Kidzone

Kidzone

Inspection report for early years provision

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Kidzone

EY240340 Unique Reference Number 28 November 2006 Inspection date Karen Marie Tervit Inspector

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Kidzone

10 Chuch Street, Crook, DL15 9BG Setting Address

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E-mail

Kidzone Durham Ltd 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 good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Kidzone opened in 2002. It operates from a two storey premises in Crook. The setting serves the local community and surrounding areas, providing full day care, including out of school care.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 84 children on the roll, including 25 children in receipt of funded education. The setting has procedures in place to support children with learning difficulties and disabilities. The setting opens Monday to Friday from 07.00 to 19:00, 51 weeks of the year. There are 18 staff, including the manager, employed to work with the children. All staff are suitably qualified.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting receives support from the local authority.

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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 satisfactory. Children are cared for in a clean and suitably maintained environment to promote their health. Appropriate procedures are in place to prevent the spread of infection when nappy changing, such as wearing plastic aprons and wiping the changing mat between uses. Children's understanding of hygiene is demonstrated as they wash their hands after toileting and before eating snacks and meals. Older children take responsibility for their own hygiene practices and discuss the importance of preventing cross infection throughout the day. Children are becoming aware of the importance of washing their hands, however, individual hand towels are not available in nursery rooms. This does not reduce the spread of germs. Sufficient numbers of staff have completed up to date first aid training to help protect children should an accident occur. There are procedures in place regarding the administration of medication; staff obtain

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Helping children to be healthy

detailed written information regarding correct dosages and times to administer.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished. Menus are balanced, the menu has recently been changed and has had the input of a nutritionist. Meals are prepared using fresh ingredients whenever possible. Snacks, which usually consist of fresh or dried fruit, are offered to the children, who help themselves to these throughout the morning, promoting their developing independence. Older children serve their own lunch. Even very young children are able to choose when they have their snack and confidently pour their own milk from plastic tea pots.

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Helping children to be healthy

All children are able to access the outdoor play area daily. Older children enjoy playing with balls, throwing them into the basket or playing traffic light games as they confidently stop, start and crouch. Children can rest and be active according to their individual needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Premises are made warm and welcoming to children and parents. Art work and information is displayed and staff are on hand to settle the children on arrival. Children have independent access to a wide range of good quality toys and resources. These are attractively presented on low shelving to encourage children to access them safely and independently. Equipment is set out ready for when children arrive so that the rooms look inviting. Children who attend the after school facility choose from a good range of age appropriate toys and games. These are all easily accessible to them so they can select what they want to play with. The outdoor play area is fully enclosed and mostly safe for children, however, they can access the bin area.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Premises are secure and staff are vigilant. Reasonable steps are taken to keep children safe, such as ensuring all low level sockets are protected and that babies are securely fastened into their high chairs. Children are helped to gain an awareness of safety by staff explaining safe practice to them, such as being careful as they take their 'babies to the shops in their buggies'. Staff are clear about the emergency evacuation procedures. However, they do not practise these regularly enough to raise children's awareness of what to do in an emergency. Children

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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 who attend the out of school provision know how to behave sensibly as they walk to and from school and know the routine for being collected from school at the end of the day.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have a sound understanding of their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding children. Some have attended relevant training and information is available to enable them to report any concerns promptly. Procedures are in place should an allegation be made against a member of staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. All children enjoy their time in the group. They are settled, happy and confident because staff are welcoming and give them lots of attention. They benefit from very sound relationships with staff and their peers, which increases their sense of security. They are confident communicators using a variety of methods, both verbally and through body language. Children happily play together throughout the setting, sharing and taking turns, with older children supporting younger children in their play. Staff are implementing the 'Birth to three matters' framework with younger children and the older children are taking ownership of their own planning. Staff have a very sound understanding of planning for the various age ranges.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The rich stimulating environment provided within the group allows children to experience a wealth of activities and so develop a breadth of skills. Space within areas for younger and older children are very well organised, taking into consideration the needs of all children. Young children become fully engrossed as they mix playdoh, concentrating hard as they pour in the flour and oil, stirring with a spoon and enjoying the texture as they touch it. Even the very youngest children in the baby room enjoy a broad range of activities; they giggle excitedly as they play with shaving foam or help to fold the laundry.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. Children enjoy their time at the nursery and achieve well because staff use their good understanding of the early years curriculum to provide good quality nursery education. Staff have received Foundation Stage training and are confident in the delivery of the curriculum. Activities are planned across all six areas of learning in order to meet children's individual learning needs. Assessment records which link children's progress to the stepping stones are in place. Key workers are responsible for the assessment records and know the next steps for children's learning. Staff use good questioning skills to further extend children's thoughts and ideas. They involve themselves appropriately in children's activities and offer good support and praise to them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are enthusiastic and eager to learn as they access a variety of stimulating activities. A good range of resources are provided to support children's development. Children are confident in their play and learning. They are developing their communication skills, they ask simple questions and are encouraged to talk about what they are doing. Their communication skills are supported well by staff, who use good questioning to support children's learning. However, although staff are skilled story tellers, children become easily distracted at story time as the

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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 size of the group is large. Children are beginning to develop their writing skills in the mark making area, they are beginning to hold pencils correctly and form recognisable marks. However, mark making is not extended sufficiently to provide challenge for older, more able children. Children are beginning to recognise their name as they take part in self registration. They handle books well; they eagerly select books to share during informal story sessions in the book area and know that books are read from front to back.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children show curiosity and persist for extended periods of time at activities. They are well-behaved and have good relationships with staff and each other. Children show good interest in their environment and living things, for example, they use magnifying glasses in the outdoor play area, hunting for mini beasts. They use their senses to explore a variety of materials, such as trying to guess what is for lunch by the smell. Children are developing good self-care skills. For example, they learn to wash their own hands, pour their own drinks and serve their own meals. They are developing a secure knowledge of health and bodily awareness, for example, they are beginning to understand why they need to wash their hands before eating.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children move around safely and confidently as they throw and catch the balls outside or play circle games, such as the farmer is in the den. They are developing good levels of hand and eye coordination as they handle small tools and equipment, for example, as they use scissors and paint brushes. Children use a computer confidently. They control the mouse well and explain that they are ordering food and shopping on line. They also use other programmable equipment, for example, they use a digital camera to take photographs of local places of interest. They are developing their understanding of number and count reliably up to ten. They are beginning to understand concepts such as small and big, light and heavy.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use their imagination well in their play, for example, as they decide the ingredients needed to bake a cake. They sing and dance spontaneously throughout the sessions and have good access to musical instruments. Different pieces of music are often played during the sessions. Children are beginning to recognise and name some colours and mix them to create other colours. They have good access to a range of creative resources.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The nursery welcomes all children. They have a strong sense of belonging and are very happy and secure within the setting. Their photos are attractively displayed on their coat pegs. Older children have good access to a range of activities to raise their awareness of diversity and broaden their experiences. They celebrate festivals, such as Diwali and Chinese New Year, as well as Christian festivals, which helps them to develop a respect and understanding for their own and other beliefs. This positive approach means that children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Good procedures are in place to support children who have learning difficulties or disabilities. There is a clear special needs statement in place and there is an identified co-ordinator who has received relevant training. Effective systems are in place to ensure staff work fully with parents and outside agencies to ensure children reach their full

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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's behaviour is very good and staff good role models ensure that the children are able to copy successfully. The older children are familiar with the boundaries and simple rules and help to tidy away and take care of resources willingly. They remember to say please and thank you and are polite when talking to adults. They show care and concern for others and play well together, sharing resources and developing friendship groups. Younger children are beginning to understand about acceptable behaviour with the support of staff.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents are warmly welcomed and chat to staff when they drop off and collect their child. Written policies and procedures provide parents with essential information about the provision. Parents are encouraged to share information about their child when they join the nursery and continue to share information through regular informal talks with staff. This effective communication between parents and staff helps to promote children's welfare and safety. Partnership with parents of children receiving nursery education is good. At the start of the placement they are given good information about the early learning goals and are given opportunities to discuss their child's progress through open days and informal discussions. Information about activity planning is displayed in the nursery.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Space is laid out to maximise play opportunities for children, which contributes to them being happy and settled. Children are able to move around confidently and independently. Children initiate their own play and learning well. Adult-to-child ratios are well met and there is a key worker system in place. Staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities and work well together as a team. There are robust staff recruitment and vetting procedures and clear induction procedures in place. This ensures children's welfare is safeguarded.

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Organisation

Required documents are in place, which are reasonably well-organised, contain the required information and are stored confidentially. Detailed policies and procedures are in place, some of which need updating in order to fully support the children's welfare and safety. Staff are aware of the policies. There is a strong commitment to staff training and development, which together with support from various agencies, has enabled practitioners to reflect on and develop their practice.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education is good and promotes the children's learning. All of the staff have early years qualifications and a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum. The management promotes staff attendance at relevant training. The knowledge gained by staff is used to enhance children's care and welfare. Staff appraisals are undertaken annually and regular staff meetings are held. The manager is aware of the strengths and weakness of the provision and is committed to improving the care and education for all children. Consequently, children's progress towards the early learning goals is good.

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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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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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider agreed to ensure all relevant checks were carried out on all staff and to provide furniture and equipment that was of a suitable size and comfort for older children who use the out of school facility. There is a robust recruitment and selection procedure in place, safeguarding the welfare of children. Children in the out of school now have access to larger furniture and there is a comfortable area set up for them to rest and relax as needed.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last education inspection, the provider agreed to plan regular opportunities and resources that are easily accessible to the children to enable them to practise writing for a purpose, to provide more opportunities for older children to expand and develop skills with mathematical concepts and to investigate how and why things work and to develop large physical skills. The provider also agreed to ensure children had opportunities to move to music and to ensure that management and staff evaluate the curriculum and planning to ensure that sufficient challenges are provided for older and more able children. There are a wide range of materials and resources available for children to practise their mark making skills. Planning indicates that further opportunities are available for older, more able children to develop their skills in most areas, including maths, knowledge and understanding of the world and physical activities. Children

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Improvements since the last inspection

now receive good opportunities to move to music.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004, 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 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 children have access to individual towels • practise emergency evacuation procedures on a more regular basis

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 • ensure bins are inaccessible to children • update policies and procedures in line with current guidelines.

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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 older children with opportunities to develop their mark making skills • develop the organisation of small group time.

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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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