Orchard Explorers Holiday Club

Orchard Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Orchard Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY309359 Inspection date 21 March 2006 Inspector Pamela Woodhouse

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Orchard Day Nursery

Setting Address Trinity C of E V A First School, Coopers Lane, Verwood, Dorset, BH31 7PG Telephone number 01202 820124

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E-mail

Registered person Orchard Nursery (Verwood) 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 good. 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?

Orchard Day Nursery opened in 2005 and is registered to care for 30 children. The nursery operates from its own premises within the grounds of Trinity C of E VA First School in Verwood and serves the local and surrounding areas. There are currently 50 children aged from 3 months to under 5 years on roll. This includes 14 children who receive nursery education funding. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children with special needs.

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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 The nursery opens 5 days per week for 51 weeks per year from 08:00 until 18:00. There are four full time and six part time staff working directly with the children. In addition the owner and manager work full time and are supernumerary. Eight of the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level three and three are currently working towards a recognised qualification. The setting receives support from the Dorset Sure Start.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health and well-being is protected by the implementation of a comprehensive range of policies and high standards of staff practice. For example staff wear protective aprons and gloves when preparing and handling food and changing babies. These and cleaning cloths are colour coded to ensure that they are only used for one task, this practice means that the risk to children of cross contamination is much reduced. The environment is very clean and a daily rota ensures that all areas and resources are maintained on a rotational basis. Outdoor shoes are not worn in the room used by babies to ensure that carpets and floor surfaces are clean and safe for them to play on. Children's awareness of hygiene is promoted through regular routines such as washing hands after visiting the toilet, playing outside and before eating. They learn to wash their hands thoroughly and colourful posters displayed above the hand

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Helping children to be healthy

basins are a consistent reminder to them. Children discuss the importance of why they need to wash hands, for example, comments such as "to get them clean" and to "wash away the germs" are made. This indicates that they understand the reason rather than just learning by rote. Good procedures and practice in relation to medical matters means that children's health is safeguarded. For example, parental agreements are in place to give first aid, administer the children's own medication and to seek emergency advice if necessary. Most staff hold a current first aid certificate, others are mid-way through a relevant course. The designated first aider maintains an accident log to ensure that any recurring accidents are identified and investigated, for example, if a particular item of furniture or a toy appears to be the cause of an accident. This practice means that risk to children is continually assessed. Parents countersign accident records

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Helping children to be healthy

which means that they are kept fully informed about any accidents involving their children and the action taken. Children learn about healthy eating through activities and discussion and enjoy a healthy and nutritious range of snacks. For example, they sample foods that they may not be familiar with such as naan bread and have a selection of fruit or vegetable sticks to choose from each day. There is good liaison with parents about their children's dietary requirements to ensure that these are properly met. Parents provide children's food which is clearly labelled and stored in refrigerators, the

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Helping children to be healthy

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 temperature of which is monitored twice per day to ensure a safe temperature is maintained. They are encouraged to provide their children with healthy meals and helpful ideas are available. All children have daily opportunities for exercise and fresh air to promote a healthy lifestyle. The under two-year-old children have regular outings in their buggies and early walkers also enjoy the ride on toys. The older children enjoy a variety of outside activities such as riding on tricycles and scooters and playing traditional playground games such the big ship sails. They also occasionally use the school field and adventure playground and enjoy walks to the local woods and public playground.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children benefit from a clean, very well maintained, safe and secure environment. They are kept safe due to the very high standards set. For example, staff are very clear about their roles and responsibilities and have good knowledge of the comprehensive safety policy and procedures. A daily risk assessment of the premises and resources is conducted before the children arrive, this means that any potential hazards are identified and removed thereby reducing risk to children. Sleeping babies are monitored through the use of a baby monitor and regular visual checks. Children become familiar with fire drills as they are practised regularly with the school and also independently. A rescue cot is used to transport babies outside in safety and drills are monitored to ensure that they are effective. Children are kept safe during walks in the school grounds and when on outings, for example, staff

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

undertake a thorough risk assessment of the route and destination before taking the children and high adult: child ratios are maintained. Children learn about keeping themselves safe such as carrying their toys safely and helping each other to carry toy boxes. They also learn through informal discussion, for example, discussing the dangers of catching their fingers when cutting close to the edge of the paper. Children have access to a wide range of high quality toys and resources which support their development and learning. Furniture is robust, meets relevant safety standards and the needs of all of the children. Toys are well presented and inviting to children, they are stored on open shelves and can be freely and safely accessed. They are clearly labelled in print and with a picture to enable children to identify the contents without adult help. This encourages them to be independent Children's welfare is safeguarded due to the staff's knowledge and understanding of

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

the child protection policy and the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about the children. They undertake training and their understanding is tested during staff meetings which ensures that they retain their knowledge and are able to put it into practice if necessary.

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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 Children are happily settled and secure. They have a very good relaxed relationship with staff who are responsive to the children's needs, giving them regular praise and encouragement for their achievements. For example, when children make recognisable patterns in the gloop mixture. Children are confident enough to seek reassurance and there is good adult: child interaction. For example, there is close contact with babies as they are given cuddles, held whilst being bottle fed and talked to when being changed. Older children are respected by staff, they are encouraged to make decisions and to choose, for example, the story, song or outside games. Staff plan activities based on Birth to three matters framework for the under three-year-olds and the Foundation Stage curriculum for the over three-year-olds. All

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children have good play opportunities, activities are stimulating and offer appropriate challenge. Children's progress is monitored, however, the next step in their development and learning is not always identified and planned for due to the informality of the system used. Nursery education The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Staff demonstrate that they have a satisfactory understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and support children well in their learning. For example, making sure that activities are well resourced. Staff work well together and draw upon each others strengths, for example, their creative flair, and contribute to the planning by sharing ideas. They have developed plans which clearly link activities to the early learning goals and provide a broad and balanced programme for the children. This supports them in their learning. There are times however, when children are not constructively engaged, for example, they wait for

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

long periods when preparing for outside play and at snack and meal times. This impacts on the amount of time they are able to spend at their activities. Staff are knowledgeable about the children and maintain assessment records to monitor their progress. However, the current system does not sufficiently show their progress through the steps within the early learning goals. Children are confident and show high levels of self esteem. They have established good relationships with adults and their peers and are developing friendships, playing in small groups of their own choosing and inviting others to join them. Children's independence is encouraged through everyday routines and activities. They are able to access their toys and resources and are encouraged at times to make their own decisions and choose their own activities. They competently take care of their own needs such as dressing and help themselves to a drink when they are thirsty.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are well behaved. They share and take turns, for example, they self regulate themselves on the time spent at the computer and readily give up their place to their peers when they are timed out by the egg timer. Children's vocabulary and language is developing very well, they are articulate and able to make themselves understood. They are introduced to and learn about unfamiliar words in enjoyable play situations such as when playing in the well resourced travel agency and post office. Children enjoy stories, they enthusiastically join in with the refrain, for example, 'We are going on a Bear Hunt' story. Some children are able to tell stories from the pictures and know what happens next. The well stocked library area with mix of books stimulates children's interest, for example, fact and fiction books. Children join in with familiar songs and rhymes, however these

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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 are often used as a stop gap whilst waiting for next activity. Children have good opportunities to access mark making materials. They are learning to form recognisable letters and to write their own name. All children can count to six and the more able children can securely count to 19. They are able to relate this to, for example, the number of children present and the number of plates or cups required at snack time. They have some opportunities to calculate, for example, using compare bears to add one more and take one away. All children are beginning to recognise simple shapes through formal and informal activities. For example, a three-year-old points out that the roof on the house she has built with blocks is shaped like a triangle. Children have many opportunities to learn about the wider world through topics and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

activities, for example, they are currently differentiating between hot and cold countries and animal habitats. Staff support children by providing appropriate resources and introducing activities to stimulate children's interest, for example, they taste naan bread and tortilla's and eat noodles with chopsticks. Children are introduced to festivals such as Christmas and the Chinese New Year, learning how others celebrate festivals which are traditional to them. Children learn about their local community through activities and personal. For example, at circle time they share with the group where they went at the week-end and their visit to the post office. Children also learn about people who help them such as the fire and police officers who visit to talk to the children about what they do. Children move with confidence and control within their environment. They show good spatial awareness, for example, when manoeuvring a robot around furniture and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

preparing themselves for yoga. They are able to propel themselves on trikes and scooters, stopping and starting with ease and have opportunities to use large scale equipment such as a climbing frame and balancing beam. Children have good hand-eye coordination and fine manipulative skills through regular use of tools and materials such as scissors, knives, cutters. They use malleable materials such as play dough to knead and pummel. Children explore texture and colour through a range of adult-led and self-initiated activities. They have regular opportunities to use a variety of media such as paint, glue, collage and three dimensional materials. Children use their imagination well and enjoy role play, they immerse themselves in their role, for example, the travel agent. They have great fun imagining going through the jungle during their yoga session and the animals they might see, making suitable sounds to represent these.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children enter the nursery happily, confidently leaving their carers, and quickly settling to their activities. Their individual needs are well known to staff who make sure that they have sufficient information to provide effective care. For example, babies' home feeding and rest routines are mirrored as closely as possible. All children are shown respect and are encouraged to participate in the full range of activities provided, these are adapted to suit children's stage of development. There

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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 are no children with identified special needs currently attending the nursery, however, staff demonstrate a positive attitude and a good understanding of how they will provide suitable care and education. The special needs coordinator is familiar with the procedures for drawing up children's individual learning plans and values the contribution that parents and other professionals involved in the children's development can make to these. Children have access to a range of resources which reflect diversity and learn about their wider world through practical activities such as trying ethnic foods and visits by the community police and fire service. The positive attitude of staff in managing behaviour means that children behave well. They act as good role models and show children respect, for example, thanking them

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Helping children make a positive contribution

for undertaking small tasks and acknowledging their achievements. Age appropriate management strategies such as distracting babies and giving simple but clear explanations to older children mean that children can relate to these and understand what is expected of them. Children show consideration to their peers, for example, they share and take turns and readily help less able children with tasks such as helping to fasten their coats. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Partnership with parents is good. An effective partnership has been established between them and the nursery staff. Parents are kept very well informed about the nursery routines and practices through a comprehensive welcome pack as well as through a range of well written policies, newsletters and information leaflets. The key workers liaise with parents each day, updating them about their children's progress.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Written records about the children's progress are also available but these are not routinely shared with parents. In addition, parents of the under two-year-old children receive a written journal about their children's routine that day, for example, how much rest they have had and the amount of food they have eaten. This means that children's well-being is closely monitored by parents and staff. Parents of children who receive funded education are given good information about the Foundation Stage curriculum that their children are following and are encouraged to help their children progress. For example, children have access to a small lending library from which they can choose which book they want to take home to look at with their parents. Parents are also involved in reinforcing, for example, number and sounds their children are learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's welfare is safeguarded due to the procedures in place to protect them from unsuitable people, for example, the stringent procedures for the recruitment and selection of staff. Staff are monitored regularly and undergo an induction and probationary period before being offered a permanent contract, thereafter they have regular reviews and an annual appraisal. This means that there are many opportunities for both staff and the management team to identify individual training needs. Staff are encouraged to update their skills through training. Children are cared for and play in an organised environment. Space is used satisfactorily and sessions

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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 run smoothly. Staff are effectively deployed and high adult: child ratios means that children are well supported. Their records are well maintained and all required documentation is up to date and readily accessible. Leadership and management is satisfactory. There is good teamwork amongst staff and a friendly atmosphere. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities and although not all are involved in planning, know what they contain and what the aims of the activities are. There is a positive attitude towards the development of the nursery education. However, the system for monitoring how well activities support the children's learning is not fully effective. Areas for improvement are identified through the regular staff meetings, for example, the development of the outside play area.

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Organisation

Planning and organisation of this is at an advanced stage. The provider meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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 good. 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): • continue to develop children's individual assessment records to identify and plan for the next steps in their learning and share these with parents (also applies to nursery education)

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The quality and standards of the care

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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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): • monitor the organisation of activities and make more effective use of time to maximise children's learning experiences • develop the system for monitoring and evaluating the nursery education provision.

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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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