King Fishers Place

King Fishers Place

Inspection report for early years provision

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King Fishers Place

EY227192 Unique Reference Number 22 January 2007 Inspection date Gillian Cubitt Inspector

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King Fishers Place

The Meeting House, Galpins Road, Thornton Heath, Croydon, CR7 6EL Setting Address

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E-mail

Cynthia Wilson 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?

King Fisher Day Nursery is privately owned and is one of three nurseries run by King Fishers. It opened in August 2002 and operates from a church hall in a residential area of Thornton Heath. A maximum of 20 children may attend the nursery at any one time. They are open each week day from 07:30 until 18:00 all year round except one week at Christmas and two staff training days. The children have access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 17 children aged two to five years on roll. Of these 14 receive funding for nursery education. The nursery serves the local community and supports children who have English as an additional language and who have learning difficulties or disabilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs four members of staff to work with the children. All of the staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health is actively promoted. Children thrive because staff follow effective procedures and practices which meet their health, physical and nutritional needs. They are protected from illness' and infection through the provision of a clean environment and the exclusion of children who are sick. Staff support the children and act as good role models, helping them to develop a positive awareness and understanding of health issues and an eagerness to become increasingly independent in their personal care. They learn about adopting good procedures through well planned and established daily routines. For example, children wash their hands after using the toilet, before eating and after messy play, to 'stop germs spreading'. Staff wear disposable gloves and aprons for nappy changing, clean surfaces with anti-bacterial spray and wash tables prior to snack and meal times. Children are suitably looked after if they become ill and are well

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Helping children to be healthy

protected through the staff's good knowledge of first aid; they know the procedures to follow if medication is administered or accidents occur. All records are shared with parents.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a varied range of physical activities on a daily basis that contributes to their good health and which helps them to develop control and co-ordination of their bodies. They take a positive attitude to going outside in all weathers to exercise in the fresh air, showing an awareness of their bodily needs, for example, they put on and remove clothing and shoes. The small outside play space is well designed so children can run around and test their balancing skills as they ascend and descend the slide. All children are able to relax according to their needs, taking time out in the library corner to snuggle on the comfortable cushions.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from a healthy diet. Drinks are available for children to help themselves throughout the day, allowing them to judge the own bodily needs. Children enjoy well balanced, varied, nutritious and freshly cooked meals which take account of the individual dietary needs of the children. Well planned activities such as the project on 'me' also develops children's understanding of the importance of maintaining a healthy life style.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are warmly welcomed and greeted into the safe and inviting environment. They use a wide range of play resources and equipment appropriate to their age and stage of development, all of which conform to safety requirements. Areas are creatively set out. Many samples of children's art work, together with photographs are attractively displayed on the walls, giving additional colour to the surroundings. Children's freedom to move around is maximised because the hall is well organised and structured with clearly define areas and sufficient space between activities. Outside, ground play surfaces are covered with safety matting which minimises the impact of accidents if children fall.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Safety is given priority, so that children are protected from harm. Risks of accidental injury are minimised because staff are very vigilant and use good risk assessments to reduce potential hazards. Staff have a good understanding of how to achieve a balance between freedom and

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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 setting safe limits and how to involve children effectively in organising their own environment. Staff gently and skilfully explain safe practices, such as why it is important to pick up play items dropped on the floor, so that children do not trip and hurt themselves. Also children learn about the hazards of traffic through practice sessions in their play and children's observations when they go out for walks. As a result, children are developing a regard for their own safety and that of others. Fire drills are undertaken on a regular basis and details recorded. Safe procedures are in place for outings and visits, with children aware of the need to stay close together. Regular and ongoing communication with parents also contributes to children's safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected by staff and prime concern is given to their welfare. Access to the building is checked by staff and children are closely supervised and are never left in the care of any adult who is not vetted. The child protection co-ordinator has a clear understanding of her role and has received training in this area. She ensures that the policy and procedures are up to date that all staff understand their responsibilities. She is clear as to the actions to take if concerns are noted which fully safeguards children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their time at the nursery. They progress well because staff use their experience coupled with their knowledge of child development. They use their understanding of the early years guidance, such as 'Birth to three matters' and the Curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage, to plan a wide range of activities which excite and stimulate children's natural curiosity and desire to explore.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children arrive happily at the setting. Children under three years are secure, settled and have a strong positive bond with their key worker that increase their sense of well being and belonging. Young children have independent access to natural objects and materials, spending time feeling the sensation of water and sand through their fingers with staff giving them total support and guidance when needed. They also eagerly participate in adult led play activities such as exploring the different textures of play dough, dried pasta and paint. Musical activities stories and nursery songs help to contribute to children's early language skills such as when children sing the alphabet song. Younger children are comfortable playing with older children and know that they can ask for help. For example, older children help their young friends to build wheeled constructions and they watch together as they roll these on the floor. These

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

positive experiences foster children's confidence to try out new activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage Curriculum and plan a wide range of activities which appeal to the children and cover all six areas of learning. A flexible approach is applied, with a good balance between adult and child led activities, which allows children to develop at their own pace. A key worker system is in operation and children's progress is carefully monitored. A clear picture of children's learning and progress is identified through the use of on-going written observations and assessment records which are linked to the stepping stones. These are then used to plan activities and experiences that support children, taking the next steps in their learning. 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 interest is sustained during their chosen activities and a calm environment is created, with children given time to complete tasks in an unhurried way. Staff are perceptive to children's interests during self-initiated play and use pertinent questions to challenge children's thinking and language skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children show a strong sense of belonging and develop good self esteem. They enjoy looking at photos of themselves and are proud of their completed work which they can put on display. Children are interested, keen to learn and actively engage in purposeful activities. They play co-operatively together, show concern for others and are able to wait their turn and share tasks. For example, they share cutters when cutting out play dough figures of themselves and they all participate when tidying up, carefully placing resources back on the tables and in boxes. Children are relaxed and chat confidently to each other, especially at meal times where they say 'grace' before eating and confidently talk about their home and family during their meal. They are able to readily recall past events, for example, looking at some photographs on display, children are able to recognise themselves as babies and family occasions. Most children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

understand that print has meaning and some use marks to represent their ideas. Children sound out letters of the alphabet phonetically during group times and are beginning to recognise their names in print although staff do not always encourage children to write this every time they complete a piece of work. Children however, have a good selection of books which promotes their interest in learning through looking at pictures and listening to stories. Children work well together, for example, when playing the game of lotto their concentration is fully absorbed in the game, taking turns, enjoying learning new words and developing their concentration and recognition skills of different signs and symbols. Children also develop their early understanding of maths awareness by counting and threading cotton reels, they use play money at the 'Galpins Café' and have writing resources to make menus. Children also benefit because they have the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

resources to dress up, learning what firemen and policemen do when putting out a fire.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop a good sense of time and space through the well established nursery routines. They are inquisitive about who they are and their world around them. They enjoy their frequent outings to local parks and other activity centres where they can extend their physical skills on the more advanced climbing apparatus. Children also look forward to their annual outing to places further away, such as Littlehampton or Paultons Park in Hampshire where they begin to extend their knowledge beyond their immediate community.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop their fine motor skills and use small tools effectively through threading, cutting, moulding and spreading activities. Their physical skills develop and improve through a wide variety of different experiences, including use of the computer mouse and keys as well as participating in music and movement. Generally, children are free to express their imagination and creativity although at times staff staff's enthusiasm to assist inhibits children total learning experience.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. All children are welcomed and valued as individuals. They are encouraged to feel special and all achievements are acknowledged. Children with disabilities or learning difficulties are monitored carefully by trained staff who use an effective system of liaising with parents and

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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 other professionals. All children benefit from the small size of the group creating an intimate 'family' atmosphere where children are comfortable and relaxed. The warm relationships children have with staff and their peers also creates within them a caring, loving attitude where they make friends easily and help each other in various activities. For example, two children share an experience of discussing how they feel as they dress up as a policeman and fireman. Children also are sensitive to times when younger children need to sleep in the same hall, they speak softly and have just as much fun playing 'quieter' games. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children gain a sense of belonging to their local community through visits to the local park and shops. They begin to understand other cultures from various resources, cultural themes, such as Diwali and Chinese New Year. Some children also benefit from fun sessions in French which are conducted in the same room. However, this facility is not available to all children which impacts on equal access to all provisions available to the children within the nursery.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the positive partnership between parents and staff. Parents receive plenty of written information about the nursery although access to policy information is limited. Parent's views about their children's needs are actively sought as the child commences at the nursery and this is kept up to date by the frequent meetings staff have with parents which ensures children's continuity of care. Parents also value the daily diary sheet which provides them with details about the activities and general information about their children's day. The partnership with parents of funded nursery children is satisfactory. Parents receive relevant information about the Foundation Stage curriculum and of their children's progress and achievements. However, staff do not thoroughly explore all children's attainments with parents prior to commencing their children's steps on the Foundation Stage curriculum. Staff provide

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Helping children make a positive contribution

parents with regular feedback at pre-planned meetings where staff share information on children's progress. Planning and activity sheets are displayed and parents participate in helping the children to fully take part in activities by providing resources from home, such as photographs of the children as babies and other members of the family, which promotes children's communication and understanding of themselves through conversation both at nursery and at home.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's care and learning is enhanced by the good quality of organisation within the nursery. The building is organised well and appropriately structured with indoor and outdoor space attractively arranged to maximise play opportunities for children. Staff work well together as a team; they are keen, interested and clear as to their roles and responsibilities. They are effectively deployed, ensuring that all children are well supported in their play and that their wellbeing is promoted. The legally required documentation, together with the operational plan and policies are in place although some policies are not easily accessible by parents.

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Organisation

Leadership and management are good, as is the quality of teaching and learning. The manager has strong links and support from the local Early Years advisory body, plus there is a good liaison system with the other managers of the nursery group. Through regular communication, they ensure that good practice is shared to promote consistent standards in children's education.

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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 Systems are in place to supervise and appraise staff frequently and all staff are expected to participate in the planning of activities and keep their records up to date which show children's progress. Through the systems in place staff receive effective support and training. This helps them in their own development and their implementation of the Foundation Stage curriculum which benefits the children.

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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

Recommendations were raised at the last care inspection to ensure that the policy on child protection is clear and covers all areas together with more detailed information on the registration documents. A further recommendation was made to ensure that children have access to painting facilities so they can develop their skills by themselves. As a result staff now have a clear child protection policy which is fully understood by staff which protects children, although a copy is not yet freely available for parents. Staff ensure that all their registration documents are up to date and informative so they can determine children's ages at registration so that their individual needs can be met. Also children now have regular access to painting materials;there is an easel with paints readily accessible each day so children can develop their creative skills in their own way.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection for education staff were asked to ensure staff take into consideration the next steps in learning when making observations, they were also asked to provide more support for children to practice self help skills. Furthermore, staff were asked to help children express their own ideas in imagination and making their own designs without adult direction. Staff have taken these issues in hand and now have guidelines for noting their observations and linking these to the next steps in children's learning. Staff have been working closely with Early Years to develop these skills which are improving and now benefits children. Children are also encouraged to choose and pursue activities independently and use their own ideas and imagination with their work. Although staff occasionally like to join in the fun with their own ideas, they now permit children to work through their own piece of work which gives children

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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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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

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): • ensure that policies and procedures are easily accessible for parents • ensure that all children have equal access to learning different languages

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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 systems to provide staff a base starting point of children's abilities as they start the Foundation Stage

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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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