Fellowship of St Nicholas - Greenway

Fellowship of St Nicholas - Greenway

Inspection report for early years provision

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Fellowship of St Nicholas - Greenway

EY337266 Unique Reference Number 15 January 2007 Inspection date Stacey Sangster Inspector

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Fellowship of St Nicholas - Greenway

2 Waterworks Cottages, Waterworks Road, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 1RU

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Setting Address

01424 423683 Telephone number enquiries@fellowshipofstnicholas.org.uk E-mail Fellowship Of St Nicholas Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day 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?

The Fellowship of St Nicholas Greenway Nursery has been registered since 2006. It operates from within a children's centre in a residential part of Hastings and has use of 2 group room, toilets, kitchen facilities and offices. There is also a fully enclosed area for outdoor play. The group is registered to care for a maximum of 38 children from 0-5 years including those in receipt of Nursery Education Grant funding. A total of 9 staff work with directly with the children and are assistant by administration support. The group is able to support children with special needs and those with English as an additional language. The group receives support from the Local Authority.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The children centre is beginning to develop its services which the nursery will be able to link into as they are established.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Very good hygiene procedures protect the children from the risk of infection. Children learn about the need to wash their hands after handling the African Land Snails kept as nursery pets. Children receive good quality guidance in relation to routines such as hand washing and nose blowing and because of this are beginning to develop an understanding of how to keep themselves healthy. Children are protected from infection because of the carefully monitored sickness policy. This clearly tells parents not to bring children if they are contagious and the appropriate procedures in place to have them collected if they become unwell.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have opportunities to play in and explore a clean and hygienic environment. The carefully designed layout and use of washable surfaces for floors and equipment and the well organised, comprehensive cleaning routines, ensure the setting and resources are always suitable for children.

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Helping children to be healthy

There are effective procedures in place to ensure that medication needs of children are met and children receive the correct dose. Children receive appropriate first aid treatment because large numbers of the staff hold a paediatric first aid qualification

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Helping children to be healthy

Children learn about healthy eating through the promotion of foods such as fruit and vegetables at snack time. Parents send in packed lunches, which are refrigerated and sorted to encourage children to eat savoury items before sweet. Drinking water is available at snack time, but is not accessible freely for children to help themselves. Clear and detailed records are maintained regarding children’s specific dietary needs and great care is taken to ensure that children are never able to access forbidden foods.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The premises are well organised and children benefit from playing in a spacious well organised environment. Pre-school children have access to a spacious and carefully arranged playroom where designated areas are provided for different types of play. Jointly used areas such as the soft play area are monitored to ensure a suitable mix of ages and staff limit numbers to ensure children engaged in boisterous play, use the area safely.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The baby room has areas sectioned off to create small pockets of space where they can freely access the carefully chosen equipment. Toys in both rooms are stored on low level shelving to make access easy and safe. These arrangements allow children of all ages to move around and play safely. All children have opportunities to play with an excellent range of toys and resources appropriate for their age.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff knowledge of child protection is sound. All staff are aware of the policy to report concerns and have received training in this subject. The children's welfare is paramount and parents are

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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 made aware that the setting have a responsibility to share any concerns with social services if they suspect a child is at risk.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy attending the setting, most arrive eagerly and all are greeted warmly by staff who are skilled at making them feel welcomed and settled. Children form positive relationships with staff and each other. An atmosphere of busy purposeful play is achieved as the children are provided with a wide range of interesting activities to keep them well occupied and sufficiently challenged.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Babies are provided with a calm atmosphere, and receive high levels of attentions from committed staff who find imaginative ways of extending their development and providing them with new experiences. For example children have access to interesting collage materials, they explore large tubs of glitter, turning their hands in the light to watch it sparkle. They mimic the actions of staff brushing their hands together to remove glitter when it sticks to their fingers. Staff introduce items such as feathers, gently running it against the child's neck and cheek to demonstrate how soft it is and allowing the child to brush it on the staffs skin to share the child's delight at being tickled. The birth to three framework supports the staff in monitoring the experiences of the children to ensure they are covering a range that will support their development in all areas.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The premises have been designed and organised to provide a beautiful childcare environment. Curved walls, bright colours, and high quality well designed furniture and storage all compliment the efforts of the staff in providing a happy and pleasant place for children to spend time. The nursery is light, bright and attractive. Areas have been organised to enable different ages to have their differing needs met. A minor weakness is the arrangements for lighting as the baby sleep area is illuminated by lights which are tied in with the main nursery circuit, as such it cannot be turned off unless all lights are off and as such it is difficult to meet the needs of children who require a dimly lit or dark place to sleep.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff are secure in their knowledge of the foundation stage and stepping stones. The quality of teaching and learning is good. The use of well maintained and good quality planning and assessment helps the setting to focus on activities that will support the children in reaching their full potential. Children are supported in their education by individual education/play plans which highlight an area staff have identified as the next step for a child. This is not routinely shared with parents. Information that is shared by parents is utilised by staff in assessing where children are in their learning, but is not recorded in the assessment files. The setting provide parents with information about whole class or group activities that they can help to support their children in, such as learning the works to songs or bringing items in from home to support a topic. This helps to strengthen the plink between the nursery and home.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Overall children make good progress towards the early learning goals given their capability and starting points. They show high levels of curiosity and independence. All children are motivated

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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 and engaged in a broad range of developmentally appropriate indoor and outdoor activities which provide sufficient challenge. Children enjoy books and story telling, joining in with well known phases in favourite tales. They have good access to art and craft material from the well stocked art trolley and can paint, crayon, chalk and draw freely in the specially designed creative area. Knowledge and understanding of the world is promoted through the topics and celebrations of festivals throughout the term as well as learning about living things for example through caring for the pet snails. Mathematical knowledge is extended and supported by the many examples of numbers visible throughout the nursery and children count spontaneously in their play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children physical development is extended through use of tools which promote fine motor skills and use of large apparatus in the garden or on trips to the local parks. The children receive very good support to build on their personal social and emotional skills, staff lead by example, encouraging good manners and considerate attitudes to one another. Children in this setting are respectful and kind towards each other, they have high levels of self esteem and this supports there confidence to learn in all areas.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are offered care that meets their individual needs, and that takes into account their age, stage of development and personal preferences. Staff get to know the children well and their knowledge of each child is supported by the good quality information obtained from parents. This ranges from the child's dietary needs to details of their favourite things. Children's cultural and religious heritage is respected and images and resources around the nursery depict positive images of diversity.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

A positive policy of inclusion is adopted by this setting, and children with special needs are supported appropriately. The buildings design lends itself to accommodating wheelchair users, with ramps, automated doors and low level switches and sockets. Toilet and hand washing facilities meet the requirements all visitors, staff and children whatever their physical needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children receive positive messages about how to behave and are regularly praised and rewarded for good behaviour. A sticker reward system works very effectively to motivate children when clearing away or setting up activities. All children are praised for some aspect of positive behaviour from saying something kind, to sharing or saying please and thank you. Children see what others get a sticker for and want to emulate this in order to be acknowledged themselves. Staff believe that all children should receive a reward each day and this ensures that children never become de-motivated to try hard and behave positively.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents in relation to both care and education is good. Children of all ages benefit from the exchanges of information between the setting and the parent. Verbal feedback at the end of each session gives parents a good snapshot of how the day has been for their child. In relation to the partnership in education there are some missed opportunities to engage parents in the specific education plans for their child and the formal use of information shared by parents in the assessment of children's progress.

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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 Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. All of the adults involved in the care of the children suitable to do so. The setting has very good induction procedures so that staff quickly develop an understanding of the way things are done in the setting and this helps to provide continuity in care and record keeping.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the setting is good. Management have a clear vision for the nursery education and there is a strong focus for the personal development of children and staff. Staff are encouraged to be actively involved in monitoring and improving nursery services. There are effective procedures in place to monitor and evaluate the curriculum to identify strengths and areas for improvement. The setting are proactive in monitoring and improving all aspects of their setting.

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Organisation

Sufficient staff are employed to meet the required staff to child ratios and often these are exceeded. There are effective procedures in place to develop staff and access to training and further qualifications are very good.

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Organisation

All of the required documentation is in place. It is well organised, professionally kept and enhances the care and education that children receive.

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Organisation

The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

This is not applicable as this is the nurserys first inspection

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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. 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 AND 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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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): • consider ways to provide an adaptable sleep space where children who like a dark place to sleep can have their needs met. • continue to look at ways that children can access water more freely

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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): • improve the partnership with parents by sharing the specific targets identified for each child with their parent and ensure that information shared by parents about achievements at home are used to form part of the assessment of children's progress and informs 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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