Colehill Nursery

Colehill Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Colehill Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY296236 Inspection date 19 May 2005 Inspector Pamela Woodhouse

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Colehill Nursery

Setting Address Colehill County First School, Middlehill Road, Colehill, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 2HL Telephone number 01202 889724

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E-mail

Registered person Colehill Nursery Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional care

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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

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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 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?

Colehill Nursery opened in 1997 and transferred to the current premises in 2004. The nursery is registered to care for 26 children aged two to under five years and operates from its own spacious playroom within the First school. There is also a large, secure play area and garden for outside play. The nursery serves the local and surrounding areas. There are currently 43 children aged from two to under five years on roll. This

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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 includes 26 funded three year olds and 12 funded four year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children with special needs. The nursery opens five days per week in term time from 09:15 until 12:00. Additionally it is open in term time on Tuesday from 13:00 until 15:00 and on Thursday from 13:00 until 15:15. Two full time and four part time staff work with the children. Four of the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level two and three, and two are currently working towards a recognised qualification. The setting receives support from Dorset Sure Start.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children learn about the importance of good personal health and hygiene through a range of play activities and daily routines. They know about washing hands before handling food and after visiting the toilet and learn how physical activity affects their bodies, for example, that running around makes them hot. Children's risk of exposure to infection is minimised. This is due to the sensible precautions that staff have in place, for example, the exclusion of children who are sick and their good hygiene practices. All the staff have current first aid certificates which ensures that they have up to date knowledge of first aid procedures to apply to children when necessary. Children have very good opportunities to develop control of their bodies. They have access to a large outside play area, using the playground markings to balance, hop, and jump. They run around and enjoy the freedom of the space and use climbing

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Helping children to be healthy

equipment and wheeled toys competently. The covered porch means that activities are sometimes transferred outside, for example, sand and water, so that children can take advantage of fresh air even when the weather is wet. Children benefit from eating healthy snacks such as fruit and a choice of water or milk to drink. Their dietary needs are known to, and understood, by the staff which means that they are not put at risk from unsuitable or inappropriate foods.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The good adult supervision and the provision of a safe and secure environment both indoors and outside, ensures that children are kept safe. Resources and toys are of very good quality and very well maintained which means that they are robust and safe for continuous use by the children. The comprehensive security procedures promote children's safety. For example, the secure entry and exit points, means that children cannot leave the premises and others cannot enter unless invited to do so,

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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 thereby ensuring safety. There are appropriate and well practised emergency evacuation procedures in place. The staff and children know very well, assuring children's safety in an everyday situation. Both indoor and outside play areas are safely arranged so that children can move around freely and there is good visibility to ensure that they can be observed and supervised efficiently. Children use the toys and equipment safely and observe the simple rules about walking and not running in the playroom so as to prevent accidents to themselves and others. Staff have a clear knowledge and understanding of the child protection policy and there are effective procedures in place which contribute to the protection of children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are confident and happy. They settle very quickly and immerse themselves in the activities of their own accord playing for sustained periods of time. They have developed a positive relationship with staff and have made good friendships with their peers, seeking out their friends to play together and inviting others to join them, for example, when making tents and 'camping'. Children confidently seek help from staff who encourage them to think for themselves rather than doing things for them. This promotes their independence and helps to raise their self esteem and feeling of self worth. They are well supported by an interested and enthusiastic staff team who know what each child's preferences and needs are. Sometimes activities for the under-three-year olds are too challenging, at present, although staff are beginning to use the Birth to three matters framework in their practice. |Children's progress is maintained very effectively as each key worker

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

is responsible for only a small group of children. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. All staff have a very good knowledge of the Foundation Stage and regularly update their skills through training. This means that children benefit from up-to-date practice. The staff use appropriate questioning techniques which encourages the children to think for themselves rather than seek the answer from staff. The activities, which cover all areas of learning, provide the children with appropriate challenges and stimulation and so promotes their active learning and development. Children's progress is monitored through regular observations and assessments. These very clearly track the progress of each child and inform the individual play plans of the older funded three-year-olds and the four-year-olds. Play plans are not introduced until the funded three-year-olds are in their second term which means that

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

these children do not have individual learning targets. Children are making good progress in their learning, They speak confidently and communicate very well. They enjoy playing with words and experimenting with rhyme

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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 and alliteration. For example, two children take great delight in repeating 'busy book, busy book let's take a look', referring to a popular book, and at the dough table, enjoy the sound of the words 'chop, chop, chopping' as they chop the dough using exaggerated movements. They have many opportunities to make marks on paper and are forming recognisable letters. Some children can write their own names. Children are confident using number and most can count to ten and some beyond that. Some children are beginning to understand mathematical concepts, for example adding one more and taking one away and are competent and confident with shapes and patterns. They learn about the natural world, their own environment and the wider world through a range of activities and practical experiences such as visiting

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

the library, gardening and celebrating festivals. They are inventive and imaginative in their role play by utilising resources to resemble their ideas, for example, pushing furniture together and using covers to make tents. They explore different media, materials and textures and are able to recognise colours. They enjoy physical play and have regular and independent access to a good range of smaller tools such as scissors, cutters and a paper punch to develop their co-ordination skills.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children learn to respect others in their everyday routines, such as, responding to simple rules like taking turns, being kind, helpful and polite. They learn about other cultures through a range of activities, for example, hearing about what life is like in India, cooking and tasting traditional food and wearing traditional dress. They are also beginning to understand about people who are less fortunate than themselves by supporting charity events such as Save the Children and Red Nose Day. Children are treated as individuals in their own right by the staff and there is a healthy mutual respect. The nursery special needs co-ordinator ensures that all staff are aware of any particular needs the children have and makes sure that any specific resources needed to aid a child are available. This means that the children's needs are understood and able to be well supported. They liaise with other professionals

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Helping children make a positive contribution

and with parents to provide activities which are appropriate to the children's particular needs. The children's behaviour is very good and staff are consistent in managing this, giving praise and encouragement regularly and sincerely. The staff are aware of local needs and have developed a rapport with parents, regularly exchanging general information about their children and inviting them to participate in some activities, for example, organising the entry to the local Christmas procession for charity. Partnership with parents of the funded three and four-year old children is satisfactory. Staff have developed a sound relationship with these parents who comment that they are pleased with what the nursery offer and that their children are happy and enjoy the activities available to them. They receive an end of year report which details their children's progress.

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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's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The nursery is well organised and staff are supported by the committee who oversee the effective running of the nursery. Space is organised appropriately and the nursery cheerfully presented which makes it a stimulating and pleasant environment for the children. There are good systems in place to ensure that staff are appropriately qualified and encouragement is given to regularly update their knowledge. Adult: child ratios are maintained in excess of requirements and the staff are deployed effectively which means that children benefit from a good balance of activities and good supervision by knowledgeable staff. The leadership and management is good. There is a clear management structure in place and all staff are very clear about their roles and responsibilities. Team work is good and all staff contribute to planning the curriculum and the general day-to-day organisation. They meet regularly to review activities and procedures to ensure that

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Organisation

these continue to work successfully and reflect the nursery's aims. They are committed to continual improvement and the development of themselves and also of the provision. This is evident in the support for on-going training, the increase in resources for outside play, and development of a wild life garden with the school to enable the children to learn about nature first hand. The nursery meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides care and nursery education very well.

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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 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

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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): • ensure that activities for the under three year olds are appropriate to their stage of development • ensure parents are given information about the structure of the nursery and informed about its policies and procedures

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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): • consider introducing individual play plans for all funded three-year-olds and sharing them with the children's parents

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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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