Asquith Nursery - Putney

Asquith Nursery - Putney

Inspection report for early years provision

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Asquith Nursery - Putney

EY289996 Unique Reference Number 23 November 2006 Inspection date Lorna Lorraine Hall Inspector

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Asquith Nursery - Putney

107-109 Norroy Road, Putney, London, SW15 1PH Setting Address

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E-mail

Asquith Court Nurseries 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 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?

Asquith Nursery - Putney opened in 2000 and was re-registered in 2005. It operates from three rooms in purpose built premises in Putney, in the London borough of Wandsworth. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. A maximum of 41 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are 42 children on roll, six of whom are in receipt of funding. The nursery is open each weekday from 08:00 to 18:00.The nursery serves the local community.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs 10 members of staff, plus support staff/bank staff, of which five hold appropriate early years qualifications and two are working towards a qualification.

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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's health is promoted through well written documentation that ensures medical information is recorded in line with regulations.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are encouraged to learn about personal hygiene through the daily routines. They wash their hands before eating, after using the toilet and pick up food from the floor and put it in the rubbish bin. Cross infection to the children is minimised because staff use disposable gloves and aprons when handling body fluids and food. Accidents to the children are appropriately dealt with because most of the staff team hold a current first aid certificate.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health is successfully promoted and they can rest according to their needs in cots or on sleeping mats. Suitable arrangement is in place to launder nursery linen. This promotes the children's well-being. To ensure consistency in care routines, staff record the times the children sleep and eat. This information is shared with parents.

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Helping children to be healthy

All the children have daily opportunity to enjoy the fresh air and participate in outdoor play suitable to promote their physical development. They chase each other in the garden and regularly walk to the park to feed the ducks. In the classroom they listen and move imaginatively to music, and skilfully manoeuvre large trucks and prams.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from a nutritious diet because the organisation uses healthy menus which have been devised by an external dietician. As a result children eat well, and enjoy the fresh fruit they have each day at snack time. They enjoy their meals and regularly ask for a second helping. Food is served according to the children's needs, mashed or puréed. All the children have easy access to drinking water. Meals are freshly cooked by the nursery cook.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's individual dietary needs, including preferences, are clearly recorded and displayed in the main play areas and kitchen. Staff have a sound knowledge of the children's individual dietary needs and there are effective systems in place to ensure details of any allergies are well known. As an extra safety measure children who are allergic to certain foods receive their meals separately on a red plate.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in an environment where effective documentation promotes their safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All the children benefit from playing in a well organised environment. This means they can move around safely and freely. Space in the pre-school room is especially organised to allow the children to think about their safety and the safety of others. There is ample space for babies to crawl and learn to walk. They have access to soft furniture which they can use to support them standing and whilst learning to walk.

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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 All the children have easy access to high quality learning resources, suitable to promote their all round development. This means the children are able to make choices and contribute to their learning in a meaningful way. However, the organisation of sand and water play in the toddler room, compromises young children's safety as they cannot comfortably access them.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are cared for in an environment where rigorous health and safety checks are regularly carried out before each session. Identified risks are recorded and passed on to the manager or deputy manager to be addressed. There is a secure entry system on the main door to the play areas that is operated by staff only. Staff skilfully complete a daily check of all areas and play equipment to ensure they are safe. The organisation has comprehensive health and safety procedures, which are successfully linked to the health and safety policy, training and induction.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Regular fire evacuation practises and clearly labelled fire exit doors promote the children's safety. The escape plan is prominently displayed for all to see. Proper arrangements are in place to ensure the children's safety whilst on outings. A senior member of staff is always included in the child:adult ratio. As an extra safety measure, the children wear wristbands with the nurseries detail. Children are kept safe on outings because staff carry their contact details and a mobile phone.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is well safeguarded because staff have a good understanding of child protection issues. Staff have access to good written information to support them in their play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children under three are happy and confident in the nursery environment because staff deliver a good range of learning experiences. They play with a brightly coloured complex activity set suitable to sustain their interest. Through observations and interaction staff ensure that the children are developing at their own pace. Staff have a sound understanding of how children learn in relation to the Birth to three matters framework.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children and staff relate well together and the children feel comfortable to sit on their laps. Every day the children have lots of opportunities to use their senses to interpret their experiences. They play imaginatively with items in the 'treasure basket'. They learn new words because staff communicate with them on their level.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Although staff have satisfactory knowledge about the Foundation Stage Curriculum, they do not use the stepping stones as a guide to plan for the children's next stage of learning. Consequently, they do not provide a range of activities covering the six areas of learning to sufficiently challenge all the children, especially in the curriculum for knowledge and understanding of the world and communication, language and literacy. Rather, they observe what the children are doing and use the information to plan on a weekly basis. This means they do not have a clear understanding of how they will move the children on in their learning. Generally, staff seize the opportunity to extend the children's

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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 learning. However, this is not consistent, as they do not deliver challenging learning opportunities for the more able children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's confidence and self-esteem is well promoted by staff that are sensitive to their needs and know them well. They are self-assured and independently attend to their personal needs. They relate well with staff and each other and help the younger children to carry out routine tasks. On the whole the children are well behaved because they have a sound understanding of acceptable behaviour. They work harmoniously with each other and persist with activities of their own choice for long periods of time. The children are comfortable in their environment and willing to help tidy up and prepare for the next activity.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident in using language. They give instructions to the other children and during lunch time, they describe different taste. They communicate well with staff and each other and are confident about voicing their views and feelings. They enjoy looking at books and know that print carries meaning. Some of the children explore the sounds of the letters in their name. However, there are missed opportunities to extend the children's learning. Although the children enjoy using a range of writing implements there are insufficient opportunities for them to write for a purpose. Children listen attentively to stories.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy making their own designs and use sellotape to join items together. They confidently use different size wooden blocks to build complex models such as castles. The home corner is used creatively to promote the children's knowledge and understanding of the world. However, there are insufficient opportunities for children to use programmable toys and a computer. This means they do not learn how to operate a computer.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's fine motor skills are well developed and they skilfully use scissors to cut and use tissue paper to create beautiful flowers. They move imaginatively to music playing in the background. Daily access to large painting easels provides good opportunities for them to explore colours. Children regularly use dressing up clothes to act out adult roles.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Through books and discussion, children learn about other cultures. Babies settle well because staff work closely with parents to ensure they follow their home routine. Older children have a very good knowledge of right and wrong and will often explain the consequences of behaviour to younger children and resolve their own disputes independently. Children have a caring approach towards each other.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Although, parents receive information about the curriculum for funded children, there are no systems in place to ensure parents fully understand how staff facilitate learning under the six areas of learning. There is good informal daily communication between staff and parents. However, there are no planned opportunities for staff to share assessments, consequently, parents are not informed about how they can contribute to their children's learning at home. This means that staff do not always seek the parents' view and provide sufficient opportunities for parents to contribute to the provision in a meaningful way. There are currently no children attending the nursery who have learning

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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 difficulties. Although the nursery have recently appointed a member of staff who has responsibility in this area, she has not attended appropriate training. However, she has a fair understanding of other agencies she would use to support her in her work.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Although, parents receive information about how to make a complaint the nursery has not yet developed systems to record complaints in line with regulations.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Staff generally work well together as a team and are clear about their responsibilities. They communicate well with staff that are covering absences to ensure they are fully appraised about the nursery and children's routines. Children's welfare is protected because the registered person ensures that staff are appropriately qualified and vetted. During the induction process, new members of staff spend time reading through written policies and procedures which work in practice to keep children healthy and safeguard their welfare. Staff are generally well deployed to ensure the smooth running of the nursery.

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Organisation

Leadership and management are satisfactory. The manager is new to her post; however, she is a positive role model. To show her commitment to assessing and improving the quality of care and education she regularly meets with staff on an individual basis. Most of the staff have received in-house training on the Birth to three matters framework and the Foundation Stage Curriculum. However, they are in the early stage of linking their knowledge to the organisation's new approach to planning and learning. This means that children generally benefit from a range of play experiences related to the guidance. However, through discussion and the manager's hands-on approach she has identified what training and support staff need to enable them to deliver better learning experiences for all the children.

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Organisation

The organisation of rooms used by babies and toddlers supports their age and stage of development. However, the organisation and grouping of children in the pre-school room means that staff do not provide challenging resources and play experiences for the more able children.

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Organisation

All the children have the opportunity to participate in structured and free play several times throughout the session.

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Organisation

The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the setting was asked to meet a number of recommendations; four of the recommendations related to the curriculum for nursery education. Due to the limited progress made in addressing the four recommendations. New recommendations have been made. They were also asked to increase the opportunities for children to develop gross motor skills. Some improvements have been made and children now have more opportunities to develop their gross motor skills in the class room. Complete more frequent evacuation practices.

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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 Satisfactory progress has been made and in the event of an emergency escape children have a sound understanding of what to do. The recommendation to improve the organisation of the different age group to enhance learning, continues to be a recommendation linked with the quality of teaching.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since April 2004, Ofsted received one complaint relating to standard National Standard 1: Suitable person and National Standard 11 Behaviour. This involved an allegation made about a member of staff. The provider responded to the allegations by providing training for the member of staff and initiating an investigation by Ofsted. Ofsted was satisfied that by taking these steps the provider met the National Standards and remained qualified for registration at the time the investigation was closed.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure that the privacy of children is respected when using the toilet • develop systems to record complaints in line with regulations

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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): • extend learning for older and more able children in all areas of play to ensure they are provided with sufficient challenge and ensure there are sufficient resources and opportunities for children to make progress in knowledge and understanding of the world and communication language and literacy • review and improve the system used for recording observations of children's progress to ensure the next step for learning is clearly identified in all areas of their development and there are effective systems in place to link this information to planned activities.

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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 • develop staff's knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage Curriculum to improve the quality of teaching in the six areas of learning • provide parents with relevant information about their children's progress and how they can contribute to their learning

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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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