Alexandra Park Creative Nursery School

Alexandra Park Creative Nursery School

Unique reference number (URN): 2763653 Address: Demesne Road, Manchester, M16 8PH Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 23/11/2023 Registers: EYR Registered person: Storal Nurseries Limited

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language (EAL), make steady progress across the 7 areas of learning. Some children demonstrate communication and social skills that exceed expectations. Pre-school children generally use skills of collaboration, negotiation and turn- taking with friends. These skills will support them as they move to school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate a 'can-do' attitude. They demonstrate their autonomy as they make decisions, for example to move play to outdoors. Children persevere at tasks, bringing friends in to support them. For example, they ask their friends to help them move large resources that take 2 people to carry.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children, including children with SEND, make progress from their starting points. Where children speak EAL and where children have gaps in learning, these gaps typically close, and children make progress alongside their peers.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations for all children. Staff demonstrate consistently kind behaviours and are quick to remind children of the importance of being kind to friends. Staff consider the age and ability of children when setting expectations. For example, they demonstrate to babies, using clear single words. They help older children consider each other's feelings. Children typically respond well. They use resources safely and usually play collaboratively with friends.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Staff and children form strong bonds. They develop relationships that are happy and trusting. For example, babies snuggle on the knee of a familiar adult. Children form friendships with their peers. They look for their friends arriving, and they make plans for playing together.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders at the setting encourage parents to come into the setting and talk about their jobs to children. This helps children to learn about a world outside their own. Staff also plan events where children can share their creativity with parents. Art, music and imagination are used to help children share their learning and to celebrate different cultures. These experiences support children in developing knowledge and respect. Leaders work flexibly with parents to prioritise and support good attendance. This helps children to get maximum benefit from the setting.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders identified that mealtimes needed action. They have noted improvement following adjustments to reduce the number of children eating in one sitting. However, during some routines, such as when children's care routines are being completed, expectations about how staff can support children to remain engaged are less clear.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

The key-person system is well embedded. Children have secure relationships with their key person and with other staff who care for them. Staff have a secure knowledge of children in their group. They talk confidently about children's interests, their likes and dislikes. For example, staff know if children like a specific comforter and will offer this when children are tired or going to sleep.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders and staff work in close partnership with parents to support children's wellbeing and progress. Staff talk to parents, and, together, make a plan to support children when they identify gaps in children's learning or changes in their behaviour. This helps children to benefit from a consistent approach.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children gain secure skills of independence. Young children manage self-care tasks independently. As children progress, they are taught to consider risks and manage risks safely. The setting has a consistent routine that is effective. However, managers have identified that some transition times are less effective, and they are working with staff to support these times.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Partnerships with parents help staff to gather important information about children's individual needs. Where children have allergies or medical needs, this information is shared so that children can be supported and kept safe. For example, robust systems are in place to ensure children with allergies are only offered foods that are suitable for them.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is effectively designed to support all areas of learning, with learning indoors and outdoors. Staff understand the curriculum. They plan effectively for children's learning. Staff make adaptations to ensure that all children, including children with gaps in learning, are able to learn and make steady progress.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

A strength of the curriculum is the focus on language and communication. From an early age, staff use sign language to support children to communicate. Progress in children's speech and communication is swift. Children, including those who speak English as an additional language, typically demonstrate proficient speech and communicate effectively alongside their peers.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Children benefit from activities that enhance their creativity and imagination. Staff skilfully engage with children who are building. They add resources to add complexity. Children use past learning as they problem-solve and make increasingly complex structures. Children develop skills that will support future learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

There are ample opportunities to support physical development. Children benefit from space to run, jump and balance. They enjoy scooping soil and filling containers. Staff use these opportunities to introduce mathematical language. Children learn concepts such as full and empty. Typically, teaching is effective. However, there are occasions when the implementation of the curriculum is less effective. For example, some staff have less knowledge about how to respond to children's emerging learning. Their teaching skills are not yet embedded to support children with the same high-quality interactions that other staff demonstrate.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a collaborative approach to supporting children and their families. Staff identify and implement ways to overcome barriers. For example, they consider quiet spaces to support children where needed. This helps children to feel calm and remain engaged. As a result, all children are making progress.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff demonstrate a firm understanding of individual children's needs and the action they are taking to support progress, including where children have special educational needs and/or disabilities or speak English as an additional language. Observation and assessment are used well to monitor progress and to identify gaps. Additional support is offered where required. Staff consider ways to adapt and support engagement. For example, staff use visual cues and sign language to aid children's communication and understanding.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders for special educational needs attend meetings and collaborate with other professionals, such as psychologists and health visitors. They work closely with staff and parents to ensure there is a coordinated approach to support offered, including decisions about the use of additional funding for individual children. For example, managers are keen to support staff with specific training and sensory resources to help children to engage and make progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and ambitious plan for supporting continual progress. They offer a curriculum that supports children to be independent, learning through creativity and exploration in the setting's well-planned and equipped indoor and outdoor spaces. Leaders know the families attending and the local community. Many children speak English as an additional language or speak dual languages. Leaders ensure that communication and language are firmly embedded in the teaching and the curriculum offered.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

There are robust systems in place for safer recruitment, and leaders offer secure induction, supervision and mentoring of staff. In addition, staff benefit from coaching and peer support to build knowledge and share skills. Staff report that they feel well supported and valued. However, leaders should build on the skills and knowledge for all staff to embed consistently high-quality teaching across the provision.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate their ability to correctly identify the strengths of the setting and any areas for improvement. They are currently working with staff to make transitions at mealtimes more effective and have already noted some positive results.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Managers have planned a curriculum that supports children to be sociable, confident and inquisitive. Children demonstrate high levels of collaboration as they share ideas and play together. For example, children communicate effectively, using problem-solving techniques to move resources to make a slide. They gleefully whizz down the slide, shouting 'Yay!' Children enjoy learning, and they celebrate their achievements with friends.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Staff know children well. They want them to succeed. In general, teaching skills support children's progress. For example, staff demonstrate how to throw and catch. Even young children are encouraged to manage self-care tasks, such as pouring their own drink or handing out plates. Children make progress from their starting points.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

The knowledge staff have of each child helps them to adapt the environment and plan experiences that all children can engage in. For example, they offer children a range of different-sized brushes to paint. This helps all children to engage, including those who have gaps in their learning. Where children have special educational needs and/or disabilities, or where children are not making expected progress, staff are swift to note this. They offer targeted support, working with specialists where required. As a result, all children thrive. They make progress in readiness for their next stage of learning.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

The setting has a high number of children who speak English as an additional language (EAL). Communication for children is supported by the setting's unique bilingual approach. Children, including children who speak EAL, become confident communicators. They make steady progress in their spoken English.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

The nursery has a strong focus on supporting children to consider their own safety. Children can be heard checking if it is safe to jump, or checking structures are secure before they climb. They develop effective life skills that will support them in future learning.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to build on staff's knowledge and skills so that all staff offer consistent high-quality teaching. Leaders should help staff to use routines more effectively to support children's continual engagement in learning.

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Address:

Registered person: Storal Nurseries Limited

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:30 - 18:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors spoke to the leaders of the setting, parents and practitioners during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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