Good Foundations Day Nursery

Good Foundations Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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253236 Unique Reference Number 07 March 2007 Inspection date Janice Broddle Inspector

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Pentecostal Church 49 Station Road, Carlton, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG4 3AR

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E-mail

Good Foundations Playgroup 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?

Good Foundations Day Nursery is a privately run provision. It opened in 1995 and operates within Carlton Pentecostal Church premises in Carlton, a suburb of Nottingham. There are three areas within the nursery where children are cared for in different age groups: under two years, two to three years and three to five years. Children also have shared use of the church hall and the playgroup room within the church, these areas are used for physical play in poor weather and for large group activities. There is a safely enclosed outdoor play area which is part safety surface and part grass, this area is shared with the playgroup and used on a rota basis when the playgroup is operating.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is open each week day from 08.00 to 18.00. It is open all year round, closing only for Bank Holidays and for one week over the Christmas period. A maximum of 35 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 40 children on roll. Of these, 16 children receive funding for early education. Children attending come from the local and surrounding areas. There are currently no children attending with identified learning difficulties andor disabilities and all children currently attending speak English as their first language.

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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 The nursery employs 11 members of staff to work with the children. All of these, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications. The setting receives support from the early years support team from the Local Authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are cared for in an environment where good standards of cleanliness and effective hygiene practices help to minimise the risk of spread of infection. This is supported by clear written procedures along with effective communication with parents, for example, regarding children who are unwell. Children gain a good understanding of personal hygiene through effective adult support. They know to wash their hands before meals, after using the toilet and engaging in messy activities.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished. They have regular meals and help themselves to easily accessible drinking water throughout the session. The on-site Cook prepares nutritious, home-cooked meals that include a good variety of fruits and vegetables. The newly introduced snack menu consists of healthy options, including a range of fresh fruits and vegetables. Meals take account of the individual health needs of all children and staff consult with parents regarding national issues when planning menus.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are making good progress in their physical development. Babies have adequate space to move around and crawl and enjoy occasional outings in the fresh air. Toddlers and pre-school children enjoy regular use of the garden, or, in poor weather, the large church hall where they access a broad range of equipment, providing a variety of physical challenges. Pre-school children develop a positive attitude to physical exercise and practise their developing physical skills through the provision of a versatile range of activities. They climb and balance confidently on large equipment. They pedal bicycles and sit-on vehicles competently, moving at speed and steering with direction. They move with control and co-ordination as they play racing games with staff, enjoying the challenge of hopping, jumping, skipping and running. Children practise their hand-eye co-ordination by regularly accessing a wide range of play materials such as

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Helping children to be healthy

pencils, scissors, peg beads and small joining equipment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children’s play areas are secure and welcoming. Children are cared for in groups according to their age and level of ability which helps ensure that equipment is appropriate to their level of development. Rooms are spacious, allowing children to comfortably eat, rest and explore their toys and play materials. Staff present toys and activities so that children can access them safely and independently. They supervise the children well, working in teams throughout the nursery, deploying themselves effectively within each area to offer high levels of support. Risk assessments are in place and staff have effectively identified and minimised most possible hazards. They diligently close doors and safety gates as they move around the building, undertake regular head counts and adhere to safe practices such as correctly positioning sleeping babies in cots.

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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 Staff undertake daily safety checks prior to children’s arrival, however, these are not fully effective which means that some possible hazards are overlooked, posing a potential risk to children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Good security measures are in place to restrict access to the building and to ensure that only identified adults can collect children. Appropriate procedures are in place to deal with unplanned and emergency situations such as a child being lost or not collected and children regularly practise the emergency evacuation procedure. They begin to learn about possible dangers and how to keep themselves safe through clear explanations from staff. For example, whilst playing in the garden, a group of children playing racing games move to a different area to avoid the children playing on bicycles and sit-and-rides. They are kept safe on outings due to clear procedures which are understood and effectively implemented by staff. Children’s welfare is effectively promoted because staff have a good understanding of their responsibilities regarding child protection and know the relevant agencies to contact. They are fully familiar with the

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

setting’s policies and procedures and senior staff have undertaken appropriate training to reinforce and develop their knowledge and understanding of issues.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are confident, happy and enjoy their time at the nursery. Children under two years benefit from routines that are consistent with their experiences at home and from high staffing ratios. They have their meals and rests according to their individual needs and are well supported to join in all activities. Children have warm relationships with staff who know them well and are sensitive to their needs and feelings, interacting positively with them as they explore and investigate and offering care and affection as they become tired or upset. Staff are making good use of the 'Birth to three matters' framework when planning for younger children and plan a wide and stimulating range of age appropriate activities covering all areas of development. They use their assessments of children’s progress well to plan the next steps for their learning. These children freely explore their environment. They enthusiastically use their senses to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

investigate a variety of materials and babies particularly enjoy playing with shaving foam, smelling, feeling and creating patterns as they do so. Younger children develop early communication skills as staff interact warmly with them during bottle times, at meal times and during play. They particularly enjoy group singing sessions; young toddlers eagerly join in with singing and actions and babies bounce and smile with delight as they share the experience. In the toddler room, children are sensitively encouraged and supported to develop important early social skills, such as sharing and turn taking. They exude confidence within their room, clearly stating their needs and wishes and enthusiastically participating in new experiences and large group activities. These children benefit from the good levels of support from staff, who readily and enthusiastically join in children's play and learning. All children confidently move around

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

their identified play areas and begin to develop their independence as they freely make their selections from the activities provided. However, bathroom facilities do not ensure privacy should children wish which potentially compromises the development of their confidence and self-esteem.

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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 of the Curriculum guidance for the foundations stage, they plan and provide a broad range of interesting indoor and outdoor activities creating a stimulating, harmonious and well-organised environment. They are less confident however in planning activities to enable children to identify the uses

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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 of everyday technology and use information technology and programmable toys to support their learning. Children's progress is observed and recorded and the information gained is effectively used when planning future activities. Staff are fully aware of their role within planned activities and support children well by using effective questioning and appropriately adapting activities to meet individual needs. As a result, children are well motivated and are making sound progress towards the early learning goals. Children enjoy each others company and play co-operatively together, particularly enjoying initiating and organising their own pretend play. They learn to share and take turns through organised games and short structured sessions such as news sharing time. Children are happy and motivated and they concentrate and participate

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

with enthusiasm. Their independence is fostered as they manage their own snack times, pour their own drinks and make independent choices regarding their play. Children confidently use language to express themselves. They listen well during large group activities and when working in small groups with adults, carefully following instructions. They write and recognise letters during adult-led activities and during play and some children are able to write some letters independently. They benefit from being able to see letters and print displayed around the room and they are encouraged to link sounds to letter shapes through fun activities such as joining in the alphabet song. Children use a wide range of materials to make marks and regularly visit the mark-making area. They also have many opportunities to practise writing for different purposes, for example in the role play area.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children confidently use numbers during daily routines. They benefit from good adult support to help them count and recognise the numbers of dots on a dice during counting games. They have learnt a variety of number rhymes to introduce them to the concepts of addition and subtraction. They recognise basic shapes and regularly visit the maths table to investigate more complex three dimensional shapes. They use a range of mathematical language to describe shape, size and quantity during water and sand play. Children are keen explorers and have very good opportunities to find out about the natural world. They learn how to care for plants and flowers and have opportunities to plant seeds and watch the changes as they grow. They use their senses to explore the textures of a range of substances such as water, shaving foam, soil and paints. Children enthusiastically talk about events in their own lives, they have regular

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

opportunities to develop their awareness of the local community and, through planned topics and celebrating a range of different festivals, they are beginning to learn about the cultures and beliefs of other people. Opportunities for exploring and using technology however, are infrequent. Children express and communicate their ideas, thoughts and feeling using a wide range of materials. They participate enthusiastically with art and craft activities, using their own ideas to form pictures and models. They engage animatedly in pretend play, the good organisation of these activities inspires children to explore their imagination and they dress up and take turns to wash, style and blow dry hair in the hairdressers salon. They benefit from many opportunities to explore music; they have learnt a wide variety of songs and join in with enthusiasm, listen and move in time to a wide variety of music and freely explore musical

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are welcomed into the setting and are valued and respected. Staff have a good knowledge of children’s individual needs through effective, up to date documentation and ongoing communication with parents. There are clear systems in place to ensure that all children, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are fully included. Children are beginning to develop an awareness of the wider world by accessing suitable play resources that

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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 reflect positive images of differences in society and by celebrating different festivals through art and craft activities and food tasting sessions. Children confidently express their own thoughts and feelings, for example, they ask adults to explain what they are doing, ask them to take on specific roles in pretend play and to help them with their toileting needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff make effective use of praise to encourage children’s good behaviour, acknowledging their contributions and achievements. They are kind and caring, offering high levels of attention and support and children are polite and well behaved. Through daily routines and effective support from staff, children learn to share resources and show care and consideration for others and their environment. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Parents receive a relevant range of information about the setting in the nursery brochure which includes details of a selection of policies. Ongoing information is made available on notice boards and staff make themselves available to communicate verbally on a daily basis. Children settle well because staff gather appropriate information from parents about their individual needs and routines. Staff use daily diaries effectively to ensure they share relevant information

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Helping children make a positive contribution

with parents of younger children to promote consistency of care.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of funded children is satisfactory. Parents receive useful information about the nursery through the nursery brochure and notice boards. However, there is minimal information provided for parents about the Foundation Stage curriculum and there are limited opportunities for parents to be involved in their child’s learning. Key workers regularly talk to parents to ensure they are fully informed about how their child is progressing and developmental assessment records for funded children are well established and shared. However, parents are not actively encouraged to formally share what they know about their children on admission or to contribute to these records and share their own observations of their child's learning at home.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's care is enhanced by the effective organisation of the nursery. The premises are well organised and staff make good use of indoor and outdoor space and resources to maximise play and learning opportunities for all children. For example, the church hall is used in bad weather to enable children to have opportunities for physical activities on a daily basis. All legally required documentation which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being is in place and contains a good level of detail.

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Organisation

Children benefit from being cared for by a confident, competent and consistent staff team who are skilled and well qualified. They deploy themselves well and high staffing ratios are maintained in each room ensuring children are well supervised and supported during activities. They work well together across the whole of the nursery to ensure the smooth running of the day. Staff have appropriate opportunities to undertake further training to enhance their knowledge and understanding of relevant issues. For example, staff working with the younger children have attended training on the ‘Birth to three matters’ framework to support their delivery of activities for these children.

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Organisation

Leadership and management of nursery education are good. Staff work well together as a team to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum and ensure children achieve well. Good planning and assessment systems have been implemented ensuring children access a broad and exciting range of experiences. Staff are well supported by the manager and all staff contribute to evaluating the provision and identifying areas for improvement. Effective systems, such as staff

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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 appraisals, accessing support from a teacher advisor and holding regular staff meetings, support the monitoring processes. Overall, children's needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, the setting agreed to three recommendations relating to care. The first was to ensure parents sign the accident records and a new recording system has since been implemented which clearly indicates space for appropriate signatures, contributing to children’s good health. The second recommendation related to the organisation of space and resources to enable children to make choices about their play. The use of space and presentation of daily activities have since been reviewed and children now move freely around their identified play areas promoting their independence and self-esteem. The third recommendation was to provide a range of age appropriate activities and play opportunities that meet children's individual needs. Staff are now making good use of appropriate frameworks to provide a wide variety of play experiences for all children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection, the setting also agreed to three recommendations relating to nursery education. The first was to develop systems for parents to share what they know about their child. Staff now provide six-monthly developmental reports with space for parents to add their comments. This improves information sharing, however, this approach is not fully effective as comments are rarely provided by parents and there are no systems to follow this up, this is therefore carried forward from this inspection. The second recommendation was to develop staff knowledge of the Foundation Stage. Staff have since attended several training events, visited other establishments and have formed effective links with the support teacher from the Local Authority who provides ongoing support. The third recommendation was to review the organisation of large group activities. These times are now shorter and include the use of visual

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Improvements since the last inspection

aids in order to capture and maintain children’s interest.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004 there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards.

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Complaints since the last inspection

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are 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):

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 • ensure that furniture, toys and equipment are maintained in good repair • ensure that the bathroom facilities have regard to children’s privacy in order to encourage their confidence and self-esteem.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • provide more opportunities for children to find out about and identify the uses of everyday technology and use IT and programmable toys to support their learning • ensure that parents receive good quality information about the setting and it’s provision of nursery education and are actively encouraged to be involved in their child’s learning • gather appropriate information from parents to identify starting points for children’s learning to enable staff to build on children’s previous learning and skills and improve systems to encourage parents to contribute to their child’s assessments.

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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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