A West Bromwich day nursery which only opened its doors in 2007 has received an “Outstanding” Ofsted report for EVERY ELEMENT OF ITS PROVISION, leaving it in the top 10% of all private day nurseries in the country.
The YMCA Greets Green Children’s Centre Nursery which was purpose-built and opened its doors in 2006 was inspected for outcomes for children, the effectiveness of its provision and its leadership & management.
The Nursery is run by West Bromwich YMCA, a local charity which has been providing high quality childcare in the West Bromwich area for over 20 years.
Nursery parent Kerry Asini said, “I am ecstatic that the nursery was awarded a well deserved ‘Outstanding’ from Ofsted. All the staff are fantastic and go out of their way to ensure the children are happy. My daughter looks forward to going to the YMCA Nursery everyday and I struggle to drag her away to come home!”
Staff and management at the YMCA nursery were delighted to receive the news that their attention to detail and dedication over the previous years had been rewarded with top marks.
YMCA Nursery Manager Lisa Crook said: “I’m thrilled for my team as we have worked so hard to get to this point. Each of our Nursery practitioners are highly trained and committed to giving the children the best possible start in life. It is wonderful that this has been independently recognised.”
The YMCA Nursery works in partnership with the Greets Green Children’s Centre and is accessible to all children in the local area and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play. It is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm for 51 weeks in the year.
It provides funded early education for three- and four-year-olds. There are also some funded places for two-year-olds. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. Three members of staff hold foundation degrees with two staff working towards further qualifications.
The Ofsted inspector, in her report stated that; “Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding. Every child in the children’s centre is valued as a unique individual and staff have high expectations of what children can learn. This is borne out by the exceptional progress children make during the Early Years Foundation Stage when they also gain valuable skills for the future.
“Children come from a variety of backgrounds and this is celebrated positively to ensure that inclusive practice is highly effective in enabling every child to fulfil their potential. Strong and passionate management drives a shared vision with the staff team, embedding ambition and driving continuous improvement.
During the inspection, the children showed a mature response to caring for themselves and each other. The inspector noted that when the nursery practitioner entered the room, she was greeted very warmly like a long lost friend by the enthusiastic children. They offered her a chair to sit on and invited her join them in their play.
The staff expertise was also highlighted by Steve Clay, YMCA Chief Executive who said; “Our mission statement of ‘Developing Body, Mind and Spirit’ applies to our staff and to the children. This achievement is a reflection of expertise and passion within a fantastic staff team. It was only possible through every member of staff working hard for the best possible outcomes for the children. A local primary school head teacher has told us how beneficial the YMCAs high quality nursery education can be as this is reflected in the results that the children achieve as they go through school.
“I am grateful for the support we receive from Sandwell Council Early Years team, who have helped us continually improve our provision, and in particular to support children who need additional help.”
The inspectors also commented that children felt safe within the setting, and showed an excellent understanding of how to behave. The children understood the behaviour that was expected of them and how following such guidance helped to keep themselves and others safe.
Dylan Harrison, Head of Childcare and Family Support at the YMCA said: “Ofsted also recognised the fact that the children’s health is very positively promoted. As a provider of Health and Fitness facilities in West Bromwich, we want to see everyone enjoying an improved lifestyle. There are ample opportunities for the children to engage in active play indoors and outside and they thoroughly enjoy varied and balanced meals and snacks, which are produced daily from scratch with fresh, healthy ingredients.”
The YMCA which also runs a sister nursery on Carters Green, has recently increased the number of Day Nursery places available in West Bromwich, due to rising demand for high quality provision. With the latest announcement from Ofsted, demand is set to rise further , so parents are urged to contact the Nursery Team as soon as possible on 0121 533 1764, or just drop-in for a show around if you are considering a day nursery in the area.
