Kids Planet Dorset Drive

Fisherfield Farm Nursery Ltd

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Fisherfield Farm Nursery Ltd

Unique Reference Number EY310019 Inspection date 26 June 2006 Inspector Glynis Margaret Kite

p.1

Fisherfield Farm Nursery Ltd

Setting Address C/O Surestart Redvales Children's Centre, Dorset Drive, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 9DN Telephone number TBA

p.1

E-mail

Registered person Fisherfield Farm Nursery Ltd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

p.1

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

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Fisherfield Farm Nursery is the seventh in a chain of other provisions run by the Fisherfield Group. The nursery operates on the ground floor of a community building including Sure Start facilities. The nursery has two play rooms with associated facilities. There is a safe and secure outdoor play area available. The community centre is situated in a residential area of Bury, Greater Manchester. A maximum of 51 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery supports working

p.2

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 families and children attend hours to suit family needs. There are 44 children on roll. Children attend the nursery for a variety of full and part time sessions. The nursery supports children with English as an additional language. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, 51 weeks a year from 07.30 until 18.00. There are 10 staff, including the manager employed with nine of the staff working directly with the children. Of these, nine of the staff hold early years qualifications and one is working towards a level two qualification. The nursery receives support from an early years advisory support teacher and Sure Start.

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The health and well-being of children is promoted well because staff practice and promote good hygiene as part of their daily routines. For example, they keep play areas and equipment clean, provide older children with disposable cups for drinks and label cups for younger children with their names. They ensure children have lots of fresh air, engage in physical play everyday and provide healthy balanced meals and snacks. Children are protected from the spread of infection because the staff implement an exclusion policy for sick children. The children are also learning how to minimise the risk of infection by washing their hands in between activities and before meals. Some older children do this independently because they know it is important. Staff are sensitive to the needs of younger children and implement good procedures when providing intimate care, such as nappy changing.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children thrive on a diet which is healthy and nutritious. All meals are freshly cooked on the premises and served to children at the tables. Older children are becoming more independent as they are encouraged to serve their own meals, with support from staff. The individual dietary requirements of children are met well because the staff and cook keep detailed information and provide menus which cater for varying needs. Older children access fresh drinking water from a water dispenser in the room at any time they feel they need a drink. Some children sit at the nearby table with friends while having a drink, making it a social occasion. Younger children are offered drinks at regular intervals through out the day and their individual routines are maintained. All children benefit from the opportunities provided for outdoor play. Children are becoming more aware of what they can do as they use various pieces of larger

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

equipment, such as bicycles, scooters and the climbing frame. Some children are able to jump and hop; skills which they are only too happy to demonstrate to adults. Babies are afforded sufficient space to enable them to crawl around the floor and have substantial furniture to pull themselves up against as part of their individual development. Children enjoy the option of being able to play indoors or outdoors as they wish. Children benefit from having some indoor activities brought outside, such as a mark making area, a shaded book corner and play dough. The outdoor play

p.3

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 area is presented to children in an attractive and interesting way, with a range of objects tied to the fence for children to explore. While outdoor play is included in the daily play plans they do not include focused activities for targeting specific skills and or children.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a safe and secure environment. The setting is warm and welcoming and maintained to a high standard of decoration and repair. The displays of children's work contribute to the settings child friendly approach. Children benefit from a wide range of resources, furniture and equipment, which is age appropriate and safe. The space is organised well to ensure children can move around freely and play in comfort. Toys are stored in such a way to give children choice and ease of access when selecting what they want to play with. Staff demonstrate clear knowledge and understanding of the policies and procedures regarding safety. They are vigilant and act appropriately when spillages occur. Daily risk assessments of play areas and equipment are carried out for the safety of children. Routine emergency evacuation procedures are practiced with the children to ensure they would know what to do in the event of a real emergency. Specific

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

procedures are also in place to ensure the safe evacuation of babies, for example, an evacuation cot is located in the baby room and kept accessible. Children are learning about keeping themselves safe through a range of activities and discussion with staff. Children are protected from harm because staff have attended training regarding child protection issues and procedures. They know and understand the setting's policies and procedures and are confident that they would recognise the signs of abuse and neglect. Systems are in place for recording and monitoring concerns.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Several staff working with younger children have attended training regarding the Birth to three matters framework. They have a good understanding and have implemented this into their planning for younger children. However, the play plans are based on information from Birth to three documents and guidance booklets and not on the observations of what children can do. Some areas of the planning does not take account of children's patterns of attendance and does not include any focused outdoor play activities. Although, general outdoor play is included. Children are supported well in their play, they are learning to share and take turns. Children make good use of the wide range of toys and play equipment available to them. They particularly enjoy outdoor play, role play and creative activities. Children are confident and happily share what they know and ask questions about things that

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

interest them. Children gain early language and mathematical understanding through daily routines and planned activities, including story time and singing number rhymes.

p.4

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 develop sensory skills through exploring a range of natural materials including sand, water, cereals and pasta. Children benefit from close relationships with consistent adults. They are becoming more confident and enjoy playing independently. Older children are forming relationships with their peers and happily seek out their friends to share their play. Nursery education. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Two members of staff have completed the Foundation Stage training. The deputy manager leads the planning for the funded places. The play plans are comprehensive and cover the six areas of learning. However, planning is not based on observations of children and therefore does not link effectively between what children can do and what needs to be done to

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

ensure progress towards the early learning goals. Key workers use children's development files to identify areas for development and add these to the planning, however, if key workers are absent their children may be missed. Staff have a good understanding of the learning intention of focussed activities and generally support children well through ensuring appropriate resources are available and that the activity is well prepared. Children are happy and settled, they have adapted well to the new premises and separate from carers with confidence. They have a sense of belonging to the setting as they make connections to adults and their peers. Children are supported well by staff in developing a sense of belonging because they listen while children express their feelings. Children demonstrate high levels of independence in selecting and carrying out chosen activities. They also show confidence as they engage with other

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

people as they show curiosity about what is happening around them, such as the inspection taking place. Some children talk about their home and family members during play, particularly in the home corner and outdoors. Children enjoy playing with their peers and in most cases play cooperatively or alongside others. Children are learning about how to care for living things and each other as they are guided by staff and explore the life cycle of mini beast, such as butterflies. Children eagerly explain what happens and how caterpillars change, they have a look of excitement and interest on their faces as they tell the story. Children have pride in what they do and happily show others when they have completed a task or written own name. Children are curious and ask questions either during play or at story time, they independently describe known stories, main characters and events. Children handle books appropriately and share familiar stories with friends. Children use talk to gain

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

attention and to initiate verbal exchanges with adults and their peers. They listen to each other in small groups. Some children are beginning to recognise that marks carry meaning while others are starting to write their own names. Some children are beginning to write for a purpose, for example, a child while playing outside picked up a clip board with paper and began to take the register. They are provided with the opportunity to do this by staff in areas other than the mark making. Children use a range of one handed tools for various task with increasing control, such as knives for cutting dough and paint brushes, which contributes to pre-writing skills. Some children use their knowledge of past experiences to describe what is happening or recall what has happened, for example, recalling the process of the life cycle of a butterfly. Through focused activities children are beginning to distinguish one sound

p.5

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 from another and are able to recognise and identify the first letter in other children’s names. Staff use props and familiar objects to the children to help them to learn new letters, for example, this week children are learning 'e' the staff have elephants, an egg and an envelope. Children handle and explore the props and one child makes a very good elephant sound. Children use number during play in a variety of ways. They use positional language appropriately, such as under, next to and on top. Some children are able to count up to 20 consistently. Staff support children with counting by touching objects or people as they count, thus giving meaning to the counting, and by asking how many plates and cups are needed at lunch time. However, they missed opportunities to include

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

calculation and there was no other evidence of this throughout the day. Through use of the computer some children are beginning to recognise groups with one or more objects, this is reflected in other play where children can count several objects giving each one a name, such plates and cups. Some children name basic shapes correctly while playing outside. Various shapes are placed in the garden for children to play with, they are able to name the shapes, such as triangle, square and circle and talk about the colour of them at the same time. Some children are beginning to recognise when objects have the same number, for example, two ice trays and two jugs. Children show interest in a range of objects in and around the setting, and explore what is happening, and show curiosity through facial expressions. For example, while looking through coloured plastic shapes children recognise the changes in colour

p.6

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

when looking at other objects. Staff support children well with this activity and ask questions about what is happening, encouraging children to think and find answers. During water play a child is able to describe what happens to water when placed in the fridge or in a place of heat. He explains that heat makes ice melt and that ice is used for juice. Children enjoy constructing using a range of materials of varying sizes, such as large wooden bricks, Duplo and Lego. Some children are recognising that tools are used for a purpose, for example, rolling pins, pencils and plastic knives for cutting dough. Some children are beginning to have a sense of time as they talk about yesterday, last week, midnight and bedtime. They talk freely about where they live, members of their family and how many bedrooms are in their house. Children are beginning to learn about other cultures and beliefs as they participate in activities

p.6

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

which promote diversity, they also have access to a suitable range of toys and equipment. During role play a child was singing happy birthday as she made a cake. Children use the computer well, they have good mouse control and can complete the chosen programme with little help from staff. Some children are able to help others and direct them what to do next in the game. However, children do not have access to any other programmable toys and equipment. Children are learning to share and take turns and most children do this happily, staff intervene and support where necessary. Children know and understand the routine and overall behave well. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children know and recognise a range of colours; they identify known colours during several activities, such shape mats on the floor outside, the colour of bikes they are riding, the coloured water in bottles tied to the fencing outside. They explore a range

p.6

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

of media, materials and textures, such as paint, sand, dough, water and foods, such as wet and dry pasta, bran and oats. Children enjoy singing and some are confident enough to stand up in front of the group to sing a favourite song, some children sing

p.6

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 to themselves when playing. Children recognise songs that give them guidance to the routine and they respond positively. For example, they tell other children the 'tidy up song is on' and children begin to tidy up with the staff. Children show good levels of imaginative play, for example, two children playing outdoors on the motorbikes, they say they are going to put a fire out in someone’s house, others are making coffee and ironing in the home corner. Some children even mimic what the staff do, such as taking the register, calling children to tidy up or come and sit down. Some children are able to relate their play to what they know, for example, telling other children the iron is very hot.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The individual needs of children are met well because staff gather detailed information from parents. Children join the setting on a programme of gradual visits, this gives them time to get to know their key worker and other children. As a result children settle quickly. All children are treated with equal concern and respect. Staff follow parents' wishes with regard to maintaining routines for babies and younger children. Children are learning about their local community and diversity through a range of activities, such as the celebration of various festivals and by meeting people from the community. The setting has good systems in place for supporting children with learning difficulties and or disabilities. Children with English as an additional language are supported well by staff and an action plan is in place to provide more signs and activities in other languages to support those children.

p.7

Helping children make a positive contribution

Appropriate strategies are in place in relation to behaviour management. Staff are good role models to the children and implement the settings policies and procedures effectively. Children are encouraged to share and take turns and to be kind to each other. Children are supported in developing independence because staff include them in routine activities, such as helping to tidy up. Children receive lots of praise from staff which boost their confidence and self-esteem. Older children know and understand the rules and when necessary remind each other. Children behave well. Staff have formed good working relationships with parents. They exchange lots of information about the children, which means children's needs are met well. Parents have access to all of the policies and procedures and staff share all children's records on a regular basis. Parents know what their children will be doing each day because the play plans are displayed. Daily diary sheets are completed for babies

p.7

Helping children make a positive contribution

and younger children and include information about diet, sleep and nappy changes. The partnership with parents in receipt of nursery education is good. Staff share a wealth of information both formally and informal. Parents also have access to information which is displayed around the room regarding planning and about the Foundation Stage and what this means for their children. Parents are kept informed of forthcoming events through news letters and discussion. A comprehensive prospectus is provided for all parents. Parents' views are sought through questionnaires and informal comments they may wish to make.

p.7

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

p.7

Organisation

The organisation is good. Comprehensive policies and procedures are in place for the employment and vetting of staff, which contributes to the protection of children attending the setting. The manager is supported by nine additional staff, eight of whom hold relevant childcare qualifications. One person is working towards a recognised qualification. Several staff hold first aid and basic food hygiene certificates. They know and understand the policy and procedure for managing minor accidents and record these appropriately. The manager oversees these records on a regular basis to ensure consistency. All staff participate in a programme of induction, which includes looking at the policies and procedures. Staff know and understand the policies and procedures and implement them effectively in their day to day routines. Children's records are kept up to date and stored safely to maintain confidentiality.

p.8

Organisation

Leadership and Management is satisfactory. Appropriate procedures are in place for ensuring staff are inducted into the provision and supported through their daily work. They are supported through appraisals and team meetings as well as 1-1 support meetings. Management have clear expectations of how staff should work and what they should know and understand regarding the setting and it’s policies and procedures. Managers check staff's knowledge during appraisals and daily discussion. While the manager oversees the overall play plans she has not attended training regarding the Foundation Stage. Overall staff are supported well by the managers to ensure children receive varied opportunities and experiences on a day to day basis. The manager has identified areas of strengths and weaknesses and some areas are already being addressed, for example, outdoor play and dual language signs and activities. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it

p.8

Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints to report. 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.

p.8

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.8

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND 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 The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

p.8

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

p.9

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): • further develop planning to take account of children's patterns of attendance and to include purposeful outdoor play

p.9

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): • improve teaching by providing children with opportunities to use calculation and to use programmable toys and equipment • develop planning to show clear links between observations, play plans and children's progress • improve teaching by ensuring managers who support and oversee those delivering the Foundation Stage, have a clear understanding of planning and assessment.

p.9

The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9

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

p.9