Scallywags Nursery Limited

Scallywags Nursery Limited Inspection report for early years provision

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EY244298 Unique Reference Number 12 February 2008 Inspection date Linda Gail Moore Inspector

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Castle Lane, Melbourne, Derbyshire, DE73 8JB Setting Address

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E-mail

Scallywags Nursery Limited 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 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?

Scallywags Nursery Limited opened in September 2003 and is based in a purpose built ground floor building in the Derbyshire village of Melbourne. There are shops, schools and parks in the immediate area. The nursery serves the local and surrounding community. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery supports children with special needs. There are 36 funded three- year-olds and four-year-olds.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery offers full day care, five days a week from 07.30 until 18.00, all year round. The manager has achieved an early years professional status. Thirteen of the staff have an early years qualification and the three remaining staff are working towards an early years qualification. 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. Children's health is well promoted through good health and hygiene procedures. A designated health and safety person is responsible to oversee practice and ensure appropriate measures are taken. All areas of the nursery are clean and rooms are kept well ventilated. Staff wear disposable gloves when changing nappies and a 'no shoes' policy operates in the baby room to ensure the floor is kept as clean as possible for children to play on. This good practice is effective in preventing the spread of infection. Children learn the importance of good personal hygiene through well-established routines and activities. Older children know to wash their hands before meals and after using the toilet and do so independently. They use soap and paper towels and pictorial prompts are displayed over sinks to offer a reminder, staff are on hand to give help when needed.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff respond sensitively to children if they are ill or have an accident. They are well-informed about individual children's healthcare needs, with detailed documentation and consents in place to support this. Systematic procedures are followed when administering medication and any accidents are clearly recorded and monitored. Appropriately stocked first aid kits are available and easily accessed in designated areas of the setting. The majority of staff have a first aid qualification and regularly attend first aid training to ensure they are aware of the correct procedures in a medical emergency.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished and their health and dietary needs are effectively met. The cook devises the menu and carefully considers the nutritional content of the meals on offer. These are well balanced and freshly prepared using good quality produce from local suppliers. Healthy options consistently feature food such as fresh meat, fish, vegetables and fruit. Staff consult with parents so that any food offered to children is compliant with their dietary requirements. The cook ensures alternatives are offered and allows herself time each day to talk with children at mealtimes and find out what they enjoy. The baby room has its own self-contained kitchen which is used for preparing feeds. Daily records are kept of babies' food intake and these are shared with parents. White boards are used in rooms to inform parents of that days menu. All children have constant access to water as they can help themselves from jugs of water. This

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Helping children to be healthy

ensures they remain adequately hydrated.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are developing a positive attitude to physical exercise. They have excellent opportunities to be active and develop their physical skills as daily use is made of the large attractive outdoor play area. They enthusiastically use a vast range of equipment that helps them to develop control of their bodies. The outdoor play area is used to its full potential and the most is made of any weather condition. Weather boxes contain toys and equipment for different types of weather for example, the wet weather box has umbrellas, wellies and foil trays to listen to the sound of the rain falling. There is a foggy weather box with torches and a wind box with windmills and parachutes. The outdoor area is also used to house events such as sports day, bonfire night and a prom musical concert. These are attended and enjoyed by parents and members of the local community. Young children and babies have frequent opportunities to be active indoors

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Helping children to be healthy

using small climbing frames, tunnels and soft play equipment, they also enjoy regular daily access to the outdoor area.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children rest and sleep according to their needs. The baby room has an adjacent sleep room with window panels. Staff closely monitor children as they sleep. Tweenies and younger toddlers

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Helping children to be healthy

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 sleep on separate mattresses in their own area. Children not requiring a sleep play alongside. They have a selection of toys to play with and there are staff available to sit with and engage with them. However, this part of the routine needs to be carefully monitored to ensure staff consistently meet the needs of all children, in respect of a calm atmosphere for those sleeping and a space in which the others can play freely.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a safe and secure indoor and outdoor environment. Policies and procedures are effectively followed to promote children's safety throughout the nursery and for when they participate in outings within the local community. For instance, a higher adult to child ratio is maintained and children wear high visibility jackets and if appropriate wrist bands. Detailed risk assessments are carried out and daily checks are also made to the rooms that children use. Access to the premises is very secure and children are only allowed to be collected by authorised people. Children and parents use one of two entrance doors to the nursery, depending on which area they need to access. All need to ring to gain entry as the doors are kept locked, this helps ensure children's safety. There are two gates between the car park area and nursery grounds as extra security should children be playing outside. Good fire

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

safety precautions are in place. Frequent emergency evacuations are practised with the children and staff to ensure everyone concerned knows what to do in the event of a fire.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The nursery is very well maintained, attractive and spacious. The entrance halls and children's rooms are very bright and welcoming with colourful displays of children's artwork. There are photographs of children participating in activities and notice boards contain extensive information on the running of the nursery and a variety of useful information for parents. Children are cared for in separate rooms dependent upon their age and stage of development. Each room is clean and attractively decorated, toys are organised and displayed to stimulate children's interest and allow for self-selection. They enjoy access to an extensive range of safe and suitable high quality toys and equipment that are well maintained and meet safety standards. This all creates a child-friendly, vibrant and stimulating environment. The baby room offers a good balance between equipment and space, this ensures babies have room to move around

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

confidently and safely. Staff plan and provide babies with a range of sensory opportunities and experiences which enable them to express their feelings and inspire the use of all their senses. A stimulating selection of toys, including favourite ones, are placed at their level to encourage their mobility when they reach out for toys. The area is furnished with comfy chairs where staff can feed small babies comfortably. High chairs are fitted with reigns to ensure safety. A small plastic table and chairs are used for the older babies to eat lunch. This furniture is used to help prepare them for when moving up to the Tweenie room, where children sit at a table to eat their meal. Though staff watch carefully, the chairs have no reigns and the furniture is not sturdy should they push against the table with their legs. This could compromise their safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children learn about keeping safe as activities are undertaken to raise their awareness. Staff remind them of the rules for example, to not run inside and be careful when using knives as they are sharp. Staff always supervise the children when they are outside and the play areas are fully enclosed. Children's welfare and safety is well promoted with regards to child protection. Staff are clear in their knowledge of the different types of abuse and possible signs and symptoms. The designated person is clear on their role for reporting and ensuring all relevant agencies are notified. Staff complete child protection training and have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities in protecting children. Effective policies are in place to ensure all staff have up to date knowledge of the procedures to follow should they have a concern.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and comfortable in the setting. Staff greet children and parents warmly and share information about the child's care and needs. A key worker system is in place to aid with the communication with parents, though parents are welcome to discuss any matters at any time with any member of staff. Children generally settle quickly on arrival, however if upset appropriate adult support is available to take the child from their parents and help to distract and settle them. Plans identify when a child might have difficulties in separating from parents and these give ideas on how to manage this such as using favourite toys and activities. Children's transition between rooms is handled sensitively to ensure this process goes as smoothly as possible. Parents are consulted and settling in sessions are organised.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have effectively implemented the 'Birth to three matters' framework and this has a positive impact. Staff attend relevant training and have a good understanding of how to implement the framework in order to develop children's abilities. Younger children's assessments are comprehensive and target sheets are used to identify the next steps in their learning, these targets along with children's individual interests are used to inform planning. Activity plans demonstrate that children are involved in a good range of pursuits, play opportunities and spontaneous events. They are given good opportunities to develop their competence as young learners through a wide variety of routine activities. They confidently select from resources that are easily accessed and attractively displayed. They enjoy creating designs with a wide range of different painting and drawing techniques. They play together imaginatively during

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

role play with handbags and hats and enjoy producing different sounds with the musical instruments. They learn how different objects float or sink in water and experiment with shape and texture as they play with the moulds in sand. Children enjoy spending time together as a group sharing stories and rhymes, these group times are built into their daily experiences from a young age. They confidently join in with the gestures, actions and some of the words when sharing a favourite story. This encourages their interest and enjoyment in reading.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children enjoy their time at the setting and demonstrate a positive attitude to learning. Staff are knowledgeable about the Foundation Stage and provide a broad range of activities. Planning covers all areas of the curriculum and links clearly to the stepping stones. Their progress through the stepping stones is monitored in their individual developmental file. Staff use target sheets to identify each child's intended learning, their achievement and the next steps. However, this information does not link fully into all play plans in order to guide staff, particularly should new or inexperienced staff work with the children. On these occasions staff would need to refer to the developmental files, which is not practical or effective. Activities are evaluated against the intended learning outcome to determine their success and identify the next steps. Staff use a variety of teaching methods

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and learning environments such as one to one sessions, small and large group activities. They are skilful in adapting their questioning to take account of individual children's level of understanding and will use a child's particular interest to gain their attention.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident and self-assured to work and play independently or in small groups. Staff encourage them to develop self-care skills when toileting or when putting on and taking off their coats to play outside. They are successful and confident communicators and are very eager to join in with activities. They initiate conversation with adults and peers and are confident to speak out in front of others and express their thoughts, for instance during circle time. They

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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 listen carefully as others talk about their experiences such as a holiday or an outing they have enjoyed with their family. Children learn to recognise their written name at registration time and snack time as they identify their own name card. Regular opportunities are provided for them to practice mark-making. They self-select from a variety of writing media and enjoy using these resources at activity tables and during role play. This encourages their understanding of writing for a purpose and staff offer support in this. They help and encourage children to write their own name on work if able and provide opportunities for them to overwrite and copy underneath words. Children listen and respond to stories at circle time and in smaller groups and staff read with good expression to hold children's interest. They have access to a good

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

range of books that are attractively displayed and access this area independently and handle the books carefully. This promotes their enjoyment of an increasing range of books and a love of reading.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are beginning to count confidently and take part in a wide variety of planned and spontaneous activities to develop these skills. They enjoy joining in with number rhymes and practise counting as they play games. Children have good opportunities to use and recognise numerals and can complete simple calculation to help solve problems such as simple adding and subtracting. They learn about shape and can identify and name a wide range of shapes including three dimensional such as a cube, cylinder and rhomboid. They learn positional language during activities and staff guide them to describe over, under and behind. Regular opportunities for sand and water play enable children to experiment independently with simple capacity and scientific calculations.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy using a good selection of programmable toys and equipment and the 'rising fours' and 'pre-school' rooms have a computer that children can access freely. They have opportunities to explore using different malleable materials, they experiment with water as they scoop it up to fill different sized vessels and excavate in sand with diggers and spades. Children investigate how torches work and their effect, they learn as they play with Kaleidoscopes and enjoy the sounds lotto where they develop listening skills. Children develop their knowledge of the environment and wider world. They learn about the different cultures and lifestyles within this country and from around the world such as how people dress, the food they eat and different languages. They begin to understand about time as they learn about the days of the week, the month and the season. They talk about the weather during circle time and can describe

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

what they see, for example today is 'a little bit sunny and cloudy'. They understand that you need to dress appropriately for the weather and identify that for today hats, gloves and jumpers are suitable clothing.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are creative and are able to express their ideas and thoughts through art, music and imaginative play. They enjoy music and movement sessions where they dance and act out, they learn about sound and rhythm as they use musical instruments and sing. Children are imaginative and enjoy playing in the different role play areas such as the hat and handbag shop and florist, they use a good range of resources to help relive their life experiences. A wide range of materials and tools are available to design and create. Children regularly use paints, glue and different textured materials such as tissue paper, card and sequins to create pictures and collages. They experiment and learn to differentiate colours when they find out what happens when different coloured paints are mixed. Staff allow children to fully explore and express themselves as they choose to use their fingers instead of the brush, mixing and printing with their hands. Children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

are able to identify and name a wide range of colours including purple, silver and gold.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy a wide range of physical activities that develop their confidence and skills when using large and small apparatus, tools and equipment. They are appropriately challenged in

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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 small muscle development when using one handed tools such as scissors, paintbrushes and cutlery. Construction sets and equipment such as play dough tools and lacing cards help develop their hand to eye coordination. Outdoor play plans promote all weather use and ensure equipment is fully used. Children use a variety of climbing frames and take part in activities that require coordination such as the parachute or pedalling on bikes. They are developing a positive attitude towards physical exercise and a growing awareness of how it can help them to stay healthy.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The setting strives to create a homely, welcoming environment for children and their families. Staff value children's different personalities and ensure toys and equipment are available which meet their individual needs. This helps them to become confident and independent. Photographs of the children and displays of their art work help them to feel valued and develop a good sense of belonging. Children learn about equality through their play and access a good range of resources which reflect diversity and the wider community such as books, small world and dressing up. They enjoy participating in a range of activities that look at festivals and celebrations reflecting their own culture and those of the wider community, for instance Chinese New Year and Diwali. .

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The nursery has effective arrangements in place to care for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Staff are clear about what children's individual targets are and keep detailed information and work with parents and other professionals to ensure children's specific needs are met. Children behave well whilst at the nursery. Staff fully promote children's self-esteem through praise and encouragement and are effective role models, as they talk calmly to children and say please and thank you. Children receive praise when they are helpful and kind to others, for instance when helping to tidy up. They enjoy being given responsibility to help prepare tables for meals, peel and cut fruit and collect resources together during circle time. Staff deal with behaviour in a consistent manner and encourage self-discipline and respect for others. Older children help to devise the rules for play and this encourages them to manage their own

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Helping children make a positive contribution

behaviour and to think about consequences. Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

All the required documentation and consents are in place to ensure children are looked after according to their parents' wishes. Parents receive a written prospectus, handbooks and newsletters that inform them about the running of the nursery and forthcoming events. Good quality information is displayed throughout the setting, including policies and procedures and staff photographs and qualifications. Staff wear name badges so that they are easily identifiable to parents and visitors. Children benefit from the good relationships staff have fostered with parents. Effective settling in procedures are practised as individual programmes are devised depending on the child's needs, these include a home visit if appropriate. The daily exchange of information between staff and parents ensures good continuity of care. Younger children have daily diaries which are used to record an overview of their time spent at the setting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents are encouraged to add their own comments from home. The setting periodically gathers the views of parents in the form of a questionnaire. The results are collated and displayed in the hallway for parents to see. The most recent survey resulted in very positive outcome with a high majority of parents responding with good feedback. For example, all of the parents stated the nursery was well maintained and would recommend it to a friend. Any suggestions made for improvement are acted upon positively. Parents are aware of how to make a complaint and the staff are aware of their duty to record complaints. However, staff need to review 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 present system to ensure the information available to parents on request is recorded sensitively and confidentiality is maintained.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of children receiving nursery education is good. The parents' handbook and wall displays provide information about the Foundation Stage and what children are learning. Regular newsletters, themes and weekly plans are displayed to give more detail. This means parents can contribute and continue their child's learning within the home. Notice boards give further information on how they can help their child by bringing items in to nursery for the child to share, to talk about the colours of their clothes and help with drawings in relation to topics. Parents are asked to complete an initial profile on entry and advice is sought about how the staff can best support their child. Staff continue to keep them well informed about their child’s achievements and progress through ongoing daily discussion. Parents are invited to take their child's assessment file home to view and are encouraged to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

contribute their views. They are welcome to approach staff at any time and coffee mornings are held where they can discuss their progress in more depth. Parents are highly complimentary about the care and education provided and the good progress made by their children.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's care is enhanced by the efficient and effective organisation of the nursery. The management team demonstrate a good understanding of the requirements for day care and are proactive in keeping up to date with new information. A clear recruitment and vetting procedure is in place to ensure any new staff are suitable. A good system is in place for the induction of new staff including a kitchen induction that is completed with the cook. These measures ensure children are well cared for and protected. An effective system is in place to ensure staff's professional development and to explore practice issues and personal needs. The ongoing suitability of established staff is covered during appraisal sessions but no record kept. All staff have an early years qualification and have access to external training, regularly attending a selection of short courses and training events. This demonstrates a commitment to their

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Organisation

personal development and to improve their knowledge. All the required documentation is accurately maintained to promote the care and welfare of the children attending. Daily attendance sheets show children's arrival and departure times and the visitors book shows who is on the premises at all times. The deployment of staff is generally good within the setting and adult child ratios are always met. Regular staff meetings ensure all staff work effectively together to support children's care, learning and play.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of nursery education is good. The manager is very well supported by her deputy and staff. Strong leadership inspires a committed team of staff who work well together to continually improve the provision of nursery education. The management team take positive steps to monitor the education provision. All staff are actively involved in evaluating quality in their individual rooms to ensure any areas for improvement are identified and acted upon. Action plans are drawn up to support continuous improvement at the setting. Staff demonstrate a commitment to working in partnership with parents to promote children's learning and development.

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Organisation

The provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection the provider was asked to ensure that children have an appropriate range of resources that promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice. This has been suitably addressed with the acquisition of toys and resources that depict positive images. These are used effectively to help children understand and value other peoples differences. The provider was asked to develop the planning and assessment procedure so that it ensures children are taught in groups, according to their individual abilities and knowledge. The setting is organised so that children naturally progress through different rooms according to their age and ability. Children benefit as there are two 'pre-school' groups, at different levels, to help prepare them in readiness for school. Grouping children in this way allows for differentiation in how staff deliver the routine and 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): • ensure the furniture provided for babies during mealtimes is safe and suitable • review the system used for recording complaints to ensure appropriate information is shared with parents on request.

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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 the systems for planning to ensure information gained is used effectively to guide and support children's learning.

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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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