Wishing Well Nursery Perdiswell

Wishing Well Nursery Perdiswell

Inspection report for early years provision

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Wishing Well Nursery Perdiswell

205513 Unique Reference Number 25 January 2007 Inspection date Saida Cummings Inspector

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Wishing Well Nursery Perdiswell

The Bungalow, Bilford Road, Worcester, Worcs, WR3 8QA Setting Address

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E-mail

Wishing Well Nurseries Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Out of School 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?

Wishing Well Nursery, Perdiswell, is one of five privately owned daycare settings. The nursery opened in 1994 and operates from a converted bungalow situated in the grounds of Perdiswell Primary School, Worcester. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. The setting mainly serves children from the north side of the city. A maximum of 20 children may attend at any one time. Children from the age of two to 11 years of age attend the setting. The nursery is open each weekday from 08:00 to 18:00 all year round. Children attending the holiday club during school holidays are taken on local visits and outings.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 68 children aged from two to 11 years on roll. Of these, 19 children receive funding for early education. The setting offers support to children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and children who speak English as an additional 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 five members of staff. Of these, three hold appropriate early years qualifications and two are working towards a qualification. The setting receives support from the Local Authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are beginning to develop self care skills during daily hygiene routines including washing their hands after toileting and before meals. There are appropriate procedures in place for dealing with any accidents, administering medication if requested and initially gathering information from parents and carers concerning individual children’s health needs. The risk of infection to children is reduced as parents and carers are made aware of the guidelines followed and children are not cared for if they have an infectious illness. Children are building up their independence through daily routines, such as putting on and taking off their own coats, hats and scarves. They are also encouraged to dress and undress unaided when they take part in weekly swimming sessions. Younger children are developing their independence physically and emotionally. They are active and are becoming increasingly independent. Their needs are well

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Helping children to be healthy

met because staff have a good understanding of how to meet their individual needs. Younger children are able to carry out tasks for themselves, such as using the low level sink in the play room to wash their hands after messy play activities.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are learning to gain control of their bodies and move confidently around the nursery. They take part in planned and spontaneous indoor physical activities to help use different parts of their bodies. For example, they enjoy joining in with music and movement sessions when they follow taped instructions to jump, hop and wriggle. Children benefit from the many opportunities for daily fresh air and exercise. They are able to develop their physical skills on a regular basis as outdoor play is timetabled into each session. They confidently use various play equipment to help them balance, climb, slide, peddle and rock. They are challenged when using the range of outdoor play equipment as there are different types which are suitable for the different age groups.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished and enjoy a varied and interesting diet. They bring their own packed lunches and are provided with healthy snacks and drinks for the remainder of the day. Parents and carers are made aware of the types of food to include in their children’s packed lunches which ensures they are provided with a healthy and nutritious diet. All children enjoy a varied menu of cooked and uncooked snack tea foods during the afternoon out of school sessions. Children enjoy well-organised snack and mealtimes where they sit in small groups and use these opportunities to build on their socialising skills. Staff sit with the children and encourage them to hold appropriate discussions and to develop their independence skills. For example, children are encouraged to peel their own tangerines and to take the lids off their yoghurt pots. Children have access to drinks throughout the day as they are able to help themselves from jugs and

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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 are cared for in a safe, secure and welcoming environment. Staff follow appropriate procedures for completing risk assessments to ensure hazards to children are minimised. Children have access to safe, clean and age appropriate play equipment and resources. Staff follow appropriate procedures to ensure all equipment is regularly cleaned and checked for safety. Furniture and equipment are set out to enable children to move freely and safely. Children are able to develop their confidence in a safe environment when using the enclosed outdoor play area which is fitted with safety flooring. They are made aware of the emergency evacuation procedure which is regularly practised.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are constantly supervised and taught safety as part of their everyday activities. This includes discussions concerning safety rules, such as not walking with scissors in their hands, road safety during local outings and how to use the outdoor play equipment and apparatus properly. For example, discussions are held with children if they start to use the wheeled toys to go backwards to ensure they are aware of looking behind them to make sure they do not injure another child. Children are kept safe during swimming activities as a full risk assessment is in place which is observed by all staff. The local low level teaching pool is used and a high adult to child ratio is maintained, with all the adults in the water closely supervising the small group of children they are responsible for. The setting reserve the use of the teaching pool for weekly sessions which also includes exclusive use of the allocated changing rooms.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are kept safe as staff follow appropriate procedures when they are dropped off and collected. Staff follow very good procedures during these particular parts of the day to ensure risks to children are minimised. Children’s welfare is safeguarded because staff have a good understanding of child protection procedures. Some of the staff have completed appropriate child protection training and they are all aware of the Local Safeguarding Children Board guidelines. They are also aware of the procedures to follow should there be any concerns. Parents and carers are made aware of the comprehensive child protection policy to ensure they understand the staff’s responsibilities as child carers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children socialise well, are busy and engage in purposeful activities throughout the sessions. They are given time to concentrate and complete their chosen tasks. Children are confident and are building up their self-esteem. They benefit from the way the resources and equipment are organised during the planned sessions which enables them to engage in meaningful play. Planned activities are adapted accordingly depending on children’s abilities and stages of development. They are able to instigate some of their own play during the planned sessions as some free-choice activities are also placed in the play room. However, this is limited to items chosen by the adults. School-aged children are given opportunities to choose the activities they want to take part in. They are able to instigate their own fun and games with staff assisting by supplying appropriate resources as required. An example of this is when children request to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

carry out messy play painting activities and staff supply the appropriate paints and large paper for the children to be able to create colourful and vibrant pictures.

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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 Young children have opportunities to socialise with older children as staff plan activities that enable all the children to be involved. Staff use the ‘Birth to three matters’ framework to specifically plan for this age group to ensure they have many opportunities to develop and build on their knowledge and skills. The younger children are able to progress and develop their skills as the staff responsible for this age group are very aware of their individual developmental stages and abilities. Activities are planned to ensure they are all able to join in at their own level and achievable targets are set for each child. For example, children who are able to distinguish different colours are encouraged to extend their understanding by pointing out the different coloured items around the room. Other children are allowed time to concentrate

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

on one specific colour using various different activities, with lots of repetition, to re-enforce their learning. This enables them to start to recognise the different colours and to progress their learning at their own pace.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children’s personal, social and emotional development is well fostered because of staff’s knowledge and understanding of how young children learn and progress. Children are able to instigate some of their own play activities and also choose from the various planned activities set up by the adults. Communication, language and literacy are well developed. Children recognise familiar words and staff encourage their understanding of different letters as a letter is covered each week within the planned activities, which is also linked to various parts of each session as part of their everyday routines. Children enjoy stories and enthusiastically join in with story time as staff use visual aids to assist with bringing the stories to life. For example, children join in with the familiar story of ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’ as staff tell they story using puppets and a toy bridge. Children use appropriate

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

language to communicate their experiences. An example of this is when they hold conversations with each other during the salt dough activity and describe how this feels in their hands. They use descriptive language, such as “gooey, sticky, runny and cold” as they mould and squeeze the mixture. Children have opportunities for writing during specific planned activities and as part of their everyday play. Staff ensure various writing materials are made available at all times to encourage children to develop their writing skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Knowledge and understanding of the world is good. Children have regular opportunities to investigate, explore and use their senses. They use construction equipment to build models and use their imagination. Children have opportunities to use information and communication technology as part of their everyday play. They confidently manipulate the mouse whilst playing fun and appropriate computer games. Children's mathematical development is good. They have opportunities to use mathematics during planned activities and as part of their everyday routines, for instance they count the number of sandwiches they have during lunch time. Children also enjoy comparing measurements of different objects during planned activities and everyday routines. For example, they discuss the size of the different chairs and the reasons why some are bigger and some are smaller. They look at the legs and point out that some legs are taller

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's physical development is well fostered. They handle small equipment, such as scissors, glue sticks and paint brushes with confidence. They have opportunities to develop their hand-eye co-ordination during planned activities, such as cutting and sticking, crayoning and manipulating

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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 play dough and clay. Creative development for children is good. Children are able to create their own paintings and drawings as they have many opportunities to freely draw and paint during each session. They are able to take part in art and craft activities and take pride in their creations which are colourfully displayed throughout the setting. Children enthusiastically join in with various musical sessions, enjoying singing, dancing and using the musical instruments. They use their imagination during role-play and are able to take on different roles when using the different hats. They explain that they are ‘Bob the Builder’ or ‘Fireman Sam’ when they put the different hard hats on.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Overall children make good progress in all areas of learning. Adults consistently and positively interact with the children to encourage their interest, involvement and learning. Children are curious and inquisitive and staff encourage them to think for themselves and to develop their skills. Their behaviour is managed very well as staff hold appropriate discussions to encourage them to play safely, think about their actions and to be kind to one another. As a result, children are generally well behaved which enables them to progress as there is a positive learning environment. Staff plan interesting activities which are also adapted to take individual children’s preferences and interests into consideration. As a result, children are motivated, eager to learn, self-assured in their play and confident to try new experiences. There are systems in place for observing, monitoring and recording children’s achievements. Staff set informal targets for

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

each child to progress or to challenge them in specific skills. Although planned activities are evaluated these do not clearly show if the objectives for children’s outcomes are met and are not effectively used to assist with further planning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children know each other well and form harmonious relationships. They hold meaningful discussions in small groups and include each other in their play. Children have access to a good range of resources to promote their awareness of diversity and take part in several planned activities to help them understand their own and other cultures and beliefs, such as tasting foods from other countries. Children know what is expected of them and are starting to understand right from wrong. They are able to follow adults’ instruction and hold discussions concerning safety rules and behaviour. They work and play well together, taking turns and sharing. For example, they take turns to use the teaspoons whilst spooning the salt dough mixture into the cake cases. Staff are good role models for the children and encourage them to be polite and to say 'please' and 'thank you'. Any behavioural issues are dealt with

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Helping children make a positive contribution

appropriately and sensitively. Staff praise and encourage children’s positive behaviour and ensure there is a consistent approach. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are encouraged to be involved and staff ensure all children are included. There is an effective equal opportunities policy in place which is implemented by all staff. They are aware to immediately address any discriminatory behaviour or remarks. There are good procedures in place for caring for any children with disabilities and/or learning difficulties. Staff show a good awareness of how to ensure children’s individual specific needs are met. There is also an effective procedure for working with any children who speak English as an additional language.

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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 Any children with a specific need are included in the life of the nursery as any specific activities are incorporated into the daily sessions and routines.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers of funded children is good. Staff are aware of the importance of involving parents and carers in the life of the nursery and their children’s development. They initially seek information from parents and carers concerning their children’s starting points and their stages of development. Staff establish a good relationship with parents and carers which contributes significantly to children’s well-being in the nursery. The parents and carers are provided with good quality information about the setting which includes information about nursery education and how children work through the ‘Foundation Stage’ curriculum. They are kept well informed of what their children do and their achievements through daily discussions which include any domestic routines and the activities their children have enjoyed taking part in. There are links between home and the setting to extend and involve parents and carers in

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Helping children make a positive contribution

their children’s learning and experiences. Children benefit from this good communication system as parents and carers are encouraged to be involved in their children’s progress and development by extending some of the activities into the home.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are cared for in a well-organised environment and the premises are bright, homely and welcoming. Their work is colourfully displayed throughout the setting. The premises are organised to ensure children are cared for in child-friendly surroundings where they are able to choose activities they wish to take part in. However, the organisation of the free-choice activities are limited and does not ensure children have sufficient opportunities to instigate their own play so there is a balance between adult-led and child-led activities.

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Organisation

The management and staff work together to ensure the organisation and procedures are regularly reviewed with improvements made as required. The service is regularly reviewed as parents’ and carers' views and suggestions are taken on board and whenever possible changes are made to accommodate any requests. There are good systems in place for keeping the required records. Appropriate recruitment and vetting procedures are in place which ensure children are well protected and cared for by staff with knowledge and understanding of child development. Parents and carers are supplied with good quality information about the organisation of the setting and how the children are cared for. They are kept fully informed of the setting’s events through regular newsletters and notices.

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Organisation

Leadership and management for nursery education are good. Staff are very keen and enthusiastic, and have clear roles and responsibilities. The provider has clear aims for the setting and is committed to evolving and developing the provision. The effectiveness of activity planning for children is good. Staff’s knowledge and understanding of the ‘Foundation Stage’ curriculum is good and they are aware of how young children learn and incorporate this into the sessions. They use effective questioning and ensure they supervise the children without inhibiting their ideas and imagination. Staff are committed in improving their knowledge and understanding and enjoy attending various training events. Children benefit from staff’s development as new procedures or good practice is implemented into the care provided. The provider and staff are

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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 committed to providing a high standard of care and education for the children. Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last Children Act inspection the provider agreed to improve staff’s knowledge and understanding of behaviour management and meeting children’s specific needs, to review the information available for parents, and to review the organisation of sessions to ensure all children are given appropriate opportunities to extend their play and experiences.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The manager has attended appropriate behaviour management training and other staff are made aware through in-house training. All newly acquired guidance is incorporated into the care of the children and appropriately managing their behaviour. The deputy has attended appropriate training for caring for children with specific needs. She is responsible for advising staff, parents and carers and discussing any issues concerning individual children’s specific needs. Individual Education Plans are agreed and developed for any children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The deputy works closely with parents, carers and any outside agencies to ensure these plans are put into practice and regularly reviewed so that children with specific needs are progressing at their own pace.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The provider has developed a new system for supplying all parents or carers with appropriate information. This also details the main policies and procedures including the child protection policy and the complaints procedure. The sessions have been reviewed and re-organised to incorporate all the children’s planned activities to give them opportunities to extend their play and experiences.

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Improvements since the last inspection

As a result of these improvements, children are cared for by staff who have a good knowledge and understanding of childcare practices and are aware of planning activities to enable children to progress at their own level. Parents and carers are made fully aware of how the setting is organised, how their children are kept safe and the procedures to follow should they have any issues or complaints. Consequently, children’s care, safety and well-being is assured.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last Nursery Education inspection the provider agreed to review the organisation and layout of activities to ensure more able children can initiate ideas and develop their skills in all areas of learning, including during role-play, large group activities and when using information technology and programmable toys.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff have developed the organisation of the activities to allow for children to progress at their own level. Activity plans are adapted accordingly to allow for more able children to initiate ideas and develop their skills in all areas of learning. This is planned within the daily sessions where basic activities are extended for the older children to allow them to progress further.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The arrangements for the large group activities have been re-organised to ensure that all children are actively involved in discussions without distraction. This includes story times and circle times which are delivered in different and interesting ways which allows all the children to join in at their own level. At times the groups are split so that younger and older children

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Improvements 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 are able to take part in specifically planned large group activities which are adapted according to their abilities and stages of development.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The organisation of the role play areas have been developed which has improved the layout of the equipment and toys to enable children to readily access what is available and to help them to engage in sustained and purposeful imaginative play. The presentation of the activities involving children’s access to information technology and programmable toys has improved. The equipment is now available during each session and is set up on a low-level table where children can work and be supported by adults when appropriate.

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Improvements since the last inspection

As a result of these improvements, children are able to concentrate and use the toys and resources to aid their learning. They have opportunities to extend their learning, experiences and to join in with large group activities at their own level. Consequently, children are engaged in meaningful and purposeful play, and are making good progress in their learning and development.

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Complaints since the last inspection

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

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 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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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): • review the organisation of the sessions to ensure children are given sufficient opportunities to make free choices and instigate their own play.

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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):

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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 • develop the evaluation process to ensure this clearly shows if the objectives for children's outcomes are met and to assist with further planning.

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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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