Building Blocks Nursery

Building Blocks Nursery Limited Inspection report for early years provision

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EY246811 Unique Reference Number 22 January 2008 Inspection date Myra Lewis Inspector

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28 Rough Road, Kingstanding, Birmingham, B44 0UY Setting Address

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E-mail

Building Blocks Nursery Limited Registered person Integrated Type of inspection

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Type of 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

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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?

Building Blocks Nursery is one of three privately run day care facilities owned by Building Blocks Limited and was registered in 2002. It operates from converted domestic premises in the Kingstanding area of Birmingham. There is a fully enclosed garden for outdoor play. The nursery serves children and their families from the local and surrounding areas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery may care for no more than 40 children from nought to five years of age at any one time. There are currently 55 children from six months to four years on roll. Of these, 14 receive funding for nursery education. The setting can support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is open five days a week all year round. Sessions are from 07:30 until 18:00. Children attend a variety of sessions.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 14 members of staff who work with the children. Over half the staff hold relevant early years qualifications. Two staff are currently working towards a recognised child care qualification. The setting receives support from the local authority and achieved the Quality Framework Award in July 2007.

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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 learn the importance of good personal hygiene. They wash their hands after toileting and before eating as part of their daily routines. They are learning to be independent and develop their self-care skills, with good support from staff when needed. Children brush their teeth each day after eating their lunch as they learn to care for their teeth. Good nappy changing routines are in place to meet the individual needs of children. Staff wear protective clothing for nappy changing and sanitising the changing area after each use. Children are able to rest and sleep according to their individual requirements. They are provided with individual bedding which is laundered appropriately to minimise the risks of cross-infection. Good levels of hygiene are observed throughout the nursery.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health is maintained because staff have a good knowledge and understanding of their needs and ensure each child's health and medical records are up to date. A clear sickness policy is effectively enforced therefore, prompt action is taken if a child becomes unwell. Records of all accidents and medicines given to children are accurately recorded and acknowledged by parents.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from daily outdoor play activities which contribute to their good health. They enjoy being outside in the fresh air as they learn how to manoeuvre wheeled toys safely and participate in outdoor play activities. For example, they learn to take giant steps, hop, run or jump as they follow adult initiated instructions.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished through the regular provision of healthy meals, snacks and drinks. All aspects of children's individual dietary needs are discussed and agreed with parents. Staff respect parent's wishes about the care of their children, their known likes, dislikes and preferences. Meals are freshly cooked on the premises each day. Menus reflect healthy food choices and these are displayed for parents perusal. Children's mealtimes are staggered and unhurried. However, the current lunchtime arrangements do not take account of the individual needs of the younger children and the system in place to reheat food is not adequate to fully minimise cross-contamination.

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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 clean, well maintained environment. Space is organised effectively to enable children to move freely and safely around the playrooms. They have easy access to a good range of stimulating and well-maintained resources. Children are kept safe and secure through good adult supervision and clear explanations of safety practice and procedures. Through risk assessment of all areas, prompt action is taken if potential hazards are identified. Effective security procedures are in place to maintain the safe arrival and collection of children. They learn to play safely by helping set out activities and by putting toys away after use with good adult support. Fire evacuation procedures are practised regularly with the children so that they know what to do in an emergency situation.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All toys, resources and equipment are suitable for their purpose, maintained in good condition and meet safety standards. Staff check toys and resources routinely and broken toys are

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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 discarded. Staff have a clear understanding of the setting's health and safety procedures therefore children's well-being is actively promoted.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is further protected because staff have a satisfactory understanding of their role and responsibilities with regard to child protection. Staff follow agreed procedures and understand the importance of sharing and reporting any concerns to senior managers to fully protect children in their care.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy all aspects of their play, they benefit from a good range of stimulating activities that are made easily accessible to them. Babies are happy and settled because staff provide them with lots of individual attention, they spend their time holding, talking and playing with them. Babies enjoy looking at their photographs which are displayed at their level so that they can move them around, take to show a familiar adult or point to other babies when prompted by staff. Babies early physical skills are actively encouraged as they begin to roll, crawl and stand up. Staff have a sound understanding of the 'Birth to three matters' framework and plan effectively to provide children with a positive learning environment which fully supports their ongoing development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy a wide range of different play opportunities and respond well to the staff's positive interaction. All children form close and trusting relationships with staff, who get to know the children very well and their interaction is good. Staff listen to and value what children say, they talk with them about what they are doing and support their play purposely. Children are eager to participate in a broad range of suitable activities. For example, easel painting, collage, sand, role play, construction and looking at books with familiar adults. Children really enjoy rhyme time and dance sessions where they can explore music and movement with good support from staff. They begin to recognise colours and shapes and numbers in their environment through free play and small group activities. Children's art and craft work are well-presented around the playrooms which helps them develop a good sense of belonging and builds their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage Curriculum which enables them to put into practice a well-planned programme of stimulating activities which covers all areas of learning. The learning environment is organised effectively so children can make independent choices about their play and focuses on the learning outcomes for children. However, on occasions older more able children lack challenge and do not have sufficient opportunities to experiment and be creative which impacts on some aspects of their learning. Staff monitor and evaluate children's progress through regular observations and assessments which influences future planning. Dated samples of children's work forms part of the assessment process and gives parents a clear indication of their children's progress. Staff adapt activities to suit the needs of all children, so that no child is excluded. All

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children receive praise and encouragement and their behaviour is good.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's speaking and listening skills are developing well. They are confident and sociable, make their needs known and engage easily in conversations about their homes and families. Staff ask questions which encourage the children to think and to introduce new words such as 'rainbow'. Children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories in groups and on a one-to-one

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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 basis with staff. Some children listen independently to story tapes, turning pages appropriately in response to the musical prompt. They listen attentively to a story about a new baby in the family, which some children were experiencing. Afterwards children played with the dolls to further extend this activity and maintain their interest.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use a variety of tools with increasing control and skill. For example, cutting out with scissors, and using pencils to write with purpose. Some children bring writing materials from home to use in the writing area. Most children recognise and link sounds to letters to spell their names, while other children do this with support of staff. Outside, children enjoy climbing up into the play house, balancing on the stepping stones and practising their throwing and catching skills. Children learn the importance of keeping safe. For example, they wear cycle helmets when riding the bicycles in case they should fall.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Most children learn to count confidently to ten and beyond. They learn about size, shape and colours in their environment. They sort and match when building with construction bricks and match different shapes together correctly when completing puzzles. Some older, more able children can complete a 32 piece puzzle with ease. The environment is rich in print and numbers. However, staff do not maximise the consistent use of daily routines as positive learning opportunities which, at times, restricts children's learning experiences.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children eagerly participate in rhyme time and dance sessions, where they use their imagination to move like aeroplanes, jump like frogs and use stretching and crouching movements, as they respond to the story of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf. Children have access to the computer at any time. They develop their skills using a broad range of suitable learning programmes to support their learning effectively. They work together and show each other how to navigate through the different programmes. Children participate in a variety of craft activities such as junk modelling, making rainbow pictures using crayons, chalk or paints. Overall, children are kept purposely occupied and make good progress in their learning and development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are warmly welcomed by staff on arrival and settle quickly into their self-chosen activities. Staff work in close partnership with parents. Children are valued and their individuality respected. They have equal access to all toys and resources regardless of their ability, gender or background.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. They are sociable, secure and happy in their surroundings. Staff help and support children's understanding of their own cultures and those of other peoples through theme based topics and discussions with staff. Clear strategies are in place to support children with learning difficulties or disabilities, which ensure the setting meets their individual requirements. Staff work with parents and other organisations, ensuring that children's individual learning opportunities are positive.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The behaviour management policy is based on staff actively encouraging children through good use of praise and encouragement. Children learn to share, take turns and play together well. Positive reward systems are used which help children to understand the differences between right and wrong. Staff act as good role models and use appropriate strategies to manage children's behaviour in a way that promotes their welfare and development effectively.

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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 Partnership with parents regarding nursery education is good. Parents receive detailed information about the day-to-day organisation of the nursery and Foundation Stage Curriculum and how it is implemented. There are daily opportunities to discuss their child's progress and be involved in their learning through formal parent review meetings. All parents know their child's key worker, information is shared openly. Informal contact each day and relevant information clearly displayed ensure parents are kept fully informed about their children's daily routines and play activities. Parent feedback is good. Parents say they feel well-informed about the care and learning given to their children and comment on an approachable staff team, who know their children very well and fully support them in making good progress in their overall

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are cared for in a well organised and welcoming environment. They receive good support through effective staff deployment and staff's clear understanding of their individual roles and responsibilities. Children's health and well-being is effectively promoted because all necessary documentation is in place, clearly displayed and shared with all parents and carers. All policies and procedures required for the efficient and safe management of the provision and to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are in place and reviewed on a regular basis. All children's personal records are accurately maintained and stored securely.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of nursery education is good. Staff work effectively together to provide an interesting and stimulating environment for children to make generally good progress in their learning and development. The management team have appointed a nursery co-ordinator to work with staff in the provision of nursery education. Regular meetings are held to ensure practice issues are fully explored and good practice tips are shared. Observations and assessments of children's progress is used effectively to inform future planning and guide teaching.

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Organisation

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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider was required to review and improve the registration system.

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Improvements since the last inspection

In response to the recommendation made the provider has implemented a new system to ensure children's arrival and departure times are clearly and accurately recorded.

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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 further action 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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Complaints 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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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): • review and improve lunchtime routines to meet the needs of all children and ensure reheated foods are probed appropriately

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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 more opportunities for children to be creative and use their own ideas during free play sessions and further develop the use of daily routines to support children's learning and independence • make sure planning reflects sufficient challenges for older, more able children.

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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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