Hopwood Hall College Nursery

Inspection of Hopwood Hall College Nursery Hopwood Hall College, St. Marys Gate, ROCHDALE, Lancashire OL12 6RY

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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The provision requires improvement

Leaders have a curriculum intent in place. However, the curriculum lacks ambition and is not always well sequenced. Leaders encourage staff to use themes and topics to plan children's learning experiences. However, this does not always ensure that staff are planning learning experiences that meet the individual needs of all children to support them to make consistently good progress. At times, staff do not support children who speak English as an additional language (EAL). For example, they read books that are too complex. Therefore, children lose interest and become disengaged. While some children make good progress, others are not supported well. For example, the curriculum is not always adapted to meet the needs of all children, particularly children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, specific targets are not shared among the team. As a result, staff interactions do not always help children to learn new skills or build on their

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The provision requires improvement

Children feel happy and safe in the setting. They settle quickly at the start of the day and form strong bonds with their key person. For example, children seek out familiar adults for comfort and enjoy sharing experiences with them. This helps children feel secure and ready to learn. Overall, children have a positive attitude towards learning and follow the routine well. They enjoy participating in activities such as mark making and water play. These activities support children with sensory exploration.

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need to do better?

n Staff gather some information about children before they start nursery. They carry our observations of children as they play. Staff use this knowledge to plan some learning experiences for children. However, leaders do not always ensure that the curriculum is implemented to build on what children already know and can do. For example, some learning is pitched too high. This results in some children quickly losing interest. n Staff support children with SEND throughout the day to help them feel settled. Leaders make timely referrals and seek support from outside agencies to help children access early help. However, leaders do not always ensure that staff are aware of the individual next steps set for these children. As a result, interactions and activities are not sufficiently targeted, limiting these children's ability to make sustained progress. n Leaders and staff have not yet implemented effective strategies for children who

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need to do better?

speak EAL. For example, staff have not considered how children who speak EAL understand the daily routine. At times, children simply follow along with other children. As a result, children who speak EAL are not supported to understand what is happening now and next. This does not support children to have access

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need to do better?

2 May 2025 to the full curriculum. n Staff speak positively about the support they receive from leaders and managers and the regular supervision meetings in place. However, leaders do not provide staff with clear, focused targets to improve their practice. As a result, staff are unsure how to improve their teaching of the curriculum. This leads to inconsistencies in teaching across the setting, which affects the quality of children's learning experiences, particularly in key areas such as communication and language. n Recruitment procedures are robust, with all staff undergoing appropriate suitability checks before working with children. However, induction procedures and supervision arrangements lack consistency and do not fully ensure that new staff understand their roles and responsibilities in supporting children's learning effectively. As a result, staff are not always well prepared to support children's

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need to do better?

learning. This leads to inconsistencies in the quality of interactions and teaching. n Staff caring for older children support parents well. They have devised take- home bags to help prepare children for the transition on to school. Parents consistently express high levels of satisfaction with the setting, frequently praising the warm, supportive relationships staff build with their children. This strong parental endorsement reflects the positive impact the setting has on children's well-being and development. n Physical development is promoted well in the setting. Children have various opportunities to practise their gross motor skills. Babies feed themselves with spoons, and older children are beginning to write their own names. This helps children to prepare for their next stages in development.

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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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Due date

ensure that the curriculum considers children's individual needs and the skills they need to learn next to support them to make consistently good progress in their development 23/06/2025

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Due date

2 May 2025 put arrangements in place to ensure that targets and next steps for all children, including children with SEND, are communicated to staff effectively, enabling them to support children to be ready for their next stage in learning 23/06/2025

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Due date

implement strategies to fully support children who speak EAL to ensure that they develop good communication skills in English. 23/06/2025

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should:

n strengthen procedures for the induction process and supervision arrangements to support all staff to fully understand and implement the curriculum effectively, and to improve their interactions with children.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 316317 Local authority Rochdale Inspection number 10380802 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 85 Number of children on roll 77 Name of registered person Creche-N-Co Ltd

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reference number

Telephone number 01706 345 346 ext 2247 Date of previous inspection 25 June 2019

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Information about this early years setting

Hopwood Hall College Nursery registered in 1991. The nursery opens from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 8am to 6pm. The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff, 10 of whom hold a valid level 3 qualification, one holds a level 2 qualification and two members of staff are unqualified. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four- year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk and talked to the inspector about their curriculum and what they want the children to learn. n Staff spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual/registered individual about the leadership and management of the setting. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning. 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

2 May 2025 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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