Cherry Tree Day Nursery

Cherry Tree Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Cherry Tree Day Nursery

322072 Unique Reference Number 26 September 2006 Inspection date Paula Fretwell Inspector

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Cherry Tree Day Nursery

16-18 Upper York Street, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 3LQ Setting Address

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E-mail

Pauline Webster and Amanda Lodge 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 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 Tree Day Nursery registered in 1998 and is a private organisation managed by two partners. It is located in a listed building, on the outskirts of Wakefield town centre where there are good transport links to surrounding areas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Babies under two years are accommodated on the first floor in three care rooms with a shared separate sleep room and bathroom. Children aged over two years are accommodated on the ground floor in three rooms with a shared bathroom facility. The children have access to a fully enclosed outdoor play area to the rear of the building. Cherry Tree Day Nursery serves families from the local and wider community.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery opens Monday to Saturday, all year round. Sessions are from 07.00 until 19.00. Children attend full or part-time.

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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 There are currently 35 children on roll, which includes children in receipt of nursery education funding. The setting welcomes children with learning difficulties and disabilities and those for whom English is an additional language. There are eight full or part-time staff, including the manager, and all staff hold an appropriate early years qualification. The setting receives support from an advisory teacher from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's health is adequately promoted within most areas of the nursery through steps taken to prevent the spread of infection, such as keeping the premises clean, wearing gloves to change nappies and the use of separate flannels and bedding. Children over two years are encouraged to wash their hands at appropriate times, such as before handling food, and they are given good explanations by practitioners about why this keeps them healthy. In addition, practitioners working with children over two make regular use of the anti-bacterial gel soap to ensure their hands are clean. Some aspects of hygiene practice with babies does not promote their good health. For example, hands are not washed before food is handled by staff or eaten by the children, and dummies that have been on the floor or sampled by other children are not washed or sterilised throughout the day. There is a clear policy for children who may be ill or infectious

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Helping children to be healthy

and parents are asked to keep their child away from the nursery to protect the health of others. Some staff are qualified in first aid, and accidents and medication information is recorded and shared with parents.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children under two years are not able to form close attachments with practitioners because the key worker system is not implemented effectively. Babies' needs are at times compromised because their individual care is given by several practitioners. For example, babies are given lunch by more than one member of staff and have their nappies changed or are settled for sleep by a different member of staff. This practice does not promote babies' emotional well-being.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children eat a balanced diet which is prepared by the nursery's designated cook, who is aware of their individual dietary needs. Menus are displayed for information and any special requirements are listed in the kitchen. Children enjoy sitting together to share their meals and snacks; fresh fruit is available midmorning and afternoon, which they enjoy, and they can have access to drinks throughout the day. Older children use a mini water dispenser when they feel thirsty. Babies' feeding requirements are discussed with parents and their dietary information is listed within the baby rooms, although they are not always held whilst being bottle fed.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's physical needs are met well through a wide range of indoor and outdoor opportunities. Babies explore their surroundings in safety and they are given appropriate support to help them develop their co-ordination and rapidly increasing skills. Older children make good progress in their development through many well-planned opportunities to practise their physical agility, and there is suitable equipment in place to support their needs. They throw balls, jump on stepping stones, pedal tricycles and move with control, avoiding obstacles. Children learn about

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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 the effects of exercise on their bodies and discuss how they feel hot or can feel their hearts beating faster afterwards.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Indoor and outdoor space is organised effectively to enable children to explore safely under appropriate supervision. Practitioners are aware of their responsibility to keep children safe, and appropriate safety equipment is used including safety gates, harnesses on high chairs and socket covers. Children's security is maintained through staff controlling access to the nursery and only those authorised to collect children may do so, with passwords used to provide extra security where necessary.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Sleeping babies and children are able to rest in quiet areas and they are monitored through regular visual checks and electric monitors. Appropriate furniture, such as cots and sleep mats, are provided to enable children to rest comfortably. All children use a good range of resources which are safe, clean and easily accessible to them, promoting their choice and independence.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are helped to understand how to keep themselves safe through gentle reminders from staff. For example, they are asked to sit nicely on their chairs, walk carefully down the stairs or not to throw toys, and the consequences are explained. Fire evacuation practises are carried out at regular intervals to ensure staff and children are familiar with the procedures. Appropriate fire equipment is in place and checked regularly to ensure they are in good working order.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Practitioners are aware of their responsibilities to protect children and they know the signs and symptoms of possible abuse. All staff have a clear knowledge of the internal procedure to follow to report any concerns, and many staff are fully aware of who to contact further should their concerns remain after reporting to managers. Some practitioners have attended child protection training and they have up to date knowledge with which to help them safeguard children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are mostly happy and settled within the nursery. They are involved in a suitable range of planned and spontaneous activities which support their development. Children under two explore the playrooms and choose their own activities. Practitioners interact well with the children, such as when they show surprise at pop-up toys or blow raspberries and make funny faces. Practitioners working with the babies are very caring and they provide stimulating activities for them, such as singing, baking and sand play. Babies enjoy one to one interaction and encouragement as they play, although practitioners do not always follow very young children's non-verbal cues effectively. Children aged two to three years experience a challenging range of activities that support their needs. For example, they build imaginatively with bricks and enjoy baking together in a group. Their rapidly increasing language is promoted through

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

plenty of conversation and questioning, to which practitioners respond very well, such as when talking about the ingredients for baking or discussing the types of fruit the children eat. Older children have a good range of well-planned play opportunities which promote their learning.

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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 Nursery Education

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Practitioners have a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage and the stepping stones to children's learning and this enables children to make effective progress towards the early learning goals in all areas. Practitioners question children skilfully in their play to encourage them to think. Resources are mostly organised well and accessible to children so they enjoy a wide range of indoor and outdoor opportunities and continuous provision. Planning includes themes and focused activities which relate to the six areas of learning, and this is evaluated. Children's progress is monitored through written observations recorded in their individual files, although recording is not consistent and does not show the next steps in children's learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are friendly and confident, and they enjoy coming to nursery. They are sociable in their interaction with each other and with adults, which helps them to form good relationships. Children play co-operatively together, such as when building with bricks, and they negotiate with each other to agree their ideas. Children's independence and self-care within the routine is not promoted sufficiently. For example, practitioners give out plates and cups or put children's coats on for them rather than encouraging them to do it for themselves.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's communication skills are developing well and they use talk in a variety of situations. Children learn new vocabulary as they listen to stories and constantly ask questions, and practitioners respond well to encourage their language development. Children are beginning to write and they practise their skills in purposeful ways. They are learning initial letters and sounds of words and can find objects around the room that begin with the same phonic sounds.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children can count up to 10 and they use everyday opportunities to practise, such as counting how many children and how many bowls, although they have few opportunities to recognise numerals. Children are beginning to learn that numbers have meaning, such as when weighing ingredients for a baking activity. Children use mathematical language in their play and they compare sizes, such as when building tall and short towers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Opportunities for children to learn about the world around them are evident through planned and spontaneous activities, such as examining snails, growing tomatoes and finding out what floats or sinks. Children freely talk about themselves and their families or what they have done at the weekend, such as going on a donkey ride. They are developing a sense of time through the familiar routine and say things like, 'After we've tidied up we're going to have a drink'. Children learn about the seasons and notice changes to the weather, and this is extended through discussion with practitioners.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy creative play and they eagerly choose dressing up clothes to become their preferred characters. They participate in art and craft activities, such as making musical instruments or printing with leaves. Children recognise most colours as they choose their preferred colours of paint and they confidently express themselves as they paint freely. Children enjoy singing and they join in with familiar songs and rhymes, moving their bodies and clapping in time.

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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. Partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Parents are happy with the level of information they receive and the standard of their children's education. Basic information is given through the noticeboard to parents of children who receive funded nursery education, and photographs of children are displayed to help them feel involved in their child's activities. Progress reports are shared with parents periodically and they have the opportunity to add their own comments. Regular written observations of babies are recorded in their development files along with photographs to illustrate what they have been doing. Parents receive daily written key information about their child, although parents of children under two are not encouraged to bring their child to their care rooms upon arrival.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s behaviour is mostly good and they are given praise for what they can do. Some effective strategies encourage children to behave well, and practitioners use positive tones of voice when speaking with children, giving plenty of praise and encouragement. Younger children's attention is quickly diverted if they display unwanted behaviour. Older children are learning to take turns and share, and they use their manners well. They enjoy rewards, such as stickers for good behaviour, and they are very proud of these. Children are encouraged to clear away activities after use and they are willing to contribute to a tidy environment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Older children are encouraged to appreciate each other's differences through the various resources and positive images within the school room. Different cultures and festivals are explored through planned activities to develop children's understanding of the needs of others. Children in receipt of nursery education funding gain a clear and positive view of their own and the wider world because they are able to access resources that increase their awareness of diversity. For example, they learn about other countries and make different flags, and there are many positive displays around the room. However, throughout other areas of the nursery there are very few resources which positively reflect our diverse society. There are good plans in place to include and support children with learning difficulties and disabilities, and some staff have appropriate knowledge in this area. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The leadership and management of the setting is satisfactory. Recruitment and vetting procedures are clearly in place and understood by management and practitioners to ensure children are protected. Staff training needs are identified when they are interviewed for their post and some training is accessed, such as child protection awareness. All new staff and students have a clear induction to the nursery and they are made very aware of their roles and responsibilities. The nursery manager works closely with the children and staff to oversee practice and the setting receives input from the local authority with regard to suggestions for improvements in care and education.

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Organisation

Some strengths and weaknesses are identified verbally by the manager, although there is no other system in place for monitoring or evaluating the effectiveness of the care provision. There

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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 is a very high turnover of nursery staff which does not ensure continuity of care for the children. Whilst the staff working with children under two years have relevant childcare qualifications, they have had no specific training in this area and they have very limited experience, particularly when responding to the youngest babies in the setting.

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Organisation

The key worker system is not effectively implemented in the nursery. Each child has a named key worker, but this person does not adequately take responsibility for the children's day-to-day well-being and care as they are often deployed elsewhere. Students on placement are not deployed effectively and this impacts upon the care of the children. For example, at times four students all work on placement with the babies resulting in more adults than children in one room.

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Organisation

Policies and procedures which reflect the practice of the nursery are known by staff, although these do not all reflect current changes to legislation. Staff communicate well with each other to share the responsibility for the children's care within the nursery. They exchange useful information which helps to ensure children's individual needs are met, such as when changing nappies, accompanying children to the toilet or taking breaks. Staff to child ratios are satisfactorily maintained throughout the provision. All required documentation for the setting is in place and filed securely.

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Organisation

Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection for care, actions and recommendations were raised with regard to National Standards 1, 2, 6 and 14. These were to review the operational plan and improve induction procedures and training opportunities for staff. The provider was asked to improve the arrangements for evacuation procedures and registration systems, and to ensure all unvetted staff are supervised at all times.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Some clear improvements have been made. The operational plan is being reviewed to ensure staff who are not vetted are not left alone with children, attendance registers are accurately maintained, and contact numbers are taken with staff on all evacuation practises. Induction procedures are clearly explained so that all staff and students understand their responsibilities. Training opportunities for staff are sometimes made available, although not all staff have had training relevant to their roles, such as those working with children under three years.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection of nursery education the provider was asked to make improvements in two areas: opportunities for children to climb and learn about the effects that exercise has on their bodies; and opportunities for children to broaden their knowledge of their own culture and beliefs and those of others. Sufficient improvements have been made in these two areas through the provision of additional resources and planning of activities.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection there have been three complaints made to Ofsted that required Ofsted to take action in order to meet the National Standards. These were in relation to National Standards 1: Suitable person, 2: Organisation, 3: Care, learning and play , Annex A Caring for

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Complaints 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 babies and children under 2, 13: Child protection and 14: Documentation. One of the complaints relating to National Standard 13: Child protection was referred to Social Services for investigation. Concerns were raised over protecting children from those who are not vetted, recording staff and children's attendance, meeting individual children's needs and improving staff's knowledge of care for children under three, and the child protection practices and procedures. The provider met the National Standards and remained qualified for registration at the time the investigations were closed.

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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 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): • devise a system for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the care provision • ensure policies and procedures reflect current legislation and practice, particularly with regard to child protection and complaints • ensure that at least 50% of staff caring for babies and children under two years are suitably trained and experienced to do so • ensure the key worker system effectively meets children's individual needs, in particular for children under two years, and appropriately links in with the Birth to three matters framework • ensure that the deployment and training of students on placement does not adversely impact upon the care of the children • ensure all children within the nursery can access a range of resources which positively reflect diversity • ensure that hygiene practices in the baby rooms are consistent with care for children

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The quality and standards of the care

over two years with regard to storage of dummies and babies' handwashing.

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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): • develop opportunities for children in mathematics to enable them to recognise numerals • provide opportunities for children to develop personal independence within their self-care and daily routine.

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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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