Start Right Nursery

Start Right Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Start Right Nursery

Unique Reference Number 253678 Inspection date 07 November 2005 Inspector Janice Broddle

p.1

Start Right Nursery

Setting Address 350 Trent Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 7XQ

p.1

E-mail

Registered person Startright Nursery Limited Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

p.1

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

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 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?

Start Right Nursery is a privately owned provision. It opened in October 2001 and operates from five rooms in a modern two-story building. It is situated on the outskirts of Grantham. A maximum of 59 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.45 to 18.00, all year round, closing only for Public Holidays. There are two secure enclosed outdoor play areas, one of which is covered.

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 There are currently 95 children aged from 0 to under 8 years on roll. Of these 27 children receive funding for nursery education. The nursery serves the local area and children attend on a full and part-time basis. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and also supports children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 21 staff, several of these on a part-time basis. 10 of the staff, hold appropriate early years qualifications. 9 staff are working towards a qualification.

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are cared for in an environment where high standards of cleanliness and good hygiene practices help to minimise the risk of spread of infection. This is supported by clear written procedures and effective communication with parents regarding children who are unwell. Children gain a good understanding of personal hygiene through effective adult support. They know to wash their hands after engaging in messy activities, before meals and after touching the rabbit, and clean their teeth after meals. Pre-school children are becoming increasingly independent in their personal care. The environment is well maintained, clean, and mainly warm. However, the sleeping arrangements for babies is not conducive to promoting their good health as the sleep room is not always maintained at a comfortable temperature and the current arrangements do not enable babies to lie flat. Children are very well nourished. They have regular meals and help themselves to

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

easily accessible drinking water throughout the session. The nursery has gained a ‘Heartbeat award’ for healthy eating. The on-site Cook prepares fresh, nutritious, home-cooked meals that include a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Meals take account of the individual and cultural needs of all children and staff consult with parents regarding national issues when planning menus. High levels of parental involvement, for example, in ’Healthy Eating’ and ‘Let’s Get Active’ projects contribute significantly to children’s understanding of a healthy lifestyle. Children are making good progress in their physical development. Staff are beginning to use the ‘Birth to three matters’ framework to plan a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities to develop physical control. Babies have adequate space to move around and crawl. Toddlers are beginning to learn control of their bodies as they stop, start and move high and low in large group games. Older children develop a

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

positive attitude to physical exercise and practice their developing physical skills through the provision of a versatile range of activities. They climb and balance confidently. They pedal bicycles, and ride scooters and sit-on vehicles competently, moving at speed and steering them skilfully around obstacles. They enjoy running games with staff, moving with control and co-ordination. Children practice their hand-eye co-ordination by accessing a wide range of play materials such as pencils, scissors and small joining equipment.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

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.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are looked after in a secure, warm and welcoming environment. They are protected from the risk of accidental injury because staff are vigilant and carry out daily safety checks to reduce potential hazards. Children play safely, selecting play materials from the well-designed storage, which is at their level. Staff pay good attention to safety issues when presenting toys and play materials, allowing adequate space between activities to minimise the risk of trips and falls. Babies and young toddlers have their own space, indoors and out, so that play is organised specifically to meet their needs. Good systems are in place to ensure that children who are asleep remain closely monitored. Staff work in teams throughout the nursery, deploying themselves appropriately to ensure that they supervise children in all areas. A secure entry system ensures that children are kept safe and secure.

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children use good quality equipment and play materials and there are sound systems in place to check that they remain safe for them to use. Staff plan activities and the selection of toys well ensuring that they are appropriate for a child’s level of development.

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children’s welfare is effectively promoted because staff are fully familiar with the setting’s policies and procedures regarding child protection, and have a clear understanding of their responsibilities.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are confident, happy and enjoy their time at the nursery. Staff meet the individual needs of younger children by enabling them to eat and sleep according to their own routines. They know the children well and are sensitive to their needs and feelings. Children who are new to the group or less confident are kindly comforted before staff support them to engage in play activities. Staff are beginning to use the 'Birth to three matters' framework to plan a good range of age appropriate activities for the youngest children. Children freely explore their play materials and make progress in their development as they learn through play. They enjoy sensory experiences by playing with different textures, and younger children develop early communication skills as staff interact warmly with them during bottle times, at meal times and during play. Children benefit from the good levels of support from staff,

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

who readily and enthusiastically join in children's play and learning. School age children enjoy their time at the nursery and play co-operatively with one another. They benefit from being able to make their own decisions and freely select their games and activities. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a sound knowledge of the curriculum guidance for the foundations stage and provide a broad range of interesting indoor and outdoor activities. As a result, children are well motivated and

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 progress well towards the early learning goals. Children's development is tracked and recorded; however, the assessment records contain limited information and are not updated on a regular enough basis. Consequently, they are not effective in informing planning and some activities provide little challenge for more able children. Children interact confidently with staff who support their learning well by using effective questioning. Children are interested in the range of activities provided and are encouraged to initiate their own games and independently select resources. They are happy, settled and show a strong sense of belonging as they eagerly greet each other and staff on arrival. They are developing an awareness of right and wrong and are learning to take turns and share toys. They confidently talk to each other and adults, asking

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

questions and seeking support when necessary. Children are developing a good range of language through the many opportunities for them to speak in large groups and individually with staff. They freely select from a wide range of age appropriate books, which helps to foster their enjoyment of reading. Children use a wide range of materials to make marks and practise writing for different purposes, and benefit from being able to access these freely and independently. They are beginning to recognise their written names and learn to link sounds to letter shapes through the letters and print displayed around the room. Children confidently use numbers during practical activities and daily routines, and older children can read and write some number symbols. Children are developing a good awareness of simple addition and subtraction through number rhymes and those who are more able can solve simple problems by their thought processes. Children learn about patterns through activities

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

such as bead threading and are able to recall the days of the week in sequence. They use a range of mathematical language to describe shape, size and quantity and explore the concepts of weight and measure, for example, by playing with scales. Children's knowledge and understanding of the world is developing well through interesting planned activities. They learn how to care for the nursery rabbit and eagerly watch how she moves and describe how she feels. They enthusiastically use their senses to explore the texture of shaving cream, smelling, feeling and creating patterns as they do so. They are developing good awareness of the uses of information technology in everyday life. For example, they are able to operate simple equipment such as battery toys and the computer. Children talk with interest about their own lives and those of people they know. They have good opportunities to develop their awareness of the local community and learn about the cultures and

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

beliefs of other people. Children use a variety of mediums to freely express themselves. They explore a range of craft materials, designing and constructing complex models with purpose. Children have learnt a wide variety of songs and join in with enthusiasm. They explore the sounds of the instruments they play and listen to a range of music from different cultures. Children recreate familiar scenes in the role-play area and the good range of equipment encourages them to explore their imagination further.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children have developed effective relationships with each other and staff. They are

p.5

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 developing their awareness of the local community through their involvement in local fund-raising activities and walks around the local area. They are also beginning to develop an awareness of the wider world by accessing a good range of play resources that reflect positive images of race, gender and disability, and by celebrating different festivals. There are effective systems in place to support children with special needs. Staff have good links with parents and other professionals to ensure they are able to meet children’s individual needs, and to support them to participate fully in the life of the setting. Children are valued and respected. Their names are displayed on coat pegs and on baskets for personal possessions, and words around the room are translated into

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

children’s second language. This helps to develop a sense of belonging and of children’s own self worth. Children confidently express their own needs and feelings, for example, when they are tired or hungry. They are polite and well behaved and staff use appropriate and effective methods for managing unwanted behaviour. Children learn good table manners and social skills at meal times. They learn to share resources and show care and consideration for others. Overall, children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Younger children settle well because staff work closely with parents to share information about routines such as feeding and sleeping patterns. Staff use daily diaries effectively to ensure they share information with parents on a daily basis. The partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents receive useful information about the nursery through regular newsletters, notice boards and parent’s evenings.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

Good information is displayed about the Foundation Stage so parents develop an awareness of the curriculum and how children’s learning is supported in the setting. Children benefit from their parents having good opportunities to be involved in their learning, for example by taking home activities related to what they are working on, by sharing ideas for activities and contributing artefacts linked to themes. Key workers keep parents fully informed about how their child is progressing through regular communication and children's assessment records are readily available to parents.

p.6

Organisation

The organisation is good. The effective organisation of the nursery and the good leadership and management of nursery education enhance children’s care. The premises are well organised. Staff make good use of indoor and outdoor space to maximise play and learning opportunities for all children, for example, there is a separate outdoor play area for the youngest children to ensure they can play outdoors safely. All legally required documentation, which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being, is in place although the accident and medication records are not always fully completed which may compromise children’s health. Managers regularly review policies and procedures to ensure they reflect current practice. Robust recruitment and selection procedures ensure that staff working with children are suitably vetted and experienced. Staff are clear of their roles and responsibilities

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 due to the comprehensive induction procedures implemented. A knowledgeable and motivated staff team cares for children due to the clear systems to support staff, and identify and implement their ongoing training needs. Children are well supervised and supported during activities due to the effective deployment of staff and high staffing ratios. Leadership and management of nursery education is good. Staff work well together as a team to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum. Good systems are in place to monitor and evaluate practice, and staff demonstrate real commitment to improving the educational provision. For example, they hold regular staff meetings, regularly attend training courses and seek, and implement advice from relevant professionals. Planning and assessment systems are in place ensuring all aspects of the curriculum

p.6

Organisation

are sufficiently covered. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend.

p.7

Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection, the Provider agreed to devise an operational plan and make this available to parents, to review procedures to allow a regular exchange of information between staff and parents and to provide a lost child policy. An operational plan is now in place and available for parents to view in the main entrance hall area, and daily diaries and white boards are used to relay information to parents. This improves communication with parents and promotes consistency for children. A lost child policy is now in place therefore improving children’s safety. They also agreed to ensure that parents sign all accident and medication records. Although new systems of recording accidents and medication records have been introduced, these are not comprehensively completed and therefore do not fully meet regulations, which could compromise children’s health, and this is carried forward from this inspection.

p.7

Complaints since the last inspection

Since April 2004 there have been two complaints relating to National Standards 2: Organisation, National Standard 4: Physical Environment and National Standard 6: Safety. The complaints related to staff to child ratios and an alleged lack of qualified staff, and the toilet facilities. An Ofsted childcare inspector made an unannounced visit on 29/02/05 to investigate these concerns and found that there was no evidence to suggest a breach of these standards. The provider remains qualified for registration.

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

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 quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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): • ensure that babies rest or sleep comfortably using appropriate equipment and in a room that is maintained at a comfortable temperature • ensure that accident and medication records are comprehensively completed by staff

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): • improve assessment records and ensure staff regularly assess children’s progress along the stepping stones so that older and more able children are appropriately challenged.

p.8

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

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