Creative Days Nursery

Club

Inspection report for early years provision

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Club

206227 Unique Reference Number 13 September 2006 Inspection date Justine Ellaway Inspector

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Club

Heathfields Primary School, Field Avenue, Hatton, Derby, Derbyshire, DE65 5EQ

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E-mail

Patricia Jane Billings & Carol Ann Nicklin Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care, Out of School 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?

Creative Days Pre-school and Out of School Club opened in 1990. It operates from a portacabin in the grounds of Heathfields Primary School, Hatton, Derbyshire. A maximum of 26 children may attend the pre-school or after school club at any one time. The pre-school is open from 09.00 to 11.45 Monday to Friday during term time and 13.00 to 15.30 Monday to Thursday during term time. The out of school club is open from 15.30 to 18.00 each weekday during term time and 08.30 to 17.30 during school holidays. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 49 children aged from two to under eight years on roll. Of these, 22 children receive funding for early education. Children come from the local area.

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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 The pre-school and out of school club employs six members of staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. There are appropriate procedures in place to promote children's good health with relation to hygiene. Staff use anti-bacterial spray to clean down the tables during the session, after messy play and before eating. Children are encouraged to wash their hands at appropriate times. The risk of infection is suitably minimised as there is a sick child policy in place and appropriate nappy changing procedures. Children receive appropriate care when they have an accident as all staff have an up to date first aid qualification. However, parents are not always asked to sign the accident book to keep them informed of their child's health. Consent is obtained from parents prior to administering medication, although parents are not currently asked to sign the medication record to acknowledge the entry. As a result children's good health is not fully promoted when they are ill.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are suitably nourished. Healthy eating is promoted and children enjoy a snack of fruit, yoghurt, vegetables and toast. Children have some opportunities to learn about healthy eating as this is discussed with them at snack time and during relevant topics. Children's independence is not fully encouraged at snack times, as they do not always get their own crockery or pour their own drinks. Their social skills are promoted as staff sit at the tables with them and usually engage them in conversation.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy daily opportunities to be active and develop their physical skills. There is an appealing outdoor play area, where children enjoy playing. They play in a full sized boat which is set into the ground and swing and slide on the fixed play equipment. Older children move with control as they swing their legs to make themselves go higher on the swing. Younger child ably climb in and out of the boat and run around negotiating their own space. Children have regular opportunities to develop their small muscle skills as they use pencils and tools to do modelling and art and craft. They are beginning to develop control and older children are able to make good attempts at forming recognisable letters. Challenge is not always provided for children to extend and develop their large and small muscle skills further.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are keen to enter the welcoming environment and will begin playing as soon as they arrive. A good selection of toys and resources are laid out or available in appropriate storage, so that children can independently choose what they want to do. The room is well laid out so children have sufficient space to move around easily and engage in floor play if they choose to. A good range of toys and resources, which are attractive to children are available during each session for the play group. Older children who attend the out of school club have access to a smaller range of appropriate toys and resources and do not always access these independently during the session.

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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 safety is promoted indoors, as risks and hazards are minimised. There is a stair gate to restrict access to the office. A staff member stands at the door when children are collected to ensure they do not leave the premises unsupervised. Children's safety is mostly promoted outdoors. The child friendly play area is fully enclosed by fence and has a bark area as well as grass. Although, consideration is not always fully given to the safety of new equipment introduced outdoors. A brief daily checklist is completed prior to the start of the session to highlight any issues in the areas that children use. However, the setting has not undertaken a full risk assessment of the premises and outdoor area to ensure children's continuing safety and identify any concerns when changes take place or new equipment is purchased.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

A lost and uncollected child policy is in place, and the written procedure mostly reflects the practice within the setting. Staff demonstrate an understanding of the types of abuse and possible signs and symptoms to protect children's welfare in the event of child protection. However, staff are not fully familiar with reporting procedures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children settle well due to good support from staff who are patient and caring. They benefit from effective support during the session, which builds their confidence and ensures they are comfortable. Older children who attend the out of school club enter the setting confidently. Children’s self-esteem is well promoted as staff talk to them very positively and listen to what they have to say. Children are confident to move around the room and are encouraged to choose what they want to do. As a result their independence is promoted.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The ‘Birth to three matters’ framework is used effectively to meet the needs of younger children. Staff demonstrate a sound understanding of the different aspects and are clear how an activity fits into the framework. Children engage in play for sustained periods of time which contributes to their learning and development. Pre-school children enjoy a varied range of activities with singing, story time and free play during the session. However, staff do not consistently use appropriate questioning during activities to encourage older children’s thinking and learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff have a satisfactory knowledge of the Foundation Stage, they know the six areas of learning and how children progress through the stepping stones. They are able to describe what areas of learning may be covered by a particular activity, but this does not always correspond with what the focus of the activity is meant to be.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Planning is satisfactory and shows which particular stepping stones are being covered in an activity. It does not show differentiation, although staff are able to describe how they might make an activity easier or harder. However, staff do not always provide sufficient challenge for children to extend their learning. Appropriate systems are in place to record children’s development, however they are not fully up to date for all children. Also, evidence gathered to confirm whether a child has achieved something is not fully informative. As a result they do

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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 not clearly reflect what children can do and identify their next steps. However, staff demonstrate an understanding of what the children can do and use this knowledge when planning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff sometimes use effective questioning and on occasion use modelling and explanation as a means of helping children to learn. There are inconsistencies in introductions to activities, and as a result children are not always certain about what they are expected to do. The management of children’s behaviour is good. Staff members effectively engage children with their positive attitude. There is a mostly satisfactory use of time and resources. A good range of resources are laid out each day and a variety of activities are provided so that children remain interested during the session. However, on occasion resources are not gathered prior to the start of an activity, which results in children waiting whilst it is set up.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are interested in the activities and enjoy listening to stories. Their behaviour is good and they sit well at certain times, for example, listening at story time and during snack. They respond enthusiastically when they are asked questions by staff members and most are confident to speak in a group. Children are sensitive to the needs of others and take care in not upsetting a child who is new. They are mostly engaged in play during the session moving from one activity to another independently. They develop personal independence as they put on their own apron and go to the toilet themselves. However, they do not pour their own drink or get their own crockery or food during snack time.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Most children show an interest in a story, looking at the pictures and talking about them. They are beginning to listen to others in group discussions. Children of all ages enjoy handling books and are beginning to recognise the order of a story. They talk freely to staff and on occasion to their peers. Children do not readily engage in talk in the role play or dressing up area to extend their imagination. They participate in some activities which link sounds and letters, mainly when a staff member remembers to introduce this during an activity. Children are sometimes encouraged to write their name on their work, if they express an interest in doing so and they are becoming familiar with their name as they self-register when they arrive. Most older children make good attempts at forming recognisable letters. Children do not freely use mark making equipment unless this is on a specific activity table.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Most children can count beyond three and more able children can count up to ten. Older children show confidence in numbers and can identify that one hundred is a bigger number than ten. There are very few numbers displayed in the setting to encourage children to develop number recognition. Some children are beginning to recognise certain numbers through playing with the computer keyboard. Children are beginning to think about different numbers and to use language such as ‘a lot’ and ‘not many’ and state during the register that ten children present is ‘enough’. Younger children use simple size language during their play. There are limited opportunities for children to develop an understanding of calculation. Although it has been identified that this can be facilitated during the daily routine, for example, at snack time, this does not regularly happen.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children move confidently, when negotiating their way around the main room and when playing outdoors. For example, when they join an activity they acknowledge that other children are already at the table and find an appropriate space. Older children show control and skill when they use the large fixed outdoor play equipment. Opportunities for extending their physical

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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 skills are not always presented to encourage children to move in a variety of ways. Children develop their fine motor skills satisfactorily as they regularly participate in activities using tools such as pencils, paint brushes. Children have some opportunities to recognise the importance of being healthy through discussions about healthy foods at snack times and during topics.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have sufficient opportunities to explore and investigate, for example, collecting bugs and looking at them. Children ably fit construction blocks together to make a complicated structure. They have some opportunities to build and construct, however materials are not always available for them to choose independently, for example, junk modelling materials are brought out for certain activities along with tools such as sellotape dispensers. Children sometimes enjoy information and communication technology, although is not always available during the session. Children freely talk about their home lives and as a result develop a sense of time. They participate in interesting activities looking at their local community, for example, going to post a letter which promotes a sense of place. The celebration of different festivals including Chinese New year, Christmas, Divali, Harvest and Easter promotes an understanding

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children recognise basic primary colours, although they do not always have sufficient opportunities to learn other colours. Children enjoy singing and join in enthusiastically with this session. They eagerly offer suggestions for songs to sing. They play musical instruments to music and are beginning to show control. Children do not freely or regularly use their imagination in role play and art and design. Most art and craft activities are pre-determined with the choice of materials being decided by staff and as such the end product usually looks very similar.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children's individual needs are met. Staff gather information from parents at the time of placement about children's likes and dislikes, favourite toys. The settling-in policy is very effective in practice. Staff give children lots of appropriate support and encourage them to try things in their own time. Children receive lots of praise and encouragement. Staff greet them personally when they arrive and show an interest in them when they are talking. As a result children's self-esteem is well promoted. Children develop an understanding of the wider world through an appropriate range of resources and activities. Children with special needs receive an appropriate service at the pre-school. A brief policy is in place which supports this.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well whilst at the pre-school and out of school club. Children share and take turns and will acknowledge others when joining an activity. A calm atmosphere is created by staff who are effective role models for the children. Any minor disagreements are dealt with quickly and appropriately. As a result children learn about right and wrong and enjoy their time at the setting. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

A satisfactory pack of information is given to parents at the time of placement. Parents can speak to staff at any time about any concerns or issues. A twice yearly parents evening is held and parents receive an end of term newsletter about topics, activities and outings. As a result consistency of care is maintained.

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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 The partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Parents have access to brief information about the six areas of learning in the information pack. They are invited to attend parents evenings to learn about their child's progress. Although parents complete information on their child at the time of placement, they are not asked to provide any additional information as children begin the Foundation Stage. Parents receive a newsletter describing the topics for the term so they can become involved in their child's learning if they wish. Other ways of engaging parents in their child's learning have not yet been developed.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children are protected as there are appropriate procedures in place to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. Children receive appropriate care and support from a well established and supportive staff team that has a high level of personnel qualified to NVQ Level 3. Regular staff meetings and communication ensure that all staff are clear of their roles during the session. Staff are well deployed throughout the session, with each staff member working on a different activity. This positively impacts on the care provided for children.

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Organisation

The space is effectively organised to provide a variety of play opportunities for children. There is mostly effective organisation of the time and resources. Whilst children have independent access to a large selection of toys and resources, on occasion in the pre-school children have to wait whilst an activity is set up. The session is split into different activities, including story time and outdoor play to ensure variety for the children who attend. All of the required documentation is in place. Most of the policies and procedures work in practice.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of funded nursery education is satisfactory. There is a clear focus on providing appropriate care and education for all children. The leader of the setting has regular communication with staff to pass on information. Systems to identify areas for improvement are largely reliant on external agencies. The setting makes use of external support from the Local Authority Early Years Department. There are some monitoring and evaluation systems in place, however they are not yet fully effective in identifying gaps in teaching and learning.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the setting was asked to ensure all persons having unsupervised access to children are appropriately vetted. To devise a procedure for if a child is lost or uncollected. Also, to ensure hazards to children are minimised in relation to hot water in the toilets. Appropriate procedures are in place to protect children in relation to the suitability of staff and volunteers. Checks are undertaken on all staff and any volunteers who have not been subject to a Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) check are not left alone with children. An appropriate procedure has been devised for if a child is lost or uncollected to ensure their safety. The written statement does not fully reflect the procedure, however staff can describe what they would do in such an event. New water heaters have been fitted to promote children's safety within the setting.

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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 At the last nursery education inspection the setting was asked to develop planning to effectively cover all aspects of learning, revisiting them sufficiently to secure children's learning. To revise the current system of assessments to fully cover all aspects of learning and ensure they are used to inform future planning. Also, to devise systems for parents to access their child's assessment records, providing opportunities for them to contribute their own observations and comments. Planning records have been developed that show the areas of learning and the stepping stones being covered within each topic. However, staff are not always fully clear during activities about which area of learning is being covered, therefore a recommendation has been raised. Assessment systems have been developed to include all aspects in each area

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Improvements since the last inspection

of learning. However, they are not fully up to date, therefore a recommendation has been raised. Parents receive a report at the end of each term, where they can add any comments. They are able to see their child's progress diary whenever they wish and are invited to a twice yearly parents evening to discuss their child's progress. As a result parents have opportunities to find out about their child's development in the Foundation Stage.

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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 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): • ensure that parents are asked to sign the accident book • develop staff's knowledge and understanding of child protection procedures • carry out a risk assessment of the premises and outdoor area and ensure that this is reviewed regularly and when new equipment is purchased • ensure that parents sign the medication book to acknowledge the entry

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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): • ensure that assessment records clearly reflect where children are at and that they are used to inform the planning for children's next steps • develop systems that assist in monitoring and evaluating the educational provision • develop ways of encouraging parents to become involved in their child's learning • ensure that all staff are familiar with the planning and that they are able to identify which early learning goals are being delivered within a particular activity

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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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