Little Owls Nursery Rothwell

Rose Farm Early Years Centre

Inspection report for early years provision

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Rose Farm Early Years Centre

512423 Unique Reference Number 26 October 2006 Inspection date Ingrid Pine Inspector

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Rose Farm Early Years Centre

Cornwell Crescent, Rothwell, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS26 0RA Setting Address

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Rose Farm Early Years Centre

0113 2822319 Telephone number rosefarm@leedseyc.demon.co.uk E-mail Leeds City Council - Early Years Service Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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Rose Farm Early Years Centre

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?

Rose Farm Early Years Centre opened in 1985 and is one of a number of centres provided by Leeds City Council. It is situated in the Rothwell area of Leeds and adjoins Rose Farm Day Centre. It has three play rooms and associated facilities. Fully enclosed outdoor areas are available for play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The centre serves the local community and is currently caring for 87 children of which 21 are in receipt of nursery education funding. The setting supports children with learning difficulties or disabilities and those whose second language is English.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is opens from 8.00 until 18.00, five days a week all year round, except Bank Holidays and five training days. Fifteen staff, including the manager, work with the children. The majority of staff hold relevant childcare qualifications.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. All children within the nursery are gaining a very clear understanding of the importance of good hygiene practices. Older children independently visit their own bathrooms and deal with their own personal routines. Staff ensure that younger children and babies are encouraged and supported. Babies have individual flannels and toddlers visit the adjoining bathroom before meals with helpful prompts from staff members. Staff ensure that children are cared for in a clean and hygienic environment. There are excellent nappy change routines in place and effective cleaning procedures are in place for furniture and equipment. Risk of infection is minimised effectively as the nursery has a comprehensive written sickness policy for both children and staff. Parents are well informed of this policy and keep their children away from the nursery when they are ill.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from a very good varied diet. Meal times are very sociable and staff and children discuss the reasons for eating healthily. Some topic work about growing vegetables gives children a good insight into how vegetables are grown and what they look like in their natural state. The management is keen to introduce the use of organic and local supplied fruit and vegetables and has plans to further the children's knowledge and development of growing and supplying their own produce but these are not yet completed.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have very good opportunities to enjoy a range of outdoor activities which support and help to develop their physical skills. Older children are very competent at manoeuvring and steering wheeled toys around the playground. Younger children confidently push and pull wheeled toys, such as trolleys and push-chairs. The nursery has a lead practitioner responsible for music and movement. Information is readily available to show parents how important physical exercise is to the development of the whole child.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children under three benefit from the setting's adoption of the 'Birth to three matters' framework. Babies have their own personal routines for sleeping, rest and eating. Their emotional needs are well met because they have a key person to ensure that they bond well with a person who is special to them.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children are kept very safe because the setting has excellent health and safety procedures. Effective security and vetting procedures ensure that only authorised personnel are admitted to the nursery. Staff have a strong understanding of how to achieve a balance between giving children freedom and setting safe limits. For example, children have space to ride large bikes and trikes outside but staff prompt them to respect other's safety. Circle time is used to build up children's confidence, self-esteem and to encourage them to take responsibility for their own actions. They learn to speak for themselves, make choices and know that they can say no in certain situations and circumstances.

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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 Resources and equipment are of high quality and are stored appropriately to allow children to self-select with safety and independence.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is very well protected as staff have a strong knowledge and understanding of the policies and procedures to follow if they have any concerns regarding child protection issues. Staff are also very aware of making sure that they are well protected both in the work place and during home visits.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Younger children feel secure in their own personal space and are well supported by caring, knowledgeable staff. They enjoy familiar stories with members of staff, demonstrate their creative and manipulative skills when free painting and chat confidently about their home lives. New starters are given lots of attention and reassurance and they settle in well with this help and guidance.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young babies are cared for in a cosy environment and have access to mostly stimulating activities and resources. Their sense of touch is enhanced as they enjoy playing in the sand and explore the contents of treasure baskets. However, the home corner lacks sufficient small equipment to make it a stimulating play area. Interaction between staff and children is well fostered and children sit comfortably on adults' knees looking at simple, colourful books. Children join in with enthusiasm when singing nursery rhymes and songs. They laugh and attempt to copy simple gestures such as clapping and waving their arms in the air. They are able to make themselves understood with simple gestures and sounds.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff are well trained in using the 'Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage'. Well planned activities are based around children's own interests and focuses on what they know in order to achieve their personal development. They thoroughly enjoy using a wide range of resources which challenge them appropriately and they learn at their own individual pace. The ethos of the nursery is to ensure that children achieve through the enjoyment of the process of learning rather than just producing a piece of work. Consequently, children are confident, relaxed and eager to share their experiences with staff and visiting adults. They interact well with one another and act out their own familiar situations. For example, they help each other to dress the dolls, wrap them up warmly because it is cold outside, strap them into toy push-chairs and then proceed to take them out into the garden

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

for a walk. They enjoy a wide range of stimulating outdoor activities in an area that offers a continuation of the indoor provision.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident in making their own choices and they work co-operatively together. For example, when another child joins a group playing in the dough, they work out who has got the most so that it can be shared with her. They also competently display their skills at counting and their understanding of appropriate descriptive language whilst telling the inspector what shapes they have cut and how smooth and soft the dough is. Younger three year olds describe

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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 how full a container is and are confident and eager to share their knowledge with visiting adults whilst playing in the water.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children learn how to respect and care for one another. For example, a parent brought in her young baby and photographs depict how much they enjoyed bathing, feeding and holding it. They eagerly take part in cultural festivals which show them how other people live and what they eat, and learn about their own local environment through discussing how vegetables are grown in a nearby allotment. Social, moral spiritual and cultural awareness is fostered well.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Three and four year olds are competent at using appropriate descriptive language and can count well. They thoroughly enjoy playing with the dough, cutting it into squares and triangles and telling the inspector how soft, squidgy or smooth it is. Older children show a high level of understanding of addition and subtraction through practical experiences and discussion. For example, children help to set the table and discuss how many places to lay and if they have enough spaces and cutlery.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are provided with a wide and varied selection of experiences that promote their understanding of their local environment and the wider world. All children are welcomed and encouraged to play a full part in the nursery. They are given freedom of choice and many opportunities to develop their confidence and self-esteem. The nursery provides well for several children who speak other languages. Staff ensure that resources reflect their particular cultural backgrounds and order specific books from the library. Parents of these children come into nursery to talk to all the others to give them a better understanding of their ethnicity and to explain ways of life and festivals.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff are very responsive to the individual needs of all children through the implementation of an effective learning difficulties and disabilities policy and having appropriately trained staff. A great deal of work has been done in this area and the nursery is waiting the results of their application for the inclusion charter mark. A designated lead practitioner is responsible for ensuring that children with learning difficulties and disabilities have their needs well catered for. The nursery provides well for several children who speak other languages. They ensure that resources reflect their cultural background and order specific books from the library. Parents of these children come into nursery to talk to all the other children to give them a better understanding of their ethnicity and to explain ways of life and festivals.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from an environment where they are encouraged to become independent and responsible. They are able to self-regulate effectively and they are very aware of the established rules and boundaries within the setting. Staff are excellent role models and conduct themselves in a calm, co-operative way, working well together as a team.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is good. There are strong bonds with parents which contribute significantly to children's well-being within the nursery. Parents receive quality information and daily feedback on what their children have done in the nursery. They feel that their views are respected and taken into account and they are very confident in the care and education

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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 their children receive. All children have informative development profiles which are shared with parents. Their comments are requested but there is little evidence in the profiles of this being recorded or used to inform future planning for children's learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are effectively cared for and educated by a competent manager and staff team. They are well qualified, experienced and eager to extend their knowledge further through a programme of appropriate training related to their individual needs and interests.

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Organisation

Although the nursery is small, space is organised effectively. Staff move with the children as they select their own areas of play ensuring that supervision is of high standard.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. The manager has a very clear vision for the setting and shows considerable commitment to ensuring that all children learn and achieve through their own strengths, interests and abilities. This same commitment is shown to the staff team. They are all given chances to promote their own professional development and their views are highly respected. Many of the staff have lead practitioner roles in areas which are of particular significance to them. The turnover of staff is very low and all show commitment and enthusiasm to promoting an environment which is inclusive, stimulating and challenging.

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Organisation

A very comprehensive set of documentation that promotes children's safety, welfare and education is in place. It is well organised and all confidential records are kept securely.

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Organisation

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 setting was required to submit an action plan regarding the maintenance of correct staff ratios. A member of staff is now in post who works flexibly ensuring that correct ratios are maintained at all times and therefore the safety of children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The setting was also asked to ensure that there were effective hand washing routines in place and that meals for babies were prepared in such a way as to ensure babies had opportunities to experience individual tastes.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The setting now has a bathroom attached to each area. Consequently, all children can now access their own bathrooms for personal hygiene routines without having to go out of their own room. This has improved the standard of children's access to the washroom and encouraged them to take responsibility for their own personal hygiene. It has also made it easier for staff to ensure that routines are in place and that they can give support to children who need it.

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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

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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 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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure that there are regular checks of the play areas made in order to maintain stimulating and challenging opportunities for children through-out the sessions. This applies particularly to the home corner in the baby room, and also to the home corner and the construction bay in the over three's provision.

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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): • ensure there is an effective system of recording parent's contributions to children's development profiles.

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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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