Swinnow Primary School

Cannons Day Nursery & Creche

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Cannons Day Nursery & Creche

Unique Reference Number 107979 Inspection date 27 September 2005 Inspector Margaret Moffat

p.1

Cannons Day Nursery & Creche

Setting Address Wexham Street, Stoke Poges, Slough, Berkshire, SL3 6NB

p.1

Cannons Day Nursery & Creche

Telephone number 01753 663666 or 01753 663996

p.1

E-mail

Registered person Cannons Health & Fitness Ltd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care, Crèche

p.1

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

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Cannons Day Nursery and Cannons Health Club Crèche are situated in Stoke Poges. They are part of a chain of day care provisio22`s owned by Cannons Health and Fitness Limited. The day nursery opened in 2000. It operates from 4 ground floor rooms in a self-contained building on the health club site. The nursery serves the local community and surrounding areas.

p.2

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 There are currently 57 children from 3 months to 5 years on roll. Of these 9 children receive funding for nursery education. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week all year round. Sessions are from 08:00 until 18:00. There are 10 full time staff working with the children. Over half the staff have Early Years qualifications to level 2 or 3. There is one staff member currently working towards a recognised Early Years qualification. The Crèche opened in 1996. It operates from two ground floor rooms in the health club. Children who attend must have parents/carers who are members and are using the club facilities. Children do not attend for more than 2 hours. The crèche is open Monday to Sunday from 9.30 until 16.30.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are a total of 6 staff working with the children. Half the staff have Early Years qualifications to level 2 or 3. There is 1 staff member currently working towards a recognised Early Years qualification.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children learn the importance of good personal hygiene through well-organised routines. The environment is clean and tidy and children receive good support to develop hygiene practices. Older children wash hands at appropriate times without prompting, after visiting the toilet and chalking activity. Children stay healthy because staff follow appropriate health guidelines and procedures. Babies and young children benefit from a clean and bright environment where staff follow rigorous health routines. Relevant documentation and consents are in place. Parents give prior written consent to administer medication and many of the staff hold first aid certificates. This ensures children’s health and welfare are maintained effectively by the staff. Children enjoy a good range of physical activities, which contributes to a healthy lifestyle. They develop confidence in their physical skills as they use a good range of

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

indoor and outdoor toys and equipment. They access a range of tools and use them confidently in everyday activities for example using scissors to experiment cutting paper and cutlery at eating times. Babies and toddlers access a very good range of toys and activities to enable them to be confident in gaining control of their bodies. Children enjoy varied and nutritious meals, which meet special dietary needs and ensure children remain healthy. Meals are prepared on the premises and there are effective storage procedures for the food to prevent spoiling. Fresh drinking water is

p.3

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 available at all times and children confidently help themselves. This encourages children to think about their personal needs. Mealtimes are a social occasion for staff and children with opportunities for the whole nursery to share some meals together developing the children’s sense of belonging.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a warm and welcoming safe environment. They have good opportunities to enjoy playing and learning, and to move around freely exploring all areas of the provision. Children access age appropriate safe resources which are well organised to develop their independence skills. Staff check toys and equipment regularly to ensure they are safe and suitable for the purpose. Children learn to take responsibility for keeping themselves safe through staff explaining safe practices, such as not running through the nursery and emergency evacuations. However some fire exits are not always kept clear and this may have an impact on the safety of children. Children benefit from a range of safety measures for example daily risks assessments for all areas of the nursery. The provision has adequate security arrangements to ensure children are unable to leave the premises without a suitable

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

adult. However systems for recording exact numbers of children and staff on the premises is unclear. Children keep safe within the premises owing to the care given by staff who are vetted and demonstrate an awareness of safety policies and procedures. Staff have a good knowledge of child protection issues and observe good practices to ensure the protection of the children.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff working with the funded children have a sound knowledge of the foundation stage and provide children with a sufficient range of activities and experiences. New systems for planning and assessment are improving the organisation of activities to cover all aspects of development. However, planning still lacks details of the children’s individual learning needs and evaluation is not used effectively to inform future planning. The children develop good relationships with the staff that know them well and offer appropriate support to achieve tasks. Children’s behaviour is very good and they are developing awareness between right and wrong. They respond to gentle reminders from staff not to run in the nursery and to tidy up when asked. Children share, co-operate, and help each other to complete tasks by guiding each other. Children are confident speakers, they initiate conversations, express their thoughts

p.4

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 and feelings to each other and adults, and use imaginative language in their play. For example when going shopping in role-play corner, instigating own shark game in water tray and talking about transport pictures. They have opportunities to practice writing for a variety of purposes and older more able children link sounds to letters. Most children count confidently to five and recognise numbers readily. They use appropriate mathematical language during free play activities. They recognise shapes and make patterns for example when using shape pieces children make and name diamonds and star shapes and well as triangles and squares. However, staff miss opportunities to develop counting and calculation skills in everyday practical activities. Children are confident in using information technology. They demonstrate

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

good mouse control when playing games, which link other areas of learning, on the computer. Children are encouraged to use their imagination and express their ideas in a variety of different ways such as role-play, water and sand play, free painting and drawing.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued and respected as individuals. They develop a positive attitude to others and gain a good understanding of the wider world and community through socialising and celebrating festivals as part of their themes. Children have access to a range of activities and resources to develop their understanding of diversity. All the children access all the activities with suitable support for those needing it promoting children’s sense of belonging and achieving. Children behave well and play together harmoniously. They are polite and show kindness and respect for each other. Staff are consistent in their approach to behaviour management and use appropriate strategies. This helps children develop an understanding of right from wrong. Partnership with parents is good. Information and effective communication through daily verbal feedback or daily books for babies and young children, newsletters and

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

notice board help staff and parents work together to ensure continuity of care. Parents report they are happy with the service provided. The provision fosters children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.5

Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The environment is well organised and space is used appropriately to maximise play opportunities for children. Children are happy and settled within the provision. Children receive good support from staff who know them well. All legally required documentation, which contributes to children’s health, safety and well-being, is in place. However, registers do not clearly identify children and staff present.

p.5

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 Leadership and management are satisfactory. The nursery provision has seen improvements under the new management and organisation. However, systems to monitor and evaluate the provision of nursery education are less effective. Staff work well as a team and there is a commitment to on-going training. The provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

The provision has made satisfactory improvements in addressing the recommendations raised in care and education at the last inspection. The provision was asked to improve the safety for children by ensuring fire equipment is maintained in working order and all fire doors are kept shut and premises are secure and that children are unable to leave them unsupervised. Secure systems for the arrival and departure of the children ensure they cannot leave the premises unsupervised. Fire equipment is regularly checked and fire doors are closed. This contributes to keeping children safe. Further recommendations on documentation to record actual times of attendance and share children’s development records with parents have been addressed. However registers are still an issue at this inspection. Children benefit from sufficient staff ratios to support and interact appropriately with them. Parents have opportunities to discuss their children's progress with staff at any time and

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

through parent’s evenings. Staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of the stepping stones, leading towards the early learning goals. Planning identifies main learning intentions of the activities and assessment systems record children’s progress towards the early learning goals. The manager continues to develop systems for monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and the organisation of the education programme. Children have opportunities to make decisions for themselves, use communications technology, practise writing for a variety of purposes, express their own creativity and develop imaginative play. Activities to develop children’s large muscle skills have improved with access to large outside play equipment, swimming lessons and gym club. However, identifying children’s individual next step in learning and opportunities for simple calculation as part of everyday activities remain issues at this inspection.

p.6

Complaints since the last inspection

Since last inspection, two complaints have been made. Concerns were raised relating to Standard 11 Behaviour, around the interaction between staff and children. Concerns were raised relating to Standard 4 Physical Environment, regarding the temperature. On both occasions, the nursery was asked to carry out internal investigations and report to Ofsted within 10 working days. Provider has supplied Ofsted with a full detailed response and a copy of their behaviour management policy and explanation relating to problems with heating. Ofsted are satisfied that the registered person has taken appropriate steps to address the concerns. The provider remains qualified for registration.

p.6

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

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.7

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.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

p.7

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): • improve emergency evacuation procedures ensuring fire exits are clear • ensure registers are accurately maintained and record children and staff in attendance

p.7

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): • continue to develop the systems for planning and assessment to include details of the children’s individual learning needs and use evaluation to inform future planning • provide further opportunities for children to count and make simple calculations in everyday practical activities

p.7

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

p.7

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

p.7