Granby House Nursery

Granby House Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY281270 Unique Reference Number 03 March 2008 Inspection date Jill Lee Inspector

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Sycamore Avenue, Wickersley, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S66 2NP Setting Address

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01709 548008 Telephone number wickersley@granbynurseries.co.uk E-mail Granby Nurseries 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?

Granby House Nursery was registered in 2004. It is located in the Wickersley district of Rotherham and serves the local and wider community.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Children are cared for in three rooms and are grouped according to age. They have access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery may care for a maximum of 35 children at any one time. They are currently caring for 72 children, of whom 15 receive funding for nursery education. The nursery supports children with learning difficulties and disabilities. It opens each weekday throughout the year from 08.00 to 18.00. Children attend for a variety of sessions.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 16 staff working directly with the children, of whom 13 have an appropriate early years qualification and one is working towards this. 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 good. Older children in the nursery can freely choose to spend time playing outdoors for part of each day and staff promote good opportunities for physical exercise. They support children's mastery of new skills, so that they use their bodies with confidence. Children enjoy negotiating the bikes around the cones, walking on stilts and playing group games, like 'what time is it Mr Wolf?'. They use the climbing frame with agility and enjoy building their own balancing beam with large blocks. They make up pretend games in the willow dome, which they have woven themselves. Children enjoy well planned outdoor activities in all weathers. Access to Wellington boots and umbrellas allow them to have fun in the outdoor area throughout the year. Younger children enjoy clambering on the soft play blocks and in the ball pool. Toddlers have push along toys to support their developing mobility. Babies are routinely taken for local walks but do not

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Helping children to be healthy

consistently have planned time in the fresh air each day.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff have a clear understanding of the importance of good health and hygiene practice, so that they protect children from infection. Children are helped to develop understanding of why good hygiene practices are important, increasing their ability to manage their own personal care. For example, they wash their own hands after visiting the toilet and help staff to clean the tables for snack time. Staff are vigilant in ensuring that arrangements for first aid and administering medication are clearly agreed in writing with parents.

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Helping children to be healthy

Snack and meal times are planned as relaxed and enjoyable, social occasions. They are used very successfully to maximise opportunities for social development. Children learn to use appropriate cutlery and pour their own drinks. They enjoy freshly cooked, nutritious meals, which appeal to their preferences and meet their individual dietary requirements. Snack time menus are planned to promote opportunity for children to try new foods and to be involved in their preparation. Staff raise children's awareness of healthy foods through well planned displays and books. Information is shared with children at each meal about the ingredients, encouraging conversations about cooking and preparation of food. Children have grown their own vegetables and the 'Tastes of Culture' recipe book introduces them to foods from around the world.

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Helping children to be healthy

Supportive, caring interactions encourage children's all round development. Daily routines are relaxed and flow with each child's needs, so that they are content. Staff liaise very closely with parents, so that they are responsive to individual needs. Children's emotional well-being is fostered. They are made to feel very special and important, cared for by staff who know them well.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The nursery provides a very child-focused environment, where children are thoroughly safe and secure. Staff are meticulous in ensuring all areas are safe so that risks, both indoors and out, are identified and minimised. Children enjoy their play in an environment where space is very effectively organised to allow children to move around safely, freely and independently. Children's safety and welfare are enhanced by careful supervision, allowing them to use the well-planned space with confidence. A wide and well-balanced range of good quality resources is stored at child height, so that children can select them without help. Appropriate risk

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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 assessments are conducted routinely. Practice is consistently monitored to increase children's safe and independent participation in everyday activities.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's understanding of safety issues is good because staff routinely discuss and reinforce limits and boundaries with them. They develop an awareness of risks, for example, they begin to understand why it is not safe to run indoors and why spilt water must be mopped up quickly. Clear planning helps to promote safe use of tools and large equipment. Occasional outings help raise their awareness of road safety. Procedures to ensure safe evacuation in the event of an emergency are practised regularly with the children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Protecting children and safeguarding their welfare is given high priority. Staff enable children to share their feelings and make their needs known. They sensitively establish supportive working relationships with parents. The child protection policy reflects current requirements and there are clear procedures to be followed if an allegation is made against staff. Appropriate recording procedures are in place. Staff are familiar with the procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children Board and required reporting procedures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very happy and settled in the nursery. Staff know them extremely well and are highly attentive to their individual needs. Close and caring relationships nurture high levels of confidence and self-esteem, so that children are busy and contented. The daily routine is relaxed and unhurried, allowing them to absorb experiences at their own pace. Children are interested and enthusiastic. Staff observe and support their play skilfully, enabling them to explore independently and select resources freely. They listen closely to what children say, sensitively interpreting both verbal and non-verbal communications.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff plan a wealth of highly enjoyable experiences, which promote children's development. They observe children carefully to discover their current interests and what engages them in their play. They resourcefully stimulate and extend children's knowledge, making learning lots of fun. Children have time to explore independently, undisturbed and absorbed in their play. They have well planned opportunities for imaginative and exploratory experiences. For example, staff introduce new ideas into their play using stories and rhymes, like 'Mary, Mary quite contrary'. They link Mother's day activities to buying and selling plants at the role play garden centre. Their creativity is nurtured as they make observational drawings and explore mixing paints. Staff plan 'atelier' creativity, introducing children to a diverse range of sensory and tactile resources for free exploration. They use many natural resources and a rich variety of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

treasure baskets to enhance all aspects of their play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a full understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and how to help children to learn and progress, so that they make significant progress towards the early learning goals. The daily play environment enables children to enjoy freely chosen experiences in all areas of learning, although use of the learning experiences offered by the outdoor environment is less comprehensive. Children are motivated to learn through the stimulating experiences planned, which reflect and extend their own interests. The environment is planned to allow children to come back to activities freely and is successfully organised to promote their independent choices. Children show good levels of concentration with activities they enjoy. Staff interact skilfully with children, using open questions to extend

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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 their learning. They use factual books well to introduce new information. Children's behaviour is very good. Staff model skills and consistently reinforce expected behaviour.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff introduce and promote use of new language, so that the quality of children's questions and observations is good. They learn to listen attentively. They recognise and begin to write their own name and become interested in the sounds of the letters. Children love reading stories and share lively, interactive story times. They learn to count in everyday play and to recognise numbers. They investigate mathematical ideas as they build tall structures with blocks and enjoy number games. Staff encourage children to solve practical problems, for example, as they work out how many knives and forks are needed at lunchtime.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children experiment with a wide range of media, as they explore their own creative ideas. Their interest in the natural world is stimulated well and they spend lots of time outdoors, becoming aware of the changing seasons. They plant carrots, peas and beans and enjoy digging and searching for mini-beasts in the 'creepy crawly garden'. They use a number programme on the computer with skill and enjoy taking their own photographs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have regular, informal opportunities to share their observations of children's individual progress. They model skills well and help children to use activity areas productively. They have established comprehensive systems to assess each child's progress, using both spontaneous and planned observations. Children's progress is clearly linked to the stepping stones. Learning objectives are defined and differentiated in focused activities. Observations are used well to reflect children's interests within the daily planned environment. They are used less clearly to inform and differentiate staff interactions with children in their free play, to ensure especially older and more able children are consistently challenged and their learning extended.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are welcomed warmly into the nursery. They are fully supported by sensitive interactions with staff, who follow their lead and actively support their personal choices. They have a strong sense of security and belonging. They are valued as individuals and their individual needs are met well. Staff ensure all children can take part in all activities according to their needs and abilities. They give high priority to communication issues, for example by appropriate use of pictorial planning and Makaton signing. Staff encourage sibling interaction through shared time in different rooms.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff successfully create a participative environment, where children capably plan and manage many of their own daily experiences. They sweep up sand and mop up spilt water. They help to set the tables for lunch and tidy away their own dirty dishes. Children select resources independently and plan their own play. Staff consistently reinforce rules and boundaries, involving children actively, so that they understand why certain behaviour is not acceptable. Politeness, sharing and good behaviour are sensitively encouraged and warmly rewarded by praise. Children make good friendships and play together very harmoniously. They learn to think about the needs of others, for example becoming very solicitous when a child falls over and cries. Children are confident of staff support to resolve any difficulties.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Occasional outings and visitors to the nursery, for example, the postman, the librarian and the dentist stimulate children's knowledge of local issues and the people who help us. Children access a good range of resources that promote positive images of diversity, including books, dolls, jigsaws, displays and posters. They sometimes borrow dual language books from the

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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 library. They learn about different faiths, festivals and cultures in planned activities. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff have developed close and effective working relationships with parents and carers. They fully value parents' knowledge of their own child, finding out from parents what children enjoy, what they already know and can do and sharing ways to build on this. Parents are fully involved in planning for transitions and feel well informed about their child's progress. Regular newsletters keep them fully informed about nursery issues. Parents are confident to raise any concerns. The complaints procedure is displayed, along with the Ofsted poster. A record is kept of complaints, as required.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents receive daily feedback about what their child is doing and learning. They are encouraged to add contributions to the development record. Parents are informed about both the 'Birth to three matters' framework and the Foundation Stage curriculum through 'workshop style' activity evenings. Information is being introduced about the new Early Years Foundation Stage. Well considered use of photographs, in both photograph books and displays, helps to provide insight for parents into their child's experiences at nursery. Planning for next steps in children's learning is discussed with parents at a termly parents' evening, so that they are familiar with their child's progress and can plan linked activities at home.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Staff in the nursery have a good understanding of children's needs and a high regard for their well-being. Children are very relaxed and at ease in their care. Their care and learning are significantly enhanced by skilled organisation. For example, staff plan use of space and resources creatively to engage children's interest and promote their independent participation. Staff observe and follow children's interests, so that their deployment effectively supports and enhances children's play and learning. Current routines for outdoor play, group time and snack time are not fully considered to consistently minimise potential interruptions to children's freely chosen play.

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Organisation

Leadership and management of the nursery is good. The manager very effectively supports and develops the professional and cohesive staff team. They are reflective practitioners, who strive continuously to enhance their practice and constantly evaluate the effectiveness of their interactions with children. Staff have a very good understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum, so that children make good progress in all areas of their learning. Systems to monitor children's progress towards the early learning goals are clearly established.

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Organisation

Comprehensive and well-documented policies and procedures are shared effectively with parents. Clear written agreements inform all aspects of the nursery's practice. All required documentation, which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being, is in place and is regularly reviewed. Procedures to ensure staff suitability, for their induction, support and ongoing appraisal of skills and training needs are all robust and promote professional childcare practice within the nursery.

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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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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 nursery was asked to plan more opportunities for children's mathematical development, to assess children's development towards the early learning goals and to further develop the use of pastoral groups to move children on to the next stage of learning.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff have fully reviewed their approach to observation and assessment of children's learning and progress. Observations of progress are made routinely and help inform the short term, weekly planning process. Staff have created an environment which provides opportunities for all areas of learning within the planned daily provision. This ensures that children have routine opportunities to count, sort, compare, calculate and use mathematical language in all aspects of their play. The overall environment is richly resourced and independently accessible to children, allowing them to plan their own play. Planning and the use of observations are well structured to support all aspects of children's learning. By using observations effectively, staff appropriately support children's individual learning needs in all 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 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): • consider ways to increase the opportunity for babies to enjoy daily experiences outdoors • monitor the impact of routines on older children's free play choices.

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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 to develop planning to maximise the learning opportunities offered by the outdoor environment • develop further the links between observations and planning of next steps in children's learning, to increase differentiation and enhance challenge in the daily environment.

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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 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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