The Counting House

Inspection of The Counting House Nelson House, High Street, Birstall, West Yorkshire WF17 9RG

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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 quickly with nurturing staff, who understand their needs. This helps children to feel safe and secure during their time at the nursery. Staff have high expectations for all children. They teach children to be kind to each other and to look after their toys and books. Children share with their friends and take turns. They learn what is expected of them.

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The provision is good

Children develop their language and communication skills as staff talk to them as they play. Staff say words such as 'baby', 'head', 'hands' and 'eyes', as babies play. Babies then point to the doll and their body parts and attempt to repeat back some of the words. Staff sing familiar rhymes with children, who enjoy joining in with the actions and words. From an early age, children develop their vocabulary.

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The provision is good

Outdoors, children enjoy mixing mud in pans with spoons and drawing big circles with chalk. This helps to strengthen the muscles in their arms and hands. Younger children navigate steps and balancing beams, while staff are safely nearby to help if they need it. Children develop a wide range of physical skills.

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need to do better?

n Managers consider what they know about children to plan what and how they are going to teach children. They use their assessments well to focus on what they want children to learn next. Managers have identified a focus on developing children's independence and communication skills. This helps children to be well prepared for school. n Staff provide opportunities for children to think independently and to solve problems. For example, when children build a pretend castle together with construction materials, staff ask open-ended questions so that children can think about what they need next and where. Children use magnets and predict which materials might be magnetic and then test out their predictions. This helps children to develop their critical thinking skills. n Staff promote the personal development of babies and young children particularly well. They comfort and sing to babies as they change their nappies

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need to do better?

and feed them. Staff recognise children's needs and respond to them in a sensitive way. Babies develop strong bonds with the staff who care for them. n Children learn about feelings and how their behaviour impacts on others. Staff talk to children about their feelings. They praise them when they do something good or they try hard. In turn, children praise each other, such as saying, 'Well done' to their friends when working together on a task. n The key-person system works effectively, ensuring that all staff know their children well. In particular, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are very well supported. Staff provide targeted support in

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need to do better?

23 May 2023 partnership with other agencies where needed. As a result, children with SEND form secure relationships with staff and make good progress in their learning and development. n Parents speak fondly of the nursery and the staff who care for their children. They say that staff understand their children's needs. Parents appreciate the regular communication that they receive about their children. They comment that this helps them to support their children's learning at home. n Managers have a good oversight of the quality of education in the nursery. They identify training opportunities for staff to improve and develop their skills. Managers also carry out regular supervision sessions, as well as observations, which help to improve staff's practice. However, performance management arrangements do not yet help all staff to understand the managers' expectations of consistently high-quality education across all age groups of children. This

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need to do better?

means that the quality of interactions is not consistently high for some children and the understanding of expectations is not yet fully embedded with some staff. n Managers carefully consider how individual funding for children can be used to best support children's needs. They use funding to provide targeted interventions and support for children and to give them wider experiences that they may otherwise not have.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff understand their responsibilities to safeguard children. They are vigilant and supervise children to ensure that they are safe while at the nursery. They know the signs that may indicate that a child is suffering from harm or abuse and ensure that any concerns are swiftly reported. Managers make sure that staff have an up-to-date safeguarding knowledge through regular training. This helps all children to get the help they need in a timely manner. Managers have secure recruitment procedures and carry out thorough checks on all staff to make sure that they are suitable to work with children. This further ensures children's safety and welfare.

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should:

n develop existing performance management processes to ensure that staff have a consistent understanding of high-quality education.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY488127 Local authority Kirklees Inspection number 10291042 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 102 Number of children on roll 124 Name of registered person The Counting House Partnership

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reference number

Telephone number 01924 473210 Date of previous inspection 12 October 2017

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Information about this early years setting

The Counting House registered in 2015 and is located in Birstall. The nursery employs 24 members of childcare staff. Of these, 16 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 and above. The manager holds a level 5 qualification. The nursery is open all year round, from 7am until 6pm, Monday to Friday. It 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 nursery 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 nursery. n The provider joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about the curriculum and what they want children to learn. n The inspector talked to staff at appropriate times during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact on children's learning. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the provider. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of 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

23 May 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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