Fulwell Grange Kindergarden

Fulwell Grange Kindergarden Inspection report for early years provision

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EY262595 Unique Reference Number 26 June 2007 Inspection date Sharon Greener Inspector

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178 Newcastle Road, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR5 1NW Setting Address

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0191 5485888 Telephone number fulwell@justlearning.co.uk E-mail Just Learning Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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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?

Fulwell Grange Kindergarden is one of 70 nurseries run by Just Learning Limited. The kindergarden opened in 2004 and operates from a converted church premises consisting of four playrooms and associated facilities. It is situated in the Fulwell area of Sunderland. A maximum of 82 children may attend the setting at any one time. The Kindergarden is open each weekday from 07.30 until 18.00 for 52 weeks of the year. All children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 136 children aged from eight months to under five years on roll. Of these, 44 children receive funding for early education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The Kindergarden currently supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The Kindergarden employs 25 members of staff. All staff hold appropriate early years qualifications and two staff are currently working towards a higher qualification.

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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 about the importance of adopting good personal hygiene practices through the use of regular routines such as cleaning their teeth and washing their hands after visiting the toilet and before eating. Older children know that hand washing helps to kill germs. Good practice is further supported by staff who present as very positive role models. For example, staff wear hair nets when serving food and eating their meals with the children. Stringent nappy changing procedures are applied and staff regularly monitor and record the cleanliness of toilet areas. All staff hold a valid basic first aid certificate and four staff hold valid first aid at work certificates. This helps safeguard children's welfare. Very good hygiene standards are maintained by staff who have a clear understanding of related policies and procedures which are very well implemented. For example, staff ensure that the nappy changing facilities, resources and

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Helping children to be healthy

equipment are kept very clean and in good order. This helps to maintain a healthy environment for the children.

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Helping children to be healthy

The setting actively promotes healthy eating and staff ensure that meals and snacks offered are well balanced and nutritious. Children are offered suitable drinks at regular intervals throughout the day. This helps to promote children's good health. Children show a growing awareness of the benefits of a healthy diet. Older children know that fresh fruit and vegetables are good for them. Staff discuss any specific dietary requirements a child may have with parents and carers. This information is recorded on the child's personal record. Such needs are very well met whether for religious, cultural, medical grounds or the lifestyle choice of parents and carers.

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Helping children to be healthy

A very good variety of physical play opportunities are provided for the children and physical play is incorporated into the daily routine for all age groups. A large enclosed outdoor play area and a wide selection of resources enables all children to benefit from fresh air and older children benefit form robust physical exercise. All children are actively encouraged to make use of the resources provided to test their capabilities and are very well supported by staff. Babies and very young children are actively encouraged to develop their physical skills, for example, by playing in the ball-pool and using cause and effect toys. Older children enjoy dancing, playing ring games and action games indoors. Each summer a football coach visits the setting on a weekly basis to work with children over two years. All children are able to rest and be active according to their individual needs. This helps promote and enhance children's physical

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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 secure environment by staff that have a very good understanding of related policies and procedures. Security is very good and a closed circuit television system is installed to help staff to monitor the premises. Staff are most vigilant regarding safety and effectively implement policies and procedures to remove or minimise risks. For example, staff have a thorough knowledge of the action to be taken regarding a lost child, the evacuation of the premises and the supervision of visitors. Thorough risk assessment procedures are in place. A general check of the premises is carried out by managers at the beginning and end of the day and a record kept. Staff in each of the playrooms complete written risk assessment checks on a daily and monthly basis. However, the monthly risk assessment records are not consistently

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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 signed by the staff member completing the checks. Staff visually risk assess the facilities and resources on an ongoing basis throughout the day. Fire drills are carried out and recorded at regular intervals and the fire alarm system is tested weekly. Appropriate safety equipment is in place, such as socket covers and safety gates, and all outings are risk assessed in advance. Equipment and resources are checked and cleaned regularly and are in very good order. This helps to maintain a safe environment for the children and helps keep them safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The playrooms are very well laid out and organised so as to enable the children to move around independently and safely whilst under the very closely supervision of staff at all times. Children's welfare is very well promoted by the staff that help children to develop an awareness of the need to preserve their own well-being. For example, children are given gentle reminders from staff, such as the need to use scissors appropriately and not to push each other as someone may be hurt. Children respond positively to staff and this helps to raise their awareness of the need to take some responsibility for keeping themselves and others safe. Staff have a clear understanding of their role and responsibility regarding safeguarding children and some staff have completed relevant training. This helps to protect children from harm.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Staff build strong relationships with the children. All children settle very well in an environment that is welcoming and stimulating where children are acknowledged and respected as individuals. The children are very relaxed and at ease and relate very well to staff and peers. They benefit from access to a broad range of well planned meaningful activities that support and enhance their learning and development effectively. All children are very well supported and benefit from the good quality interaction of enthusiastic staff with a very good knowledge of child development. This has a positive impact on children's achievements and they show good levels of self-confidence and positive self-esteem as appropriate to their age and stage of development. Children are very well motivated, animated and enthusiastic learners. Staff working with children under three years show a very good awareness of the 'Birth to three matters' framework which

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

is very well implemented. For example, babies and toddlers enjoy the tactile experience of exploring sand, dough and paint freely and of rummaging through baskets and containers, exploring fabrics and items of different textures. Emphasis is given to promoting and nurturing children's learning and skills in respect of mathematics, communication, language and literacy and personal, social and emotional development. For example, staff actively encourage and promote children's communication skills and children are able to make known their needs through facial expressions, gestures and spoken word as appropriate to their age and stage of development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a very good understanding of the curriculum for the Foundation Stage and the stepping stones. Plans cover all six areas of learning and ensure that a wide range of purposeful activities and learning experiences are provided for the children. Staff make very good use of open ended questions to encourage children to extend their thoughts and ideas and to solve simple problems. Activities are often repeated so as to consolidate children's learning. This helps to promote children's all round development effectively. Key workers regularly monitor and assess the individual developmental progress of children. The system of assessment links directly to the stepping stones and the information gleaned by staff is used effectively to shape and inform future plans. This ensures that all children make positive progress towards the early learning goals.

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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 are animated and eager learners who make confident choices about their play activities. Staff place particular emphasis on promoting children's learning and skills in respect of mathematics, communication, language and literacy and personal, social and emotional development. Children are very confident speakers and express their feelings, ideas and needs most readily. They thoroughly enjoy sharing books with staff and listening to stories. However, they are less inclined to make independent use of books. Children's listening skills are developing very well and they pay close attention during story sessions, answering questions correctly and can follow simple instructions. They show a keen interest in text and written words and are beginning to recognise and name some letters, such as those in their first name or familiar

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

words on labels, flashcards and in books. They are able to recognise and name letters and link them to the correct letter sound. For example, a child confidently and quickly went through many letters of the alphabet linking each letter with the correct letter sound and naming items that began with the same letter and sound. Children have frequent opportunities to practise writing skills, which are developing very well. They trace and draw simple shapes and create recognisable pictures such as self portraits and vehicles. Children are starting to form recognisable numbers and letters and some write their first name unaided. They count from one to 10 with confidence and some children count to 20. For example, a child placed 20 plastic squares in a line on the carpet and counted them with ease. Children are beginning to identify written numbers from one to 10 and are beginning to show a growing awareness of concepts

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

such as addition, subtraction and weight. They can identify which group of items has more or less and use simple mathematical language, such as heavy, big, little and long in their play. They recognise and name primary and many secondary colours and can sort and grade items according to simple characteristics such as colour, shape or size.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

A suitable selection of resources and activities are provided to aid in the promotion of equal opportunity and diversity. Children regularly acknowledge and celebrate a variety of festivals from different cultures. They are beginning to differentiate between the past and present and can recall past events. For example, the children talk about toys they had received at Christmas and birthdays. The children thoroughly enjoyed a recent topic on Ancient Egypt. They discovered what type of toys children played with in Ancient Egypt and each child made a small rag doll. They created pictures of Ancient Egyptians and made pyramids. Children have frequent opportunities to raise their understanding of the natural world through activities such as observing worms, spiders and snails and by sowing and tending seeds and plants. They show an emerging understanding of the changes in the seasons and the weather and are able to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

specify the different types of weather each season brings. They have easy access to a computer and simple electronic toys such as calculators, walkie-talkies and robots. This helps to raise children's awareness of the wider world and how things live, grow or work. Children are able to express themselves freely and creatively through a very good range of activities and media such as paint, collage, sand, water, model making, dough, drama, music and movement. All children are very well supported and sufficiently challenged.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The setting is welcoming to children and offers them independent access to a very good range of resources and learning opportunities. The well organised and child orientated playrooms enable children to make choices about their play activities and self-select toys. Older children are encouraged to attend to their own personal needs, such as toileting and choosing when to have a snack. This helps promote and enhance children's decision making and independence

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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 skills. The setting has suitable arrangements to support children with learning difficulties or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff have a very good understanding of the way in which to manage children's behaviour and have completed relevant in-house training. They use age appropriate strategies calmly and consistently. Distraction tactics are used very well with all children particularly babies and toddlers. In addition to this, older children are given clear explanations of boundaries and gentle reminders of the rules. They respond very well to staff and their behaviour is very good. Children are constantly praised and encouraged by staff who have high, but realistic expectations of them. Children are developing a positive attitude towards others and interact very well with staff, peers and those less familiar to them according to their age and stage of development. They show regard for others in the way that they willingly share toys, take turns and negotiate.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are helped to develop an awareness of the local community and benefit from regular outings, for example, to the beach, the library, local shops, parks and green areas. A trip to Flamingo Land is scheduled in July and many parents and carers are to accompany the staff and children. The setting fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. They receive good quality written information about the setting, the policies and procedures and other relevant information. Monthly newsletters, displays and notice boards are used effectively to keep them up to date with pertinent information for example, activity plans, menus, the 'Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage', the 'Birth to three matters' framework and access to the registration certificate and the last inspection report. Regular verbal feedback from staff and access to information recorded daily on each individual child ensures that respective parents and carers are kept very well informed of their child's progress and the day to day events. Parents and carers are invited to attend bi-annual review meetings to meet with their child's key worker to discuss their child's progress and development. They are actively encouraged to keep staff

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Helping children make a positive contribution

informed of any pertinent information about their child and have access to their own child's records. Every two months key workers give out questionnaires to obtain feedback from parents and carers and to consult with them about their child's progress and future areas of development. This helps staff to work alongside parents and carers so as to ensure that children's evolving needs are very well met.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides. The setting is very well organised and staff are very well deployed. The leadership and management is good. The required policies, procedures and record keeping systems are in place and are very well organised and presented.

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Organisation

Children's care is given high priority and this is reflected in the effective and enthusiastic management of the setting. Staff are very well motivated and they are committed to the ongoing improvement of the service. This is shown through their willingness to complete relevant training that helps them to continue to develop their knowledge and further develop their practice. Staff are very well supported through team meetings, individual supervision sessions and a regular appraisal system. Morale is high and staff work effectively together as a team. They have a very good understanding of policies and procedures and this underpins their good practice.

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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 a very good knowledge of child development and this enables them to support children's learning and development effectively. Children's individual developmental progress is regularly monitored by key workers. The information gleaned is used efficiently to enable staff to collate activity plans that ensure that a wide variety of purposeful activities and learning experiences are provided for all children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider was asked to develop procedures relating to health and safety, specifically regarding staff to child ratios, the room temperature in the baby room and the safety of the nappy changing and toilet facilities. The provider was also asked to develop staff's awareness and understanding of effective ways to manage the behaviour of babies.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff to child ratios are appropriately maintained, suitable procedures are in place to ensure that room temperatures are monitored and maintained to a comfortable level and nappy changing and toilet facilities are safe for use by children. Staff show a very good understanding of behaviour management and apply appropriate strategies in accordance with the child's age and stage of development. This helps to improve the care and safety of the children.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the time 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): • ensure that the monthly risk assessment record sheets consistently identifies the member of staff who completed the risk assessment checks.

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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): • continue to develop children's interest in books and further encourage them to make more frequent independent use of books.

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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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