Kindercare

Kindercare Ltd

Inspection report for early years provision

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Kindercare Ltd

Unique Reference Number EY300452 Inspection date 11 September 2006 Inspector Ann Doubleday / Josephine Ann Northend

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Kindercare Ltd

Setting Address Kindercare, Kearsley Road, Ripon, North Yorkshire, HG4 2RN

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E-mail

Registered person Kindercare Ltd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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E-mail

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

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Kindercare is one of seven nurseries run by Kindercare Ltd. It opened in 2005 and is situated in the former university campus, in Ripon. The nursery operates from 10 rooms in a purpose-built building. A maximum of 124 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.30 to 18.30 for 52 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 94 children aged from four months to under nine 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 seven children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the surrounding areas. The nursery employs 16 staff. Nine of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications. Eight staff are working towards a qualification or further qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's physical development is supported well, with opportunities to play outdoors each day. Each room has their own enclosed dedicated outdoor play space and children over three years freely move between the indoor and outdoor play areas throughout the day. They also have direct access from their play area to an enclosed natural area, where they can explore through trees and plants safely and independently. Staff's good understanding of appropriate types of activities and levels of support gives children confidence to try new skills and build on existing ones. Children can rest or be active according to their individual needs. Many staff hold first aid certificates. Appropriate sick children, accident and medication procedures are in place and parents are aware of the procedures; this ensures children's health needs are satisfactorily met. However, confidentiality is not

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Helping children to be healthy

always promoted as there is more than one recording to a page for different children and accident records do not always include the time that the accident occurred. Children follow some good personal hygiene routines as they cover their faces when coughing and wash their hands before meals and snacks and after using the toilet. They are beginning to understand why they need to do so, as staff gently reinforce this throughout the day. However, good hygiene practices are not fully promoted. For example, staff blow on children's food to cool it and blankets used at sleep time are re-used by different children during the week, therefore increasing the risk of cross infection. The staff are aware of the need to promote healthy eating. Children receive a satisfactory range of meals and snacks including fresh fruit and vegetables. Staff work appropriately with parents to ensure they are aware of and meet any special

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Helping children to be healthy

dietary requirements. Children are offered drinks with their meals and have direct access to fresh drinking water at other times.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a generally clean and welcoming environment and their art work is displayed. However, not all low level windows are sufficiently clean. Children move around freely while easily accessing a good range of safe, developmentally appropriate furniture and equipment. Resources are suitably organised in child height

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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 furniture to encourage independent access. The security of the premises is good and there are clear lost and uncollected child policies in place. Fire procedures are implemented well. Risk assessments are completed and most risks have been identified and minimised. However, children have access to an outdoor toy store in the pre-school area, which contains some hazards, for example unprotected low level sockets. A child was observed to play outside for some time while eating an apple, before being noticed by staff. This poses a risk and results in children's safety not being fully met. Staff have a satisfactory understanding of their role and responsibilities in the event of a child protection concern. Relevant documentation is in place. This means the welfare of children is protected.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their time at the setting. They arrive happy and eager to participate and are making good progress. Close and caring relationships with staff increase the children's sense of trust and help them develop a strong sense of self. Children are developing good relationships with each other and their communication skills are well supported through good adult-to-child interactions. Staff working with children under three are using the 'Birth to three matters' programme well. This is evident in the planning of activities and the assessment of children's progress. Children have many opportunities to develop their senses, for example, through playing with corn flour, jelly, treasure baskets and other natural materials. Activities and play opportunities are purposeful and developmentally appropriate, resulting in children being motivated and interested. This is evident in the good

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

planning of activities. Children move around the rooms freely, selecting their own activities and are offered clear choices by staff, such as when or if they wish to have a snack. Staff are sensitive to and meet children's individual needs well. Children generally behave well and are developing a sense of right and wrong. They respond well to staff who gently explain why they should not do something. The after school children enjoy the time at the end of the school day to relax or be active according to their individual needs and interests. There is a good range of age appropriate resources which are used well and are of interest to the children. They independently choose their activities and are involved in the planning of their time at the setting. Children are confident and speak very positively about their time spent at the after school club. They have good relationships with staff and each other.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Nursery Education. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children enjoy their time at the nursery and achieve well, because staff use their good knowledge of the Foundation Stage to provide good quality nursery education. Staff have attended Foundation Stage training. They plan and prepare well an interesting programme of activities across the six areas of learning. Assessment systems are in place and link clearly to 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 Foundation Stage curriculum, but are not used sufficiently well to plan for children's individual learning needs. There is a clear key worker system in place and children are grouped appropriately. The good use of resources and the clearly defined activity areas support the learning opportunities offered to the children. Staff use good questioning skills to further extend children's thoughts and ideas. Children are developing good communication skills. They show confidence in speaking to others and hold a conversation for extended periods of time. They talk freely about their own experiences and feelings. Children are developing a good sense of time, as they remember and describe past events. They are beginning to develop their writing skills, holding pencils correctly. Children use writing as a means

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

of communication. They make good use of the mark making area, for example, addressing letters in the post office. Most children form recognisable marks and letters and some children recognise their own names. However, the name cards do not differentiate in order to challenge the more able children. They are becoming aware of the initial letter sounds in words and some children are linking sounds to letters well. Children use a computer confidently. They control the mouse and complete simple programs with ease. They also have access to programmable toys and equipment and enjoy taking photographs of each other with the digital camera. They are developing some understanding of number; they count up to five, and down from five also. They recognise and can write some numerals. Children are beginning to use size language to compare, for example, as they look at their shadows. They do not have sufficient opportunities to use problem solving and calculating in every day

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

routines and activities. Children are beginning to develop a sense of space, for example as they hide under the slide when playing hide and seek. They extend their large physical skills through a variety of outdoor experiences each day. They peddle tricycles well and manoeuvre scooters safely around obstacles. They jump and hop confidently and climb steps well as they use the slide. Children develop good levels of hand-eye coordination; for example, through the use of different sized pencils, crayons, paintbrushes and spreaders. Children are confident in their play and learning and are proud of their achievements. They have good relationships with staff and are developing good relationships with each other. They are generally well-behaved and concentrate well for extended periods of time. Children show good interest in their environment and the world around them. They explore well using a variety of materials, such as sand, water,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

natural materials and magnifying glasses. They can describe the features of a conker, name an acorn and know plants need water for food. They are developing some understanding of the local community, other cultures and beliefs through the use of interesting resources, visits and visitors to the setting. Children are developing good self-care skills. For example, they pour their own drinks, wash their own hands and help to set the table for lunch. They are beginning to develop a knowledge of health and bodily awareness. They know they need to wash their hands before eating and are beginning to understand why. Children can recognise and name a variety of colours. They access and use a good

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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 range of resources in the creative area. Children use their imagination well in play. For example, they use bean bags as cushions for the baby to sleep in the outdoor play house. They join in and enjoy familiar songs, singing spontaneously during their play and have good access to musical instruments. Children are beginning to use their senses, for example as they smell the fruit and feel the texture of the play dough.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are happy and settled. They are welcomed by staff and the nursery is set out well for their arrival. Planned activities are undertaken to reflect the local community and many resources are available reflecting other cultures and races. There is a clear equal opportunities policy in place and children's records include relevant information. A key worker system is in place and children receive support from staff; this means their individual needs are met well. The nursery has a clear statement in place to support children with learning difficulties and disabilities and the named coordinator has completed relevant training. There is a good behaviour management policy in place. It is implemented well by staff; children receive consistent messages from them and are generally well behaved. They receive praise for positive behaviour. This fosters their spiritual moral,

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Helping children make a positive contribution

social and cultural development. Partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Children benefit from the two way sharing of information about their needs and daily routines. However, parents are requested not to enter the childcare room and are therefore not fully involved in the settling in of their children. Open days are held annually and observation files are sent home regularly. Parents have opportunities to be involved in their child's learning at home and information about the areas of learning is displayed for their attention. They are not actively involved in the initial assessment of their child when they progress to the Foundation Stage. Parents receive written information about the setting, although they do not receive written information to take home about the Foundation Stage curriculum. They are made aware of the setting's policies and procedures and can access them as they are displayed outside each childcare room.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children feel at home and at ease within the childcare environment and are grouped appropriately. This means they are confident to initiate their own play and learning. Space is organised well to support play opportunities for children. All staff currently employed at the setting have been appropriately vetted and there are clear staff recruitment procedures in place. Staff receive induction to the setting. Adult to child ratios are correctly maintained. However, staff are not always deployed well, particularly during staff breaks, to ensure ratios within each childcare room are always correct.

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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 Leadership and management of the nursery education is good. Staff qualification requirements are met and there is always a member of staff on duty with an up to date first aid certificate. The manager encourages staff to attend relevant training. The knowledge gained by staff is used to further support children's care and welfare. Staff's experience and knowledge of the Foundation Stage is good and teaching supports children's learning. There is a staff appraisal system in place; the manager is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision, and is pro-active in addressing the weaknesses. Required documents are available and they are stored confidentially, however, records of staff attendance are not always completed accurately. The policies and procedures in place support practice; are shared with staff and are made available to

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Organisation

parents. There is a clear complaints procedure which is in line with current legislation. There are satisfactory systems in place for the sharing of information with parents about the service and their child's activities. Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection actions were raised in relation to National Standard 2; organisation, National Standard 3; care, learning and play, National Standard 4; physical environment and National Standard 5; equipment. The arrangements for staffing now minimise the number of carers for children under two years and staff’s knowledge and understanding of the needs of children under three, have been enhanced through the use of the 'Birth to three matters' framework. A suitable range of activities are provided for children. They are appropriate for their stage of development and based on their individual needs. A good range of equipment is in place to meet the developmental needs of all children and play rooms are maintained at an adequate temperature. This ensures children's welfare is safeguarded. At the last education inspection, the provider agreed to ensure all funded children have an assessment record and identify individual plans for the next steps in their

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Improvements since the last inspection

learning and to provide opportunities for more able children to increase their independence. The provider also agreed to strengthen partnership with parents, provide parents with clear information about the Foundation Stage and opportunities to be involved in their child's learning. Assessment records are now in place for all children, however, they do not fully show individual plans for the next step in their learning. Children now have many opportunities to increase their independence during the nursery day, for example, as they choose when to and what to have for snack. Partnership with parents has improved, they have opportunities to be involved in their child's learning at home and information about the areas of learning is displayed for their attention, however, they do not receive written information to take home about

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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 the Foundation Stage curriculum.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection 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 complaint 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 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 accident and medication recordings to ensure confidentiality is maintained and to include sufficient detail • assess the risks to children in relation to the outdoor toy store and take action to minimise these • further develop partnership with parents to ensure parents receive written information to take home regarding the Birth to three matters framework and Foundation Stage curriculum (also applies to nursery education) • improve the deployment of staff particularly over the lunchtime period and ensure records of staff attendance are accurately maintained

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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): • develop opportunities for children to use simple problem solving in everyday activities and routines • further develop the use of assessment to inform planning in order to ensure sufficient challenge for the more able children.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

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