Kates Kindergarden

Kates Kindergarden

Inspection report for early years provision

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Kates Kindergarden

EY343063 Unique Reference Number 27 February 2007 Inspection date Jannet Mary Richards Inspector

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Kates Kindergarden

74 Smiths Lane, Hindley Green, WIGAN, Lancashire, WN2 4XR Setting Address

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E-mail

Kates Kindergarten Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day 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?

Kates Kindergarten is a privately owned nursery. It initially opened at its current premises in 2003 and was subsequently re-registered as a limited company in 2006. The nursery operates from a detached building, within its' own grounds in the Bickershaw area of Wigan. There are three play rooms for the children and a large enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.30 until 18.00 throughout the year. Children attend for a variety of full and part-time sessions. There are currently 62 children on roll, of these 27 are in receipt of nursery education funding. The nursery supports a small number of children with a disability or learning difficulty. There are 13 staff employed to care for the children, of these 12 have appropriate qualifications and one is working towards qualification.

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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 satisfactory. The nursery is maintained in a clean condition to promote the children's health. Most of the time the staff follow effective hygiene procedures to minimise the risk of the spread of infection. They use anti-bacterial cleanser on surfaces and equipment, for example, and wear disposable gloves and aprons for changing nappies. However, the current procedures for children to dry their hands and the practice of using the baby room as an entrance to the nursery increases the likelihood of the spread of infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

The recent introduction of more healthy snacks, such as fresh fruit each day, along with the reduction of sweet snacks, such as cakes and biscuits, has led to improvements in the children's diet. Most of the time the children enjoy nutritious, home cooked foods at mealtimes. Some of the lunch time meals, however, have less nutritional value as processed foods are used. Children benefit from being able to access fresh drinking water at all times of the day. Children enjoy mealtimes when they sit and talk to their friends and the staff. They are able to develop good self help skills. Babies, for example, are encouraged to hold a spoon and begin to feed themselves when they are able.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from being able to play in the very well-resourced outdoor play areas every day. They play on a range of equipment which promotes their good health and development of their physical skills. They climb, hop, develop co-ordination and learn to balance, for example, as the staff plan specific activities to promote their development.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children and parents are made to feel very welcome in the safe and comfortable nursery environment. Children's own creative work is displayed attractively in each of the rooms. In addition, the children have space to put their own coats and other items, which helps them to develop a sense of belonging in the nursery. In each of the rooms there is space for the children to play, in addition to comfortable seating areas with books for them to rest and relax. The children benefit from having access to the large outdoor play area, which offers them space to play and explore the natural environment. Within the nursery the children can reach a wide range of age-appropriate toys and equipment, ensuring they have choices about what they do. The children benefit from play with traditional toys in addition to exploring objects made from natural materials in the 'treasure baskets'. This provides the children with opportunities to

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

explore and use all of their senses as they play.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The children's safety is a high priority in the nursery. There are clear risk assessments in place which are reviewed regularly. In addition the staff supervise the children well at all times to ensure that they can play safely. The staff take appropriate and prompt action if any hazards are identified. The staff team have a good awareness of child protection issues and procedures in order to safeguard the welfare of any children they may care for.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very happy and settled in the nursery environment. This is largely due to the warm relationships they develop with their key workers and others who care for them in the nursery. The staff are very responsive to the children's needs, they know the children very well and are able to quickly respond to them. The children often seek cuddles from the staff, who respond to them with warmth. As the children play the staff interact with them, talking, singing and vocalising with them, to encourage their communication skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

When children commence at the nursery they receive individual attention which enables them to settle. Because the children are settled and feel secure in the nursery they are confident to explore their environment, which helps them to learn and develop. Younger children in the nursery are making good progress with their development because the staff support them well and use the 'Birth to three matters' framework to provide them with age-appropriate opportunities. They observe the children, make notes and then plan specific activities which encourage development. The children thoroughly enjoy the exciting activities on offer. Much of their time is spent exploring their environment and activities. They like to explore the properties of shaving foam, paint or wet pasta, for example, or find out what snow feels like in the outdoor area on a snowy day. These activities give the children good opportunities to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

explore their world and become competent learners and communicators.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of the teaching and learning is good.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children are confident in the nursery and are keen to explore and find out, which helps them to develop a positive disposition to learning. They ask lots of questions and are interested in the activities available. The staff respond to them well by answering their questions and by asking the children more questions to extend their thinking. They also plan a broad and balanced range of activities which the children are interested in. This allows the children to make good progress towards the early learning goals.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children make good progress with early writing skills as they make tickets and menus in the role play train station. They confidently help to make signs for the roadway model display and they develop a good understanding of why we write and understand that print carries meaning. They enjoy looking at books and listening to stories in the comfortable book area. As they play the children often count with confidence. They use their mathematical knowledge well to work out how many ducks are left when one swims away during a singing activity. The children thoroughly enjoy making simple storylines and acting them out in the role play area, which is well resourced with props to support the children in their play. They have many planned opportunities to create in two and three dimensions with media and materials such as paint, collage materials and boxes. They are proud to have their pictures and models displayed for all

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

to see. The layout of the resources, however, gives children fewer opportunities to express their own creative ideas spontaneously.

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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 The children learn about the world around them when they go exploring in the outdoor area. One area is maintained as a natural environment for the children to explore, looking for mini-beasts or planting seeds, for example. The children learn about people and objects in the world through planned themes such as transport or festivals. They rarely go for walks or visits in the local and wider areas, however, which means they have fewer first hand experiences to consolidate their learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The staff know the children and their individual abilities very well. They record their observations on a very regular basis and plan for the next steps in their learning. They have a good knowledge of the Foundation Stage and plan a wide range of interesting activities. The short term planning at the present time, however, lacks some detail.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children behave very well in the nursery. They know and understand the rules for behaviour because they discuss and agree them together. The staff interact with them positively, giving lots of praise, encouragement and reward stickers which the children are proud to receive. They are treated respectfully by the adults and are encouraged to be caring and considerate to each other. This approach fosters their social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. The children learn to value differences as they play with a range of resources which reflect their own family backgrounds. They celebrate familiar religious festivals and also some which relate to different cultures and beliefs, raising their awareness of diversity. Children are valued as individuals within the nursery. Children with a disability or learning difficulty are fully included in all activities by the supportive staff team.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The nursery staff work very well in partnership with parents and carers to ensure that the children are settled, happy and have their individual needs met. A wide range of written information is available to parents which ensures that they are well informed about the nursery procedures and what their children have been doing each day. They are well consulted about the care provided, regularly completing questionnaires, for example, which the staff act upon. Partnership with parents and carers of children in receipt of nursery education funding is good. They are well informed about the educational provision for their children. They are encouraged to support their children's learning, for example, by helping their children to find and bring things from home which link to what the children are learning about in the nursery. This partnership effectively supports the children in their learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The effective organisation of the nursery staff, resources and procedures ensures that the children receive good quality care. The highly motivated staff team are keen to take responsibility for specific areas of the nursery provision, such as health, safety and behaviour management. They are actively involved in the regular review and modification of policies and procedures. They frequently attend training events on childcare issues. This approach contributes to effective teamwork and consistency in the quality of the care provided.

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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 The documentation relating to the care of the children is well maintained and shared with parents.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education are good. There are effective procedures in place to support the staff working with the children in receipt of nursery education funding. They have regular appraisals and there are effective systems to ensure they all receive training relating to the Foundation Stage. The quality of the provision is regularly evaluated by the manager and staff. They identify strengths and areas for development. They use this information to continually adapt and develop the provision, resulting in good quality educational provision for the children.

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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

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): • further promote children's health by using more effective hand washing systems to minimise the risk of the spread of infection • continue to develop the nursery healthy eating policy by developing the menus to include more nutritious fresh foods at lunchtime • review the arrangements for using the rear entrance door to ensure the babies can play on a clean floor and have fewer interruptions to their routines.

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The quality and standards of the care

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 nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • increase the opportunities for the children to develop their awareness of the world by providing more opportunities for them to explore and investigate the local and wider environment • review the organisation of resources in the creative area to allow for children's spontaneous creativity • continue to develop the planning by having more specific short term planning for focussed activities.

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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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