Armthorpe Daycare Nursery

Armthorpe Daycare Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Armthorpe Daycare Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY291424 Inspection date 17 May 2006 Inspector Jill Scargall

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Armthorpe Daycare Nursery

Setting Address Church Street, Armthorpe, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN3 3AH

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E-mail

Registered person Armthorpe Daycare Nursery 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?

Armthorpe Daycare Nursery is a privately owned nursery which opened in September 2004. It operates from a modified building on the main street of Armthorpe on the outskirts of Doncaster. A maximum of 70 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.30 to 18.00 for 50 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 61 children aged from a few weeks to under five years on roll. Of

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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 these, 20 children receive funding for early education. Most children come from the Armthorpe catchment area as most of the parents live locally. The nursery currently supports some children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 15 staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications and three are working towards a qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Babies and children enjoy a varied, healthy diet. The nursery cook is sensitive to the needs of children with special diets and babies have weaning food provided. Arrangements can be made for babies to be breast fed. Adults sit with children to provide a pleasant social occasion at meal times. Children have a variety of fruits at snack time and water or milk to drink and they assist in pouring drinks and helping one another. Children's daily exercise is effectively promoted by either outside play in the enclosed outside area or by use of a playroom dedicated to large equipment. For example, a ball pool, climbing frame and slide, where children can strengthen their bodies and develop their large muscle skills. Babies' physical development is promoted by toys and equipment suitable for them to pull themselves up and practise crawling and walking. They also have opportunities to rest according to their needs and their

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Helping children to be healthy

parents' wishes in either buggies or cots. Cross-infection is minimised by generally good health and hygiene routines for nappy changing and hand washing. Children are aware of the need to wash their hands to get rid of germs and they dry hands on paper towels to maintain hygiene practises. Several members of staff have received first aid training.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are able to play in a safe environment because effective daily routines are in place. These include risk assessments of the premises, regular fire practices and monitoring of children's arrival and departure. They are closely supervised and there are effective procedures in place to ensure that children are only collected by named persons, according to the wishes of parents. This, together with a procedure for staff to answer the main door, all contributes to children's safety. Routines are in position to increase children's awareness of road safety when they are outside of the nursery, for example, when they walk to the local swimming pool. The safety of babies is promoted by strapping them into buggies and chairs and monitoring them when they are asleep. Children are kept safe from harm due to the staff's knowledge of child protection issues and procedures.

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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 There is sufficient equipment, toys and resources so that all children can follow their daily routines and play, eat and rest in comfort. Toys are kept in good clean order and stored appropriately so that children can access them easily and they enjoy playing with them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are happy and settled in the nursery. They are confident in their play and receive positive attention from the staff. They have good relationships with adults, particularly their key workers, and with other children. Babies and toddlers are involved in a variety of enjoyable experiences which have been planned with Birth to three matters guidance. For example, they play with blocks and try to put them in order, they start to recognise colours, and they use actions and attempt to use words when they see their reflections in a mirror. They have some opportunities for creative play with different materials but require further opportunities to express their ideas through a wide variety of media. Nursery education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff have an understanding of the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage and are developing appropriate

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

planned activities for children receiving early education. They receive help and support from a local authority teacher. They identify how to use continuous basic provision to promote broad learning objectives but do not yet sufficiently monitor that they cover all areas of learning. The nursery are introducing a High Scope approach to learning and staff introduce planned activities with the plan, do, review approach to help children consolidate what they have learnt. Children have adopted this approach enthusiastically and are articulate when telling staff what they have done during the session. Staff ask open ended questions and speak kindly to children and explain to them what they wish them to do. Staff contribute to children's assessment records by noting their activities and linking this to the stepping stones children have achieved. However, this does not yet show if children have consolidated this achievement or what they need to do

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

next. Children are quick to greet their friends when they arrive and they are confident in responding to questions from their peers and adults. They show good behaviour and self-control when they are lining up to go outside or waiting for their turn to speak in a group. They enjoy listening to stories. They are aware that print carries meaning and that pictures go with text, and that pages sequence from left to right. They know that books have titles and authors, and that they may have had a story before by the same author. Children's communication is a strength of the nursery. Children readily respond to questions and are confident to ask questions of their own. They can recall past events, for example, their own birthdays, when they are talking about their nursery nurse's birthday. They can recall events like going to Grandmas and they are quite happy to make suggestions or give instructions to other children and adults.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children can access mark making materials at all times and they readily make lists of

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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 instructions with a clipboard and show it to friends. They practise writing, copy their names and use labels around the room to help them identify letters. A 'letter of the week' is also promoted by staff. Children bring contributory items from home. There are regular opportunities throughout the nursery day for counting, calculating and sequencing. Children discuss the number present, the days of the week, and they use action rhymes like the 'Baker's shop', to take away and add on numbers. They begin to make sense of the world as they explore, investigate and learn about their environment through their topic work on minibeasts; feeding caterpillars and watching them turn into butterflies. Children have good imaginations which are encouraged in activities, such as the puppet theatre and role play. They regularly listen to music and sing. They use tools

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and equipment like scissors, paint brushes and glue spreaders, and experience painting and junk modelling. There are limited opportunities to use the full range of art, design and technology resources to support best progress in learning. Parents of children receiving funded education receive information about the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage and they are introduced to this at an open session. They are also introduced to the High Scope approach. They are kept fully informed of their children's progress by the child's key worker and they may access their records at any time. They also have a more formal opportunity to discuss their child's progress and they are invited to contribute to topics throughout the year.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are all treated equally and learn to respect all members of society because they are valued as individuals. Staff plan activities to help children learn about the wider world and they celebrate individual similarities and differences. Resources are used proactively to teach children about diversity. The majority of children behave well. Good behaviour is encouraged and staff act as positive role models, they speak to children in a calm, friendly manner, help them to take turns, and address any incidents by using praise and encouragement and by reasoning. They use the High Scope approach as a model. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children benefit from the positive relationships between parents and the staff. Parents provide useful written information about their child before they start the nursery and they are given a nursery brochure. Information is shared on a daily basis

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Helping children make a positive contribution

by doorstep meetings where staff inform parents of children's progress. A written diary is kept for babies recording meals, nappy changes and activities. The partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory.

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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 The organisation is satisfactory. Children's care needs are appropriately catered for because space and resources are organised well. Their welfare is promoted because staff are deployed effectively, enabling them to supervise children appropriately. Time, space and resources are used effectively. Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Documentation is in place. It is clear and in order, sustaining continuity of care between the home and the nursery. Informative policies and procedures are in place. Records are completed with relevant information and held confidentially. A complaints procedure is in position that is available to parents. The leadership and management is satisfactory. The manager is committed to the ongoing professional development of staff and there is a system of staff induction,

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Organisation

appraisal and development in position. Regular staff meetings are held to plan activities and to keep all staff informed and up to date with regard to changes in the nursery routines. Staff are beginning to work well as a team planning children's activities. They have started to assess and evaluate children's work and they are also working towards the Quality Counts award through the National Day Nurseries Association.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the quality of care was judged as inadequate. The nursery were asked to review safety arrangements for the collection and departure of children. The nursery have implemented rigorous procedures to ensure the safety of children. This includes a new system of monitoring people who are let into the premises and a system to make sure they are the child's carer. Children are now checked into the nursery, and double checked, and all staff are aware of these procedures. Policies with regard to collection of children, lost children and late collections have all been reviewed and senior staff have made sure that all staff are aware of procedures. Staff's training needs have been identified and they have received training on child protection issues. At the last inspection the quality of nursery education was judged as inadequate. Children's activities were not sufficiently well planned to cover the early learning

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Improvements since the last inspection

goals and children's achievements were insufficiently monitored and evaluated. Parents did not receive sufficient information about funded nursery education. Children did not have sufficient opportunities to access resources independently for mark making; to explore information and communication technology; to use natural materials; to observe and manipulate objects or to experiment with colour and musical instruments. Since the last inspection, staff involved with children receiving funding for early education have received input on a regular basis from a support teacher from the Early Years Childcare and Development Partnership. They have revised their planned activities for children and related these to the stepping stones, providing positive planned activities. They are developing a system of recording children's achievements and are continuing to work on this and the evaluation of children's

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Improvements 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 work to inform further planned activities. Staff have also reviewed children's access to resources and re-arranged the rooms to give children free choice from easily accessible resources. Children are being introduced to information and communication technology through computer use and programmable toys. They are experimenting with colour mixing and using scissors, for example. They are beginning to appreciate music, either by singing, action rhymes, or listening to excerpts form classical music, or by experimenting with musical instruments.

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Complaints 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. There are no complaints to report since the last inspection.

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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): • continue to develop creative activities to make use of a variety of media (also applies to education).

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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): • continue to develop a structured curriculum and make sure that all areas of learning are given equal emphasis • continue to review children's achievements and use these evaluations to inform further planning • make improvements as indicated in the care section above.

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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 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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