Honeybear Nursery ltd

Honeybear Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Honeybear Nursery

500105 Unique Reference Number 12 December 2006 Inspection date Teresa Ann Clark Inspector

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Honeybear Nursery

Rufford Road, Whalley Range, Manchester, Lancashire, M16 8AE Setting Address

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E-mail

Bernadetta Devine Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day 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?

Honeybear Nursery has been open since 1990. The nursery is situated in the grounds of St. Margaret's church in the Whalley Range area of Manchester. It operates from a single storey property, where one large hall is partitioned into separate areas. A partitioned area of the church is used for the pre-school children. A safe and secure outdoor area laid to lawn, concrete and safety surface is available for outdoor play. The nursery serves the local community and surrounding areas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 37 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open all year round, except for Christmas and public holidays. It opens from 08.00 to 18.00. There are currently 54 children on roll. Of these, eight children are in receipt of nursery education funding. Children attend for a variety of sessions.

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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 There are 12 staff working with the children. Of these, 11 hold suitable childcare qualifications and one is working towards a qualification. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Satisfactory procedures are followed by staff to protect children from illness and infection. Children with infectious illnesses are not admitted and staff contact parents when children become ill. Children are developing independence in self-care; for example, taking themselves to the toilet and washing their hands. However, insufficient emphasis is put upon hygiene practices for younger children, because they do not wash their hands before eating their snacks, which poses a risk to their health. Staff follow satisfactory procedures to promote children's good health; for example, cleaning tables with anti-bacterial sprays and ensuring the toilets are adequately stocked for children to use. There are sufficient staff who are qualified in first aid, which ensures children receive appropriate care in the event of an accident or emergency.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have good opportunities to play outside. They are able to move freely with pleasure and confidence. They enjoy using wheeled toys, the slide, parachute games, and tunnels, which promote their strength and coordination. Babies are regularly taken outdoors to benefit from natural daylight and fresh air, which contributes towards their good health.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from a healthy, balanced diet. They are provided with nutritious meals and snacks, which promote their growth and development. Children enjoy mealtimes that are relaxed, sociable and where they can take their time. They are given appropriate cutlery to develop independence in feeding themselves, and older children help to set the tables and serve out their own dinner. However, at snack times children are not provided with plates to put their food on, which poses an element of risk to their health. Staff do not respond to younger children's needs during snack time; for example, when children point to the food asking for more. As a result, children become upset and do not have their appetites satisfied. Staff consult parents about children's dietary requirements and staff are all made aware of these, which ensures children remain healthy.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children benefit from the staff's attempts to create a welcoming environment in which to play, which includes displays of children's work. Photographs of children with their families are displayed around the nursery, which gives children a sense of belonging. The entrance hall includes a good amount of information for parents. Children receive a warm welcome when they arrive at the nursery. Space is generally well organised, which allows children to participate in a range of activities. The temperature in the main building is adequate, but the pre-school area is not. Resources and equipment are of good quality and organised to provide an accessible learning environment for children. There is a good range of natural materials to promote children's sensory development.

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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 kept safe due to effective security measures. The premises are secure as doors are kept locked and visitors are signed in and out of the building. Although risk assessments are in place, some hazards are not identified; for example, the radiator covers are loose and the ivy and grid in the outdoor area pose a risk to children's safety. Regular fire drills are completed, which ensures children remain calm and know what to do in the event of an emergency. Children are learning to keep themselves safe, as they are reminded to sit at the table when using scissors and not to run indoors.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are safeguarded because there are clear procedures in place if there are any concerns about child protection. Staff have a satisfactory understanding about their role and responsibility with regards to child protection issues. All relevant information and contact details to safeguard the welfare of children is in place. The child protection procedure is currently being updated to include reference to the Local Safeguarding Children's Board.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Babies and toddlers are happy, settled and relate well to staff and other children around them. Staff support babies as they learn to crawl, walk and balance. Resources in the baby and toddler rooms are laid out to encourage young children to develop their gross motor skills. Early communication skills of babies are positively supported by staff that listen and respond to their babbles and sounds. Children learn to make connections when they press buttons or turn switches, and are enthralled by the outcome of cause and effect toys. Babies and young children investigate different sensory opportunities and develop tactile skills as they explore the contents of the treasure baskets and make prints using paint and parts of their body. Musical instruments are introduced to young children to increase their motivation to create sounds and extend their fine motor skills development. Young children are learning to cooperate and interact with each

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

other as they play in the sand, and push each other on push along toys.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff are developing an awareness of the 'Birth to three matters' framework to plan activities for younger children. However, assessments are not kept up-to-date and are not used to plan the next stages of children's learning and development. Staff encourage children to make choices about their play and learning and follow their individual care routines; for example, nappy changing and sleep time. This helps children to feel secure. Children benefit from the key-worker system, which enables them to receive consistent care from adults who know them well. Children form close and loving relationships with staff as they sit on their knee and snuggle in. They enjoy themselves and have fun as they play tickling games with staff. Children are well supported with their chosen activities; painting, looking at books and building with bricks. Young children are showing a real interest in books as they turn the pages and look at the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

pictures independently. Children develop their imagination as they line up chairs and pretend to go to the beach on the bus.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff successfully provide children with a balanced routine that enables children to work towards the early learning goals. The activities provided are developmentally appropriate to the children and demonstrate that staff have a

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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 sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage. Assessments systems are in place, but these records are completed infrequently and are not used to inform planning. As a result, plans do not show how more able children should be challenged or less able children supported. Staff provide an interesting and accessible learning environment, where children are able to lead and direct their own play. Staff are at hand to help children acquire new skills, such as using the scissors and hole puncher.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are happy and settled in the relaxed environment. They confidently select from a good range of resources during free-play. They are secure in the routines of the nursery and enjoy helping to take on responsibilities, such as giving out the cups, setting the table and helping to tidy up. Children have good relationships with each other and adults. They play cooperatively with each other in the home corner and with the track and trains. Their independence skills are well fostered as they attend to their personal needs and serve themselves at meal times. Children develop their fine motor skills as they butter their bread when making sandwiches at tea time. They use a range of other equipment with increasing skill; for example, writing tools, scissors and the mixer during baking activities. They talk about what they are doing; 'I'm making a pie', 'I'm doing a puppet show'. Children are encouraged to take turns at speaking and listening

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

during circle time, however, the activity is not appropriate for younger children because they become restless and fidget. Although children enjoy practising their mark-making skills in the writing area, they do not mark-make in other areas of their play. They are learning to recognise their name as they find their name cards to self-register and put their own work in their named folder.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

During daily routines children have sufficient opportunities to develop their counting skills. They count the numbers of children and how many cups are needed for each table at snack time. They count the trains as they line them up. They use language such as smaller and bigger, and learn about numbers as they use the till and complete number puzzles. Children play imaginatively and cooperatively in role play areas and outside. A child fills a pan with pretend vegetables and uses the masher saying 'I'm mashing the potatoes'. Topic work helps children to learn about different countries. They make flags and taste Italian, Indian and Jamaican food. They learn about change through the seasons and the weather and spend time in the outdoors collecting leaves and other items of interest. Children enjoy using the tape recorder as they press the stop and start buttons when listening to music tapes.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children and their families are warmly welcomed into the nursery. Children's individual needs and requirements are known because staff work effectively with parents during pre-placements visits. All children participate in the activities on offer, which promotes their self-esteem and sense of belonging. Children form friendships and are pleased to see each other. Children know their work is valued as they are encouraged to put it on their own display board, which they change frequently. They have their own folders where they store their work before taking it home. Young children bring in comforters from home and staff make sure they have them as needed; for example, when children want to relax and at sleep time.

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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 Children are becoming aware of wider society and are developing positive attitudes towards each others' differences. They use resources that promote equal opportunities; these include multicultural books, small world play, dressing up clothes and role play materials. Children learn about the festivals of other cultures, including Eid and Chinese New Year. Children are very well behaved and display a positive approach to learning. They happily and efficiently help to tidy up, learning responsible behaviour and how to care for their environment. Staff use effective methods to manage children's behaviour. They use consistent strategies, such as rewarding and praising children for good behaviour. This helps children to understand responsible behaviour and work harmoniously with each other. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. Staff communicate effectively with parents in a variety of ways. Information regarding the nursery is shared with parents at an initial meeting and as their children settle at nursery. There are informative notice boards showing nursery policies and procedures, menus and activities. Parents of younger children receive daily written reports regarding their child's time at nursery, including information on sleeping, eating and nappy changing. Parents receive regular newsletters and enjoy social evenings during which they can discuss their child's development. Parents are generally happy with the level of care and education. They value the daily reports and verbal feedback from their children's key-worker. They like the open plan environment and are pleased that their children enjoy attending.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Effective recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to ensure staff are suitably vetted and clear induction procedures are undertaken, which promotes children's well-being. Staffing levels are organised, to ensure the nursery is within the required ratios and that children receive an appropriate level of attention and support. Children gain confidence and respond to daily routines, which provide consistency and familiarity in their lives. All necessary records relating to children and staff are in place, which promotes the safety and welfare of children. However, registers do not always show children's hours of attendance. The nursery is registered to provide out of school care, but this was not operating at the time of the inspection.

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Organisation

Leadership and management of the nursery education is satisfactory. The manager and provider work closely together. There is a strong commitment to improvement and staff attend regular training for their professional development. The nursery works closely with the local authority to improve the provision. Although the manager spends time working alongside the staff, there are no systems in place to monitor the quality of the education provision. As a result, gaps in the provision are not identified. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider agreed to provide domestic style furniture in the baby room, encourage children to drink water and update the special needs policy. There is a chair in the baby room which is used by staff when feeding babies and by mobile babies to pull themselves up. Children have access to drinking water, which they can easily access when they are thirsty.

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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 Younger children are offered drinks throughout the day. The special needs policy has been updated to meet the National Standards. These improvements contribute to the well-being of children.

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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.

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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 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): • improve hygiene routines by ensuring children wash their hands at appropriate times • review snack time to promote children's good health and ensure children's appetites are satisfied • assess the risk in relation to the ivy outdoors, the radiator covers and outside grid and take steps to minimise these. Ensure the pre-school room is maintained at an adequate temperature • ensure the registers show hours of attendance for children.

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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): • provide opportunities for children to practise their mark-making in all areas of their play • ensure children's assessments records are kept up to date and continue to develop planning and assessment systems to ensure activities are based on what children know and can do (also applies to care)

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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 • review circle time to maximise learning opportunities for all children • develop systems for monitoring and evaluating the education provision.

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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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