Nurtured @ Northfield

Northfield Under 5s Inspection report for early years provision

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303255 Unique Reference Number 26 April 2007 Inspection date Pauline Garfield Inspector

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57 Northfield Lane, Wickersley, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S66 2HL Setting Address

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E-mail

John Armstrong Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional 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?

Northfield Under Fives Pre-School opened in 1993. It operates from the first floor, separate wing of a private accommodation in Wickersley in Rotherham. A maximum of 18 children may attend the Pre-School at any one time. The group opens each weekday from 09.15 to 12.15 during school term times. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 31 children aged from two to five years on roll. Of these, 22 receive funding for early education. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The Pre-School serves the local and wider communities. The group supports children with learning difficulties.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group employs three staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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 learn the importance of being healthy through good hygiene procedures and consistent routines. For example, they know to wash their hands before snack and after visiting the toilet. Staff teach children hygienic awareness through spontaneous discussions, such as how to dispose of tissues correctly, when they have blown their nose. This helps children develop an awareness of the importance of personal care. Staff have effective cleaning routines in place. They wipe surfaces with antibacterial spray and clean toys and equipment regularly. There are appropriate nappy changing facilities in place and staff wear protective clothing, such as aprons and gloves. This ensures the risk of cross infection is minimal.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are beginning to understand the importance of a healthy diet through highly organised snack routines. They know that they can choose five pieces of chopped fruit each snack time, and that they can access drinking water at any time. Children independently get their plates and cups from a container and return dirty plates to a 'dirty cups and plates box'. Menus for the week are displayed, and children enjoy snacks of apples, cheese and raisins. A special menu offers children variety, and they enjoy tasting strawberries. Healthy eating is promoted through planned activities, discussions and topics. For example, children complete a graph on favourite foods through the healthy eating topic. Children are developing social skills as they pass the milk jug to each other. They independently pour their own drinks. There are good systems in place to ensure staff work with parents to successfully meet children's dietary needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children access a good range of physical activities both indoors and out. They show skill as they balance on beams indoors. Staff further challenge children as they encourage them to walk sideways on the beam. This develops children's balance, coordination and gross motor skills. Children are interested and occupied in the wide range of outdoor activities that are provided. For example, they ride on bicycles, play with hoops, bats and balls. They push prams, dress dolls and dress up. Fine motor skills are developed as they chalk on boards and draw on clip boards. Children are also able to access quiet activities outside. They sit on chairs and look at books. This range of activities promotes children's health and well-being.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children learn about rules, discover boundaries and limits and know who to ask for help. They are beginning to take responsibility for their own safety, and know to take care going down the stairs. They sweep sand up from the floor and place it in the bin. They know that they should 'walk not run' indoors. Staff organise space very effectively to ensure optimum activities and resources are available to children. Toys and resources are of good quality, age appropriate and provide sufficient challenge. Equipment is checked for any faults and repaired or discarded. Staff have attended risk assessment training and have a good understanding of keeping safe. Daily health and safety checks are in place and any potential hazards assessed. Fire evacuation is regularly practised and a fire log book is in place.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The environment is warm and welcoming with attractive displays of children's work. The premises are secure and access is carefully monitored. Staff have attended first aid training, and all the required documentation is in place to ensure children are safe.

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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 All staff have attended child protection training. They have a good understanding of the procedures to take in the event they have any concerns about the safety or welfare of children. Parents are informed of the groups responsibilities and a child protection policy is in place. This ensures children are safeguarded.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and relaxed in the organised environment. Staff explain the daily activities available, and encourage independence through a range of self-help activities. For example, musical instruments in a basket, a self-help creative workshop and daily painting opportunities. Children excitedly rush to access the activities available. They are interested and motivated in the challenging and stimulating range that are on offer. Staff interaction is very good. They know children's favourite activities and extend children's learning through effective questioning techniques. Staff have attended 'Birth to three matters' training and plan activities to meet the needs of all children. Assessment systems have been introduced to ensure that young children's achievements are recorded and celebrated.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff use long, medium and short term planning to provide a broad balanced range of activities and experiences across the six areas of learning. Teaching takes account of children's different attainments and reflects high expectations for them to progress further. Children's attainments are recorded and used to inform planning. Staff are interested in what children are doing and build easy and trusting relationships with them. They extend learning, where appropriate, alongside children's interests.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children separate from the main carer with confidence. They put their coats on named pegs and place their outdoor shoes in racks. Children are encouraged to become proficient when putting their shoes on for outside play. They are given time to practise their skills and supported when appropriate. Children show personal independence as they select and carry out activities. For example, they make box models in the creative workshop. Children take a pride in their achievements and seek out staff to share experiences. For example, when making marks with the alphabet stamps, and finding the first letter of their name. Children talk about their families, who is collecting them from nursery, and that mummy has run the London Marathon.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have emerging self-confidence to speak to others about wants and interests. For example, they say 'May I have a drink' when thirsty, and 'How do I look' when dressing up. Children listen and join in with favourite songs and rhymes. Children have favourite books and handle them carefully. Staff reinforce learning using specific language, such as under and over. Children have many opportunities to make marks and practise their writing skills. Portable mark making carriers are used both indoors and out, enabling children to readily access tools and equipment and develop hand eye coordination and pre-writing skills. Clip boards with writing equipment are available throughout the nursery. Children make marks on the 'Northfield Vets Booking Form', on chalk boards and on notepads. They are encourage to write their own name and supported appropriately.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy playing the dice game in the outdoor play area and they count the number of spots. Children show an interest in number problems as they are encouraged to calculate how many are left in counting activities and nursery rhymes. Children investigate how things work when using a set of gears and cogs. Children show a sense of time and place. They enjoy looking

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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 at photographs of the local shops and talk about visiting the vets and the bank. Children use programmable toys, a listening station and mobile phones. However, opportunities for children to show an interest in information and communication technology are limited, and children do not have access to a computer.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children show a sense of space and make room for others when sitting on the carpet. They show increasing control in the use of mark making equipment, blocks, construction sets and small world activities. Children welcome the opportunity for physical play. Games, such as skittles are used to develop their hand eye coordination and concentration. Children show increasing control in using equipment for climbing and sliding. They ride on bicycles and crawl through tunnels. Children show an interest in musical instruments both indoors and out. They explore and mix colours in the painting activity. Children have access to good role play activities. They enjoy playing with the doctors set, dress up, and show care and concern as they bandage toy animals.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Partnership with parents and carers who receive funded nursery education is good. Parents are well informed of their children's achievements. They complete a starter questionnaire to ease the transition from home. This gives staff an understanding of children's starting points for care, teaching and learning. Letters are sent to parents inviting them to attend meetings to share their children's achievements, and children's assessment folders are sent home for parents to look at, and make comments. Parents are provided with good quality information. Photographs are displayed of children taking part in activities and the area of learning these are promoting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children have access to a good range of activities and play opportunities, which reflect diversity and acknowledge cultural differences. They learn about the wider world through fund raising events, such as 'Red Nose Day'. Policies and procedures are in place to support children with learning difficulties. Staff have undertaken training and there are suitable arrangements in place to monitor and record their needs and progress.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff are good role models and give praise and encouragement to children. Children take turns and share equipment and resources. They show care and consideration for others. Children are well behaved. Staff manage behaviour in a way that is age and developmentally appropriate.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Leadership and management is good. The proprietor and manager know what most needs improving, and continually strive to make improvements in the quality of children's care and education. The group are well supported by the early years teacher from the local authority. Staff keep up-to-date with training initiatives and have a good understanding of the stepping stones leading to the Foundation Stage and 'Birth to three matters' framework.

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Organisation

The group have a good operational plan and self evaluate to ensure they are providing a good quality service for parents and carers. All the required documentation is in place to ensure children's welfare, safety and learning are promoted. However, the complaints policy does not include the new address and telephone number of Ofsted.

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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 The organisation is well run. Staff provide interesting, challenging and spontaneous opportunities, which are age appropriate. Children are happy, settled and well supported by enthusiastic and motivated staff. 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

Several actions were raised at the previous inspection relating to documentation, safety and child protection procedures. All concerns have been fully addressed. Documentation is now in place for all areas, including child protection. Safety issues have been addressed. The points for consideration raised at the last funded nursery inspection have also been addressed. There are further opportunities for children to record changes, differences and similarities. Further activities have also been provided which help children to recognise and name musical instruments. All of which ensures children's safety, welfare and learning is maintained.

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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.

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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): • update the complaints procedure to include the new address and telephone number of Ofsted.

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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 opportunities for children to show an interest in information and communication technology.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

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

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