Green Lane Nursery and Childcare CentreOfsted inspection, 26 Jun 2007

Green Lane Nursery and Childcare Centre Inspection report for early years provision

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EY252401 Unique Reference Number 26 June 2007 Inspection date Julie Morrison Inspector

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Green Lane, Barnard Castle, DL12 8LG Setting Address

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E-mail

Green Lane Nursery and Childcare Centre Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Out of School 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?

Green Lane Nursery and Childcare Centre is a committee run nursery and after school club and was registered in 2003. It operates from four rooms in the grounds of Green Lane Primary School and serves the local area. It is registered to care for 89 children and currently has 54 children aged seven months to eight years on roll and 46 over the age of eight years. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 07.30 to 18.00 50 weeks of the year.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 16 staff working with the children, 15 staff are qualified and one staff member is currently working towards a qualification. The centre receives support from the Early Years Development Childcare Partnership. The setting has received accreditation from Investors in People and Investors in Children.

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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's good health is promoted as good standards of hygiene and cleanliness are maintained throughout the nursery. For example, all staff hold food hygiene certificates and tables are cleaned before and after snacks. Staff follow good nappy changing procedures to reduce the risk of cross-infection, for example, they wear aprons, gloves and dispose of nappies appropriately. A clear written nappy changing procedure is displayed on the wall to ensure that all staff are aware of it. Consistent adult support and guidance helps children to become increasingly independent in their personal care, for example, washing their hands before food and after using the toilet. Older children confidently use the toilet themselves and are beginning to make a connection between good health and hygiene. For example, they explain that they must wash their hands before snack so that they do not 'get germs and be poorly'. A clear

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Helping children to be healthy

written policy regarding children and the effective recording of medication and accident records, further promotes children's good health and well-being. However, consent to obtain emergency medical treatment is not in place which potentially compromises children's well-being.

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Helping children to be healthy

All children have very good opportunities for physical exercise which contributes to their good health. They benefit from separate outdoor play areas, where they ride bikes, balance on beams and thoroughly enjoy playing with a 'parachute' in the wind. Older children enjoy going swimming once a week and clearly look forward to this. Babies benefit from their own enclosed space where they are able to safely play on ride-on toys and explore the sand. Indoors, they are able to crawl, move around and explore their environment. Such activities promote children's physical development and helps them to gain control over their bodies.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children at the nursery and out of school club, enjoy a variety of healthy snacks and meals, including fresh fruit and vegetables. Well balanced and nutritious meals are prepared by the cook from the adjoining school. Nursery children join the school children for their lunch, making it a social occasion and helping prepare children for the transition into school. Children line up confidently for their lunches and self-select from the menu, this effectively promotes their independence and self-help skills. Snack time provides further opportunities for the children to be independent as they serve their own drinks and butter their crackers. Staff work closely with parents to ensure that children's individual dietary needs are met, for example, by providing soya milk.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are well cared for in a safe, secure and welcoming environment where most of the risks have been identified and minimised. Good use of the space is made so that children are able to move around freely and explore the space. All children, including those from the out of school club, have very good access to a wide range of safe and well maintained toys that are suitable to their age and stage of development. Staff ensure that equipment is regularly cleaned and checked and encourage the children to get involved, for example, the baby room set up a 'car wash' and helped to wash the outdoor toys. All of the toys are easily accessible to children. They are stored in child height boxes, trays and shelves to enable children to make independent choices about their play and learning.

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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 Children are very well protected because the setting has a good range of written safety polices and procedures which are understood and implemented by staff, for example, lost and uncollected children. Written risk assessments are in place and daily checklists ensure that the premises remain safe for children. Visitors are signed in and the setting has a clear policy on answering the front door. However, this was not consistently implemented during the inspection. Internally, appropriate safety equipment is in place, for example, radiator covers and gates. Electrical and fire safety equipment is regularly checked and the setting has a clear written fire procedure in place with up to date records of practice evacuations, this further safeguards children. Children have very good opportunities to help learn to keep themselves safe and a

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

colourful wall display shows work that the children have done. For example, children's drawings of 'lollipop sticks' for crossing the road safely and photographs of all of the signs which they have found which help keep them safe, such as, wet floor and fire exit. All members of staff hold a current first aid certificate, this ensures prompt medical treatment if required.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The setting has a comprehensive outings policy in place which ensures that children are kept safe on outings. High ratios are maintained, appropriate consents are in place, staff carry first aid kits, contact numbers and spare clothing and ensure that babies are securely strapped in pushchairs while older children hold hands. Children are effectively safeguarded as staff have a very good understanding of their roles and responsibilities in relation to child protection. Two members of staff have attended further training in child protection and have a secure understanding of the signs and symptoms to be aware of. However, although staff are aware of procedures to follow should an allegation be made against themselves, this is not included in their child protection policy.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are developing warm relationships with each other and the staff, who are friendly, welcoming and give the children lots of attention. Staff provide a stimulating environment for children who eagerly participate in a very good range of child-centred and adult-led activities and enjoy experiences which promote all areas of development. For example, babies play in the water with spoons and whisks and get excited when staff put the paints out to make hand prints. They independently pick up chalks and start mark making on pieces of paper and are engrossed with bottles of coloured water. Children in the two to three group are happy and confident. They move around the room eagerly to approach activities. They play in the role play corner, dressing up the staff and 'making them breakfast' and thoroughly enjoy exploring the texture of mixing together paints with their hands. Staff interact well with all of the children,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

they sit on the floor and read stories to them and continually praise achievements. Staff are competent and caring and support children well in their development and learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Most staff have a good understanding of the 'Birth to three matters' framework and are working with external agencies to further develop practice. Weekly plans are in place and individual observations are made and recorded in the children's files along with lots of photographic evidence. Children enjoy a variety of activities at the out of school club, they play with construction, draw pictures and chat happily with the staff about what they are doing. Clear weekly plans are in place for the out of school club activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Most staff have a good understanding of the stepping stones and the Foundation Stage. Clear and effective plans are in place covering all

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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 areas of learning and showing some differentiation for children's abilities. Staff monitor and observe children as they engage in activities and observations are recorded in individual files. Good use of photographic evidence supports written observations, however, observations are not linked to the stepping stones. Staff evaluate some of the activities, however this is not consistent and it is not always clear how it influences ongoing planning. The setting provides a good balance between free play and planned activities and staff make good use of questioning to extend children's learning, for example, as children explore the wet sand, staff ask, how does it feel? Is it sticky? What does it smell like?

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have an extremely positive attitude towards the activities and are eager to join in. Communication skills are developing well, children speak confidently in a group and approach visitors to ask questions. They join in enthusiastically at registration time, talking about what they have been doing and where they have been. Children are beginning to link sounds to letters, they play on the computer, matching the letters and correctly remarking, 'that’s in my name'. They have good opportunities to practise early writing skills, as they hold pencils correctly and attempt to write their names on pictures they have drawn. Children are learning to share and remind each other when it is their turn on the computer. They are developing good self care skills and independence as they put on their own coats and aprons and know the nursery routines well.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff make good use of questioning to encourage children to become interested in numbers through everyday activities. For example, they count out the number of plates required at lunch time and how many children are present at registration. Many children confidently count to twenty and make good use of mathematical language during their role play. For example, they play in the coloured water making 'raspberry cakes', 'I need three spoons of sugar' they say as they spoon the water into a jug, 'look its turned to black...its got darker' they explain.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff provide a stimulating environment for children where they develop and learn in a fun way. They take coloured oils outside and children make different coloured drops in the puddles of water, 'look twelve yellow dots and they get bigger and bigger' they enthusiastically explain. They lift up wooden seats in the garden and the children all run off excitedly to get magnifying glasses to look at the insects.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's ability to manipulate tools is well developed, they successfully use scissors, glue spreaders, rolling pins and paint brushes and make a variety of junk models out of recycled boxes, 'look I've made a car' they proudly explain. Children are developing confidence in using technology, they use a mouse successfully to complete simple games on the computer and are beginning to recognise letters on the keys.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children at the nursery and out of school club are treated equally and individually. Staff ensure that children are cared for in a consistent and appropriate manner, gathering information form parents in order to achieve this. For example, following children's own eating and sleeping routines. Children have very good opportunities to learn about other cultures as they participate in a range of celebrations. For example, during Diwali a visitor from a Hindu Temple came and told stories, sang songs to the children who dresses up in Hindu clothing and had their faces painted. Opportunities to learn about their local community are very good, children go for walks to the local shops to buy fish and to the library to choose books for their topics. Visitors to the setting bring pet lambs and dogs to help children's learning about the world around

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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 them. They join in with local carnivals and make scarecrows for the parade. Staff have a very positive attitude towards caring for children with learning difficulties and disabilities. The setting benefits from a member of staff in each room who has received training in 'Special Educational Needs' as well as a 'Special Educational Needs Coordinator'. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of the needs of children with learning difficulties and disabilities and are committed to working with parents, carers and relevant external organisation to ensure that the individual needs of the children are met.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff interact positively and calmly with the children, who confidently go to them for cuddles and support. Children behave well at the nursery and good behaviour is reinforced through lots of praise and positive, age appropriate behaviour management methods. Children are actively involved in promoting good behaviour and setting the nursery rules, for example, no running and remember to share. Positive behaviour is further rewarded with the use of nursery bears who the children take home for the weekend as a reward for good behaviour. Staff ensure that all children get an opportunity to take the bear home, this ensures that all children feel valued in the nursery. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. Children benefit from very positive relationships between staff and parents, who speak highly about the care and education their children receive. Parents receive informative information booklets prior to their children starting nursery, which include relevant policies and procedures and information relevant to the individual rooms, for example, the Foundation Stage. Information relevant to the individual child is gathered from parents and carers to ensure children's needs are met. Parents of babies and younger children are kept up to date with a daily diary which includes information about feeding and sleeping. Parents of older children receive verbal feedback and two yearly reports show how their child is progressing. Each room has a notice board for parents which include weekly plans for the rooms and the complaints procedure. Parents receive general nursery information in the form

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Helping children make a positive contribution

of a regular newsletter and parents of nursery education children receive a detailed parents sheets which links to current topics.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Secure recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to ensure that children are well protected and cared for by staff with relevant experience, knowledge and skills. Thorough induction procedures are in place and staff attend regular training courses to enhance their ongoing personal development. The setting has a comprehensive collection of policies and procedures in place which are understood and implemented by staff. Most of the required documentation is in place, securely stored for easy access and to ensure confidently. Children are well cared for in an organised environment where space has been used to its maximum potential, allowing them to move around freely and independently. Quiet areas ensure that children are able to rest as needed, whilst physical development is promoted thought the good use of the outdoor play area. Walls of the nursery are filled with wonderful examples of the children's work and

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Organisation

lots of photographs, a reflection of how their contributions are valued and self-esteem promoted. Ratios are maintained at all times and children's times of attendance are clearly marked in the register.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. The manager is committed to developing the care and education the children receive and has a clear vision for the future. Working closely with external agencies to receive accreditation from Investors in People and Investors in Children. Planning

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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 of the Foundation Stage is clearly linked to the curriculum, and staff work closely with link teachers to continually develop planning and monitoring. The manager ensures that the team work well together, and staff benefit from regular team meetings where they are actively encouraged to contribute towards improvement plans and development. High priority is given to ongoing personal development and staff are well supported through regular appraisal systems.

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Organisation

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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the nursery was asked to develop staff's understanding of 'special educational needs' and to consider group sizes for music activities. Key members of staff have now had training in learning difficulties and disabilities and each room has a designated worker. The music sessions have now been changed and children are placed in smaller groups so that individual needs can be met.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004, Ofsted received one complaint relating to National Standards 1, 11 and 12. Concerns were raised regarding behaviour management and sharing of information. Ofsted required the provider to investigate this complaint and as a result the provider further developed policies and procedures in these areas. The provision remains qualified for registration.

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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): • request permission from parents to obtain emergency medical treatment • consistently implement policies regarding entrance to the nursery • further develop the child protection policy to include allegations made against members of staff.

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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): • link observations to the stepping stones so that children's development can be effectively monitored

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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 • record the evaluation of activities to clearly show how this influences ongoing planning.

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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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