Highfield Nursery

Highfield Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY281019 Unique Reference Number 19 July 2007 Inspection date Ingrid Szczerban Inspector

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Drewry Road, Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD21 2HB Setting Address

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01535 661963 Telephone number kiddi@legend.co.uk E-mail Keighley Kiddicare 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Highfield Nursery opened in April 2004 within the Highfield Community Centre, It is managed by Kiddicare, a voluntary organisation which has been operating in the area since 1975. The nursery is located in the Highfield area of Keighley, West Yorkshire, and primarily serves the needs of lone parents within the local Sure Start area. The nursery provides full day care and sessional care each weekday from 08.00 until 18.00 all year round with the exception of bank holidays.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery has a separate entrance within the centre. There are four play rooms. Each room has a separate outdoor play area which is easily accessed from inside. A maximum of 50 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 74 children on roll, including 23 children who receive nursery education funding. The setting supports children with physical and learning disabilities and those with English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 23 members of staff employed to work with the children, most of them hold childcare qualifications. The manager is currently working towards the early years professional status (EYPS). The nursery receives support from the local authority and from an advisory teacher.

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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. The environment is clean and tidy and children receive support to develop good personal hygiene routines. They know to wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating. However, individual plates are not always provided for snack time. The health and hygiene policy is effectively implemented by staff who know and understand how to protect children from the spread of infection. Protective aprons and gloves are worn for changing children's nappies and appropriate clothing is worn by staff when handling food. Babies dummies are kept in individual boxes and runny noses are wiped frequently. A clear sickness policy is rigorously followed to prevent the spread of any infections to children, for instance, parents are contacted to collect children when they are ill. Records of medication and accidents are kept and all necessary parental permissions are sought. However, parents are not requested to

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Helping children to be healthy

countersign medication records, which compromises children's welfare. Designated staff hold current first aid certificates in order to give children appropriate care in case of an emergency. Children rest and sleep according to their individual needs, and the home routines of babies are followed, so they remain healthy.

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Helping children to be healthy

A healthy balanced diet is promoted to foster children's health and development. Home-cooked meals are made on the premises, and the children receive snacks and drinks regularly throughout the day. Weekly menus are displayed and include a range of foods from around the world to widen children's experience and tastes. Excellent arrangements are made to ensure that children's individual dietary needs are meticulously followed. Food intake is monitored and nappy changes are recorded and shared with parents to ensure that children remain healthy. Children respond well to the meal time routine and sit at the table to eat and engage in conversation.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy an extensive range of robust play which contributes to their good health. They have free access to physical activities both inside and outdoors, such as building with large construction toys, crates and wooden planks, using wheeled toys, slides, balancing planks and climbing frames. Thus they learn to climb, run, jump and balance. Babies are encouraged to develop their large physical skills. With enthusiastic support from staff, they are helped to learn how to crawl, sit, stand and walk.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children move around safely and freely in the well organised setting, where risks are identified and minimised by staff through good practices. Access to the provision is closely monitored. Doors are kept locked, parents know the access code and visitors must ring the bell to gain admission. Staff can clearly see callers at the door and they ensure that children leave at the end of sessions with a known adult in order to protect children. Health and safety requirements are fully complied with to keep children safe. Children are also learning well about their own personal safety, for example, in role play they know that food can be very hot and may burn.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children use a wide range of good quality, developmentally appropriate resources that foster all areas of their development. These are very well organised into specific areas of learning within the playrooms at child height, encouraging children's decision making skills and independence. Other items are stored neatly in labelled boxes and drawers or on higher shelves. This enables staff to ensure that children play with developmentally appropriate resources.

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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 Suitable furniture and equipment is available and it is used correctly in order to keep children safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare needs are fully addressed because staff have attended training in child protection. They have a good understanding of their responsibilities in line with the Local Safeguarding Children Board guidance. There is a comprehensive written policy, which includes the procedure to follow in the event of an allegation being made about a member of staff. The child protection policy is shared with parents prior to admission, so that they are clear about the setting's duty to report any concerns.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The interaction between staff and children is excellent, ensuring that warm trusting relationships are developed and that children are happy and settled. Staff spend most of their time playing with the children, giving lots of reassuring cuddles, and encouraging them to explore their environment. Babies delight in playful interactions with staff and smile broadly as they go up and down on the see saw. They are applauded with enthusiasm as they develop physical skills, such as standing and walking. The staff in the baby and toddler rooms use the 'Birth to three matters' framework to improve younger children's achievements, such as the use of heuristic play and treasure baskets.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The routine allows ample time for children to play freely according to their interests. Toddlers are very active outdoors. They are focused on their chosen activities and display high levels of concentration. For instance, they repeatedly fill small containers with water and carrying them carefully outside in order to 'paint' the boat. Children delight in throwing and catching bean bags with a member of staff. Thus they develop good hand-eye coordination.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

A strength of the setting is the high level of support given by staff to the care needs of young children. They are helped with toileting, to wipe their noses, and to don appropriate clothing outdoors. Shy children remain close to adults to ensure their emotional well-being. Slowly and gently, they too, are coaxed into taking part and having fun.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff in the pre-school room have a basic knowledge of the Foundation Stage and of how children learn effectively. However, the staff have not undertaken relevant training. This results in the challenges set for children to extend their learning being limited. Plans of activities consistently cover the six areas of learning and are implemented flexibly to reflect children's interests and ideas. Children's development records contain observations of their achievements but these are not clearly linked to the stepping stones, resulting in a lack of clarity about the next steps for individual children's learning. Children initiate their own learning and follow their interests from the variety of activities which are set out for them. Methods used to engage children in activities are satisfactory. Staff are patient, they listen to the children and use appropriate questioning to extend children's

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Overall, the children are making sound progress in all areas of learning. They are happy to attend the setting and enter the playroom confidently. Children operate relatively independently within the nursery, seeing to their own personal hygiene, helping staff tidy away activities and putting on their own shoes. However, the regular routine does not include opportunities for

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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 more able children to act as monitors to help staff with tasks, such as setting tables and serving snacks to one another, which impacts on their self-esteem and confidence. Some of the children have made firm friendships within the group and they get on well together.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children speak confidently to peers and adults. They express their ideas and experiences well using good vocabulary, and talk happily about their home life and family. Children can recognise and write their own names and some can identify the names of their friends. Children begin to learn how to link sounds and letters. They enjoy looking at books and can recall the events of favourite stories in their own words. Children are beginning to develop a good interest in numbers; they count well and more able children are beginning to solve simple mathematical calculations and count very well. For instance, they count the number of children sitting at two tables and then add them together. Children recognise shapes during planned activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children learn about the world around them through planned activities. They help to plant and tend vegetables and flowers in containers. They learn how to use simple equipment on the computer and more able children can complete programs independently. Children’s creative and imaginative development is encouraged through activities such as art and craft, painting, listening to and playing music, singing, dancing, role-play and dressing up. They have generally good fine manipulative control and can manage paint brushes, forks and spoons well. However, more able children do not yet attempt to coordinate using a knife and fork at mealtimes.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children's individual needs are met through a variety of means including information received from parents at the gradual induction of the child. Children with specific needs are very well supported. A range of resources positively represent diversity in society and children celebrate a variety of festivals from around the world. This enables children to develop a positive attitude towards others and enables them to make connections between different parts of their lives.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s behaviour is good. Positive strategies are in place to manage behaviour and staff set clear boundaries, which they consistently apply. Staff act as good role models for the children, they praise them regularly to encourage positive behaviour and boost self-esteem. This effective approach results in the children having a good understanding of agreed codes of behaviour and means they are able to distinguish between right and wrong. Children learn to share, take turns and learn about the consequences of their behaviour on others. Overall, children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Parents receive ongoing verbal feedback regarding their child and how they are progressing. The parents of younger children receive written feedback daily. There is no established system in place to involve the parents of funded children in extending their child's learning at home. Satisfactory arrangements are made to share children's development records with parents. Parents receive clear information about the setting regarding it's policies and procedures, including the procedure on how to complain.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The well-organised and welcoming environment allows children to exercise choice and promotes their increasing independence and confidence. Resources and activities are attractively presented and children are able to freely select further resources to support their play if they wish.

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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 Comprehensive documentation is in place, and policies and procedures are successfully adhered to in practice.

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Organisation

Recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that children are well protected and cared for by staff with good knowledge and understanding of child development. Induction procedures are thorough and ensure staff have a good awareness of expected practice. Regular staff appraisals and monitoring systems are used effectively to ascertain continued suitability.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery are good. Staff are extremely enthusiastic and have a high level of commitment towards continuously improving practice and their individual skills base. Staff enhance their skills by attending regular training courses and sharing this knowledge with the staff team. The setting is pro-active in identifying their own areas for development and regularly seeks and acts on the advice and support from the local authority. This demonstrates a willingness to continually improve and has a positive impact on the care, learning and play provided. Regular staff meetings are held, and arrangements are made for staff to have time out for planning and evaluating activities. 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

Following the last inspection recommendations were made regarding organisation of resources and documentation.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The provider has satisfactorily addressed all recommendations in order to promote the welfare needs of children. Additional furniture has been installed in the Foundation Stage room to enable the children to freely access a wider range of resources independently. Documentation relating to children is kept confidential by storing it in a locked filing cabinet in the office. The daily attendance record now shows the arrival and departure times of children.

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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 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):

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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 • reduce the risk of cross contamination at snack time • request that parents countersign entries in the medication records.

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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): • increase opportunities for children to act as monitors • develop children's awareness of good table etiquette • develop the methods for linking observations and assessments to the stepping stones in order to clearly identify the next steps for individual children's learning • improve staff's knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage • develop opportunities for parents to be engaged in extending their child's learning at home.

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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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