Howley Grange Kindergarten

Inspection of Howley Grange Kindergarten Howley Grange Kindergarten, Howley Grange Road, Halesowen, West Midlands B62 0HS

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children are greeted with a warm welcome by staff as they arrive at nursery. Staff form loving and caring relationships with children. This helps children to settle quickly. Children show that they feel safe and secure and have a sense of belonging at the nursery. They are eager and excited to chat to staff and their friends. Children thrive in the well-resourced outdoor area. They show delight as they use their physical skills to shake musical instruments as staff sing songs and rhymes. Children move their bodies in different ways as they balance on beams, crawl through tunnels and jump in to hoops. Staff model language by using words such as 'jump' and 'balance'. They demonstrate the meaning of these words by showing children how to jump into the hoop.

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The provision is good

Staff offer reassurance to less confident children by offering encouragement. They ask children if they would like some help and build their confidence by reassuring them that they can do something. Children's behaviour is good. Staff support children to understand their expectations by using strategies that have a positive impact on children's emotional well-being. Children learn to communicate their feelings through conversations with staff or by using pictures with different faces to represent their emotions. This helps children to understand and regulate their feelings so that they benefit from learning experiences.

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need to do better?

n The dedicated manager and staff team work well together to provide an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum. The curriculum focuses on school readiness and staff have high expectations for every child, including those who may need additional support. This helps children to develop skills and knowledge to prepare them for the next stage in their learning. n Staff provide children with a varied range of activities to support their learning. Staff continuously talk to children during activities, which helps them to understand their expectations. However, sometimes, the planning of adult-led activities does not consider children's differing abilities. This means that some children's learning is not challenged enough. n Staff skilfully develop children's language skills. They make eye contact with babies as they sing songs and rhymes. Staff engage in conversations with children as they support them to zip up their coats. Staff use pictures to further

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need to do better?

support children's understanding, such as when they are going outside. Older children enthusiastically use their voices to recall words during story time. They repeat words from a story about a shark in a park. This helps to support children's early literacy skills. n Staff provide opportunities to develop children's mathematical skills. At snack time, they count the number of cups and make comparisons about numbers.

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need to do better?

4 April 2022 They talk about having more red cups than blue. This helps children to use mathematical language through everyday routines. n Staff promote children's healthy lifestyles. They encourage children to notice the changes in their bodies. Staff talk about their bodies feeling warm because blood is moving around the body quickly when they exercise. They talk about the muscles in their arms and model how to stretch their bodies. Staff talk about healthy eating and the impact of food on their bodies. n Parents build positive relationships with their child's key person. They report that staff provide them with regular information about their child's care, development and what they are learning next. Parents also access an information board, which was provided in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This helps to provide continuity in children's care and learning. n Managers provide staff with effective supervision. Together, they share ideas

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need to do better?

about how to improve on their teaching, practice and learning. Managers and staff work together to create a culture of mutual support. Staff report high levels of support from managers and feel happy in their roles. n Children show a positive attitude towards their learning. They are eager to participate in the learning opportunities that staff provide. Children demonstrate high levels of curiosity, concentration and engagement during different activities. They show respect for staff and follow instructions, which supports their personal, social and emotional development. n Older children benefit from opportunities to help promote their independence. At lunchtime, they take turns to scoop rice on to their plates. However, this is not yet consistent for younger children. At times, staff intervene or do things for them before they try.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Managers and staff have a secure understanding of their role and responsibilities to safeguard children at all times. Managers have implemented a robust child protection procedure. Staff know how to identify signs of abuse and neglect. They understand how to refer information to the relevant professionals when they have concerns about a child's safety. Managers and staff supervise children well. They ensure that they use risk assessment effectively so that children are safe during their play. Managers ensure that all required suitability checks are carried out for staff, to deem them suitable for their roles.

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should:

n refine the planning of adult-led activities so that they support children's differing abilities

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should:

4 April 2022 n explore ways to consistently promote children's independence during routines and activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY485799 Local authority Dudley Inspection number 10220609 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

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inspection

Total number of places 49 Number of children on roll 102 Name of registered person Howley Grange Kindergarten Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 01214231572 Date of previous inspection 8 August 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Howley Grange Kindergarten registered in 2015. It is located in the Halesowen area of Dudley. The nursery opens Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm. There are 12 members of childcare staff employed. Of these, eight hold appropriate qualifications at level 2 or above. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together of all areas of the nursery and gathered information about how the provision and curriculum are organised. n Parents shared their views of the nursery with the inspector. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation to evaluate the impact of teaching on children's learning. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching, indoors and outdoors, to assess the impact of this on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to staff at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspector held a meeting with the manager and reviewed relevant documentation.

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Inspection activities

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

4 April 2022 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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