Clifton Village Nursery

Clifton Village Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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303719 Unique Reference Number 20 June 2007 Inspection date Helene Anne Terry Inspector

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Community Centre, Towngate, Clifton, Brighouse, West Yorkshire, HD6 4HS

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E-mail

Clifton Village Nursery 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?

Clifton Village Nursery was established in 1975 and is managed by a voluntary committee. It Is situated in the village of Clifton, close to the town of Brighouse in West Yorkshire. The nursery is accommodated in Clifton Community Centre and shares the premises with other community groups. It is situated within the grounds of St John's Primary School. A maximum of 24 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each week day from 09.00 to 15.00 term time only. All the children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 53 children aged two to five years on roll. Of these, 38 children receive funding for nursery education. The setting caters for children from the local community and surrounding areas. The setting currently supports children with English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are six members of staff working with the children, all of whom have appropriate childcare qualifications to Level 2 or 3. 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 satisfactory. Children's health is promoted well on most occasions through effective health and hygiene procedures. They are cared for in a clean and well maintained environment and use resources and equipment that are frequently cleaned, to reduce the risk of cross-infection. Effective procedures are in place if children fall ill whilst in attendance at the setting and a well stocked first aid box is easily accessible. Most of the required health documentation is in place and is well maintained. However, staff do not currently obtain written permission from parents to seek emergency medical treatment or advice for children. Parents provide written details of their children's individual health and dietary needs, which ensures that staff are well informed to effectively meet their needs. Children have the opportunity to learn about the importance of good hygiene and health through activities and posters that are displayed. They are reminded

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Helping children to be healthy

to wash their hands, on most occasions, after visiting the bathroom and before meals. However, this is not always consistently applied as during the visit children did not wash their hands before the morning snack. Facilities to ensure hygiene in both toilets are not effective, owing to a lack of toilet roll and paper towels in one of the toilets.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have daily opportunities to play outdoors to enhance their physical skills as well as health growth and confidence. They go out for occasional walks within the vicinity to learn about their environment. Their physical control and skills are developed through the use of a good range of equipment. Children delight in doing the obstacle course as they run, jump, balance and move in a variety of ways. They have use of a variety of wheeled toys, balls, bats and hoops. There are facilities for children to climb, although they are not challenging enough for the older more able children to further develop their skills.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy healthy and nutritious fresh fruit and vegetable snacks each day, which offer variety and choice. They access a self-service snack area and make independent decisions about what they would like to eat and drink, for example, different fruit, raisins and crackers. This area is carefully monitored by staff to ensure that all children have something during the session and to ensure that children with individual dietary requirements have their health needs met. Drinks are readily available to ensure that children are well hydrated. Children enjoy a packed lunch at lunch time, provided by their parents. They sit with their peers and enjoy their meal as a sociable occasion, chatting about their day and the foods that they are eating. Staff have a clear understanding of children's individual dietary needs and preference. This is achieved through consultation and partnership working with parents. Children develop an understanding

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Helping children to be healthy

of the benefits of eating a healthy diet through discussions about healthy and less healthy foods and their individual likes and dislikes. They talk about the foods that they are eating and are aware of foods that are good for them. Children also enjoy taking part in food preparation as they make their own fruit salad for snack time.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Safety throughout the setting is fully considered. Risk assessments are completed alongside regular safety checks completed by staff to ensure risks are minimised for children. Security is maintained with the outdoor play area fenced and secure. A bell on the door enables staff to monitor access to the provision. Safety procedures implemented ensure children's welfare is safeguarded and promoted. For example, appropriate fire safety equipment is provided and

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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 regular toy and equipment safety checks are completed. The children are learning well about their own safety. They participate in regular fire evacuations and the staff frequently discuss safety issues with them. For example, safety in the sun, road safety and the safe use of the equipment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The nursery uses the premises well. It is welcoming and stimulating; child-centred posters, information for parents and examples of the children's creative work are attractively displayed, making a welcoming environment for all. The playroom is effectively organised to allow the children to participate in the full range of activities offered. The children are able to freely select a variety of toys and equipment, which are provided to foster all areas of their development. Staff make effective use of storage systems to enable them to quickly organise the room at the beginning and end of sessions, as the room is used by other groups. The premises are accessible, light, ventilated and maintained well.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is safeguarded due to effective child protection policies and procedures, which are in line with Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) guidance. All staff have a clear understanding of the known indicators of child abuse and the action that they should take in the event of a concern about a child in their care.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy, settled and show enjoyment of their time within the nursery. They are very busy and fully engaged in all the activities. Younger children who have shorter concentration spans are allowed to leave large group activities to do something of more interest to them, such as playing with the treasure basket, jigsaws and looking at books. Children have positive relationships with staff and each other, with all children having an identified key person who has detailed knowledge of that child. Staff have a clear understanding of the 'Birth to three matters' framework and effectively plan for younger children's care, learning and development. This ensures that younger children are able to access the same activities as their peers at a rate that is best suited to meet their individual stage of development. As a result, they are settled and secure and make good progress in their learning and development. Children enjoy activities,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

such as construction, small world, malleable materials, role play and lots of creative activities. Younger children use their senses to explore the materials in the treasure basket and the bubbles in the water tray. All the children delight in chasing the bubbles outdoors, created by the bubble machine and try and catch as many as they can. They observe the direction in which they blow and staff link this with a discussion about the wind.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's social skills are promoted very well. They enjoy circle games where they introduce themselves by singing their names. Younger children are given support and the older children show confidence and sing out enthusiastically. This boosts children's self-esteem and confidence as they get to know each other and take part in a group situation.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children who are due to start school in September are given the opportunity to visit the school for their lunch to help with the settling in process. The nursery has close links with the local school and the reception teacher, which promotes their welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and use their skills effectively to support children's learning

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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 in both adult-led and child-initiated activities. They work directly with the children, asking them questions to further their thinking and help them to consolidate their learning. They provide children with regular opportunities to revisit activities and often encourage conversations to encourage children to think about past events. A well structured planning system ensures that children are provided with frequent opportunities to develop and make progress in all six areas of learning. Staff plan an interesting and stimulating range of indoor and outdoor activities, which help children progress along the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. A clear picture of children's learning and progress is identified through the effective use of ongoing written observation and assessment records that are linked to the stepping stones. These are

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

undertaken by the children's key person, who have a clear knowledge of each child's individual stage of development. The new management team continue to develop the system for recording of children's development. Although planning documents do not state how activities can be tailored for individual children, key worker knowledge of children's stages of learning ensures that activities are tailored to meet individual needs. Staff support children's learning well, showing a good understanding of how activities impact on their learning and development. Children are grouped effectively, which provides them with individual attention and the security of a small group. This allows staff to be responsive to children's interests and to reinforce ideas introduced at other times.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children make good progress in all areas of their learning. They show increasing independence in selecting and carrying out activities and show persistence at some chosen activities. Children take the initiative and manage developmentally appropriate task well as they attend to their own personal hygiene, tidy away resources, pour their own drinks and help themselves to snack. They also act as monitors for certain tasks, such as completing the weather board and collecting cups. More able children show their confidence and stand up for their own rights as they tell other children to 'Wait a minute' until they have finished talking. Children use language well when they communicate with their peers and adults. They talk about their experiences and home life recalling past events and future activities, such as holidays. Children are beginning to hear and say the initial sound in words and recognise some letters of the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

alphabet particularly those associated with their own names. More able children are beginning to use writing as a means of recording information as they play in the role play of travel agents, writing tickets out and writing their own names on pictures and paintings.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children count well and use numbers in their play. More able children can sort numbers into order as they help staff sort out number cards. Younger children are beginning to count objects by saying one number for each object as they count the bears. More able children match shapes and objects recognising their size and shape as they order the matching bears into size order. Children use basic calculation skills when they sing songs, such as 'Five Little Ducks' and play with the money in the till. Some children are recording numbers during role play when they write how much their holiday costs in the travel agents.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy exploring and examining objects to find out more about them. For example, they use magnifying glasses when outdoors, to find mini beasts as they turn over stones and look in the soil. They examine the marks on leaves and shriek with delight as they find a centipede and look at it's legs, taking care not to harm it. Children grow plants and fruit, carefully watering them each day and noting how they change. They also examine the world through the binoculars noticing how near and far objects seem. Children show interest in other people and their environment as they go for walks in the community and learn about people who help us. They enjoy making rubbings of street names and look at the colours of doors and numbers of the houses. Throughout the day children handle tools, such as spades and rakes in the sand and pencils and scissors in the creative area. They use these safely and with increasing

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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 control. They use a variety of bricks to construct buildings and objects, often ascribing meanings to what they have made, for example, ‘I’ve made some steps’. Although children do have access to information and communication technology equipment it is not accessible on a regular basis.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy an abundance of activities to stimulate their creative development. They combine media to create three dimensional objects from recycled materials and enjoy creating collage. They represent their feelings and ideas using sand, water, malleable materials and paint. Children delight in playing musical instruments to taped music and moving imaginatively to the rhythm when they dance. They sing songs enthusiastically at circle time to a good repertoire of songs, with some children happy to sing alone. Children talk about their personal intentions, describing what they are going to do. For example, they build a palace from the sand and talk about how they are going to make a door so that people can get in. They play imaginatively throughout the session in most areas as they take part in role play, small world activities and outdoors.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued and respected as individuals and benefit from care that is tailored to meet their individual needs. Through consultation and close partnership working with parents, staff know the children well and plan and provide for them accordingly. Children are able to develop and follow their own interests as they freely select from a range of resources and activities, making decisions about how they would like to spend their time. Children have regular opportunities to learn about the world in which they live through the celebration of cultural events, such as Chinese New Year and Diwali. Their understanding is promoted through discussion, art, craft activities and food tasting. The environment is enriched with resources that reflect positive images of diversity, including wall displays, posters, toys and books. There are also effective procedures in place to support children with learning difficulties and disabilities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

These include working in partnership with parents and carers and accessing support from external agencies and health professionals.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well and are happy and settled in their environment. They feel a sense of belonging and are fully involved in their play and the activities available. They share and take turns with their peers with little or no prompting. The older children show caring skills when they help the younger members of their group. For example, they help young children balance on the balancing beam and help them open the door when their parents arrive. Staff manage any issues that arise well and help the children to understand why their actions are inappropriate through discussion. Apologies are encouraged to develop children's moral understanding. Children benefit from warm praise and encouragement throughout the session, which develops their self-esteem well. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the strong, friendly and professional relationships enjoyed between their parents and staff. Daily verbal exchanges of information ensure that parents are well informed of the care of their children and the progress that they are making and promotes effective two-way communication. Parents speak very positively of the service provided by the nursery and the care and learning opportunities that their children receive. Parents receive written information about the setting, including the policies and procedures and benefit from notice board displays that hold routine information, in addition to more general information. They receive a regular newsletter, which details planned events and activities that children will be involved in. Parents are also involved in the committee and offer their skills to support children's learning, for example, talking to the children about their jobs, such as a fire fighter and a police

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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 Partnership with parents and carers of funded children is good. Parents benefit from written information in the setting’s prospectus about the Foundation Stage curriculum. Planning documents are displayed within the setting to ensure that parents are informed of the activities provided to their children, along with their learning intentions. Parents are welcome to stay and play with their child as they help them settle into their care environment and attend outings and trips. This actively engages parents in their children's learning and promotes effective partnership working. Parents and staff verbally exchange information about children's development, which staff use to ensure that planning is specific to individual children's needs. Observation and assessment records are available for parents to view at any time and their

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Helping children make a positive contribution

contributions to these are encouraged by staff. The nursery manager is in the process of devising a system to encourage parents to extend the activities and children's learning at home, to enhance development. Parents also receive a report on their child's progress through the year.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children benefit from the effective organisation of the nursery. They are able to freely explore their environment, making self selections from the range of toys and resources that are available. Staff work very well together as a committed and dedicated team. They are keen to develop their own expertise as they attend further training to enhance, not only their own professional development, but also the play and learning opportunities provided to children. Staff are very well supported by the committee, who hold regular meetings and provide clear leadership to staff. Staff meetings are regularly held, supported by informal exchanges of information that occur each day. Staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities within the setting and they are given time away from the children to complete their planning and children's assessment records. Suitable recruitment, vetting and induction procedures are in place and ensure that

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Organisation

new staff are appropriately qualified, well informed and safe and suitable to be in contact with children. Although, all staff are suitably vetted, not all staff have received the level of checking appropriate for their roles owing to a misunderstanding of the information needed by the regulator. Yearly appraisals are conducted to monitor staff progress and identify training needs.

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Organisation

All of the required documentation, which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being is in place, carefully stored, well organised and effectively maintained. However, not all parental written permissions have been obtained. Records are regularly reviewed and are only accessed by staff, ensuring that confidentiality is maintained. The setting’s range of policies and procedures promote positive outcomes for children. These documents are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that they reflect current good practice and professional advice.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is good. The new management team effectively monitor and develop the Foundation Stage curriculum to ensure that children make good progress towards the early learning goals. Many changes have been implemented over the last few months and changes are continuing to be made to enhance the learning outcomes for the children. This is achieved through activity evaluations and observation and assessments of children's progress. Management are aware of the settings strengths and areas that need improvement. Changes have recently been applied to the outdoor play area. The management seek support and advice from the local authority development team. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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 previous care inspection it was recommended that improvements were made to documentation that underpin the setting and that resources and activities positively represent diversity in society. Good improvements have been made to enhance children's welfare and learning opportunities. The operational plan is complete and is available for information in the entrance area. Resources and activities that represent diversity in society have been obtained and are made available to children during their play.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection it was recommended that improvements were made to the monitoring and evaluating systems, parents information regarding their child's development and the outdoor activities. It was also recommended that children had more opportunities to write and record for a purpose. Good improvements have been made to promote children's development. There are systems in place to monitor and evaluate all areas of the nursery and play provision, including staff deployment. Parents are given the opportunity to discuss their child's development regularly with their key person and they are invited to comment on their child's development in their records of achievement. The outdoor area is now planned and all areas of children's learning is addressed effectively. Children now have the opportunity to write for a purpose and record numbers during the activities especially during role play.

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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 complaint 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): • obtain written permission from parents to seek emergency medical treatment or advice for children • improve hygiene procedures by consistently encouraging children to wash their hands prior to meals and ensure that both toilets contain materials to promote hygiene • ensure that Ofsted are clearly advised of any changes to the management team.

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The quality and standards of the care

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 nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • provide challenging equipment to enable the more able children to climb and swing • provide more challenging opportunities for children to climb and swing.

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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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