New Life Nursery Group

New Life Nursery Group Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

305210 Unique Reference Number 26 September 2007 Inspection date Rachel Ruth Britten Inspector

p.1

Danesford Community Centre, West Road, Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 4EY

p.1

Setting Address

01260 297961 Telephone number mail@nlchurch.org.uk E-mail New Life Church Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of care

p.1

Setting Address

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

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

New Life Nursery is run by New Life Nursery Group. It opened in 1987 and operates from four play rooms within the Danesford Community Centre in Congleton. A maximum of 40 children may attend the setting at any one time. The nursery is open each week day from 09.30 to 12.15, term time only. All children share access to three outdoor play areas.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 61 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 29 children receive funding for early education. Children mostly come from the local catchment area where they live. The nursery has a Christian philosophy but welcomes children and families from all cultures and religions. The nursery currently supports children with learning difficulties.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs 13 members of staff. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications and two are extending their early years qualifications.

p.2

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

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children stay very healthy because practitioners employ a thorough knowledge of appropriate health and hygiene guidelines and procedures. They keep toilet areas, food preparation and eating areas meticulously clean and equipped. Staff also help children to become increasingly independent in washing their hands, wiping their noses, using wipes, flushing away or putting into the bin any used tissues and paper towels, and preparing their own snacks. However, on the day of inspection, staff forget to arrange for children to wash their hands prior to their snack. Nevertheless, there are frequent discussions about keeping ourselves healthy through wearing the right clothes for the weather, eating healthy foods and getting plenty of fresh air and exercise, all of which children are encouraged to enjoy during sessions. In addition, children have daily chances to help clean up their play environment and prepare, serve and clear up

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

their own snacks, learning valuable life skills for health and hygiene.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Good attention to individual children's health needs means that dietary requirements and administration of any necessary medication are properly undertaken according to each child's needs and their parents' wishes. Most staff have first aid qualifications and accidents and medication records are fully maintained with appropriate parental signatures. All staff follow clear cleaning, food preparation and sickness procedures and know how to respond to allergic reactions. They also teach children to understand and tolerate one another's special health or dietary needs and to think kindly of friends who may presently be unwell. They remind children how to help protect themselves from illness through careful attention to hygiene, for example, not putting dirty fingers into their mouths.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy very good levels of physical activity indoors, taking part in climbing, balancing and riding activities in the main hall. They also regularly use the quadrangle area for growing plants and flowers, a top field for large games, an adjacent play park for use of large apparatus, and a nearby woodland walk for exploring nature. All this activity supports their physical health well. Children are also very well nourished and enjoy a healthy diet through snacks, such as plain biscuits, bread sticks, cheese and fruit. On the day of inspection, children prepare leeks, carrots and potatoes and help to make vegetable soup which they eat at snack time. Water or milk is offered to drink and water is easily available throughout sessions. Staff sit in small family groups with children and very successfully encourage good table manners and discussion about what children have been doing and learning.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a very welcoming, bright, spacious and safe environment. There is plenty of room for coats and bags, with varied use of name and picture cards for children to attach to wall displays or find their place at the snack table. These things help children to make sense of the setting and understand where things are. Children use a good range of stimulating resources which are set out for them to access easily. Activities are prepared and set out before children arrive, using two activity home rooms for three to four-year-olds and a further two home rooms for two to three-year-olds. Open shelving, chairs, mats, cushions, tables, posters and resource boxes help children to see what they can choose in each area, including inviting reading corners with books set out on shelves and in boxes by cushions so that children can make themselves comfortable to browse through books.

p.3

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 have good opportunities to learn about how to keep themselves safe. Staff show them how to manage tools, such as cutlery and scissors, as they make things or prepare vegetables for their soup. They take considered risks, learning to enjoy their play environment safely, for example, by being allowed to crawl underneath the rows of chairs at the side of the hall, because these are unlikely to fall over. Children are also encouraged to work as a team, helping to carry heavy or bulky boxes when tidying up and picking things up off the floor so that their friends cannot fall over them. They are taught to avoid accidents by putting their chairs under the table and keeping their hands on their laps when sitting on the floor so that they are not trodden upon. Likewise, they wear bright jackets so that they can be seen as they walk out on

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety is supported well in practice. There is good security to the internal public entrance door, which is accessed only by staff using a covered key pad. Staff man the doors and take registers as children and parents arrive and depart so that it is always known exactly who is on the premises. Risk assessments are undertaken to manage all planned trips safely and daily checks and stringent setting up procedures contribute to safety and minimise hazards. For example, staff are vigilant and ensure that spilt water is absorbed by newspaper to avoid slipping. Staff who use their cars to occasionally transport children have suitable insurance and vehicles. However, there is no list of named drivers or supporting documentation kept on the premises to provide evidence of this for use in the event of any emergency or dispute. Children are protected from abuse because all staff have a good understanding of their role in child

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

protection. Staff know who to contact if they are concerned about a child and the child protection flow chart is displayed for reference.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children quickly settle to play, discover and experiment. Staff and parents help them to find their peg and invite them to get started right away. Staff come alongside children and play with them, reading stories, playing simple board games, or using the sand and water with them. Children are developing very good levels of self-confidence because purposeful staff talk and listen to them constantly and have high expectations of what they can achieve. They help children to extend their knowledge and develop their natural curiosity as they play with the model animals, measure and decant in the water or sand, create shapes with the play dough, or count the number of spaces they can move on their turn in the snail race game. As a result, children are confident, concentrate well and enjoy playing alongside one another and adults.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The session routine is simple, but circle times or pictorial prompts are not often used to clearly introduce link learning and activities. Nevertheless, staff talk to children regularly about the theme and about what is happening now and next, so that children have a sense of time and structure to each session. Staff are also skilled story tellers and role players which captivates children's imagination and enables them to settle well, enter into activities fully, behave well and enthusiastically join in with group activities like story and song times. Staff are well prepared and ensure that children have a wide variety of play experiences, developing their creative, exploratory and physical skills. They use a wide variety of media, including play dough, paint and interesting construction, craft and information technology are also made available to them.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of the teaching and learning is good. Staff are highly committed to providing a caring, welcoming atmosphere and an approach which fosters self-confidence and good social

p.4

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 behaviour. A varied programme of well planned activities, based upon a theme, ensure that all the areas of learning are covered. Role play, reading, writing, creative, construction, small world, physical and experimental activities are all available and supported by experienced staff who also provide good opportunities for children to review their activities and consolidate their learning, perhaps in circle times or as they eat their snacks. Staff are very skilful in delivering one to one, small group and large group teaching, using props, story characters, songs and positive good humour to capture children's interest and challenge them to take the next steps in their learning. As a result, children are making good progress in all the areas of learning.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff are very successful in providing for children's personal, social and emotional development. Staff spend as much time as possible directly with children and build fruitful relationships with them. They foster an emphasis upon care and concern for all others alongside an appreciation of the community and natural world, so that children have a strong sense of place and are in touch with their world. For example, they plant and grow flowers, prepare vegetable soup, collect money for people in need, are aware of the weather and are taking part in a harvest thanksgiving. Staff weave learning about words, letter and number throughout the routines of the day, so that children are acquiring literacy and numeracy in practical relevant ways. For example, children count to find out how many cups they need for their snack table, and are taught the meaning of the word 'dawn' when they hear it in a story.

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage and how children learn. They plan in detail and know their key children very well. They regularly adjust and tailor their plans to ensure that all children make progress according to their individual starting points. However, they make few observation notes during sessions about what they see children do and they make too few entries of photo or written evidence into children's progress profiles to illustrate how their play is leading to learning in each of the six areas. This limits the information available to parents and educators about individual children's learning.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children join in very well because the warm environment and friendly staff help children feel at home from the outset. Staff hold Christian beliefs and these underpin their caring, sensitive approach to each individual child, including any children with learning difficulties or disabilities. They are warm and tactile, frequently hugging children, so that they feel loved and cared for. Parents are warmly welcomed too and staff communicate clearly and openly with them all, exchanging information about children's particular needs, so that sensitivity and due regard is given to children's present circumstances and feelings.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are clearly taught to respect everybody and value diversity because there are numerous books, dressing up costumes, dolls, play figures, puzzles, posters and games which show positive images of gender equality, various cultures and disabilities. There are also numerous topic activities undertaken to bring other countries and cultures alive for children. For example, children are donating to help children in China as part of their harvest thanksgiving. The routines of all sessions include prayers, Bible stories and Christian teaching and this is made clear in all written materials about the group. Care for others, particularly those who are ill or in need, is clearly taught as children are encouraged to think about their little friends who are ill and about how to help and be kind to their friends and family in nursery and at home. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

p.5

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 behave very well and are able to share and cooperate. Staff model appropriate play skills, using short and simple language and successfully make use of sticker rewards to help all the two-year-olds in the younger group feel special. Staff make it easier for children to conform by making it very clear what they want them to do and by actively involving them in all aspects of the session. For example, they ensure that children are never aimlessly waiting during snack, clearing up or movements around the setting. Instead, they make sure that children have their special comforters to hand until they no longer need them, and involve everybody in conversations, songs, counting or helping.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The quality of partnership with parents and carers is good. Children receive consistency of care between home and nursery because key staff communicate well with parents and involve them through the session rota if they wish. Parents receive an informative prospectus about the setting, including details of the Foundation Stage. Thereafter, a clear notice board and newsletters inform parents about what children are covering in sessions and any changes to the routine or methods employed. For example, parents are given written information about how the children made their vegetable soup for snack. This enables parents to be involved in their child's learning at home. Children's developmental records are also always available for viewing upon request.

p.6

Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The leadership and management of the nursery education is good. The supervisor provides good support to all staff and is well supported by the management group. She acts as a good role model and is committed to promoting an inclusive environment where every child matters. She plans the education provision well, but does not yet regularly evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the care and education offered. Nevertheless, the staff group is well informed, prepared, motivated and up to date and high staff ratios ensure good outcomes for children.

p.6

Organisation

Policies and procedures work satisfactorily to support children's care in the setting. Child details forms, daily registers, safety checklists and a full policy document are in place to support children's welfare and safety. However, not all policies and procedures for meeting the National Standards are organised into an accessible system. This means that they are hard to find and use to support the smooth running of the nursery. For example, the policy document has not been reviewed. As a result, the child protection policy does not contain all the required information and does not include or make reference to relevant recent information and training about the safeguarding of children. Likewise, staff do not have individual files where evidence of training and appraisal are located together in a format which supports both individual career development and the setting's continued improvement.

p.6

Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

There were three recommendations for care made at the last inspection. There was one 'point for consideration' made for nursery education at the last inspection of education. It was recommended that the nursery attendance registers show arrival and departure times. Children are presently marked in as they arrive and the times are noted if any child arrives after the session starts or leaves before the session ends. This means that the registers can be relied upon in the event of an emergency which secures children's safety. However, the child protection statement has not been updated to include the required elements included in the National

p.6

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 Standards. This holds staff back in acting appropriately to safeguard children if they cannot locate the contact numbers for social services and the police or do not know the procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff. The third recommendation concerned the need for Criminal Records Bureau checks on all staff and notification to Ofsted of changes of nominated persons or managers. Clearances have been undertaken as appropriate and Ofsted notified of significant changes. This supports children's safety in the setting because staff are suitable.

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

The point for consideration for the nursery education was to monitor and evaluate the curriculum to ensure that the activities and teaching provided allow every child to make progress, whatever their starting points. The staff group plan together regularly and each key worker knows their children well, including what each one needs to learn next to make progress. However, observation notes and examples of what children can do, including written notes of what they need help to accomplish next, are still too few to be useful in informing the planning.

p.7

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. 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.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.7

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.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.7

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 children learn about the value of washing their hands before eating food • maintain records about vehicles used to transport children, including insurance details and a list of named drivers • ensure that the child protection policy is up to date and includes all the elements required by the National Standards • ensure that individual staff records are kept on the premises, showing evidence of recruitment, vetting, qualifications, training, appraisals and contact details.

p.7

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):

p.7

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 • ensure that observations and assessment examples are regularly noted and dated for children's evidence profiles, to show how they are progressing towards the early learning goals • ensure that leaders and managers regularly evaluate the teaching so that strengths are capitalised upon and identified weaknesses are improved upon.

p.7

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

p.8

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

p.8