Rothersthorpe Nursery Ltd

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number EY314576 Inspection date 13 March 2006 Inspector Rachael Mankiewicz

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Setting Address 37 Church Street, Rothersthorpe, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN7 3JD

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E-mail

Registered person Rothersthorpe Nursery Limited 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 good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Rothersthorpe Day Nursery was registered in 2005 under this registration. It operates from the old school buildings in the village of Rothersthorpe, Northampton. A maximum of 55 children may attend the nursery at any one time and currently there are 84 children on roll. The nursery is open each weekday from 08.00 to 18.00 for 52 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure, enclosed outdoor play area. Some children under eight years who are attending the adjacent school are cared for

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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 at the nursery. Children come from the village and surrounding areas and attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery is able to support children with special needs and children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 18 staff, including 6 members of staff holding relevant qualifications in early years child care at Level 3. Additional members of staff are working towards a qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children benefit from a clean, warm, comfortable and child-friendly environment. Their care is enhanced by the good procedures and practice followed by the staff. Children imitate the staff and share good practice in health and personal care routines, and they are learning more about keeping healthy through planned activities about themselves and their bodies. Older children readily wash their hands after messy play and before snack and lunch, and they are aware that they are helping to prevent the spread of infection. Their welfare is safeguarded because staff have up to date knowledge of first aid in the event of any accident, and appropriate procedures are in place if children are unwell. Children explore and develop physical control while participating in stimulating indoor and outdoor experiences. They begin to understand that exercise affects their bodies as they run around catching and throwing balls and negotiate obstacles on the

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Helping children to be healthy

ride-on toys. They move spontaneously and with confidence in the available space, with children over two moving freely between indoor and outdoor activities. Staff ensure that all children have fresh air during the day, either in the garden or on walks around the village. Children have good opportunities to rest or to be active according to their individual needs as part of everyday routines. This includes children attending after school who may need time to relax and recover. Children learn about healthy living as they enjoy a range of freshly cooked, nutritious meals and snacks. Parents have been involved in establishing interesting menus and ensuring that the needs of all children are met. The nursery has achieved an award for the provision of healthy food. Children try new tastes, express their enjoyment and use good table manners during the sociable meal times. The older children access drinking water from jugs and beakers and regular fluids are encouraged.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are safe as a result of the adults' very good awareness of health and safety and because all reasonable steps are taken to reduce the risk of accidents. Thorough risk assessments and good supervision allow children freedom to choose activities that offer variety and challenge within safe limits. Children learn about safety and use

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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 high quality equipment appropriate to their age and stage of development, and they begin to take personal responsibility for their safety. For example, they learn about road safety as they practice on their vehicles and transfer their knowledge as they walk around the local environment. Children safely manipulate tools and implements and develop hand-eye coordination, for example as they use scissors in many activities. Children are well protected because staff have a clear understanding of the local child protection guidelines. Their safety and welfare is further enhanced by staff carefully monitoring access to the premises, checking all equipment and complying with fire requirements.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children play, learn and have fun with the company of friends and adults at nursery. They benefit from the care and encouragement of knowledgeable staff in the welcoming, learning environment. Babies respond well to the care and attention, despite recent changes in staff in the lower end of the nursery. The younger children begin to play happily together and with adults as they take part in art activities, experience water play, and play with small world toys and outdoor equipment. Older children develop their independence and learn to play in groups as they participate in a range of interesting activities. For example, they all enthusiastically play music together and interact with care and concern as they play in small groups at the water trough. They are developing positive relationships as they listen and communicate well with each other and with the adults. Children use their imaginations well and with

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

enjoyment as they take part in a wide range of art and craft activities. They freely and confidently express their ideas in the comfortable and friendly environment. Their perseverance to complete activities and their confidence to share feelings develops as they play, with some older children returning to their flower pictures to make changes and additions. Children's development and care needs are met through generally effective organisation and planning for the progress of all children from nought to eight years. Staff are beginning to use the ‘Birth to three matters’ framework as a formal developmental system for the younger children. A range of interesting activities are provided to include the small number of children who come to the setting before and after school. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children participate enthusiastically in the planned activities on offer. They choose to play in the different areas, including

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

choosing to play outside. Children use their imagination well as they take on the role of a waiter in the restaurant where they write an order on the clipboard. Creative and imaginative skills are being promoted with an excellent range of art resources and children express ideas well. Children begin to make sense of the world around them as they explore a variety of materials, for example describing the texture of spaghetti in the water trough and coloured pasta in another tray. They investigate how things are made and how they work as they explore construction materials and make models. Information technology is developed through good access to the computer and to office equipment in role play. Children are aware of their own bodies and their

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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 ability to use their senses through planned and unplanned activities. They find out about the environment as they take part in gardening activities and go for walks around the village. Children begin to explore the wider world through visits to the school and the Church, looking at holiday destinations and taking part in the celebration of festivals. Children develop good relationships with staff and each other, as they take turns and work together well in small and large group activities. They interact and chat, showing awareness of the listener and listening well. Children understand that print has meaning and are able to sequence simple stories. Older children are beginning to develop the use of mathematical ideas as they spontaneously count the number of fish and animals, play maths games and solve problems in planned activities

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff make effective use of time and resources to provide a broad and balanced range of activities and experiences across the six areas of learning which motivate the children and enable them to make progress. Children are encouraged to make the most of their experiences by the staff’s careful consideration of what the child might be able to learn. Appropriate individual challenge is ensured through good questioning and enabling by the knowledgeable staff. This good practice is also used to test out what was learnt previously before moving children on to the next stage. Observations and assessments of children's progress towards the early learning goals are used for planning for the individual child’s progress alongside information gained from the parents.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are happy and settle well because staff appreciate the children, valuing them as individuals and the part they play in the nursery. They begin to feel a sense of belonging as they gain confidence through making choices about which activities to do, and some access to further resources to develop their interests. Older children understand their own needs and begin to respect the needs of others. They are well behaved and make sure their friends are involved in activities, which includes being aware that some children have different needs to themselves. Staff are able to support children with special needs alongside their friends and they work closely with the parents and other professionals involved in the child's care. Gaining knowledge of different cultures and religions as they celebrate festivals and use instruments and artefacts from different countries helps children understand about the diversity of the

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Helping children make a positive contribution

wider world. They enjoy meeting people from the local community as they walk around the village and welcome visitors to the nursery. As a result, children's spiritual, moral, cultural and social development is fostered. The partnership with parents and carers of children receiving nursery education is good. Parents receive useful information about the Foundation Stage, and activities their children are involved in. Children's development records are shared with parents regularly and parents have good opportunities to contribute to them. This enables parents to support their children's learning and development at home. Children's care, welfare and general development are promoted because staff have established

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 secure working relationships with parents. All parents receive good information about their children's care and how their individual needs are met.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children's care and learning are enhanced by the good organisation of space and resources which helps them make the most of the play and learning opportunities. All documentation which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being is in place and is reviewed regularly to ensure that the individual care plans are met. Policies and procedures are reviewed regularly although currently they do not reflect changes in personnel and management and other updates. Children benefit from the good staff to child ratios as can be seen through the good supervision and interaction. Generally, the levels of qualified and skilled staff are sufficient. However, recent staff changes have meant that some staff are unclear about their roles and responsibilities. Generally, good attention is given to staff training and development in order to enhance the standard of care provided and to ensure that children remain

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Organisation

secure, confident and well cared for. The leadership and management of the nursery education is good. Staff are committed to continuous improvement and development of the nursery care and education and of their own personal development. They discuss their practice and generally evaluate the provision of nursery education to provide a clear system of monitoring and evaluation of the quality of teaching and of children's progress towards the early learning goals. The setting willingly encompasses the support and advice of the advisory teacher from the local authority. Overall, children’s needs are met.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since registration. 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

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

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 nursery education are good.

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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): • consolidate all staff's knowledge and understanding of the needs of children under three years and how to improve the children's outcomes by using an approach in line with the 'Birth to three matters' framework • ensure that staff are deployed effectively so that training and qualification requirements are met • ensure that the operational plan is reviewed to show recent staff changes and updated policies and procedures.

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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): • increase the opportunities for children to access further resources to develop their interests, take initiative and work independently.

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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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