Grestone Academy

Buffer Bear Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Buffer Bear Nursery

Unique Reference Number 139904 Inspection date 12 July 2005 Inspector John Edwin Warren

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Buffer Bear Nursery

Setting Address 21 Cheam Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 1SN

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Buffer Bear Nursery

Telephone number 020 8643-5278 E-mail bbmgr@bbsutton.fsnet.co.uk Registered person Buffer Bear Ltd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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Buffer Bear Nursery

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 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Buffer Bear Day Nursery opened in 2000. It operates from five nursery rooms within the site of Sutton Baptist Church. The nursery serves the local area. There are currently 55 children on roll. This includes funded 3 and 4 year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are procedures in place to support children with special educational needs. The group currently supports two children with English as an additional language.

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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 The group opens five days a week all year round. Sessions are from 7:00 until 19:00. There are nine staff members, of these eight have early years qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children remain healthy because they are set good role models by the staff team. The children wash their own hands and are reminded that "germs are not their friends". They are protected from the spread of infection by staff who act quickly when a child becomes sick. The staff follow clear guidance that is set out in nursery procedures. Children make healthy choices with their foods. They are told how the food they chose is good for them and how "yummy" it is. Younger children in the nursery are able to eat and sleep according to their individual needs, older children will take drinks when they are thirsty and when they have been exercising. They are becoming aware of their individual needs. Babies are happy and contented. They are able to be close to someone who is special to them and familiar on a daily basis. Older children are eager to take full advantage of the physical activities available to

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Helping children to be healthy

them. They run around freely in the garden playing with toys of their choice. They move in a variety of ways on foot and on wheeled toys. They also enjoy music and movement sessions, where they are all involved.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are able to play freely and safely in an environment that is risk assessed on a regular basis. Accident records are also used as a tool to risk assess, for example, if one area had a high level of incidents. Children are protected from people who are not vetted by a staff team that checks identification on entry to the building. There are also intruder alarms to prevent unwanted visitors in the garden area. Staff have a good working knowledge of the child protection procedures and are able to recognise the early signs of neglect and abuse. They also know what action to take if they have a concern. Equipment for the children is easily accessible and at a suitable level. Young children are able to practice their independence self selecting toys without coming to any harm. Children are taught to keep themselves safe and are reminded of dangers, for example throwing sand. Children learn about boundaries and limits, they are taught

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

what is an acceptable way to play with the equipment. Children move freely around in all areas of the nursery and garden area. Spillages area cleaned up immediately to ensure children do not slip.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children under three take part in a good range of challenging and interesting activities. Young children are already making connections about how things work. They enjoy imaginative play and have easy access to props in home corner areas. Children are excited and free to create and discover new experiences thanks to a staff team who understand that it is about the process of the activity and not the end product. Young children communicate well with each other at varying levels, they freely pass objects to one another and say "ta". Children respond with a delight when their own babble receives a response from a familiar adult. Young babies' needs are catered for on an individual basis. Staff have a good awareness of each of their key child's needs. They communicate these to all staff to ensure consistency of care. Children under three have the opportunity to make marks with a variety of mediums,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

for example when they are playing with corn flour. All children are cared for well, staff respond to children's requests and will comfort them when they are upset. Nursery education. Children are able to work well together in small groups and enjoy sharing experiences. They encourage others to come and join them in their play and have an expectation that they will take an active role. They respond well to effective questioning from the staff team, which encourages them to expand and explore each activity fully. Children are independent and are given the opportunity to cater for their own needs, for example, pouring out their own drinks. Children enjoy books and have opportunities to use them in and outdoors. They sit with a supportive adult and share familiar stories. The children are not able to link sounds to letters and have limited opportunities to make marks that carry meaning. Children use a satisfactory amount

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

of mathematical language in their play. Most count well into the low twenties. They have an interest in what larger numbers look like and ask staff to tell them what they are. There is some use of language that describes shape in two and three dimensions but is fairly limited. Children learn about the world around them and re-enact them through role play, for example, journeys to the shop. There are few opportunities for children to experience information and communication technology, programmable equipment that is available is rarely used, even when a child has an interest. Children enjoy music and singing sessions, they learn about sounds and clapping patterns. They are encouraged to use their imagination and express ideas in a variety of ways, for example, role play. This is not limited to their main playroom and often takes part in the garden area where children use the props around them. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory children are engaged in a range of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

activities that are helping them to make sound progress towards the early learning goals considering their capability and starting points.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are behaving in an acceptable and cooperative manner. The staff team set

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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 clear and consistent boundaries for the children. Children are told of the consequences of unacceptable behaviour, for example, one child was told to stop playing with the chairs because it could squash his toes and make them very sore. Young children have a sense of belonging from the minute they enter the room. There are works of art of their own creation displayed prominently on the walls and photographs of people that are familiar to them displayed at a level where they can easily see them. Children learn about a wide range of cultures and religions. They take part in activities throughout the year that celebrate the diversity of their community. Parents are invited into the nursery to share their knowledge and experiences. There is a clear equalities statement that is adhered to by the staff team and displayed on the

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Helping children make a positive contribution

notice board for parents to read. Partnerships with parents is good. They are valued by the staff team. Parents are given positive information about their child's progress from an approachable staff team. There is a newsletter given out on a regular basis and parents evenings where they can formally discuss their child's progress. Children are surrounded by positive images of people with special needs. The staff team have a willingness to work closely with parents and other professionals to ensure all children reach their full potential. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children's needs are met through generally effective organisation. Resources for the under three's are organised well and children easily access them. However for older children there are periods of the day where time is not used effectively and the children are not fully occupied. Planning in all rooms is out of date to a varying degree, resulting in some of the planning being carried out on the same day. This also limits the time staff get to work face to face with the children. Staff are inducted well into the setting and have a good understanding of the policies and procedures. The documentation provided for staff is clear and easy to follow. Children's files are easily accessible, they are up to date with their individual needs and parents have signed all of the relevant consent forms. There is a visitors book, however not all are asked to sign so no indication of other people being on site.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is satisfactory. There is in house training for all staff which is relevant, however the staff who work with the older children have had no formal training on the foundation stage. There is no evidence to suggest that plans are looked at by the manager of the unit to ensure they are up to date and suitable. Staffing ratios are met and there is an acceptable level of suitable qualified staff in all rooms. The setting meets the needs of the range of 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 setting was given two recommendations. One related to the temperature of food and the other staff ratios at lunch time. Children are served the food immediately it has finished cooking, staff in each room check that it is not to hot or too cold. Staff sit with the children, usually in their key groups to ensure all are well supported.

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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 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): • Ensure that the visitors book is signed by all guests that enter the building.

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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 there are opportunities for children to be involved in a range of activities that use information and communication technology. • Ensure that there are opportunities for children to develop their writing skills and link sounds to letters. • Ensure that all planning and observations are kept up to date.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements 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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