Busy Nought to Fives Ltd

Busy Nought to Fives Ltd Inspection report for early years provision

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EY259610 Unique Reference Number 11 December 2007 Inspection date Shirley Leigh Monks-Meagher Inspector

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St Nicholas House, Walton Lane, Birchwood Park, Warrington, WA3 6YL Setting Address

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01925 850755 Telephone number jillmason@busynoughttofives.co.uk E-mail Busy Nought to Fives 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?

Busy Nought to Fives at St. Nicholas House opened in March 2003. It is part of a private chain of nurseries and operates from ten rooms in a purpose built, single storey building in the Birchwood Park area of Warrington.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 93 children from seven months to four years on roll. This includes 25 children in receipt of the nursery educational grant. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is open from 07.45 to 18.00, five days a week all year round, with the exception of one week at Christmas and bank holidays.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There is a staff team of 33 full and part-time staff, including two cooks. Of these, 29 work directly with the children, 19 of whom have early years qualifications to National Vocational Qualification level 2 or 3. Several of the remaining staff are working towards a recognised early years qualification. The setting receives support from a teacher from the local Sure Start Partnership.

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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 benefit from a clean environment. Staff follow many good practical hygiene routines to help minimise cross infection, such as the regular and systematic cleaning and sterilisation of toys and equipment, and providing children with individual bedding. Children learn about personal hygiene, such as toilet routines and washing their hands at appropriate times. Younger children sing the hand washing song whilst staff support them to clean their hands and prepare for lunch, whilst many older children competently wash their hands thoroughly without staff intervention because they understand about germs and their consequences. Well maintained documents relating to medication, minor accidents and incidents protect children's welfare and an effective sickness and exclusion policy protects them from illness.

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Helping children to be healthy

Nutritious and healthy meals freshly prepared on the premises, provide children with a balanced diet that includes fresh vegetables and fruit. For example, children enjoy jacket potato, baked beans and cheese followed by fruit crumble for lunch and homemade potato and leak soup and crusty bread for afternoon tea. Fresh fruit is readily available. Meal times are social, relaxed occasions where children are given sufficient time to develop their independence and chewing skills and sufficient food to meet their individual needs. Children understand the importance of drinking water. Babies are consistently offered fresh water and more able children competently help themselves or younger children to drinks from the drink stations situated around the setting.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from regular outdoor activities. They run and play in the fresh air which contributes to good health. They explore, test and develop physical control in stimulating indoor and outdoor experiences. Staff know the children well as individuals and this encourages children to confidently try new skills, ask for help and set their own limits in a safe environment. For example, children skilfully manoeuvre wheeled vehicles, balance on equipment and slide down poles, climb under, through and over equipment that provide varying levels of challenge. Children recognise physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle. Babies are encouraged to develop physical skills. They have ample space to roll, crawl and explore their environment and plenty of suitable equipment and furniture to help them to pull up and develop their mobility. All the children benefit from well balanced routines which allow for vigorous play and rest.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children and parents are warmly welcomed into the bright well maintained environment. Photographs of the children at play and displays of their work adorn the premises and contributes significantly to children's strong sense of belonging. Ample space ensures that children can play and explore in safety and comfort. Resources are plentiful and age-appropriate. They are easily accessible because they are at child height and well maintained, minimising risks to children. All children's play areas are very well organised to maximise children's potential.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are good systems in place to keep children safe and secure. The premises are secure, entry is through an intercom system and staff are vigilant about the security of the premises. All visitors are recorded and children are only released to pre arranged named adults. Risk assessments take place frequently for indoors, outdoors and outings. These effectively minimise hazards to children because identified concerns are acted upon immediately and followed up

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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 successfully. Children are gaining an awareness of the importance of personal safety. For example, children are beginning to understand how to negotiate objects and how to evacuate the building safely in the event of an emergency.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is safeguarded by staff who have a clear knowledge and understanding of the procedures to follow in the event of professional concerns about a child.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children feel secure, safe and contented in the nursery. There are close affectionate relationships throughout the setting yielding a happy and harmonious environment where children thrive. Good quality interaction between the children and adults results in confident children who develop strong self-esteem in a supportive and trusting environment.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff use the 'Birth to three matters' framework to plan and provide varied and imaginative activities, experiences, care and education for young children. They are sensitive to the children's needs and recognise them as individuals. Systematic observations are recorded on children's development files. These identify what the children can do but not always if they know or understand something. As a result, staff are not yet using them effectively to identifying appropriate next steps or inform the planning. As a result, some activities do not address individual stages of learning and development. For example, the mobility aids are not consistently available for children who are learning to walk. Babies and children do, however, enjoy many experiences which enhance their development, such as exploring using their senses. For example, children express their delight building and knocking over sand pies, and their faces register

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

amazement when they make toys squeak or lights flash. Music and songs are used for fun and to soothe children. Children handle and investigate a variety of objects, such as brushes and bristles, wooden and metal spoons, shells and loofahs. Activities with jelly, paint, pasta and rice, gloop and textured fabrics enhance their tactile experiences. Stories and lots of effective small world and role play opportunities are helping the children to make sense of their world.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children thoroughly enjoy their play and are purposefully and consistently engaged. There are many opportunities for independent and adult initiated learning throughout the sessions. For example, children are able to design, create and build because they can freely access a huge range of media, tools and materials. Children are independent. They put on aprons, coats and wellingtons, choose activities and select resources, use the toilet independently and help themselves to drinks when thirsty. Their concentration is developing well. They spend lengthy periods of time on the computer, matching, sorting and refining their memory skills. Children confidently express themselves using a wide and varied vocabulary. They spend lots of discussion time with the staff, during their play and at circle times and consequently are developing good recall skills and questioning minds. They are beginning to identify and recognise their own and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

others names in their environment. Children are delighted by stories and enjoy dressing up as characters, predicting events and even making up their own stories during their role play. Great fun is had acting out 'the nativity' and recording their own version in drawings, which they display on the wall. Children are developing an understanding of the reason we write. Their environment is full of the written word.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing a good early understanding of number and mathematical concepts. For example, simple counting songs and visual aids are used effectively by staff to help 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 gain an awareness of early concepts of simple addition and subtraction. Children make repeating patterns with beads and can calculate which colour group is largest. Older children classify and compare, such as grouping bricks by size, shape and colour. The children use their knowledge to solve simple problems, such as how they can fit the toy farm back into the tub so that the lid fits on and how many cups and plates they require to set the table for lunch. The fun and practical activities in the sand and water play are helping the children to understand about volume, capacity and weight.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children experiment in hands-on activities. They are gaining an awareness of change as they follow the seasons and prepare and bake cakes. Children construct using a wealth of resources, designing and building large and small models. Children are gaining a perception of time. They know the routine of the day and confidently discuss a birthday party 'yesterday'. They express their learning and ideas creatively using a wide variety of media. For example, musical experiences are helping the children to understand rhythm, beat and tone. They move rhythmically to the music and participate enthusiastically as they follow slow and fast sounds with their pompoms and scarves. Children's perceptions of their experiences can clearly be seen in their imaginative games.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of nursery education teaching and learning is good. Staff have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage and generally their understanding of how children learn is reflected in their teaching styles. They clearly know about children's individual abilities because they work closely with and systematically observe them. However, as with the children under three years, the information is not yet utilised effectively in assessment and planning, so activities do not always benefit from key staff's understanding of individual children. For example, staff plan across all areas of the curriculum to ensure a broad and balanced set of activities supplements children's independent learning within the continuous provision. They do not however, identify gaps in individual learning and use the planned activities to focus on children's personalised learning. As a result children have some inconsistencies in their progress across

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have a skilful approach to developing positive relationships and children's self-esteem. This plays a significant part in facilitating the positive outcomes for children. Effective interaction provides children with challenging thoughts and opportunities for self-reflection and the routine and structure of the day promotes children's learning. A very well organised and stimulating environment induces children's curiosity, encourages independence and choice and motivates independent learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children significantly benefit from the strong, professional partnerships that are established with parents and carers. They are cared for by staff who work with parents to meet children's individual needs and ensure that they are fully included in the life of the setting. As a result, key workers have a clear picture of children's individual health, dietary, social and emotional needs, religious and cultural beliefs and work effectively to ensure these are catered for within the provision. Children learn about the diversity of our society through resources which positively portray non stereotypical images, the positive role model of staff and through celebrating a variety of celebrations and festivals. Children taste cultural foods and are beginning to understand that people use a variety of languages to communicate with each other.

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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 Staff warmly greet children and are interested in what they have to say, helping them to feel secure and valued. Photographs of the children at play and samples of their work are displayed throughout the setting promoting children's self-esteem and respect for others. They are learning to work harmoniously with others whilst enjoying the freedom to explore within appropriate boundaries. For example, several children work cooperatively to complete a large floor puzzle whilst others work together on the computer. Staff effectively support children in sharing and taking turns fairly. Children behave well. They learn appropriate codes of behaviour and staff use consistent age-appropriate strategies to promote acceptable behaviour. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of funded children is good. Parents positively endorse the care and education their children receive and are involved in their learning. Parents support topics and help facilitate some activities, such as the nativity play. Well equipped activity and story sacks are available for home use to support children's learning and parents help their children make links between home and nursery life through characters, such as Benji bear.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The effective organisation enhances children's care and education. A motivated, enthusiastic and established staff team work well together to conscientiously implement the setting's policies and procedures, support each other and underpin the smooth running of the setting. Staff's commitment clearly demonstrates their regard for the well-being of all children and promotes children's health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and ability to contribute positively. Daily routines cater for individual needs because they are flexible.

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Organisation

The comprehensive operational plan ensures that staff are generally clear about their roles and responsibilities enabling children to benefit from continuity of care in a secure environment. Recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to ensure children are cared for by well qualified, experienced and suitable adults. Indoor and outdoor space is organised to maximise play opportunities for children. Well maintained records remain confidential whilst being easily accessible.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education is good. Children benefit from the efficient management of the educational programme. Staff receive positive direction from the management team and are encouraged through regular training and updates to maintain and extend their professional practice. There are established procedures in place which effectively monitor and evaluate the quality of the nursery educational programme. These have already identified and highlighted assessment and planning as an improvement area and are informing the direction of staff training and future development of the provision.

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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 inspection the nursery agreed to further develop the planning to reflect next steps for the children, update the complaints procedure and provide freely accessible creative resources, numbers, letters and words to help children consolidate their learning.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The nursery developed their planning paperwork to include evaluations and next step information. However, the information gathered is based on the activities rather than observation

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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 and assessment of the children's learning. As a result children's individual assessments and identified next steps are still not informing the planning to ensure that there are no gaps in children's development and learning. The complaints procedure was updated to include information relating to the regulator. Children's learning areas have been re-organised very successfully to enable children to initiate and extend their learning and skills across all areas of the curriculum. Continuous provision of resources is well used by the children to follow their interests, develop their own ideas and explore, investigate and solve simple problems independently. As a result children are consistently and purposefully engaged.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection Ofsted received concerns in relation to working in partnership with parents (National Standard 12), health (National Standard 7 and Annex A.6).

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Complaints since the last inspection

We investigated the concerns by carrying out a visit on 20 December 2004. We are satisfied that the registered provider has taken appropriate steps to address the action. The provider remains qualified for registration.

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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 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): • continue to develop staff's understanding of the use of assessment and next step information when planning for children's play, learning and development

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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 the development work relating to staff's ability to assess children's knowledge, understanding and skills and thus enable clear identification of learning objectives when planning purposeful activities that provide opportunities for teaching and 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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