Smartstarts Day Nursery

Smartstarts Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Smartstarts Day Nursery

EY341501 Unique Reference Number 30 January 2007 Inspection date Rufia Uddin Inspector

p.1

Smartstarts Day Nursery

Little Ilford Centre, Church Road, London, E12 6HA Setting Address

p.1

Smartstarts Day Nursery

02084 782 700 Telephone number info@smartstarts.co.uk E-mail Kids R Us Limited Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

p.1

Smartstarts Day Nursery

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?

Smartstarts Day Nursery was registered in 2006. It operates from the Little Ilford Centre, in a residential area, close to local shops, park and transport in Manor Park in the London borough of Newham. The nursery takes children from the local community and surrounding areas. A maximum of 50 children aged under five years may attend the group at any one time. The nursery is open 07:30 until 18:00 Monday to Friday all the year round. There is an enclosed outside play area.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 12 children on roll attending the nursery. Of these one child receives funding for nursery education. Children attend for a variety of sessions and the nursery welcomes children with special educational needs, and those who speak English as an additional language.

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 The nursery employs a qualified manager who is responsible for the day to day running of the group. In addition, two members of staff work directly with the children, one of whom is qualified to level 3 in childcare. One member of staff is currently working towards a recognised early years qualification.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery receives support from the local Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's health is well maintained because the staff implement effective health and hygiene policies to ensure the risk of cross infection is minimised. For example, they wear disposable gloves when changing children’s nappies and disinfect the changing mat after use. Written information is obtained from parents regarding children’s medical history, allergies and special dietary requirements ensuring their individual needs are met. Staff have relevant first aid training and deal with accidents appropriately ensuring children remain healthy. Children’s good health is promoted by the implementation of appropriate sickness and medication procedures. Accident and incident records are completed, and parents acknowledge entries to ensure continuity of care.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

There are first aid boxes, which are fully stocked. However, parental consent to seek emergency medical advice and/or treatment was not available. As a result children's health is not assured in the event of an emergency.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from the provision of a healthy range of food options. Children eat a diet which is balanced, varied and nutritious. A vegetarian option is always provided, and the needs of children with special dietary requirements are effectively catered for. Children eat a range of fruit each day. Menus are displayed, and information about what each child ate is effectively communicated to parents each day.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy daily opportunities out in the garden or inside to participate in physical activities, which develop their co-ordination and skills, such as running, catching and throwing balls and pushing prams. Children learn about the importance of doing up their coats, and wearing their hats and gloves to keep them warm. Children handle objects, such as scissors, paint brushes, glue spreaders and play dough resources confidently. They complete puzzles independently and show good hand and eye co-ordination. However, there is a limited range of large equipment to refine children's climbing and balancing skills.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children benefit from the layout of the environment, which enables them to move freely and safely around the provision. The environment is warm, welcoming and inviting to children and their parents, and provides a safe environment for them in which to play and learn. Children

p.3

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 develop good independence as they freely select a suitable and safe range of play provisions and resources from low level boxes and open storage units. Cleaning rotas and regular checks on all the furniture and resources are recorded and monitored, which contributes to ensuring the provision is safe for children to use. Children use a good range of play equipment and resources suitable to their individual ages and stages of development.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Security is good at the front door, where there is a camera for maximum security. Visitors are identified on entering the building and asked to sign the visitors' book. Children and staff practise the emergency evacuation procedures on a regular basis. This helps children become familiar with the routine in the event of an emergency.

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected and safeguarded from harm because staff have a clear understanding of their role with regards to protecting children in their care.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. All children arrive happily at the group and confidently know the routine on arrival. They develop their self care skills and show imagination as they find a spoon to feed their baby doll with. They enjoy an exciting range of activities and experiences, which are well planned by staff who are beginning to make good use of the Birth to three matters framework. Staff have a good knowledge of child development and are increasing their understanding of how to introduce more natural and tactile experiences to children, through the use of heuristic play.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident in their relationships with the staff. They play happily alone and together with adults and they enjoy looking at books. Play resources include puzzles, books, small world toys, and games which are suitable for their ages and stages of development. Their next step in development is identified and supported by the staff but this is not clearly shown in the planning. Staff have a secure understanding of the different experiences younger children benefit from and support their ongoing progress within the daily activities.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children make good individual progress because teaching is rooted in a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage and a good range of teaching methods are used, which enable children to learn. Children make their own decisions about their learning. For example, they select their own paper, attach this to the easel and use paintbrushes to paint. When they have finished their painting they carefully carry it somewhere to dry before washing their hands.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are interested in what they are doing and show good motivation. They learn to share and take turns and work together, for example, negotiating how to use the game as they develop their understanding of time through the use of a sand timer. In such ways children learn to co-operate with others and learn to recognise right from wrong. Children concentrate well and complete activities.

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 Children’s early reading and writing skills are promoted as they practise name recognition using the name cards and attempt to label their own work. Children recognise letters in story books. Children have frequent opportunities to develop their hand eye co-ordination and pre-writing skills as they draw with crayons, use small cutters and tools to make shapes in dough, and draw patterns with their fingers in dry sand. Children's pre-reading skills are promoted well. They enjoy independently accessing and looking at books in the comfortable book area. Children handle books carefully and are keen to contribute their thoughts and listen to stories. Staff use props and their acting skills to make stories come alive for children.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have opportunities to play with a variety of constructional materials, small world toys, musical instruments, water and sand. Children take part in themes to celebrate cultural and religious festivals. Children are beginning to develop an understanding of similarities, differences and change. There are satisfactory opportunities for children to learn about the world, the wider community and the natural world. Children engage in planned topics and discussions about religious festivals and exploring natural materials. Children have access to programmable toys and are able to operate a tape recorder and camera. Children speak about past and present events in their own lives and have daily access to a wide range of resources to support their learning about different cultures and beliefs. However, opportunities are missed for children to learn about their local community and environment. For example, children could benefit

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children confidently use a range of small tools and equipment. They use forks and spoons to eat the spaghetti and use scissors and spreaders and pencils with control. They enjoy listening to taped music, singing songs and rhymes and using musical instruments on a regular basis. Children competently use a range of tools, such as knives, cutters and scissors and enjoy expressing imagination as they explore a range of media including paint, using brushes, and their feet and hands. They are encouraged to talk about how things feel, taste and smell using their senses to explore their environment.

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are learning to count and understand numbers, they confidently count when looking at books or joining in with number rhymes and songs. Children are beginning to use comparative language, for example, discussing which book is bigger and which is smaller. However, learning opportunities are sometimes missed by not encouraging the children to count during daily routine activities. For example, staff could encourage children to count how many children there are and compare how many cups and plates they require during lunch time.

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children benefit from effective use of time, space and resources. Teaching methods are varied motivating children to become confident and independent learners. All staff are involved in the planning of activities and experiences which are linked to topics. Staff have a clear understanding of how children learn. They encourage the children by explaining the activities well, asking questions and offering suggestions. Staff help children with English as an additional language to join in the full range of activities. Children are making good progress because the staff working directly with them have a secure understanding of the Foundation Stage. Activity plans cover six areas of learning, which ensure children make good progress towards the early learning goals. Children’s achievements are recorded well and are used to plan their next step in learning.

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

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's individual needs and their cultural, religious and linguistic backgrounds are known and met, which contributes to them feeling valued. Those children who attend with English as an additional language are helped to communicate as staff learn words of the child's first language.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

Resources and play equipment reflect diversity and children are beginning to learn about each other's cultures as they take part in activities, such as making cards to acknowledge one another's faith festivals. Children's individuality is respected and valued, and babies' individual routines are followed so that they are able to sleep and eat when they need to rather than according to the nursery's routines. Siblings are able to have contact with each other throughout the day, providing reassurance and continuity. All children are valued in the nursery and effective systems are in place to support those with special needs and those with English as an additional language.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's behaviour is very good, they respond readily to staff's gentle reminders to be kind to each other and follow their example of speaking with respect. Staff readily acknowledge appropriate and thoughtful behaviour giving specific praise so that children understand what they have done well. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered appropriately.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit greatly from good relationships between staff and parents and secure links between home and the setting. Information on the week's activities is clearly displayed and daily discussions ensure that parents are kept informed about the current happenings and what their children have enjoyed. Parents receive a prospectus and information about policies and procedures. Initially parents filled in documentation sharing information about their child with the setting. Parents stated that they felt comfortable discussing their child with staff, that staff were very approachable and made themselves available to discuss individual children. Parents are aware how to make complaints.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnerships with parents of children receiving nursery education are good. Planning in the Foundation Stage is displayed in the play room for parents to view. Parents receive information on the Foundation Stage through discussion. A daily exchange of verbal information between staff and parents also helps to support their continuity of learning. Children’s daily activity plans are on display to actively encourage parents’ involvement in their children’s nursery education. However, procedures to invite parents to contribute to their child’s assessment records and ensure all parents are fully aware of their child’s next steps and how to extend their learning in the home are not yet fully developed.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents expressed very positive comments about the staff team and the setting.

p.6

Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit from qualified and experienced staff who are very caring. The staff are committed to attending further childcare training and development courses. Good recruitment

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 procedures ensure that staff are vetted, which ensures children are protected. Staff are deployed effectively to meet children’s individual needs. There are effective recruitment procedures in place and induction training ensures staff understand the policies and procedures so they can contribute to the safety and welfare of the children.

p.6

Organisation

Regular staff meetings identify areas for professional development to further improve staff's knowledge and understanding of the needs of the children. Monitoring systems are in place to identify strength and weakness in practices. However, they have not identified the current weaknesses in planning, assessments and procedures.

p.7

Organisation

All required documentation which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being are in place. Staff are conscientious about keeping records up to date including daily records of attendance. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

p.7

Organisation

Leadership and management is good. The manager is responsible for the curriculum planning, although all staff contribute to this. Systems are in place to monitor the curriculum and the impact this has on children's individual progress. Staff are monitored formally through the implementation of staff discussion, which include an element of self appraisal. The manager uses observations to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the nursery education and the quality of the teaching; she has just designed an evaluation sheet which she is beginning to use, but this has yet to be implemented across the session because the group has just started nursery education. The group is currently receiving support from the early year’s advisory teacher and staff training is accessed through the Early Years Day Care Partnership.

p.7

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.

p.7

Complaints since the last inspection

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

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 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

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): • obtain written parental consent to seek emergency medical treatment

p.8

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): • continue to make greater use of opportunities for children to learn about their local community and environment, to develop their climbing and balancing skills, and to promote more able children's understanding of calculating and comparing • continue to develop opportunities for parents to share what they know about their child, to be informed about their next steps for development and how they can support this in the home • continue to ensure effective systems are in place to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching (also applies to care)

p.8

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