House Of Fun Nursery

House Of Fun Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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House Of Fun Nursery

EY239628 Unique Reference Number 25 January 2007 Inspection date Julie Denise Edmonds / Susan Cox Inspector

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House Of Fun Nursery

Unit 45, Longs Industrial Est., Englands Lane, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR31 6BE

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Setting Address

01493 600 877 Telephone number hofkids@aol.com E-mail House Of Fun Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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Setting Address

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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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 good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The House of Fun Nursery is privately owned and opened in spring 2003. It operates from premises with an internal conversion, near the centre of Gorleston. A maximum of 184 children under eight years may attend the provision at any one time. Children up to the age of 11 years may also attend. The nursery opens five days a week, all year round, with the exception of Bank Holidays and a few days over Christmas. Out of school care is provided from 07.00 until 08.45 and again from 15.00 until 19.00 during term time. During the school holidays it is open from 07.00 until 19.00. Children are grouped by age into six base rooms, including two subdivided. There is also a large indoor hall and a small enclosed outdoor area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 259 children from three months to under eight years on roll. Of these, 81 children receive funding for early education. Older children attending out of school care total 16. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery serves the families of the town 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 local area. It currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group employs 33 staff to work with the children and four support staff. Of these, 29 childcare staff hold appropriate early years qualifications and four 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 good. Children’s health is well promoted. Staff obtain clear information from parents and care plans help them respond appropriately to specific medical conditions. If children become unwell their condition is assessed and their parents contacted to agree any action to be taken to ensure their needs are met. Children are well protected in the event of an accident as most staff hold current first aid training to be able to assist them as needed. Clear recording enables parents to understand what has happened and take any further action that may be required. Good hygiene practices throughout the nursery help to prevent children from the risk of cross infection. The use of hand gel placed at the door to each room further minimises risks. Children are generally learning how to manage their personal hygiene effectively; they manage the toilet with increasing independence and little ones are sensitively supported at nappy changing and

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Helping children to be healthy

as they are toilet training. Children understand the need to wash their hands before eating and most do this very well with staff helping the little ones use the basins in their room. However, occasionally some of the out of school children do not wash their hands before eating.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy an interesting and varied range of freshly prepared meals and snacks, for example, spaghetti bolognaise for lunch, scrabbled egg and toast for tea with fresh fruit for snacks. The cook caters for individual diets based on information obtained from their parents. Staff are vigilant to children with allergies to make sure they do not eat or come into contact with foods that are not suitable for them. Staff often eat their meal with the children and this helps make meal times sociable events. Children enjoy their company chatting freely about what they have been doing and learning social skills. Little ones who are learning how to feed themselves receive sensitive support to ensure they have sufficient to eat whilst being able to explore the use of a spoon or their hands according to their stage of development. Babies thrive due to the closeness of being cuddled as they are fed their bottle. Children in the out of school club

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Helping children to be healthy

enjoy the independence of helping prepare their snacks, for example, choosing breakfast from the trolley and spreading butter on their hot toast.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children of all ages are frequently active. Due to careful planning most children enjoy some time in the fresh air each day when the weather allows. Very good use of the indoor play hall sees children enthusiastically practising a range of physical skills and learning how their bodies work. They love the freedom to run around and make a lot of noise as they play happily. They climb and slide on the climbing frame understanding how to do this safely and ride a range of bikes and wheeled toys around manoeuvring carefully when required. Football and basket ball extends skills for the older ones and playing cooperative games helps them learn how to enjoy being active and work together. Babies and toddlers are supported sensitively as they become

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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 mobile. Activities are provided to encourage them to roll and crawl and help is given as they find their feet and start to walk. Staff are vigilant and ensure their safety arranging furniture and resources appropriately and being on hand to help as needed with plenty of encouragement. When children are tired they rest comfortably in a manner agreed with their parents. For example, little ones are encouraged to sleep in a cot with toddlers using comfortable floor mattresses. They settle quickly as the sleeping rooms are peaceful and the lighting is adjusted to create a pleasing environment. Children are checked frequently to ensure they remain safe and comfortable and are greeted with smiles and cuddles as they wake up. Older children rest on the cushions within their rooms and may choose to use a small tent for a sleep if they wish.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children receive a warm welcome from staff that are organised and have prepared the rooms in advance of the children’s arrival. The nursery is well decorated and bright with a wealth of interesting displays of children’s work, posters and resources in each room making it a stimulating child-centred environment. Consequently children usually arrive happily and quickly start to play. Most children independently use the toilet as there is easy access within their room. Children attending the out of school club are appropriately supervised for their safety as they use the facilities near the entrance door. Children enjoy the time they spend playing in the fresh air. The staff are aware of the difficulties of accessing the small garden and supervise children closely on the steps and ramps. They help children understand how to behave when going to and from the garden as they talk about safe use. Children of all ages freely access a

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

very good range of resources that are well-organised and appropriate for their use. This encourages the children to become independent, make their own choices and help organise their play. Staff monitor resources to ensure they remain safe and appropriate for the stage of development of the children. Regular cleaning routines help to minimise risks particularly for the babies and little ones.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children play in a safe environment as staff have conducted risk assessments and have taken relevant action. The premises are secure and the entrance monitored. This ensures everyone receives a warm welcome and prevents children leaving without supervision or unauthorised persons having entry. Children are learning how to help keep themselves safe; older ones help to tidy up understanding this is important to prevent accidents. Children take part in a range of projects to learn about keeping safe and visitors such as the police, fire brigade and safety officers have helped develop their understanding further. Children practice fire drills so they understand the importance of following instructions to leave the premises safely and practise road safety on local walks. Out of school children explain the need to wear their seat belt and use a booster seat in the vehicles and those walking wear reflective arm bands and stay together

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children’s safety is promoted as staff have a clear understanding of child protection issues and the action to take if they have concerns. Many staff have attended relevant training and senior staff know their first duty is to protect children. The child protection policy gives clear guidance so that concerns may be dealt with promptly for the safety of the children.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children of all ages take part in a good range of interesting activities. During free play they happily move around their room with confidence choosing what they want to do and often organising their own play effectively. For example, babies explore items from the treasure baskets and find out what they can do with natural products. They play with a very good range of early toys that help them find out about sound and movement as well as exploring their senses. Toddlers love to play in the sand, sitting in the sandpit or to the side as they dig and fill buckets happily with the staff giving appropriate support. Children often explore their creative talents. They paint and find out what happens when they use one brush, then two, then three before using their hands to create further patterns in the paint and find out how it feels. Children love making collages and concentrate on gluing using a good range of tissue,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

fabric, feathers and shaking glitter over their finished products showing pride in what they have created. Books and stories are great favourites from sharing board books with the babies to group stories where older children join in enthusiastically. Visitors such as the police, fire brigade, a vet, and safety officers help to extend children’s learning. This is further extended with trips in the local community such as to the post office to buy stamps, the newsagents for milk and a newspaper or to watch the boats come in and go out. Visiting the local park helps children extend their physical skills in the fresh air with extra space for playing actively.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children benefit from the way staff plan a good range of activities to extend children‘s learning and development. They have a good understanding of ‘Birth to three matters’ and are looking forward to training to help them develop this further with the little ones. Assessments are developing very well and form a valuable record of the children’s time at the nursery as well as showing the progress they are making. Parents may access the records of achievement for younger children as they wish and are welcome to contribute information.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are forming secure relationships. They are happy and well settled with staff working in a sensitive and caring manner to support them as required. Babies receive much individual attention to meet their particular needs and form secure bonds with key staff. For example, they are often cuddled or sit on a lap as they play together. Staff sometimes lie on the floor to face a baby giving good eye contact and use facial expressions to encourage play and promote learning. Older children are confident to approach staff when they need help and enjoy engaging them in their play. Children are making friends, learning to share and take turns. They listen to safety rules as they play on the climbing frame and respond to gentle reminders from staff about being kind to friends. This helps them manage their behaviour effectively.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children benefit from the friendly, fun and relaxed atmosphere at the out of school club. They have free choice of a range of activities. They ‘chill out’ on the comfortable sofas, have the opportunity to do homework and take part in physical activities such as playing football in the large hall. Children interact with each other and the staff freely. They play games together, staff sit and talk with the children as they draw and colour and play on the games console.

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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 show a sense of belonging to the nursery. They display awareness of the setting’s routines and join in group activities with enthusiasm. Children learn about rules and boundaries and develop their understanding of right and wrong. They are increasingly able to share, take turns and co-operate with each other. They are becoming independent as they learn to manage their personal hygiene. For example, some children help themselves to tissues, wipe their nose and place the tissue in the bin. They listen carefully to stories read by staff at circle time, enjoying taking part. Good use of labelling helps children to recognise that print carries meaning, with items in the rooms and activities labelled. They attempt to write, such as in role play in the ‘surgery’ appointments book. They are building up their vocabulary as they talk about the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

activities they are taking part in. They have a variety of opportunities to develop their mathematical skills as part of everyday routines and during planned activities. For example, at snack times, counting how many pears are left in the bowl. They weigh different vegetables talking about heavier and lighter. They answer questions such as ‘how many does one more make?’ Children competently use computers, skilfully controlling the mouse and press buttons to make things work as they use items such as calculators. They are learning about living things as they make ‘cakes’ to feed the birds. The children develop and practice their large and small movement physical skills, independently using scissors and trying out other tools, such as rollers and vegetable peelers when preparing vegetables for a stew. They enjoy joining in with rhyming and action songs at circle time and access musical instruments such as shakers. Children use

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

their imagination in role play, as they dress up and pretend to be family members. They are creative as they explore craft materials and mix paints to see what happens. Children are beginning to make sense of the world around them. They enjoy trips to the local library and visit people in the local community such as at a local residential home at Christmas.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are making progress towards the early learning goals in all three nursery education rooms as staff have a good knowledge of the Foundation Stage and use their knowledge and experience to provide appropriate support. Children's curiosity and play is well supported, with adults interested in what they say and do, working physically at the children's level and asking simple questions to improve their thinking skills. Successful observation, planning and assessment systems are in use. Effectiveness is monitored by the provision, ensuring that the curriculum covers all aspects of the areas of learning and offers a variety of practical activities. A key worker system is in place and staff record regular observations of the individual children’s development in their ‘learning story’ assessment records. Constructive intended next steps are identified to help individual children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

progress. This shows what children are learning and could learn next. Variations in children’s progress are recognised with more able children offered additional challenge to stimulate them. The purpose of each planned activity and the learning intention for the children is related to the children’s level of understanding and is achievable. Staff display positive and consistent behaviour management strategies and maintain a calm learning environment. The nursery makes the best of the accommodation and resources, creating a stimulating environment. Sessions are paced well and children have time to complete activities.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are welcomed by staff that know them well and treat them as individuals. They respect children’s stage of development and work sensitively to meet their routines and needs. Children play with an excellent range of resources to help them learn about the wider world and to value and respect differences. This is further promoted through projects and a wealth of positive posters and displays throughout the nursery. Children’s culture and language is supported through positive relationships with their parents and all children are fully included in the range of activities in the nursery. Children with learning difficulties and/or a disability are enabled to play a full part in nursery life with additional support as required. A system is in place to work with parents to assess children’s needs but this is not always fully effective for them to give their consent and understand what is happening. As a result the partnership with parents

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Helping children make a positive contribution

in these matters is not always efficient in supporting some children who may have particular needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s behaviour is good. They are well supported by staff who implement the positive behaviour management policy effectively. Children benefit from the staff being calm, polite and consistent in the way they work. They work closely with the children giving clear explanations if behaviour is not acceptable and helping children think through situations to avoid similar problems in the future. Parents receive very good quality information about the service the nursery provides. This particularly helps parents of the younger children to understand what the setting does and work in partnership with the staff. Newsletters, notice boards and some open events such as presentations on ‘Birth to three matters’ and the Foundation Stage help keep parents up to date and generally support their children well. The nursery has established a system to respond appropriately to complaints but the information in the policy does not

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Helping children make a positive contribution

fully inform parents of the procedure that will be followed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered. Children develop confidence and self-esteem through ongoing praise and encouragement from staff. They develop an awareness of the needs of others and learn to be helpful. They learn about expected codes of behaviour such as listening to others speaking at circle time. Good relationships are formed with staff members and other children as they learn to share and play together.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents is satisfactory. Written information and the verbal encouragement offered promote parents involvement in their child's learning. They are enthusiastic about the opportunities provided for their children. Parents are not fully supported to share what they know about their child and contribute to their learning story to inform planning and aid individual children’s progress. Information gained about what each child is able to do is limited when they have not attended the nursery before. Parents know that they have access to their child’s learning story folder on request. However, they do this infrequently. A useful pack provides good quality information, including about the curriculum and six areas of learning. Informative and regular newsletters for parents include updates on nursery education.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children’s safety and welfare is promoted effectively as good systems are in place to make sure relevant checks are completed on all staff. Only persons who have been fully vetted have individual access to children, all others are supervised as is required for children’s safety. Children benefit from the well qualified team of staff who are skilled at using their training in their work to promote children’s welfare and learning. Most of the staff are qualified in childcare and continue to show an interest in developing their skills further by attending courses as they arise. The manager demonstrates a commitment to supporting her staff and providing a high standard of care and education for the children. Systems are in place to effectively monitor and develop the service and taking part in the Norfolk Quality Assurance Scheme will take this a step further.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. Monitoring the success of the provision includes self evaluation at regular intervals and action plans to develop practice. The effective induction process ensure staff know their role. Team building includes regular meetings and staff are familiar with the group's policies and procedures. They are motivated and encouraged to gain recognised qualifications and to attend training workshops to keep up-to-date with current practice. Appraisals support monitoring staff performance and development to promote children’s welfare, care and learning. The staff within nursery education implement systems successfully to enable the children to make good progress. This is well supported by a senior staff member with overall responsibility for nursery education.

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Organisation

Staff are well deployed throughout the nursery to work with the children. Part-time staff help provide cover for holidays or illness so the children continue to be cared for by staff they know and with whom they are comfortable. Children play happily in their designated areas and use of the outside play area and large hall provides a balance to their day. Space within each room is well-organised to allow children to play freely, rest when they wish and sit as a group to enjoy their meals. All the required documentation is in place to support the care and welfare of the children. Overall children’s needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the nursery agreed to develop a procedure to be followed if a child is lost and ensure evidence is available to confirm the completion of suitable person checks. All required procedures are in place supporting the safe and efficient management of the provision. Details of checks and clear staff files confirm an appropriate staff vetting process is followed. The range of resources meets the needs of all children and promotes equality of equal opportunity throughout the nursery. Planning ensures all children are able to develop appropriate and increasing independence and take a full part in all the activities. They are learning to manage their own personal hygiene, make choices and organise their play. Children are well motivated and taking part in a good range of activities. They explore using their senses such as when they respond to music, taste a range of foods and explore paint using their hands.

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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

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April there have been four complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards.

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Complaints since the last inspection

In July 2004 Ofsted received two concerns regarding the safety of the outside play area, staffing ratios, qualifications and interaction with children. These issues relate to National Standard 6: Safety and National Standard 2: Organisation. Ofsted investigated by conducting an announced visit on 27/07/2004. As a result the provider was issued with actions relating to National Standard 6 which required them to: improve the security of the outside play area, ensure external fire exit routes are clear and to improve the safety of the small gate which was not secured. An action relating to National Standard 14: Documentation was also raised to ensure registers and accident records remain accurate at all times. A satisfactory response to these actions was received. The provider remains qualified for registration.

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Complaints since the last inspection

In September 2004 Ofsted received two concerns regarding staff to child ratios, staff attitude to children, supervision and behaviour management. These issues relate to National Standard 2: Organisation, National Standard 4: Physical environment, National Standard 6: Safety and National Standard 11: Behaviour. Ofsted investigated by conducting an unannounced visit on 29/09/2004. Ofsted found that the provider had identified weaknesses and had put systems in place to address them. Ofsted is satisfied that the provider responded appropriately to the concerns raised by implementing changes to the operational procedures. The provider remains qualified for registration.

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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.

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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 good.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • improve the system for working with parents when assessing particular needs and for obtaining their written consent to seek additional advice or support • improve information for parents by detailing how written complaints will be handled.

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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): • ensue consistency of systems to gain information about what each child is able to do when they start attending and increase parental access and contribution to their child's learning story folder.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) 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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