Sale West Secondary School

Shooting Box Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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127538 Unique Reference Number 17 May 2007 Inspection date Annie Williams Inspector

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Broad Oak Road, Woodstock Park, Tunstall, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 8AE

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Setting Address

01795 424262 Telephone number or 01795 430204 E-mail Beverley Ann Sawyer Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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Setting Address

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?

Shooting Box Day Nursery opened in 1989 and operates as a privately-run business. It runs from a large semi-detached house in a rural location near the village of Tunstall, Sittingbourne Kent. There are two play-rooms downstairs and a baby-unit upstairs. A maximum of 26 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08.00 to 18.00 for 50 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 46 children aged from birth to under five years on roll; of these, 19 children receive funding for early education. The nursery has experience of supporting children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs seven members of staff. All of which hold appropriate early years qualifications and three are continuing to extend their existing qualifications. The nursery receives support 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 satisfactory. The nursery is cleaned to an adequate standard. Children learn about a healthy lifestyle through the routines applied by practitioners. For example, they eat healthy foods, have regular access to water and enjoy daily exercise. On hot sunny days children learn to protect themselves. They know why they need to wear a hat and sun cream and explain that it is to stop burning and headaches. Children learn about the importance of dental hygiene, as they brush their teeth everyday after their cooked dinner.

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Helping children to be healthy

Medication procedures are understood and records are clear and compliant. Practitioners take care that records are kept confidential to protect children's privacy. However, children's accidents are not always acknowledged by parents. As a result, parents may miss any later reactions that may be linked to their child's accident at nursery.

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Helping children to be healthy

To help prevent the spread of infection practitioners pay special attention to: cleaning the toys in the baby unit; using individual bed linen; and providing children with disposable towels. A sick child policy is also in place to ensure that poorly children are cared for appropriately and to help stop the spread of infection throughout the nursery. Nearly all practitioners have up-to-date first aid training and parents provide permission for the setting to seek emergency medical advice or treatment. Consequently, practitioners are able to act in the best interest of children in a medical emergency.

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Helping children to be healthy

A range of freshly prepared nutritious meals are cooked on site for the children by an experienced cook. Meal times are a social occasion where children and practitioners sit together. Children clearly enjoy the food provided and are able to name their favourite. However, children's meals are served for them. As a result they are unable to decide how much or what they want on their plate. A variety of foods are prepared by practitioners for afternoon tea, such as sandwiches and crumpets, but as yet not all those involved in food preparation hold a food hygiene certificate.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children practise regular fire/emergency drills. Fire equipment is accessible in all areas of the building contributing to keeping children safe in the event of an evacuation. Most practitioners are familiar with the recommendations for sleeping babies to ensure babies are protected. All practitioners working with the children are identifiable by an apron; as a result children know that they are a safe person to approach. Children's welfare is safeguarded because practitioners have a good knowledge and understanding of child protection and know what to do if they have concerns.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The premises are safe and secure. Careful consideration has been given to ensure that children are only collected by authorised adults. A named practitioner has recently been given the role of health and safety officer and a risk assessment has been introduced. However, risks in the garden have not been identified and removed. As a result children may get hurt from plants, such as nettles.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Parents and children are greeted very warmly by practitioners within the setting and therefore made to feel welcome. There are a range of resources that are cleaned and stored in brightly

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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 coloured containers, although not all are easily accessible. A range of equipment is available to meet the differing needs of children and babies but not all are in good condition for their health and safety.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Planning for babies continues to evolve as practitioners develop their understanding. There is a key person system in place; however, this does not necessarily mean that the key person works with the child at that time; and babies may not have their key person in the baby unit for four weeks. As a result it is difficult for babies to form that 'special' relationship with their key person. When they are in the baby unit the babies are settled and enjoy attention from an adult. They clearly enjoy playing with the many brightly coloured plastic toys on offer; however, these are not organised effectively to enable babies to make independent choices and explore the wide range of resources that are available. Although babies do explore the resources available, such as the objects inside the tent and pop up toys, there are not enough opportunities for babies to explore and investigate natural materials and wet play to promote their creativity

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Practitioners know the children really well and have a clear understanding of how young children learn. Children are happy and confident. They enter the nursery and separate from their main carer with ease. Children eagerly find their name in the entrance hall to self-register before they go off to play; as a result children are able to recognise their names. Practitioners generally set out activities for children in the play areas; consequently, children are not fully engaged in independent self-selection. In addition, although children really enjoy their snack, they are not generally involved in helping to prepare the snack to further develop their independence. Children do help to lay the table at dinner time but as yet their independence is not further promoted by involving them in serving.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Many positive relationships have formed between the children who learn to share and take turns with the support of practitioners. Tidy up time is indicated by the use of music and children busily help to take care of the environment; they are not yet given a warning of tidy up time so that they can finish off what they are doing. Children really enjoy story time and join in with well known stories such as 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'. They write for purpose in the context of their role play. For example, they take orders in the restaurant and write tickets for a ride on the bus to Australia. However, practitioners teach children to read and write the alphabet through work books with no particular purpose or meaning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are involved in mathematical activities during their play; they explore what numbers look like and how many the symbols represent. Projects, such as the life cycle of a butterfly, provide children with the opportunities to find out about changes over time, along with growing plants in the garden. Designing and making things is clearly enjoyed amongst the children; together they build models from junk. Photographs show their involvement in the use of real tools, such as saws and hammers. Other opportunities to develop children's small muscle skills include painting, gluing, pouring and threading. Practitioners skilfully make links in children's play, for example, the role play area becomes a hair salon following a visit from the hair stylist. Children love the photographs on display and eagerly point out what they did or the names of their friends. Pretend play is evident; together children organise a bus ride to Australia by

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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 arranging a row of chairs, using a tin lid as the steering wheel and writing tickets from sticky notes.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are happy and settled at nursery. Many positive relationships are forged between the children who learn to share and take turns within the setting. Children learn the nursery rules and are able to explain them. They are very well behaved. Children's personal cultures are successfully acknowledged by practitioners who know the children really well. Resources and exploring different festivals, such as the Hindu festival of light, further support children's understanding of the differences in our society. However, there are no posters around the setting that reflect positive images of differences to further support children's knowledge and understanding. A special educational needs co-ordinator within the setting works with outside agencies; she has a good understanding of her role to support children with Learning difficulties and or disabilities. 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 of funded children is good. Parents are very happy with the information they receive and are very well informed about their child's development and next steps in learning. Regular newsletters, contact books and information sheets inform parents of their child's care on a daily basis. Parents have regular access to their child's development records and are able to contribute to them and share what they know about their child. A formal system is not yet established to find out parents views of the setting to help with the reviewing and evaluating of the service.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Children are settled and confident at nursery because they are provided with a regular routine. This includes times that they can relax, eat, play and be active. All adults who work at the nursery have undergone checks to establish their suitability because the provider applies robust recruitment procedures; for example, all practitioners are qualified and have criminal record checks. The attendance register shows that the setting is operating within the requirements of registration and the certificate is displayed to keep parents informed of the conditions of registration.

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Organisation

All the required records for the safe and efficient management of the setting and for the welfare, care and learning of children are understood by practitioners, maintained and stored securely. A range of recently reviewed policies are also displayed in the entrance hall for parents to access if they wish. Time out is given to practitioners to maintain thorough records on each child which are shared with their parents. As a result, parents are well informed of their child's care, learning and play.

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Organisation

The Leadership and management of the setting is good. Practitioners work well as a team and are clearly happy in their different roles. They respond positively to the children and are kind and caring in their interactions towards them. Together they plan a range of activities that cover all areas of learning and identify children's needs and interests through observations. The manager/provider has set in place systems to enable practitioners to have planned time out to complete developmental records. As a result development records contain lots of information about the children and their development. The team meet regularly to discuss the

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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 children's needs and the operational plan. Practitioners are supported in further training to enhance their childcare practice.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Following the last care inspection three recommendations were made. These were to ensure all staff and children practise regular fire/emergency drills, ensure children cannot gain access to the kitchen when cooking is taking place and to ensure the arrangements for registration are accurate and show the times of children's arrival and departure. The provider has successfully addressed these recommendations by ensuring that fire drills are practised regularly, the attendance register is accurate and that the kitchen is inaccessible when cooking takes places. As a result, outcomes for children are positive.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Following the last education inspection the provider was asked to ensure that children have regular opportunities to benefit from a range of good quality books, including those that reflect positive images of race, culture and disability. Books are now readily accessible and include positive images. A recommendation relating to planning and assessment records was also made at the last inspection. The provider has ensured that planning and assessment records are linked and are related to the stepping stones across all six areas of learning. As a result, children are provided with a range of experiences and are making good progress towards the early learning goals. Finally a recommendation was made to provide information for parents on the detail of the Foundation Stage so that they can be more involved in their children's learning and to improve the effectiveness of the monitoring of the provision for nursery education. Parents

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Improvements since the last inspection

are now well informed about the Foundation Stage and their child's progress and clear systems are in place to monitor the provision. Consequently, partnership with parents of funded children and leadership and management is good.

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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 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):

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 • consider developing a key person approach within the baby unit and introduce more opportunities for children to explore and investigate natural objects and messy play • develop systems to ensure that parents always acknowledge accidents • assess the risks in relation to the garden, cot mattresses and changing mat and take steps to minimise these

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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): • further promote children's independence by organising the environment for independent self-selection and involve children in snack and meal times [also applies to care] • develop practitioners knowledge and understanding of the stepping stones for handwriting [also applies to care]

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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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