Little Sunflowers

Sunflowers Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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254496 Unique Reference Number 20 June 2007 Inspection date Jennifer Turner Inspector

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Beacon Road, Pheasey,Great Barr, Birmingham, B43 7BW Setting Address

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0121 360 9859 Telephone number info@sunflowersnurseries.co.uk E-mail Sunflowers Nurseries 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?

Sunflowers Nursery opened in 2000. It operates from six rooms in single storey premises in Great Barr, Birmingham. The nursery serves the local and surrounding areas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is registered to cater for a maximum of 105 children of whom no more than 40 may be under two years. There are currently 141 children under five years on roll, of whom 36 receive funding for nursery education. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports a number of children with special needs and children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery opens five days a week all year round, from 07:30 until 18:00.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 23 full-time staff and seven part-time staff who work with the children. Over half of the staff hold early years qualification's and two are unqualified. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP). They are taking part in the National Day Nurseries Association quality assurance scheme.

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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 develop an understanding about good hygiene practices through daily routines. This helps them to effectively understand the need to practice good routines of personal hygiene. Babies and toddlers become familiar with hygiene routines whilst having their nappies changed, when having their faces and hands cleaned at meal times, or after creative and messy play. Children's health care needs are well supported with policies and procedures which work in practise, for example, if they require medication, have an accident or become unwell. Staff ensure that effective procedures are in place for changing nappies, cleaning equipment and providing individual bedding for children, this helps to minimise any risk of cross-infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

Daily routines and activities ensure a good balance of energetic play and opportunities for children and babies to rest. Babies' sleep routines are effectively accommodated because a quiet room for sleep is provided. Older children can also have a sleep or enjoy quiet activities after lunch, such as playing with jigsaw puzzles, sand, constructing with bricks, or sitting with staff reading stories. Babies are able to be physically active and staff ensure they have room to practise rolling over, crawling, standing and walking. They are encouraged to reach out and move towards toys and equipment. All children enjoy exercise and develop a positive approach to this through regular opportunities for indoor physical activity and outside play. This helps to contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Children have a good awareness of space, move around safely and use a wide range of small and large equipment, for example, scissors, paints brushes,

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Helping children to be healthy

play dough cutters and outdoor equipment, with confidence.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished. Their individual dietary needs are well known and catered for, and healthy snacks and meals are prepared by staff who hold basic food hygiene certificates and who are aware of what constitutes a healthy meal for young children. Good attention is given to children with specific dietary needs, with procedures in place to ensure children's needs and parents requirements are met. Children's specific dietary requirements or allergies are recorded along with their photograph in the staff room and kitchen to ensure all staff are reminded of what children can and cannot eat.

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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 clean and very welcoming environment. They have access to a wide variety of toys and equipment which provide a good level of challenge and are appropriate to the children's age and stage of development. There are effective procedures in place for the safe collection of children, staff work closely with parents to ensure children's safety is maintained as parents are reminded to close the door behind them when they leave the premises and not to let anyone in who they do not know.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare and well-being is fostered in the setting and children are kept safe. This is because staff have a good awareness of health and safety issues, and risk assessments are used to reduce potential hazards. For example staff carry out daily checks on the garden before the children use it and they check venues children visit. Staff are deployed effectively, which means the children are supervised well. Access to the premises is monitored and staff open the door to visitors and parents. All visitors sign in, ensuring suitable security measures. Children move safely around the setting because staff are deployed effectively and are vigilant about children’s

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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 safety. Fire evacuation procedures are displayed and practised regularly with the children. Children are developing a good understanding about safety in the setting, through good staff explanations, for example, discussions about emergency evacuation and using equipment safely.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected from possible abuse or neglect because staff have a good understanding of child protection. Staff have attended training and understand the procedures to follow with any concerns and there are clear procedures in the event that an allegation is made against a member of staff. The child protection policy is shared with parents.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their time in the nursery and arrive happy and eager to participate. Those who are new to the nursery are helped to settle by staff who are sensitive towards their individual needs. Babies and toddlers respond well to the staff's gentle responses, smiles and praise during play, routines and meal times. They benefit from routines which are consistent with their home experiences.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff plan a good range of activities for children under three years which are appropriate to their stage of development. For example, staff have a good understanding of the range of experiences which enable babies and toddlers to make use of their senses and creative abilities by exploring how paint feels between their fingers, wet and dry sand, custard powder mixed with water, cream foam play and baked beans play. They enjoy watching the bubbles floating in the air, reaching for them and they smile as they burst on their fingers or on their faces.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Younger children's independence is promoted through a variety of opportunities and they move around, freely accessing toys and play equipment. All staff have completed training to ensure they improve outcomes for children from birth to three by using an approach in line with Birth to three matters. Children are fully involved in a wide range of enjoyable activities, which develop their sensory skills as they access the sensory room with its flashing lights, textured mats and different sounds. Children develop their imagination, language and creative development, for example, sand, water, role play, construction, singing, arts and crafts, and outside play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All children benefit from warm relationships with staff who are genuinely interested in what they say and do and give them lots of praise and encouragement. This helps children to feel valued and appreciated. Staff work directly with the children and give them good support and direction, for example, staff play at the children's level, on the floor or sitting at tables, where children may need more help. The children are happy and settled and staff encourage them to develop their communication skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff provide children with a wide range of worthwhile activities and experiences. Planning is flexible, clear and covers all areas of learning in the curriculum. Systems are in place to observe, monitor and record children's achievements and to plan experiences that help children take the next step in their learning. The key carer system ensures staff know the children well, that all children's individual needs are met and that children move along at a pace suitable to them.

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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 All children are self-assured in their play and confident to try new experiences. They are developing good levels of concentration and perseverance and make good progress towards the early learning goals. Aspects of children's learning is enhanced because of the opportunities for them to self-select resources and initiate their own play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff manage children's behaviour well by creating an environment that sets, explains and maintains clear and consistent limits. They are encouraged to sit and listen to each other at circle time and staff use picture cards to encourage children with limited language or who speak English as an additional language to choose the nursery rhymes they want to sing. Children play well together, they are learning to share and have respect for each others feelings. Staff intervene appropriately when behaviour issues arise by encouraging children to say sorry, ask nicely and be fair.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff with responsibility for special needs have a very sound knowledge of the procedures and have developed good relationships with parents and other professionals. This ensures children with special needs are included in all aspects of play and make good progress. Staff use some excellent strategies to communicate effectively with children identified with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. They use sign language to communicate with children and organise one to one focused sessions each day.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are interested in activities and motivated to learn, they speak confidently in groups and individual situations. Good emphasis is placed on developing children's communication, language and literacy skills. For example, by linking sounds to letters and by being able to recognise and write their names. All children are able to recognise their name and most children write their own name on their work. They enjoy books, accessing them independently and enjoy listening to stories about 'Quiet'. They know the stories well, join in and repeat it word for word, showing their good recall skills. However, when reading stories staff do not explain how print is read or who the author of the book is to increase their knowledge of books. Children speak with knowledge about what they are doing, as they play at being vets, 'I'm looking after the animals', a child tells the staff. He then tells her that the pet died and that he is going to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

do an operation. Good displays show children writing is everywhere, for example, on notebooks when they make appointments at the vets or write their names on their art work. This supports their play and learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are encouraged to show an interest in numbers and develop the skills needed for counting. More able children count reliably up to ten and some beyond. They know how to use the calculator to work out simple subtraction and they recognise the symbol for take away and equals. Children begin to use language to describe and compare shape, position, size and quantity. For example, through a range of interesting games and everyday activities such as looking at the calendar, the date and time, and singing number songs. However, opportunities are not always extended to consolidate their understanding of simple calculations through daily routines.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's physical skills improve through a wide range of experiences, including good access to outdoor play, circle games and action rhymes. Children show an awareness of space for themselves and others as they move around the room. They competently use a wide range of small and large equipment, for example, scissors, paints brushes, play dough cutters, balls, hoops and bikes.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children know about the uses of everyday technology such as calculators, electronic tills and play phones. They use equipment and explore how things work, for example, magnets,

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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 magnifying glasses and the computer. They enjoy using all their senses to explore a wide range of different materials including water, sand, dough and through tasting, smelling and feeling activities. Children enjoy being creative and playing imaginatively, they paint, make models, play with puppets, use musical instruments and play in the home corner which is changed from a vets to a garden centre or hospital. This ensures children have real life experiences as they play.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued and respected as individuals. All children are welcomed into the group and staff know the children well. They are aware of their individual needs and preferences and this helps children feel secure and settled. Children develop a positive attitude to others and an understanding about the wider world and about their community. Staff plan a range of activities and use resources to increase children's awareness of diversity and they explore a variety of festivals and celebrations. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well and are beginning to understand right and wrong through consistent boundaries and age appropriate methods used by staff. For example, staff talk calmly to children, give gentle reminders and suitable explanations. Staff have a positive approach to behaviour management and encourage children to play alongside each other, sharing both space and toys, to listen and respect each other and to be kind and considerate. Children are given lots of praise and encouragement and they respond positively to this, helping develop children's self-esteem and confidence.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good, and sensitive settling in arrangements and a key carer system helps children, parents and staff get to know each other. Children benefit from very effective information sharing with parents through newsletters, daily feedback, parents evenings to discuss their child's progress, and information displayed on the notice boards. Parents are aware of the current topic and this helps them to be involved in their child's learning. Parents receive helpful information about the provision, the aims of the setting, information about the policies and procedures, 'Birth to three matters' and the Foundation Stage guidance. Staff discuss incidents with parents when children arrive with existing injuries, however parents are not always asked to sign the records to ensure they are fully informed.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit from attending this well-organised, friendly nursery. Recruitment and vetting procedures ensure children are cared for by suitable staff who are clear about their role and responsibilities. A clear understanding of the ratios ensures children receive a good level of support. New members of staff are informed about the policies and procedures through effective induction procedures. A key carer system is in place and each child is allocated a key carer at the admission stage. They discuss the child's care plan with parents to ensure each child's well-being and development is promoted and that their transition to a new group is managed well.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is good. This contributes to children making good progress towards the early learning goals. The setting are clear about their aims and objectives and fully committed to improving the quality of care and education for all children. The management

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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 team regularly evaluate practice issues and there is provision for ongoing training to enable staff to keep up to date with child care issues and practices. Children's care is enhanced through efficient and effective organisation. Staff implement policies and have accurate recording procedures in place which protect children's health, safety and well-being. Policy documents are reviewed and updated, and staff and parents are made aware of any changes.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The nursery has made good progress to address the recommendations made at the previous inspection. They have improved the systems for recording children's attendance to demonstrate that they are meeting the correct adult: child ratio. Each group has individual registers showing children present each day. They have developed some of the techniques needed to support children's understanding and thinking. However, they still need to build on the techniques to develop their skills in problem solving.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004 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. 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): • ensure parents sign all records relating to children arriving with existing injuries.

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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 children's understanding of how print is read and about the author of books • extend the opportunities to consolidate children's understanding of simple calculations by using opportunities that arise during their play or daily routines.

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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 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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