Welbourn Gardens Day Nursery

Welbourn House

Inspection report for early years provision

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Welbourn House

Unique Reference Number EY330553 Inspection date 04 September 2006 Inspector Gill Ogden

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Welbourn House

Setting Address Welbourn House Childrens Centre, Welbourn Gardens, Ermine East, Lincolnshire, LN2 2DD Telephone number 01522 544801 E-mail surestart.lincolncitynorth@nch.org.uk Registered person For Under Fives Ltd Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Full day care

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Welbourn House

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

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Welbourn House was registered in 2006. It is situated in Welbourn House Children's Centre in Lincoln city and is one of the For Under Fives chain of day care establishments. It is open each weekday from 08:00 until 18:00 all year round except for public holidays and Christmas week. It serves the local community. Welbourn House is registered to provide care for a maximum of 28 children aged between birth and five years at any one time. There are currently 13 children on roll. All the staff hold an appropriate early years qualification. Welbourn House is a member of the National Day Nurseries Association and the Pre-school Learning

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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 Alliance.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's good health is given high priority. Every effort is made to minimise cross-infection through regular cleaning routines and information to parents such as informing them that chicken pox and head lice are around. Additionally, children learn from an early age that they need to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet and that they must cover their mouths when they cough. Good ventilation and easy access to the outdoor play area means that children get plenty of fresh air and outdoor exercise. Indoors there is plenty of room for them to move around freely and, for example, dance to music. Babies are well-supported to develop their body strength to enable them to sit, stand and eventually walk. A variety of activities such as construction, small world and painting help children to develop good small hand skills and hand-eye co-ordination. When children need to rest or sleep they are free

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Helping children to be healthy

to do so in cots or on sleep mats according to their stage of development. Children enjoy a varied diet that is well-balanced and includes plenty of fresh fruit and water to drink. Staff make excellent use of Food Standard Agency documents that help them ensure that strict routines are maintained regarding food preparation and storage. Close observation of children's likes and dislikes are being used to help develop a regular menu. Parents are given clear information about healthy foods so that they can prepare well-balanced packed meals for their children if they prefer. They are requested not to put anything containing peanuts into lunch boxes as part of a pro-active way of supporting children who may have allergies.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a safe and secure environment. Staff are actively working with other centre staff to ensure access to the nursery is closely monitored, as well as having CCTV coverage of the entrance. The building is well-maintained with any repair work being done speedily. All the necessary safety equipment, such as fire extinguishers, is in place. Children begin to learn about keeping themselves safe through taking part in fire drills and being gently prompted and reminded by staff to move around carefully and look where they are going. All the toys and play equipment are suitable for the children and regular checks ensure that they remain in good condition. However, there is a lack of domestic furniture, such as a sofa or armchair, that is necessary to create a comfortable environment for the care of babies and toddlers. Children are further safeguarded because staff are fully aware of their child protection

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

responsibilities. They are up-to-date with the current Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures and are confident about taking any steps that may be necessary.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are happy and settle well to enjoy their time in the setting as a result of staff giving them plenty of individual attention when they first start and supporting them to become part of the group. They explore their surroundings with enthusiasm, confidence and growing independence. They benefit from the care and encouragement of knowledgeable staff in a harmonious environment. Children relate well to each other and enjoy socialising with others as they play in groups participating in a range of activities. They help themselves to pencils and paper and enjoy beginning to mark make. Staff support them sensitively to encourage them to make progress. For example, whilst playing with dough staff demonstrate how to roll it into a ball and a child copies the actions successfully, is thrilled with his achievement and is congratulated. Children are becoming good communicators, they

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

chat confidently between themselves, and the staff make good use of conversations to extend children's thinking and play. They are beginning to make connections between activities and the real world, for example, talking about gingerbread men in the shop whilst they cut out figures in play dough. They are curious and watch expectantly as play dough is mixed. Younger children are given plenty of time to observe activities and do things on their own before they join in with others. All children enjoy listening to stories and join in with refrains in songs. Babies are supported effectively to learn to socialise with older children and take part in activities at their own level. Staff use the 'Birth to three matters' framework and the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage to reflect their practice and plan activities. They also gather information about what children can do when they start through filling in an 'All about

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

me' booklet with parents which provides a starting point for planning activities. However, although staff are aware of children's progress and achievements this is not recorded effectively enough to allow them to plan sufficiently challenging future activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are made welcome and staff work hard to ensure that they have enough information to meet their individual needs as well as they can. This helps to ensure that children who have some learning difficulties or speak additional languages are supported well. Children all have equal access to activities and use resources as part of their everyday play that help them develop positive attitudes towards all members of society. They celebrate events and festivals such as Bonfire Night and Chinese New Year that help them learn about their own and differing cultures. Staff act as good role models for children and are consistent in their approach to them which results in good behaviour being maintained and children developing high self-esteem. For example, staff remind children to say thank you when receiving snacks, to learn to be patient and take turns with toys and give them stickers for

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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 Parents are involved effectively in ensuring good continuity of care for their children. They receive clear written information about the service offered through an initial pack and ongoing newsletters. Useful notice boards and leaflet racks give parents more information and reminders about wider issues such as activities they can do at home with children and the appropriate car seats they should use. Daily chats with staff when children are dropped off and picked up ensure that all concerned are kept up-to-date. A daily diary sheet helps reinforce the chats by clearly recording events in the children's day such as what they have eaten and how they are getting on with toilet training.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are cared for in a well-organised provision. Rigorous recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that children are cared for by suitable people. The staff work as a team and share ideas on a daily basis. The manager encourages them to use their knowledge and experience to the benefit of the children. This has been particularly effective at this stage in the group's development because they have been able to try out ideas to see what best meets the needs of the small group of children currently attending and enables the staff to develop the best working practices for the future. High staff ratios ensure that children’s care, learning and play is well-supported and the space is used effectively. Staff are working closely with local authority advisors to develop the service they offer. All the necessary documentation is in place and records are maintained accurately to

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Organisation

support children's welfare. Policies and procedures are detailed and regularly reviewed to ensure they reflect current practice and legislation. Overall, children's needs are met.

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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. 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

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the

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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 National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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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 some domestic furniture is available, especially in the rooms where babies are cared for • develop systems that clearly show what children have achieved in order to plan appropriately challenging future activities.

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The quality and standards of the care

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

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The quality and standards of the 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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