Little Learners Day Nursery

Little Learners Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Little Learners Day Nursery

EY334693 Unique Reference Number 10 October 2006 Inspection date Patricia Graham Inspector

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Little Learners Day Nursery

57 Edge Lane, Stretford, MANCHESTER, M32 8PA Setting Address

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E-mail

Honeysuckle Care Limited 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?

Little Learners Nursery was registered in 2006. It provides full day care from a large converted house close to the centre of Stretford. Children are accommodated in seven base rooms

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

depending on their age and stage of development. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 63 children aged between birth and five years may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 91 children on roll, of whom 15 are in receipt of funding for nursery education. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.30 to 18.00 for 51 weeks of the year. Children attend for a variety of part-time and full-time 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 The nursery employs 22 members of staff. Of these, 18 hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children understand the importance of good hygiene practice because they are cared for in premises, which are maintained to a high standard of cleanliness. Staff implement effective hygiene procedures throughout the day. For example, they encourage children to clean their hands with individual flannels after messy play activities. Older children take responsibility for their own personal care as they wash their hands and brush their teeth at appropriate times and babies and toddlers are well supported by staff that are attentive to their personal needs. As a result, this minimises the risk of cross infection. Children are protected from illness and infection because there are clear procedures in place for recording accidents and administering medication.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished and enjoy a nutritionally balanced diet, which includes home-made meals, such as pasta, casseroles and cous cous dishes. Dietary requirements are agreed with parent's and children's preferences are sensitively catered for as they are offered identical dishes, made with different ingredients, according to their needs. Children are continually hydrated as they access fresh drinking water and cool boiled water at regular intervals throughout the day.

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Helping children to be healthy

All children benefit from fresh air and exercise and take part in regular outdoor activities using the well equipped outdoor play area. Children run freely along the path and refine their physical skills as they balance on beams, ride trikes and climb the large apparatus. Babies and toddlers are provided with safe outdoor experiences as they are well supported in small groups. They squeal with delight as they a gently pushed along in small coupe cars and develop a sense of achievement as they climb the steps of the slide with the encouragement from staff who are close at hand to support. Children are familiar and secure with consistent routines, such as sleep arrangements, which are in line with home experiences and parents preferences.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children and their parents are made to feel welcome as the nursery is bright, warm and welcoming. The nursery is nicely displayed throughout with colourful posters and display boards, which are informative to parents. This is complemented with photographs and children's artwork. The nursery is well organised to meet the needs of different age groups of children attending. In the base rooms for younger children, adult sized seating and carpeted areas provide a comfortable and homely environment, which helps children feel settled and assured. Children are independent as they freely select from a broad selection of toys and activities, which are suitable to their age and stage of development. They benefit from a good amount of space, which is used resourcefully, for example, large resources are stored on the spacious landing

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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 areas. As a result, children have lots of space to move about in their base rooms, which are well organised to provide different areas for play, rest and sleep.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's risk of injury is minimised by all members of staff having a good awareness of safety. They undertake regular risk assessments, which work extremely well in practice. The premises are secure and an effective intercom system ensures children's safety as visitors are closely monitored. The staff are cautious and offer good supervision as they are effectively deployed both indoors and outdoors. Children are developing a good awareness of keeping themselves and others safe. They have a clear understanding about road safety as they visit the road safety officer and as they recite the road safety rules. They also practice emergency evacuation procedures to keep themselves safe in the event of a fire.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected because clear guidelines and procedures are in place. All staff have a good understanding of possible child protection issues through relevant training and staff induction. They are fully aware of signs and symptoms of abuse and designated members of staff take responsibility for liaising with child protection agencies.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are extremely happy in the nursery and have lots of support and attention from the staff, which increases their sense of well-being and security. They have many opportunities to play and learn because staff plan a range of stimulating activities. For example, babies actively explore their environment as they have ample opportunity to crawl around the setting. All children benefit from having increased sensory experiences, such as sand water, paint and malleable textures, which they thoroughly enjoy. Although the planning for the provision of activities for children aged under three years is now linking to the 'Birth to three matters' framework, which provides children with interesting play opportunities, observations of children are not always recorded. This means their next steps are not always identified or reflected in the planning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The small base rooms allow the staff and children to build strong and secure relationships, which contributes to children's self-esteem and the soft background music provides a very calm and relaxed environment. The staff interact well with children and ask lots of open ended questions. As a result, children are becoming competent learners. Children have lots of fun and enjoy playing cooperatively with their friends. For example, they take turns carefully placing building blocks as they construct a tower and a group of children engage in role play and are very enthusiastic as they pretend to be the dentist.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. The planning for children over three years is effective because detailed observations are used to inform planning for individual children. This ensures their development milestones are successfully met. Children show increasing independence as they freely select resources and initiate their own play and learning. They display good levels of concentration as they engage in all activities. Children are competent language users and show respect for their friends as they take turns talking and listening at

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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 circle time. They count how many children are present and they sustain their interest in shape and size as they frequently match and group objects. However, staff miss some opportunities to introduce children to simple calculating and number problems. Children are familiar with using information technology equipment as they operate the computer with confidence.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have many opportunities to become aware of the world around them. They learn about mini-beasts as they dig in the garden and they enjoy picking grapes from the garden vines. Children observe changes in nature as they nurture and grow their own rhubarb. Children's fine motor skills are developing well as they frequently use mark making implements, scissors and malleable materials with increasing control. They use their senses to explore texture and colour as they make detailed collage pictures, which are proudly displayed. Children have good access to creative resources and paint freely to express their own thoughts and ideas. Children sing nursery rhymes and jingles with enthusiasm and enjoyment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued as individuals and are treated with equal concern. Their individual needs are well met because staff use detailed registration discussions and agreements to find out about children's allergies, special requirements, sleep routines and comforters used. As a result, children are extremely happy and settled. Children become aware of the wider society through access to good resources that promote positive images such as, books, dressing up clothes, imaginative resources and displays in different languages. Children value their own customs and beliefs and learn those of others as they celebrate different festivals, such as Christmas and Divali.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's self-esteem and confidence are developed as staff give lots of praise and encouragement. Staff provide stimulating activities and consistently support children in their play and learning. As a result, children's interest is sustained, which is reflected in their good behaviour as they share toys and play cooperatively with their peers. When dealing with minor conflicts, staff successfully use behaviour management strategies, which are appropriate to their age and stage of development. This approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents is good. Staff and parents work well together to meet the children's needs. Parents speak highly of the care their child receives and are confident in approaching staff. They receive a wealth of written information via newsletters and notice boards about current themes and activities for their child. In addition, staff and parents exchange information verbally at the end of each session and parents' views are actively encouraged. This ensures continuity of care for children. Parents receive good quality information about the Foundation Stage curriculum through planned informative meetings with the staff. As a result, parents are kept up to date with their child's learning and progress.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a nursery, which is well organised and rooms are laid out to maximise play opportunities for all children. There are clearly defined areas for different activities, such as construction and quiet areas, which are well resourced to enable children to play and relax according to their needs. The high staff-child ratio effectively supports the care of the children and enables staff to consistently interact with children. Consequently, children feel secure and confident. Children's learning is enhanced as an effective key worker system is in place. This maintains consistency and continuity of care for all children.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. The manager is experienced, knowledgeable and promotes a good working relationship by offering effective support to the dedicated staff team. They have a strong commitment to continually improve the quality of childcare provided as they attend regular training to promote their professional development. This is clearly reflected in the quality of care and education provided. Children's well-being is fully supported as recruitment and vetting procedures are robust to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. All legally required documentation is in place, which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being. However, minor changes are needed to ensure some records are stored in a confidential manner. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Ofsted received concerns in relation to National Standard 2 - Organisation and National Standard 6 - Safety. The Compliance, Investigation and Enforcement Team contacted the provision. The provision provided an investigation response regarding the concerns raised. Ofsted are satisfied the provider has taken appropriate action to address the concerns raised. The provider remains qualified for registration.

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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): • develop the use of observations, for children under three years, to help plan the next steps for their learning and development • ensure that records relating to children's needs are stored in a confidential manner.

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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): • increase opportunities for children to use their mathematical knowledge for simple problem solving during play and routines.

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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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