College Grove Nursery

College Grove Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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College Grove Nursery

EY336523 Unique Reference Number 18 January 2007 Inspection date Jill Lee Inspector

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College Grove Nursery

College Grove Nursery, 9 Eastmoor Road, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF1 3RZ

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Setting Address

01924 200120 Telephone number marie_shackleton@hotmail.co.uk E-mail College Grove Nursery Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Out of School care Type of care

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Setting Address

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?

College Grove Day Nursery was established in 1994 and re-registered under new management in August 2006. It is located in a large, detached house on the outskirts of Wakefield. The nursery serves families from a wide area, including the children of parents who work in and around the town centre.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Nursery children are cared for in seven rooms on the ground and first floors, and an out of school unit is located on the second floor. The nursery is proposing to offer some holiday play care. Children are grouped according to age. There are three fully enclosed outdoor play areas, one of which has an all-weather surface.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 59 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open every weekday from 07.30 to 18.00 throughout the year. They are currently caring for 76 children,

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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 of whom 10 receive funding for nursery education. The nursery supports children for whom English is an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs 19 staff to work directly with the children, 12 of whom hold an appropriate early years qualification. The nursery is currently undertaking the quality assurance scheme of the National Day Nurseries' Association, Quality Counts, and is working towards the Kirklees Healthy Eating Award. They receive support from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy play activities outdoors each day. A good variety of outdoor play experiences is planned to develop their physical skills, although there is limited opportunity to use large climbing equipment. Children use the outdoor space well, as they run fast to keep warm and play chasing games. They construct balancing beams to practise their balancing skills. They jump confidently over the bars, landing steadily on their feet. They make stepping stone obstacle courses with the hoops and enjoy group games with the parachute. Babies and toddlers love clambering on the soft play resources in their play room and scrambling through the little tunnel. Toddlers have sturdy toys to push along to support their developing mobility.

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Helping children to be healthy

The nursery environment is bright and well maintained. Parents are clearly informed that sick children cannot be cared for and information about infectious diseases is shared, so that children are protected from infection. Arrangements for first aid and administering medication fully meet requirements and effectively protect children. Children clearly understand why they need to wash their hands before they have their snack. Staff place a high priority on good health and hygiene practices and raise children's awareness within everyday routines, so that they learn how to keep themselves healthy. Children are developing good levels of independence in tending to their own personal care, as they practise using the potty and learn to manage the toilet independently. Key staff liaise closely with parents, to ensure rest and sleep routines flow with each child's individual needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Parents are fully consulted about their child's health and dietary needs. They are able to liaise directly with the nursery's catering manager, where special dietary needs are identified. Children are very well nourished and enjoy a very varied menu of freshly cooked, healthy food. Menus are clearly displayed for parents. Children are encouraged to try a wide variety of different foods, including lots of fruit and vegetables. The fruit trolley is accessible to children to encourage conversation about healthy eating and 'five-a day'. They know that milk makes their bones and teeth 'strong'. Well planned activities help children think about 'good' and 'bad' foods. They are encouraged to express their likes and dislikes, as they make choices about what they want to eat. They are involved in some food preparation, for example, they help to cut up different fruits for their snack. Mealtimes are relaxed and sociable as staff and children sit

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Helping children to be healthy

together, sharing conversation. Children become independent in feeding themselves. They are offered milk and water to drink and older children can access drinks independently from the water jug.

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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

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children's understanding of safety is promoted well, as staff discuss limits and boundaries with them within everyday activities. They encourage children to develop very good levels of independence within a safe environment. Consistent reminders about rules help children begin to take responsibility for keeping themselves safe. Staff routinely explain and reinforce safe practice, like holding onto the handrail as they go down the steps to play outside. Children know they are not allowed to run or climb indoors. They explain why they cannot go into the kitchen to stir the dough mix. Well planned activities begin to promote children's awareness of wider safety issues, like road safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children use the play environment purposefully, as staff enable them to access all areas of the environment with safety and independence. A reasonable range of good quality resources is presented at child height, so that children can select them freely. Children's risk of accidental injury is minimised as staff conduct appropriate risk assessments and practice is consistently evaluated. This increases all children's safe participation in everyday activities. Accidents are routinely monitored. The nursery has a very clearly defined security policy, which is clearly communicated to parents. Staff enhance security by not admitting unknown visitors and consistent use of the visitors' register increases children's safety. There is clear planning for safe evacuation in an emergency, although fire drills are not held with sufficient regularity to ensure staff are fully familiar with the routine.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are cared for by staff who give high priority to protecting children. They help children to feel confident to make their needs known and establish supportive relationships with parents. All staff have attended recent training and understand their responsibilities within child protection procedures, so that children's welfare is safeguarded. Appropriate procedures for recording any concerns are in place. Existing injury records are kept, although sufficient detail is not always recorded and the system does not fully assure confidentiality. Staff are aware of the procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children Board and the child protection policy reflects current guidance.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very happy in the nursery. They settle well, supported by well-known staff, who are interested in what they are doing and sensitively support their play. The play environment is child focussed and well-planned to promote experiences in all areas of their development. Children are able to access some resources independently, enabling them to plan their own play. Use of space and storage of resources in the younger children's rooms is less clearly planned to actively promote independent play opportunities. Children cannot freely select exploratory and sensory play experiences. These are often adult led, for example, as they paint penguin pictures using shaving foam. Children use their imagination well in role play activities, as they care for the babies and take the dog for a walk. They are excited as they pretend to search for buried treasure.

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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 Babies and toddlers play very contentedly in the relaxed environment, learning to enjoy being with others. They enjoy lots of cuddles, which helps them feel secure and safe. They are able to keep 'comforters' close by, for example, carrying their own dummy in a bag. Staff know the children very well and are responsive to their individual needs. They talk frequently with parents and confidently use the 'Birth to three matters' framework to plan varied daily play experiences. They make detailed observations of children's play but do not always fully use these observations to ensure planning reflects children's interests. Different toys and books are put out each day and routinely changed to provide variety, but this does not encourage children to make their own choices or extend their own interests.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and children's learning is good. Staff have a very secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum and comprehensive planning helps children to make good progress towards the early learning goals. Children are motivated and their interest is sustained, as they enjoy a range of well planned activities and experiences in all areas of their learning each day. Planning does not consistently include the outdoor environment or access to resources to promote large physical play. Children learn to listen well, concentrate and persevere with activities they enjoy. They learn to use initiative and are motivated to learn.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident communicators and use language well to share their own ideas and experiences. Staff introduce new language into activities. Children love reading books and listen with pleasure to stories. They write their name on their work and enjoy activities which promote their interest in letter sounds. They bring objects from home starting with the 'letter of the week'. Children count and become familiar with number concepts within their everyday routines. They count the children and act out number rhymes at group time. They are interested in writing numbers and counting backwards. They investigate mathematical ideas as they fill and empty containers in the water and make models with the bricks. They use mathematical language with comprehension, as they sort and order different shapes, make patterns and compare sizes. Staff interactions helpfully promote opportunities to extend their understanding

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

but they do not always maximise opportunities for problem solving in play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are interested in the natural world, growth and change. They observe creatures in the garden and have grown their own tomato plants. They stir a dough mix to make stars and consider why it goes hard when it is heated. Staff introduce well planned activities to explore natural resources and nature, but do not maximise, in planning opportunities for ongoing free exploration. Children enjoy designing and making models, like aeroplanes to fly to other countries. They create their own extended story scenes, using blocks and small world resources. They develop an interest in technology as they learn to use the computer. Their imagination and creativity is nurtured as they mix paints, enjoy extended role play activities and make their own music. They learn about Mexico, make masks, piñata and a Mexican puppet theatre.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff interact effectively with children to stimulate their curiosity and consolidate learning. They model skills and consistently reinforce expected behaviour, so that children learn to work cooperatively. They are able to use all activity areas productively. Staff have developed clear systems to observe and monitor individual progress. Observations do not sufficiently clearly inform the focus of teaching, intended new learning and introduction of resources to enhance

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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 stimulus in all areas of the continuous provision. Assessments of progress are clearly linked to the areas of learning but staff are not fully utilising their observations of children when planning next steps in their learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children develop a strong sense of belonging to the nursery. They make lots of choices and decisions when planning their own play. They enjoy warm and trusting relationships with staff and with each other. Each child's individuality is nurtured, promoting their confidence and self-esteem. Sensitive consideration is given to planning of the transitions between rooms, enhancing children's feelings of security in the nursery. They are familiar with and often contribute actively to daily routines in the relaxed nursery environment. All staff do not consistently maximise opportunities for children to participate in routines. For example, in the after school club, children are not involved in helping decide the rules, they do not routinely help to set the table for tea or pour their own drinks.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave very well and good behaviour is sensitively encouraged and rewarded. They learn to be kind and polite, as staff gently reinforce rules and boundaries. Staff very clearly explain why certain behaviour is unacceptable, so that children feel safe. They know that staff will help them to resolve any difficulties. Staff remind children why certain rules are in place, like not pushing past each other on the steps to the garden, so that they begin to take responsibility for and manage their own behaviour. They learn to listen carefully to instructions and to be respectful of others when they are speaking at group time. Children learn to behave in responsible ways and to look after their environment, as they help to tidy away the toys before snack time. They understand why it is important to share toys and to take turns. They learn to be helpful and consider the feelings of others.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children engage in activities, which help to promote their awareness of the wider world. They use resources, which promote positive images of other cultures and disabilities. Staff recognise the importance of planned opportunities to raise children's awareness of their local environment. Some outings are planned in the local community; children visit local shops and the library. They have visited a local art gallery and sung carols at the elderly peoples' home. Visitors are invited into the nursery, such as the police and fire service. This helps to raise children's awareness of different roles in the community. Staff create a participative environment, in which children make lots of choices and decisions. They learn to express their own needs and preferences and actively contribute to their own experiences. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents enjoy warm and friendly relationships with staff, so that children feel secure and content. Staff talk through policies and procedures and share information about the 'Birth to three matters' framework, when children start at the nursery. High priority is given to ensuring parents are well informed about their child's daily activities and experiences. Staff communicate daily with parents and share information about younger children's routines using a daily care sheet. Parents know how to raise any concerns and a comments box is always available in the foyer to encourage parents to share their views. The Ofsted poster is clearly displayed. The complaints

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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 policy has been updated to reflect current guidance and there is a clear system for recording of complaints, although no complaints have been received.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents receive clear information about the Foundation Stage curriculum. They are readily able to access and contribute to their child's record of achievement. For example, they provided holiday photographs to help create a scrapbook. Regular newsletters keep parents updated about nursery issues and current topics. Staff share ideas to help parents to become actively involved in their child's learning. Staff routinely share information about children's progress and formal parents' evenings are regularly planned.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The nursery environment is well organised to promote children's welfare, learning and safety. Staff are deployed effectively to ensure appropriate levels of care and supervision. Daily routines are clearly planned to support children's varying needs and interests. Staff sensitively support and follow children's interests. Space and resources are mostly organised effectively to encourage children's independent choices, although this is under review in some rooms.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. Staff work together effectively as a cohesive team. Ongoing self-evaluation procedures help them to monitor progress and identify areas for improvement. Systematic observations of children help staff to identify children's interests and plan for their progress. There are systems in place to monitor the quality of teaching and its impact on children's learning.

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Organisation

Comprehensive policies and procedures are effectively implemented, so that children's welfare is safeguarded. Recruitment and vetting procedures are fully robust, ensuring that staff are suitably skilled and experienced to work with children. Clear procedures are in place to ensure that no person who is not vetted may have sole charge of children. Well planned induction procedures, together with ongoing staff monitoring and appraisal, ensure staff are able to support children's individual needs. All required documentation which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being is in place. The registration certificate is clearly displayed. Parents' wishes regarding their child's care clearly influence day-to-day practice and clear written agreements are recorded.

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Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure fire drills are conducted regularly, so that staff are fully familiar with their responsibilities within them • increase opportunities for younger children to make independent choices in their play and to freely access sensory and exploratory experiences • link observations of children's interests and progress more directly to planning of the environment for under threes.

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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): • further develop planning to promote learning using the outdoor environment and extend children's opportunities to enjoy large physical activities • extend the range of resources to increase stimulus and more clearly identify the focus of teaching and intended learning in the continuous provision • enhance systems linking next steps in children's learning to planning for their progression, to promote greater challenge and opportunities for problem solving in children's play.

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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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