The Village Community Nursery

The Village Community Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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260374 Unique Reference Number 08 November 2007 Inspection date Kashma Patel Inspector

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St. Peters Urban Village, Bridge Road, Saltley,, Birmingham, B8 3TE Setting Address

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0121 248 2555 Telephone number the-vcn@yahoo.co.uk E-mail The Village Community 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?

The Village Community Nursery opened in 2001. It is situated within the grounds of St Peters Urban Village. The nursery serves the local area and receives funding for neighbourhood nursery places.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 53 children under five years on roll. This includes 22 neighbourhood nursery places and 15 for nursery education. The nursery supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who speak English and an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group opens five days a week all year round except for bank holidays. Sessions are between the hours of 08:00 and 18:00. Children attend for a variety of sessions.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are thirteen staff who work with the children. All staff hold a childcare qualification to NVQ level two or three. 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 stay healthy because staff promote good hygiene routines. For example, staff remind children to wash their hands before food and after playing in the outdoor area. The use of paper towels and protective clothing such as aprons also help to reduce the risk of cross-infection. Children’s welfare is promoted because all staff have a current first aid certificate and can therefore respond to accidents appropriately.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's physical development is well promoted through regular activities, both inside and outside. Younger children develop their confidence as they pull themselves up using furniture and equipment in their rooms. They also enjoy crawling through tunnels and playing with bean bags.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children in receipt of nursery education have good range of opportunities to promote their physical development. They have daily opportunities to use large apparatus to develop their skills in climbing and balancing. They also make good progress in running and jumping with good staff support as they take part in races.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are provided with freshly cooked meals which are prepared on site. They enjoy healthy snacks of fresh fruit and toast which meets their dietary requirements. Babies are also provided with appropriate food to their age and stage of development. Children learn about healthy eating through food tasting sessions and discussions. Older children are able to access drinks independently, whilst younger children have individual beakers to promote their independence. Consequently, all children are well hydrated.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in clean premises with sufficient equipment to meet their needs. Their safety is met because they are closely supervised by staff at all times. Effective steps are taken to keep the premises secure and to monitor the arrival and departure of visitors, who are requested to sign the visitors book. A intercom system also ensures that only authorised persons have access to the setting, consequently children are safe in their environment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children have access to a good range toys and equipment which are age and stage appropriate. Resources, such as books and dressing-up clothes are stored at children's level to encourage choice and independence. Most risks to children in the nursery are identified by daily checks carried out by staff both inside and out in the garden. However, damaged toys were observed in the baby room which impacts on children's' safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children’s welfare is effectively protected because staff demonstrate a sound knowledge and understanding of child protection issues and procedures. They are well aware of their roles and responsibilities in ensuring that children are protected from abuse. However, their understanding where an allegation of abuse is made against a member of staff is not fully developed and this means that children's safety is compromised with regard to child protection procedures.

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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. Children are happy and settled in the nursery. They separate easily from their carers and are keen to get involved in activities. Staff know the children well and have good relationships with them. Children are spoken to in their community languages which promotes their confidence and self-esteem. Young children participate in well-planned activities based on the 'Birth to three matters' framework. They enjoy sensory stimulation such as musical and colourful toys. They also develop their creativity as they play with the malleable materials.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a clear understanding of the 'Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage' and are able to plan effectively, covering all six areas of learning. Consequently, children make good progress towards the early learning goals. Children are divided in to two groups to ensure that they are appropriately challenged and supported in their learning. Assessments are completed regularly using the Foundation Stage profile. Staff carry out daily observations during activities and free play to support these assessments. They also use this information to inform future planning and any gaps in children's development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's personal, social and emotional development is progressing well. They interact well with their peers and ask staff to join in their play. They enjoy role play activities such as going to the hairdresser's where they ask each other if they would like their hair straightened. They show good levels of self-esteem as they wait for their turn to share news at circle time. Staff act as good role models by talking to children in their community languages and by giving lots of praise and encouragement. As a result, children take turns and play co-operatively together.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing positive attitudes towards their communication skills, they listen well to stories, songs and rhymes. They learn to sing songs in Urdu, such as 'Twinkle twinkle little star' which promotes their understanding of other cultures. They are encouraged to develop their language for thinking, for example, during story time staff ask questions and also help to link letters to sounds. Children’s reading skills are developing and they learn to recognise their names on work trays, art work and on charts on walls.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing good skills in counting and addition. For example, at circle time they count all the children and take turns to count the animals on the table. Staff challenge more able children by increasing objects to count. Children enjoy regular walks on the grounds of the nursery where they search for small insects. They have created a sensory area by placing different coloured wind chimes and windmills in the garden. Children make good progress in understanding technology through use of a variety of simple electronic toys and the use of the computer. They show interest in the inspector's laptop by asking where the mouse is.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop a good range of small muscle skills as they use equipment such as threading toys, scissors and play dough tools. They explore a wide range of materials, such as paint, dough and create models in two and three dimensions, such as divas. They explore sounds with musical instruments and enjoy singing action songs. They listen to a wide range of music which reflects their community.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children become aware of their own and other cultures through activities, displays and outings in their community. A display table for Diwali consisted of light and 'divas' which the children had made. They also make 'Rangoli' patterns on paper and are proud to show off the henna on their hands. There are currently no children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities in the nursery, however, staff demonstrate a good awareness of how to support children to enable them to take part in all activities. Children who speak English as an additional language are also well supported by staff who reflect the community. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are content and behave well in the setting. Staff act as good role models and consistently praise children to promote positive behaviour. This enables them to work well together by sharing and taking turns with toys and activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff welcome parents and work closely with them to help children progress in the development. Daily verbal and written feedback on their children's progress is supported by developmental records. Parents also receive information about the nursery through a prospectus, regular newsletters and a notice board. They ensures they are kept well informed about the setting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of funded children is good. Information on planning is displayed in the rooms, however, parents do not have any written information. This means they are not fully involved in their children's learning. Regular opportunities for home learning are in place, such as taking the activity bear home and reporting on weekend news at circle time.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children are safe because all staff have been through appropriate vetting procedures to ensure they are suitable to work with young children. A key worker system also ensures that children's care is consistent and parents have a contact person to receive daily feedback on their children's progress. Staff are deployed effectively, which means that children are supervised appropriately at all times. Induction procedures are in place and daily discussions ensure all staff are fully informed and included in the setting.

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Organisation

All required documentation is in place to promote children's sense of well-being. However some policies require to be updated to reflect current legislation. An appraisal system is in place to assess staff's training and developmental needs.

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Organisation

The quality of leadership and management is good. Systems are in place to evaluate and monitor the educational programme to ensure children are provided with good opportunities for learning. Weekly room and team meetings are held to discuss the areas for improvement and children's progress towards the early learning goals. Staff receive regular support from the local authority and show commitment to develop their knowledge through regular training.

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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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the provider agreed to: improve documentation by completing a written risk assessment for identified areas, maintaining accurate attendance records and sharing written information regarding the complaints procedure with parents. Children's welfare is promoted because risk assessments have been reviewed and updated. Accurate records are kept of children's attendance and also a complaints procedure is in place which is accessible to parents.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection the provider agreed to: ensure that information about the educational programme is available to parents in ways that they will all be able to use and ensure that assessment, observation and evaluation records are used in planning activities, to meet children's needs and therefore, continue extending all aspects of their learning. Information on planning is displayed on the notice board for parents and staff talk to parents about children's progress on a daily basis. There are also appropriate systems which are in place to observe and assess children. Staff also divide children into groups according to their age and ability. Consequently, children's welfare and learning is promoted within the setting.

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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): • review the child protection policy to ensure it includes the procedures to be followed if an allegation is made against a member of staff • ensure reasonable steps are taken to minimise hazards to children with regard to damaged toys • review the policies and procedures regularly to ensure they reflect changes in legislation.

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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):

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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 • improve information given to parents relating to the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage.

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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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