Oak Tree Kindergarten Ltd (Lansdowne Road)

Inspection of Oak Tree Kindergarten Ltd (Lansdowne Road) 42 Lansdowne Road, Luton, Bedfordshire LU3 1EE

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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 happy and settled in the nursery. They help to choose which resources and toys are available throughout the day. This helps children follow their own interests, motivating them to build on what they already know and understand. Children choose their favourite books and stories for staff to read to them. They recognise the additional languages used in the text of some of the books, helping to strengthen their identities and sense of belonging in the nursery.

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The provision is good

Babies and very young children play and explore in a relaxed, nurturing environment. For example, they are not rushed at meal and snack times, allowing time to develop their skills to begin to feed themselves. Slightly older children wait with anticipation while a member of staff removes a hidden item from a basket. Between them, children recall what objects were in the basket before they guess which one has been taken out. They wriggle with excitement when they find out their answer was right. The game contributes to children's developing confidence to listen and speak in small groups, helping to strengthen their emerging vocabularies.

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need to do better?

n Staff work closely with parents. They find out important information to help them give the most appropriate care and education right from the start. Key persons share regular updates about how children have spent their days in the nursery. Staff also send information about what children are learning, such as the book of the week, to parents. This helps to provide ideas for parents to continue to support children's learning at home. n The manager seeks advice effectively from other agencies and professionals who support children's care and education. Staff embrace the ideas and strategies given to help ensure that all children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, continue to make good progress. n Staff ensure that children feel settled and secure in the nursery. Babies snuggle for a sleep with comforters they bring from home. Older children look at a visual timetable, helping them find out what will happen during the day. Staff quickly

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need to do better?

identify children who require additional support and introduce personalised picture boards for them to strengthen their communication and understanding of daily routines. This contributes to children's confidence. n The provider ensures that all staff are suitable for the roles in which they are employed. The manager supports new staff through a robust induction procedure. This helps them quickly understand and embrace their responsibilities and familiarise themselves with the policies they need to follow. n Children behave well. They respect each other and follow the simple rules, such as remembering to hold the handrail when they walk up and down stairs.

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need to do better?

23 March 2023 Children are enthusiastic. They welcome staff to join their games, pretending to give injections and test staff's temperatures. They explain they will make the staff 'feel better'. Through their play, children consolidate what they know about the world around them. n Children embrace the daily timetable. However, there are times when routines restrict learning. For example, children in the oldest age group have to wait for all children to wash their hands and sit down before they are able to eat their lunch. Although children demonstrate strong resilience to wait patiently, they are not engaged with staff or any activity. Interactions with staff during this time are frequently limited to giving instructions. n Staff follow themes to help them plan activities for children. However, a clear sequence of progression is missing in some activities. For example, during circle time, children in different age groups are asked the same questions about

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need to do better?

numbers, shapes and colours. This does not provide adequate challenge to the most-able children to build on what they already know and understand. n There is a good balance of both self-chosen and adult-led activities. However, during planned activities, staff do not encourage children to find different ways of doing things, solve problems for themselves or express their own creativity. This hinders children's self-expression and ability to strengthen their own thinking skills. This is particularly evident in art and craft activities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have a good knowledge of how to safeguard children. The manager frequently asks them questions about child protection, helping to ensure that knowledge and understanding remains fresh. Staff know how to report any concerns they might have about children's well-being and know which members of staff they need to talk to about those concerns. Information about child protection is clearly displayed as a reminder for all staff, including what to do if they need to contact the local authority themselves. This contributes to staff's confidence in their role to protect children.

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should:

n review and improve the organisation of routines, such as mealtimes, to reduce the amount of time children have to wait n support staff to plan and deliver a clearly sequenced and exciting curriculum that successfully builds on what children already know and can do, including during circle time n encourage children to find different ways of doing things, solve problems and express their individual creativity during adult-led activities.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY268826 Local authority Luton Inspection number 10280492 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 50 Name of registered person Oak Tree Kindergarten Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01582 727 144 Date of previous inspection 22 August 2017

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Information about this early years setting

Oak Tree Kindergarten Ltd (Lansdowne Road) registered in 2003. The nursery employs 18 members of childcare staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 8am to 6pm. 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 senior staff and has taken this into account in her assessment of the provision. n The team leader took the inspector on a learning walk of the nursery. Together, they discussed how the curriculum and provision are organised. n The inspector observed activities in the nursery. She spoke to staff and children at appropriate times throughout the day. n The inspector held a meeting with senior staff working in the nursery on the day of the inspection. She looked at documentation, including records of complaints and accidents, and checked evidence of the suitability of staff. n The team leader and inspector carried out a joint observation together and assessed the quality of teaching and learning. n The inspector spoke to a small number of parents. She took their views into

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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

23 March 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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