St Mary's College

Honeycroft Inspection report for early years provision

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130746 Unique Reference Number 20 June 2007 Inspection date Chris Mackinnon Inspector

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St. Barnabas Hall, Sackville Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 3WF Setting Address

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01273 220323 Telephone number marion@silsby3233.fsnet.co.uk E-mail The Chair 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?

Honeycroft opened in 1993 and is located in a community centre in Hove, near Brighton. The setting provides full day care, a creche for centre users and an after school club. Children use a large hall with a separate sensory room and indoor soft-play area. Children also have access to a safe and secure outdoor play area. The setting is open five days a week except for two weeks in the summer when a play-scheme operates. The setting is registered to care for a maximum of 59 children aged from two to five years and there are currently 78 children on roll. A total of 54 children attend who receive nursery education funding. The setting supports children with learning disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. There is a staff team of 10 and mostly all hold early years qualifications, with two staff members training.

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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. Well organised hygiene routines ensure children are healthy and active at the setting. Children are prompted by staff to wash their hands after messy activities and encouraged to use the toilet independently. A good range of visual displays also supports children's hygiene awareness. Snacks are provided daily for children but there is a lack of choice and fresh fruit is not included, limiting children's healthy eating options. Children's lunches are home provided, but the quality of the food is varied and further action could be taken to promote healthy eating awareness. Children are happy and active and greatly enjoy using the setting's in-built soft-play area. Children can also choose from a wide range of physical activities that include climbing, running and learning balance. Children enjoy active and expressive role-play and the setting's outdoor play area is well organised to provide an effective range of physical games and challenges.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have plenty of opportunities to develop their manual skills and use tools and technology resources effectively. Staff become closely involved during play activities, encouraging children to be expressive with lively music and dance activities. Children are also able to explore light and sound and develop their senses, in the setting's sensory room, which they enjoy greatly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children enjoy a stimulating and exciting play and learning environment. The setting's main area is divided into a range of well prepared and challenging play-zones, well organised to promote children's interest and development. Children also enjoy and benefit greatly from using the setting's in-built soft-play room and sensory room. A safely organised outdoor play area supports many physical activities and is a valued addition to the setting's lively play and learning environment. Children can access quiet areas, well equipped for reading or using computers and much attractive art-work and colourful visual display material is evident. Children can access a rich and varied range of play and learning resources, including a particularly effective range of working wooden play items. Well organised communication and interactive resources supports children's social and language development and there is also access to

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

maths, counting and technology toys. Much exciting role-play is generated when children and staff adapt play resources together. Children also have much fun with water, sand and messy play. A well organised range of safety procedures is in pace and the setting is secure. Effective fire safety procedures and precise risk assessments ensure children are kept from harm. Staff are effectively deployed to ensure children's safety and are trained and experienced in safeguarding children's welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children enjoy well planned and organised play areas and engage in a full range of stimulating play activities. A fully detailed and highly effective play and learning programme is provided for all ages of children attending. Children explore messy-play and have many well organised sensory based play experiences. Children's learning is successfully extended with an effective range of language and communication based activities. Children develop confidence with writing and words and have many opportunities to explore feelings and relationships. Many exciting and colourful art-crafts and creative activities are provided that follow the current learning theme; countries of the world. Children become highly involved in their play and are able to

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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 create their own games with inventive and active role-play. A range of outdoor activities is also provided that includes early learning and physical play. The setting provides a highly organised and outstanding range of activities, designed to stimulate children's achievement and enjoyment. Staff are highly effective in guiding children to adapt and be expressive with resources. Staff are versatile and dynamic, letting children lead the play and learning. Children also enjoy many well planned adult-led activities that contain surprises to excite and hold children's interest. Staff are confident and inspiring teachers and provide many good quality learning interactions. Staff use questions and language highly effectively to widen children's experiences. Staff are consistent in recording individual children's progress and are highly motivated, successfully

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

supporting children's enjoying and achieving.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of the teaching and learning is good. The setting provides a wide range of well organised activities that effectively supports children's learning progress. Staff conduct regular observations of children and gather much detailed information on individual children's progress and responses to activities. All six areas of learning are effectively presented, but the range of mathematical development activities lacks sufficient challenge and complexity to interest older children. Children make good use of tools when learning and talk well with others about other countries and cultures. Children are expressive and have lively dance and physical activities, well supported by enthusiastic staff who respond well to children's ideas. Children play and learn together happily without adult guidance, sharing and helping each other to use resources. Children respond well to the set learning activities and staff are confident and extend children's

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

learning easily. Children learn about shapes and time and how to look and develop their senses. Access to books, writing and using the computer are all well organised features of the setting's play and learning programme and staff support children's learning successfully in all these areas. Well planned and effective role-play also features strongly in the children's learning. Staff are consistent in supporting children's language development skills, questioning children well and introducing new learning experiences. During all learning activities, staff demonstrate a confidence and enjoyment in their teaching, providing children with many good quality interactions and shared learning experiences.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are welcomed at the setting and are effectively encouraged to play and learn happily together. Staff consistently encourage children to join in and staff apply effective strategies to support good behaviour. Children learn to be friendly and how to share and respect others. Children are encouraged to tidy-up, be helpful and take their turn, supporting their social, moral, cultural and spiritual development. Children are well supported in their learning about feelings and how their behaviour effects others. The setting has a high awareness of equal opportunities and children with learning disabilities are effectively supported by trained and experienced staff. The setting is active in reflecting diversity and children's understanding of the wider world is well organised, with a wide range of other culture resources, activities and play-themes provided. Parents are provided with well organised and detailed information on

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Helping children make a positive contribution

the setting's activities and early learning programme. Parents also have clear access to the setting's guidance policies and documentation. Parents are encouraged to take an interest in their children's development and parents have regular meetings with their children's key-workers. Parents and families are also well supported by the setting with language guidance and community contact.

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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 The partnership with parents is good. Parents are provided with clear information on the setting's learning programme and can access individual children's learning profiles. Clear information on the setting's activities and learning curriculum is also provided. Parents have regular formal meetings with their children's key workers that are recorded. Staff have contact with parents at important points in their children's development, when staring at the setting and later when further involved in the play programme. Parents have access to a well situated notice board that is well organised to provide information on learning themes, children's care and the setting's activities. The setting is taking positive steps to encourage parents to become involved in their children's activities and to continue their children's learning at home. Parents

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Helping children make a positive contribution

of children with learning disabilities are well supported by the setting, with established links made to outside care agencies. Parents have easy access on a daily basis to the manager and staff and parents may visit or stay at the setting at any time, to support their children's learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit from the setting's thoughtful and successful organisation of the play spaces and learning areas. A wide and stimulating range of challenging resources and play materials is provided. Staff take care to present a focused range of learning areas to successfully support children's development. Staff deployment is well organised and effective, with staff members' individual skills and strengths acknowledged. Staff lead activities confidently, providing children with much one-to-one support and close and attentive care. Staff are experienced and qualified and are consistent in supporting children's care and healthy development. A well organised and effective key-worker system is in place and staff work closely with parents to support individual children's development. The setting keeps accurate and detailed records and has well organised guidance documentation and policies that are regularly reviewed. The setting

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Organisation

meets the needs of the range of children for whom they provide.

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Organisation

The leadership and management within the setting is good. Staff provide a well planned and detailed learning curriculum to support and encourage all children's learning. Five staff members are involved with the delivery of the learning programme, which is regularly reviewed for effectiveness. The learning intentions included within the panning, effectively includes all six areas of learning and reflects the previous term's assessment of children's progress. Key workers make regular observations of children's achievements and meet on a monthly basis to update the children's records. Staff also meet daily before the play session to plan and organise resources and activities. Twice per term a whole staff meeting is held to evaluate the activities and plan new learning themes. Staff are well supported by the manger who encourages the staff's teaching strengths and specialities. Staff work flexibly together to ensure the successful delivery

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Organisation

of the learning programme. Staff also bring a wide range of skills to the setting and are confident and effective teachers. Staff are well managed and supported within the setting, with regular staff appraisals and further training opportunities provided, in partnership with the local Early Years Service.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the setting's policies and procedures have been reviewed and up-dated, improving positive outcomes for children in the Organisation of the setting.

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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

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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 to meet the National Standards.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • improve the choice of snack foods provided and develop children's and parent's awareness of healthy eating

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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): • widen the scope of the mathematical development activities to provide more challenges for older children

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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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