Woodlands Nursery

Woodlands Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Woodlands Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY293980 Inspection date 07 September 2005 Inspector Katherine Powell

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Woodlands Nursery

Setting Address Belton Woods Hotel, Belton, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG32 2LN Telephone number 01476 514347

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E-mail

Registered person Positive Attitudes Ltd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day 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 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?

Woodlands Day Nursery opened in 2002 and was taken over by the present owner in 2004. It operates from a purpose built, single storey building situated in the grounds of Belton Woods Hotel which is located to the north of Grantham in Lincolnshire. The premises consist of an entrance hall, staff and children's toilet facilities, a kitchen, an office and staff room, two playrooms and a sleep room. There is an enclosed outdoor play area and the nursery has the use of the hotel adventure playground with large

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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 equipment. The nursery serves the local rural area as well as hotel employees and parents using the hotel facilities. The setting is open Monday to Friday from 07:30 until 18:00, Saturday 09:00 until 14:00 and Sunday 10:00 until 14:00, all year round. Children can attend for a variety of sessions or for the full day. There are currently 60 children on roll. Of these, 12 children are in receipt of nursery funding for 3-year-olds. There are no children who have been identified as having special needs and no children speak English as an additional language. Eight members of staff are employed at the setting to work with the children. Of these, six staff have completed recognised childcare qualifications. The nursery also employs two cooks. The nursery receives support from Lincolnshire Early Years Development and

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children benefit from being cared for in an environment where good hygiene routines are prioritised. Children learn to maintain good personal hygiene through washing their hands appropriately, for example after using the toilet and before eating. Babies are happy and relaxed during nappy changes as a result of staff performing these in a comfortable and caring way. Toddlers are well supported in their toilet training. Staff have developed a good awareness of appropriate food handling practices by undertaking relevant training. This ensures the risk of cross-contamination is minimised and children's health is maintained. Children's awareness of the benefits of healthy eating are actively promoted at snack time. Children enjoy a variety of healthy snacks, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Children benefit from having a cooked meal each day which is mainly prepared using fresh ingredients. Good written records are maintained to ensure staff are fully aware

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Helping children to be healthy

of children's special dietary requirements and their personal preferences. Older children independently help themselves to drinking water throughout the day and are encouraged to drink more when the weather is hot or when they engage in physical exercise. All children enjoy regular opportunities to engage in physical activities both indoors and outdoors. Babies are encouraged to crawl and move around freely and use furniture and play equipment to support their walking skills. Children benefit from having an enclosed outdoor area which enables them to develop their whole body movements whilst at the same time ensuring their safety. Toddlers and pre-school children develop their climbing skills through the use of large outdoor apparatus and practise their fine hand skills through activities such as painting, jigsaws, construction toys and using scissors. Staff use the 'Birth to three matters' guidance effectively to

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Helping children to be healthy

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 ensure younger children have access to a range of experiences that promote their physical development. All aspects of the curriculum for physical development are well promoted with children in receipt of nursery education funding.

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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 warm, safe and well-maintained environment. Regular risk assessments are undertaken ensuring potential hazards are minimised and children's safety is maintained. Staff organise space, furniture and equipment effectively to enable children to move freely and independently between different activities and play areas. Consequently, children are confident and feel safe and secure. Children benefit from having sufficient space to engage in indoor and outdoor activities and areas for active and quiet play. All toys and play equipment are in good condition and are appropriate for the ages of children in each room. Children learn about safety by being encouraged to handle play equipment with care and helping to tidy up. Older children benefit from learning about road safety on their walks around the hotel grounds. For example, they learn to watch and listen carefully for vehicles when crossing the car park. All children are

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

developing a good awareness of fire safety as they have regular opportunities to practise emergency evacuation procedures. Access to the building is carefully monitored and clear procedures are in place for the collection of children by named adults. Consequently, children are well protected. All members of staff have a sound awareness of child protection policies and procedures, although some of these need reviewing to ensure they reflect current guidance. Staff are aware of possible signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect and know the relevant agencies to contact if they had concerns. The manager has attended appropriate training which enables her to support other staff effectively. As a result, children's welfare is safeguarded.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their time at the nursery and are happy and settled due to staff relating to them sensitively and providing a good range of activities which are interesting and stimulating. Staff have developed warm and effective relationships with the children. Very young children, and those who are new to the setting, benefit from being cared for by consistent staff. Babies receive high levels of individual attention and are regularly cuddled and comforted. Staff use the 'Birth to three matters' framework effectively to plan age appropriate activities for the youngest children which help to develop their skills in all areas. Children receive good support from staff during activities and are encouraged to freely explore the environment and experience different textures. For example, staff have developed treasure baskets for the babies to enable them to develop their awareness of different natural materials

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

using their senses. Younger children are regularly taken outside and enjoy interacting

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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 with older children. Babies benefit from being able to watch the older children playing from their base room. Consequently, children have a smooth transition when moving from the baby room to the pre-school area. Younger children in the pre-school room are well cared for and their individual needs are met appropriately. School age children attending the nursery after school and during the holidays are given freedom to initiate their own activities and games. Staff listen to children's suggestions and plan activities around their own ideas and interests. As a result, children feel valued and respected. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are making sound progress towards the early learning goals in all areas of the curriculum. Children achieve well

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

as a result of clear planning and assessment systems and effective teaching methods. Staff are fully aware of their role within planned activities and support children well by using effective questioning and skilfully adapting activities to meet individual needs. They provide a stimulating, harmonious and well organised environment which enables children to enjoy their play and learning experiences. Children are interested in the range of activities provided and are encouraged to initiate their own games and independently select resources. Children show a strong sense of belonging as they warmly greet each other and staff on arrival. They work well together and are developing their awareness of the need to take turns and share toys. They confidently talk to each other and adults, asking questions and seeking support when necessary. Children enjoy making up their own stories using a variety of props, such as hand puppets. They freely select from a wide range of age

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

appropriate books which helps to foster their enjoyment of reading. Children use a wide range of materials to make marks and practise writing from different purposes, for example in the role play area. Children are able to write some letters independently. Children benefit from being able to see letters and print displayed around the room and learn to link sounds to letter shapes. Children confidently use numbers during practical activities and daily routines. They have learnt a variety of number rhymes to introduce them to the concepts of addition and subtraction. Children learn about patterns through activities such as printing and bead threading and learn to sequence the days of the week during circle time. They use a range of mathematical language to describe shape, size and quantity. Children have very good opportunities to find out about the natural world and enjoy exploring their environment. They learn how to care for plants and flowers and have opportunities to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

plant seeds and watch the changes as they grow. They are developing a good awareness of the uses of information technology in everyday life and are able to operate simple equipment such as battery toys and torches. Children talk with interest about their own lives and those of people they know. They have good opportunities to develop their awareness of the local community and learn about the cultures and beliefs of other people. Children are developing a good awareness of space and movement through regular use of the outdoor area. Their whole body movements are promoted through activities such as ring games and they confidently use large apparatus to practise their climbing and balancing skills. They learn to recognise the changes which occur to their bodies when they are active, such as feeling hot and thirsty. Children's imaginations and creative skills are developed through a wide variety of activities such as role play, painting, music and craft

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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 activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children develop a positive attitude to others and have developed effective relationships with each other and staff. Children are developing their awareness of the wider world by celebrating different festivals and have access to some play resources which reflect positive images of race, gender and disability. Effective systems are in place to support children with special needs. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure children are able to participate fully and their individual needs are met. Children are warmly welcomed by staff when they arrive which helps them to develop a sense of their own self worth. Children confidently express their own needs and feelings, for example when they are tired or hungry. Children are polite and well behaved and benefit from having consistent boundaries. Children learn good table manners and social skills at meal times. They learn to share resources and show

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Helping children make a positive contribution

care and consideration for others. Overall, children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Younger children are settled because staff work well with parents to share information about routines such as sleep and feeding patterns. Written diaries are used effectively to share information on a daily basis. The partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents receive useful information about the nursery through regular newsletters, notice boards and a brochure. However, information provided for parents about the Foundation Stage curriculum is limited. Children benefit from their parents having some opportunities to be involved in their learning, for example by receiving information about planned topics and activities, contributing artefacts linked to themes and sharing books at home. Key workers regularly talk to parents to ensure they are fully informed about how their child is progressing and developing. Children's assessment records are readily

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Helping children make a positive contribution

available to parents and parents are able to record their own observations of their child's learning at home.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's care is enhanced by the effective organisation of the nursery and the good leadership and management of nursery education. The premises are well organised. Staff make good use of indoor and outdoor space to maximise play and learning opportunities for all children. All legally required documentation which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being is in place, although this has not been reviewed to ensure it reflects current practice. Children benefit from being cared for by consistent staff who are skilled and well qualified. Staff are well deployed and appropriate staffing ratios are maintained in each room ensuring children are well supervised and supported during activities.

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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 Staff have good opportunities to undertake further training to enhance their knowledge and understanding of relevant issues. For example, staff working with the pre school children are due to attend further courses linked to the Foundation Stage and key staff working with younger children are due to undertake training on the 'Birth to three matters' framework to further develop planning and assessment systems. Leadership and management of nursery education are good. Staff work well together as a team to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum and ensure children achieve well. Effective systems are in place to monitor the provision, such as staff appraisal, accessing support from a teacher advisor and holding regular staff meetings. Good planning and assessment systems are in place ensuring all aspects of the curriculum

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Organisation

are sufficiently covered. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • review the operational plan and written procedures to ensure they reflect current practice.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 • further develop information provided for parents regarding the Foundation Stage curriculum to enable them to be fully involved in their child's learning.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements 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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