Truro College Day Nursery

Truro College Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY263094 Unique Reference Number 18 September 2007 Inspection date Linda Janet Chauveau Inspector

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Truro College, Chyvelah House, College Road, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 3XX Setting Address

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01872 267060 Telephone number janetk@trurocollege.ac.uk E-mail The Governing Body of Truro College 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Truro College Day Nursery, is a privately run day nursery, managed by the governing body of Truro College. It opened in 2003 and operates from a detached property sited within the college campus. The nursery is situated on the outskirts of the city of Truro, Cornwall. A maximum of 37 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08:00 until 18:00 for fifty-one weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 68 children from birth to five years on roll. Of these, 13 children receive funding for nursery education. The nursery supports the children of college students, staff and members of the general public, who come from a wide geographical area. The setting currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs six staff, all hold appropriate early years qualifications. The setting receives support from an advisory teacher from Family Services.

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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 satisfactory. Older children have regular opportunities to keep healthy by enjoying exercise and time spent in the fresh air accessing the spacious outdoor play area. Children enjoy physical activity on the decked area, manoeuvring sit-and-ride toys, using balance beams and scrambling over rubber tyres. The garden is equipped to offer older and more able children challenging activities to develop strength and climbing skills. Indoors, younger children are able to practice crawling and walking in a safe environment, but are not able to spend time in the fresh air on a regular basis. Older children are learning to use a variety of tools, such as paintbrushes and construction activities to develop small muscle control. Children are offered a cooked lunch each day, however as this is provided through the college canteen, staff are restricted in menu choices that promote healthy eating. Staff ensure that children receive sufficient drinks during the day, with water

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are cared for by core staff who have an appropriate understanding of the nurseries health and hygiene policies. They are generally kept safe from infection as staff clean tables and surfaces and follow sensible procedures when carrying out nappy changes. Babies' health and well-being is promoted by staff who follow individual routines for rest and feeding. However, staff and visitors to the baby rooms are not asked to remove their shoes in these sections of the nursery and, as a result, crawling babies and toddlers are exposed to unhygienic flooring. Children learn the importance of personal hygiene through daily routines, such as washing hands after using the toilet and before lunch and snack times. Children's health is safeguarded as staff hold current first aid certificates, complete required accident and medication records and take note of children's individual health and dietary requirements.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children enjoy a reasonably safe and child centred environment. All areas of the nursery are adequately maintained. The nursery consists of several small rooms, which staff have organised to support different age groupings of children. Core staff are aware of their responsibilities to keep children safe but rely on support from relief staff and student placements to maintain appropriate levels of supervision. Throughout the day, staff are required to leave the playrooms, to monitor the entrance door, enabling visitors to enter and leave the premises and at these times children's security is compromised. Children learn about keeping safe as staff remind them to be careful when climbing on rubber tyres and ensure that they wear sun cream when playing outside in warm weather.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All areas of the nursery offer visual stimulation with children's photographs and examples of their work on show. Children play with a good variety of toys at tabletop and on floor level. Some resources used in the outdoor areas have become grubby and require cleaning. There are opportunities for children to make safe and independent play choices, for example from the role-play areas and toy storage units. Resources are generally in good condition and include natural as well as manufactured materials. Outdoors, children play safely on the spacious and secure decking and in the garden.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are protected from possible abuse or neglect. A senior member of staff is responsible for co-ordinating child protection issues. Staff receive child protection training as part of their

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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 induction to the nursery and, as a result, are aware of the types of abuse and signs to look for. The nursery has a child protection policy, which relates to government guidance, but it does not provide clear procedures to follow if a member of staff is accused of abusing a child.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children generally enjoy their time at the nursery. Babies and toddlers benefit from a curriculum, relating to the early years guidance, the Birth to three matters framework, which provides choices to stimulate and engage their interest. Staff make observational records of children's development. Staff develop communication skills as they sit and cuddle babies, talking to them whilst maintaining good eye contact. Toddlers develop their imagination through staff interaction, playing with dolls and puppets in a make believe tea party. Babies access to low-level mirrors and by looking at photos of them help to develop self-awareness. Toddlers and babies use treasure baskets to explore household items. Their senses are stimulated as they shake and rattle bottles filled with coloured paper, feathers and pasta. They enjoy painting and are fascinated by the smell and texture as they explore sweet corn.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and children's learning is satisfactory. The manager in charge of the pre-school room has a sound understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and plans activities, which are designed to cover all areas of learning and link to the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. Extension activities are planned for older and more able children but are not currently being implemented, as the majority of children are new to the group.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are starting to develop confidence and self-esteem. They enjoy relating to staff, discussing favourite toys and home life. Staff support children in developing self care skills, for example, when visiting the toilet and washing their hands. Children have opportunities to develop mark-making skills using a variety of pencils and crayons. Writing is given meaning through the labelling of everyday items throughout the pre-school room. Children enjoy listening to stories and singing familiar songs such as 'The Wheels on the Bus'.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Number lines introduce children to numerals and water plays helps children to learn about volume. However, staff do not make use of everyday routines such as snack and circle times to introduce calculation. Children enjoy making models and dens using small and large construction sets. They have opportunities to develop technology skills using the computer to complete simple programmes and enjoy exploring a range of electronic items such as digital cameras and mobile phones. Staff do not fully utilise group activities to develop children's awareness of a sense of time and place. A role-play area and the outside play space provide children with opportunities to develop their imaginations. Children enjoy exploring sound using a variety of musical instruments, singing familiar songs and joining in with nursery rhymes.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The manager in charge of the pre-school room makes developmental observations on children, which are used to plan individual progress targets for them. She is not using records made on children in other areas of the nursery as a starting point to monitor their progress. She tailors activities to meet children's needs, aware that younger children have a limited attention span and are, therefore, unable to sustain engagement for long periods. However, due to difficulties in the layout of the pre-school room, which is used to access to nurseries office, and a lack of

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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 support staff, who are confident in dealing with this age range, children are not always supported effectively to promote their inclusion or challenged to extend their learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are developing their relationships with staff and each other. A consistent core staff and the use of satisfactory settling in procedures ensure that children receive suitable care. Staff are friendly and approachable, they talk with children and their families about events at home, this helps build positive and trusting relationships. Children's behaviour is generally good; staff manage children effectively encouraging them to follow simple instructions and rewarding them with warmth and praise for their participation and help. As a result, children develop confidence to express their thoughts and feelings.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children learn about their local community and the wider world through some planned activities. There are limited resources and visual displays to develop children's understanding of other cultures and lifestyles. Children with English as an additional language are not supported effectively. Staff do not show initiative in seeking additional information about children's cultural practices or language to help with their integration or promote their development. Staff support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities effectively, creating individual care or education plans to help their development. The nursery fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents is satisfactory. Parents receive sufficient information about the nurseries operational procedures though newsletters and from information on the nursery notice board. Staff have friendly, informal, relationships with parents, using discussion and by completing babies daily diary sheets to update parents on their child's progress. However, parents, whose children receive nursery education, receive insufficient information on the Foundation Stage and are not actively encouraged to develop their children's learning at home. Their views are not sought on their child's capabilities before receiving nursery education or by sharing developmental records to discuss individual progress targets set for their children.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. A core team of suitably qualified staff looks after children attending the nursery. However, in order to provide children with appropriate levels of supervision, the nursery makes use of bank staff and student placements to meet their adult to child ratios. This has an impact on the standards of care provided as staff have the additional responsibility of monitoring students as well as looking after the children attending.

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Organisation

Staff know their roles and responsibilities and implement suitable daily routines to give children a broad range of experiences. Documentation contributing to children's health, safety and well-being is in place and regularly reviewed. Children's records and nursery paperwork is stored securely and confidentiality is maintained. Line management for the nursery are fully aware of recruitment requirements, they have developed robust systems to recruit and assess the suitability of new and existing staff.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery are satisfactory. The pre-school manager is committed to providing an effectively planned learning environment for the children in her

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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 care. However, recent changes in staff deployment in the nursery have meant that she does not have the support of an experienced assistant. This has had an impact on the presentation of activities and the management of children in larger groups. The pre-school manager has arranged for support visits from staff employed by the local authority Family Services to help improve standards of care and nursery education. Line management take responsibility for monitoring practice within the nursery and ensure that staff regularly attend training to keep up to date with latest thinking and implement newest practice.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, the nursery was asked to improve lunchtime meals for children. The nursery relies on meals provided by the college canteen and, as a result, is sometimes limited in the choices available. When ever possible the managers select a menu that offers children a nutritious meal to promote their good heath.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The nursery was also asked to improve children's safety and supervision by providing a procedure to follow if a child is not collected, this is now in place, improving organisation and partnerships with parents. Additionally, the nursery was asked to ensure that students are never left alone with children. The nursery uses students on a regular basis, staff and students are clearly advised regarding their roles and responsibilities towards children, and students are not generally left alone with children. However, students on long-term placements are sometimes used to form part of the adult to child ratios and this can have a detrimental impact on children, as staff are required to supervise them as well as children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The nursery was also asked to improve aspects of the provision for nursery education. Physical development is now more effective as children have opportunities to develop their balancing skills. Planning has been developed to ensure that extension activities are in place to challenge older and more able children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The nursery was also asked to improve the layout of story area in the pre-school room to provide a better learning environment for children. Unfortunately, due to the location of the nursery office through the pre-school room, sessions are likely to be disturbed and interrupted at certain times of the day. The manager is aware of this is trialling alterations to the room layout and session planning in order to minimise disruption to children.

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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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND 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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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): • provide systems to help fully include and support children who speak English as an additional language • ensure that there is an effective system in place to monitor and admit visitors to the premises that does not compromise children's safety • ensure that there are always sufficient staff available to support children appropriately in each playroom • develop the child protection procedures to follow if a member of staff is accused of abusing a child

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • continue to develop the planning and assessment cycle, ensuring that information is noted on children's starting points in order to monitor children's progress. • develop systems to involve parents in children's 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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