The Swan Nursery School

The Swan Nursery School

Inspection report for early years provision

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The Swan Nursery School

EY335553 Unique Reference Number 12 December 2006 Inspection date Andrea Caroline Snowden Inspector

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The Swan Nursery School

Orchard Lodge, Hall Lane, Roydon, Diss, Norfolk, IP22 5XL Setting Address

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The Swan Nursery School

01379 644 588 Telephone number michelle@lawtylodge.demon.co.uk E-mail Michelle Ellen Bowgen Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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The Swan Nursery School

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?

The Swan Nursery School was established in 1990 and was registered in the current building in 2006. The nursery operates from purpose-built premises in Roydon, near Diss. Children use a messy play area, quiet area, main play room, secure garden and bathroom.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 26 children may attend the nursery at any one time. Currently there are 53 children on roll. This includes 36 children who receive funding for nursery education. The nursery supports children with special needs but does not currently have any children with identified needs on roll.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is open from 09:00 to 15:30 hours five days a week, although parents may arrive earlier with their children by prior arrangement. The nursery operates all year, except for two weeks closure at Easter and at Christmas. Children may attend morning or afternoon 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 or for the full day. During the summer holiday the nursery offers a holiday club for children under the age of eight.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The Swan Nursery School is privately owned. A qualified and experienced manager is employed and there are a further six members of staff including the proprietor. Suitable early years qualifications are held by the proprietor, the manager and four staff.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. There are effective policies and procedures in place to maintain children's good health and welfare. Clear information is sought about their health and dietary needs prior to them being left at the setting. There is unambiguous information for parents concerning what to do if their child is poorly, thus protecting the other children from the spread of illness. Staff are trained to administer first aid and parents have given their written permission to enable them to seek emergency medical treatment, ensuring staff can respond to accidents swiftly. Children learn about looking after their bodies through planned activities such as when the dentist visits, but there are few opportunities for them to do so through their normal daily routines. For example, staff do not talk to them about the reasons for hand washing when at the sinks, nor explain why they should put their hand in front of their mouth when they sneeze or cough.

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Helping children to be healthy

Hygiene procedures in the setting are generally good. Staff wear disposable gloves when necessary, equipment and toys are cleaned regularly and the premises are maintained to a high standard. During snack time the children eat in two sittings. Tables are wiped to ensure they are clean and children eat their food directly from the table. However, the tables are not wiped clean before the second sitting, meaning that these children may be at risk of cross infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

The setting takes positive steps to promote healthy eating. Children are offered a range of healthy options at snack time such as fresh fruit and salad vegetables and they have made fruit salad and avocado dip and eaten it for snack, encouraging them to try new flavours. Their awareness of healthy eating is raised through planned activities and the wall display where children have made a collage of fruit promoted a discussion about a healthy diet. Lunch time gives children the opportunity to enjoy their packed lunches together, fostering their independence and social development. The setting have worked with parents to ensure that children eat healthily at lunch time.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have regular daily access to fresh air and exercise in most weathers, using the interesting, enclosed garden. They wrap up warm and enjoy the space to run around. They scoot and pedal competently and have good spatial awareness. A child is able to reverse pedal to ensure the tractor goes backwards to avoid a collision. Others instigate their own ring games, kick balls and play with hoops. There is challenging apparatus available and more able children can climb on the frame and negotiate the monkey bars. Their physical development is well promoted. Children's fine motor skills are also developed appropriately. They use small tools accurately to cut shapes, glue small pieces of paper and to hammer pegs into the board.

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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

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children receive a warm welcome from the staff and come into the setting happily. Children's art work is displayed all around the nursery creating a child-centred environment where they can feel secure and settled. There are clear policies and procedures in place to ensure the safety and security of children in the setting and regular risk assessments are carried out. The design and layout of the building provide children with all the necessary facilities and enable them to be independent when carrying out tasks.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children have free access to a wide range of clean and well maintained resources which they are encouraged to respect. They are learning to be responsible for their own environment by helping to tidy away after the session. Many of the equipment boxes are labelled to assist them in this task. Children are encouraged to think about what might happen if they throw toys and as a result they learn to take care of them. Play equipment provided is safe and suitable for use by most of the children present, however access to small pieces is not monitored robustly enough. As a result a child who puts small pieces in his mouth is at risk of choking. Although staff act swiftly to remove the items from the child's mouth this scenario repeats itself three times.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The staff demonstrate that they are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of child abuse and can put procedures in place when necessary. Documentation to support staff and inform parents of the duty of the setting in protecting children is available. Children are not allowed to leave with any other adult unless parents have given their written permission and there are procedures in place to ensure that children are not left alone with any one who has not been vetted. However, these are not always robustly adhered to, and as a result a student is observed washing a child's hands in the bathroom unsupervised, which may have posed a risk to the child.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enter the setting eagerly and are at ease with their surroundings and the staff. There is a happy atmosphere where everyone is calm and relaxed. They settle to play quickly and chat to their peers and the staff as they do so. Children show confidence in the way they move around the room, selecting resources and choosing activities for themselves. Children are familiar with the routine of the setting and automatically wash their hands at the appropriate times, pack away their lunch boxes and get ready for outdoor play. They understand that they must tidy away equipment before the next part of the day can begin. They are learning to share equipment and friendships are forming. They seek out their friends to deliver Christmas cards, and when a child leaves for the day others wave and call goodbye. Children make choices and although staff seek them out to do activities, if a child wishes to continue in free play then

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are given time to explore and investigate the activities and their environment. They enjoy opportunities to paint, use glue and explore textures such as the clay and the biscuit dough. A child at the craft table drizzles glue onto the paper, sticks cut shapes on top of this

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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 and glues some more. Staff enable the child to spend as long as they wish repeating the activity until the child is satisfied that they have finished. At the craft table they decorate fir-cones for their Christmas tree and enjoy using the glue and glitter to make it sparkle. Staff are kind and gentle to the children and there is a warm rapport between them. Some younger children enjoy sitting on staff laps whilst they play and gain security from having someone they trust close by.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are interested in learning and eager to become involved in activities. They jump up with enthusiasm, clapping their hands and running to the table when staff approach them to take part in an activity. They are making good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas of their learning. Staff have a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage and are involved in planning a balanced and varied curriculum. They use a variety of teaching methods to help children learn and at times children are split into smaller groups to ensure observations can be more focussed on individual children. Staff are well deployed to ensure children are supported in their learning and the environment is organised to help them be self-sufficient. Staff's observations of children's learning are record in a written assessment. However, the assessment system in place does not enable staff to identify the next

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

steps required for children's learning. As a result, curriculum planning does not identify any differentiation to meet children's individual learning needs, and some older, more able children are not sufficiently challenged.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's personal, social and emotional development is extremely well fostered at the nursery. They separate from their carers confidently and show a positive approach to new experiences. There is a sense of belonging in the nursery as children use named coat pegs and have special places to sit at snack time. They have taken part in dressing-up games to help them become proficient at managing their own clothing. Children enjoy the writing table and use different media to mark make. Some write their names competently, whilst others recognise the sounds of the initial letters of their name. Children respond to and follow simple instructions. They enjoy large group times where they speak and listen to one another especially during 'share and tell'. Children recognise numerals, for example when reading the recipe card for making biscuits. They count accurately and swiftly to ten and use mathematical language in their play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have grown sunflowers and measured these against themselves, promoting early comparison and estimation techniques.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's design and making skills are developing as they build with various construction toys. Children use simple programmes on the computer and find out how things work when they use the tape recorders. They talk about the world around them and have investigated the life cycles of a butterfly and learnt about different cultures and festivals. They have nurtured their own plants, observing them growing and noticing the change that happens. Their senses are stimulated when they are asked by staff to describe how the biscuit dough feels or what they can smell cooking. Children's creative development is very well promoted. They access a range of media which they explore in their own time, painting at the easels, colour mixing, making a collage with fabrics and squishing their fingers through the green slime. Their imagination is well fostered. They use the small world play to create stories of their own choice and 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 changing home corner provides children with opportunities to visit the florists shop, take a ride on the pirate ship or role play at housekeeping.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's individual care needs are well met. Prior to care commencing staff seek detailed information from parents to enable them to provide the appropriate care for individual children. The key worker system, coupled with the fact that staff know the children and parents well ensures this information is up to date and therefore children's welfare is maintained. Children experience a variety of activities which helps raise their awareness of equal opportunity principles. They celebrate different festivals such as Chinese New Year and have learnt about the Indian festival Diwali. They have tasted food from different countries and had discussions about people with disabilities. Resources and activities in the setting are helping to promote an awareness of our diverse society.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's individual needs are identified with parents before care is provided and the setting is suitably prepared to accommodate those having learning difficulties or disabilities. Staff are able to recognise possible developmental delay and there are appropriate procedures in place to guide them if children appear not to be making progress. They are able to work with parents, carers and other agencies to provide appropriate care and learning and can access support from the area coordinator to develop individual educational plans, so that children of all abilities can reach their full potential.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. They generally behave considerately to one another and are learning to share resources. They are effectively supported to help manage their own behaviour because staff set clear boundaries and have high expectations for their behaviour to be good. Staff present as positive role models to the children because they are calm, polite and friendly. Children usually receive explanations as to why their behaviour is unacceptable, helping them to begin to learn right from wrong. Children's self-esteem is promoted as staff praise and congratulate children on their achievements.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents are warmly welcomed into the nursery and provided with a prospectus explaining useful information and policies which enable them to understand how the setting works. There is a good verbal exchange of information as parents drop off and collect their children, to ensure that everyone remains informed about the child's welfare, achievements or any incidents. Parents canvassed are delighted with the education their children receive and speak of the staff as friendly and approachable. They speak of excellent communication which enables them to be informed of which skills their child has learnt during the day. There is some information for parents about the early education curriculum followed in the nursery. For example, newsletters contain information about what children have learnt through various activities and there is a description of the various areas of learning in the

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Helping children make a positive contribution

operational plan. Parents know they are able to ask to see their children's assessments, and the nursery encourage them to ask for this through reminders in the newsletters.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents of younger children also enjoy positive relationships with the staff. They are encouraged to exchange information about their child in order for staff to be able to meet their needs

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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 properly, and at the end of each day there is a comprehensive hand over to provide the child with continuity of care. Children benefit from seeing their parents and staff working together to meet their individual needs. Parents are informed about how to raise concerns through the setting's complaints procedure, and there is an effective method for recording and addressing concerns or complaints.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's care and learning is supported by a qualified manager and staff who are experienced and committed. They understand how young children develop and attend some short courses to ensure their knowledge and understanding is up to date. Generally policies and procedures protect children and are effectively implemented to promote all the outcomes for children. The required documentation is in place and maintained to a good standard, ensuring that children are cared for according to their parent's wishes. The accuracy of the records ensures that staff always know who is present and that they are able to maintain children's safety and welfare.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the provision is good. The nursery is guided by clear aims that help the staff to provide a happy, caring, learning environment. These aims are fulfilled as evidenced by the good progress children are making. The proprietor and manager have defined roles and as a result the smooth running of the setting is assured. The appraisal system ensures staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in delivering care and education of a suitable standard. They are able to consider their professional development needs and training which in turn provides children with a better quality provision. The quality of provision is monitored by the manager who evaluates individual activities and reviews general practice by completing a self-evaluation twice a year. Staff work well as a team and are deployed effectively by the manager to ensure children's learning needs are promoted. Overall the

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Organisation

provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration 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. 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 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): • improve practices to ensure children are not at risk from the spread of infection and to help them learn about personal hygiene through daily routines • improve practices to ensure children are not exposed to the risk of harm.

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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): • develop curriculum planning so that it includes some differentiation for older or more able children in order that they are suitably challenged • use children's assessments more effectively to identify children's progress in their learning and the necessary next steps to ensure their development continues.

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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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