Little Leo's Nursery

Little Leo's Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY337077 Unique Reference Number 29 June 2007 Inspection date Pauline Nazarkardeh Inspector

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North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road South, London, N11 1GN Setting Address

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0208 2113119 Telephone number d.johnson@kingsborough-uk.com E-mail Little Leo's Nursery 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?

Little Leo's Nursery was registered in 2006. It is privately owned and run by Little Leo's Nursery Ltd. It operates from a building on North London Business Park in the Brunswick Park area of the London borough of Barnet. The setting has three main play rooms and all children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 55 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open weekdays from 07:30 to 18:30 all year round.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 21 children aged from four months to under five years on roll. Of these, two children receive funding for early education. The nursery currently supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and also supports children who speak English as an additional language. Children come from a wide catchment area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs seven members of staff, all of whom hold an appropriate early years qualification.

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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's health is promoted as the nursery maintains a high standard of cleanliness. Children are learning self-care skills to prevent the risk of cross-infection as they wash their hands at appropriate times during the day. They also understand why it is important to do so. Children are protected from unnecessary illness as they do not attend if they are sick. Effective procedures are in place to manage accidents and to administer medication as four members of staff hold a current first aid certificate.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from the excellent opportunities provided for physical play and exercise. They have daily access to the well equipped garden. Here, they have the opportunity to run, cycle, swing and slide within a secure environment.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a range of nutritious meals and they are offered drinks regularly, older children can access these independently. Children sit together in small groups for their meals which is a social occasion for the older children. The organisation of meal times for younger children is less effective as a result children do not sit as a group and they spend time waiting for their food to arrive. Older children help to serve meals to their peers and all children enjoy the food provided, which includes a selection of chicken, fish and vegetarian dishes. Staff are aware of children’s individual dietary needs and there are systems in place to monitor the food provided to children with allergies.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children have easy access to a wide range of stimulating and fun play resources set out within a warm and welcoming environment. They have sufficient space to move around and play safely. Children confidently select equipment they wish to use from shelves and open fronted units. All furniture and equipment is clean and in good condition. Babies are able to sleep comfortably in their cots and toddlers have individual rest beds. There is a variety of tables and chairs to meet the individual needs of all children at meal and play times.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety is promoted as daily checks by staff ensure there are no potential hazards to endanger them. Fire drills are held regularly, and fire exits are clearly indicated and unobstructed to assist with the quick and safe evacuation of the premises in an emergency. The security of the building is also good as a closed circuit television camera (CCTV) monitors the gate and front door to ensure that unwelcome visitors can not enter the premises, or children leave unnoticed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is further safeguarded by the staff's knowledge and understanding of child protection matters. The person responsible for child protection knows the procedures to follow should they have a concern about a child, and the necessary documentation is in place to support their practice.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The children are split by age into three groups, each having a separate base room. Babies and toddlers share the same base room where they play contentedly. Here babies learn through using their senses, for example, exploring treasure baskets which contain various objects which are shiny, noisy, soft and hard. Younger children are engaged and enthusiastic and have good levels of concentration as they explore the activities, for example, they enjoy feeding the animals with sand.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Younger children benefit from activity planning that follows the Birth to three matters framework to support their learning. This means that they are becoming competent learners as the activities are meaningful and appropriate. Children thoroughly enjoy being able to play outdoors. The garden is well equipped and allows them to have great fun as they make the balls roll down the sloping pipes, feel the leaves on the plants, drive the cars to the garage and generally run around.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children make good progress towards the early learning goals because staff have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage of learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are observed to identify their achievements; the information gained is evaluated and used to plan the next step for each child. This enables children to make good progress in all areas of learning. However, systems are not yet fully developed to demonstrate each child's individual progress and stage of development. Children work well together in small groups, and individually, as they concentrate and persist at their chosen activity.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff encourage children to make decisions and to self-select resources and equipment. Children play independently, explore and have a positive approach to new experiences and are very well supported by the staff. A good balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities maintains children's high level of interest throughout the day. Children are confident speakers and they engage in conversations with each other and adults. They observe their names in the environment, for example, on their coat pegs and table mats. Children are drawing recognisable pictures, for example, ladybirds and ants with features such as legs and body segments.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy a wide range of problem solving activities indoors and out and staff ensure this is fun. Children are counting confidently and they are learning about shape and space as they fit puzzles together and construct with bricks.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use magnifying glasses to observe mini-beasts and they enjoy investigating and exploring living things, such as ladybirds, ants, plants and seeds. Children are learning how things work and why things happen, for example, they describe what is happening when the ice is melting. They are increasing their computer skills as they click and drag the mouse. They particularly enjoy operating the digital camera as they photograph each other at play. Children are making good progress in all areas of their development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered. They are full of confidence and self-esteem due to the caring staff who offer on going praise and encouragement.

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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 Children are learning about the world in which they live and the beliefs of other people as they celebrate a variety of festivals. Children are very well-behaved as staff manage their behaviour sensitively and appropriately. Babies and toddlers are re-directed or distracted. More able children are able to listen to reason and they know and accept the rules within the setting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children who speak English as an additional language are generally well supported by sensitive staff who ensure they are familiar with words the children use at home. However more preparation for individual needs is needed to support their understanding of the daily routine. Children currently attending who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities are supported by the special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) who’s work is guided by suitable policies and procedures.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit greatly by the strong relationships between staff and their parents. The key worker system enables staff to know the children really well and to liaise with parents while coordinating their care and education. Parents are aware that the early years curriculum provided is linked to the Birth to three matters framework and the Foundation Stage of learning. Partnership with parents and carers in relation to nursery education is good. They are notices for parents explaining how activities are linked to areas of learning. The systems to provide information on how children are progressing in relation to Foundation stage curriculum are less effective.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The nursery is well organised with resources and play areas used effectively to create a welcoming environment. The staff make good use of the available space to enable children to make choices about how they spend their time. Children are safe and well looked after because policies and procedure for their wellbeing are followed by staff. All documentation required for the effective management of the nursery is in place. Robust recruitment procedures are implemented to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the setting are good. The staff team is led by a manager who is a good role model and is committed to the promotion of good quality childcare. She encourages her staff to increase their skills through further training, and gives them good support, both informally on a daily basis and formally through staff appraisals and meetings. Staff have a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities, and their deployment around the nursery is effective to protect the wellbeing of the children. They also ensure that all children are happily engaged in purposeful activities. Staff have a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage and they effectively support the children's learning and development. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration 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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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

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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): • consider ways of improving how meals are served to babies to reduce the time they spend waiting • continue to develop systems which support children with English as a second language

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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): • develop the systems for recording and monitoring children's development • enhance partnership with parents by providing information on how children are progressing in relation to Foundation stage curriculum.

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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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