Little London Childrens Centre

Little London Childrens Centre

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Little London Childrens Centre

EY331899 Unique Reference Number 20 February 2007 Inspection date Alison Margaret Walker / Abigail Caroline Cunningham Inspector

p.1

Little London Childrens Centre

Little London Community Primary School & Nursery, Meanwood Road, LEEDS, LS7 1SR

p.1

E-mail

Leeds City Council - Early Years Service Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

p.1

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

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Little London Children's Centre opened in 2006. The children's centre operates from three rooms in a new two storey building on site at Little London Primary School in the Little London area of Leeds. The children have access to four outdoor play areas. The setting is registered to care for a maximum of 80 children from three months to eight years. There are currently 74 children on roll. The children's centre serves the local and surrounding areas and opens five days a week, 52 weeks a year, except for bank holidays. Sessions are from 08.00 until 18.00. There are 23 part time/full time staff who work with the children, 22 hold appropriate early years qualifications. One member of staff is currently working towards a qualification. The team work closely with outside agencies and access services provided by the local authority.

p.2

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

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. All children have daily opportunities for fresh air and outdoor play, for example, the two to four year olds happily free flow inside and outside throughout each session. As a result, all the children enjoy playing outside. The older children also have regular opportunities to share outside play sessions with the reception class in the adjoining school. The children show increasing control over clothing and fastenings, for example, while putting on socks, outside shoes and coats. They move with control and coordination, such as while running, balancing, jumping and steering tricycles. The children confidently move their bodies to carry out a task, for example, a child successfully spins a large hoop around their waist. The children can retrieve and collect objects, such as bean bags, balls and hoops. They show an awareness of how to transport and store equipment safety, for example, at tidy up time the children put the scissors

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Good hygiene practices and different methods for promoting personal hygiene are in place. For example, the staff wear aprons and gloves during nappy changing, children's bedding is laundered daily and different coloured cloths are used for cleaning different areas. The staff are good role models, they wash their hands after toileting, nappy changing and before serving food. The children are encouraged to wash their hands after toileting and before eating, and are beginning to understand the reasons why. For example, prior to snack time young children enjoyed washing their hands in the soapy water in the sinks in the bathroom. The staff ensure that hand washing is a fun activity and at the same time they simply explain to the children why they need to wash their hands, for example, ‘because of germs’.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

All staff are fully aware of individual dietary requirements and preferences which are discussed in full with parents, for example, during home visits. The children receive a good range of healthy and nutritious meals and snacks, such as shepherds pie, green beans, roast potatoes, apple crumble and custard. Parents are consulted regarding making improvements to the current menus. The setting employs a cook and a kitchen assistant and all the children’s meals are freshly prepared on the premises. All the children have access to drinks at all times and individual cups are labelled with each child’s photograph, for easy recognition and prevention of cross-contamination. The children sample foods associated with other countries to increase their knowledge of the wider world, for example, pancakes, cucumber and plum sauce.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children are made to feel special by key persons and parents handing young babies directly to each other at the beginning and end of the day. Practitioners recognise that children need a predictable environment in which to feel safe and encourage independence. Staff are aware that changes of carers or moving to another room may temporarily affect confidence. A good procedure is in place to support children when moving to a different room, the child’s key worker explains the transition process clearly to parents prior to the move. Parents are introduced to the child’s new key worker and the child has settling in visits accompanied by either their parent or current key worker.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Good arrangements are in place for administering first aid and medication, there are fully stocked first aid kits available in each playroom and five of the staff hold a current first aid certificate. Written policies are in place regarding sickness, accidents and administration of medication, these are fully implemented and shared with all parents.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The environment is very warm and welcoming, with good evidence of children’s play and activity. Parents and children are warmly welcomed on arrival, children’s work is attractively presented on the walls and an excellent range of photographs of children involved in a broad range of activities and play are on display. Space is used constructively and activities are well organised. Toys and equipment are on low-shelves and carpeting, and the children independently choose their own activities.

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a good range of toys, furniture and equipment available, which mostly meets the needs of all children attending. However, the play room on the first floor does not have any sleeping equipment available to meet the needs of the young babies attending and there is no comfortable seating for staff who spend a great deal of time holding young babies. All toys and equipment are in excellent condition and are regularly checked and cleaned to ensure they are safe for children to use.

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children benefit from a good range of safety measures, for example, they rehearse emergency evacuations at regular intervals. Staff are diligent in ensuring children are safe both indoors and outdoors and conduct regular risk assessments. The children are supervised at all times and are unable to leave the premises unattended. The system for managing access to the premises is good and unauthorised persons are unable to gain entry. A designated member of staff consistently monitors access to the premises and there is a detailed record of visitors. Children are protected from possible abuse or neglect as staff implement child protection procedures, which are robust, fully understood and which work in practice. Child protection procedures are discussed in full with parents during home visits and the setting's written child protection policy is easily accessible.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Most of the staff working with the younger children have attended 'Birth to three matters' training. They confidently implement the framework and planning and assessment systems are effective for this age group. Young children enjoy attention and being physically close to other children and familiar adults, for example, during meal and snack times and while being bottle fed.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The staff know the children and families very well, for example, they are fully aware of children’s individual needs, routines and backgrounds. The provision meets the needs of all the children and as a result, the children are happy and settled. Staff respect young children’s choices which

p.4

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 encourage their ability to negotiate and bargain, for example, during snack time young children confidently assert their preferences regarding which snacks they would like to eat.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Activities are very well organised. The children are involved in a good range of activities both inside and outside, such as cooking utensils and wooden toys. They are fully involved in activities, for example, watching the dragon dance. The children are very interested and absorbed in their play, such as while feeding the empathy dolls. The children are interested in their environment and keen to find things out for themselves, for example, smelling herbs in the outside play area. Babies and children make sense of, and respond to, what they see, hear, touch, smell and feel. This is because the staff encourage all age groups to enjoy sensory experiences, such as sand, water play, dough, paint and natural materials.

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Most of the staff have attended training on the Foundation Stage and competently put this into practise. They are supported by the nursery teacher who has a wealth of experience in this area and this has a positive impact on their knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage. A wide range of activities and experiences are provided to cover all areas of children's learning. Planning is flexible to allow for spontaneous activities. Detailed planning for focused activities ensures clear learning intentions are identified for children. Assessment records for each child clearly show their approach to learning, their achievements and progress. They also show planning for children's individual next steps in learning.

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All children separate from their main carer with confidence, they show care and concern for themselves, for example, they go to the toilet independently and blow their own noses. They express their needs and feelings in appropriate ways. They seek out others to share experiences and form relationships with adults and peers, such as one child asked another child to help build a bridge with large wooden blocks and another child asked a member of staff to read them a story. Children enjoy books, they hold them the correct way up and turn pages. They know that an author writes books and illustrators do the pictures. More able children begin to recognise some familiar words, such as their names. One more able child is able to recognise simple words in their own language at story time and when looking at a dual language book. They use writing as means of recording, for example, one child is very excited on seeing a worm

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

in the garden area. The child takes a member staff to see it but sadly it has gone but the child draws a picture of it to show what it looked like.

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are beginning to show an interest in counting, for instance, counting their fingers and candles on a birthday cake. They recognise and name some numbers of personal significance, for example, their age. They use some size language, words, such as huge and long when describing dinosaurs. However, there are missed mathematical opportunities at mealtimes for children to solve simple problems and to develop their independence.

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Older children are developing an understanding of change, for example, concepts of full and empty when they help empty the water tray. They use their senses well to investigate, such as smelling a scented herb in the outdoor play area and tasting different foods. Children enjoy listening to music and singing. They have built up a repertoire of songs and explore the different

p.5

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 sounds of instruments, such as tambourines, drums and bells. Overall, children make good progress towards the early learning goals given their capability and starting points.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Partnership with parents and carers is good. The parents receive clear and detailed information about the educational provision through regular newsletters and notice boards. Parents have good opportunities to share what they know about their child through regular discussions with staff. They are well-informed about their child's achievements and progress. The parents are encouraged to be involved with their child's learning and can add their comments or observations to their child's profile. These are stored effectively in the nursery to encourage parents interest. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered appropriately.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

The children behave well, they are kind to each other, for example, helping less able children take off outdoor boots. They know the nursery routines, such as taking turns on the computer and putting toys away in the correct place. They have a positive self-image and show they are comfortable with themselves. Children are beginning to know about their own cultures and beliefs and those of others, such as Hanukah and Chinese New Year. There are very good procedures in place to support children with learning difficulties, disabilities and children with English as an additional language.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

The system for sharing the setting's policies and procedures with parents is well established as the parent’s policy files are easily accessible. Additionally, there are comments and suggestion boxes available throughout the building. There is a complaints procedure in place, which includes the name and address of the regulator. The setting has demonstrated that this policy is fully implemented and meets regulatory requirements. A complaint log is completed when parents have concerns, however, the complaints log is not available to view.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents have good opportunities to share what they know about their child through regular discussions with staff and an effective settling in procedure, such as a home visit. Staff give excellent attention to meeting babies' individual needs for eating, changing, sleeping and exchange this information with parents, such as through daily dairies.

p.6

Organisation

The organisation is good. The senior management team and the staff have created an orderly environment in which to care for the children. Each session is planned for in advance. Children benefit from well-deployed staff, which consistently interact with them and give children effective support and encouragement, which helps them feel secure and confident. All the required documentation is in place, is easily accessible and stored securely, such as a medication sheets, accident and incident sheets. A good system is in place to record the staff and children’s daily attendance and this is accurate and up to date. Established systems are in place for staff, student and parent inductions.

p.6

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 The leadership and management of the nursery education is good. The staff team are committed to improving care and education and have regular opportunities for staff development, such as attending training, regular supervisions and staff meetings. All the staff are fully involved in planning the curriculum and the assessments records are regularly updated, monitored and evaluated. This helps the staff to identify strengths, areas for improvement and to influence future planning. The staff are dynamic, mature and work well together as a team. They are fully supported by the management who influence good practice by example. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

p.6

Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take action in order to meet the National Standards. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints records may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.7

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.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.7

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 complaints log is available for parents to see on request • ensure that there is suitable range of sleeping equipment available to meet the needs of all the children attending the setting • provide comfortable seating for all staff who spend a lot of time holding and feeding babies.

p.7

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):

p.7

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 • provide opportunities for children to develop their independence and solve simple mathematical problems, for example, at mealtimes.

p.7

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

p.8

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

p.8