Nursery @ Itchen College

Nursery @ Itchen College

Unique reference number (URN): 131604 Address: Middle Road, Bitterne, Southampton, Hampshire, SO19 7TB Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises Registered with Ofsted: 12/02/2001 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Itchen College

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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 those who face barriers to learning, make typical and steady progress in their learning and development. They demonstrate that their physical skills are prioritised. For example, younger children learn to use climbing equipment and show increasing confidence as they climb up and over the frame.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children develop age- and stage-appropriate knowledge and skills to progress to the next stage of learning. Children develop their personal, social and emotional skills as they progress from playing individually to playing collaboratively. This then develops further as older children learn to independently solve minor conflicts, such as over favourite toys. Overall, children typically make progress in their communication development. For example, children learn to communicate in a range of ways, such as through nonverbal cues including pointing.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children have warm and trusting relationships with staff. They demonstrate that they feel safe and secure with staff. For example, when they arrive younger babies settle quickly with a cuddle from their key person. Children play games collaboratively with each other and are kind and respectful. For example, children set up their own group time where they play charades together. They demonstrate positive attitudes to learning as they work together to guess which animals are being acted out. They take turns with one another with minimal adult support.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Overall, there are high expectations for the children and their behaviour. Typically, children behave well. Staff act as positive role models as they model taking turns, even with the youngest children. Staff regularly praise children for their efforts who beam in delight. However, at times, inconsistencies in routines during transition periods, such as from play into a mealtime, lead to children becoming restless, which impacts on their behaviour and engagement.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Leaders are aware of every child's home life and are understanding in regard to attendance and punctuality, while promoting the importance to parents of regular attendance for children's learning and development.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children, including those who face barriers to learning, have secure attachments with their key person and staff. All staff know children well, including their personal preferences as well as their age and stage of development. Children are keen to involve staff in their play. For example, children invite staff to join them as they play with a favourite toy. Children learn to manage their own personal hygiene needs. For example, older children take pride in independently washing their hands ready for snack and younger children start to practise using face cloths after lunch. Staff teach children about healthy habits and provide support as they start to manage these for themselves. For example, staff encourage older children to think about whether they need a rest during the afternoon. Older children learn to take care of their teeth as they brush their teeth after lunch every day.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff adapt routines and care practices to meet the needs of children. For example, they provide a change of environment and cuddles to help young children feel safe and settled as they fall asleep. However, some routines are inconsistent, for example the transitions into lunchtime, which means children occasionally become restless as they wait for their lunch.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have been developing staff's curriculum knowledge and have an accurate understanding of strengths and areas for development. Leaders have developed a curriculum with a sharp focus on developing communication and language skills, but not all staff are as consistent in their implementation of this yet. For example, at times, staff do not maximise teaching to enhance children's vocabulary further. However, leaders have already identified that staff's understanding of the curriculum, in particular the curriculum for communication and language, could be enhanced further and have put training plans into place.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Overall, staff typically understand the aims for learning and what they want children to be able to do at each stage of learning. For example, children develop their ability to drink from an open cup as they progress through the nursery. Staff ensure that all children can access the curriculum. They use regular assessment to check what children know and can do. Any potential gaps in development are quickly addressed and teaching is tailored to meet this need.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

There is a key focus on children's personal, social and emotional development throughout the provision. Staff ensure children feel safe and secure first and foremost. Staff teach mathematics through play. For example, younger children learn about circles as they paint and older children count lemons and limes for their potions.

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Inclusion Expected standard

There are high expectations for children, including those that face barriers to learning. Staff typically use assessment effectively to quickly identify any emerging needs. Leaders then work closely with staff, external agencies, such as speech and language therapists, parents and children to ensure that any emerging needs for a child are quickly identified and appropriate strategies put in place. This ensures that children continue to make progress in their learning and development. Overall, leaders and staff use a cycle of assess, review and do to evaluate the provision and the strategies used to support children, ensuring it continues to meet each child's needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use funding appropriately to further develop children's learning and development. For example, leaders have purchased climbing equipment to strengthen children's gross motor skills after a gap in physical development had been identified. Leaders and staff are mindful that some of their families speak English as an additional language. They take action to ensure these families are well supported. For example, they provide notices in a range of languages to ensure all parents are aware of important communications, and support families by helping to translate forms.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are passionate about their provision. They have a secure understanding of strengths and where development is needed, they take action. For example, leaders have planned a training day to support staff member's understanding of the curriculum. Leaders ensure staff benefit from regular training and that this training is cascaded back to the staff team so that all can enhance and strengthen their practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders engage with parents and professionals well. This helps children transition to their next stage of learning. For example, leaders and staff have introduced the same core literacy texts as Reception to help children with this transition. Parents speak highly of the levels of communication and support they receive. For example, staff offer support through clothes swaps, food bank vouchers and the community pantry as needed by families.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Prior to the inspection, a breach of early years foundation stage requirements was identified in relation to risk assessment. Leaders had not identified a possible hazard and had not taken action to mitigate the risk. However, the provider has further developed their knowledge, policies and procedures relating to risk assessment. They are able to demonstrate a secure understanding of potential risks in the provision and how to mitigate against these. Therefore, no further action is required.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

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

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Register

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

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Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

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

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Register

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

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

Children happily arrive and settle quickly into the provision. Staff are quick to offer reassurance if needed. They know the children and their families well and tailor support for each individual. Staff are kind and patient and validate children's emotions. For example, staff recognise that toys from home are important to children and support them in leaving these in the special basket for safekeeping on arrival.

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

Children hear songs and rhymes throughout their day and have developed favourite songs. They eagerly explore musical instruments and enjoy the sounds they make. Children begin to learn independence through everyday routines. For example, young children delight in using a spoon to feed themselves during snack time and older children eagerly collect more herbs from the garden for their potions. Children grow in confidence and self-esteem because they receive regular praise and encouragement from staff. They learn to keep trying when things feel tricky. For example, children persevere when learning a new skill, such as walking.

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

Children enjoy sharing things of importance with staff. For example, they enjoy looking at photos of their home life together. Children show a love for learning and are curious about the world around them. For example, they explore the different smells and textures of herbs, such as curry plant. Children develop their physical skills in a range of ways. For example, young children practise walking while holding onto a member of staff, while older children strengthen their fine motor skills by inserting coloured pegs into boards to make pictures and patterns.

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Address:

Middle Road Bitterne Southampton Hampshire SO19 7TB

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Address:

Type: Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Next steps

Leaders should strengthen routines and transitions to enhance teaching and learning. Leaders should develop further staff knowledge and understanding of the curriculum, in particular the communication and language curriculum to enable all staff to extend children's learning further.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with leaders, staff, parents and children during the inspection.

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About this inspection

We carried out this inspection as a result of a risk assessment, following information we received about the provider. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this.

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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. Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday : 08:00 - 17:30,Friday : 08:00 - 17:00

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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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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

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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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