Avenue Infant and Nursery School

Christopher Robin Day Nursery - Woking

Inspection report for early years provision

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Christopher Robin Day Nursery - Woking

119995 Unique Reference Number 09 November 2006 Inspection date Anne Jacqueline Nicholson Inspector

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Christopher Robin Day Nursery - Woking

31 Claremont Avenue, Woking, Surrey, GU22 7SF Setting Address

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E-mail

Christopher Robin Day Nursery Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of 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

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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?

Christopher Robin Day Nursery (Woking) has been established since May 1986. It is registered for a maximum of 44 children aged from three months to five years. It operates from five group rooms in a large detached house situated in a residential area of Woking. It serves a wide geographical area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery opens five days a week. Sessions are from 08:00 to 18:00 all year round excluding Christmas and Bank Holidays. There are currently 65 children from three months to five years on roll. This includes 19 funded three and four-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting makes provision for children who speak English as an additional language and those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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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 Seventeen members of staff work with the children. Most of these staff hold an appropriate early years qualification. Four staff are currently undertaking further training.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting receives support from the Early Years Childcare Service. Teaching methods follow the Montessori philosophy.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children throughout the nursery are developing a good awareness of how to remain healthy. Babies and older children routinely enjoy physical play opportunities both inside and outside in the fresh air. There is a large, fully enclosed play area to the rear that is sub-divided into areas safe for non-mobile and mobile children. Children keep appropriate clothing and footwear at the nursery so that they can enjoy planned and impromptu sessions outside, making the most of any weather. From babyhood they gain experience of how to develop good hygiene practices by having their hands and faces routinely cleaned after participating in creative activities, before and after snacks and meals. As the children get older they receive encouragement to do more of this for themselves. At certain times throughout the day access to the nursery is via an external door directly into the baby room and this causes distraction

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Helping children to be healthy

and compromises the health and hygiene of this area.

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Helping children to be healthy

The individual welfare and health needs of the children remain protected through the use of a range of health forms. Parents provide written information to ensure their children receive appropriate treatment for any allergic reactions and the correct dosage of any medication required. When hurt children receive reassurance and appropriate treatment in a calm manner. At each session there are members of staff present who hold valid first aid certificates. Details of any injuries are recorded in the accident records and parents see and acknowledge these.

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Helping children to be healthy

All children's dietary needs are recorded on the registration forms and staff ensure that these remain regularly updated. Each morning staff check the dietary needs of the children attending that day and ensure the caterers are aware of them. Children receive an excellent variety of nutritional meals and snacks throughout the year. There is an eight week menu rota for lunch and at times this is amended to allow staff to link the meals into current themes. Meals include meat and fresh vegetables, curries, sweet and sour chicken, fresh fruit and an array of puddings. Children sit together during meals and snacks with staff acknowledging this as a valuable sociable time for all. They use appropriate plates and utensils to eat and are allowed to independently feed themselves and progress these skills at their own pace. In the baby room staff successfully encourage babies to feed themselves with spoons or fingers and their

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Helping children to be healthy

independent eating skills are very good. They receive encouragement to drink, especially in warm weather, to prevent dehydration.

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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

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children receive care within different rooms grouped by age and developmental progress. The rooms are brightly decorated with displays of the children's work on the walls and hanging from the ceilings. They can access a good range of resources freely from low level shelving in line with the Montessori ethos the nursery follows. They also enjoy regular access to a secure and large outdoor play area to the rear of the building. Staff are responsible for ensuring that these areas remain safe and secure. They demonstrate a good awareness to safety and vigilance whilst in the garden area.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety receives good consideration. The nursery ensures that a range of safety devices, policies and procedures are in place during operational hours. Parents and visitors only gain access to the building through staff giving entry. There are safety gates in place near each flight of stairs preventing children from going up and down them unsupervised. Telephones in each room ensure that staff can easily communicate with each other without leaving their room.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children remain protected from possible harm as the majority of staff members have recently completed an in-house training session updating their knowledge of child protection. All staff demonstrate a sound knowledge of child protection. Written child protection procedures remain accessible in the nursery's policy folder. Parents see written information about the procedure followed and the nursery's responsibility to record and report any concerns they have that a child may be at risk.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Babies and children benefit from a wide variety of play and learning experiences. This is enhanced by the staff supporting the implementation of the Birth to three matters framework throughout the nursery. Currently some rooms embrace this more holistically within their daily timetable than others. However all staff are working together to further develop their knowledge and confidence in how to plan, provide activities and record individual achievements using this framework and the Montessori method of teaching. Babies develop excellent relationships with their key staff. They enjoy musical sessions, a visually stimulating room and a wide array of different household objects and toys to touch and play with each day. They sit on the floor in support rings or on mats with resources within easy reach or crawling distance. There is also a range of resources and secure shelving for them to pull themselves up on in practice for walking.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff sit on the floor interacting with them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Both toddler rooms fully implement Birth to three matters and follow a Montessori approach to teaching throughout their daily timetable. Children in these rooms enjoy excellent relationships with the staff. They are confident to join in and try new activities. They fully participate in drawing and creative activities. For example when staff secure rolls of paper to the floor they get the jumbo chalks and excitedly draw alongside the staff. When clay comes out they enjoy 'squishing it' and manipulating it into shapes. When outside they enjoy both group activities like the parachute, drawing around each other and colouring or playing on the

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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 bicycles together, as well as playing with hoops and balls on their own. Staff interact and play alongside them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children show an understanding of the codes of behaviour required to work as part of a group or when working individually with resources. Children take turns and share fairly. They confidently express their own views and share information with adults. They verbally share their own experiences whilst looking at pictures of other animals, places around the world and listening to stories. They freely select their own resources and take responsibility for putting them away again afterwards. They demonstrate emerging personal independence skills and wash their hands, put on their shoes and at times pour their own drinks and select their own snacks. This is currently inconsistently promoted throughout the day and between the rooms providing nursery education. For example children pour their drinks when thirsty outside, however at some snack sessions staff pre-pour the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

drinks. At times children choose their own dried fruit and self-manage their snack. At other times staff place the right amount of dried fruit into the right number of bowls for them. During a creative activity they receive positive encouragement to pour salt and water into a cup to make salt dough, however the flour is pre-measured by staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children explore a wide variety of different materials such as glitter, sand, paint, dough and clay. They observe the weather each day and discuss this during the registration session. They plant bulbs, seeds and grow their own cress. Children learn to operate simple computer programs and develop keyboard skills. The keys show lower case letters to assist them in recognising the familiar letters in their own names. They find out about people in their local community and enjoy visits from the fire brigade and watching the gardeners at work. They enjoy participating in activities and opportunities promoting other countries, cultures and the wider world outside the nursery. Opportunities include creating their own Spanish flag pictures, learning about animals around the world, celebrating Diwali and Christmas. Children develop their language and thinking skills through staff using open-ended questioning with them. They develop

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

excellent relationships with the staff and receive clear explanations of what is expected of them. They take turns and demonstrate good manners. Children's contributions are respected and staff value their work, effectively displaying it in individual scrapbooks and on the walls. Planning covers all areas of the Foundation Stage and staff complete regular observations of children's progress. At times staff miss acknowledging children's individual progress or personal achievements through inaccurate recording of observations in child profile files and not using observations from some impromptu activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The nursery has an equal opportunities policy in place and gives regard to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to ensure that parents, children and staff are included; their differences acknowledged and valued. Children learn to have respect for themselves and each other through participating in well-planned activities that promote who they are and the wider world around them. They observe positive images of people from other cultures and those with physical

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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 disabilities or additional needs. Children see themselves on display around the nursery in photo collages.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Procedures for positive behaviour management are understood and implemented by staff and shared with parents. Children display good manners and receive plenty of appropriate positive praise during the day. They demonstrate a good awareness of what they can and cannot do and how they should behave. Older children are happy to highlight inappropriate behaviour in others and say what they should be doing in the nursery. Inappropriate behaviour is calmly and consistently dealt with through staff talking to the children or gently distracting them onto another activity. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. They respond positively about the provision. Parents receive information about their child's day, updates on their progression and a more formal report each month. They also receive newsletters providing information about the nursery and any activities or events planned. Clearly written policies and procedures are available for them to see and these show the procedure to follow if a parent wishes to raise a complaint. Parents are encouraged to share positive comments, concerns and suggestions with the nursery at any time and management record and respond to all of these. They reply in a positive manner about provision. Confidentiality is maintained. Notice boards ensure that parents can see information about the provision and what their children will be doing when they leave and collect their children.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The nursery is organised effectively and a good variety of resources are set out ready for children to access and enjoy when they arrive. Staff ensure that these are rotated to meet the current age and developmental stage of their children. Children's safety and welfare remains protected through staff undergoing good recruitment, vetting and induction procedures. Clearly written policies and procedures, which receive regular reviewing, remain readily available to all parents and staff. Staff understand the importance of maintaining confidentiality. Older children benefit from the effective implementation of the Foundation Stage guidance and younger children from Birth to three matters guidance. Management and staff monitor the delivery of these and are aware of areas that require developing further. The setting meet the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides. The leadership and management is good. Management have

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Organisation

clear objectives and defined roles and responsibilities for staff. An enthusiastic staff team work well together to continually improve the provision and their own professional development.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection three recommendations were made relating to organisation of mealtimes, the range and play opportunities available to babies and toddlers and the Behaviour management policy. The nursery ensures children and staff now sit together at mealtimes, with staff supporting the development of independent eating skills for children in all rooms. Through the introduction of the Birth to three matters framework a good variety of developmentally-appropriate activities are now planned and implemented. All policies were reviewed in March 2006 and at this time the Behaviour Management Policy was amended to

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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 ensure that it covers managing behaviour appropriately for all of the developmental stages of the children attending the nursery.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Points for consideration from the last Nursery educations inspection have been suitably addressed.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004 there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards. 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 procedure for entry to the nursery when the external door to the baby room is used, to ensure that a high standard of floor cleanliness is maintained and there is minimal disruption to the babies' routine.

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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 receive a consistent approach promoting personal independence and practical life skills throughout the day. • ensure that planning, observations and activities undertaken are consistently recorded and accurately reflect children's progression through the early learning goals therefore allowing their next steps for learning to be clearly identified.

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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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