Kids Planet Stretford

Fledglings Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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310336 Unique Reference Number 09 January 2008 Inspection date Teresa Ann Clark Inspector

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Fledglings Ltd, Burleigh Road, Stretford, Manchester, M32 0PF Setting Address

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0161 864 3507 Telephone number fledglings01@btconnect.com E-mail Fledglings 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 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?

Fledglings Day Nursery has been open since 1990. It is situated in a purpose built two storey unit in the Stretford area of Manchester. There is a secure outdoor play area. The nursery opens from 07.30 to 18.00 Monday to Friday throughout the year, except for bank holidays.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery may care for a maximum of 70 children. There are currently 82 children on roll. Of these, 13 children are in receipt of nursery education funding. Children attend a variety of full and part time sessions. The nursery supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There is a total of 20 staff, including the manager, who work directly with the children, of these, 11 staff hold suitable qualifications and seven staff are working towards a 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 satisfactory. Children's health is protected because staff follow effective hygiene routines, for example, staff use separate cloths for various cleaning tasks and children routinely wash their hands before eating. Children are encouraged to use tissues to wipe their nose, these are readily available for children to help themselves. The use of anti- bacterial sprays for cleaning surfaces helps to prevent the spread of infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

In the main, children are protected from the spread of infection because the nursery follows a clear sick child and medication policy, but medication records are not always signed by parents following the administering of medication to children. There are clear procedures for dealing with accidents and there are sufficient staff with first aid certificates to ensure children are treated appropriately. Accident records however, are not always signed by parents and written consent to seek emergency medical treatment or advice has not been obtained from parents. This poses an element of risk to children's health and safety.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy healthy, nutritious snacks and meals, which help to promote their growth and development. They eagerly tuck into their lunch and know they can ask for more to satisfy their appetites. Appropriate cutlery is provided to promote their independence and children are encouraged to try different foods. Meal times are relaxed, social occasions, where staff sit and eat with the children, promoting good table manners, such as reminding children not to talk with food in their mouth.

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Helping children to be healthy

Water is readily available for children to quench their thirst and babies are offered cooled boiled water throughout the day. Staff consult parents about children's dietary requirements and ensure all staff are aware of these, so children remain healthy. Children learn about healthy eating through planned activities, such as looking at foods which are good and bad for them and creating their own fruit collage pictures. Older children learn about dental hygiene as they brush their teeth daily.

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Helping children to be healthy

All children have regular opportunities to play outdoors which contributes to their good health. They play out in all weathers wearing suitable clothing to protect them from the elements and take out umbrellas to protect them from the rain. Children run and play in the fresh air and refine their physical skills, as they ride wheeled toys with increasing skill and control. They enjoy free-wheeling down the slope and develop good control and coordination over their bodies as they climb, jump, balance and hop.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a warm and caring environment, which gives them a sense of belonging. They are warmly greeted by staff and their work is attractively displayed around the setting. The nursery is currently in the process of redecoration to improve the environment for children. Generally, staff make the most of the provision by organising space and resources effectively to allow children to make choices and play in safety and comfort. There are adequate toilet and bathroom facilities, but the hot water in the pre-school bathroom is not maintained at a comfortable temperature for children to use.

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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 There is a generally good range of toys and equipment, which promote all areas of children's development. The organisation of these helps to promote children's independence as they are stored on low-level shelving, boxes or baskets. Regular checks ensure resources and equipment do not pose a risk to children's safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Effective procedures are in place to minimise the risk of accidents to children. The premises are secure and children are unable to leave the play rooms as handles are out of their reach. All visitors are signed in and out of the building. Daily checks are carried out both indoors and outdoors to identify any risks to children's safety. Although regular risk assessments are carried out, the setting has not identified that when the windows on the ground floor are open they pose a risk to children's safety. Children are learning about their own safety as staff remind them not to run indoors or climb on furniture in case they fall.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are safeguarded because staff understand their role in child protection and are able to put the policy into practice. Designated members of the management team are aware of their duty to respond to any child protection concerns.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are happy and settled in their environment. They experience a suitable range of developmentally appropriate indoor and outdoor activities which contribute to their all round development. Children are keen to participate in activities and make sound progress in their development. Staff use the 'Birth to three matters' framework for planning, which involves the room leaders taking overall responsibility for the planning of activities. Children who are new to the setting are helped to settle by staff who are sensitive to their individual needs. The use of the key worker system helps children to form close and caring relationships with staff and increases their sense of trust.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Infants and toddlers have good opportunities for sensory exploration using all their senses. They become aware of different textures and colours as they access treasure baskets, paint, sand, pasta and water. Babies enjoy exploring their environment as they crawl and pull themselves up using furniture. They investigate toys and objects with interest, for example shaking and banging toys to create sounds. Toddlers enjoy playing in the water as they squeeze cloths and wash toys. They are keen to express their creativity using paints and play dough, for example, a child paints a picture and says 'It's a dinosaur'. They develop their vocabulary as they look at books and learn the names of animals and objects. As staff turn the pages children ask 'What's that?' and repeat the words after staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. The room leader has a good understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum. She knows the children well and uses this knowledge to plan for their individual needs. Evaluations are carried out after each activity and records show their progress. The room leader is enthusiastic and works well with the children who enjoy her company. She takes time to listen to children and uses a variety of teaching methods which engage the children. Effective questioning techniques are used to challenge their thinking and learning. However, not all staff working with the children have an understanding of the Foundation Stage, as a result, teaching and learning is not consistent for the children.

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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 show high levels of independence as they choose what they want to do. There is a good balance of child initiated activities and adult led activities. Children are given plenty of time to explore their play ideas throughout the day. They are confident in their environment and approach visitors to ask who they are and what they are doing. Children's language skills are good as they share their experiences with staff and each other. A Child talks about walking a friend's dog in the park and how it behaved, another child tells staff and children 'I didn't have a good sleep last night because it was thundering'. All children are eager to talk at circle time and some make up imaginary situations in order to join in, for example, talking about the monster that came into their house and how they frightened it away.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children learn about numbers and develop their counting skills throughout the day. Older children easily recognise written numerals to 10 and identify the missing 'number nine' snowman from the number line. Children use mathematical language to describe size and shape throughout their play. A child, for example, builds a wall with building blocks and says to staff 'Look I've made a massive wall'. Children gain pleasure from books as they select their favourite books and tell the story to others in their own words. They are developing an understanding of the sounds that letters make and older children sound out the letters of their name.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children play creatively and develop good imaginative skills as they use finger puppets to act out stories, using different voices. The creative art activities are available throughout the session with a good choice of creative materials available. This enables children to develop their individual creativity and imagination in art. They develop curiosity as they explore various materials and observe changes, such as planting seeds and how the plants change as they grow.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. All children are welcomed into the nursery and cared for by staff who recognise them as individuals. Children soon settle as appropriate procedures are in place. This includes staff gathering all relevant information about children, such as their routines, likes and dislikes. Children visit the nursery with and without their parents to help them become familiar with their new surroundings. The nursery makes links with the local schools to share information about children, which helps to ensure a smooth transition when they move on to school.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The children attending the nursery reflect the local community and have access to a satisfactory range of resources that promote equality of opportunity. Children learn about religious festivals and celebrations throughout the year, such as Christmas, Eid and Diwali. As a result, they are beginning to gain an understanding about the wider world and each others similarities and differences. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's behaviour is generally good as they are developing an understanding about acceptable behaviour and are learning to share and take turns. Older children are helpful towards each other, for example, showing each other how to use the computer. They respond well to the tidy up time song as they sing along when putting toys away. Younger children are given gentle reminders about not throwing sand or dough. Children's self-esteem and confidence is promoted through the use of praise and encouragement.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Friendly relationships are formed with parents and carers. The manager and staff make time to speak to parents and share information about children each day. Activity plans and menus are displayed for parents to see and a suggestion box and questionnaires are used to help parents share their thoughts and views about the provision. Daily diaries are used to keep

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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 parents informed about babies' sleeping, feeding and nappy changing routines. Parents speak positively about the provision. They value the friendly approachable staff and are pleased that their children enjoy attending.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers of children in receipt of nursery education funding is satisfactory. Activity plans are clearly displayed for parents to see and parents bring items from home to support activities. Parents are kept informed about their children's progress and achievements through regular verbal exchange and written reports. Parents can request to see their children's development records at any time, but there involvement is limited as they do not contribute to children's assessments or the planning for their next steps.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Staff organise their time and routines well, which gives children a sense of security because they know what is happening next. Organisation of space and resources promotes satisfactory outcomes for children. They have the opportunity to explore the resources available to them and are able to practise and consolidate their skills. Staff are effectively deployed to ensure children receive good levels of support and attention. Staff attend regular training for their professional development, which contributes to positive outcomes for children.

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Organisation

Adequate recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to ensure children are cared for by adults who are suitable. All legally required records and documentation are in place. Written policies and procedures are made available to parents, which ensures children benefit from their parents' knowledge of how the setting operates. The policies and procedures are effective and contribute to the care, safety and welfare of children. However, the records of attendance for staff and children are not always accurately maintained and staff do not sign in and out when they leave the premises at lunch time.

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Organisation

Leadership and management of the nursery is satisfactory. The manager liaises with the pre-school room leader and monitors the education provision. She is aware of the strengths and weaknesses and has an action plan in place to address the weaknesses. Staff are committed to improving the quality of the education provision and value the support from the early years teacher.

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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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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the setting agreed to develop the planning for children's individual development. Provide opportunities for children to pursue activities of their own choice. Develop resources to reflect positive images of diversity and to provide appropriate furniture to support babies' physical development.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The planning now takes account of children's individual needs as their next steps are identified and used to inform the planning. Children are given time to pursue activities of their own choice for most parts of the day, which helps them to develop and extend their own play ideas. The nursery now has a satisfactory range of resources which reflect positive images of diversity. There is an adequate amount of furniture in the baby room to support children in their physical development.

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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 At the last nursery education inspection the setting agreed to improve staff's knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum. Develop planning by linking it more closely with the stepping stones. Develop children's assessments to inform the planning and to foster a positive attitude in four-year-olds to their learning programme so they respond to different types of activities and learn to persevere with activities.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The room leader has a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum and how children learn, however other staff working in the room do not have the knowledge and understanding of the curriculum. This has been raised as a recommendation at this inspection. Planning continues to be developed as staff gain confidence. The plans and children's progress are linked to the stepping stones and staff use children's assessments to inform the planning. All children display a positive attitude towards learning, they are eager to learn and participate in all activities with enthusiasm. They persevere and concentrate for periods of time on both their chosen activities and within group activities.

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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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • obtain written parental consent to seek emergency medical treatment or advice • ensure all accident and medication records are signed by parents • ensure that the hot water in the pre-school bathroom is maintained at a suitable temperature • assess the risks in relation to windows on the ground floor and take steps to minimise these • ensure records of attendance for children and staff are accurately maintained and record when staff are off the premises at lunch time.

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The quality and standards of the care

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 nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure all staff have an understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum • provide opportunities for parents to be involved in their 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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