Buckets & Spades Nursery

Buckets and Spades Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Buckets and Spades Day Nursery

EY283140 Unique Reference Number 25 September 2006 Inspection date Elizabeth Patricia Edmond Inspector

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Buckets and Spades Day Nursery

37-39 Victoria Road, Scarborough, North Yorkshire, YO11 1SQ Setting Address

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E-mail

Sugar & Spice Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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E-mail

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

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are 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?

Buckets and Spades Day Nursery is a privately owned, full day-care provision situated in Scarborough's town centre. It has been registered since March 2004. The children are cared for on two floors of converted shop premises and there is an outdoor play area available at the rear of the property. Opening hours are from 08.15 to 17.45 throughout the year, closed only for Christmas and bank holidays.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 83 children under five years on roll. The nursery is registered with the local education authority to provide funded nursery education to those children of eligible age. There are currently 24 children receiving funding. The nursery supports children with learning difficulties and disabilities and there are a small number of children for whom English is an additional language. The nursery serves mainly the immediate area but is also used by families living out of town who bring children as they commute to work.

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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 four joint owners employ 19 staff members to work with the children, of whom the majority are qualified at various levels. There are additional support staff for cooking and cleaning. The group is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance and has regular support from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The children are cared for in warm, clean premises; in warmer weather the air conditioning maintains a comfortable and healthy environment. The children benefit from the staff's focused efforts on encouraging a high level of independence regarding their personal hygiene. The older children confidently explain how and why they need to wash their hands due to the clear photographic prompts and clear explanations from staff. Similarly, the babies learn to wipe their own hands before lunch or snack time.

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Helping children to be healthy

The children enjoy being active in the outdoors. The on-site outdoor area is quite small but effective timetabling ensures that all the children can access this daily. Part of the outdoor area is covered which means that children benefit from access to fresh air throughout the year. The children enjoy a range of physical activities which aids their development. The babies squeal with delight as they learn to push the trolleys and the toddlers learn different ways of using their climbing frame. The pre-school children are able to have unrestricted access to the interesting outdoor area for much of the time and they learn to ride the tricycles and scooters with increasing strength and control. Although the programme for their physical development is good, the nature of the outdoor facilities limits this slightly.

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Helping children to be healthy

The menus have recently undergone a complete review which has resulted in a good, balanced diet for the children whilst still being manageable for the staff. The children enjoy the meals provided and the cook prepares most midday meals using fresh ingredients. The children learn to make healthy choices at snack time too and even the toddlers can explain simply that the kiwi fruit is good for them. Tea time is often a time for a treat. However, the children are regularly involved in the preparation for this and fresh fruit is always served along side. For example, the children relish the flap jack made by the toddlers and they help themselves to the banana. The youngest babies have their nutritional and emotional needs addressed because they are held closely whilst being fed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The children are able to play freely in their designated areas because of the excellent approach to identifying risks and minimising them. The children begin to learn about how to keep themselves safe because of the gentle reminders to the toddlers to hold on as they climb or to the older children as they ride bikes in the small outdoor area. All aspects of risk assessment are clearly documented; this includes indoor, outdoor and off site activities.

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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 There is a good range of equipment throughout the nursery. The children can access this freely and safely because it is in good, safe condition. The shared nature of the outdoor area presents challenges to the staff, but they quickly remove the older children's resources before the babies play outside.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The children are well protected because of the staff’s clear focus on this. Aspects of child protection are raised at the regular staff meetings which means that less experienced staff know exactly who to approach with any concerns. Management have attended the higher level of training in relation to this and all local and national guidance is filed carefully for advice should it be needed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The children are exceptionally happy and settled and they greatly enjoy their time at the nursery. All activities and routines are very well planned and prepared which means that the staff are able to focus on the children's immediate needs throughout the day. There is generally a very calm, industrious atmosphere throughout the nursery. The staff are proactive in engaging the children in the various activities which further promotes the children's motivation levels and their development. However, occasionally the over-exuberance of the staff interrupts the quiet, purposeful play in the surrounding areas and sometimes, due to the layout of the premises, makes concentration in the pre-school a little difficult. The young children are exceptionally comfortable with their key worker and usually with the other staff too. Toddlers happily snuggle in with an adult for a story as dozing or relaxing children are being read to.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The broad range of activities promotes the children’s development and captures their interest throughout their day. The babies engage in a range of sensory activities; they have great fun splashing at the low level water tray or scooping the oats onto the floor. The toddlers have free access to an excellent range of activities. They help themselves confidently to the various art and craft activities, they climb in and out of the shapes on the small frame and sometimes play quietly at the water or choose a book.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Music is a strong feature throughout the nursery and has a positive impact on the children's demeanour. The babies chat to themselves calmly in the mirror as the music quietly plays in the background; sometimes they become quite animated when the CD of Irish music is played. The toddlers enjoy joining in with well known songs and rhymes which aids their language skills. The pre-schoolers confidently help themselves to the various musical instruments and sing along into the microphone.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

A very high level of independence is encouraged in the children of all ages. The babies and toddlers are motivated to explore and investigate due to the inviting presentation of the resources and are helped to use cutlery as soon as they are able. The older children have access to child size equipment to help to clean up around the water tray and they, similarly, demonstrate excellent self help skills at meal times. The young children are also able to rest as they wish which means they can follow their own natural rhythms.

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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 The quality of teaching and learning is good. The qualified nursery teacher leads a strong and motivated team of staff. Key staff are very skilled in their interactions with the children in relation to their care and education. They have very high expectations of what the children can achieve and provide the children with a good level of challenge or support as appropriate. Staff have a sound understanding of the Foundation Stage and use this effectively to plan for the children's development in all areas of learning. The stimulating indoor and outdoor environment promotes a high level of motivation and independent learning. The open nature of the access to the upper floor has some very positive elements. For example, the children enjoy seeing the babies pass through on their way outside and they greet their neighbours who are collecting

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

their children. However, this and the occasional unfortunate timing of joyous exuberance upstairs sometimes interrupts the children's concentration. The staff are, however, becoming more confident and skilled in regaining the children's interest in the group activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The young children are beginning to show a high level of self awareness and independence. They are motivated to explore all the available activities indoors and outdoors and they are encouraged at every opportunity to develop their ability to take turns and share. Consequently, they happily help to tidy up and take turns at the activities very well. The wealth of print in the environment and well organised group activities means that the children's development in all areas of communication, language and literacy is very good. They develop a keen interest in books and understand about print carrying meaning. The children easily find their name cards to have their snack or label their work and know many letters and the sounds they make. The children count increasingly well and begin to recognise familiar numbers on the props used for number games. Some children are very confident in their understanding of more and less;

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

they skilfully work out how many additional items are needed to match the digit as part of their computer game.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children are interested in their environment and learn about features and functions of their locality as they visit the library to change their books or go to the pet shop to buy their fish. They examine various living things and find out more about them. The children use the computer very well to support their learning in other areas. They know how to operate the simple programmes and move from screen to screen to find their favourite part of the game. The children learn the necessary skills for designing and creating at the various craft and construction activities. The children engage confidently in various role play opportunities and they express themselves freely. They act out well known experiences in their B & S shop indoors which they have created and they introduce their own story lines in the outdoor role play area. The children confidently help themselves to a wide range of art and craft material and express themselves

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

freely in their art work. The children enjoy singing in group situations or solo in the music area. Sometimes they spontaneously dance to the CD playing in the background and are encouraged to do so.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The staff have a positive approach to meeting the children's individual needs. They get to know the children very well which helps the younger children to feel settled and the older ones valued and respected. The key worker system and the settling in process are particularly effective in

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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 meeting the needs of children with specific needs. Children demonstrate their acceptance and enjoyment of the diversity in our culture. They play happily with resources showing positive images of cultural diversity, engage in related activities and they enjoy a wide range of different music.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The children are relaxed, confident and behave very well. Strategies throughout the nursery work well in practice resulting in a very high level of self esteem and a pleasant, caring atmosphere. The babies have regular opportunities with their key adult to be acknowledged and affirmed and the pre-school children have daily opportunities to have their successes celebrated at circle time. Additionally, praise and encouragement further promotes positive relationships. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is outstanding and relationships are very good. The parents are balloted regularly about the care and education of the children and their requests are acted on. For example, when more than one parent suggested that more outings would be beneficial to the children, staff acquired more double push-chars to make this more manageable. The babies have enjoyed recent visits to the park and the pre-school children regularly visit the library to change the books; they show great confidence and knowledge as they re-enact this experience in the outdoor book area. The parents are overwhelmingly pleased with the quality of care provided at the nursery. There is a very good range of information for parents on all aspects of the provision. Information about the general running of the nursery in relation to business and care is very clear. There is log of formal complaints which parents can see on

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Helping children make a positive contribution

request. However, this log also includes information which would be better filed elsewhere due to the potentially sensitive nature. The regular newsletters contain sections from each of the areas. Additional newsletters inform parents about the nursery education and suggests excellent ways that parents can contribute to their children's understanding of the topic at home or whilst out and about. The parents are very involved in the children's pre-school education. The children's individual play and development plans in the pre-school room are discussed in detail at regular intervals and agreed with parents. This provides an exceptionally co-ordinated approach; parents often contribute to the assessment process and the children themselves are also involved where appropriate. Daily diaries for the youngest children give a good level of information about their care routines and the activities they have enjoyed. The profiles show

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Helping children make a positive contribution

clear photographic evidence of the children's progress within the 'Birth to three matters' framework.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The children benefit enormously from the staff's approach to their professional development and the management's proactive methods of self evaluation. Many staff are involved in training at some level and they talk about how this continues to influence their practice. Management use the regular staff meetings innovatively to evaluate practice and motivate the staff. Some staff talk very enthusiastically about recent development sessions, for example, on den building and parachute play. This enriches the play and learning opportunities for the children.

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Organisation

The manager leads and supports a strong and motivated team. The staff have a clear understanding about their individual roles and responsibilities and work well together. The key

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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 worker system supports the children's care and development very well, although the layout of the baby facilities inhibits this slightly.

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Organisation

A highly professional approach to administrative duties means that all organisational matters are well documented and support the children effectively. Records and information are organised effectively and easily located for inspection purposes. However, some minor changes are needed to the staffing policy and the complaints policy to fully reflect changes to legislation and the nursery's current practice. Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education is good. The qualified nursery teacher and staff are beginning to work very well together. Routines and activities are carefully planned which means that staff and students alike have a clear understanding of their particular role and how to promote the children's development. The excellent approach to continuing development is evident also in the pre-school. They use the regular staff meetings well to evaluate and enhance opportunities for the children. Similarly, they welcome and act on the regular input from the local authority on various issues.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection a recommendation was raised in relation to the children's manners. The staff are now pro-active in prompting the children to say please and thank you although most children remember without being reminded. This promotes a very pleasant environment.

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Improvements since the last inspection

A further recommendation was raised to encourage the children's mathematical thinking. There is now a clear focus on this throughout nursery. The babies begin to recognise shape and position and the toddlers confidently talk about how many candles they will need for their birthday cake and enjoy simple number nursery rhymes. The pre-school enjoy number games on the computer and can work out how many more stars they need to match the digit displayed.

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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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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are 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 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

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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): • review the complaints policy and the staffing policy to reflect current practice and the most recent changes to legislation • ensure that only relevant information is contained in the complaints log • consider ways of further minimising disruptions to the calm, purposeful play and the concentration of all children (applies also to nursery education)

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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): • make improvements as indicated in the care section above.

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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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