Cherry Field Nursery

Cherry Field Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Cherry Field Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY300147 Inspection date 01 February 2006 Inspector Carol Newman

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Cherry Field Nursery

Setting Address Long Grove Park, Long Grove Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT19 8PZ

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E-mail

Registered person Cherry Childcare 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?

Cherry Field Nursery is one of eight nurseries run by Cherry Nurseries Ltd. It opened in February 2005 and operates from three rooms in a converted building. It is situated in Long Grove Park in Epsom in Surrey. A maximum of 44 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08:00 to 18:15 all year round. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 36 children aged from 0 to under 5 years on roll. Of these seven

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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 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local community. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs, and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs eight members of staff. Six members of the staff, including the manager, hold an appropriate early years qualification. Two members of staff are currently on a training programme. Six members of staff hold a current first aid certificate.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Babies play and learn in a clean, well organised environment where effective daily routines and the staff’s good practice prevent cross infection. Staff follow babies’ individual routines for eating and sleeping. This ensures continuity of care and contributes to their physical well-being. Babies receive lots of warmth and affection. This supports their emotional well-being and gives them the confidence to explore new experiences. Under threes in the 0-2's room, develop warm relationships with staff who are responsive to baby’s needs. Babies confidently express feelings and needs verbally and non-verbally. However, no domestic style furniture is provided in the 0-2's room, to assist children in developing mobility and to continue normal life experiences. Satisfactory daily routines in the 2-5's room ensure children wash their hands after using the toilet, after playing outside and messy play. This encourages children's

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Helping children to be healthy

personal hygiene habits. However, the children's understanding of good hygiene procedures before eating is not being suitably encouraged. At inspection, children and staff in the 2-5's room did not wash their hands and the table was not cleaned before snack time. Also, the children sat on the bathroom floor, after washing their hands, at lunch time. Parents give prior written consent to administer medication that ensures children receive the correct dosage according to their needs. Most staff hold a current first aid certificate. This means they can give appropriate care if there is an accident. All children have an excellent choice of nutritious and attractively presented meals and snacks and they can help themselves to a cereal bar if they have missed breakfast at home. This helps children develop good eating habits. All meals and snacks are hygienically prepared on the premises and the cook has a very good

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Helping children to be healthy

understanding, through effective guidance regarding healthy eating for under fives. Staff gather all relevant information regarding diet and medical history. This ensures children's individual dietary and medical needs are met. Fresh drinks are available in both rooms at all times and children confidently help themselves. This encourages children to think about their personal needs.

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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 Children enjoy regular physical activities outdoors that help keep them in good health. They use a range of equipment including slides, rockers, crates and swings to develop their balance and co-ordination. Staff use the Birth to Three Matters framework to provide a good range of physical play experiences for babies and children under two years. Babies have frequent opportunities to develop climbing skills as staff provide suitable resources indoors or outdoors according to the daily planning and the weather conditions. Children in the 2-5's room have access to the large slide in the indoor play room during poor weather to develop climbing skills. However, children were not observed using this equipment on either inspection days. Children are skilled at using a variety of construction equipment and frequently use

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Helping children to be healthy

paper, card, recycled materials, scissors and glue for cutting and joining.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children arrive happily and most settle well. Babies play in a well-organised environment that allows them to move around safely, freely and independently. Displays of the children's work show that staff value the children's contributions and babies use a wide range of good quality toys and resources appropriate to their age and stage of development. Space in the 2-5's room is cluttered and resources are not well maintained or effectively organised, preventing children from exploring and investigating in safety. There are good systems in place for the safe arrival and departure of the children and children are supervised when playing outdoors. Staff carry out visual checks of some areas before children play. However, the outdoor area is not fully enclosed, the gates are not locked and some hazards such as thistles are accessible to the children. Children and staff practise the emergency evacuation procedures on a regular basis.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This helps children become familiar with the routine in the event of an emergency. There are regular risk assessments both indoors and out that contribute to the identification and prompt resolution of most potential hazards. Very young children and babies can crawl and learn to walk in a child friendly environment and there are sufficient cots and beds that allow children to rest and sleep in comfort and safety. Effective child protection procedures promote and safeguard children’s welfare within the setting.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children under two explore and experiment through a range of well-planned activities that are appropriate for their stage of development. Young children enjoy listening to stories and learn about the meaning of words through staff’s expressive reading.

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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 Babies and toddlers are beginning to join in action songs that help develop their co-ordination. They confidently persevere when playing with push along toys, shape sorters and interactive toys. Babies use their senses to happily explore malleable materials such as cornflour play and gloop. Staff encourage the youngest children to play together and share. Lots of praise and encouragement develops children's self-esteem. Staff use the Birth to three matters framework to ensure activities for children and babies under three are appropriate. This is very effective in the 0-2's room. All children enjoy plenty of opportunities to develop their social skills. For example, they sit together at meal times. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff plan a range of practical

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

activities that maintain some children's interests. Staff observe the children regularly and use their notes to assess children’s achievements. This helps to identify children’s stage of learning and allows staff to plan the next steps in each child’s learning. Two year olds are grouped with funded children and this has an adverse effect on children's motivation and learning. Care of the younger children impedes the delivery of the foundation stage curriculum and some older children find it difficult to be kind and to share with the younger ones. However, children are developing some independence. They take turns to lay the table, put out cups and serve lunch. The learning environment lacks stimulation and children and staff do not take ownership of it to ensure it is well cared for and exciting. Limited writing resources are put out for the children's use and children do not independently access additional

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

materials. Some displays of children's work are not effectively labelled and resources used for imaginative play are not plentiful or well maintained. Staff use a variety of behaviour management techniques, such as explanation, time out, distraction and physical removal from the situation. Some older children find it difficult to share and take turns and this impacts on the younger children. At times, children do not negotiate well during role play and older and younger children do not mix well together. Behaviour management is often ineffective. This means that children do not always make the most of the activities. Staff are calm and patient and they encourage children to say "Thank you" and to apologise to each other. The "Kindness" rules are displayed at child height. However, staff do not make use of them to encourage appropriate behaviour. Children feel confident enough to approach adults within the setting and are keen to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

show what they can do. They talk happily about their home life and family. Most children speak confidently. They are beginning to express their ideas and experiences well using good vocabulary. Most children enjoy books and stories and their listening skills at story time are good. Children are becoming confident writers. They recognise and write their names forming some letters correctly. Most children enjoy the "Jolly Phonics" pre-reading sessions and staff offer good support when

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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 find their names at lunch and to put on the snack board. Children count confidently by rote and recognise numbers that are important to them. They choose number activities and enjoy number rhymes and songs such as "Five Little Monkeys". Children recognise the properties of simple shapes such as triangles, squares and circles. They use appropriate mathematical language during free play activities. Children enjoy experiences such as tasting different foods at snack time and lunch time, listening to music and playing with the sand and water. They respond enthusiastically when playing their musical instruments. Children use their imagination and express their ideas in limited ways. They paint, draw and make collages that represent their experiences. Opportunities to explore and investigate

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

malleable materials such as clay and play dough are limited. Children learn about their immediate environment by visiting the public playground. A computer and other technological toys are available to the children. However, at inspection the computer was broken and the children had very limited use of alternative technology. A limited range of tools and equipment allow children to create their own models. They use tape, scissors, pasta and packaging to make their musical instruments. They regularly have access to resources such as scissors, paper, glue and glitter and staff ensure that children interpret activities in their own way. Children learn about different cultures and beliefs through the celebration of festivals such as Chinese New Year, Valentine's Day and Shrove Tuesday.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Staff treat children with respect and value their individuality. Staff in the 0-2's room encourage children to enjoy all resources and activities. Children celebrate a range of festivals throughout the year. This helps children develop a positive attitude towards diversity. Children play with a range of resources that reflect positive images of today's diverse society, such as dolls, books, dressing up clothes and play people. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. There are appropriate systems in place to support children who have special needs and those who speak English as an additional language. Staff learn some words in children’s home language so they can understand children’s basic requests. Children benefit from praise and encouragement and staff are calm throughout the nursery. Staff use some appropriate behaviour management techniques to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

encourage good behaviour although this is not consistent with older children. At inspection, physical intervention was used and the incident was not recorded and shared with parents. The partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Staff gather all relevant information on the registration form to ensure children are cared for according to

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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 parents’ wishes. Parents and staff work well together and share information about children’s individual progress and development. Continual assessment and monitoring ensures children’s individual needs are fully met and parents are given regular opportunities to contribute to the children's development records. Staff involve parents in their child’s learning by giving suggestions regarding activities that can extend learning at home and parents contribute to their child’s assessment at parents’ evenings. Parents are informed about the children's activities through the parent noticeboards. However, these are not sufficiently maintained to ensure information is current. Parents receive good information about the Foundation Stage curriculum, the Birth to Three matters framework and the nursery activities through the Early Education

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. There are good company procedures for recruitment and induction that ensure all staff working with children are suitable to do so. Space in the 0-2's room is well organised to ensure children gain fully from all activities. The 2-5's room is not effectively organised and best use is not made of the outdoor area to enhance the children's learning experiences. Staff deployment is effective and staff work directly with the children at all times. Staff work well as a team in the 0-2's room and clear communication and guidance allows them to provide a stimulating well-balanced programme. Staff in the 2-5's room also work satisfactorily together and do their best to meet the children's needs. However, the grouping of the children and organisation of the room is not effective and this affects the quality of the children's experiences. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Management build on staff's strengths

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Organisation

and give them the opportunity to work in different areas of the nursery. This allows staff to develop their knowledge of care throughout the provision ensuring staff can meet the needs of children of all ages. However, management does not ensure that the nursery standards are maintained to the highest degree, at all times. The clear aims for the provision reflect a commitment to improving the quality of care and education. There are regular appraisals that identify training needs and staff are encouraged to enrol on relevant courses. This supports staff in their role and ensures they have the latest and most relevant information available. All mandatory records are well maintained to ensure the safe and effective management of the setting in order to promote children's welfare. The provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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 not applicable

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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

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 good hygiene practices are in place with regard to hand washing for staff and children, particularly at snack time and before lunch for the older children • ensure that the outdoor area is safe, secure and well maintained, that any hazards are inaccessible to the children and that children are unable to leave it unsupervised • provide some domestic style furniture in the 0-2's room, to assist children in developing mobility and to continue normal life experiences • develop staff's awareness and understanding of effective ways to manage children's behaviour, taking into account their age and stage of development and ensure all incidents of physical intervention are recorded and shared with parents (also applies to nursery 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): • ensure children in the 2-5's room are provided with, and encouraged to take ownership of, a well maintained, stimulating play environment where there is

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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 space to explore and investigate in safety (also applies to care) • ensure that the organisation of groups in the course of the day is planned to provide a richer experience for all children and allows the Foundation Stage curriculum to be delivered effectively • ensure children have frequent opportunities to develop climbing skills, to use the computer and other resources to develop their understanding of technology and to express their ideas through a wide variety of malleable materials such as clay and play dough.

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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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