The Slade Early Years Centre and Day Nursery

Inspection of The Slade Early Years Centre and Day Nursery Titup Hall Drive, Headington, Oxford, Oxfordshire OX3 8QQ

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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

Staff have created a safe, stimulating and welcoming environment in which children of all ages thrive. Staff adapt settling-in arrangements to the individual needs of children, and their families. This helps ensure children feel confident to join the 'nursery family'. This focus on making sure children feel safe and secure helps ensure children are ready to start learning and exploring right from the start. Children behave well for their age. Staff are good role models. They lead by example by being kind, courteous and helpful. Children learn from this to be these things too.

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The provision is good

Leaders have developed a clear and ambitious curriculum, based on what they want children to learn during their time at nursery. Overall, staff are confident, and very effective, in delivering this programme of learning. They understand how important it is for children to develop into confident communicators. Staff thread high quality support for children's language development into all aspects of nursery life. They give a narrative to children's play that helps build children's vocabulary and understanding. They create cosy areas that encourage children to talk with each other, practising the words and phrases they have learned. Children have several opportunities each day to listen to stories and sing songs. Staff listen to what children say, and hold meaningful back-and–forth conversations with older children.

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need to do better?

n Staff value the different life experiences, and abilities, children bring with them. Staff who work with children with special education needs and/or disabilities are clear about their role in giving children the extra support they may need. They focus well on helping them integrate into nursery life, make friends and benefit from the high quality learning opportunities on offer. n Staff understand the value of repetition for children's learning. Staff plan well for this. For example, there is a programme of core stories that are read regularly and explored through role-play. The impact of this approach is seen in the confidence with which children can retell these stories and incorporate them into their independent play. n Staff provide children with lots of opportunities to be physically active to help them develop a positive attitude towards following an active lifestyle. However, staff do not consistently teach children the skills they need to make the most of

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need to do better?

the opportunities available to climb, balance and manoeuvre. Staff understand their role in keeping children safe around equipment. They are less confident in how to make the most of these times to further extend children's physical skills. n Children of all ages enjoy playing and learning together. Staff take care to ensure babies and younger children get the extra support, attention and care they may

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need to do better?

23 May 2024 need. They use times when younger children sleep to offer older children extra challenging activities. Staff teach children to be empathetic and considerate towards each other. Older children show care and consideration towards their younger friends. They look out for them and include them in their play. n Children's care needs are met just as effectively as their learning needs. Mealtimes are social occasions, used well to promote independence. Key-person arrangements are very effective in enhancing children's sense of belonging and safety. Staff meet children's intimate care needs with dignity and respect. n Leaders have created a positive and happy working environment. The ongoing programme of professional development has helped staff develop confidence in their role as educators. The manager leads by example, consistently modelling high quality teaching skills through her own interactions with children. However,

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need to do better?

current arrangements for supporting staff practice do not always clearly identify any specific aspects of teaching or practice where individual staff need more focused support, to build further on their existing good teaching skills. n Partnerships with parents are a real strength of the nursery. Right from the start, staff build meaningful relationships with parents and keep them very well informed about their children's progress. Staff offer specific advice, resources or suggestions that enable clear continuity of care and learning for children at home and at nursery. Parents share many examples of how this has worked for them and the impact on their children's progress. For example, parents appreciate the advice about how to best support children's developing vocabulary and understanding of acceptable behaviour.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts children's interests first.

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should:

n develop further staff's skills and confidence in delivering some aspects of the curriculum for physical development n enhance arrangements to precisely tailor support for individual staff to continually develop their practice.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY276613 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 10346880 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 22 Number of children on roll 26 Name of registered person Slade Nursery School Governing Body

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reference number

Telephone number 01865 750670 Date of previous inspection 29 August 2018

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Information about this early years setting

The Slade Early Years Centre and Day Nursery registered in 2004. It is situated in Oxford. The nursery is open from 8am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, for most of the year. There are nine members of staff who work directly with the children. Of these, seven hold appropriate childcare qualification between level 6 and level 2. The nusery offers funded education for children aged two, three and four years.

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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 her evaluation of the provider. n The inspector and the manager completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n The manager and the inspector carried out a joint observation. n The inspector held meetings with the manager, and other leaders, to find out about the leadership and management of the setting. n Parents shared their views and the inspector took these into account.

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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 2024 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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