Casson Fold Day Nursery

Casson Fold Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY271730 Unique Reference Number 09 July 2007 Inspection date Julie Firth Inspector

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Casson Fold, Lower Leigh Road, Westhoughton, Bolton, Lancashire, BL5 2EH

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E-mail

Casson Fold Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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E-mail

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?

Casson Fold Children's Day Nursery was registered in 2004. It operates from a detached property set in its own grounds in the Daisy Hill area of Westhoughton a suburb of Bolton Lancashire The children have access to play rooms on two levels. There is a fully enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is privately owned and serves the local area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery opens from 07.30 to 18.00 Monday to Friday. It is open 51 weeks of the year, except for bank holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year. Sessions are from 07.30 until 18.00. There are currently 72 children aged from birth to eight years on roll in the nursery who attend on a variety of placements; of these 27 receive funding for nursery education. The nursery supports children with disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language,

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There is a manager and 13 staff who work with the children, of whom hold a National Vocational Certificate qualification to Level 2 and 3. The nursery receives support from the Early Years Childcare Development Partnership in Bolton.

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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. Suitable procedures are followed by staff to protect children from illness and infection and they follow current and appropriate health and hygiene guidelines. Cleaning rotas are in place and surfaces are wiped down after children have eaten and after messy play. A detailed sick child policy is in place which excludes children who are ill from the setting, preventing the risk of infections being spread. When accidents occur, children receive good care as several staff hold first aid certificates.

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Helping children to be healthy

Babies and young children are allowed to feed and rest according to their needs, providing a secure environment that is consistent with home. However, children are changed in the baby room resulting in bad aromas where young children are playing. Children are beginning to the learn the importance of good hygiene practices as they are encouraged to wash their hands at appropriate times of the day. They are reminded by staff and posters promoting good health which are displayed in the toilet areas.

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Helping children to be healthy

Toddlers' health is promoted by the sufficient opportunities that they have to engage in physical play. Whilst playing indoors and outdoors, young children are able to run around, ride on bicycles and slide down the slide, helping them to gain control of their bodies. However, the limited outdoor space at present restricts children's space awareness when they are manovering bikes. Babies happily investigate different opportunities as they become more mobile and confident as staff encourage their crawling and physical skills. They benefit from the fresh air when sleeping outside.

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Helping children to be healthy

The nursery actively promotes healthy eating and children enjoy choosing from healthy options, such as, potatoes, meat, casseroles and yogurts. Menus are alternated and the cook ensures that children have vegetables and fruit regularly. As they eat, the staff talk to children about the importance of a healthy diet, therefore, promoting children’s understanding of healthy options. This is extended as the children colour pictures of fruits. Meal and snack times are relaxed occasions where children and staff sit together around the tables to enjoy their food and each others company. Procedures are in place to record children's health and dietary needs, their likes and dislikes with regard to food and drinks. Children have access to water at all times and staff have an understanding of the need for children to be continually hydrated.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in well maintained premises. The baby room is set out well, enabling young children to pull themselves up and move around safely, accessing their equipment. The staff do have an allocated room away from the children, but it is not suitable to enable staff to take regular breaks in. Children have access to a good range of toys and equipment, which are well maintained, age-appropriate and safe and clean, helping to protect the children's well-being. Play materials in toddler and pre-school rooms are mainly all organised for easy access, allowing children to make choices.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are good processes in place to keep children safe and children are protected from hazards due to the regular risk assessments that are carried out by staff and written policies concerning safety. Children learn about fire safety and regularly practise the fire evacuation procedure,

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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 helping them to understand how to keep safe in the event of a fire or emergency evacuation. A doorbell system is in place at the entrance area to manage access to the building, preventing unknown persons entering. Safety precautions, such as fire detection equipment and a visitor's book further contributes to the protection of children. Activities and visits from who help us such as, the police and fire officer further enhance children's awareness of safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

An effective arrivals and departure registration procedure is in place. Children's welfare is protected because staff have a sound understanding of safe guarding children. All incoming injuries are recorded correctly and staff keep up to date with their training.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are happy and confident in the friendly environment where everyone relates well to each other with warm and caring relationships. Staff greet children when they arrive at the nursery, which contributes towards developing positive trusting three-way relationships. Babies receive lots of hugs and form strong bonds with their carers. Early communication skills are developed as staff respond enthusiastically to children's chatter and facial gestures. An established key worker system ensures that children are cared for by familiar staff and by people who know them well.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young children enjoy playing with toys that are colourful and make pleasant sounds. They gaze in wonder as they press the button on a musical instrument and it makes a noise. They are beginning to learn that they are separate from others and they enjoy looking in mirrors and painting their own handprints. Toddlers have access to creative play, they have fun free painting, baking, musical instruments and junk modelling. Access to pasta, shredded paper and shaving foam develops children's sensory skills. They participate in games and sponsors for children in need. Staff keep children motivated as they plan themes of holidays, animals and the zoo, mini beasts, myself, seasons and transport. Staff read stories to the children and further question them when reading the story of Snow White enhancing their levels of concentration. Toddlers enjoy playing in the sand and water; they play happily together with the dolls in the home

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have a growing awareness of the 'Birth to three matters' framework and most staff use the framework to plan activities. However, some planned activities do not contain clear learning objectives and the evaluation of activities is not always used to predict children's next steps of learning. Children are beginning to learn right from wrong as staff explain why they should share resources and take turns when playing.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children make steady progress in all areas of their learning as staff working with the pre-school children have a sound understanding of the Foundation Stage and early learning goals. Staff are enthusiastic and encourage children to become involved and interested in the broad range of activities on offer. They make general observations of the children as they play and long, medium and short term detailed planning is in place and linked to the six areas of learning. Topics are planned which reflect the interests of the children. However, some staff occasionally do not use short term planning effectively to ensure a balance of adult and child led activities. This results in the more able children not being sufficiently challenged at times.

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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 happy, confident and motivated to learn. They develop positive relationships with adults and peers and show a willingness to be helpful and considerate towards each other. Children are beginning to form friendships and develop good communication skills as they chat confidently to each other and staff during play. They proudly receive stickers for the reward chart. They are able to sit for sustained periods of time and value each others contributions at circle time as they listen to a story.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are reminded by staff of their routines and responsibility as they are involved in the daily procedures, such as tidying away recourses and at meal times. They have sound opportunities to develop language skills and happily join in with songs and rhymes helping them to develop an awareness of rhyming words. They recognise their own name as they place their name card on work. Staff read to them in the large group ensuring children that print has a meaning. The library set up in the room involves children taking a ticket to enable them to take a book home to read for pleasure.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Many children can count objects to five and some to ten. Children spontaneously use mathematical language to describe how many bricks they are building with. They willingly attempt to count and complete puzzles that promote counting and number recognition and children's ages are clearly displayed around the walls. However, children do not have sufficient opportunities to develop their calculating skills to stretch the more able children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop a sense of time as they look at their families and talk about holidays. They discover the different seasons and talk about hot and cold climates, they have fun baking and enjoy looking at spiders, butterflies and grow seeds. They have access to resources and equipment that promote their exploratory skills, such as Information Communication and technology and some programmable toys. Children have sufficient opportunities to promote their creative development as they observe different shades of colour and identify the colour of the month. They are involved in mixing red and white paint to make pink, blow painting, role play dressing up, musical instruments, pouring and mixing in the sand and water. Children have fun creating frieze of the three little pigs using card and straw. Children's manipulative skills are promoted as they explore malleable materials picking and squeezing play dough.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

However, children have few opportunities to promote their balancing and climbing skills.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are included in activities and their individual needs are well met. Children enjoy learning about different cultures and benefit from staff's positive role models and attitudes. Meaningful experiences, such as celebrating Chinese New Year and the good range of resources allow children to appreciate the diverse society in which they live.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children show concern and support each other during their play. They behave well and respond to the positive behaviour management strategies employed by staff, who remain calm and consistent at all times. Children's contributions are valued and their achievements are constantly celebrated, which helps to promote their confidence and self-esteem. A reward system indicates children collecting stars on the chart. They are secure due to the settling in procedures and the extra support offered by key workers. The setting demonstrates a positive attitude towards the care of children with learning difficulties and disabilities, understanding that they are welcomed into a sharing and inclusive environment. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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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 Children benefit from the relationships that staff have developed with their parents in respect of their care. Information is shared through daily informal discussions, comments box and questionnaires. Newsletters, daily diaries and display boards keep them informed about their children's care. There is a complaints record in place and clear procedures are in place if a parent has a concern. Parents expressed their overall satisfaction with the service provided, commenting on the 'approachable staff' and the fact that their children are 'making progress'.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents of children who are receiving funding for nursery education is satisfactory. Notice boards and planned parent's evening keep parents advised about their children's progress with regard to the six areas of learning. Children's progress is regularly recorded, linked to the stepping stones and kept on the file. Communication of activities ensures their involvement in their children's learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Staff are suitably qualified and demonstrate a caring role to meet the individual needs of the children. The manager and the new staff team are working hard to establish their roles and areas of work. New and supply staff strive to ensure the children get to know them. They attend training courses to improve their childcare practices. They are deployed to ensure that children have a sufficient level of attention and support. The manager recognises her responsibility to ensure that any person who has not been vetted does not have unsupervised access to children. She is aware of the staff's strengths and weaknesses and an appraisal system is in place.

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Organisation

Space is reasonably organised to allow children to play safely and access their toys and equipment. However, the manager is in the process of reorganising the allocated room space, storage and outdoor area to further develop children's physical and learning skills. All policies and documentation relating to the continuity of care for children are in place and are of a good standard, they are regularly reviewed.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education is satisfactory and contribute towards the children's progress towards the early learning goals. The manager and deputy manager demonstrate a high level of enthusiasm and commitment, recognising their responsibility to support new staff and develop their roles within the nursery. They are becoming aware of the issues that need to be addressed and areas for further development to improve the quality of nursery education that the setting offers to children. They work closely with the registered person to meet the children's individual needs.

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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

On the last inspection the nursery were asked to develop a key worker system and ensure a first aid box is accessible to staff in all rooms. They were also asked to implement a risk assessment on the premises and update the behaviour management policy.

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Improvements since the last inspection

There is a key worker system in place to ensure staff support the children well and children are familiar with the staff. There are first aid boxes placed around the nursery to enable staff to treat children with minor injuries. The staff conduct risk assessments on the premises and ensure children's safety at all times The behaviour policy is adhered to by all staff and now includes bullying.

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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

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since April 2004 have received two complaints regarding The National Standards. Standard 2. Organisation. Three actions were set. The actions were satisfactory met by the provider. 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 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): • review areas used to change nappies • provide staff with suitable areas to take a break away from children • further develop staff's awareness of the 'Birth to three matters 'framework when planning and evaluating activities for young children.

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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): • provide children with more opportunities to develop their balancing and climbing skills • extend children's opportunities to further their calculating skills, • further develop new staff's knowledge of the Foundation Stage.

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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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