Kiddi Caru Nursery

Kiddi Caru Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY346317 Unique Reference Number 19 June 2007 Inspection date Amanda Shedden / Judith Reed Inspector

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The Beggarwood Surgery, Beggarwood Lane, Beggarwood, BASINGSTOKE, Hampshire, RG23 7NP

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Setting Address

01256 397779 Telephone number kiddibasingstoke@childcare.uk.com E-mail The Childcare Corporation Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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Setting Address

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?

Kiddi Caru Nursery is one of 21 nurseries owned by The Childcare Corporation. It opened in 2005 and operates from a purpose built building in Basingstoke, Hampshire. A maximum of 121 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07:30 to 18.30 for 51 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure outdoor play area. There are currently 157 children aged under five years on roll. Of these, 59 receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 31 staff to work directly with the children. Eighteen of the staff hold a level three qualification and four have a level two qualification. The nursery receives support from within the company and 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. Children play in a clean environment where they learn to follow good hygiene practises. The daily routines ensure that children wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating. The older, more able children are independent in their self-care skills. For example taking themselves to the toilet and brushing their teeth after meals. Young children's independence is encouraged as they use the low level sinks that are in each room to wash their hands when they get their hands messy, drying them on the paper towels and disposing of them appropriately.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff actively promote high standards of hygiene routines in the nursery when dealing with nappy changes. This good practise helps prevent cross infection, which ensure the children's well being. Staff recognise the signs of tiredness in babies and young children. They act on this knowledge to plan and support appropriate periods of rest and activity. Staff ensure that children's sleep times are recorded and this information is passed onto parents on a daily basis.

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Helping children to be healthy

All required documentation concerning children's health is in place. Procedures are in place to ensure accidents and the administration of medicines are recorded appropriately and information is shared with the parents. The majority of the staff have a relevant first aid qualification which means that if a child were to have an accident they would be treated quickly and appropriately.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are offered a range of nutritious and balanced meals which are cooked on the premises. There is a four week menu plan which is displayed for the parents to see. However, they do not always reflect the food that is actually served to the children. Children with special dietary requirements are safely and sensitively catered for. The use of colour coded crockery and clear labelling ensured that children do not have access to foods that are not suitable for them. Children are able to access drinks throughout the day. Older children help themselves to water and younger children are offered drinks by staff throughout the day to ensure they do not become dehydrated. Babies are offered a range of foods that are suitable for their stage of development and this is recorded in their diaries which are shared with the parents each day.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young children enjoy a range of activities to encourage their physical well being. Each day they use the garden to ride bikes, throw or kick balls, they push toys around and use the hoppers to jump around on all of which encourage the children to learn a variety of skills. Babies are encouraged to move onto the next stage of physical development according to their individual needs. They learn to roll, crawl, sit and practise standing and walking with the support of staff and resources, gradually developing new skills as they play.

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Helping children to be healthy

Older children relish regular daily opportunities to play outside. They confidently ride tricycles and scooters around the hard surface area and run around on the grass. Children steer around the area and adjusting speed and direction to avoid obstacles. They negotiate space and demonstrate good control. Children take part in a group yoga session within the playroom. The leader skilfully uses imaginary stories to encourage children’s movement and stretching. For example children are asked to stir around a large cooking pot of porridge, or stretch up high to chop some wood. They relax after the yoga and listen to the gentle and calming sound of bell cymbals

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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

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The nursery is very welcoming for children and their parents who are greeted warmly by the staff. All of the rooms offer a stimulating and attractive environment, for instance in the baby rooms attractive resources are hung from the ceiling enabling babies lying down to watch and be mesmerised, in each room there are displays of the children's work and commercial posters giving the children a sense of belonging.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are protected by good security procedures and access to the building is carefully controlled. The security of the children is given high priority and there are notices reminding parents not to allow others in with them. The camera on the front door enables staff to see who is outside before releasing the door. The high fence around the garden prevents children being seen from the outside. The low rail on the stairs enables children to use them safely. Fire evacuation procedures are understood and practised regularly so staff ensure that children are safe. When going outside to play or during an evacuation each room has a evacuation backpack with basic resources such as tissues, nappies, books, registers and first aid kits to enable staff to keep the children safe whilst outside of their playroom. All areas are checked for hazards and comprehensive risk assessments are in place in each room to safeguard children's safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is an extensive variety of age appropriate, good quality, stimulating toys and equipment to support children's play and learning in all areas of development. The equipment is clean, well maintained and checked routinely which ensures children are able to play safely. Resources are very accessible to all of the children enabling them to self select from the low clearly labelled boxes on low shelves.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected because management and staff have a good understanding of child protection policies and procedures; this actively contributes to children's safety and well-being. Access to information, training in this area and a written policy which the manager shares with parents and carers ensures children's welfare is given a high priority. Parents and carers are made aware that the nursery's ultimate responsibility is the safety and welfare of the children cared for.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Young children are very well cared for and are offered a wide range of exciting activities. They arrive confident and eager to participate settling quickly into the familiar routines. They form warm relationships with the staff and play happily alongside and with the other children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

There are two rooms for each age group and resources and activity plans are suitable in each of the rooms to interest and stimulate the children. Staff have a sound understanding of the Birth to three framework which allows them to plan for the children's individual stage. Staff make observations on the children and play plans are developed. Staff know the children well and ensure that the activities on offer encourage children to progress. Young babies have their individual time tables allowing them sleep, play and mealtimes according to their individual needs. Staff regularly change the resources and interact well with the babies talking and playing with them keeping them happy and contented.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young children enjoy using their senses as they run their fingers through the paint whilst sat at the table, listen to the different noises the shakers make and play with the sand. They practise

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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 using glue sticks as they decorate a poster choosing which pieces of shiny colour paper to use. They mix glue and paint as they create sea pictures and they learn about primary colours using brushes on sheets of paper.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children readily listen to stories and often self select books themselves carrying them to a member of staff to read to them, clambering on their lap to snuggle in as their chosen story is read to them. Babies are helped to investigate their senses as they access a range of tactile toys, including treasure baskets and natural objects. Staff interact well with them encouraging vocabulary as they promote their communication skills by talking to them about how the objects feel, for instance, soft, hard or silky. Children enjoy singing songs and learn the actions to the songs with good support from the staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are busy and well occupied throughout their time in the nursery. They happily and confidently enter the nursery and immediately settle into the activities. Staff welcome children individually. They gather on the mat for register, calendar and observations of the weather. Children eagerly answer questions and are familiar with the date and season. They join in counting the number of children present. Staff invite children to join in the morning activity of yoga. They know the routine and begin taking off their shoes ready to start.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Permanent staff know the children well and have good knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum. They try to ensure regular observations are made and records are accurate, however, there have been many staff changes and not all records of development are up to date. These records are used to plan future activities therefore a few children are not making sufficient progress. A mixture of free play and group activities are used to ensure children benefit from several different experiences throughout their day at nursery. Staff are fully involved with the children throughout the day and join in the activities. In the Sunflower Room staff ensure the planning is followed and that children develop their own activities. For example children begin painting with orange paint according to plans and ask to mix different colours. They are encouraged to mix paint colours and watch the changes in colours. Staff talk to children about

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

the changes. In the Poppy Room staff are unable to follow the planned activity linking painting with toothbrushes and oral health as the equipment is not available. Children’s experience at nursery can be inconsistent due to the lack of trained staff who are familiar with the Foundation Stage curriculum.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children listen intently when staff read them favourite a story. They understand that marks have meaning and “read” the calendar. Children practise writing at the writing table. They choose their own writing implements. Children learn to read their own names and recognise the labels on their own drawers and on labels on the reward chart. They develop an understanding of Maths through regular counting activities. Staff introduce early calculation by talking about how many children will be present when other children arrive in nursery. Children recognise shapes and match them together in a Dominoes games. They fill containers with sand and observe quantity and size of the containers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children particularly relish opportunities to use the computers. They expertly use the mouse to move puzzle pieces in a Pingu game or remove the cat’s clothing in the Green Eggs and Ham game. Children work together and laugh when the clothing falls off the cat. Staff ensure children take turns on the computers and use a sand timer to ensure fairness. Children build airplanes

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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 with construction equipment as well as junk model boxes. They discuss travel experiences and look at a map of the world. Children observe a giant land snail and draw pictures of it.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy dressing up and one child creates a many layered pirate costume from a doctor’s outfit and the kimono, with a belt made from construction materials. He states that he has also made some binoculars from the construction set. Other children have pieces of fabric and use their imagination to create a hairdressers cape, then pretend to use scissors and a plastic knife to cut hair. Children confidently mix powder paint with water to make paint. They pour it carefully onto a plate to enable themselves to use a roller for painting. Children also mix colours together. They proudly show their work saying “We are making it fun, we’re making it messy”. Children remove paintings to the drying rack ready to show their parents at collection time.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are effectively valued and treated as individuals. Staff know the children very well and enjoy their company. From a young age children are developing confidence, and their self esteem is raised by staff through praise and encouragement. For example, children are very proud of themselves when staff tell them ‘that’s really good tidying aren't you helpful' and when they show their works of art they beam as they are praised. They develop a sense of responsibility as they help tidy up the resources or sit and help the sleeping children to settle as they pat their backs, copying the staff's actions.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children learn about the world around them as they participate in activities for instance the French day or undertaking fundraising activities for children's charities. There are resources throughout the nursery that reflect cultural diversity. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual, moral social and cultural development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's behaviour is good they respond to the clear boundaries and gentle reminders to be kind to their friends. Children's behaviour is managed according to their individual level of understanding. For instance young children are distracted and the pre school children respond to the reward chart, encouraging positive behaviour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children with additional needs are supported well within the nursery. There are two members of staff responsible and they have received training. They liaise with the parents to ensure that the children's needs are appropriately met. Staff in the individual rooms are fully aware of the support needed and observations kept on the children support their progress.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good, each child has a key worker who liaises with parents. Parents’ complete extensive information sheets about their child and they discuss this with their child's key worker to ensure their child is cared for according to the parents wishes. Staff make observations and record the children's progress ensuring that children are cared for as individuals. There is a parent’s notice board in the entrance hall and outside each room giving parents a broad range of information from the days plans to how to make a complaint. Staff take time each day to discuss the experiences the child has had that day and young children have a daily diary giving parents further information such as the nappy changes and sleep times.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers of children receiving nursery education is good. Parents are informed about the Foundation Stage and planning through clear notices outside the playrooms. They are invited to discuss their own child’s development at meetings with key workers. Parents are aware that they may view their children’s records whenever they wish and

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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 they feel fully involved in their children’s education. Parents complete a questionnaire about their children when they first start in nursery to enable staff to help children progress and develop appropriately.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's care is supported by the organisation and routines of the nursery. Staff know the children well and they work together as a team ensuring that the children are cared for appropriately. Children feel at ease within the environment, at times, moving confidently from one room to another with staff to ensure that ratios are met.

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Organisation

The staff team are suitably qualified. Procedures are in place to ensure that only suitable staff are appointed. All new staff have an induction period in order to ensure that they are aware of the setting's policies and procedures. Policies and procedures are in place, however the complaints log is not easily accessible to parents. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. The two senior members of staff are supernumerary and each room has a room leader. Staff are supported by the management team who encourage staff to update their skills and knowledge for the benefit of the children. There are monitoring systems in place to ensure that all areas of the Foundation Stage are being met and that the care for the children is appropriate. This is not completely effective as there are inconsistencies in the care and education for the children in some of the rooms.

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Organisation

Staff appraisals are completed following a three month probation period, then annually to support their professional development. Management ensures that all staff meet monthly to plan activities for the children, however, staff are currently unable to keep consistent records on all children due to staff shortages. Records of achievement are used to target planning and individual children’s development. Some of these records are out of date so the children’s development is inconsistent. Staff ensure all areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum are included in the planning.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration Ofsted have received one complaint that required the provider to take action to meet the National Standards. It related to National Standard 14 the concern has not been logged in the providers complaint log. An action plan was put in place and the nursery has made adjustments to ensure that standard 14 is met. The provider remains qualified for registration.

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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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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 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 complaints log is easily accessible to parents • ensure that the menus displayed reflect the food that is actually given. • ensure that the deployment of staff is conducive to the consistency of care and education for all 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): • ensure equipment required for focused activites is readily available • ensure children's records of achievement are consistently up to date enable these records to inform planning to help all children progress

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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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