The Old Station Nursery –Northfield

Inspection of Catherine House Day Nursery Schools 19 Woodland Road, Northfield, BIRMINGHAM, West Midlands B31 2HU

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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 Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children are curious and enjoy taking part in a range of activities. They make good progress in their learning and development through a broad, well-planned curriculum. Children build strong emotional attachments with their key person and will seek them out for cuddles and reassurance when needed. Staff know the children well and are attentive and sensitive to their individual needs.

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The provision is good

Children have enjoyable opportunities to develop an understanding of the world around them. They take part in outings in the local community, such as visits to the library and the village church, which helps to enrich the curriculum and broaden children's experiences. Children learn about a variety of festivals and celebrations throughout the year. They learn about what makes them unique and they celebrate their own cultures and beliefs, which helps children develop an awareness of diversity and life in modern Britain.

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The provision is good

Children have daily opportunities to play and exercise in the well-resourced and inviting garden. They develop their coordination and balance as they skilfully walk along wooden beams and confidently use climbing equipment. Children develop their understanding of nature as they help to plant and grow herbs and plants. Older children learn to take care of the nursery's African snails and learn about habitats.

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The provision is good

Children are provided with a range of fruit and freshly cooked meals as part of a healthy balanced diet. They follow good hygiene routines, such as washing their hands before eating, and develop good independence skills. For example, babies learn to feed themselves with a spoon and older children pour their own drinks and serve their own food.

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need to do better?

n The newly appointed manager is passionate about providing children with the best possible education and care. The area manager works closely with the manager to continually reflect on where improvements can be made to enrich children's learning experiences. n The management team completes observations of staff's practice and offers ongoing feedback. However, the programme for professional development, coaching and mentoring staff is not always targeted as promptly as possible to raise the quality of practice to the highest level. n Partnerships with parents are strong. The management team and staff communicate well with families from the start. Parents receive regular updates and information about their children's progress and ongoing achievements. Staff gather feedback from parents and involve them in all aspects of the nursery.

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need to do better?

1 September 2022 Parents speak very positively about the kind and caring staff and the progress their children make. n Staff observe children and use the information from their assessments to support their learning and development. Staff plan interesting activities based on different topics and themes that incorporate children's next steps and interests. n Staff skilfully support children's communication and language development. They engage children in meaningful conversations and use effective questioning techniques. Staff support children to build their vocabulary by narrating their play. For example, babies and toddlers enjoy the sensory experience of water play. Staff introduce new words, such as 'splish' and 'splash'. This helps children to associate vocabulary with their actions. n Children of all ages are able to access books independently during free play. Older children use their imagination in the mud kitchen as they use dried oats,

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need to do better?

bowls and spoons to make pretend porridge, following on from a popular story about three bears. Children delight when staff join in with their play and demonstrate good levels of recall when remembering different parts of the story. n Staff weave some additional learning into conversations as children play, such as numbers and counting. Babies and toddlers enjoy singing counting songs and older children count how many spoons of oats they have added to their 'porridge'. However, staff miss opportunities to build on older children's understanding of mathematical concepts, such as weight and capacity. n Children's behaviour is good. They learn to share, take turns and use their manners. Staff use a range of strategies to help children acknowledge and understand their emotions. For example, older children enjoy using the small muscles in their hands to model clay into faces that depict different emotions,

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need to do better?

such as happy or sad. n The management team has established strong links with teachers from the local schools that children are due to attend. It takes children to visit the school to become familiar with their new surroundings. The management team and staff also share information with teachers when children start school, which aids smooth transitions for children's future learning.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The management team and staff have a clear understanding of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of abuse. They are confident in the procedures to follow if they have concerns about the children in their care. The management team ensures that staff receive regular training about child protection and safeguarding issues. Safer recruitment procedures are followed when employing new staff and appropriate inductions are undertaken. Staff carry out regular risk assessments to ensure that the premises are suitable and children are kept safe.

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should:

n strengthen the monitoring of staff practice so that they receive prompt and targeted support to raise their practice to a consistently high level n make better use of opportunities to build and extend children's understanding of mathematical concepts, such as weight and capacity.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 227230 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 10116257 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 40 Number of children on roll 23 Name of registered person Buds Limited

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reference number

Telephone number 0121 4758416 Date of previous inspection 18 September 2013

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Information about this early years setting

Catherine House Day Nursery Schools registered in 1993. The nursery is located in Northfield, Birmingham. It opens from Monday to Friday, from 7.30am to 6pm, all year round, with the exception of bank holidays. The nursery employs nine members of childcare staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications from level 2 to level 3. The manager holds early years professional status. 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 provider 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 provider. n The manager and the inspector completed a learning walk together to look at how the curriculum is planned to meet children's needs and development. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n A meeting was held with the inspector and the management team to discuss leadership and management arrangements. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and checked evidence of the suitability of the staff working in the nursery.

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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

1 September 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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