Noah's Ark

Noah's Ark

Unique reference number (URN): 2719160 Address: Bibi House ( Basement Studio Unit 5 & Suite 1A Ground Floor), 69-85 Whitmore Road, Birmingham, West Midlands, B10 0NR Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 19/01/2023 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Noahs Ark Midlands Ltd

p.1

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.

p.2

How we evaluate safeguarding

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

p.2

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.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Staff and leaders set highly ambitious expectations for behaviour and routines. Staff consistently use positive language and thoughtful, specific praise, which helps children understand expectations and feel confident and valued. Children settle quickly, move calmly and purposefully between activities and remain focused and engaged in their learning.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Staff build warm, caring and nurturing relationships through the key-person system. They know children very well and create secure, trusting attachments. Children respond with confidence and trust in their interactions with adults and show kindness, respect and consideration towards one another. Staff act as positive role models, showing kindness and respect, which children copy in play.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Staff keep environments calm, welcoming and well organised where children can focus and learn. All staff respond promptly and sensitively when children struggle with friendships or emotions. They step in quickly, helping children understand feelings, make choices and resolve issues, so play continues happily and purposefully.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Staff actively promote independence from the earliest age. Younger children confidently manage self-care, such as finding tissues and wiping their noses. Children identify when they are thirsty and independently pour drinks into open cups. They choose resources to support their chosen learning and tidy away after they have finished.

p.2

Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Strong standard

Leaders monitor attendance and work with parents to promote regular attendance. Leaders and staff clearly explain how attendance supports learning, particularly for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those facing barriers to learning. Transitions are carefully planned, so children feel secure and ready to learn.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Children make progress from their starting points, including children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Over time, children develop the knowledge, skills and understanding they need across all areas of learning. They increasingly apply what they know in their play and learning and show growing confidence and high levels of independence. Children who begin to fall behind are identified and supported to continue to make progress and keep up with their peers.

p.3

Achievement Expected standard

Children develop the early skills they need for the next stage in their learning. They communicate their ideas clearly, develop early mathematical understanding and increasingly manage their personal care independently. Most children are well prepared for starting school and move on with the skills and attitudes they need to learn successfully alongside their peers.

p.3

Achievement Expected standard

Children demonstrate consistently positive behaviours and highly motivated, engaged attitudes to learning. They follow carefully designed routines with confidence and understanding, and they engage purposefully in activities throughout the day. Children show resilience and perseverance when faced with challenge and sustain their concentration over extended periods. They cooperate effectively with others, take turns naturally in their play and show a strong sense of responsibility within their learning environment.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff and leaders prioritise children's welfare and wellbeing across the setting. They create a safe, secure and welcoming environment where children feel cared for and supported. Staff know children well and respond to their needs with consistency and warmth.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff adapt the environment, so it is inclusive for all children. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities access resources that support communication. For example, children use voice recording buttons that share their feelings or ask for adult help. Staff use these tools to understand children's needs and respond appropriately.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff promote children's safety through daily routines and play. They support children to use equipment safely, including during cooking activities. Staff teach even the youngest children to wash their hands and explain why this is important before eating and after using the toilet.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff support healthy lifestyles throughout the day. During snack and mealtimes, they talk with children about healthy food choices. Staff teach children about oral health and help them practise tooth brushing skills to prevent tooth decay.

p.3

Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders ensure that children access outdoor play every day and have started plans to offer more physical challenge. They are working with staff to develop the space, so children have even more opportunities to build their physical skills.

p.3

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have recently made a new nursery plan for learning. This includes what children are interested in and enjoy, as well as what they need to learn next. They provide children with a balance of adult-led and child-led activities. Staff consider resources that will help children practise skills, such as colour mixing, until they can do them on their own.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff support children's speech and language by repeating words, modelling clear language, and giving children time to think and respond. This helps all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or other barriers, build confidence in communication.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff plan activities that help children build early mathematical skills and vocabulary. For example, staff use toy animals to help children compare and order by size and learn words such as 'taller' and 'shorter'. In the baby room, staff plan activities carefully and change resources to keep children interested.

p.4

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders recognise that teaching is not yet fully consistent across all rooms. While staff are developing their knowledge and practice through coaching and support, there are occasions when they do not use their understanding of child development precisely enough to choose the right next step or adjust activities quickly when children need extra help.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Staff quickly identify when children start to fall behind. They use settling-in sessions and observations to spot concerns and check how children are developing. Staff work closely with outside professionals, such as health visitors and speech and language therapists, to plan support.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders deploy special educational needs and/or disability coordinators across all age groups. They support staff to understand each child's individual needs and plan and review children's small step targets. Leaders use funding to offer children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) extra support, including resources. Most of the time, children with SEND take part in activities and make progress over time. However, there are occasions where staff, in the moment, do not quickly adjust activities or break learning into smaller steps. This means support is not always fully matched to children's needs.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders maintain regular liaison with parents, including conversations about children's barriers and progress. When children move between rooms, key persons share information, so new staff continue individual plans without disruption.

p.4

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders support children facing disadvantage by identifying barriers early and working with families to reduce them. This includes helping families access additional funding and supporting them to improve attendance.

p.4

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have made necessary improvements since the last inspection. A new manager, supported by the nursery nominated individual, now leads the team. Staff say they feel supported and understand expectations. Leaders have developed a culture where staff talk openly about what is working well and what needs to improve.

p.5

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders work closely with the local authority and use advice and guidance to improve practice. For example, leaders observe practice in each room and give feedback to help improve teaching during daily activities. This has helped staff feel more confident.

p.5

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders monitor practice across the nursery and, since the last inspection, have introduced coaching and mentoring systems to drive improvement. These targeted actions have strengthened staff's practice and are beginning to improve consistency across the nursery. However, the systems are still in their infancy and have not yet secured a fully consistent approach to teaching and support across all rooms, including for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Nevertheless, leaders have established ambitious expectations for staff's practice and children's behaviour. This has helped to create a consistently calm learning environment, where children understand routines and show kindness and respect to one another.

p.5

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders work closely with parents and the local community. Parents receive regular updates and feel involved in their child's learning. Staff share information with families to support learning at home.

p.5

Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

p.5

Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.5

Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

p.6

Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

p.6

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

Children arrive at nursery happy and confident, and many are eager to come in, often skipping through the door and separating from their families with ease. Children settle quickly into familiar routines and show that they feel safe and secure in the care of staff, who know them well. Children attend well and benefit from the consistency and stability this provides, helping them to build secure relationships, confidence and positive attitudes to learning.

p.6

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

Children enjoy learning in calm, well-organised environments where they can explore, play and learn together. Children follow clear routines and understand what is expected of them. They listen carefully, take turns and support each other in play. When disagreements happen, children are supported to manage their feelings and return to positive play with their friends. Staff support children effectively to develop their emotional wellbeing and resilience, helping to reduce barriers to learning and enabling children to engage positively in nursery life.

p.6

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

Children build strong relationships with staff and form secure attachments through the key- person system. Children respond warmly to adults and show trust in the care they receive. Children often copy the kindness and respect shown by staff in their interactions with others, helping to create a positive atmosphere across the setting.

p.6

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

Children are confident in their daily experiences and move around the setting with ease. They engage with a range of activities and show enjoyment in playing alongside their friends. Children communicate their needs and ideas and enjoy talking, listening and sharing throughout the day.

p.6

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

Children use a range of language in their play, including words to describe and compare objects, and they enjoy exploring ideas with others. Children listen to stories, join in conversations and show interest in what others say. Children are generally well prepared for

p.6

Address:

Bibi House ( Basement Studio Unit 5 & Suite 1A Ground Floor) 69-85 Whitmore Road Birmingham West Midlands B10 0NR

p.7

Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

p.7

Address:

Registration date: 19/01/2023 starting school. Most children develop the confidence, communication skills and independence they need to learn alongside their peers.

p.7

Next steps

Leaders should continue to refine systems for checking the quality of practice so that any variation in teaching is identified and addressed swiftly. Leaders should continue to develop staff's expertise so that teaching responds precisely to children's learning needs, including when adapting activities in the moment. Leaders should continue to develop staff's expertise through coaching and mentoring systems, so that high-quality practice is sustained consistently across the nursery.

p.7

About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, practitioners, the special educational needs coordinator, parents and children during the inspection.

p.7

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. Registered person: Noahs Ark Midlands Ltd

p.7

About this inspection

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 08:30 - 15:30

p.8

Facts and figures used on inspection

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

p.8

Exceptional

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

p.8

Strong standard

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

p.8

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.

p.8

Needs attention

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

p.9

Urgent improvement

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

p.9

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.

p.9

Urgent improvement

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.9

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 .

p.9

Urgent improvement

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.9

Urgent improvement

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

p.9