Trinity St Stephen CofE Aided First School

Staunton Park Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Staunton Park Day Nursery

110023 Unique Reference Number 06 March 2007 Inspection date Alison Jane Kaplonek Inspector

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Staunton Park Day Nursery

Wakefords Way, Leigh Park, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 5JD Setting Address

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E-mail

Staunton Park Day Nursery 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?

Staunton Park Day Nursery is a non-profit making day nursery which was established in 1990. It is part of the community childcare centres umbrella, which is a registered charity. It is run by a board of trustees and is supported by a parent committee. It is situated in the residential area of Havant and serves a wide geographical area. The nursery provides full day care for 36 children aged from six months to five years and is in receipt of government funding for three and four year olds. There are currently 58 children on roll. Of these 25 are in receipt of education funding. Children can attend on a full time or sessional basis. It is open 8:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday, 51 weeks of the year. The nursery rents rooms in Staunton Park Community School and accommodation comprises of two classrooms, reception area, kitchen and toilet facilities and an enclosed outside play area. Car parking is available on site. Children with learning difficulties

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

and/or disabilities or for whom English is not the first language are well supported. A special educational needs co-ordinator is employed within the nursery. A group manager oversees the

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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 running of this nursery and the others under the umbrella of the community childcare centre. A qualified and experienced manager is employed, who is responsible for the day-to-day running of the nursery. In addition to the manager, a total of 12 staff are employed, seven of which are full-time and five part-time. There are 10 staff who are qualified, one is working towards a childcare qualification and another attends a wide range of training courses and workshops. The nursery is a member of the Preschool Learning Alliance.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are encouraged to take responsibility for their own personal care and can independently access the toilet and washing facilities. Older children confidently access the tissues to wipe their noses and know they must wash their hands before eating. Children are protected from the possible spread of infection because staff implement good hygiene procedures. For example, staff wear gloves when changing nappies or dealing with accidents, clean surfaces before children eat and wash their own hands after wiping babies noses. Staff consult with parents about the children's health needs and keep appropriate records on site. Most staff have training in first aid.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished and enjoy a varied range of food each day which includes a hot midday meal. They are provided with a nutritious range of snacks such as fruit or toast at each session and all children have easy access to drinking water. Older children particularly enjoy preparing and eating food which is linked to their food topic, such as cream teas or pizza. They benefit from the social interaction with their friends and staff during meal times. Effective systems are in place to store and serve meals and babies’ feeds brought in by parents.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children develop a good variety of skills during their physical play. They delight in their outdoor play time when they practise a variety of skills such as climbing, balancing, and pedalling in the safe and varied outdoor area. Babies are regularly taken outside in the buggies and are entertained by the older children as they watch them play. They learn to walk and crawl within the safety of the carpeted area inside and are well-supported by the staff. Older children confidently choose from a wide range of small equipment to increase their manipulative skills, such as scissors, pencils, brushes and cutters and are gaining in control and co-ordination.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are well-cared for in a safe and secure, child centred environment. Access to the premises is monitored and all visitors and staff sign in as they arrive and depart. The premises are warm and welcoming and children's work is displayed on the walls, making them feel valued. High adult to child ratios and effective use of the available space enables children and babies to move freely within the rooms, confidently accessing well maintained toys and play materials. Babies are regularly monitored as they sleep and staff share records of food eaten, nappy changes and sleep patterns with parents when they collect their children. Staff are vigilant and reduce the risk of accidents by carrying out daily visual risk assessments on the premises 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 equipment, removing any items which are broken. They also carry out a check of the outside area each day before children go out to play. Children and staff are familiar with the fire evacuation procedure which they practise regularly, often in line with the main school drills.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well-protected because all staff have a good understanding of child protection and the procedures to follow if concerns are identified, keeping the children safe. They share information about accidents and incidents with parents and are clear about the procedures to be followed if there are any allegations against the staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. All children can access a wide range of resources and activities which stimulate learning in all areas. Resources are stored in child friendly containers, which all children can reach themselves, enabling them to initiate their own play and learning. Babies enjoy a range of activities such as painting, dough or gloop. They point to pictures in books and develop their vocabulary as they become skilful communicators. All children are secure and settled and are able to form positive and caring relationships with each other and the staff. Babies and toddlers often cuddle up to staff if they are tired or need reassurance. Older children confidently ask questions and request assistance, for example when cutting tape or threading laces. Frequent encouragement and praise promotes confidence and self-esteem enabling children to take a positive role in their own learning. Older children take pride in showing off their stickers which they receive

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

for helping or being polite. All children achieve well because staff use their increasing knowledge of early years guidance, such as the Birth to three framework and the curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage, to provide good quality care and education.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are motivated to learn by the provision of the good range of stimulating resources and activities provided. The nursery uses a very child centred approach to learning and children are encouraged to initiate and set their own challenges. Staff deploy themselves well to provide support and extend the child initiated learning, asking questions and stimulating children to think for themselves. Planning is completed retrospectively as staff follow the children's own interests and ideas. Continual assessments are made which enable staff to identify the next steps in children's learning or any areas in which they may need particular help or encouragement. Some children who are less motivated by the usual activities are provided with specific learning 'journeys' based on their own particular interests, such as clocks or football.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The majority of children are confident speakers using language to initiate and organise their own play, for example discussing how to make a butterfly from paper and tape. They enjoy activities which encourage them to practise their listening skills, such as playing with musical instruments or listening to stories. All children use marks to represent their ideas as they draw pictures with pencils or chalks, although some lack the confidence to attempt to write their own names on their work. Children learn about the sounds and shapes of letters in their names as staff hold up their name cards, but as resources are not labelled there are missed opportunities for them to extend this knowledge.

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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 Children take part in a wide range of games and activities to develop their number skills and many count and recognise numbers to 10. Children use mathematical language such as bigger or smaller, during their play, for example as they stack blocks or sort toy animals. They learn about shape, size and quantity through practical activities such as cooking, water play or when playing with sand and dough. They often count or practise the concepts of more than or less than, during everyday activities such as laying the plates at lunch time.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use their imaginations well in numerous play situations, for example during role play and when creating art and craft work. They enjoy dressing-up and often spend the whole session as a fairy, a princess or a pirate. They explore colour and texture when painting or using collage materials. They enjoy mixing colours and painting with a variety of different sized brushes or toothbrushes, talking about the effects they produce. Children are interested in the world around them. They watch plants grow in the garden and look at worms or insects they find. Children are also interested in information technology and some are able to complete a simple programme on the computer, although the electronic or programmable toys are not easily accessible.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are fully included in the life of the nursery. They are well-supported by staff who value all children, set clear boundaries and ensure that each child's individual needs are well-met. All children can access a good range of equipment and resources in both the baby room and the pre-school room. Older children help to lay the table for meal times or tidy up the toys in response to the 'tidy up' music which is played. They are encouraged to become independent and many put on their own coats or spread their toast with butter or jam themselves. Children's individual personalities are valued by staff, who praise good behaviour and achievements, such as eating their dinner or using the toilet. Children with learning difficulties/disabilities or English as an additional language are provided with the appropriate support to enable them to access the wide range of resources, and are supported in their learning by the use of individual

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Helping children make a positive contribution

education plans. All children gain an awareness of the needs of others when learning about the festivals and customs of other cultures. They enjoy trying food from other countries as part of their topic about food and older children have taken part in an activity where they experimented with Chinese writing using fine brushes and special inks. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Good communication via notice boards, newsletters and parents evenings ensures that they are continually updated about the activities their children are taking part in. Parents find all staff very approachable and state that they gain a good insight into their child's day during verbal feedback when they collect their children. They are encouraged to be involved in their child's learning in a number of ways, for example by bringing in artefacts for certain activities or coming in to share a talent such as playing the guitar. Their views on the day nursery are sought through questionnaires and open evenings.

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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. Children are very settled and happy in the nursery environment provided. The good organisation of both their care and education ensures that they are well-protected and are achieving well in their learning. The premises are well-organised, allowing children to initiate and develop their own play and learning. They are able to become independent, make choices and their heath and safety is assured. Good essential records are kept for each child and shared with the parents, such as a record of accidents or any medication administered. Registers are kept for staff and visitors and all children attending the nursery, although they do not consistently include times children leave the premises. The required paperwork and documentation is maintained and is readily available for inspection at any time, although not always kept up-to-date or easily accessible. Overall the nursery meets the needs of the range of children

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. New staff complete an induction programme which covers the setting's policies and procedures, daily routines and individual staff responsibilities, ensuring the children are well-protected. Staff are supported in identifying their training needs during regular meetings with their managers and are keen to take up any training opportunities. They have regular staff meetings and room meetings to discuss the organisation of the day.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, the Day Nursery were asked to obtain contact details of visitors and written parental consent for children to have contact with the nursery rabbit. Visitors all now sign in when they arrive on site and when they depart. Consent forms have had an additional agreement added to include permission to have contact with the rabbits, but this has not been implemented in this particular nursery and is included in a recommendation for this inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The Day Nursery were also asked to develop methods to ensure that all early learning goals are fully incorporated throughout the session and to further develop strategies to ensure that parents are fully aware of their child's educational progress. Since the last inspection, new planning sheets have been implemented which show retrospective planning, but include all six areas of learning, and staff can easily see if areas have not been covered. These are used everyday. Parents can now come to regular parents evenings and also see their child's folder of work and assessments at any time.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection 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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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 registers are completed accurately and include times of departure for all children. • ensure that all paperwork is kept up-to-date and easily accessible and that the newly developed permission slips are signed by all parents and include permission for children to have contact with the nursery rabbits.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • extend children's knowledge of the sounds and shapes of letters by labelling resources and encouraging children to use writing as a means of recording and communicating. • encourage children's use of IT resources and programmable toys to support and extend their learning.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

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

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