Lorraine Day Nursery

Lorraine Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY232488 Unique Reference Number 18 April 2007 Inspection date Helene Anne Terry Inspector

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20 Blackwall, Halifax, HX1 2BE Setting Address

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E-mail

First Class Child Care Ltd 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

First Class Child Care at Lorraine's Day Nursery was established under the current ownership in 2002. It is owned by First Class Child Care Limited nursery chain. The nursery and out of school care operates from a converted two storey building and is situated within Halifax town centre, West Yorkshire. The setting caters for children from the local community and surrounding areas. A maximum of 92 children may attend the setting at any one time. It is open each weekday from 07.30 until 18.00 throughout the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 115 children aged from birth to 11 years on roll. Of these 37 children receive funding for nursery education. The setting supports a number of children with learning disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting employs 17 staff, of whom, 15 hold appropriate early years qualifications. A number of staff are undertaking further training.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting receives support from the local authority and has obtained the Investors In People award and Quality Counts; a quality assurance award.

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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 well nourished because they are offered a good range of meals and snacks, which have been carefully planned to ensure that they are balanced and nutritious. The cook uses fresh produce and rotates the menu every six weeks. Menus are shared with parents and meals include lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Children also learn about food that is good for them through the activities. Children’s individual dietary needs are met because staff exchange information with parents and ensure that any special requirements are recorded and respected. A vegetarian option is always available on the menu. Children, on arriving from school, are offered a snack usually consisting of sandwiches and fruit. Drinks are readily available in all areas. Older children help themselves to water from the jug placed in the snack area and babies' cups are regularly refilled. However, children do not have the opportunity to serve themselves

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Helping children to be healthy

and make choices about their food because their meals are individually plated in the kitchen.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children’s health is promoted very well as the staff take positive steps to prevent the spread of infection. Staff have cleaning rotas to ensure that toys and equipment are clean and suitable for children to use. Young children are provided with wipes to clean their hands before eating and after toileting. The older children use the anti-bacterial soap in the bathroom. Children learn about why they need to wash their hands to avoid germs, and posters are displayed in the bathroom reminding them. Children who require a sleep during the session have their own bed linen. Staff demonstrate a sound awareness of health and hygiene procedures and are familiar with policies relating to health issues. The premises are kept warm, clean and tidy. Positive steps are taken should children become ill or have an accident. Staff hold current first aid certificates. First aid boxes are sufficiently stocked and readily available. All documentation

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Helping children to be healthy

to promote children's health is well maintained, such as the sickness policy, accident and medication records. Written permission is also obtained from parents to enable staff to seek emergency medical treatment or advice for the children in their care.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are active and are provided with good activities and resources to support their physical development. They enjoy varied opportunities to enhance their skills and confidence on a wide range of equipment that provides challenge for their bodies to strengthen muscles. Children learn to manoeuvre wheeled toys and climb slides and small apparatus. Children enthusiastically play on the large secured outdoor apparatus. They enjoy the challenge of the fireman's pole, climbing through the tunnel and balancing over the bridge. Regular opportunities are also provided for children to have physical play inside. They access the ball pool room daily, where they play on the foam play shapes as they master climbing and balancing skills. Children also move and dance to music and join in with action songs confidently.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children use a wide range of equipment that is suitable and safe. Furniture, equipment and toys are appropriate for their purpose. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards. Resources are durable and in good condition. Safe storage enables children to safely access resources freely promoting choice and independence. All resources are at child height and clearly labelled in containers.

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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 cared for in a safe and secure environment because positive steps are taken to minimise potential risks. Security is good, a lock on the door prevents unannounced visitors and all visitors are monitored as they are required to sign in and out of the premises. Written risk assessments cover all areas used by the children and staff understand how to minimise risks. Children are learning to keep themselves safe because staff give them gentle reminders of safety rules, such as being careful when using scissors. They also learn about what to do in the event of a fire, as they regularly practise the fire drills. However, the records of recent practises are not always kept to hand. The building is well maintained and has recently undergone refurbishment making it a pleasant and welcoming environment for children and parents. There

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

are good procedures in place for safe transport of children to and from the local schools; for children who attend the out of school club. Staff maintain lists of children who they are to collect from specific schools and they have a meeting place in the school playground or collect children directly from the classrooms depending on the age of the child. Mobile telephones are taken with them should they need to contact parents in an emergency.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children’s welfare is protected because staff demonstrate a suitable working knowledge and understanding of child protection issues and procedures. They are aware of their roles and responsibilities in ensuring that children are protected from abuse. The nursery has a written child protection policy, although it does not make reference to the correct local authority. However, the Calderdale's Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures are available with contact details. Children, on leaving the setting, are only released into the care of known individuals and they are never left unsupervised with persons who have not been suitably vetted.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children choose from a good range of age-appropriate toys and resources, which are of good quality. They become confident and are developing their independence because they are well supported when playing and are encouraged by staff to move freely around activities. Young babies are free to crawl and investigate their environment. They enjoy exploring with their senses as they play with the treasure baskets, paint and sand. Children relate well to each other and have developed good relationships with staff. They are offered comfort and reassurance. Children new to the nursery are given lots of support and encouragement, and children who are not fully involved in the activities are identified by staff and gently encouraged to join in and take part. Children interact with adults well and they are beginning to learn to play with and alongside others. Young children are gaining confidence and developing their communication

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

skills as staff respond promptly and appropriately to their babbling and gestures. Staff talk to the babies about what they are doing, enabling babies to link words to actions. Children are frequently praised for their efforts and achievements and they are motivated to learn and display suitable levels of self-esteem.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are happy, settled and becoming independent. They enjoy a wide range of activities and experiences that contribute to their learning and overall development. Staff demonstrate a sound understanding of the 'Birth to three matters' framework, which they use to support and guide young children's learning. The planning reflects the next steps in children's learning identified by staff through children's development records. Children have access to a continuous range of resources and staff promote their individual development needs. Children listen to stories, sing and enjoy a range of creative activities. They enjoy outdoor play as they play on age-appropriate equipment and investigate different materials and lights in the sensory room.

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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 Children in the out of school club are involved in the planning of their activities and they make choices about what they wish to play. During the school holidays, they make visits to places of interest, such as nature parks. They also enjoy lots of creative activities, such as painting, playing with dough and recently they have a made a playground from recycled materials. Children state that they enjoy coming to the out of school club so that they can take part in art work and play on the large apparatus in the outdoor area.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning are satisfactory. The core staff have suitable knowledge of the 'Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage' and of how children learn. However, staff miss opportunities to extend learning during some activities, resulting in children not being effectively challenged in some instances. Planning for the activities is satisfactory and covers all six areas of learning, although the stepping stones, along which children are progressing, are not clearly identified in the learning outcomes. As a result, some staff are not fully confident in extending children's learning. Focus activities, when used, do better inform staff. Children's development records are not consistently maintained, therefore, they do not reflect accurately what children can do. This hinders staff's ability to effectively plan the curriculum to meet the individual needs of the children attending. Methods used to engage children in the activities

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

are sound. Staff listen to the children, respect their views and create warm caring relationships, which gives children a sense of belonging and boosts self-esteem. Children thoroughly enjoy the story and activity sacks used at circle time, which helps engage their attention during large group activities. Resources to support children's learning are good. These are all easily accessible within the playroom enabling choice and independence.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Overall, children are making satisfactory progress in all areas of their learning, in particular in creative and physical development. They enter the playroom confidently, find their friends and some children display high levels of involvement in their chosen activities. They manage developmentally appropriate tasks well, such as going to the bathroom, washing hands and pouring their own drinks. However, they have limited opportunities to further develop independence, confidence and self-esteem, for example, through acting as monitors, serving their own food and setting the tables at meal times.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use language well to initiate exchanges and gain attention. They enjoy talking about their likes and dislikes, families and friends during meal times. They use talk to recall past events as they tell others about what they did at the weekend. Their literacy skills are beginning to emerge effectively. They enjoy and handle books well and more able children are beginning to hear and say sounds of letters of the alphabet in their names. Children ascribe meaning to marks as they draw and pretend to write, with more able children writing recognisable letters of their names.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children count well, with some children counting objects saying a number name for each item. They recognise some numbers and show an interest in number problems, for example, counting six bricks adding another saying 'I now have seven bricks'. They investigate patterns, sequencing colours and shapes. Children also compare size when they talk about who has the biggest tower. There are missed opportunities for staff to extend children's understanding of number and calculation skills during everyday activities, for example, counting how many children are present, therefore, how many places need setting at the table for lunch.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children examine objects and living things to find out more about them as they plant seeds and watch them grow. They also investigate using magnifying glasses and magnets. They show

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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 interest in the world as they find out more about different animals and learn about the life cycle of frogs when they examine frog spawn. Children are beginning to develop an understanding of different communities, cultures and beliefs through discussing and celebrating a variety of festivals from around the world, such as Chinese New year, Diwali and Christmas.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Creative activities are regularly enjoyed, which enables children to express their ideas and feelings. They use one handed tools as they draw, paint and use the threading boards. Children differentiate between colours as they paint at the easel. They enjoy singing their favourite songs together and take part in lots of imaginative play using available resources to create props to support their role play. For example, children pretend to ride in a rocket together as the driver shouts 'Fasten your seat belts'. They delight in pretending to be a cow from the 'Jack and the bean stalk' story, as they walk around the playground carrying the head and body of the cow that they have made.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The staff have a very good awareness of positive behaviour management techniques to enhance children's well-being. Staff are consistent and confidently manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way that promotes children's welfare. Children learn to share, take turns and learn about the consequences of their behaviour on others. Lots of praise and encouragement is offered to the children; boosting confidence and self-esteem. Therefore, children’s social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered. Children in the out of school club have created their own 'ground rules', which they respect and follow. These are occasionally revisited to remind children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's individual needs are very effectively met through a variety of means including information received from parents at the gradual induction of their child. Babies' routines are followed to promote continuity of care. Children celebrate a range of different festivals and observe and use a good range of resources and displays, which positively represent the wider community. This contributes towards children raising their awareness of diversity. Children with learning difficulties are supported very well. Staff work with other agencies to ensure the needs of the children are met well. Individual learning plans are used and a one to one worker is provided depending on the level of support required.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the good partnership developed between staff and parents. Children are cared for according to parents' wishes, which promote continuity of care and their well-being. There are effective systems in place to ensure information is shared on a regular basis about children's progress and daily activities, for example, through daily chats, access to development records and written information about children's daily routine and activities that they have done. Policies and procedures are made available to parents about the setting and a regular newsletter is used to up date on any changes and forthcoming events. Displays are informative for parents; they have a notice board in the entrance area containing useful information.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of funded children is good. There is information about the planning of the curriculum, and themes and topics on the walls in the nursery and in the newsletter. Parents are informed of the Foundation Stage in the 'welcome pack' and their child's development files. Parents are actively encouraged to be involved in their child's learning by bringing in items relating to themes being followed. The home link letter also informs parents about what children are learning and how they can extend the activities at home. Parents are encouraged to attend a parents' evening twice a year to enable them to discuss their child's

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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 development with their key person. This promotes the two way process in enriching children's development.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children are cared for by a friendly and enthusiastic staff team. The operational plan, records, policies and procedures, which are required for the safe and effective management of the provision are suitably maintained. However, the record of attendance for the children in each play room does not consistently reflect the times that children arrive and leave the setting. Satisfactory systems are in place to ensure the suitability of staff who care for the children. However, since the last inspection a new manager has been appointed within the setting and the registered person has failed to inform Ofsted of these changes. As a result, the nursery manager has not completed the full clearance checks and this compromises children's safety. This is a breach of regulations. There are sound procedures in place for the recruitment and induction of new staff. Adult to child ratios are maintained and children receive a good level

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Organisation

of interaction and supervision. Children are cared for in age related groups and an effective key person system is in operation.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education is satisfactory. Management support staff well through a good appraisal system and training programme. They are encouraged to enhance their personal development, which impacts effectively on the care, education and well-being of the children. Some staff are currently working towards further qualifications, such as Level 3. Staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities within the setting and they are supportive as a team. The monitoring and evaluation systems in place are effective to a certain extent. The staff are encouraged to assess their individual playrooms and compile action plans for improvement for the year ahead. However, the monitoring and evaluation of the nursery education is not rigorous enough. This results in the gaps in the nursery education. A quality assurance award is maintained. Management are aware of areas of the setting that they

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Organisation

wish to improve, for example, they are currently working on improving the outdoor play area. Everyone is committed to the continued improvement of the care and education of the children. 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 it was recommended that all documentation relating to renovation work is available within the setting. Good improvements have been made. All relevant documentation is available on site.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004 there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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Complaints since the last inspection

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 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure that the record of fire practises is maintained and available for inspection at all times • ensure the registers consistently reflect the times children arrive and leave the setting • devise systems to ensure that Ofsted is informed of changes to the management team and that the relevant forms are completed.

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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): • further develop staff's knowledge and understanding of the 'Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage' • provide more opportunities for children to increase their independence, number and calculation skills during everyday activities • ensure that children's assessment records are consistently completed to accurately reflect what they can do, ensuring that it effectively informs 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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