Noahs Ark Daycare Nursery

Noahs Ark Daycare Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY250583 Unique Reference Number 08 October 2007 Inspection date Nicola Jayne Pascoe Inspector

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7 Alexandra Road, Illogan, Redruth, Cornwall, TR16 4DY Setting Address

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E-mail

Noahs Ark Daycare Nursery Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day 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?

Noah's Ark Day Nursery opened in 2003. It is privately owned and operates from the ground floor of a large detached house near the centre of Illogan village, near Redruth, Cornwall.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 16 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08:00 to 17:30 for 51 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 30 children aged from three months to under five years on roll. Of these seven children receive funding for nursery education. The nursery serves surrounding towns and villages.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs five members of staff. All members of staff hold appropriate early years qualifications to NVQ level 3. The nursery also employs a full-time qualified early years teacher, who is currently working towards a further qualification. The setting receives support from the local authority, Pre-school Learning Alliance (PLA) and Kernow Association of Day Nurseries (KADN).

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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 benefit from the high level of commitment shown by the registered person and staff, to the active promotion of healthy eating habits. They are provided with a balanced and nutritious range of fresh fruit and sandwiches for snack times. Cooked meals are provided by the nursery, which are prepared on the premises each day by the registered person, who holds a basic food hygiene certificate. Children who bring a packed lunch also enjoy healthy food, as there is evidence that staff, parents and carers liaise closely to ensure that packed lunches are also healthy and nutritious. Nursery food and packed lunches are stored, prepared and served hygienically. Children and staff sit socially together to eat. Sufficient quantities of food and drink are available to children to effectively meet their individual needs. Table manners are promoted well and meal and snack times are an enjoyable occasion, when all children and

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Helping children to be healthy

staff can join together and participate in lively and good humoured discussion. All children benefit from free access to drinking water throughout the day.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are familiar with the importance of maintaining high standards of health and hygiene. Older children routinely wash their hands following use of the toilet, after messy play and before eating. They can freely and independently access the toilet and hand washing area as they require. However, as the toilet cubicles are open plan, children who may require privacy are not afforded it. Younger children are assisted in following good hygiene practices and are kept clean throughout the day by dedicated and vigilant staff. There is a suitable nappy changing area and there is evidence that nappies are disposed of hygienically. The premises and equipment are kept in a good state of cleanliness by an appointed person, who is employed to clean the premises on a daily basis when children are not present. There are good written procedures in place, which are shared with parents and carers, to show how children are protected from any

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Helping children to be healthy

health risk presented by the pet dog. There is evidence to show that there is always at least one member of staff working with the children, who holds a valid paediatric first aid certificate. Accident and medication records show that children who require treatment or medicines are cared for sensitively and appropriately. Children benefit from daily opportunities to enjoy physical exercise, fresh air and fun. Children can climb, slide, crawl and jump indoors and out on the large equipment. There is also evidence that they make good use of the outdoor environment for learning.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children benefit from the good procedures in place at the nursery to promote their safety and security. Staff routinely follow and implement good written risk assessments, which are displayed on the door to each nursery room. Daily visual checks of the premises, toys, resources and equipment are carried out to maintain high standards. Children are encouraged to consider their own personal safety during play, as adults remind them to walk indoors, use tools sensibly and to be mindful to others playing around them. There are good procedures in place to ensure that visitors to the setting are effectively monitored, that unvetted persons are supervised with children at all times and that children are released to authorised persons only. Children and adults regularly practise fire evacuation procedures in order to develop children’s confidence and familiarity. Fire safety equipment is checked regularly by the registered person.

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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 Children enjoy opportunities to benefit from occasional outings to the local beach, woods and park. At such times there is evidence that children are closely supervised and adult: child ratios are increased. There are effective systems in place to ensure that children cannot freely access specific areas of the nursery. For example, good use of safety gates restricts access to the kitchen and the first floor. Children are effectively safeguarded through staff knowledge and ability to follow local child protection procedures if required. There is an appointed child protection officer for the nursery, who has completed appropriate training.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are busy and occupied in worthwhile and purposeful play. Younger children freely access their favourite toys and resources from a wide selection, which are attractively displayed in the designated rooms to the front of the nursery building. They are actively engaged in their chosen activity and receive high levels of support and encouragement from adults working with them. Children enjoy the high levels of interaction they are afforded by adults and are keen to engage them in their play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Older children benefit from high levels of independence. They are able to freely choose from a broad and balanced range of pre-planned activities or select additional toys and resources from the wide selection stored at child height in low, clearly labelled storage units. Both younger and older children benefit from regular opportunities throughout the day to join together as one larger social group, to play outdoors and eat. Children of all ages receive a balanced range of activities throughout the day, which effectively meets their individual needs. For example, they engage in self-chosen play, participate in group discussion, they initiate purposeful, imaginative role play and enjoy singing sessions. They develop their creative skills through paint, dough and craft. They engage enthusiastically in physical exercise both indoors and out. They rest and relax during snack and meal times and when listening to stories. When they need

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

to sleep, there are suitable and comfortable areas in which to do so safely.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children benefit from the commitment of staff to plan and deliver a broad and balanced curriculum. The nursery employs a qualified early year’s teacher who works full-time to deliver nursery education. She demonstrates considerable levels of skill in developing effective planning, observation and assessment tools. As a result, children benefit from good opportunities to make progress in all areas of learning. The nursery teacher and her assistant have a key group of children for whom they take responsibility. Both work closely together to ensure children receive appropriate and equal opportunities to develop their learning and skills. These staff have identified appropriate ‘next steps’ for their key children, in order that they may plan and deliver interesting activities, which are directly linked to children’s individual targets for development. Observation records contain useful levels of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

information to influence these plans. Adults are aware that children enjoy developing their levels of independence and are therefore mindful to allow children to do things for themselves.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy active participation in group discussion. They are involved in monitoring the passing of time and recording changes in the weather and seasons. They establish how many children are present and record these details on the display board. Children use math routinely throughout the session to count, add, subtract, problem solve, sort, match and recognise numerals and associated amount of objects. Children enjoy scribing during role play, to make lists, write notes to one another and to label their own work. They have free use of a 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 and programmable toys. They are skilful users of information technology and have access to a suitable range of age appropriate computer programmes. Children are creative in their use of play dough, craft materials and paint. Adults promote children’s individual skills through high levels of praise and encouragement. There is evidence of children’s work displayed attractively and prominently throughout the nursery. Children are able to practise their physical skills indoors and out. They benefit from use of the outdoor learning environment on a daily basis regardless of the weather, as adults ensure they wear protective clothing or sunscreen as required. Children enjoy the family atmosphere that the nursery promotes. They are able to benefit from regular opportunities to join together with the younger children and enjoy social

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children benefit from the strong and trusting relationships that they have formed with adults. They have a designated key worker, who is responsible for liaising with their parent or carers to establish children’s individual preferences, abilities and needs. There is evidence that these specific needs are respected and met appropriately. Children are grouped appropriately and as a result they receive sufficiently challenging opportunities for development. Adults provide good levels of support and encouragement and provide children with opportunities to increase their levels of independence. Children are involved in a suitable range of planned and free play activities to promote their positive knowledge and understanding of their own culture and that of others. They are also developing a positive awareness of peoples differing abilities. There is evidence to show that children with learning difficulties/disabilities and their families are

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children of all ages are very well behaved. They are polite, kind and considerate to others. Older children have developed an ability to share, take turns and negotiate successfully. Staff are good role models, setting good examples to children and rewarding good behaviour with praise and encouragement. Children are also rewarded with stickers to put on their chart when they have demonstrated perseverance, kindness and helpfulness. The partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents and carers are actively welcomed into the setting to visit prior to the child attending, and to settle the child in the first few days. Sufficient levels of written information are provided to parents through regular newsletters, a prospectus and notice boards. However, there are limited amounts of information regarding the provision of nursery education. Good links are maintained with parents and carers through daily verbal information

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Helping children make a positive contribution

sharing, formal one to one meetings to share children’s records of progress and the sharing of resources between home and the nursery to support children’s learning. For example, children bring items from home to share with adults and other children and there is a teddy bear from the nursery that enjoys regular ‘holidays’ at each of the children’s houses. Children help him to write a ‘holiday diary’ to share his experience with all the children, upon his return to the nursery. Social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit from the high levels of commitment and enthusiasm demonstrated by the registered person and staff working at the nursery. Staff are efficient in working closely as a team to provide a well organised and stimulating nursery environment. The staff team are all well qualified and experienced. They provide children attending with a comfortable and secure,

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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 child-centred environment in which they can safely rest and play. They have carefully considered the daily routine and ensured that it provides children with time to play in their key groups and as a whole nursery group. As a result, the nursery effectively maintains the element of a happy family unit. The nursery environment provides children with suitable areas to effectively meet their individual needs for sleep, active play and concentrated times for learning. Children's increasing levels of independence are well supported through free access to a wide range of age appropriate and stimulating resources and equipment.

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Organisation

Children are cared for by an organised and professional staff team. The registration system is used to accurately record the time of arrival and departure of staff and children. Children are booked into the nursery in advance. As a result, high adult: child ratios are maintained at all times. Nursery documentation is stored securely, updated regularly and is readily available for inspection. Confidentiality is respected and maintained. A good range of written policies and procedures are freely available to parents and carers. The leadership and management are good. The registered person is committed to improving and maintaining high standards of care and education at all times. She actively seeks and welcomes support and advice from several early years organisations. The local authority advisory teacher is currently providing advice and support for the nursery, in order to establish effective links with the local schools, to promote

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Organisation

a smooth transition for those children moving on to school. The nursery has good systems in place to recruit and induct new members of staff. Parent questionnaires are useful, in addition to ongoing discussion, to provide parents and carers with opportunities to provide feedback. A sample of these questionnaires show that parents and carers are very satisfied with the standards of care and education the nursery provides. Regular staff appraisals are used well to monitor the effectiveness of the nursery and the provision of nursery education and to identify future training requirements. The operation of the setting is effective in providing high standards of care and education for all children attending. Overall the setting meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection it was agreed that the nursery would develop (staff's) knowledge and understanding of equal opportunities, to ensure that children have an appropriate range of activities and resources that promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice. The registered person has obtained a good range of suitable resources with which to promote children's knowledge and understanding in this area. The equal opportunities policy has been updated and is freely available to parents and carers. As a result, children display a positive attitude and are more aware and respectful of peoples differences. The nursery were also required to develop and implement an action plan detailing how at least one member of staff with a current first aid certificate will be on the premises or on outings at any one time. There are now four members of staff who hold an appropriate first aid certificate. Careful planning

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Improvements since the last inspection

of staff rotas ensure that at least one qualified member of staff is working with the children at any one time. As a result, children are treated appropriately and sensitively if injured or unwell. Staff were also required to evaluate planning and organisation of activities, use of space and access to resources to encourage children to use their imagination and build on their natural curiosity as learners. The nursery rooms are now well organised, providing attractively stored toys and resources and sufficient levels of space for children to move confidently and safely. Children are therefore developing high levels of independence, whilst learning and playing. The nursery were also required to improve (staff's) knowledge, understanding and implementation of health and safety procedures. The registered person has completed a health and safety course and has cascaded this training to staff. The registered person agreed to

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Improvements since the last inspection

review deployment of staff to ensure children's needs are met effectively. Staff are now deployed

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Improvements 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 effectively through careful pre-planning to ensure that sufficient numbers of staff are providing appropriate levels of support to children of all ages. She was also required to plan for the effective use of space, time and resources, in order to provide suitable opportunities for children to be sufficiently challenged in all six areas of learning, through both child-initiated and planned activities. The organisation of the pre-school room now enables children to freely access a wide range of suitable activities, successfully promoting learning in all areas.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff were required to develop planning and assessments in order to identify learning priorities, which can be linked to future planned activities, to provide suitable opportunities for children to make progress. There are now very effective planning and assessment systems in place which detail useful observations, identify appropriate 'next steps' for children's learning, and link these 'next steps' to future planned activities. As a result, children receive good opportunities to make progress in all areas of learning.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Finally the setting agreed to develop information sharing with parents, in order to obtain information regarding children's individual abilities on entry to the setting and to provide parents with information regarding the six areas of learning. The nursery has made some progress in this area, as they now use basic initial child profiles on entry to the setting. However, these are not directly linked to the stepping stones. Also although some information is provided to parents of children receiving nursery education, there is still room for increased levels of information to be shared in order to increase parents and carers knowledge of the early learning goals.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 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 older children are afforded privacy when using the toilet

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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):

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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 • provide parents and carers with increased levels of information relating to the provision of nursery education.

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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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