Wollaton Village Day Nursery

Wollaton Village Day Nurseries Ltd

Inspection report for early years provision

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Wollaton Village Day Nurseries Ltd

Unique Reference Number 253113 Inspection date 18 November 2005 Inspector Anne McKay

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Wollaton Village Day Nurseries Ltd

Setting Address 52 Church Street, Eastwood, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG16 3HS Telephone number 01773 711721 E-mail WVDN282239@aol.com Registered person Wollaton Village Day Nurseries Ltd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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Wollaton Village Day Nurseries Ltd

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 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 satisfactory. 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?

Wollaton Village Day Nursery (Eastwood) is part of the family owned, Wollaton Village Nurseries Limited group. The nursery is situated near to the town centre of Eastwood, bordering Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, and within easy reach of the A610 and M1 motorway. It is a two storey building. Children aged up to five years old are cared for on the ground floor and are grouped according to their age and stage of development with separate rooms for babies, pre-toddlers, toddlers and 3-5 year

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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 olds. The first floor is used for children aged over 5 years as an out of school care facility. All children have access to a secure outdoor area which offers a hard play and grassed surface. The nursery is registered to accept a maximum of 100 children aged up to 8 at any one time. There are currently 76 children on roll. Of these, 24 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local and wider area and have different patterns of attendance. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, throughout the year from 07:30 to 18:00. There are thirteen staff who work directly with the children. Nine of these, including the manager, have relevant early years qualifications. Additional staff are employed to carry out domestic duties. The facility accesses support from teachers/mentors

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

from the Nottinghamshire Local Authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health is well promoted at the nursery. Children learn about the importance of personal hygiene through daily routines such as washing their hands before eating. Babies health is safeguarded because staff ensure their toys are clean and follow suitable and relevant procedures when changing nappies. Children are protected from the risk of cross infection by the good implementation of health and hygiene practices, including a clear policy to exclude children while they are ill. All relevant health records are in place, are well-maintained and up to date. These are shared appropriately with parents so that children receive a consistent level of care. Children's physical health is promoted as they have opportunities to exercise every day. They play outside and have room to move about and explore within their group rooms. Drinks are available to children at all times to prevent them from becoming

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Helping children to be healthy

thirsty or dehydrated. Children can rest and sleep according to their individual need. Children receive a balanced, nutritious diet through a menu of healthy choices. Individual dietary needs are catered for according to children's needs and parents' wishes to ensure that children stay healthy.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in an environment that is secure and safe. Staff regularly undertake risk assessments to identify potential hazards and take appropriate action to minimise the risk to children. Children are supervised at a level that is appropriate to their age, ability and level of understanding. This means they play safely while developing confidence and independent skills. Suitable equipment allows children to play, rest and eat in comfort. Children mostly access and play with toys and activities that promote their development. However, there is no suitable equipment outside to

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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 challenge older children to develop their physical skills. Toys and activities are well-maintained so children can play with them safely. Children are protected by staff's adequate knowledge and understanding of child protection procedures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children throughout the nursery are mostly confident and secure because they have positive relationships with the staff. This enables them to settle to play and learn. Babies are usually able to rest according to their individual needs, which provides consistency with their home routines. However, there are some times during the nursery routine, for example at meal times, when staff are slower to respond to the babies individual needs, leaving children crying or under-stimulated. The pre-toddlers, known as 'tweenies', who are looked after with the older children in the toddler room are sometimes overwhelmed and do not have their individual developmental needs adequately planned for. Children are generally interested and enthusiastic. They play creatively and imaginatively, accessing a variety of focused activities and playing freely with the resources set out for them. They develop their social and communication skills

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

through the interactions with staff who listen to them and talk to them. Children are asked questions that challenge them and stimulate them to think so they learn through their play. Children's confidence and self-esteem is promoted by staff who take their questions and ideas seriously and praise them for their achievements. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children are making steady progress towards the early learning goals. Staff have an adequate knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage and the principles for early learning and plan activities to cover a balanced curriculum. There are not, however, always clear learning outcomes identified for the group or for individual children. A new assessment system has recently been introduced so that individual children's progress along the stepping stones towards the early learning goals can be more consistently and accurately monitored. This will enable staff to plan more effectively

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

for individual children's learning. Children are generally interested in the activities and resources provided for them. They play with confidence and move purposefully about the setting choosing what to do. Children become absorbed in activities and are able to concentrate and apply themselves, completing tasks to their own satisfaction. Children respond well to the skilful questioning by staff who use many opportunities initiated by the children to challenge them and extend their learning. Children use language to interact with staff and with each other. They take turns in conversations and persevere to make themselves understood. Children play imaginatively with a good selection of resources. They develop language, communication and social skills within extended role plays that they devise. Children are encouraged to write their names and have some opportunities to make marks during role play activities and when painting and

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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 Children use numbers within their play and attempt to count spontaneously. Older children can count reliably by rote up to at least ten and staff support all children in learning basic addition and subtraction during the daily routine and in nursery rhymes. Children explore a range of different materials and textures in their play and in art and craft activities. They learn about everyday technology through the regular use of electronic toys and they usually have access to a computer. Children begin to develop a sense of time and place through discussions at circle time. They play with a good selection of resources that reflect diversity so they can learn about the wider world. They also develop some understanding and respect for different cultures through activities arranged by the staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing friendships and play co-operatively together. They are well-behaved and are learning to share. They are developing independent skills such as pouring their own drinks although staff do not always extend these skills for the more able children. Children move around the nursery and negotiate space with confidence. All children use small tools such as scissors and glue-spreaders. Older children are competent manipulators of different tools and equipment and show good co-ordination. They have limited opportunities to develop their physical skills such as climbing and balancing as they do not have access to large equipment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children have their individual care needs met by staff who communicate with parents to ensure they have all relevant information. Records of children's dietary and health needs are recorded appropriately so children receive continuity of care. Arrangements to identify and support children with special needs are good. Staff work closely with parents and other agencies to ensure children's welfare is promoted and that all children are included. Staff's understanding of equal opportunities means that children are introduced to other cultures and beliefs through suitable resources and activities. This helps children to learn about the wider world and to explore aspects of their identities. Children throughout the nursery are well behaved. Children understand what is expected from them and respond well to clear guidance from staff who praise them for good behaviour and achievements.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children under three benefit from the good partnership staff have developed with parents. Children receive consistent care because staff work closely with parents and ensure home routines are followed as closely as possible. This gives children a sense of belonging and helps them to settle. Children generally separate well from their parents and go to key staff with confidence. Effective systems are used to share information about children's care. Systems for sharing information with parents of children who receive nursery education are not so effective. Although parents have some understanding of what their children are learning they are not always aware of how they can support this at home to help their children progress. Basic information is available to parents and plans are in place to involve them in the new assessments and to give them

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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 information to help them understand more about the Foundation Stage curriculum.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. There are suitable recruitment and vetting procedures to ensure children are cared for by appropriate adults. Staff have an appropriate understanding of the nursery policies and procedures and are mostly able to implement these to promote children's health and well-being. However, not all staff have received training on the 'Birth to three matters' framework and this has left some of them unsure about how to implement the new planning. Children are not always grouped according to their age and stage of ability. As a result, the younger children placed in the toddler room have not had their needs consistently met. Essential records are in place and are kept up to date. Leadership and management for nursery education is satisfactory. The quality of the provision is monitored and advice is sought form the local authority. The staff team have been supported in putting this advice into practice and some improvements

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Organisation

have been made to the systems for planning and for assessing the children's progress, although the implementation has been quite slow. There is a commitment to continuing to improve the provision and the outcomes for the children. The provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The nursery has made several improvements as agreed at the last inspection. Children can no longer access the staff toilet and are kept safe in the outside area as the boundary is now secure. Children are better nourished because they have healthy meals at regular intervals and have ready access to drinking water. Children in the pre-school room now have more opportunities to consolidate their mathematical knowledge and to develop skills of simple addition and subtraction. Their independence is promoted because they can readily access resources themselves to choose what they want to play with. Children's independent use of books is encouraged by a newly established book corner. Improvements continue to be required in the planning of activities for the pre-toddler children, known as 'tweenies' and this is carried forward at this inspection.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Ofsted has received four complaints since April 2004. Three separate complaints were made about ratios of staff to children in the nursery. This was investigated under National Standard 2, Organisation. Ofsted wrote to the nursery on receipt of the first complaint, but did not receive a satisfactory response. An unannounced visit was then made to the nursery by a child care inspector. The inspector concluded that ratios were being maintained. Whilst the provider explained to the inspector how the staff are deployed and the register of the children was accurate, the staff register did not offer reliable information regarding which staff were present. The provider agreed

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Complaints 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 an action to address this. One of the complainants also raised concerns about the way the nursery dealt with an accident involving a child at the nursery. This was investigated by the inspector during the visit under National Standard 7, Health. The inspector concluded that the accident had been dealt with appropriately and the provider remained qualified for registration. A further concern was raised that a parent had not received a contract and this had led to differing information given about the notice period required if children did not attend the nursery. Concern was also raised about rudeness of staff, the unwillingness to provide the complainant with the complaints procedure, and about the provision not notifying Ofsted of staff changes. These concerns were investigated

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Complaints since the last inspection

under National Standard 12, working in Partnership with parents and carers and National standard 14, Documentation. An unannounced visit was made by a child care inspector and the provider agreed an action to ensure that Ofsted is informed promptly of any significant changes, with specific reference to changes in members of staff and the appointment of the new manger. A further visit was made to follow up a delayed response to this action. The provider remained qualified for registration.

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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 satisfactory. 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): • continue to develop the use of the 'Birth to three matters' framework in the planning and assessment of the provision for the younger children and babies, to further improve the outcomes for them. In particular, plan and provide a suitable range of activities for the 'tweenies' when they are cared for in the toddler room that are appropriate for their age and stage of development • provide a suitable range of equipment to meet the developmental needs of children from three to eight years in the outside play area (also applies to Nursery Education)

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered

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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 person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • improve the systems for assessment to ensure that individual children's progress along the stepping stones towards the early learning goals is monitored and reviewed so that planning can be made for their next steps in learning • continue to improve the planning to ensure it effectively meets the needs of all the children, with clear learning intentions for the group and for individual children, taking into account children's different ages, rates of learning and particular needs • improve the partnership with parents by providing them with more information about what the children are learning and enable them to be involved in supporting this by establishing links between the children's learning at home and at the nursery

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

• make improvements as indicated in the care section above.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements 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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