Elan Day Nursery

Elan Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Elan Day Nursery

EY305006 Unique Reference Number 03 November 2006 Inspection date Fler Wright Inspector

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Elan Day Nursery

59 Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 3DR Setting Address

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Elan Day Nursery

01444 474647 Telephone number liz@elanstudio.com E-mail Elan Fitness Limited Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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Elan Day Nursery

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?

Elan Day Nursery opened in 2005. It is a privately run nursery and operates from a commercial building in Haywards Heath, West Sussex. The children use four main rooms, and the nursery also has access to a separate kitchen, toilets and staff facilities. They have sole use of these areas during opening hours. There is no outdoor play area available, although staff take children to the local park on a daily basis and there is a large studio available on the ground floor for physical games. The nursery opens five days a week for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 07:00 to 19:00.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 76 children aged from three months to under five years on roll. Of these,

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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 seven children receive funding for early education. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs twenty staff. Of these, three are directors of the company and do not work with the children. Twelve of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications. Three members of staff are working towards a qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are encouraged to learn how to keep themselves healthy through well structured routines. They are able to wash their hands at appropriate times throughout the day and photos showing them how to do this are placed nearby, helping to encourage them to keep healthy. They are helped to brush their teeth after lunch, and are able to learn about self care during role play as they pretend to change dolls on the changing mats and wash them with bubbles during water play. Staff gather all relevant information regarding diet and medical history on additional awareness forms, which helps to ensure children’s individual needs are met. All staff sign to say they are aware of these, helping to ensure consistency of care. Children who are infectious do not attend thus preventing the spread of contagious ailments. Staff are beginning to promote self selection of tissues, helping children to think about their personal needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a variety of nutritious, freshly cooked meals that meet their dietary needs every lunch and tea time. Healthy snacks include fresh and dried fruit, helping to encourage children to develop healthy eating habits. Staff help to teach children about the foods that are good and bad for their bodies. A rolling snack is in operation for older children, helping to promote their independence. Staff sit with children at lunch times to ensure that children are able to learn important social skills and gain the most from the experience.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff in the baby room regularly offer children drinks to ensure they are sufficiently hydrated. Drinking water is always available for the older children, and staff ensure it is nearby when participating in physical activities, although it is not always within children's reach in their normal play space. However, staff are now beginning to amend their practice for the better by ensuring drinks are more easily accessible to the older children, helping to further encourage their independence and increase the opportunities for them to decide for themselves if they are thirsty.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a range of activities that develop their physical skills and contribute to keeping them healthy. Daily trips to the park ensure children are able to get some fresh air. The large space available in the studio downstairs enables children to run around and make good use of equipment such as slides, sit and ride toys and exercise balls helping them to develop physically. A different exercise such as rolling, is concentrated on each week. Babies are encouraged to crawl and freely explore their dedicated space, helping to encourage their physical development.

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Helping children to be healthy

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 move confidently and in a variety of ways. They are competent when using sit and ride toys and show co-ordination when jumping, running and dancing. They respond and move enthusiastically during music and movement sessions. Most children's fine motor skills are developing well, and they are gaining confidence when selecting and using small equipment such as pencils, play dough tools and glue sticks.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children have access to a clean and welcoming environment with photographs and displays of their work showing that staff value their contributions. The toddler room is well organised into separate workshop areas, and the free flow structure helps to ensure children benefit from all of the activities and experiences on offer. The separate 'messy room' is used regularly by children, where their creative development is encouraged as it is well resourced. The heating and air conditioning system helps to ensure an appropriate temperature is maintained, and there are basic procedures in place to ensure the comfort of children during the isolated occasions it is not working.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The dedicated quiet area is an inviting space with soft carpeting and cushions, helping to create a cosy atmosphere. The books are easily accessible and are displayed in an interesting manner on a book bus, helping to encourage their use. Children have safe and independent access to a good range of developmentally appropriate resources that are stored in labelled, low level boxes in each workshop area of the Lavender Room. The baby equipment is easily accessible and cleaned daily, helping to ensure it is germ free and suitable for use.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have a sound understanding of safety issues as regular visual risk assessments successfully minimise potential hazards around the nursery. Staff deployment is effective and helps to ensure children are well-supervised and safe at all times. The premises are very secure, with a buzzer entry system, helping to monitor who enters the building. Parents sign their children in and out on a daily basis, helping to ensure an accurate record is held, although the outings book does not include times, and staff do not always remember to sign themselves out at the end of the day meaning it is unclear exactly who is on the premises at any given time.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have an understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse and know what action to take if they have concerns about a child in their care. This ensures they quickly recognise when a child is in danger and can act in the child’s best interests.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy, relaxed, confident and enjoy their play. They relate well to staff, and confidently approach them for support indicating trusting relationships are built. Staff refer to the children as each other's friends, helping to promote positive feelings and effective associations. Children enjoy and learn from a good range of activities and experiences that help to encourage their learning and development. They have access to good quality, stimulating toys that provide balance and challenge. They are organised to encourage children to take

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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 initiative and develop increasing confidence and independence as they are easily accessible at all times.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

There are lots of photos around the nursery that help children to develop an important sense of belonging as they can see themselves during their play. Staff present the photos in each room in a way that interest children as they show the processes of activities they participate in. For example, in the home corner set out as a bakery, the different phases of a cooking activity are displayed. Photos show children buying the ingredients, mixing the paste and the baked cakes on a tray. This helps children to remember what they have done, encouraging their thought processes.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are interested in the activities and experiences on offer, and spend time concentrating on self-chosen games. Exciting experiences such as chocolate and baked bean play, fire-fighter visits and cooking help to ensure children are involved in a wide range of activities. Birth to three matters is being implemented and planned activities help incorporate this into children's daily play. Babies are able to join in with a good range of sensory experiences. Children are independent and move freely between the areas of the toddler and baby room. They are able to make choices about the activities on offer, and staff listen to their feedback when they ask what they would like to do over the next term. Their creative development is continually encouraged with the new 'messy area' where they can experience soil, sand and water play as well as painting and sticking.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff know each child well and are very enthusiastic in their interaction with them. Their genuine caring nature helps children to thrive in the nursery environment. They spend time playing with children, helping them to develop new skills and make progress in their learning. They increase children's self-esteem by the constant use of positive interaction, and use effective questioning and make helpful statements in order to further promote children's learning and development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children make sound progress towards the early learning goals as the activities and experiences on offer cover the areas of learning on a daily basis. A few staff have attended training in the Foundation Stage and as a result have a secure knowledge of the framework. Training is planned for other staff in the future, that will in turn, increase the opportunities for children to develop fully. The planning and environment is organised into workshop areas. A different member of staff is responsible for the planning in a designated area for two months. This helps them to plan individually for each child, and take heed of their interests. Appropriate differentiation helps to ensure children's individual capabilities are catered for. Interaction is effective as staff use regular opportunities to question children appropriately such as 'which one is longer?', and 'what does it taste like?', and make

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

lots of helpful comments to children in order to further their learning potential.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff observe children fairly regularly, and use these to progress children's learning further in the workshop areas. Staff also use the observations they make to complete profiles for each child, although children and parents have not yet had the chance to comment in these. Not all children have clear starting points as initial assessments are not always completed upon entry to the nursery, making it difficult to see how far children have come since joining the setting.

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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 Staff have the desire to improve the planning and would like to implement a variety of different methods in order to help encourage children to further enjoy and achieve at the setting.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing effective relationships and get on well with peers and staff, who listen with interest to children's thoughts and stories and ask open-ended questions to help extend learning. Children's independence is encouraged as they are able to choose what they would like to do and where they would like to go throughout the nursery. Children help clear up after activities and are encouraged to work together. Most children are able to take turns and show regard for each other. They enjoy stories and join in with repeated phrases. They show an interest in books as they are displayed in a manner that appeals to them, making them easily accessible. Circle time is an important session after lunch, where children learn how to use their looking, listening and concentrating skills. They patiently wait for others to speak as they pass a bottle around in order to take turns in telling others about their experiences. They enjoy mark

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Many children are confident as they count, and the equipment available helps to ensure their mathematical development is encouraged daily. Children do not often approach the maths area, although staff do try to use some subtraction and comparing language during other activities. Staff identify this is a potential weakness and recognise the need to increase the opportunities available for children to development their mathematical skills during their everyday play. Children have restricted access to a computer in the office, although staff are planning to dedicate this room to the children in the near future, increasing the opportunities for them to use this resource. They take much interest in technology, and are able to use the stereo in the main play room although other equipment such as programmable toys are not available, slightly hindering their development in this area. Topics such as Diwali help children to learn about

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

different cultures and the world around them. Children enjoy music and movement activities and eagerly make quieter and louder sounds with musical instruments. They have many opportunities to express themselves creatively as various mediums such as paint, pens, sand and water are freely available in the 'messy room'. Staff plan to ensure creative play is also on offer in the main room should children not feel like moving between areas to ensure they all have even easier access to the range of experiences available. Children make effective use of the role-play area that is set up as a variety of different places over time such as a bakers, hairdressers and supermarket. They make use of the listening area, enjoy pretending to take their babies for walks, and use their imaginations when playing with the realistic equipment available. Overall, children are motivated, keen to learn and are enthusiastic in their play.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children are treated with respect and are made to feel good about themselves. Photographs of their friends and low-level displays of their work help to give them an important sense of belonging. Staff encourage all children to participate in the activities provided which ensures they have an equal opportunity to maximise their enjoyment and potential. There are a range of resources and activities available to promote diversity, helping children to increase their understanding of anti-discriminatory practice and the wider world.

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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 designated special educational needs co-ordinator has an understanding of her roles and responsibilities although she has not yet updated her training. She has made an effort to try and book herself onto a course since the last inspection and has tried to update her skills by researching information in the internet, and building an informative file for reference. She has gained enough knowledge to write and implement individual education plans for children attending the nursery identified as having learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and receives support from outside agencies to help ensure children's developmental needs and highlighted and progressed. However, additional training in this area will help to further support these children in the long term.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are well behaved and benefit from constant praise and encouragement from staff to help build their confidence and self-esteem. Children show an understanding of working co-operatively, of each other’s needs and of responsible behaviour as they share popular resources such as fishing lines in the fishing game, and they are willing to help each other and wait their turn. Behaviour incidents are recorded and are shared with parents. Staff use positive methods to manage children's behaviour, and address concerns quickly. There is a behaviour management policy in place, although it requires updating in line with current guidance.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is good. Parents are very happy with the care provided and particularly like the staff, structure and the way their children progress. They receive good information about the Foundation Stage and Birth to three matters. The 'experiences at home' newsletters help to ensure parents know what their children have been doing, and how they are able to extend their child's learning at home. Each child has a 'home link' book where staff record the general care given to them during the day, as well as the activities they have enjoyed. Parents are encouraged to add to these comments, helping to create an effective communication record between the nursery and home. Regular newsletters and termly parents evenings help parents to feel involved in their child's learning. All of the required permissions are in place helping to ensure children are cared for according to parental wishes.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. There are a comprehensive range of policies and procedures in place that help to ensure the safe and effective management of the setting in order to promote children's welfare. However, a small number of the policies and procedures do not contain the necessary information meaning they do not meet current guidance and legislation. The register is not an accurate reflection of who is on the premises at any given time as staff often forget to sign out and times are not recorded when children and staff go on outings. The complaints policy contains most of the relevant information, although there is no log of complaints suitable to show to parents. Both of these are regulatory requirements, although staff plan to rectify them as soon as possible to ensure they are in place, further helping to safeguard the children in their care.

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Organisation

There are generally effective methods in place for recruiting new staff, and a thorough induction procedure is carried out. However, although new employees are asked basic questions about their health, there is no formal way of assessing staff's medical suitability, putting children at a slight risk.

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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 Children benefit from a well-organised environment where they receive good adult support to help ensure they gain the most from the experiences on offer, whilst encouraging their security and confidence. Staff are well deployed which helps to ensure children are well-supervised and safe.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. The manager has worked hard to implement significant changes to the nursery in order to enhance the opportunities available to children. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They are dedicated, and show a genuine care for the children in attendance. They have a strong desire to improve the quality of the setting. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom they provide.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, the setting were asked to increase the equipment on offer to allow for more imaginary play; ensure there are enough tables to allow children to participate fully during their play in the toddler room; create a designated quiet area with associated equipment for children to access freely; continue to develop the role of the SENCO in order to further promote the welfare and development of the children identified as having special needs; ensure there is a named deputy who is able to take charge in the absence of the manager; increase staff awareness of, and update policies and procedures in line with current guidance and legislation and re-organise the toddler room to ensure the available space is used to its full potential.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the nursery has made a variety of substantial improvements to the setting in order to enhance the experiences available to children. The toddler room has been completely re-organised and now includes a dedicated role play area to ensure children's imaginary skills are encouraged. Extra tables and chairs in the room allow children to take advantage of the new workshop areas so they are able to sit down and take their time with their work, and the quiet area is a warm and welcoming space where children are able to sit, relax, and play quietly should they wish to do so. A named deputy is now in place who is able to take charge in the absence of the manager. The comprehensive range of policies and procedures have been updated, although a few of them require further updating in order to meet current guidance and legislation. They are made available to staff in the staff handbook

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Improvements since the last inspection

and staff are regularly tested on their knowledge of them, helping to ensure consistency of care. Despite trying, the manager has yet to attend any up to date training in special needs, although she has made a conscious effort to research the topic on the internet and has built up a helpful portfolio of information to help her with her role. For this reason, a new recommendation has been issued as the children with special educational needs receive satisfactory support, although up to date training can only benefit them in the long term.

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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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Complaints 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

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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 children are able to freely access the drinking water available • continue to develop the role of the SENCO in order to further promote the welfare and development of the children identified as having special needs • implement thorough procedures in order to check the medical suitability of all staff • ensure that a complaints log is in place that is suitable to show to parents • ensure the registers accurately reflect the staff on the premises at all times.

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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): • continue to increase the opportunities available for children to develop their mathematical skills and use a variety of technology and programmable equipment as part of their everyday play • continue to improve the current planning systems in place

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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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