Les-Enfants Private Day Nursery

Les Enfants Private Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Les Enfants Private Day Nursery

311252 Unique Reference Number 23 February 2007 Inspection date Judith, Mary Horsfall Inspector

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Les Enfants Private Day Nursery

486-490 Wakefield Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD5 8PU Setting Address

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E-mail

Les Enfants Private Day Nurseries 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Les Enfants Private Day Nursery opened in 1995. It operates from four rooms on the ground and first floor of converted cottages on the main road, in Waterloo, outside Huddersfield. The nursery serves the local area, with the children coming from a large catchment area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 35 children on roll. This includes 3 funded three year olds and 4 funded four year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery opens five days a week all year round. Sessions are from 07:30 to 18:00.

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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 Six full time and one part time staff work with the children. Over half the staff hold relevant Early Years qualifications.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery holds the Investor's in People award and the proprietors own and manages three other nurseries locally.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The children stay healthy because practitioners follow appropriate health and hygiene policies and procedures. The nursery has been awarded the Gold Standard for Healthy Choices (food hygiene, healthy eating and smoke free environment) by the local authority in October 2006. There are rigorous routines for ensuring the cleanliness of the building with regular rotas to ensure equipment, furniture and rooms in general are clean. Use of disposable aprons and gloves when changing nappies and serving food ensures that children are at reduced risk of infection. However, more attention could be paid to children's runny noses to ensure risks of cross-contamination are further reduced.

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Helping children to be healthy

The children are actively learning about personal hygiene and enthusiastically brush their teeth after eating saying it 'helps to keep their teeth clean' and 'stops germs'. After messy play, eating and outdoor play the older children independently access soap, water and towels to clean themselves up, whilst the younger children are assisted by the supportive staff who encourage them to be independent.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children socialise very well at meal times, chatting and sharing the tasks of serving, choosing spreads for toast and tidying up amongst themselves. They are well-nourished because the nursery provides high quality, home-made food which addresses individual needs in clear consultation with parents. The staff ensure that children sleep and rest according to their personal requirements and older children are given a choice each day of either sleeping in the afternoon or playing quietly. Children relish their time outdoors and take great advantage of a wide range of safe equipment, such as wheeled toys, climbing frames, shelters, sand, water and paint play. This assists in good development of social and physical skills.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The children are cared for in a generally welcoming, secure and safe environment. The nursery is well-equipped and maintained, having suitable child sized furniture including cots and baskets to ensure younger babies feel secure. There are risk assessments and procedures for various safety aspects including outdoor play, room safety and outings. Relevant records, such as gas servicing, fire extinguishers checks, medication and accidents are all well-maintained, ensuring parents are informed of the safety of the children's environment. However, radiators are too

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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 hot and present a hazard, as does the unprotected fluorescent light in the baby sleep room. These issues compromise the children's safety and put their well-being at risk.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are learning to keep themselves safe because the staff encourage good practice, for example, by praising the children for tidying up at the end of the session and ensuring that the risk of accidents is reduced. Children are further protected by all members of staff being suitably vetted and having a first aid qualification.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children benefit from having an extensive range of safe, freely available toys, craft materials and other resources which they access and use in a confident manner.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are protected from harm and neglect because staff are aware of relevant safeguarding children procedures and are able to instigate these procedures when necessary.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are developing confidence and self-esteem because they are welcomed into a happy and secure environment where they are valued and frequently praised. Photographs of all the children and their keyworkers are displayed, helping to foster a sense of community in the nursery. In the play rooms there are low level mirrors and photographs of the children which help them to cultivate a sense of self.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff are trained in the 'Birth to three matters' framework and they use this to purposefully inform parents of their children's progress. Children play an active part in the setting, making choices about issues, such activities, sleep and snacks. Relationships between staff and children are good with the staff's positive attitude ensuring the children are motivated and creatively challenged. For example, the babies and toddlers had lots of fun playing with shaving foam, putting it on their faces, laughing at themselves and each other in the low level mirrors. When the staff asked them who it smells of, a younger child smiles and begin to form the word 'Daddy'.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children thoroughly enjoy their trips out to local shops, parks and museums where they are beginning to learn about the world around them. This is complimented by activities and visitors to the nursery, such as fire fighters, police service, animal/insect handling service and activities around red nose day when the children are involved in fundraising to help others.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's care is enhanced by efficient and effective organisation, with knowledgeable practitioners fully understanding the nursery's policies and procedures. The staff frequently talk to the children to reinforce positive behaviour and continually help the children to learn right from wrong.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

One member of staff is trained in the Foundation Stage and is aware of how young children learn. This enables her to organise a range of indoor and outdoor activities that reflect most aspects of the six areas of learning. However, planning is at times inconsistent resulting in the children's activities not being fully linked to the relevant stepping stones towards the early

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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 learning goals. Observation records are infrequently updated and are not fully used to inform the next steps for the children in their educational progress.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The welcoming environment gives children a strong sense of belonging to the group. They settle quickly and enthusiastically to activities and routines, such as helping each other at tooth brushing time. The children persevere to learn new skills, such as how to use a hole punch and fold a piece of paper to put into an envelope. Staff are positive role models; through the care and concern they show the children resulting in the older children learning to consider others and co-operate well with each other.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident speakers because staff listen to them and value what they say. They eagerly ask questions, talk about their home lives and their friends in the nursery. Skilful story telling and good adult support in the book corner helps children gain early reading skills. They enjoy handling books independently or with friends and animatedly contribute to story time, even taking the book from the adult and 'reading' the book aloud to the rest of the group. Children are familiar with some of the stories and loudly cheer and join in their favourite stories with counting and alphabet rhymes being a current favourite.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Easy access to mark making materials means children begin to use written marks as a way of recording their ideas. For example, following a visit to the local post office, children prepare letters to post home using a variety of stationery materials. These experiences help children use their imagination well and make links in their learning. They develop and improve hand-eye co-ordination skills as they use scissors, paintbrushes and everyday tools and equipment, in a range of sizes. Challenging equipment and good adult support in a wide range of outdoor activities helps children move in different ways and improve their cycling and running skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are interested in the world about them. They particularly enjoyed a visit from a guest who brought a selection of animals and insects which were safely handled. Children confidently use manufactured construction and craft materials to join, create and build. Well-organised daily routines, such as tidy up time, tooth-brushing and story time increase children’s awareness of time.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff use mathematical language throughout the day during routines and play. The children are developing a sense of numbers by counting people in the room then recounting to see how many are asleep. Children are beginning to recognise written numbers and letters for example saying 'this is a seven' and my name begins with 'N' after writing the letter on a piece of paper.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children benefit from having access to plentiful resources and activities which promote equality of opportunity. Displays and activities around Diwali, Chinese New Year and Christmas give the children a wider understanding of some different cultures and religions in society.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are learning to respect themselves and other people because the staff explain in an appropriate manner how to behave in the nursery. Staff deal firmly and fairly with unsuitable

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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 behaviour, explaining why certain behaviour is not acceptable. This gives the children clear boundaries which are shared with the parents.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children play together harmoniously, they are learning to share resources, take turns and are developing their independence. Staff are highly aware that all children have individual needs and work well in consultation with parents and other agencies to support children with learning difficulties/disabilities. Parents are very pleased with the high standard of care that their children receive in the nursery, saying the staff are friendly, experienced and approachable.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. This broadly contributes to the education of the children. Staff work adequately to ensure parents are kept informed about what the children are doing at nursery, having an open door policy but parents do not receive sufficient information about the children's education and curriculum. Parents receive appropriate information about the setting and are asked to share their knowledge of the children. Parents confidently approach staff and demonstrate a good level of satisfaction with the setting with the exception of education information. Some minor amendments are required to the complaints procedure to ensure parents are informed of Ofsted's contact details.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

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

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children are protected because all staff and students are fully checked before they work with children, and students are never left unsupervised with children. The manager is supported by seven additional staff, plus cook and cleaner. Staff are encouraged to work towards a recognised qualification. They know and understand the policy and procedure for managing minor accidents and record these appropriately.

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Organisation

All staff participate in a programme of induction, which includes looking at the policies and procedures. Staff know and understand the policies and procedures and implement them effectively in their day to day routines. However, many of the corporate policies and procedures have not been reviewed for several years resulting in them having some omissions in current practice and legislation. Children's personal records are kept up to date and stored safely to maintain confidentiality.

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Organisation

Leadership and Management is satisfactory. Appropriate procedures are in place for ensuring staff are inducted into the provision and supported through their daily work. They are supported through appraisals and team meetings as well as 1-1 support meetings. Management have clear expectations of how staff should work and what they should know and understand regarding the setting and it’s policies and procedures. Generally staff are supported well by the manager to ensure children receive varied opportunities and experiences on a day to day basis. The manager has identified areas of strengths and weaknesses and some areas are already being addressed, for example, planning and curriculum development.

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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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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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection there were requests to ensure written records of medicines given to children include the surname of each child and to obtain written permission from all parents for seeking emergency medical advice or treatment. These have now been complied with, increasing the safety of the children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

There was also a recommendation regarding support to children who have English as an additional language. The staff have implemented some changes and work closely with parents and carers to ensure to ensure children's individual needs are met.

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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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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 satisfactory.

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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): • make safe fluorescent lights, radiators and improve hygiene practices with regard to wiping children's noses • ensure complaints system includes Ofsted's address and that all parents are familiar with procedure.

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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): • develop planning and observation methods to ensure they inform children's learning and progress

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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 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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