Pennies at Newnham Court

Pennies at Newnham Court Inspection report for early years provision

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EY284697 Unique Reference Number 23 May 2007 Inspection date Mary Van De Peer Inspector

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Newnham Court Shopping Village, Bearsted Road, Weavering, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 5LH

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E-mail

Pennies Day Nursery Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Out of School care, Crèche 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?

Pennies at Newnham Court is one of two nurseries owned by Philip Scotton. It opened in 2005. It comprises of a day nursery, a before and after school club and holiday play scheme. They operate from several rooms in a purpose built, two storey premise located on the site of a gardens and shopping centre in Weavering, near Maidstone, Kent. A maximum of 140 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07:30 to 18:30, 51 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 348 children aged from three months to under eight years on roll. Of these, 47 receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The setting can support children with learning difficulties and disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. There are 39 staff who work with the children, with four catering staff.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 33 staff, including the manager who hold appropriate early years qualifications. There are five staff who are working towards a qualification. The nursery receives support from the Local Authority.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. There are very good hand-washing and toilet facilities in each child care room. Child-friendly pump soap dispensers and paper towels are available, so even the youngest toddlers can learn about keeping their hands clean. Children wash before meals, after using the toilet or playing with messy play activities. They also have their own toothbrushes so they are able to clean their teeth after meals. This means children are able to be independent and learn how to be effective in their personal hygiene procedures. Easy-clean wooden floors and plastic covers for outdoor shoes, when entering baby areas, all help to minimize the risk of cross infection within the nursery. Effective written procedures for when children are ill are also in place, to help prevent the spread of diseases. Accident and medical records are well maintained. Almost every member of staff has attended first aid training and if children hurt themselves, their injuries are dealt

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's physical development is good. Children can choose from a wide range of energetic, physical activities that are made available, helping to contribute to a healthy lifestyle. They develop self-confidence in all their physical skills as they learn to use various indoor and outdoor toys and equipment; from slides and climbing frames, play tunnels to building train tracks and doing puzzles. The outdoor garden area is large and well-used. It provides a wonderful range of experiences for all the children, for example, a large sand pit, an obstacle course, a play house and shady areas when the sun is out. Children really enjoy their physical play.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are offered a good selection of food which is healthy, nutritious as well as varied and traditional. There are vegetarian options every day. Children are able to choose from a selection of fruit and drinks, such as milk and juice, during snack time. They use individual cups and plates to help avoid cross-contamination. Children are able to help themselves to water, which is available throughout the day. Parents are able to view the menu, so they can inform staff if there is a food item they have additional concerns about. Children’s individual dietary needs are catered for. They are beginning to have an awareness of healthy eating issues.

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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 clean, bright and well-maintained environment. The organisation and layout of the play areas are very child-friendly. For example, every room has its own child-sized toilets and washbasins. Also, the availability of fully operational and well-kept toys and equipment means children can move around safely and freely. They can independently access suitable activities from tables, trays and boxes stored at child-height. The resources that the children use are age-appropriate, suitable, safe, checked regularly for hygiene and cleaned when required. The outside play area is well-planned and spacious, with a separate area for very young babies and children. Children have everything they need to make outdoor play a stimulating and happy experience.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Risks of accidental injury to children are minimised because staff are vigilant. They have thorough risk assessment procedures and take effective measures to reduce potential hazards, such as electronic entrance and exit facilities and window stays. Children are also developing a good awareness of safety issues surrounding use of the larger equipment; for example, they know they need to wait their turn to avoid hurting each other. The nursery owns several multi-person

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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 vehicles to collect children from local schools and for outings. Appropriate car insurance and driver checks help ensure children's continued safety when travelling away from the nursery. There are good procedures in place to protect children in emergencies. An evacuation procedure is regularly practised and assessed for its efficiency. Staff have a good understanding of how to achieve a balance between freedom and setting safe limits. This allows children to learn some sense of danger and knowledge about how to protect themselves from harm. They are very well protected by staff who have a clear understanding of child protection policies and procedures and give top priority to children’s welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. All the children really enjoy their time in the nursery. They achieve well because staff are skilled and use their sound understanding of early years guidance, such as the Birth to three matters framework and Foundation Stage, to provide good quality care and education. When children arrive they are pleased and eager to join in and play. Those who are new to the nursery are helped by staff to settle in. Staff show appropriate sensitivity towards their individual needs. Children of all ages show confidence in the setting, in their relationships with each other and the adults. The babies display an appropriate attachment they have formed with the adults who look after them regularly. Older children play happily with each other and are learning to take turns and respond to others as they use puzzles, games, and books. However, there are occasions when staff are not making appropriate provision for children to extend their play,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

for example, role play opportunities. Children's sense of self and trust is developing well and they have formed close, caring relationships with adults and each other. Good quality adult-child interactions are very supportive of early communication skills. Children express their ideas and are beginning to make sense of the world as they join in a wide range of exploratory and sensory experiences, for example, peat, sand play and magnets. Each play room has a toy, such as a teddy or a duck, which is taken on holiday by the children and their family. Photographs of where the toy has travelled to are displayed in the nursery. As a result, children are able to learn about different countries, places and what they look like. Snack and meal times provide children with opportunities to talk to each other and learn to be independent, for example self-serve their food. However, there are periods of time when children are sitting around and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

waiting for others to finish eating, without anything to do, consequently some of the children are getting bored.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The After School Care facility is well established. Children are picked up from local schools by staff and return to the nursery. They are able to help plan what activities and resources they want made available to them. As many of them once attended the nursery, they are comfortable and at home in the setting. They enjoy the freedom of playing outside with balls and climbing equipment. In school holidays, children are able to go on outings to places of interest. They can also learn about and participate in various sporting activities. Children are benefiting from plenty of positive social interaction, as well as fresh air and exercise.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are able to participate in a range of stimulating activities related to their needs. They have access to age-appropriate resources, which support them in all areas of learning. The children are confident and eager to learn, self-assured in their play and communication skills. They enjoy looking at books and listening to stories, they can recall what they remember from before. Children are able to mark-make to represent their ideas, for example in paintings and on chalk boards. Older, more able children

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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 are becoming competent at writing their own names. Staff make good use of visual symbols, allowing children with English as an additional language, to participate fully in the activities and make suitable progress. They make sense of the world around them in the stimulating outdoor area and create individual art and craft work. Children work well together, for example, learning how to operate computer equipment, following the guidance of the older children. Although they are gaining confidence in using numbers in their play, children are not always able to increase their knowledge and understanding about capacity and problem solving through everyday situations. Children's physical skills are developing and improving through a wide variety of experiences. When children start in the pre-school rooms, staff make sure they find

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

out about children’s skills, interests and needs, building on this information effectively to help children achieve as much as they can. A more flexible approach to planning is being introduced which helps children to learn at their own pace. There are effective systems to observe, monitor and record children’s achievements. This influences future activity plans and experiences that help children take the next step in their learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children and their families are welcomed and form an integral part of the daily routine at the nursery. Staff ensure they have a good knowledge and understanding of each child's needs. Children's overall behaviour is very good. Younger children are supported very well and are actively encouraged to share and take turns. The staff have appropriate expectations and set consistent boundaries for all the children. This is helping them to negotiate with others effectively and also take responsibility for their own behaviour. As a result, children have a good understanding of what is right and wrong. They respond appropriately to reminders on how to care for their environment, the nursery's resources and each other. Consequently, children are developing a positive attitude to others. They are gaining a good understanding about the wider world and community through various activities, including looking at different

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Helping children make a positive contribution

festivals, such as the Chinese New Year. Children have access to a good range of play resources which show positive images of culture, ethnicity, gender and disability. The setting has effective arrangements to support and care for children with learning difficulties and disabilities, as well as those who speak English as an additional language. This positive approach fosters children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The nursery's partnership with parents and carers is outstanding. Management and staff work extremely hard on a daily basis to ensure the relationship with parents is positive, informative and productive. For example, there are interesting and very well-planned notice boards outside every care room for parents to consult or just look at. They can also obtain relevant details about the care and education of their children, as well as the nursery's current and future plans and functions. Other effective communication on issues such as children's progress in the Foundation Stage and Birth to three matters is provided through newsletters, daily chats and children's contact books. All this contributes very significantly to children’s well-being in the nursery. Staff actively seek parents’ views about their children’s needs and interests. This begins before the child starts at the setting and on a regular basis throughout their time there. Children

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Helping children make a positive contribution

benefit from parents’ involvement in their learning. There is a Parents' Forum which is providing ideas on how they feel they can help the nursery improve and develop. The relationship between the nursery staff and parents is moving forward continuously. Working together means children have a very enjoyable time at the nursery and they are making excellent progress.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The nursery has their Ofsted registration certificate clearly displayed. An effective and robust recruitment and vetting procedure ensures that staff are suitable to work with the children. Staff are regularly monitored and supervised. Annual appraisals help ensure their training needs are met as well as personal and professional development. The nursery's operational plan is regularly assessed and reviewed to meet the needs of the children, their parents and the staff. All senior staff are qualified to Level three. Almost all other staff have relevant childcare qualifications to Level two or three. The majority of the staff have a current paediatric first aid course certificate. The children's and staff's individual records are stored confidentially and securely in lockable cabinets. The National Child Care Standards and Regulations are met. All the required documentation and record-keeping is in place and well-maintained. Children's

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Organisation

welfare and well-being is being protected. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is good. The aims and objectives of the nursery are clearly mentioned in the operational plan. The provider and management staff have lots of experience, enthusiasm and commitment, which in turn motivates staff. They continually look for effective ways to develop and improve the nursery in all areas. Especially in the way the Foundation Stage is delivered. Recent changes in the planning system have been implemented effectively by staff. This positive attitude consequently improves the learning experiences for children. The nursery has effective systems to regularly reflect, monitor and improve the quality of the care and education they provide for all children and their families.

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Improvements since the last inspection

As a result of the last inspection, three recommendations were raised. The provider has taken appropriate action to ensure these have been met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The first recommendation states that staff consider providing additional choices for children when activities are mainly adult directed. Action taken means children have additional choices in their play when there are adult-led activities provided. The low storage units, which are clearly labelled with the name and pictures of the contents, allow children to use their imagination and consider what resources they want to use next.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The second recommendation states that the nursery consider providing children with a choice of healthy options. Action taken by catering staff and management includes changing and improving the menus, so that they include vegetarian choices on a daily basis. Snacks always consist of fruit with another low fat, low sugar food, such as a muffin. Water is available for children to drink throughout the day, milk and fruit juice ia also given at snack and meal times. Children are learning about healthy eating options.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The final recommendation was for the nursery management to inform Ofsted about staff changes. Recent amendments to Regulation means that Ofsted need only be informed of changes in Registered Persons and Persons-in-Charge. The management have kept Ofsted informed of all recent changes in Managers and supervisors within the nursery. This helps ensure that all persons working with children are suitable and children's welfare is being protected.

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Improvements 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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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): • review the organisation of snack and meal times and consider ways to reduce or eliminate the waiting time for children

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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): • consider providing additional opportunities for children to extend their play, enabling them to use their imagination in every day situations • ensure children are able to learn more about capacity and problem solving through everyday situations.

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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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