Whizz-Kids Nursery

Whizz-kids Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY221710 Unique Reference Number 06 July 2007 Inspection date Kay Williams Inspector

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Quest Centre, Sovereign House, Scout Way, Mill Hill, London, NW7 3JW Setting Address

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020 8959 5556 Telephone number WhizzKidsnursery@AOL.COM E-mail Whizz-kids Nursery 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 outstanding. 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 outstanding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Whizz-kids Nursery has been opened since 1999. It operates from two areas of a shared premises located in the Mill Hill area in the London borough of Barnet. A maximum 38 children may attend the setting at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 09:30 until 15:00 term time only. All children have access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 45 children aged two to under five years on roll. Of these, 18 children receive funding for early education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs nine members of staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications and one is working towards a 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 outstanding. Children thrive because of the excellent procedures and practices which effectively support their health and well being. Children have a very good understanding of the importance of good personal hygiene. As they visit the toilet, staff ask the younger children what they need to do next, 'wash our hands' they confidently respond. Older children adopt this routine automatically, demonstrating increasing independence as they take responsibility for their own personal hygiene, by going to wash their hands before sitting at the snack table. They are taught the importance of meticulous hand washing and posters direct them how to wash their hands thoroughly. The risk of cross infection is significantly reduced as the children dry their hands on disposable paper towels. Children know how to reduce cross infection and are aware that they should cover their mouth when they cough and sneeze and they know how to use

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Helping children to be healthy

tissues and dispose of them hygienically. They are able to explain how this works, 'if you cough your germs come out and other people catch them, so you have to cover your mouth'.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's personal beakers and water bottles are placed on a low level table as they arrive, allowing them to help themselves to a drink at any time. During the morning children have independent access to the snack table. Children and a member of staff set up the 'snack bar' and put up a sign to let others know that it is open. Children take pride in presenting their peers with an attractive platter of bananas, grapes, satsumas, strawberries and fresh juice. This supports them to make very healthy choices. Children relish their healthy, well balanced nutritional lunch which they bring from home. Staff work effectively with parents to ensure that children are given a healthy packed lunch. The setting has won awards for offering children healthy food and promoting good dental hygiene, as a result children are very well aware of the importance of 'good' food.

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Helping children to be healthy

The nursery policy for 'indoor outdoor play' means that children are able to develop and extend their physical skills and enjoy the benefits of fresh air at any time throughout the day. Younger children can climb and balance with increasing proficiency, older children tackle more challenging physical activities such as using stilts.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children feel very safe and secure in this totally child centred environment. The staff transform this shared premises into a vibrant, inspiring learning environment. Children are greeted warmly by the staff who are extremely pleased to see them. Consequently they part happily from their parents and are eager to participate in activities, 'I'm doing dressing up' children declare as soon as they arrive.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety is given high priority. The front door is vigilantly monitored by staff when the children arrive and leave. CCTV monitors allow staff to see who is seeking to gain access to the premises and effective systems ensure that two members of staff go to the door if the caller is unknown. Visitors to the setting are monitored and the visitors record is consistently used. Children's safety is further assured as all staff hold a current first aid qualification. Accidents are recorded in thorough detail and fire evacuations are practised regularly and recorded purposefully. Staff are systematic in their risk assessment of the premises, therefore children are unlikely to be exposed to hazards. For example, staff encourage children to play freely with

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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 the water and sand, while keeping a strategic eye on any spillages and cleaning them without interrupting the children's play.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children benefit immensely from the extensive range of resources and play material that are available to them. Low level storage means that all children are able to help themselves to the equipment. Regular monitoring ensures that equipment is safe and in good condition.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Child protection is assured as staff hold sound knowledge of child protection procedures. The designated staff member who leads on such issues regularly attends training and staff are aware of how to record concerns and they know what to do if an allegation is made against them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children learn exceptionally well because staff have an extensive understanding of the Birth to three matters framework and the Foundation Stage Curriculum. This knowledge effectively supports them in providing a wide ranging variety of stimulating activities. The effective key worker system means that staff know the children well. Younger children are gently settled into the nursery and staff plan for their needs at the children's individual starting points. Further observations and assessments of children's learning are detailed and monitor children's progress in all areas. This information is effectively used by staff who then plan for children's next steps, extending their progress at a pace that is unique to them. As a result children have a great deal of fun as they learn.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are becoming skilful communicators. Staff encourage their development by questioning their play and encouraging them to think and organise their own speech. Children discuss and reflect on past events as they enjoy looking at photographs of yesterday's sponsored walk and sports day, 'there's my mummy in the sack race' they recall. Children are becoming competent learners as they select their own activities and initiate their own role play. They learn to make sense of their world as they re-enact real life situations such as going shopping or riding on a bus. Children are developing their fine manipulative skills as they roll, cut and shape glitter play dough. Their emergent writing skills are strengthened as they sharpen their pencils and then use them to make controlled marks on paper. Children are developing a positive sense of spatial awareness as they competently manoeuvre buggies and bikes with increasing control

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children delight in 'swishing' water in the water tray, making more and more bubbles as they add more soap. Children are developing competence in their learning as they are encouraged to consider the temperature of the water and how more bubbles are formed. Children enjoy an inspiring variety of creative art activities where they are free to create their own work. They delight in opportunities to glue, paint, print and draw. They especially enjoy mixing the different coloured paints, marvelling at the changes in colour.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children relish their time spent making gingerbread men. Together they look at the story book 'the gingerbread man' and then set about mixing the ingredients, noting that they 'need more flour to make it dry'. They are firmly beginning to developing their concept of number and quantity, they count reliable the five gingerbread men that they have made and as they decorate their biscuit they observe that they have used a 'lot of currants on some and not many on others'.

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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 The quality of teaching is outstanding. Children are inspired by the exceptionally wide ranging variety of activities presented to them. All areas of the curriculum are planned for and learning takes place both in and outdoors. Staff are skilled at taking children's learning to them, providing innovative ways to ensure that they develop skills in all areas of learning. For example, a group of children playing with cars are encouraged to record the results of the races on clip boards, which effectively provides them with opportunities to write and record numbers for a purpose. Children are articulate communicators who eagerly express their own ideas and interests. They use books independently and can read simple text, such as their names and those of their peers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children play well together as they organise their own play in the 'shoe shop'. They take on roles as the customer and the shop assistant and measure each other's feet, work out what shoes fit best and select a pair that would suit the occasion and their budget. Children delight in the wide range of art activities available to them. They have complete autonomy to create their own work, confidently creating their own treasure chest with sequins and elating in the end result which they concentrated on extensively in order to get it just as they desire. Group singing sessions inspire children's imagination as they sing a selection of songs, experimenting with their different vocal tones and singing patterns. They are highly motivated learners who relish opportunities to explore and investigate. They learn how to make tea in the water tray and they nurture and tend to the runner beans and tomato plants as they observe their growth.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are gainfully developing their information technology skills as they develop competence in operating programmable toys. These popular resources effectively foster children's co-operation, they have very good relationships with their peers and are willingly take their turn and eagerly praise each other's achievements as they develop control of the toy.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff make good play partners for the children. They are highly skilled at interacting with the children at an appropriate level. Children are able to play independently and the adult is always close at hand to move their learning on to a new level. As children looked at the globe of the world the adult moved forward to observe and then asked the children questions. Children then began talking about the countries that they would like to visit and then drew a picture of what they thought it would look like, while the adult helped them to record their comments in writing.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children can choose to play outside at any time. The outdoor area is meticulously planned to ensure that all areas of learning are effectively covered. Children can choose to read a book, write or draw, role play in the 'den', tend to the sunflowers or operate the water pipes. Large physical skills are developing through a wide range of opportunities, including climbing frames, balancing logs and obstacle course.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children are beautifully behaved. They are learning to take turns and share fairly as they wait their turn for the popular programmable toy. They play co-operatively together and all happily help to tidy up. Staff are kind and gently spoken and children respond very well to them. They relish the praise they receive, as they learn to balance on the stilts or finish a picture.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children with learning difficulties are thoroughly supported. The designated special needs co-ordinator attends regular training sessions. This information is cascaded down to the staff team and consequently the nursery inclusion policy is consistently implemented. Strategies including individual play plans ensure that children are supported and able to participate fully in all aspects of the curriculum.

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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 Children are very confident, self assured individuals. All children are treated with equal concern because the staff know them extremely well. They are offered inspired opportunities to learn about their own culture and those of others. The vibrant environment portrays positive images of social diversity including written texts in different languages. Resources such as dressing up clothes and music capture cultural diversity effectively. Children listen to stories in different languages and a broad range of cultural festivals are celebrated throughout the year. This approach effectively fosters children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents is outstanding. Children benefit greatly from the positive relationships that staff have developed with parents. This partnership allows children to experience unique opportunities, such as singing for the residents of a local elderly persons home, and attending fund raising events for charities like Barnardos. Parents are very well informed about their children's attainment. Open evenings advise them how children learn through play and informal discussions and written reports keep them up to date with their children's progress.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. Children are extremely well cared for in this highly organised environment. Great care is taken by staff to maximise the available play space for children. They can choose to play inside or out and the strategic use of stair gates means that children can safely move from room to room and the hallway provides extra space for additional worthwhile activities.

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Organisation

All of the required documentation is in place and often exceeds the National Standards. For example, the setting has offered parents the opportunity to read previous complaints before it became a requirement of good practice.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the setting is outstanding. The dynamic staff team are highly conscientious and have worked very pragmatically to develop and maintain their exceptionally high standards. Several self evaluation schemes including the Effective Early Learning Project and the comprehensive action plan that the setting developed as a result of their last inspection have had significant impact on the quality of care and education they offer.

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Organisation

The Whizz-kids Nursery 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 staff agreed to seek parental consent for children to receive urgent medical treatment, conduct a risk assessment on the outdoor play equipment and to review the key worker system in order to take account of children's individual needs and monitor their progress effectively. Children benefit greatly from the improvements that have been made. Staff have been pragmatic in their approach to rigorous self assessment and as a result have developed a significant key worker system which cohesively monitors children's progress and plans for their individual needs. The outdoor area is now a safe and extremely stimulating place for children to play and learn. Parental consent is now fully recorded.

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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

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 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 outstanding. 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 outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the care

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of care are outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of nursery education are outstanding.

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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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