Nippers Day Nursery Ltd

Nippers Children's Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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309733 Unique Reference Number 18 October 2007 Inspection date Margaret Baines Inspector

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74 Lancaster Road, Carnforth, Lancashire, LA5 9LE Setting Address

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01524 733531 Telephone number carnforth@nippersnurseries.co.uk E-mail Nippers Day Nursery Ltd 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 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?

Nippers Children's Day Nursery is one of three childcare facilities that are privately owned. It opened in 1998 and operates from four rooms in a purpose-built building. The nursery is situated in Carnforth. A maximum of 35 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The setting is open each weekday from 07.30 to 18.00 for 51 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 58 children aged from birth to under eight years on roll. Of these, 19 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from Carnforth and surrounding areas. The setting supports children with learning difficulties and children who have English as a second language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs nine staff who each hold an appropriate early years qualification. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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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 are developing a good understanding of the importance of hygiene because staff explain to them that it is important to wash hands at certain times of the day. Children from the age of two years independently visit the toilets and wash their hands, younger children have staff support. Children are beginning to understand that they must wear their coats when it is cold outdoors and their sun hats when it is hot. Children are also learning about the effects of exercise on their bodies and recognise when they need a drink or a rest. Their health needs are met through the provider's effective health and hygiene policies and procedures. All staff hold a first aid certificate, therefore feel confident to deal with a first aid situation should such occur. There are in place all required written permissions and consents to ensure children’s health needs can be met effectively within the nursery.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a good range of healthy foods and drinks. Older children may seek a drink independently whilst younger children have their drinks provided by the staff caring for them. Children are developing a good understanding about foods that are healthy through planned activities such as food tasting and daily discussions about the foods that they eat. The setting ensures children are provided with a varied selection of fruit and vegetables on a daily basis. Their dietary needs are met well because staff ensure information from parents is recorded in detail.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children thoroughly enjoy their good opportunities to be active indoors and outdoors and are developing good physical skills. They participate in daily outdoor play, enjoy music and movement and learn to coordinate their bodies and move safely. Their competence in using large equipment is good as they use the outdoor equipment. Very young children also have good opportunities to enjoy the outdoors because they are taken for walks in the local area and have opportunities to use appropriate outdoor play equipment.

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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 welcoming and safe indoor environment. This is planned to meet their needs by ensuring play areas are maintained to a good standard. Resources and equipment are readily available for children to make choices because staff carefully plan the environment to ensure children are stimulated effectively. However, children who bring a packed lunch do not have appropriate crockery from which to eat their lunch at present. Children learn to keep themselves safe because staff are skilled in the way they talk to them about safe procedures and reinforce safe practices. They ask children to pick up toys, not to run and remind them to be careful. The setting has a comprehensive risk assessment in place, which effectively minimises the risk to children and helps to keep them safe as they play freely. Staff and children regularly practise the evacuation procedure to ensure they are clear should a situation occur that requires

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The environment is very welcoming to parents and children and is enhanced by good examples of children's own work, which is attractively displayed. Photographs of children at play also reflect the positive ethos of the setting. Children delight in their achievements; they are eager to share this with others. Children are excited as they play in a setting where they can move freely and without restriction, as they access good play materials and choose activities and

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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 resources from those set out on tables, floor mats and in low level drawers. The environment for young children is carefully planned through staff’s good knowledge to ensure their safety and enjoyment in all aspects of their play.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children’s welfare is protected because staff are clear of their role in child protection and understand their responsibility to contact the named person. The named person is fully aware of her role and the procedure she needs to follow should a situation occur which requires a referral to the appropriate agency.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy an imaginative and varied range of activities that help them to make progress in all areas of development. Their individual learning needs are assessed frequently by key staff. Staff are clear about what children can do and therefore plan for the next steps in their learning. All children have their care needs met well through the daily routines and the time given by staff to each child to support and encourage their well-being. Children under two years are cared for in a baby room where they enjoy an age-appropriate range of activities. For example, they play with the tactile toys, they enjoy the treasure basket and they love the painting activity as they make pictures with the paint rollers. Two-year-olds have available for them a good selection of resources. For example, they love to build with the bricks, play with the cars and dolls and enjoy the outdoors, where they collected leaves to later make collages with.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are becoming competent learners and use their good number and language skills effectively in their play and as they respond in focused activities. Children's individual learning needs are ably provided for by good curriculum planning that specifies the coverage of the stepping stones, with consideration in the main given for ability levels and younger children coming in during the year. Staff are clear about what the learning intentions for the daily focused activities are. Children’s desire to learn is stimulated by the exciting range of activities organised, such as construction, sand and water, where they learn why some items float and others sink. Children also enjoy painting, for example, they have painted some delightful pictures of the Queen. They have opportunities to make card, for example Ede cards, as they learn about other cultures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have good opportunities to experience role play as they care for the babies in the clinic. They are beginning to learn some Spanish words, saying please and thank you with confidence in Spanish. Children eagerly select resources for their play ideas and freely move around the areas of the continuous provision to settle to read a book, play with the small world toys or in the construction area.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children persist at their play for good periods of time and concentrate intently in the group times that are well focused by staff to encourage their sharing and listening skills. Their progress is monitored by staff who identify and record the key skills achieved. This information is used to plan for the children's next steps in their learning. Staff are very clear what children can do, therefore can meet their individual needs well. Information received from parents at the time of admission also helps to inform planning for individual children. Children's specific achievements of stepping stones towards the early learning goals are recorded within their development records and the Lancashire profile document.

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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 are making good progress in all areas of learning, supported by effective teaching that stimulates their curiosity and motivation to learn. They use numbers readily in their play and can count to 10, and some beyond, as staff make good use of everyday opportunities such as circle time to extend children's mathematical skills. Their calculation skills are developing, as they decide how children are sat at the snack table and how many pieces of toast they are going to eat.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

They identify shapes, such as a square and a circle, although there are few number and shapes clearly visible in the room for children to observe and therefore make connections in their learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children also have good communication, language and literacy skills as they eagerly use their good range of vocabulary to express their ideas during circle time when they talk about home and their families. Children enjoy story time and music and movement, where they enthusiastically sing songs from memory. They use their thinking skills to explain how they will build a tower with the construction resources. Children’s emergent writing skills are developing, as they write their name on their artwork and make the cards in the writing area. The environment has clear and attractive labels to help children understand that print carries meaning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy playing the musical instruments as they develop their skills to recognise loud and soft sounds. Children are learning to work together cooperatively sharing and helping each other, fostering their social, emotional, cultural and spiritual development well. Children show good care and concern for each other and readily relate to each other's experiences and news. Their good self-esteem is encouraged by staff, who foster children's sense of belonging to their community and their place in their close and extended families.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are enthusiastically welcomed into the setting; they are valued and respected because staff ensure each child has the opportunity to engage in all aspects of the curriculum. This applies to all children, whether they attend daily or on a part-time basis. The inclusion of all children is actively planned and monitored. Children enjoy learning about their community and other cultures, as they engage in activities which promote their understanding. Children experience celebrations of various festivals, for example they made cards for Ede. They have also enjoyed Chinese New Year activities when they made craft items. In addition, children enjoy Christian celebrations, such as Easter and Christmas. Children in the pre-school room enjoy learning about Spain and some words in Spanish.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are learning to take responsibility for their behaviour because the staff follow positive and effective strategies for helping children learn to manage this. Children learn the boundaries and guidelines because staff are consistent and are very good role models, having high regard for each other and the children. Consequently, children’s behaviour is very good; they learn right from wrong because staff are consistent in their approach and provide gentle reminders to reinforce boundaries.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is outstanding. The very effective partnership contributes significantly to children's well-being. Parents are provided with very comprehensive information which informs them about the care provided. Parents' views are actively sought and they are provided with daily information sheets about the children’s day in the nursery. Parents have

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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 daily opportunities to speak with staff and to respond to the written information by sharing aspects of their child’s learning at home. Parents also complete questionnaires to share their views about the nursery. In addition, newsletters are provided to inform parents about the ongoing activities within the nursery. Parents learn about their child's development through discussion and strong links with the key staff. They are actively involved in their child's learning by providing detailed information at the time of the child’s registration. They also update staff on any significant changes and development and they contribute to the topic work, particularly with the funded children. This ensures children's individual needs are met and a strong link is made with home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children enjoy playing together and learn to share as they wait their turn, for example, as they play in the book area, design their models and share the toast at snack time. They learn to manage their behaviour and are well mannered as they ask for a drink, saying please and thank you.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's care is effectively promoted because they enjoy an organised environment which enables them to make choices from a good selection of appropriate resources. Children's needs are met and safeguarded because all legally required documentation is well maintained apart from the need to update the child protection procedure in line with current requirements. The setting has provided a robust system for the vetting and clearance of all staff. As a result, children are further protected.

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Organisation

The leadership and management for nursery education is good. Staff are led by a committed management team who work well together and support each other in their roles. Training is promoted for all staff to increase their knowledge and skills in order to improve their practice and therefore the care of the children. For example, several staff members have attended the ‘Birth to three matters’ training, and a 'working with parents' workshop. Consequently, staff are committed to ongoing training and development to ensure that care for children is of a good standard.

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Organisation

The setting promotes the education and outcomes for children well. Staff are clear about the Foundation Stage and how to progress children along the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. Staff monitor and assess children’s achievements, recording their findings within the children’s personal records, which parents may access at any time. Assessments are key to informing future planning. Planning is clear with long term, medium term and short term plans available. Planning ensures that children experience a wide range of learning activities which progress them along the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. Examples of children's work are collated within their personal folders. However, some entries are not dated and do not always provide an explanation of the area of learning that the example represents.

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Organisation

Staff performance is reviewed through meetings, self-assessment and an appraisal system, plus direct observation. Consequently, training needs are identified and continuous staff development is featured highly within this nursery. As a result the care and education for the children is regularly reviewed.

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Organisation

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

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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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider agreed to update the consent for emergency medical advice and treatment and any medication. The policy has been reviewed and support and training has been given to staff to ensure they are clear about the new procedure.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Also, the registered provider agreed to extend the statements about the management of bullying and allegations. These have now been updated effectively. The care of the children has been significantly enhanced by these improvements.

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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 complaint record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • provide children who bring a packed lunch with appropriate crockery to promote their good health • review the child protection policy to include reference to the Local Safeguarding Children Board.

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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): • review the organisation of the pre-school room to ensure children can observe the numbers and shapes to enable them to make connections in their learning • ensure that entries in the children's records of achievements are both dated and make reference to the area of learning that the entry represents.

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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 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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