Letchmore Infants' and Nursery School

Roundabout Day Care Centre Inspection report for early years provision

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117151 Unique Reference Number 24 May 2007 Inspection date Leoarna Mathias Inspector

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Embankment Road, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 9HP Setting Address

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E-mail

Roundabout Day Care Centre Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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E-mail

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The Roundabout Day Care Centre opened in 1986. It operates from several rooms within the Plymouth Christian Centre, situated close to the centre of the city of Plymouth. The nursery serves the local area of Plymouth but also accepts children from outside of the area. Children have access to secure outside play areas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 112 children from birth to five years on roll. This includes 42 children in receipt of funded nursery education. Children attend a variety of sessions. The setting supports children with special educational needs and children with English as an additional language. The group opens Monday to Friday all year round from 07:30 hours until 18:00 hours.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 17 staff working with the children, 14 of whom hold a appropriate childcare qualification to level 2 or above, with one further member of staff in training. In addition a cook, secretary, housekeeper and an administration officer are also employed. The nursery receives support from the Local Authority and is a member of the National Day Nurseries Association.

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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. Children are developing a good understanding of what it means to be healthy. They access a pleasing range of healthy foods at snack and meal times, and lunch is cooked using fresh produce, on the premises. They have regular access to drinking water. The youngest children have their individual sleeping and eating routines observed, and the dietary and other needs of all children are well known to staff. Children have regular access to outside play with a range of equipment that promotes the development of their physical skills; they move around the setting with confidence and purpose. The development of their manipulative skills, such as being able to use scissors and pens, is closely monitored by key workers. Staff also promote children's hygiene by keeping surfaces clean, and by consistently encouraging children's hand washing before food and after toileting. Finally, documentation systems that ensure medical

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Helping children to be healthy

information such as the administration of medicines and the recording of accidents and incidents are in good order, work well, thus enabling a suitable flow of information between parents and staff about children's health needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a bright and pleasing environment, with access to a good range of suitable toys and resources in good order. Systems that ensure that access to children is limited to suitable and known adults work well to keep the children safe, for example, the video camera secure entry system and the prompt signing in of visitors. Fire procedures are clearly displayed and fire drills are held regularly, further promoting children's safety in an emergency. Daily risk assessment systems mean that staff are vigilant in keeping areas where children are cared for free from hazards, and a good relationship with the building's owners allows for repairs to be actioned promptly. Throughout the nursery staff are familiar with the correct procedures for safeguarding children; the child protection officer is clear about her role, and policies and procedures in this area all work well to promote children's welfare while they attend the setting.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children settle quickly upon arrival and receive a warm welcome from staff. Parents appreciate the flexible settling in procedures. Policies that promote working together and the self esteem of children work well in practice, as children readily gravitate towards staff for comfort, guidance and to share achievements. Children are also able to assert their needs and ask for help. Staff across the nursery are making increasing use of the Birth to three matters framework and are building detailed pictures of children's progress through regular observation and assessment procedures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are enthusiastic contributors to group learning activities such as circle time and story time. Their independence skills such as self selecting activities, toileting, and tying shoes laces, are well promoted. They play together well, showing affection and concern for each other, and are also keen to help with group tasks such as tidy up time. Children persist with tasks and show good levels of concentration. There are

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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 times during the session where being in a large group can lead to the deterioration of children's good behaviour, particularly more active children, however, staff remain calm and consistent in the face of this, and are beginning to recognise the impact that these moments have on children's learning as a whole. Children are willing participants in small group sessions, being keen to answer questions and contribute ideas.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children access regular group discussions and story times, as well as making use of books independently. They recognise the letter of the week and items that have it as their starting letter. They also make use of writing and mark making materials that are freely available during small and large group times. Children are confident counters who are increasingly able to use language such as 'more than' and 'less than' during their play and learning. They access materials that promote their understanding of shape, size and weight. The planned programme of activities encourages children to develop an appreciation of the natural world and of other cultures. They take part in daily discussion of the calendar and the weather, as well as accessing a range of materials that encourage them to design, make, and respond with their senses such as gloop, water and paint. They make good use of the dressing up clothes and regularly make music and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff plan an interesting range of activities giving even coverage to the Foundation Stage curriculum. Plans clearly identify learning intentions so that all staff are suitably guided when working with children on a particular activity as to what they are trying to have children achieve. Small group teaching sessions give children access to high quality teaching that promotes their learning across the curriculum. When children are in large groups they continue to access individual support for their learning, but this is sometimes limited by staffs' time being taken up with the management of the groups' diverse needs. However, staff recognise this as an issue and are evaluating their approach. Children's progress is regularly observed and assessed by key workers, and this information, together with staff evaluations of activities, is used to further plan for children's learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered. Children are encouraged to gain an understanding of difference, diversity and gender equality in our society through access to a range of resources and the planned programme of activities. The new joint SENCO officers are growing into their role well and staff across the nursery have a good awareness of children with any particular special educational needs. Staff are calm and consistent in the management of children's behaviour and children are encouraged to contribute to the group's rules. Parents are encouraged to take on voluntary roles to support the progress of the nursery, as well as accessing informative noticeboards, full copies of the policies in each room, and staff who recognise the importance of maintaining strong links with home through a daily exchange of written and verbal information. These measures promote a high level of continuity of care

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents is good. Parents receive good amounts of information about the daily programme of activities and are offered suggestions that enable them to continue children's learning at home. They access daily written information about their child's progress and have the opportunity to attend regular parents evenings where they can access observation and assessment records for their child, thus gaining a detailed picture of their child's educational progress.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Roundabout Day Care Centre meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. The nursery maintains a good ratio of staff to children throughout the nursery, exceeding the minimum requirements in areas for the youngest children, and employing good systems to ensure ratios are maintained during incidences of staff sickness. Staff are subject to an appropriate appointment, vetting and induction procedure, and a high number of them hold a child care qualification. Systems that ensure that attendance registers are accurately kept work well, and children's records are kept confidential but accessible to staff who may need to refer to them. Polices and procedures are regularly reviewed and administrative staff ensure records are properly archived.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the setting is good. Staff function as a positive team with a clear ethos of supporting each other, and benefit from a clear stress management policy laid down by the leadership team. Their professional development is well supported by the senior management who ensure they access plentiful amounts of training and, through the management committee, they are enabled to contribute to the running of the setting as a whole. The leadership team has reacted positively to suggestions for improvement made during visits from inspectors, and has improved the relationship with their landlords and other outside agencies for the benefit of the nursery. They are increasingly able to evaluate their own practice, for example, by beginning to recognise minor weaknesses in the Foundation Stage teaching programme that are highlighted in this inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection of the quality of childcare the setting was asked to improve staff knowledge of Individual Education Plans for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and to ensure the fire officer's recommendations were adhered to. Staff now make better use of Individual Education Plans when working with children, and fire evacuation procedures have been improved. Children now have their needs better met and their safety is more effectively promoted. At the last inspection of the quality of nursery education the setting was asked to improve the teaching of maths skills and language and children's access to creative activities. Mathematical activities now feature prominently in the planned programme and children are confident in their use of numerical language, and the programme of activities now places greater emphasis on creative activities that promote children's design and making skills. As a result,

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Improvements since the last inspection

children access amore comprehensive programme that promotes learning in all areas.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection Ofsted has received two complaints relating to National Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 12. The first concern was that persons in charge of the setting were not suitably qualified; that insufficient staff were supervising children’s outside play; that the outside play area was not suitable for children’s play and that there was no suitable complaints procedure. Ofsted carried out an unannounced visit to the premises and set two actions under National Standard 1 and National Standard 2.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The second concern was that toys were inaccessible to children; that access to the setting was not secure and that radiators were hot and unguarded; that parts of the kitchen were not kept in a hygienic fashion and that potty emptying procedures did not ensure hygiene; that baby’s food was prepared next to the nappy changing area and that sleeping babies were not properly

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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 supervised. Ofsted carried out an unannounced visit and set an action under National Standard 6. Ofsted reviewed the provider’s response in respect of both complaints and assed that the standards were being met. No further action was required. The registered person remains suitable for registration.

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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 the role of Ofsted in the management of complaints is properly reflected in the complaints policy

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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): • review and revise where necessary the teaching strategies used when large groups of three and four year olds are together, in order to ensure that staff are able to promote children's learning at all times, and that more active children in particular have their behaviour management needs met

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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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