Albert House Day Nursery

Inspection of Albert House Day Nursery Albert House, 192 Manor Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST4 2JD

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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The provision is good

Children enjoy their time at this welcoming and friendly nursery. They happily separate from their parents on arrival and quickly settle into the familiar routines. Children greet their friends and happily play together for long periods of time. They display high levels of perseverance and receive an abundance of praise and encouragement. Children's behaviour and attitudes to learning are exceptional.

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The provision is good

Children are highly respectful to each other and staff. From a very young age, children develop an excellent awareness and understanding of their feelings and show real care and concern for others. For example, children remind each other to be careful when walking on the wet concrete outside because it will be slippery. Older children talk about the feelings of characters in a story and discuss as a group why the characters might be feeling sad. Children say, 'You have to share and be kind to your friends so that they will be happy.'

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The provision is good

Children benefit from daily opportunities to play and exercise in the fresh air. They practise their physical skills in the well-resourced outdoor areas. For instance, older children demonstrate excellent balance and coordination as they carefully walk along wooden planks. Toddlers explore the soft-play climbing equipment with increasing confidence. Children learn about the natural world. They plant and harvest vegetables and learn to take care of the nursery pet rabbit. Children develop good independence skills. For example, they are encouraged to take off their waterproofs and wellies by themselves after they have finished playing outside.

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need to do better?

n The owner and manager are passionate and dedicated to providing children with a fun environment where they can learn and thrive. They create an atmosphere that is cosy and homely, with comfy areas and soft lighting. n The manager values her staff and apprentice and places a high importance on their well-being. Staff benefit from regular supervision sessions and are encouraged in their professional development. Although the manager monitors staff practice, feedback following observations does not always sharply focus on improving staff practice to ensure the highest quality of teaching is consistent throughout the nursery. n Partnerships with parents are strong. The manager and staff communicate daily with parents and keep them informed on the progress their children make. Parents speak highly of the nursery and the support they receive. n Transitions are well supported throughout the nursery. The manager has good

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need to do better?

links with class teachers from the local primary schools. She shares relevant information prior to children starting school to support continuity in their

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need to do better?

5 January 2023 learning. n All children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make good progress from their starting points. The manager has created a broad curriculum that is further enriched with experiences linked to different topics and children's interests. For example, children enjoy walks in the community and go on bus rides to visit a local museum or pet shop to learn about different animals. n Children have fun exploring the texture of shaving foam with their fingers. They build towers with sponges, and staff talk to children about what they are making. Staff introduce counting and some mathematical language, such as 'big' and 'enormous'. However, staff do not always consider and fully implement specific learning intentions of planned activities to further support what children need to learn next. n All children develop strong attachments to their key person. Babies receive lots

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need to do better?

of cuddles and attention. They babble with delight and kick their legs as staff play peekaboo, which helps to develop their eye contact. Staff provide a narrative as babies play, and they introduce new words, which helps to support babies' communication and language skills. n Staff provide children with opportunities to develop their fine motor skills. Toddlers enjoy emptying and filling small containers with dry pasta. They use their hands to manipulate dough into different shapes, which helps to strengthen their smaller hand muscles in preparation for writing. n Staff encourage children to think critically and to problem-solve. Children display awe and wonder as they make new discoveries. For example, older children bang on an empty container and one that is full of water. They discuss with their peers why the containers make different sounds. n Children are supported in developing an awareness of diversity and cultures

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need to do better?

represented in modern Britain. They look at different festivals from around the world, such as Diwali and Chinese New Year.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The manager and staff have a good understanding of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a child is at risk of harm. They understand who to contact if they have any concerns about the welfare of a child and have a clear understanding of the setting's whistle-blowing policy. Staff are aware of wider safeguarding issues, such as the 'Prevent' duty. The manager has robust recruitment procedures in place. She completes ongoing checks to ensure the suitability of staff. Daily risk assessments help to make sure the environments are free from hazards.

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should:

5 January 2023 n provide staff with more detailed feedback after observing practice in order to strengthen the consistency of the already good teaching n support staff to strengthen the delivery of adult-led activities to focus teaching more precisely on the targeted learning intentions, to further support what children need to learn next.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 511401 Local authority Stoke-on-Trent Inspection number 10265254 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 42 Number of children on roll 55 Name of registered person Rigby, Lisa Michelle

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reference number

Telephone number 01782 844377 Date of previous inspection 31 May 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Albert House Day Nursery registered in 1999. It is located in the Fenton area of Stoke-on-Trent. The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff. Of these, all hold an appropriate early years qualification from level 3 to level 6. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday, all year round, except for bank holidays and one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am until 5.30pm. The nursery receives funding to provide free 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 A meeting was held with the inspector, the manager and the owner to discuss leadership and management arrangements. n The inspector observed the quality of teaching during activities, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact this has on children's learning. n The inspector spoke to children, staff and parents at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views.

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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

5 January 2023 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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