Tamalder Childcare

Tamalder Childcare

Inspection report for early years provision

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Tamalder Childcare

Unique Reference Number EY295367 Inspection date 03 August 2005 Inspector Valerie Block

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Tamalder Childcare

Setting Address Unit 26, Meadow Road, Whitehaven, Cumbria, CA28 9HX

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E-mail

Registered person Furness Childcare Ltd Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Full day care, Out of School 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 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?

Tamalder Childcare is one of two nurseries owned by a private partnership. It opened in November 2004 and operates from five playrooms in a renovated building on the Mirehouse estate in Whitehaven. A maximum of 85 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open every weekday from 07.00 to 18.00 for 51 weeks of the year. The setting is closed on bank holidays. All children have access to a secure, enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 95 children aged from 4 months to 11 years on roll, of these no children receive funding for nursery education. The setting is hoping to provide

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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 places for nursery education from September 2005. Children come from a wide catchment area, as most of their parents work in the area. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs nine staff. All of the staff group, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy a wide range of activities which contribute to their good health. Each day there are outdoor activities to help them develop control of their bodies. Children play out in the designated play areas every day, weather permitting. They enjoy being taken out on regular visits to local parks and places of interest. They become increasingly aware of the way activity affects their bodies and know when they need a drink or a rest. Staff make good use of the Birth to three matters framework in their work with young children and plan appropriate types of activities and levels of support to give children confidence to try out new skills. Staff help children to begin to walk, holding children's hands as they take their first steps. Their self esteem grows when their emergent new skill is recognised and praised by staff. Children are cared for in warm, clean premises where they learn the importance of

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Helping children to be healthy

good hygiene and personal care. Staff explain to children the reason why they need to brush their teeth after meals. Children are kept healthy as their nappies are changed carefully with close reference to the good, displayed written procedure. This ensures that children are protected from cross infection. Staff ensure that they receive a good amount of information from parents to ensure that the children's health needs are met and also give parents information relevant to their child's continuing good health. For example, notices are given to parents when there is an outbreak of an infectious illness giving information about the care of children and the exclusion period. Children begin to understand the benefits of a healthy diet. They have access to drinking water throughout the day. Staff take account of the wishes of parents and the children’s choices to provide nutritious food that appeals to the children and

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Helping children to be healthy

meets their dietary needs. Young children are encouraged to begin to feed themselves and are supported at meal times by their carers. Children begin to become confident and independent.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a spacious, well decorated, welcoming setting where the majority of risks are identified and minimised. Staff supervise the children well and use risk assessments to reduce potential hazards. This means that for the most part,

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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 are able to move around freely and independently. Children's security is generally assured. Staff are vigilant in supervising children at all times, although the security fittings in line with the nursery procedures are not consistently applied to maximise children's safety. The setting is made comfortable so helping children to relax and feel at home. For example, there is domestic furniture in each of the baby rooms. The provider has a very good outings procedure, ensuring that children are safe when on visits. The staff explain to children the importance of safe practices and help children understand how to keep themselves safe. Prior to going out on a visit, the children discuss with the staff the risks involved and are asked to take some responsibility for their own personal safety. For example, they are reminded to walk in

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

an orderly way on the inside of the pavement in the town. Children independently select activities from a wide range of good quality, accessible toys and equipment, which meet safety standards. The staff carefully monitor and supervise children’s choice of toys to make sure they are safe and appropriate for their age and stage of development. The provider has all of the required procedures and documents in place to ensure children's welfare is safeguarded and promoted. For example, sufficient staff hold a current first aid certificate and all staff have had recent child protection training. Staff have a secure understanding of child protection procedures in line with the local Area Child Protection Committee procedures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children settle well at the setting. Children are confident in the setting and appear relaxed and happy with their carers. They relate well to each other and socialise with other children. Children become independent as they choose between a variety of toys, books and activities which appeal to all. Children of all ages benefit from planned activities which are enjoyable and meet their needs. Staff use the Birth to three matters framework well to plan enjoyable activities for young children and to chart children's development. Young children have a good amount of staff support and encouragement as they attempt to learn new skills. The staff give children opportunities to try out different strategies to post shapes into a toy with matching holes. The staff talk to the children about their choices, helping them when necessary to make successful movements to fit the pieces into the holes. Staff reassure children when they find the task challenging and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

praise them for their efforts. Children's self-esteem and willingness to try new challenging tasks is reinforced. All children spend their time purposefully moving about their playroom engaging in self-directed and adult-directed play with the support of their carers. They enjoy exploring a range of activities which contribute to their creativity and their interest in the world. Children make pictures of different faces showing different emotions following looking at their own faces in a mirror. Children become engrossed looking at their reflections in mirrors positioned at their own height. These experiences help children to take an interest in their world and to become competent learners and communicators.

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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 Older children on holiday from school have a good choice of age appropriate activities and are able to participate in activity planning and to relax in a club like atmosphere. Children enjoy a group activity using a floor game, cooperating to enjoy the game together.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The staff provide a meaningful range of activities and resources to promote a positive view of the wider world and increase children’s awareness of diversity and their understanding of others. Children make kites and staff talk to them about how Thai people have celebrations using kites. There are positive images of diversity in the play equipment and in welcome posters around the nursery building. This means that children begin to value diversity. Children learn about their local community as they go on walks around their neighbourhood and to places of interest. Children at the holiday club explore their own town, having treasure hunts around the harbour and visiting places of local interest. Children also enjoy the local library staff visiting to share books with them. Children are valued and respected as individuals. Their needs are met well as they follow their normal daily routine as discussed with their parents. The nursery ensures

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Helping children make a positive contribution

that children with special needs are well supported and cared for and that they receive information necessary to ensure their good care. Children show care and concern for each other, and play together harmoniously. They behave very well, responding to the staff's effective use of praise to acknowledge and reinforce good behaviour. Staff are consistent and kind with children and work with parents to ensure that children learn good behaviour and social skills. Staff understand and follow the nursery's policy regarding positive behaviour management. Children make themselves at home, confidently deciding what to do. Children have time to relax as well as be active. In each playroom, there are areas for children to relax comfortably. Children benefit from the staff having very positive relationships with parents and a very good level of information exchange. Parents are asked to contribute to the written daily diary so that the staff remain well informed about their views and their

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Helping children make a positive contribution

children's needs and progress. Interviews with parents show a high level of satisfaction with the children's care and parents are made very welcome at the setting. The staff understand that parents need to be well informed about their children's day and have a video system installed so that parents can see their own children throughout the day. Parents are pleased to receive a good amount of information about the setting and are encouraged to use the suggestion box. Parents are invited to participate more fully in the nursery by being a member of a parent panel and to regularly meet with the nursery staff to discuss childcare issues. A minor issue raised by a parent has been discussed and resolved promptly. However, this was not recorded. Therefore, the nursery's complaint procedure has not been fully followed.

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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 The organisation is good. The premises are used to good advantage. Children have a good amount of well organised space that meets their needs. The babies' play room has a sleep area adjacent to the room, separating sleeping children from other children and allowing the sleeping children to have a quiet rest whilst staff supervise them closely. The setting also has sufficient space to allow for babies to be separated into two groups as necessary to help children's needs be met. Likewise, children attending the holiday scheme are separated into two age groups to allow each group to have different age appropriate activities. Children benefit from being well cared for by a staff group who have all received training in early years work and who also receive regular training to ensure that they

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Organisation

are well informed about relevant childcare good practice. The provider has good recruitment and supervisory systems to ensure that staff are suitable. Records and procedures are very well kept, ensuring that children's needs are met. This means that children are well looked after. Children benefit from a good key worker system and therefore are confident to initiate and extend their own play and learning. This contributes to continuity in the children’s care. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the children who attend.

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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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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 complaints are recorded

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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 • ensure that staff follow security procedures.

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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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