Elms Day Nursery

Inspection of Elms Day Nursery 33 Edgbaston Park Road, BIRMINGHAM B15 2RS

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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 enter this setting with smiles on their faces. They are greeted by friendly and welcoming staff. Children feel secure as they explore their surroundings. They make strong bonds with key staff, who gather information from parents when children first start. Staff share this information with each other to ensure that they foster children's care needs effectively and establish routines that are matched to those at home. Children develop self-esteem and show empathy towards each other. They are kind, share their toys and invite others to join in as they pretend to feed stuffed animals.

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The provision is good

Children choose from an array of interesting and engaging activities. Babies enjoy practising their physical skills as they pull themselves up on child-friendly furniture or manipulate pipe cleaners through the holes in colanders. Older children pretend to cook Christmas dinner as they hold conversations with staff about their favourite foods. Staff help children to extend their knowledge as they ask questions to spark children's curiosity and discussions. Children are keen learners and build their confidence in the language-rich environment. Staff introduce new words and often use simple signs to help younger children to communicate their needs and preferences. For example, at mealtimes young children use signs to indicate if they want more to eat or if they have finished.

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need to do better?

n Managers and leaders are passionate in their roles and responsibilities and are highly supportive of their staff team. There are effective arrangements in place for supervisions, which include opportunities to identify training needs and provide coaching to enhance staff practice. Staff's well-being is also a priority. Staff express how they feel supported and valued, and receiving achievement awards helps to boost their confidence. n Staff confidently explain how they observe and assess the progress of their key children. They focus on up to two children at a time over a two-week period. During this time, they liaise with parents to exchange relevant information and use what they find to plan activities based on children's current interests and abilities. This is very effective for these children, and staff report on the good progress children make. However, staff do not plan for their other key children

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need to do better?

until it is their turn to be one of the focus children. This means that there are periods when the curriculum is not based on all children's current interests or planned to build on their prior learning. Although all children are engaged in activities available, opportunities for them to make the best possible progress are missed. n Children with special educational needs and or/disabilities (SEND) receive highly effective interventions and support from staff. They benefit from individual

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need to do better?

12 December 2022 planning that is positive and purposeful. Staff adapt their practice accordingly to meet children's specific needs. The special educational needs and or/disabilities coordinator attends training to expand their knowledge and understanding. They identify children with SEND effectively and support parents during referrals and meetings with external professionals to ensure consistency and complementary practice at the setting and elsewhere. n Children's health and well-being are supported effectively. Staff are well aware of any special diets or individual requirements and take steps to ensure these are adhered to. Children enjoy freshly prepared and nutritious meals and benefit from free access to fresh drinking water and plenty of opportunities outside. n Children are encouraged to be highly independent. Younger children wipe their noses independently and access a child-friendly sink to wash their hands. Older

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need to do better?

children use large utensils to transfer their lunch from the kitchen pans onto their plate. Children pour their own drinks and scrape their food into the bin when they have finished. Children are well prepared for school. n Parents are extremely happy with the care their children receive. They comment on the progress their children have made since attending the setting. Parents receive in-depth information during the day about their child's well-being and progress. Parents speak highly about the communication between the staff team. They feel confident that important messages about their child will be passed on to the correct person. n Managers and leaders ensure that partnerships with local schools are maintained. The key person shares detailed information about children with schools and pre-schools in preparation for children's transition.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Children's welfare is of paramount importance. Staff receive regular in-house safeguarding training. They have a good knowledge of how to identify the signs and symptoms of abuse. Staff understand the importance of sharing information with external agencies when they have a safeguarding concern about a child or colleague. Children's safety is promoted as staff complete rigorous risk assessments and take steps to minimise potential hazards before children enter the setting.

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should:

n enhance opportunities for all children to make the best possible progress through a curriculum which is coherently planned and sequenced, is responsive to individual children's interests and builds on what they already know and can do.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 227172 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 10234402 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 114 Number of children on roll 109 Name of registered person University of Birmingham

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reference number

Telephone number 0121 414 8118 Date of previous inspection 14 March 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Elms Day Nursery registered in 1993. The nursery employs 43 members of childcare staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including five with a level 6 qualification and one with qualified teacher status. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year, except for bank holidays. Sessions are from 7.30am until 5.55pm. 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The manager and the inspectors completed a learning walk together. The inspectors observed teaching practices and considered the impact these have on children's learning. n The inspectors carried out a joint observation with the manager. n The inspectors took account of parents' views. n The inspectors spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the inspection. n The inspectors observed the quality of teaching and reviewed the impact this had on children's learning outcomes. n The inspectors reviewed relevant documents and evidence of the suitability of staff working with children.

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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

12 December 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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