Teddies Nurseries

Teddies Nurseries Inspection report for early years provision

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EY222638 Unique Reference Number 22 March 2007 Inspection date Maureen Croxford Inspector

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106-108 High Street, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 1AQ Setting Address

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01483 861401 Telephone number wrighthe@bupa.com E-mail BUPA Insurance Services Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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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?

Teddies Nurseries in Godalming, opened in 2002. The nursery is part of the nationwide chain of nurseries owned by Teddies Nurseries Limited - BUPA Childcare. It operates from a building in the centre of Godalming, Surrey and serves the local area and surrounding villages. There is a fully enclosed play area which offers a safe environment for outside play. The nursery opens all year round, excluding Christmas and bank holidays, from 08:00 to 18:00; extended hours can be accommodated by prior arrangement.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 85 children, aged from three months to four years, on roll. This includes 14 three-year-olds and eight-four-year old educationally funded children. There are procedures in place to support children with learning difficulties and physical disabilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A team of 11 staff work with the children, six of whom hold a recognised early years qualification. The nursery offers extra activities from professional teachers, including French classes and physical play opportunities with regular sports sessions. The nursery receives support from a mentor from the local authority.

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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. Children enjoy a clean and very welcoming environment, which helps to ensure their well being and comfort. Their health within the setting is generally supported by staff who have an understanding of the nursery's health and hygiene procedures. However, children are not always protected from cross contamination as several of them use the same towel after washing their hands and face. Staff wear aprons and disposable gloves when changing nappies and preparing food. All required documentation such as accident and medication records are in place, up to date and regularly evaluated.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are encouraged to be fully independent in self-care skills and understand the importance of taking regular drinks as a way to maintain their health. They learn about the importance of activity in a healthy lifestyle as they join in free-play and well organised, challenging activities. They thoroughly enjoy physical exercise, both inside and outside, including balancing, using sit-and-ride toys and 'Tots in Sports'.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy snacks and meals from a wide range of foods, such as fruit and vegetables, proteins and carbohydrates and learn about the need for a healthy and well balanced diet. This is reinforced through a range of topics and activities, planned by staff, which ensures that they gain a sound understanding of good nutrition. During the inspection, children enjoy a snack of crackers and a lunch of sausage, baked bean and potato mash pie, carrots and peas.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are confident and secure in the well-organised environment. The premises offer plenty of space and the necessary facilities for the very wide range of activities provided for the children who attend. Staff organise space well and provide a wide range of safe storage, which allows children to access their own resources easily. The environment is very warm and welcoming. For example, children's artwork is displayed throughout the nursery. This includes large pictures, which the children have painted. These have been auctioned, and parents and carers bought these to raise money for charity.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision has a good range of safe and well-maintained furniture, equipment and toys that meets the needs of the children, including child sized tables and chairs, and soft furnishings. In the baby room there is suitable equipment, including low chairs, cots, buggies, soft play areas and cushions. The resources provide a well-balanced range of activities that promote children’s learning in all areas. Children are able to move freely, safely and confidently around the room and staff are well positioned, which ensures that they are able observe them at all times.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff ensure that risks and hazards are minimised, through regular risks assessments. They follow the provisions health and safety policies and procedures, to ensure that children thrive and learn. These include staff training, team meetings and induction programmes. The provision has very good systems in place to assure the safe arrival and collection of children includes passwords, intercom systems and coded doors. All visitors are signed in and out of the provision, which ensures the children are fully protected from persons that have not been checked.

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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 Staff update their knowledge of safe guarding children issues regularly, ensuring the children are well protected. The acting manager is the designated person and staff have a clear understanding of the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. All children are enthusiastic and self-assured in the provision's warm and welcoming environment. Staff are well-qualified and have a strong understanding of child development which ensures the exciting range of activities and experiences provided are suitable for the age and stage of the children attending.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

They use the Birth to three matters framework in their planning to enhance the quality of experiences offered for younger children. Nursery staff meet as a team and each unit takes the planning to the development levels it needs to meet the individual needs of the children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff interact well with children including cuddles, eye contact and conversation. Children enjoy looking at books and singing. Staff make good use props while singing simple songs, for example, different coloured cards for 'I can Sing a Rainbow' to help children recognise different colours. All children receive opportunities to explore many different forms of media, such as paint and sand.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are making good progress towards the stepping stones. They are happy, settled and familiar with the routines and the setting. They are eager to learn and keen to be involved in the activities offered, for example they become exited by the foam activity. They have the freedom to choose with whom and what they play with.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage of learning and stepping stones. They receive internal and external training to help them develop their understanding of the curriculum. Staff plan thoroughly, which relate to all areas of learning and show a balanced range of activities, how resources are to be used and what children should learn. They use their observations and assessment records, although they do not ensure planning is clearly evaluated and used to identify the children's next stage of learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident and have good self-esteem, for example, they help set the table at meal times and serve lunch for themselves. They enjoy meal times as sociable occasions because staff sit with them to eat. Children talk openly about how their bodies work and what foods make them grow big and strong. They are polite and are encouraged to say please and thank you. They take turns and staff remind them not to interrupt others. They show concern for each other and are aware of others needs, for example, one child has a temperature and sits in a quiet area with a member of staff. Another spontaneously goes over to her and fans her with a book to cool her down.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children talk openly about their homes and ask each other questions. They are developing a sense of humour and two four-year-olds tells the inspector jokes. They are confident enough to speak in small and large groups, for example, at circle time. One child talks about sleeping in the a bunk bed and that he 'sleeps on the top'.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children practise early reading and writing skills, for example emergent writing using different forms of media including chalk, crayons, paints and sand. They attempt to write for a variety

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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 of purposes, such as labelling for the garden centre set up in the home corner. They have access to notepads and pencils and evidence shows that they are developing their handwriting skills. A wide range of books is available and children benefit from stories that are read well by staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Most children count confidently and many opportunities are presented to them to compare numbers through well-planned activities and everyday routines. Numbers are displayed in all areas, especially in the mathematics area. They are beginning to develop an understanding of the concept of money, for example during the inspection a three-year-old offers the inspector the chance to buy a bunch of daffodils and tells her that costs £20. He gives her the money to pay for them out of the till and tells her that he will look after them until she gets back. They are beginning to recognise numerals and place them in numerical order. They count the number of animals on a puzzle confidently. Children enjoy measuring water in a jug. They talk about it being empty, full and half-full.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff help children to develop an awareness of the world around them through good displays of maps and pictures of various cultures. The provision has a travelling bear and children are taking it on outings and holidays. Parents are encouraged to record events and experiences enjoyed by their family. Children explore and investigate, for example, using rice and dried pasta they fill containers using funnels and tubes. In the outdoor area they have planted flowers and plants in pots. Indoors they have sown cress seeds and evidence shows that children have discussed and identified that plants needs soil, water and sunlight to help them grow.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are able to move safely around the provision with increasing control and co-ordination. They are able to travel over balancing equipment confidently. Children's manipulative skills are very well developed and they enjoy using a wide range of tools and materials, including scissors and garden tools.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are able to use their imagination freely and express themselves through painting and a wide variety of media. Large displays of framed artwork are displayed around the nursery. Children recognise colour, shape and form in two and three dimensions for example, making a large Elma elephant and colouring their own elephants within squares. They have opportunities to express and communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings through role-play, for example the 'garden centre'. They use their imagination well. Their artwork and constructions reflect their own ideas. Children explore playing with the crazy foam and one child says that it looks like snow but feels like cream. Evidence shows that children enjoy using musical instruments and listening to music.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Staff plan and provide a meaningful range of activities and resources to promote a positive view of the wider world and increase the children's awareness of diversity and their understanding of others. Children talk confidently about different activities they have been involved in with regard to other cultures and festivals, for example the Valentines Day dinner dance.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are valued and respected as individuals. Staff meet their individual needs well as they follow their normal daily routine as discussed with parents. Children show care and concern for each other and play together harmoniously. For example, when a child is feeling unwell and very hot another child uses a book to fan her.

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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 Staff manage behaviour well through a range of appropriate strategies suitable for the age and stage of the development of the children. They help them to understand why some behaviour is unacceptable. This ensures that children are well behaved. Children know what is expected of them, learn to value on another and show high levels of confidence and self-esteem. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. All children benefit from the strong partnership between staff and parents. They are given clear information with regard to Birth to three matters and the Foundation Stage. Children settle well because staff have a good knowledge and understanding of their individual routines. Parents receive very clear, well-written information and have good opportunities to contribute to their children’s learning, for example at the Mothers and Carers picnic. Parents and staff regularly discuss the progress of the children who receive nursery education at parents’ sessions using the children’s assessment records. They also share information informally on a daily basis as staff make time to talk to parents. The nursery holds open days to offer parents further information.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Staff deployment and knowledge of child development is very good and staff have a clear understanding of what is expected of them on a daily basis, helping to promote positive outcomes for children. Children benefit and make good progress in their learning due to the good knowledge and understanding of the curriculum of the staff.

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Organisation

The provisions induction programme, ongoing training and the implementation of most of the policies and procedures contribute to children's health, safety and well-being. Children benefit from a consistent key carer system, which helps to ensure that they are secure, safe, and develop good relationships. Systems are in place to monitor teaching and an appraisal system identifies future training needs for both the staff and the nursery.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery is good. Staff and management create an effective and continually improving setting where children are safe, feel good about themselves and make progress towards the early learning goals. A collaborative approach is evident in the setting with senior staff setting a clear vision of the aims and objectives of the setting. The team work well and they are very well supported by the current acting manager and Development Manager.

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Organisation

Staff relationships are good. Students are valued and the unit managers spend time with the students, demonstrating the purpose of the planned activities. This in turns aids staff to develop a good knowledge and understanding of their roles within the provision.

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Organisation

Most staff are appropriately qualified and the management team has ensured that all those working the with children in receipt of funding for nursery education have sufficient knowledge of the stepping stones and the curriculum guidance. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom they provide.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provision was asked to ensure that toilet and nappy changing areas are adequately ventilated at all times. There is no natural ventilation in this area but other windows in the nursery have been opened to allow a free flow of fresh air. These areas are

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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 cleaned regularly and air fresheners used. Staff follow the provisions procedures to dispose of nappies appropriately, which helps to ensure that children are protected.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection, there has been an internal complaint referred to Ofsted by the provider, which related to Standard 1: Suitable Person and Standard 11: Behaviour management. Concerns were raised over the alleged inappropriate management of behaviour. Ofsted required the provider to investigate and a monitoring visit was carried out by Ofsted following this investigation. The provider had completed a sufficiently thorough investigation but accident and incident records were not maintained. The provider was set an action requiring them to maintain a record of any accidents and incidents, countersigned by parents. The provider remains qualified for registration.

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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): • ensure that children have access to individual drying facilities after washing their hands and faces after meals.

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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): • ensure planning is clearly evaluated and used to identify the children's next stage of 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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