St Michael's Nurseries Ltd

(Clapton Park)

Inspection report for early years provision

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(Clapton Park)

Unique Reference Number EY270205 Inspection date 22 December 2005 Inspector Maxine Rose

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(Clapton Park)

Setting Address 76 Blurton Road, London, E5 0NH

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E-mail

Registered person St Michael's Day Nurseries Ltd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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E-mail

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

St Michael's Day Nursery was registered in 2004. The group is situated within the basement of St Jude Church and has the sole use of a large hall which is partitioned into two areas for the 2 to 3- year olds and the 3 to 4-year olds. There is a separate area for the babies. The group also have the use of an adjacent room which is for small groups and access to a secure outdoor area. The setting is registered to provide care for a maximum of 70 children at any one

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 time. The nursery operates Monday to Friday 07:30 to 18:00 for 51 weeks of the year, closing on bank holidays and for 1 week at Christmas. They also close for 3 days per year for staff training. There are currently 12 children on roll. Of these 4 3-year olds and 5 4-year olds receive funding for nursery education. The nursery employs 7 staff, 4 of whom including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications. The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. The children’s daily routine helps them to maintain a healthy lifestyle in most areas of their development. They are involved in a range of physical activities which promote healthy growth, balance and coordination of their bodies. The children are getting physically fit and have fun exerting their energy to the fullest when outdoors. Older children show off their skills when moving at top speed to pedal tricycles, push scooters, climb ladders, crawl through tunnel and glide down the slide. All children demonstrate increasing confidence as they move with ease to run, walk and jump. However, their skills are not extended fully as staff rarely interact purposefully with them. The children are offered a balanced diet, their meals include fresh fruit and vegetables served with drinking water. This enables them to sustain healthy teeth and bones whilst keeping hydrated throughout the day. The children’s individual

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Helping children to be healthy

dietary needs are met well as menus take full account of their cultural and medical requirements. In some cases the staff apply appropriate methods to minimise the spread of cross infection to the children. These include using disposable paper towels during nappy changing and cleaning surfaces with antibacterial agents. However, there are occasions when children do not wash their hands before meals and staff toilets lack appropriate cleaning amenities. The group have clear procedures for administering medication and recording accidents. Most of the staff are trained in first aid, which helps to ensure children receive suitable primary care in an emergent situation.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are received into an environment that is well maintained with walls adorned with vibrant displays of children’s work. This creates an inviting atmosphere for the children to enjoy and relax in. Staff organise the space well and provide interesting resources for the children to choose from. Children select from an array of toys which are also well maintained, age appropriate and well positioned for easy access. These include puzzles, construction, books, role play equipment, writing tools and creative materials. Children are safeguarded in most areas by the implementation of risk assessments which are used for planning outings to ensure the suitability of venues, drivers and vehicles used. Other safety measures include boundaries that prevent

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 the children from accessing areas unsupervised. However, there are times when the deployment of staff does not ensure children are appropriately supervised when they visit the toilet. Children are well protected from possible abuse or neglect. All staff have attended training in child protection and are aware of all types of abuse and signs to look for. Staff are experienced in handling child protection matters and understand the clear procedure to follow to ensure concerns are dealt with in the best interests of the children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. The children feel relaxed and secure with the staff who know them well and are attentive to their needs. The children enjoy a flexible routine that enables them to sleep, eat and play at times that are suitable to them. There is a selection of interesting play equipment and daily activities available to the children to help them make progress in all areas of their development. The children use their senses when listening to musical instruments, exploring the texture of soft toys, observing the colours of light reflecting equipment and tasting the variety of foods presented to them each day. The staff have an understanding of the Birth to three matters framework, but do use this when planning. The babies are helped to reach significant milestones in their development by the staff who nurture their growth, for example helping them to crawl and walk. Children aged 2 to 3-years are willing to try new

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

things. They show confidence as they use materials for the purpose of building and printing. The staff foster the children’s personal and social skills by providing opportunities for them to work in groups or independently. The children develop personal independence as they select resources that are positioned well to enable easy access for them. Children engage in conversation with adults and each other. They talk with ease about their family life and going to Church on Sunday’s. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. The children are making progress in some areas of their learning owed to the staff who plan some activities well and provide some interesting resources to motivate the children to learn. The staff demonstrate a sound understanding of the early learning goals and Foundation Stage of learning. The children are developing their personal and social skills because the staff provide opportunities for them to work in groups and use suitable

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

methods to promote appropriate behaviour. The children behave well and have a growing understanding of right and wrong. They have fun dressing up in the home corner and when printing on cards. They organise their roles well helping each other with clothes, sharing and taking turns with resources. When writing in their personal books, older children communicate clearly to express their dissatisfaction with other children who spoil their work. These activities help the children practise skills for negotiating with others and help them to create a fair and harmonious play environment. The staff make suitable provision for developing children’s early reading and writing skills. Children concentrate and write their names using practical methods, tracing the dots with their pencils, to form both upper and lower case letters. The children are becoming familiar with text and understand that print carries

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 meaning. They have access to books, some of which they borrow from the library. They also use name cards in practical situations, such as to register their attendance in the morning. Whilst children have access to books they are unable to extend their vocabulary fully as there are few chances for them to listen to stories being told. Older children are confident and keen to develop their literacy skills, they seek the support of staff to help them spell and sound out the letters in their names and those of others. The children take part in creative play where they develop their finer physical skills. In addition, they use their imagination in creative ways for the purpose of singing, painting, printing, collage, drawing, cutting, sticking fabric and role play. Children are proud of their achievements and their efforts are harnessed positively by

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

the staff who praise, encourage and display their work. The children are learning about the wider world in ways which are practical and enjoyable, such as themed topics, books and visits to places in their locality. Children dress up in African and Asian cultural garments during role play and try different cultural foods that they buy and cook from the market. Children have fewer opportunities to observe change and growth in living things, use programmable toys and question how and why things work as the programme is limited in this area. Similarly, children have less chance to broaden their understanding of mathematics by using numbers and appropriate language for the purpose of counting, comparing, calculation and practical problem solving.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. The children behave well encouraged by staffs consistent approach and clear boundaries which help children to cooperate in group tasks, share and take turns with resources. The children are treated with equal concern. Activities are planned for the inclusion of all children and interesting resources, such as books, dressing up clothes, dolls, pictures and posters reflect positive images of people in the wider world. This develops children’s awareness of diversity and promotes an appreciation of their family values and those of others. The youngest children benefit from a routine that is specifically planned to their individual needs and the dietary requirements of all children is maintained. This gives the children a sense of belonging and helps them to settle well and feel value. There are no children with special educational needs. The group have clear procedures for the integration and

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Helping children make a positive contribution

care of children with special needs. This helps to ensure children make progress. The partnership with parents is satisfactory. The parents are kept informed about the setting and their children's progress in practical ways. They receive assessments about children's learning however these are not evaluated fully to show children's achievements. There are some opportunities for parents to exchange information with the staff about children's progress at the beginning and end of the day. This helps to establish a stable care and learning environment for the children, whilst fostering their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development appropriately.

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Most staff are suitably qualified. They operate a key worker system for all the children. This helps staff to learn about the needs of the children, thus promoting a trusting relationship. Staff receive support through an appraisal programme that enables them to identify areas of development in their skills and knowledge. Staff can access training, for example first aid and managing children’s behaviour. The setting is organised well, there is sufficient space for all the children and age appropriate resources to help them make progress. There are suitable policies and procedures in place to promote the children's welfare and safety, some of which are implemented appropriately. However, there are times when information is not recorded in a confidential manner. Comprehensive procedures are in place for the recruiting and

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Organisation

induction of staff. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The staff work well as a team to coordinate their roles and plan for children’s learning and development. They have a sound understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and the stepping stones, this helps to ensure children make satisfactory progress in their learning. There are opportunities for staff to develop professionally through training. Whilst the staff monitor the children’s progress they sometimes miss the chance to follow this through effectively by evaluating their findings or using the information to plan for the next stage of learning. The setting meets the needs of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The group have made some improvements since the last inspection. Procedures for complaints, recording children’s attendance and informing Ofsted of changes are more detailed. This helps to ensure parents know how to make complaints, accurate information is maintained about all persons on the premises and that the regulating body is notified of significant events. By maintaining these procedures the group help to safeguard children’s welfare. The children now have access to resources that reflect positive images of the wider world. Some enable children to explore different texture they include books, dolls, pictures, posters and ethnic dressing up garments made with cotton, suede and micro fibres. Other improvements include the arrangements for keeping children’s bedding clean by a process of regular washing, this helps to prevent the spread of cross infection to children.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints made to Ofsted since the last inspection. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure plans for the out door play includes how staff will extend children’s physical development • make provision for children to wash their hands before meals • ensure effective deployment of staff to ensure younger children do not use the toilet unsupervised • ensure children’s records are maintained in a confidential manner.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • provide opportunities for children to observe change and growth of living things: investigate programmable toys and question how and why things happen • provide opportunities for children to develop an understanding of mathematics through the use of numbers, counting, comparing, calculation and practical problem solving • make effective use of assessments: evaluate what has been learnt about the children and plan for the next stage of their individual learning

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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