Headstart

Inspection of Headstart The School House, Brook Lane, Walsall Wood, Walsall, West Midlands WS9 9NA

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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 settle well. Staff greet them warmly. Children build a great repertoire of fairy tales, stories and songs. They use visual props to retell stories. Children pull faces to show expression. They understand how characters in songs may feel. Children loudly sing 'The Grand Old Duke of York' as they march upstairs. Music and song play an integral part in the children's routine. They develop good communication, language and literacy skills. There is a real sense of happiness among staff and children. This positively impacts well-being.

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The provision is good

Children behave well and staff fully support them to practise their manners. For example, staff sign 'thank you' to reinforce expectations. Children are confident within a secure routine. Children take turns among peers. They work well as a team during play. For example, children show high levels of concentration as they carefully stack large construction blocks to build a high tower. They develop an awareness for height and measure. Children say, 'it is taller than me'. They develop good mathematical concepts. Children learn to count to 14 as they walk up the stairs.

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The provision is good

Children benefit from a well-planned indoor and outdoor environment. They develop good physical skills. Children independently use their whole body to push their car up a ramp. They smile as they lift their feet up, and they roll down in excitement. Children explore left-handed scissors. They have time to explore preference in their developing skills.

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need to do better?

n Children develop security within the environment. They benefit from a visual timetable to support their understanding of what comes next. Key persons fully support children, who they know well. Skilled staff put innovative strategies in place to support children's needs. For example, children who need to feel an additional sense of security have a beanbag which will wrap around them. There are secure arrangements in place for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The proactive manager focuses on improving children's current outcomes, as well as their future outcomes. The manager applies for relevant funding and, in partnership with parents, they build the care plans children need to ensure future success. n Partnerships with parents are effective. Parents say they 'love the nursery' and 'staff are brilliant'. However, parents do not always feel they are fully engaged in

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need to do better?

their children's learning. Parents say they would 'like things sent home specific to learning'. More engagement would positively impact children to make rapid progress in their development.

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need to do better?

20 May 2022 n Staff are good role models for children. As a result, children respond well to staff. They listen to what staff say and they are confident to follow instructions. At times, staff do not consider how their language and terminology may negatively affect children's understanding and language skills. n The manager works directly with the children. She supports staff to deliver a curriculum which meets the needs of all children, including those who speak English as an additional language. The manager is confident to research specific subjects to keep knowledge and skills up to date. They ensure they share their knowledge with staff to specifically impact the individual needs of children. n The curriculum ensures learning is sequenced and children make good progress. Staff build on what children know and can do. For example, children build with large blocks before staff introduce smaller construction materials. This enhances

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need to do better?

children's confidence and independence in their small-muscle skills. However, staff do not consistently promote children's independence skills throughout the session. For example, during a creative activity, staff tell children how to decorate their picture. At times, they do it for them. For example, staff screw up tissue paper into a ball and they place it on the child's picture. This negatively impacts independence and child choice. n Staff deployment is effective. Children receive high levels of engagement, including face-to-face conversations from staff. Through role play, children develop good social skills. Children practise their developing language in a small group. Staff listen to children's ideas. They positively enhance children's experiences through play. Staff ask children open-ended questions to test their knowledge and understanding of the world.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have secure knowledge of child protection and safeguarding procedures. They know what to do should they have concern for a child's welfare. Staff work effectively with other professionals to support children and families. They are confident to identify different types of abuse, such as female genital mutilation and emotional abuse, including radicalisation and extremism. Staff share information with parents to raise awareness of internet safety. They are confident to whistle-blow should they have concerns about a member of staff or visitors to the nursery. Staff refresh safeguarding training annually. Managers monitor staff knowledge to ensure capability and understanding in their role to safeguard children.

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should:

n provide parents with ideas and suggestions to help them to support further

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should:

20 May 2022 children's ongoing learning and development at home n support all staff to consistently develop children's independence skills throughout the session n improve terminology and the explanations given to children by staff, to ensure language used does not negatively impact children's developing ideas.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY246621 Local authority Walsall Inspection number 10233620 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 30 Number of children on roll 72 Name of registered person Headstart at St John's Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01543 453996 Date of previous inspection 29 September 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Headstart registered in 2003. The nursery opens Monday to Friday. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6pm. Out-of-school care is offered to children from 7.30am until 9am and from 3.30pm until 6pm, and all day during the school holidays. The provider employs 11 members of childcare staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 5 and eight hold relevant level 3 qualifications. Funded early education is provided 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 inspector carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk of the setting. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children throughout the day and evaluated the impact on children's learning. n The inspector held discussions with the manager, staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection. n Relevant documentation was reviewed by the inspector, including evidence of the suitability of those working with children and safeguarding policies.

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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

20 May 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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