Bright Futures Day Nursery

Bright Futures Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Bright Futures Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY265349 Inspection date 17 May 2006 Inspector Teresa Ann Clark

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Bright Futures Day Nursery

Setting Address Swallow Lane, Carrbrook, Stalybridge, Cheshire, SK15 3NU

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E-mail

Registered person Bright Futures 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?

Bright Futures Day Nursery is privately owned and has been registered since June 2004. It is situated within the grounds of Buckton Vale Primary School in the Stalybridge area of Tameside. A maximum of 79 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.45 to 18.00 all year round except for Christmas and Bank holidays. There are five play rooms where children are accommodated according to age and

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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 stage of development. There is a fully enclosed outdoor area for children to play which includes a grassed and hard surface area. There are currently 86 children on roll, of these, 21 children receive funding for early years education. Children come from a wide catchment area and attend a variety of sessions. The nursery also provides before and after school care for children attending the school. The nursery currently supports children with disabilities. The nursery employs 29 members of staff; 19 hold appropriate early years qualifications while five are working towards a qualification. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are developing an understanding about simple hygiene practices, as they wash their hands at appropriate times. For example, after using the toilet and before eating. However, babies do not have their hands washed before eating, to ensure they are protected from the spread of germs. Staff protect children's health by ensuring the environment is kept clean and through hygienic nappy changing procedures. An effective sick child policy helps prevent the spread of infections and illness. There are sufficient staff trained to ensure children receive appropriate care and attention in the event of an accident or emergency. Staff maintain accident and medication records, but accident records for children attending the out of school club are not always signed by parents. The medication records across the provision do not clearly show that parents have given prior written

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Helping children to be healthy

consent for children to receive medication. The nursery have not obtained parental consent to seek emergency medical treatment or advice. Medication is stored in the fridge in the baby room which is accessible to toddlers and young children. These issues pose a risk to the health and safety of children. Buggies in the baby room also pose a risk to children's health, as they are wheeled from outside into the play room where babies crawl around the floor. The children benefit from regular fresh air, as they play in the outdoor area and through walks in the local community. They enjoy riding bikes and scooters, which helps develop their physical skills. They play co-operatively on the small rocker taking turns. However, the outdoor area lacks equipment to stimulate and challenge children, particularly in their climbing and balancing skills. Children benefit from a healthy diet and enjoy varied and nutritious snacks and meals

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Helping children to be healthy

which help promote their growth and development. Fresh produce is used and children are provided with fresh fruit on a daily basis. Staff consult parents about children's dietary requirements to ensure they stay healthy. Drinking water is available to children and babies are given cooled boiled water throughout the day to

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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 keep hydrated and refreshed. Children recognise when they are thirsty after physical exercise and ask for a drink.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. A warm and welcoming environment is provided for children. They are warmly greeted by staff, and activities are set out which help them to engage in play and separate from their parents and carers. Indoor space is generally organised to meet the needs of the different age groups of children attending. For example, the use of low-level storage for toys and equipment in all of the children's rooms ensures children make choices about activities and access play materials independently. Babies are provided with a good amount of space to explore the environment safely. Older children move about safely and have sufficient space to participate in a range of activities. Children attending the out of school club are not provided with space to relax or play quietly. Children have access to a broad range of indoor equipment and resources, which are safe and promote their all round development. The outdoor area is less inviting to

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

children; it is not a stimulating environment and lacks equipment. Consequently, this area does not maximise the learning opportunities for children. Effective measures are in place to minimise accidents to children. Risk assessments and daily checks ensure the premises and equipment are safe. Access to the premises is well managed by staff. Visitors are signed in and out of the nursery to ensure children are protected. However, the kitchen door is not kept locked, which enables unwanted visitors to access the premises. This poses a risk to children's safety. Children are learning to keep themselves safe as staff give gentle reminders about sitting on chairs correctly and not running indoors because they might fall. Children are well protected from possible abuse or neglect. All staff are aware of possible signs and symptoms which may give cause for concern. They are all clear about their responsibility with regards to child protection issues and have attended

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

training. There are clear and effective procedures in place to keep children safe.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The children are happy and confident in the nursery, where they develop good relationships with staff and each other. They are interested and purposefully engaged in a wide range of activities which meet their development needs. Staff are good role models who show respect for children and provide a positive learning environment, which results in strong relationships throughout the nursery. Members of staff are using the Birth to three matters framework for children under three years with clear learning outcomes. Children benefit from activities which promote their sensory development, such as fruit tasting, exploring pasta, dough,

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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 sand and water. They also enjoy exploring the treasure basket which includes a range of different textures. A young baby confidently uses a paint brush in each hand to explore and mix paint on paper and another uses a sponge. Staff have not fully developed the assessment systems to help inform the planning. Children's progress is not yet recorded against the framework so plans do not take into account the individual needs of children. Staff throughout the nursery work at children's level, either by sitting on the floor or at tables with activities. Babies and toddlers receive lots of hugs and cuddles which helps them feel secure. Toddlers make their needs known, as they point to what they want and bring staff books to share. Staff respond to babies babblings and gestures,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

they consistently talk to children, look at books and sing songs; all of which help them to develop their language and communication skills. Children are learning about numbers and colours thorough everyday activities, such as building bricks and painting. Staff provide children with lots of praise and encouragement which fosters their self-esteem and confidence. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff continue to develop the learning environment to ensure continuous provision supports children's independence and learning. A suitable range of activities are planned which are linked to the Foundation Stage and children's interests. However, children's assessments are not kept up-to-date to ensure they show children's achievements and identify any gaps in their learning. As a result, they are not being used to plan for children's next steps or as a guide to teaching. Some staff have a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage and use their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

knowledge to help children learn. For example, using effective questioning techniques, but this is inconsistent because not all staff have an understanding of the curriculum and how children learn. Consequently, children are not sufficiently challenged during their play. The grouping of children is not effective for some activities. For example, during the dance session younger children become restless and run about, which disrupts the activity for older children. All children independently choose from activities and make decisions about their play. They are learning to play co-operatively together in the home corner. They are developing an understanding about sharing and taking turns. Children are well mannered and use 'please' and 'thank you' to staff and each other. They are not sufficiently developing their self-help skills at lunchtime, because staff set tables, serve food and pour out children's drinks.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Older children are able to recognise their own name and the names of their friends. Younger children are not encouraged to recognise their names, such as through the use of name cards and not all children have their own work tray. The writing area encourages children to practice their writing skills, but they do not practice mark making for a purpose, including labelling their work or writing in the home corner. Children are confident communicators who make their needs known and talk about their work. Children describe their paintings, 'I'm painting a crocodile' 'I'm painting a rainbow'. They ask staff for support when needed, such as when they need more

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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 paper or assistance with activities. More able children count beyond ten and recognise some numbers. They are learning about number when counting how many children are allowed in the home corner. Children use numbers during their play, as they count out the teddies they make with play dough. They recognise simple shapes such as circle, square and triangle. They explore capacity and weight when playing in the sand and water. Children use language such as heaviest and lightest when they fill different sized buckets with sand. They successfully use the computer to develop their computer skills, moving the mouse with increasing control to operate simple programmes. They build and construct using a variety of materials, making rockets and space ships with recyclable materials. The use of a range of tools such as writing tools, paintbrushes,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

dough tools and scissors help develop their fine motor skills. Children move their bodies with good control during the dance sessions and use wheeled toys successfully negotiating space and each other. The lack of outdoor resources limits the development of children's large motor skills and provides insufficient physical challenge. Children are excited at the arrival of the dance teacher; they move their bodies enthusiastically pretending to be rockets, planets and spacemen. The children enjoy exploring paint and making models. However, children's creativity is not always fostered as art work is often adult-led including pre-cut shapes and activity sheets. Children make good use of the home corner but there are insufficient resources to promote their imagination. Overall, children make satisfactory progress towards the early learning goals.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are valued as individuals. The staff team work closely with parents and other professionals, ensuring each child's individual needs are met and they are able to play an active part in the nursery. Children's knowledge of the wider community is fostered through planned activities and walks in the local environment. Although the nursery has a variety of quality resources which portray positive images of race, culture and disability, these are not accessible to children as most are stored in the corridor. The children are generally well behaved. Staff use effective techniques to manage children's behaviour. The use of picture symbols help children respond to the daily routine and co-operate when it is tidy up time. Staff also use songs to help children understand what is expected 'It's tidy up time'. Staff are sensitive to children's individual needs which promotes their confidence and self-esteem. Children receive

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Helping children make a positive contribution

consistent messages about sharing and co-operating, which enables them to work alongside each other. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Partnership with parents is good. Warm and friendly relationships with parents contribute to meeting children's needs successfully. Parents are provided with good quality information which includes a prospectus with information about the curriculum

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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 and policies and procedures of the nursery. They are kept well informed about their children and activities through newsletters, daily diary sheets and informal discussions at the beginning and end of the day. Parents are provided with regular progress reports and are invited to parents evenings to discuss their children's development. There are good home links because parents are aware of the theme and invited to contribute items from home. Parents speak positively about the provision; they find the staff approachable and value the good interaction between staff and children. Parents are pleased that their children are happy to attend and talk about their friends and staff at home.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The management and staff are committed to the care and education of children to ensure their all round development needs are promoted. Staff work well as a team and are enthusiastic and conscientious. They understand their roles and responsibilities, showing willingness to attend training for their professional development. Staffing levels are organised to ensure the nursery is within required ratios and children receive appropriate levels of attention and support. This ensures children are happy, settled and secure. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the children who attend. The leadership and management is satisfactory. The nursery implements the advice and support received from the local authority to help improve the provision. Recent improvements in the learning environment and planning linked to children's interests help promote positive outcomes for children. Although management spend time

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Organisation

monitoring practice and identifying staff training needs, there is no system in place to monitor and evaluate the education provision. As a result, there are gaps in the provision and children's progress towards the early learning goals is limited in some areas.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection two recommendations were made; these were to ensure confidentiality in relation to accident and medication records and include the times of arrival and departure in the children's registers. A separate record sheet is used for each individual child when recording accidents and medication details. Staff record children's attendance, which includes arrival and departure times. These improvements contribute to the safety and welfare of children.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints to report. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they

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Complaints since the last inspection

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

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): • improve medication records to clearly show parents have given prior written consent for medication. Obtain written parental consent to seek emergency medical advice or treatment and ensure safe storage of medication • improve hygiene practice in the baby room to ensure babies hands are washed before they eat and ensure buggies are not brought into the playroom • ensure accidents which occur in the out of school club are always signed by parents • ensure the kitchen door is kept locked at all times • provide an area for children to relax or play quietly in the out of school • continue to develop planning and assessments to ensure activities meet the individual needs of children.

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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): • ensure all staff working with children have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage • develop the assessments so they can be used as an effective tool to inform the planning and as a guide to teaching • improve the outdoor area and resources to provide a stimulating environment which includes all areas of learning and sufficient challenge for children's physical development (also applies to care) • review the grouping of children to ensure learning opportunities are maximised for all children

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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 • introduce a rigorous system for monitoring and evaluating the education provision to ensure continued improvement and children's progress towards the early learning goals.

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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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