Tiny World Mansfield

Tiny World Mansfield Inspection report for early years provision

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253244 Unique Reference Number 15 November 2007 Inspection date Angela Hufton Inspector

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Layton Avenue, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, NG18 5PJ Setting Address

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E-mail

Anthony George Budden Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of 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

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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?

Tiny Wold Mansfield opened under its current name in 2004, previously registered in 1996, and is one of three nurseries in the group. It operates from a large, semi-detached house in the centre of Mansfield town. There is car park to one side of the building and to the other side an enclosed outdoor play area including a lawn area. The nursery serves the town and the surrounding area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 49 children from birth to five years old on roll. This includes 23 children in receipt of funding for early education. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery supports children who speak English as an additional language and children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery opens each weekday all year round except for a week at Christmas. Sessions are from 07:30 until 18:00. There are twelve full-time staff who work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ Level 2 or 3. Five staff are currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. The setting 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 good. Children are cared for in a clean and well-maintained environment. They are actively and consistently learning about the importance of good hygiene practices through well-established daily routines. For example, children are encouraged to wash their hands after using the toilet and when returning from outdoor play. Children have access to a good range of activities which effectively contribute to their health and well-being. They have good opportunities to develop their physical skills through regular access to both indoor and outdoor activities where they are encouraged and supported to develop new skills. For example, as children skilfully jump through hoops, learn to peddle bikes and throw and catch balls. Children enjoy the fresh air as they have daily access to the outdoor play environment.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a nutritional diet which is prepared on the premises using fresh ingredients. Fresh fruit and vegetables are offered on a daily basis, for example, pitta bread with various dips followed by grapes. Children have a good awareness of healthy eating as they regularly engage in topic work and have meaningful discussions with the staff. Children access drinks independently, so they do not become thirsty and bowls of fresh fruit are provided for children to select independently. Babies and young children rest and sleep according to their individual needs. Children calmly and comfortably fall asleep as they feel safe and secure in their surroundings.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health and dietary needs are very well met at all times because staff are fully aware of children's individual needs. For example, children's individual requirements are discussed fully with parents on admission, recorded and shared with all staff. Children's dietary requirements are also shared with the cook who ensures that all children's dietary needs are met at all times. Children's accident, medication and emergency consent forms are all in place and maintained. On occasion the accident and medication records are not sufficiently explicit to fully ensures all aspects of children's on-going health needs. However, parents are in regular communication with staff to ensure their child's individual needs are met.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a well-organised, secure and suitably safe environment. For example, visitors to the nursery are required to formally identify themselves, sign the visitors book and are accompanied at all times whilst in the setting. Children are kept suitably safe as identified hazards are minimised through the completion of risk assessments. Whilst the current risk assessments do not fully identify all potential hazards, for example, a trailing wire to the fish tank, immediate action is taken and it is secured with new cable tacks to minimise the risk to children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children benefit from very experienced and caring staff, who are very well informed of the group's health and safety procedures, for example, children engage in regular fire drills and learn about other aspects of safety through topic work and gentle explanations from staff such as why they should sit carefully on their chairs and not lean back in case they fall.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children have access to good quality equipment and resources which are appropriate to their developmental needs and which are checked daily to ensure they are safe for the children to

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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 use. Children are encouraged to access the well-organised resources which are clearly labelled and stored in child-height furniture. Children learn about safe practices whilst using equipment, for example, staff talk to the children and gently remind children to sit down whilst using scissors.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are safeguarded through the setting having robust child protection procedures in place and because, staff are competent and aware of their roles and responsibilities whilst protecting children in their care. The setting have a designated child protection co-ordinator who would follow through any issues of concern.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very happy, confident and actively enjoy their time in this welcoming setting. They have very good access to toys, equipment and resources which are independently accessed by all age ranges of children throughout the nursery. Children are able to build on knowledge and skills already acquired as staff continually assess their achievements and interest and respond positively to their individual learning needs. Babies and young children benefit from the staff's knowledge and understanding of the "Birth to three maters" framework and the Foundation Stage Curriculum.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Babies needs are skilfully met by staff who are fully aware of their individual needs. They receive positive support from experienced staff who spend time holding, talking and playing with them. Babies early communication skills are developed as they engage with staff who respond to their non-verbal gestures and verbal sounds during play. They have very good opportunities to develop their senses as they explore a variety of natural and man-made objects. Babies early physical development is supported as they begin to roll, crawl, stand and take their first steps.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's personal and social development is very good throughout the setting, all children enjoy positive relationships with staff and their peers. Children become engrossed in a wide range of self-selected activities which they enjoy enormously. Their behaviour is very good, they are actively and consistently praised by staff for their effort and achievements, consequently, their self-esteem is carefully fostered.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children show a strong sense of belonging as they greet each other and staff on arrival. They speak confidently and share their personal experiences within the group. Children listen carefully to each other, they take turns and show care and concern for others. They are worried as they see a squirrel scuttling along the fence on its own until they see another one in the tree and become excited that the squirrel has a friend. They express their feelings and manage their self-care needs effectively. Older children confidently put on their coats before going outdoors, whilst younger children wash their hands with soap and water before snacks.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teaching effectively promotes children's learning towards the Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning. The staff are caring, patient and supportive of the children; they have high regard for the children and know them well. The staff demonstrate a very high level of commitment to their work and provide good role models for the children. The staff manage children's behaviour sensitively and consistently; they encourage children's good behaviour through regular praise and encouragement, consequently, the children's behaviour is very good. The setting ensures planning is based on regular

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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 observations and assessments of children's interests and achievements. They are continuing to develop the range of observations and the use of evaluation to clearly identify each child's next steps. This is at an early stage and does not yet fully ensure that each child's individual potential is maximised. The interaction between the staff and children is very good; adults encourage children's thinking, questioning and exploration.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All children have equal opportunities for learning; staff ensure that both full- and part-time children are able to access the full range of activities and special project work. Children make good progress as a result of the wide range of stimulating activities and resources that are made available to them, and, through the staff’s constructive questions which encourage children to express their feelings and develop their ideas and interests. Children have good opportunities to use their own initiative and develop their independence whilst engaged in both indoor and outdoor activities. Children who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language are very well supported in the group.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The well-organised accommodation provides a stimulating learning environment in which children are able to access the resources independently. Children's work is valued and attractively displayed on boards within the pre-school room. Children are enthusiastic, confident and settle quickly into the group, their relationships with adults and their peers are excellent. Children learn about their own and other cultures as they celebrate festivals throughout the year, they express their feelings and manage their self-care needs effectively. Children engage easily in conversation, whilst engaged in activities children participate enthusiastically, they listen carefully to adults and to each other. They enjoy French lessons and are competent at naming colours or introducing themselves to the teacher. Children learn how print carries meaning as they are able to identify their labelled work on displays. More able children are able to write

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

recognisable letters on their own work as they freely access the well-resourced writing table. They competently use stencils, write letters and label envelopes. Children have regular access to a wide range of books; many of them show a keen interest in books and use them independently, carefully turning the pages and discussing the illustrations with each other and staff. Excitedly looking up the details of various animals in the books and comparing these to the caterpillar they are investigating or finding pictures of leaves in the book and identifying this so they can accurately name the species. Other children using the range of books provided with the topic to make sure they are building the right kind of den for their toy animal to hibernate in.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are encouraged to use number as part of every day routine; for example, children count how many chairs were needed at snack time and how many children were in the line to go outdoors. The children use mathematical language effectively whilst engaged in activities and are familiar with words to describe size, position, shape and quantity. They confidently name shapes such as square, triangle, circle and rectangle and have opportunities to sort, match and compare objects in a variety of contexts. Children enjoy counting as part of action rhymes and they also confidently count in French.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have good access to a range of toys, resources and planned activities which promote their awareness of diversity, for example, as they enjoy celebrating different cultural festivals throughout the year. Children freely access a good selection of programmable toys and technical equipment which they use competently and with increasing skill. Children learn about their natural environment and develop an understanding of living things, as they talk about the weather changes, investigate mini-beasts in the garden or as part of a topic. Their learning is extended as they compare patterns and textures in these natural materials including looking at the veins on a leaf.

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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 Children show good control and coordination as they move confidently and safely around both the indoor and outdoor areas. They children competently use a wide range of small equipment including scissors, paintbrushes, chalk sticks and cutters. Children develop an awareness of healthy eating through topic work and regular discussion with adults and their peers; for example, whilst engaged in snack time children talked about their likes and dislikes of various foods, and staff explained why certain foods were healthier than others. Children have daily opportunities to paint, draw and make collages using a suitable range of media including chalk, felt pens, pencils, fabric and malleable materials. They use their imagination in activities such as painting, music and movement and various role-play situations. This is enhanced through

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

project work and involvement in an art support project. The role-play area changes regularly to support the children's interest. Children explore sound effectively through playing a range of musical instruments, listening to a variety of musical sounds and initiating singing sessions. For example, singing to their teddy bear to help them sleep. Children enthusiastically experiment with sound as they run a wooden stick around a metal bowl to produce different sounds.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are fully included in all activities and their differences are acknowledged and valued. For example, children whose home language is not English are skilfully supported to develop their understanding and gain confidence to speak in English through the staff's effective encouragement. Children access a range of activities, toys and resources which actively raise their awareness of diversity and promote their understanding of others. For example, through investigating food from around the world and by welcoming parents to share their culture and experiences. Children's understanding is further promoted as they complete topic work on Chinese New Year, Diwali, Christmas, and through positive discussions with the staff. The children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's behaviour is good. They are fully aware of the nursery's boundaries and expectations for good behaviour. Children learn to negotiate with others and take responsibility for their own behaviour. Their understanding of right and wrong is further developed as they respond to gentle reminders from staff, to care for their environment, resources and each other.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership between parents and carers of children in receipt of funding for early education is good. An effective partnership with parents and carers contributes to the children's early education. The staff welcome informal contact with parents at the beginning and end of each day; they share information about the children’s progress on a regular basis, and parents are able to view their child’s development file at any time. Parents' evenings and newsletters help to keep parents informed about the pre-school activities, however, at present there are less opportunities for parents to be as actively involved in contributing to their child's assessments.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents and carers of all children have access to good quality information regarding the group, including a prospectus and policies and procedures. Whilst there is a detailed complaints policy in place the procedure for sharing the outcome of any complaints with parents is not sufficiently developed as required in regulations. All children's individual care and educational needs are fully discussed with the parents before the child starts at the nursery, enabling staff to be fully aware of individual care needs.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's care is enhanced by the effective organisation and focused leadership and management of the nursery. Staff are knowledgeable, they fully understand the setting's policies and procedures and ensure children are protected, kept safe and that children's individual needs are supported effectively.

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Organisation

The premises are welcoming with good quality displays, the environment is well organised and effectively maximises children's learning and development. Children benefit from qualified and skilled staff, who follow an effective induction programme and who are committed to on-going training and development. Staff have regular opportunities to reflect on their own practice, through regular staff meetings and yearly appraisals. All legally required documentation is in place and most contain good levels of detail. The staff registration system is not currently sufficiently robust to identity which staff member is caring for which child, however, children's registers are maintained as required in regulations.

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Organisation

Leadership and management of early education is good. The staff work well as a team, they are deployed effectively and are clear about their roles and responsibilities. Regular staff meetings are held to discuss daily issues. The manager and staff have worked effectively with the local authority early years team who provide support and guidance throughout the year. Staff are encouraged to attend relevant training courses and in-house development workshops. Managers are fully committed to developing the early education provision.

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Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the setting agreed to improve the range of domestic style furniture in the baby room. Appropriate seating is now included in the rooms to provide children with a homely atmosphere and ensure that when they are fed staff are able to do this is a safe and comfortable way to promote children's feeling of security.

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Improvements since the last inspection

With regard to early education the setting agreed to consider developing information technology and role play to support children's learning in all areas of the curriculum. This has been fully addressed, for example, children competently use digital cameras and video cameras suitable for their age range. They engage in a wide range of role play including pretending they are vets and looking after small cuddly animals, making dens and shelters for them.

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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 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): • improve the use of risk assessments to more quickly identify potential hazards and the risk to children • continue to review policies, procedures and record keeping with particular reference to staff registers, the complaints procedures, accident and medication records.

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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): • continue to develop the use of observation and assessments to more clearly identify children's next steps in learning and use this more effectively to plan future activities to maximise their progress • develop further the ways in which parents can be involved in supporting their child's next steps in learning.

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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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