and the manager completed a tour across all areas of the nursery to understand how the early years provision and the curriculum are organised. n The inspector held discussions with staff, children and parents at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

20 December 2019 We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

20 December 2019 regulates and inspects to 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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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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