Paint Pots Preschool & Nursery

Paint Pots Pre-School and Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY348221 Unique Reference Number 27 June 2007 Inspection date Marilyn Joy Inspector

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244 Burgess Road, SOUTHAMPTON, SO16 3AU Setting Address

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02380 582589 Telephone number dwright95@clara.co.uk E-mail Paint Pots Pre-School and Nursey 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?

Paint Pots Pre-School and Nursery is one of three nurseries run by Paint Pots Pre-School and Nursery Ltd. It opened in 2007 using the premises of an existing nursery. It operates from the main building and a port-a-cabin, and is part of a Children's Centre. It is situated in Southampton near to the University and the hospital. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 38 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 44 on roll and of these 25 receive funding for nursery education. There is a small number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and 12 for whom English is an additional language. The nursery is open each weekday from 08.00 to 18.00.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs seven staff, of whom three staff are working towards a qualification or a further qualification. One of the joint owners has achieved Early Years Professional Status.

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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 outstanding. A healthy lifestyle is promoted extremely well because there is a very good understanding of the importance of nutrition, hygiene, fresh air and exercise. All regulatory documentation pertaining to children's health is in place and accurately maintained. Effective and thorough hygiene practices are observed at all times thereby reducing the risk of cross infection and maintaining a clean and hygienic environment. A strong emphasis is given to raising children's awareness and helping them to develop good habits themselves, such as cleaning their teeth after meals and preventing the spread of germs.

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Helping children to be healthy

A high priority is given to providing healthy and nutritious snacks which children enjoy and comply with individual requirements. Parents provide lunch boxes for the midday meal and children are familiar with the routine of storing them in the fridge. They take responsibility for getting them out and putting them away afterwards. Mealtimes are sociable occasions. Children are not rushed but are given to time to enjoy and finish their food. Low level seating is used for the youngest children so they can be part of a group and interact with others. Babies are cuddled when they have their bottles. Topics, posters and discussions with parents encourage nutritious foods to be provided, and increase children's understanding of healthy living.

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Helping children to be healthy

Physical development is well catered for. Children of all ages enjoy exciting, challenging and stimulating experiences outdoors. Babies explore the texture of wet and dry sand, climb onto wheeled toys and investigate the sensory area. Toddlers and pre-school children move freely between indoors and outdoors. They climb the tree, manoeuvre cars around the paths and develop spatial awareness. Children freely access an extensive range of tools, equipment and materials, indoors and outdoors, and become proficient in using them. High levels of personal independence are achieved.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. A safe and stimulating environment is offered where children can explore a wide range of resources to promote their development. Displays of children's work and posters, as well as information for parents and staff, decorate the walls. Toys and equipment are easily accessible and set out to engage children's interest. The premises and resources are clean and well-maintained. Children under two are cared for in a purpose-built unit whilst over twos share the main building. The conservatory is very light, bright and welcoming.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is carefully safeguarded because staff have a clear understanding of child protection issues and know what to do if they have concerns about a child in their care. Evacuation procedures are practised regularly so that children can be evacuated quickly in the event of a fire. The premises are secure and there are good systems in place to ensure children are unable to leave unaccompanied or be collected by unknown persons.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and content in the homely environment provided. They experience a broad range of interesting activities which are planned around the Birth to three matters framework

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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 and the Foundation Stage curriculum which ensures all areas of development are included. Sessions are generally organised very well, although, sometimes activities are disrupted when children are arriving or being collected from the pre-school sessions. Independence is emphasised throughout the nursery. Low-level furnishings and storage means that babies are able to pull themselves up and access resources as they become more mobile. They enjoy looking out of the window as they experiment and make marks with chunky chalks. They benefit from a consistent team of staff who are involved in their play, give them cuddles and encourage them to communicate. Older children all share the same play space and have opportunities to learn from each other. Activities are differentiated to enable all to participate and achieve at their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

own level. Over fives join them after school and enjoy having the freedom to choose what they want to do, to play and have fun.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Effective teaching delivered by competent staff results in children making good progress in their learning. A stimulating variety of topics is introduced throughout the year to ensure all aspects of learning are covered either through focus learning activities or by self-selection from resources continuously available. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of their roles by putting focus plans into practise and supporting children as they move freely around. Children with English as an additional language are welcomed at the nursery and steps are taken to learn words of their home language and share information with parents, although, there are few specific arrangements to promote their communication skills and involvement in the session. Children's progress is assessed and their next steps for learning are informally planned and incorporated into the activities provided.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Themes permeate through various activities to enable children to consolidate and reinforce their learning. Children become familiar with the story of the Gingerbread man and are encouraged to recall it throughout the week, they measure and mix ingredients to make gingerbread biscuits then record the recipe. They enact the story with puppets and talk about the story from previous week. In the role-play area they create their own storylines and wear Red Riding Hood's cloak or Goldilock's wig. Staff skilfully challenge and extend children's learning through relaxed conversations and involvement in their play. They encourage children to communicate with others, think for themselves and solve simple problems. Mathematical language and understanding is routinely incorporated. Children count, measure and calculate when cooking and work out how shapes fit together when building a city from blocks. Pre-writing

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

skills are developed as they become competent in using a wide range of tools and practise mark-making when drawing and painting. Many children recognise their names and some attempt to write them. They enjoy listening to stories and sharing books together.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

A high priority is given to promoting children's personal, social and emotional development. Children are motivated and demonstrate a strong disposition towards learning. They become increasingly independent as they direct their own play and confidently ask if they want something different. They demonstrate increasing concentration, such as when building involved structures from wooden blocks or exploring the gloop. Children are usually attentive at circle time as staff introduce the topic and explain what activities are on offer. Many contribute their ideas, such as suggesting words that begin with the letter of the week. Children experiment, investigate and observe change when growing sunflowers, cooking and adding water to the sand. They use their imaginations during role-play and when creating their own designs from different media and materials. They explore the sounds of musical instruments and join in with

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

singing. They operate simple technology toys and take turns in using the computer.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children demonstrate a clear sense of belonging in the confident way in which they arrive at the nursery and quickly settle. Effective settling-in routines help children to settle and parents to feel confident about the care provided. Parents are welcomed into the nursery and arrangements are flexible to accommodate their needs for example should they want to continue feeding their babies. Parents value the friendly and approachable staff and comment on the fun their children have whilst at the nursery.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is good. Parents are provided with a good range of information about the nursery, its policies, procedures and the Foundation Stage curriculum. Information is provided in different formats to suit their differing needs and to ensure they are kept well-informed about their child's progress. Regular newsletters and the notice board keep parents up-to-date with current topics and issues to enable them to contribute to children's learning at home. Systems for gathering information from parents about children's individual needs are particularly good when they join the baby unit and are continually updated, although systems to help staff establish starting points for learning are not formally used when new children join the pre-school. Twice yearly consultation meetings are organised so that parents can discuss their child's progress formally and supplements the daily discussions with staff.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children receive frequent praise and encouragement and clear boundaries which helps them to understand what is expected and behave well. Disagreements are resolved calmly in a manner that individual children understand. Staff liaise with parents and professionals in order to meet the needs of children with learning difficulties and/of disabilities. Information is shared with all staff to ensure a consistent approach is followed. Children's individuality is valued. Staff get to know them well and respect parents' wishes.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Good outcomes are achieved for children because the nursery is well-organised and their welfare is given paramount consideration. The nursery's motto of 'love, laughter and learning' is evident in the happy environment provided and commitment of staff. Comprehensive policies and procedures underpin the smooth operation of the nursery and are reflected in practice. Effective systems for recruitment, selection and induction ensure staff are suitably qualified and have a secure understanding of their roles and responsibilities. A strong emphasis is given towards the professional development of staff through ongoing training and appraisal. The management team themselves have achieved or are working towards higher level qualifications.

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Organisation

Most documentation is maintained to a high standard, however the register recording children's attendance is not always accurate throughout the day which compromises their care and well-being. Generally, space is used very well to enable children to move freely around indoors and outdoors as they play and learn, and staff are deployed efficiently to support children and provide positive role models.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. Continual monitoring and evaluation of all areas of the nursery and the provision for nursery education results in children making good progress towards the early learning goals. Areas for improvement have been identified. Staff work well as a team, are enthusiastic and enjoy their work. They are proactive in developing the provision and

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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 responding to feedback to enhance the quality of the care and learning provided. The nursery meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration 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 the register is maintained accurately at all times.

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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): • develop the support provided for children with English as an additional language in order to enhance participation in activities and promote their learning.

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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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