Brooklands Day Nursery

Brooklands Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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508029 Unique Reference Number 30 May 2007 Inspection date Cathleen Howarth Inspector

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Greenacres Road, Greenacres, Oldham, OL4 3EY Setting Address

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E-mail

Jane Louisa Reynolds 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?

Brooklands Private Day Nursery registered in the late 1980's and operates from a single storey building in Greenacres. A maximum of 40 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open weekdays from 07.45 to 17.30 and is closed for Christmas and bank holidays. All children share access to enclosed outdoor play areas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 46 children aged from one to under five years on roll. Of these, 17 receive funding for nursery education. Children come from Oldham and surrounding areas. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties, and also supports a number of children who speak English as a second language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The proprietor employs 11 members of staff. Of these, 10 work directly with children, and nine hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery has attained a quality assurance award through 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 clearly protected from infection and are effectively taken care of if they have an accident or become ill. Children stay healthy as staff give high priority to maintaining good levels of hygiene in areas used by children. A relevant example of this is the cleanliness in the children’s toilets. The personal care needs of the very young are also well met. There are thorough and consistent procedures for nappy changing and toilet training.

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Helping children to be healthy

Healthy lifestyles are positively encouraged by staff who talk to children about what is good for them, such as eating healthily and taking regular exercise. They consistently reinforce this and provide a balanced range of nutritional food and drink. For lunch children thoroughly enjoyed roast pork and potatoes with broccoli, carrots, apple sauce and gravy, followed by ice cream.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children understand simple good health and hygiene practices. They wash their hands after painting, playing in the sand, and before eating meals. Older children use paper handkerchiefs without prompting, and use the bin provided to prevent germs from spreading. Children understand resources need to be kept clean. This is clearly demonstrated when children wash the doll’s clothes and other resources from the small world area, and peg them up to dry in the playground.

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Helping children to be healthy

With regard to nursery education, quality resources, various interesting planned activities and spontaneous events, successfully promote children's overall physical development. Children balance steadily on planks, giant tyres and pallets, and simultaneously push when they use the rocker in pairs. Children have great fun on the slide. They take it in turns to climb up the steps and to slide down feet first. They then gain confidence and learn to slide down hands first onto the grass.

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Helping children to be healthy

Small equipment like balls, bean bags and hoops are successfully incorporated into children’s play. Children adeptly multi-task when they cut, glue and stick during craft sessions. These activities positively help to develop children’s fine motor skills.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are learning to discover boundaries and limits. They know not to leave the room unsupervised in order to keep safe. They have ample choice in where they play. The environment is kept safe by staff who risk assess areas used by children before they arrive. Children have learnt to tidy up to encourage them to take responsibility for themselves and other's safety. They play with quality resources and equipment that are of good design and condition, which staff check regularly for repair and replacement. Children learn to avoid accidental injury by following simple nursery rules. Personal safety, such as road safety, is consistently reinforced.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All fire safety precautions are in place. Children are purposefully learning about emergency evacuation procedures, to encourage them to take responsibility for themselves.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are professionally safeguarded. Staff fully understand their role in child protection. They know the procedures to follow should a concern arise.

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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 thoroughly enjoy their time at the setting. They enter confidently and quickly settle to their self-chosen activity. They make good use of the broad range of planned activities and spontaneous events, which support their overall development and learning. Children experience a real sense of belonging because staff greet children warmly, and attractively set out toys and equipment to welcome them to the setting. They display children’s artwork to promote their self-esteem. There is good provision for quiet, relaxing activities, like looking at picture books.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Themes and topics are successfully incorporated into children's play. The current ‘in space’ theme is consistently reinforced through children's stories and activities. For example, the alien collage made during craft sessions. Children effectively use all their senses when they smell and taste different fruits. They play and swap instruments, such as the tambourine, drum, shakers, triangle, and bells. They listen to the sound of each instrument, and make music when they play instruments together. Staff reinforce words like ‘loud’ and ‘quiet’, and children respond accordingly. Children’s excited behaviour is managed well when staff remind children not to hit each other with the instruments. Children are also reminded not to put instruments in their mouths.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have ample opportunity to finger paint and make hand prints, in order to feel textures and recognise colours. In addition they enthusiastically play in the treasure basket exploring natural resources, like metal, wool and wood. A children’s favourite is the soundtrack game. Children eagerly sit together on the floor and operate the CD to play different noises, like the revving motorbike, quacking duck, banging fireworks and strumming guitar. Children use counters to match sounds to pictures. They play well together and they are engrossed in their play. Children's individual progress records are currently not made full use of to assist parents to understand how their child is developing and how they may become further involved in their child's learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The setting is usually set out and organised in clearly defined areas to support the Foundation Stage. Over time all areas of learning are consistently covered, and staff deliver a rich and stimulating curriculum. Staff know children learn best from first hand experiences. There is an incubator with four fertilised eggs from a local farm in the corridor. Above the incubator is a number wall chart, clearly used to reinforce time and numbers. Each day children cross off a day. After 21 days children watch the chickens hatch. The chickens are then placed in a cage under a heat lamp. Children learn to feed them and help staff keep them clean. They are focused when they listen to stories about hens and eggs, and they look at picture books with interest. Children have made a yellow chicken collage which is strategically displayed near the incubator. These measures positively reinforce children’s learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning for nursery education is good. Staff have sound knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage. There is a well organised key person system in place to effectively promote children's individual learning requirements. Staff use written observations to evaluate children’s progress and activities, which then inform daily activity plans. Children are making good progress from their starting points, through the stepping stones towards the ealy learning goals. Children are developing a positive attitude towards learning, because staff’s questioning methods and expectations challenge and support children to achieve as much as they can. Children are happy and engrossed as they learn through play.

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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 are treated with equal concern. Resources and activities actively promote positive images of diversity. Inclusion is consistently promoted and there are effective systems in place to provide for children with learning difficulties and disabilities. The environment is easily accessible for children with mobility difficulties.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s good behaviour is encouraged through positive role modelling, meaningful praise and by valuing good behaviour. Children cooperate with staff’s high expectations of what they can achieve. As a result children relate very well to each other. There is a good balance of adult led and child initiated activities, which allow children to make choices and decisions to promote their self-esteem.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are looked after according to parents’ wishes. Written parental consent is obtained for various childcare practices. Many parents gave positive feedback about the quality of care provided, and they compliment staff on the very good service they provide. Staff respect confidentiality and share relevant information with parents and support agencies.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents with regard to nursery education is good. Parents receive useful information about the six areas of learning through booklets, wall displays, and the topic notice in the entrance. Parents are kept informed of their child’s progress through regular verbal exchanges with their child’s key person. Children's individual development files and pictorial records are not currently ready to view, so it is not easy for parents to see how their children have progressed from their starting points. Staff purposefully seek parents’ views through parent questionnaires. They positively deal with issues that arise in the best interest of children. Parents are actively involved in their children’s learning at the setting, and they reinforce children’s learning at home. Children’s social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. A strong feature is the close working relationship between the manager and proprietor. Between them they cover the morning and afternoon shift to effectively promote children’s continuing care and development. This is evident in the positive outcomes for children.

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Organisation

Staff have a clear sense of purpose and a commitment to continual improvement. They have completed various training courses to improve the quality of children's care and education. Robust vetting procedures are in place to safeguard children. There are professional induction procedures, and regular one to one supervision sessions to positively support staff in their work.

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Organisation

Staff make full use of their time and remain focused on the individual needs of children. Children anticipate established routines, and they feel secure in a stable, predictable environment.

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Organisation

All the required documentation is in place. There are clear written policies and procedures for parents to view in the operational guide.

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Organisation

Leadership and management in relation to nursery education is good. Trained staff deliver an exciting curriculum. They competently monitor and evaluate the provision for nursery education. Staff are reflective and proactive, and are willing to seek advice from the local authority and

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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 other agencies. 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 day care inspection one recommendation was raised to improve documentation. The provider reviewed the child protection policy, which now includes a procedure for staff to follow if an allegation of abuse is made against them. This is done to safeguard children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection one key issue was raised in relation to communication, language and literacy. The provider now provides a mobile resource unit which contains a wide range of mark making resources for children to self-select, in addition to the static unit in the Sunshine Room. This is done to promote mark making and handwriting opportunities for children.

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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): • make improvements as indicated in the nursery education section below.

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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 children's individual development files and pictorial records of achievement, to show parents how their children have progressed from their starting points.

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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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