Kids Planet Hazelhurst

Fledglings Education and Childcare Inspection report for early years provision

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307497 Unique Reference Number 19 February 2008 Inspection date Teresa Ann Clark Inspector

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Fledglings Ltd, 2 Hazelfields, Worsley, Manchester, M28 2LS Setting Address

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0161 281 2821 Telephone number FledglingsHQ@NTL Business.com E-mail Fledglings Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Out of School care Type of care

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

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Fledglings Day Nursery is privately owned. It is one of four nurseries owned by Fledglings Limited and opened in 1995. It operates from a purpose built two storey building. It is located in the Hazelfields area of Worsley, Salford. There is a fully enclosed outdoor play area for all children.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery offers full day care, before and after school and holiday care. The nursery may care for a maximum of 120 children at any one time. There are currently 148 children on roll. Of these, 22 children are in receipt of nursery education funding. The out of school club may care for a maximum of 36 children at any one time. There are currently 27 children on roll. The provision operates between 07.30 and 18.00 Monday to Friday all year round, excluding bank holidays. The nursery supports children with learning difficulties.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 35 staff working with the children. Of these, 27 hold suitable qualifications and five are 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 good. Children's health within the setting is supported well by staff that have a good understanding of health and hygiene procedures. For example, good cleaning routines ensure the nursery is maintained to a high standard of cleanliness. Staff wear gloves and aprons for nappy changing, which helps minimise the risk of cross infection. Children are routinely reminded to wash their hands at appropriate times of the day, such as before meals and after visiting the toilet. Children are actively involved in maintaining a clean environment as they enjoy cleaning the tables after snack times. Their health is further enhanced as tissues are easily accessible and bathrooms are well stocked with toiletries. As a result, older children are independent with their personal care.

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Helping children to be healthy

There are a high number of staff with first aid certificates which ensures children receive appropriate treatment in the event of any minor accidents. A clear exclusion policy is implemented which ensures children are protected from the spread of infection. Clear systems are in place for the recording of accidents and medication. However, accident records are not always signed by parents.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from healthy eating as they are provided with wholesome and nutritious foods, which are freshly prepared and well balanced. The menu includes plenty of fruit and vegetables to promote children's good health. At lunchtime children sit together in small groups with staff, which creates a pleasant and social environment and provides opportunities for children to learn about good table manners.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's dietary needs are met in accordance with parents' wishes and this information is clearly recorded. Children are continually refreshed as drinks are accessible at all times. Children learn about healthy eating in many ways, such as relevant discussions about foods that are good for them and fruit tasting sessions. Children say 'Vegetables make you grow big' and 'Milk is good for you'. Children attending the out of school club learn about healthy eating through interesting activities, such as making fruit kebabs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy physical activity and keep healthy through being active indoors and out on a daily basis. They refine their physical skills as they ride wheeled toys with increasing skill and control, use climbing equipment, bats balls and hoops. Older children are provided with equipment which provides fun and appropriate challenge. Children rest or sleep according to their individual needs enhancing their health and well-being. Babies have their own individual sleeping and feeding routines followed which helps them feel secure and provides consistency of care.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a safe and secure environment, which is adequate in temperature. For example, windows are opened to provide ventilation and blinds are used to protect children from direct sunlight. The reception area creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere for parents and children. As a result, they are totally at ease as they enter the nursery. Children's play space is organised into different activity areas so that children can move around freely and safely.

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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 Displays of children's achievements throughout the nursery demonstrate that their contributions are truly valued. The use of photographs throughout the nursery gives children a sense of belonging and children enjoy looking at these, pointing out their friends and recalling familiar events. Children all have their own individual storage area where they keep their work or items they bring from home, which helps promote a sense of belonging.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children benefit from a good range of quality resources, which are suitable for all ages and abilities. For example, areas of continuous provision are well resourced with accessible toys and resources, which promote all areas of development. This means children are continually stimulated as they self-select activities of their choosing. Low level furnishings and brightly coloured scatter cushions in the baby room provide a child centred environment, which ensure their comfort as they play and rest. Children also have access to a good range of natural materials to promote their sensory development.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff give good priority to keeping children safe and secure. For example, staff are effectively deployed to ensure children are supervised at all times. Rigorous risk assessments and daily room checks are carried out, which ensure children's safety. In addition to this children's welfare is enhanced as visitors are signed in and out of the building. However, a window in 'tinies' room and spilt sand in some play rooms poses an element of risk to children's safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are learning about keeping themselves safe as staff remind them not to run indoors in case they hurt themselves. Children have good opportunities to learn about people who help them in the community. For example, visits from fire fighters and the police. Older children learn about crossing the roads safely as they walk to and from school and learn about stranger danger.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are safeguarded because all staff have a very good understanding of child protection issues. They undertake regular child protection training, which keeps them abreast of changes in regulations. Clear guidelines and procedures are in place in line with the Local Safeguarding Children's Board procedures and designated members of staff take responsibility for liaising with child protection agencies.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy warm caring relationships with the staff. They are happy and confident, which increases their sense of well-being and security. Children engage well in a broad range of stimulating and interesting activities to foster their all-round development. For example, mixing up cooked pasta with spoons and mixing water with porridge oats. Older children play cooperatively in the home corners and with the cars and garage. Children's creative development is extended further through other activities, such as arts and crafts and other mediums that stimulate their senses, such as wet sand, gloop and dough.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy practical and meaningful experiences, such as using the camera to take pictures of each other and the excitement of taking the film to be developed. Young children are developing their early counting skills as they count the number of bricks they use to make their tower and count the stairs. The staff dedicate much of their time supporting children in their play. For example, babies and toddlers are totally assured as staff sit with them singing songs and rhymes. The staff's enthusiasm keeps children involved and engaged in activities, for example, building towers with blocks where children squeal with excitement when the tower falls over. They develop their imagination as they talk about a tiger climbing the tower.

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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 Children attending the out of school provision thoroughly enjoy the activities and experiences available to them. They visit many places of interest, such as museums, farms, nature parks and the seaside. Warm affectionate relationships are developed between children and staff; they clearly enjoy each others company and show respect towards each other. Staff involve themselves in activities, such as playing board games. Children say they are happy at the club and enjoy all the activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. The staff use their good knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum to plan a balanced range of play activities for the children. Consequently, children make good progress in all areas. Children make choices from accessible continuous provision, which enables them to develop their own play ideas and learning. Areas are well set out and with ample equipment for children to explore and experiment.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff use effective planning and assessment systems. This includes detailed observations, which are used to inform planning for individual children to ensure their next steps are clearly identified. Children make good progress towards the Early Learning Goals through skilful questioning by staff to challenge their thinking, such as 'How many have we got?' and 'What do we need to make pink?'. Children are well motivated and eager to play. They concentrate and focus well on activities that interest them, such as using the computer and completing complex sequencing puzzles. On occasions older more able children are not fully involved and engaged in purposeful activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children separate from their main carer with confidence as they greet staff with a smile and run off to play. Children easily initiate interactions with other people. For example, they ask the inspector 'What are you doing here?'. They relate and make attachments effectively to members of their group, for example, they choose who they sit next to and hold hands with their friends. They frequently engage in activities requiring hand and eye coordination and use one-handed tools, such as brushes, pencils and scissors, skilfully.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident communicators and freely express their thoughts and ideas, for example, they talk about their families, holidays and trips to the theatre. A child says 'Its Daddy day today' and explains that her Daddy is collecting her from nursery today. Another child draws a detailed picture of a flower and says 'I'm going to cut it out and stick it on paper'.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children choose from a variety of containers for measuring, pouring, floating and sinking in the water. They frequently use size language during play as they use different sized containers in the sand to identify big, bigger and biggest. Children show great interest in information technology and wait their turn to operate simple programmes by expertly clicking on the mouse. They competently show the inspector how to select programmes, such as the number game. They learn about battery operated toys as they manoeuvre the remote control car in the outdoor area.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have good opportunities to write for a purpose as they practise their mark making in all areas, including the outdoor environment. Children are encouraged to label their work; more able children confidently write their names and ask how to write their sister's name. Children show a keen interest in shape, space and measure during their play. For example, playing with the large number puzzle, counting how many small containers of water needed to fill larger containers. Children confidently recognise numbers up to ten and are beginning learn about more and less.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are warmly welcomed into the nursery and are treated with equal regard, which increases their sense of belonging. Children settle well because staff are experienced and attentive to their needs. They actively encourage comfort items from home, which eases the settling in process for younger children. Access to a good range of resources and activities, which promote positive images of diversity, helps to promote children's understanding of the wider world. Children value their own customs and beliefs and learn those of others as they take part in celebrations, such as Chinese New Year and Diwali.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children with learning difficulties are fully included in all aspects of the nursery day, which promotes equality of opportunity. For example, staff adapt routines and activities to ensure children's individual needs are successfully met. Staff are skilled in identifying children's needs and work cooperatively with parents and outside agencies to ensure children reach their full potential.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well in the nursery because they are given lots of praise and encouragement. Children show great pleasure in receiving stickers for their positive behaviour. This gives them high levels of confidence and good self-esteem. Children understand the boundaries because staff are consistent in their approach and fully implement the behaviour management policy. This is further enhanced as strategies used to promote positive behaviour are successfully shared with parents, which ensure consistency of care. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents are warmly welcomed into the nursery and are informed about their children through verbal and written feedback. The management team ensure they are always available to speak to parents about any concerns. Regular questionnaires and a suggestion box encourage parents to share their views about the nursery and express any concerns. Any concerns are dealt with promptly and recorded appropriately. Parents speak highly about the provision. They appreciate the warm and friendly staff who take time to speak to them. They feel involved and informed about their children's progress and development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of children receiving nursery education is good. Parents receive a good level of information about the education provision through the parent’s brochure, regular newsletters and written information about activities. They are encouraged to be involved in their children's learning through completing regular tasks with their child at home. Parents also visit the nursery to share their skills and knowledge which contributes towards positive outcomes for children. Staff produce detailed information about children's progress in the form of written reports and regularly complete assessment profiles.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are cared for by an enthusiastic and committed staff team who show a clear understanding of their role within the nursery. They offer an effective learning environment which positively builds on children's interests. This maximises play and learning opportunities for all children. An effective key worker system is in place, which means children build a rapport with familiar members of staff. Effective recruitment and selection procedures are in place and thorough inductions for new members of staff ensure children's safety and well-being at all times.

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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 Leadership and management is good. Effective systems are in place for the continual support and development of all staff. They attend regular training to enhance their knowledge and skills, which enhances the quality and care and education provided. The management team take overall responsibility for the educational provision and identify areas for improvement. There is an action plan in place for the outdoor area. Staff organise their time effectively to ensure curriculum planning and children's development records are kept up-to-date. This contributes significantly to children's progress towards the early learning goals.

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Organisation

Children benefit because staff understand and implement the nursery policies and procedures, which are regularly reviewed and updated. All required documentation is in place, in line with the requirements of the National Standards, such as, a detailed complaints procedure. This positively supports children's health, safety and well-being. Overall, the provision 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 care inspection the provider agreed to provide adult sized furniture for staff to feed and comfort children in the tinies room and to develop the planning systems to ensure activities are based on observations of children and their individual needs. The nursery has made good progress in addressing the issues. There is suitable furniture such as comfortable sofas for staff to sit with children when feeding or comforting. There are effective planning and assessment systems in place. Staff use the 'Birth to three matters' framework and observations and assessments clearly inform the planning for children's next steps, which ensures activities meet the individual needs of children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last education inspection the provider agreed to provide more challenge in handwriting skills for older children, to develop the planning and assessments systems to clearly show children's progress towards the early learning goals and to develop children's understanding about the changes that take place in their bodies as a result of exercise. Children are encouraged to mark make in all areas of their play, for example, writing shopping lists in the home corner and more able children confidently write their names on their work. Staff make regular observations of children and use this information to complete individual profiles. These clearly show children's progress and identify any gaps in their learning. Children are developing an understanding about the changes to their bodies as a result of exercise; they have weekly physical exercise sessions where they learn how exercise makes them hot and thirsty. They are

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Improvements since the last inspection

learning about a healthy lifestyle through activities, such as food tasting and discussions about foods which are good for them.

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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. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaint record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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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

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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): • assess the risk in relation to the window in tinies room and spilt sand and take steps to minimise these • ensure accident and incident records are signed by parents.

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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 outdoor area to promote children's learning in all aspects of the curriculum (also applies to care) • ensure activities challenge and engage the older more able children.

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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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