Farley Salisbury Outdoor Nursery School

Farley Nursery School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Farley Nursery School

EY330201 Unique Reference Number 25 September 2006 Inspection date Catherine, Louise Sample Inspector

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Farley Nursery School

Church Road, Farley, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP5 1AH Setting Address

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Farley Nursery School

01722 712313 Telephone number info@farleynurseryschool.com E-mail Susan Caroline Palmer Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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Farley Nursery School

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?

Farley Nursery school was registered in 2006. It operates from the Old School House in Farley, east of Salisbury. The nursery has access to two large play rooms, a sensory room and a large outdoor play space. There is a strong emphasis on outdoor learning.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 48 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08:00 to 18:00 for 50 weeks of the year. There are currently 13 children aged from two to under five on roll. Of these, three children receive funding for early education. Children come from a wide catchment area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery has four members of staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are learning about good hygiene practice. They wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. They are encouraged to do so by photographs in the cloakrooms of children washing and drying their hands. Children use an antibacterial hand wash after handling the rabbit. They are aware of why they need to wash their hands and talk about germs. Children are learning about the importance of keeping toys and equipment clean. They help to wash toys and use water and brushes to clean a tarpaulin.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well protected from illness and infection. The nursery has a comprehensive sickness policy which includes a 48 hour exclusion period for sickness and diarrhoea and details of how staff will care for children that become unwell. Parents are asked to provide details of their children's health so that staff can fully meet their needs. The nursery has been successful in preventing the spread of infection. No children have been off sick since the nursery opened six months ago. Children are helped to keep fit. They play outside most of the time and therefore get plenty of fresh air. They have good opportunities to move about freely. For example, they run in the field behind the nursery and balance on a plank leading into the sandpit. Children are well protected from the sun. They wear sun hats and sun cream when it is sunny. They use shady areas of the garden and there is a large gazebo under which they can play.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children relish eating healthy food. They enjoy snacks such as hummus, fruit and raw vegetables. They grow their own organic produce including tomatoes and potatoes and enjoy eating these at snack time. They also collect food such as blackberries and plums from the garden and field and use these in cooking activities. For example, they have made plum jam. Children are learning about healthy eating through discussion and activities such as cooking. Parents are encouraged to provide healthy lunchboxes. Children can help themselves to drinks of water at any time. A jug of water and beakers are set out at low level so that children can access them easily.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children play and move about the setting safely. Staff make a full risk assessment of the premises and review it every six weeks. Daily safety checks are made before the children arrive and all toys meet British safety standards. Children's safety is ensured through effective measures including regular fire drills, the use of a password for collection of children and keeping the premises locked at all times. Staff and visitors are not allowed to have hot drinks in areas used by the children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are learning about how to stay safe. They discuss why it is important to be careful when crossing the road and look and listen out for cars. They talk about which berries are safe to pick in the field and staff remind them to be careful of the brambles. Children share their awareness of safety issues. A child tells the others not to put their fingers through the wire or the chickens may peck them.

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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 Children's welfare is protected through staff's thorough understanding of child protection issues. They are fully aware of the possible indicators of abuse such as changes in behaviour and inappropriate language and play. The nursery has a clear child protection procedure of which staff are aware. Parents are informed of the nursery's duty to refer any child protection concerns to Social Services.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children thrive in a stimulating and vibrant environment. They relish taking part in a wide range of exciting activities in a predominantly outdoor learning environment. They can choose from activities such as a builder's yard, a giant sandpit and a boat and pebble area. Resources such as books, art materials and small world figures are also set up outdoors so that children have extensive play opportunities. Children can also freely access an extensive range of toys indoors. The nursery ensures that most resources are made of natural materials and are attractive to children. Children have outstanding opportunities to learn about the natural world. They enjoy activities such as gardening and collecting seeds and eggs. Planning is based around themes such as 'All creatures great and small' and 'Festivals'. It is directly related to the Birth to three framework and the Foundation Stage of learning to ensure that the needs of all age groups

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident and self assured. They move about the setting with confidence. For example, a child decides to go inside and do a different activity. They proudly show the inspector what they are doing and tell her that they are cleaning the tarpaulin themselves. They confidently offer their opinions. A child looks at tracks in the field and says he thinks they have been made by foxes. Children have excellent opportunities to make choices. Play is largely child-led and they can choose whatever they wish to do. For example, a child decides to ride his tractor over paper and looks at the tracks. Staff are good at extending children's play. They put out paint in a tray so that the child can ride the tractor through the paint and make paint tracks. Children have time to develop their ideas. Staff are happy to delay snack time when a child wants to finish washing his wellington boots. When children leave a jelly making activity and start playing

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

outside staff take the jelly activity outdoors so that the children are not disturbed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children benefit from effective teaching. Staff confidently identify learning opportunities in the activities that children choose to do. For example, encouraging a child to problem solve when he wants to run water through drainpipes. Planning of structured activities clearly identifies intended learning outcomes and how staff can support these. Although all the children currently on roll are under four staff have a good awareness of how to extend activities for older and more able children. They have previous experience of working with a wide age range. Currently numbers are low in the nursery and short term planning is generally shared verbally with staff. The manager is working to find an effective method of recording short term planning that can be shared with both parents and staff. Key workers use their understanding of the early learning goals to make regular observations and use these to complete children's records of progress.

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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 However, since the nursery has only recently begun providing nursery education systems for using these observations and records to inform children's next steps are still under development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. They are eager and motivated to learn. For example, they are engrossed in examining the head of a sunflower and picking out the seeds. They display high levels of involvement in what they are doing and enjoy exploring and taking risks. For example, a child experiments with balancing on a plank leading into the sandpit. Children have excellent relationships with one another and play well as a group. They are developing many independent skills such as putting their plates and cups in the sink for washing and throwing away their own rubbish.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have excellent opportunities to learn about the world around them. They observe change in activities such as gardening and find out about living things including insects and chickens. They have practical opportunities to design and build such as making an irrigation system with drainpipes and guttering in the mud and water area. They regularly use a computer and simple technology including a tape recorder. They are finding out about their local environment and show a strong interest in the world around them. They are also gaining awareness of other cultures and beliefs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Most children are confident speakers who initiate conversations and use language well. They enjoy listening to stories and looking at books. They also enjoy telling stories to each other. They are learning new vocabulary through a wide range of activities and discussion with staff. They have many opportunities to mark-make with writing and drawing materials freely available both indoors and outside.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have good opportunities to use their imaginations. They enjoy role play in a variety of settings including a shop and a boat and have easy access to dressing up clothes. They can experiment with a wide range of different media including paints, crayons and pencils. They explore texture, smell and taste. For example, tasting their home grown produce. Children can experiment with musical instruments and there is music playing throughout the day.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children show an interest in numbers and counting. For example, a child notices that there are numerals on a trunk and starts to identify them. Children count in a wide variety of activities. They count raisins on their plates and the number of eggs they collect from the chickens. They use size language to describe objects such as their sunflowers. They are encouraged to solve practical problems. For example, working out why the smaller ball goes down the tube. Children are beginning to show an interest in number problems. They work out how many pieces of carrot and apple they have and talk about how many there are altogether.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children move freely with pleasure and confidence. They have plenty of space both indoors and out to move in a range of ways that enhance their physical development. They are developing co-ordination and control through activities such as balancing on a plank into the sandpit and stepping from log to log. They use tools and equipment such as scissors, brushes and cutlery which help develop their fine motor skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Overall children are making good progress in 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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children play an active role in the local community. They visit a neighbour's garden to see her chickens and bake cakes for the village coffee morning. They have positive relationships with each other. They help one another with activities such as untangling the hosepipe and talk about good teamwork. They actively contribute to the running of the provision. Children help to prepare snack and carry messages for staff. They are well behaved. They spontaneously say 'please' and 'thank you' and happily follow instruction such as not running indoors. Children's behaviour is managed well due to the staff's clear understanding of effective strategies. These include time to calm down and discussion about why the behaviour is unacceptable. Staff and parents work closely to resolve any behavioural issues. For example, working together to help a child who was reluctant to share.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are learning about wider society. They make frequent use of resources that promote diversity including books, dolls and dressing up clothes. They also do activities to help them learn about other ways of life. The next planned topic is 'Festivals' which will help children to become aware of different faiths and cultures. There are currently no children with special needs at the nursery. The nursery has a detailed special needs statement and staff are aware of the need for close liaison with the parents and other agencies. Although there is a named special needs co-ordinator she has not yet attended training for this role.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from an excellent working relationship between the nursery and parents. Staff and parents have a friendly relationship and staff offer advice and support on a range of childcare issues. Parents find staff approachable and feel that they can talk to them about any issue. Children's welfare and progress is shared with parents through discussion and a detailed hand written diary. Parents are encouraged to use the diary as well so that this is a two way process. Parents are kept well informed about the provision through a notice board, monthly newsletters and an excellent website that includes video footage of the children. Parents are encouraged to become involved with the nursery through activities such as Harvest Festival and a family fun day.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is good. Parents are made aware of the Foundation Stage of learning through full discussion with staff and know what their children are learning. Staff use information from parents to help them make a baseline assessment for each child when they enter the Foundation Stage. Parents are aware that records of their children's progress are made and that they can see these on demand. The nursery is setting up a regular coffee morning at which parents can talk to their child's key worker and look at the child's records. Staff share information with parents about what the children have been learning at nursery and ways in which to support this at home. This is a two way process since parents are encouraged to share what the child has been doing at home and this is incorporated into nursery activities where possible.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered

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Helping children make a positive contribution

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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit from a well organised and exceptionally stimulating environment. They spend most of their time in a spacious outdoor area. This is arranged into different areas including a builder's yard, a mud and water area, fruit and vegetable beds and an explorer's pit. They have access to a large field where they can run and play freely. The indoor environment is also stimulating. The main play room is very spacious. This allows children to move freely between different areas such as a comfortable book corner and a role play area with a house and shop. They also have access to a sensory room and a second room that is currently used primarily for eating. The environment is vibrant with a wide range of colourful and attractive resources, displays of the children's work and posters about gardening and outdoor play. Children can access resources easily. Toys and equipment are organised to ensure that children can reach

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Organisation

Children's welfare is promoted through the keeping of all necessary records, policies and procedures. The nursery has comprehensive policies and procedures which are shared with parents. These include safety in the sun and emergency procedures. Records such as the accident book are kept accurately and parents sign children in and out on the register. The nursery has a full complaints procedure and a complaints record book.

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Organisation

Children benefit from well qualified and experienced staff. The manager is a qualified teacher and two of the staff have early years qualifications. They have attended a variety of relevant training and have several years of experience of working with children. The nursery has robust procedures for ensuing that staff are suitable to work with children. All staff are vetted and undergo a full induction process. There is an annual appraisal system to ensure their ongoing suitability.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. The staff work well as a team and have a shared ethos of outdoor learning and child led play. There is clear staff deployment and staff have a good understanding of their role. They have ongoing discussions about the children and the provision and also have a formal monthly staff meeting. All contribute to planning and their ideas are valued. The manager works with staff to evaluate the nursery provision. They use the Early Years Partnership self evaluation programme and also discuss the provision at staff meetings. The manager has a clear vision for the future. She is currently considering extending the provision to care for younger children and plans to provide music and movement and ballet classes. She is also keen to further develop the physical play equipment. She has a sound understanding of the areas that currently require further development. For example, she is

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Organisation

working to find the most effective method for short term planning.

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Organisation

The nursery meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration 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.

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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): • further develop staff understanding of how to care for children with special needs

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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): • continue to develop systems for recording observations of the children's progress and using them to identify the next steps that individual children need to take • further develop planning to include short term plans

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

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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