Granby House Nursery

Granby House Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY281420 Unique Reference Number 14 November 2007 Inspection date Christine Hands Inspector

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Lawn Road, Carlton-in-Lindrick, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S81 9LB Setting Address

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01909 733833 Telephone number carlton@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 outstanding. 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 outstanding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Granby House Nursery is part of the chain of Granby Nurseries Ltd, it operates from a single storey building, situated in the rural village of Carlton-in-Lindrick, Worksop, Nottinghamshire. It is situated close to all local amenities. Play areas outside consist of grassed and patio areas and are safe and secure. Car parking space is available for both staff and visitors.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery has been registered since 2003, to care for 47 children from birth to five years. At present there are 71 children on roll, this includes 25 children for whom funding is received. The nursery operates from 07:30 to 18:00 all year round.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The staff team are well established, experienced and of the 17 10 hold childcare qualifications whilst others are working towards a qualification. All members of staff are experienced childcare workers.

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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 outstanding. Children are gaining an excellent understanding of how to keep themselves healthy through the role models of staff, discussions and activities. They wash hands appropriately, flush toilets, wipe noses, dispose of tissues and clean their teeth after each meal. A visit from the dentist gave children a greater understanding of how to brush their teeth properly as well as how different types of foods can be bad for their teeth. Toilet and nappy changing areas are kept hygienically clean to limit the spread of infection. Children's dummies are kept in their own individual pots which further limits cross infection. Staff cleverly use activities that might not appear to be connected to personal hygiene to demonstrate how dirt can cause poorly tummies. For example, when pulling up their home grown potatoes and seeing the dirt on these they promote discussion about the importance of ensuring they are washed before they are eaten.

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Helping children to be healthy

Parents are made aware of the sickness policy of the nursery and understand that to prevent the spread of infection there are times when they must keep their children away. Should a child become ill whilst being cared for at the nursery, parents are contacted and asked to collect their child. Staff explain the symptoms, enabling parents to make an appointment at the doctor if they consider it necessary. Children are then reassured and made comfortable until their parents arrive. All records relating to contact numbers and doctors details are updated regularly which along with written permission for staff to obtain emergency medical treatment and the number of staff who hold a first aid qualification enables illnesses and accidents to be dealt with promptly causing as little distress to the children and their parents as possible.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from an excellent range of home prepared meals which are planned to ensure they are nutritious as well as appealing to the children. Because the cook keeps fully up to date with any special dietary needs individual children may have she is able to incorporate these into her planning to enable all children to have what appears to be similar. For example, a child who is unable to have any products containing wheat will have their own bread and biscuits and a vegetarian may have a vegetable lasagne instead of one containing meat. Older children independently access water to drink and younger children are constantly offered drinks. Signs and symbols also enable children to point to what they would like. All staff are fully aware of the importance of keeping children hydrated. Children eat meals in their own base room and sit alongside members of staff who talk and listen to them making it a sociable occasion. Babies

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Helping children to be healthy

use high chairs until they are able to move to a small table and chair, and staff group them so that one member of staff has two or three babies around her creating a homely environment. Children are encouraged to use the correct eating utensils and even those children under the age of two years are learning to eat with knives and forks with great results.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Both children and parents delight in coming into this warm and welcoming nursery. They are welcomed as soon as they come into the colourful entrance hall which is decorated with photos and pictures on the walls as well as much useful information. Granby bear sits watching them with his pre-packed rucksack ready for his next adventure with another one of his 'friends'. Staff consider the safety of the children to be of paramount importance in this setting and regularly update risk assessments taking into account children's developing abilities and putting in place appropriate safety measures to avoid dangerous situations. They are however fully

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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 aware that under supervision there are occasions when children must be allowed to manage risk themselves such as when learning how to balance and climbing. Visitors gain entry into the provision by pressing the intercom button to alert staff enabling staff to monitor all visitors. Each room has its own bathroom enabling children to use these independently. Accident books are monitored on a weekly basis to ensure that there are no areas of concern that need to be addressed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

In the baby room there are cots at one end of the room which are used when babies require a sleep. The blinds are closed, soft music is played and coloured lights provide an area for relaxation and peace. Each baby is able to sleep according to their needs and staff are gentle and caring as they attend to them, cuddling them when they first wake up which allows time for them to re-adjust to the surroundings. Children in the under two room and in the two to three- year-old room all rest on large sheets where they are given their own particular cuddly or dummy, soft music is played and members of staff soothe them by stroking foreheads and rubbing backs, doing whatever is needed with each particular child. When it is time to wake up staff gently talk to them, giving them time to wake up as naturally as possible. Quiet areas in all rooms enable children to sit and look at books either by themselves or with a member of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. The whole of this nursery is a hive of activity. Staff are warm and caring in all areas readily giving cuddles and reassurance to all the children in their care. Children in the baby room experience a wonderful range of different activities and resources ranging from playing with mood light balls, treasure baskets of natural materials and messy play such as painting, cornflour and water to sound and effect toys and soft play. They squeal with delight as they make marks on a large sheet of paper, feeling the paint squelching through their fingers. Babies are encouraged to spend time laying on their tummies on the floor and different soft cushions and balls have been obtained to promote this whilst still allowing the babies to have fun. Information gained by staff on training courses has shown the importance of balance in the early years and how this will increase their ability to sit and even assist with pre-writing skills when they are

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

older. Staff are therefore very keen to give these babies even at this early age as many advantages as they can to support them as they start school. All children enjoy being able to access the garden on a daily basis, sometimes spending as much time outside as they do indoors. The range of activities available outside mirrors those that are indoors as well as providing opportunities to explore and investigate. Staff are very aware of how children develop and how to make things interesting so that children want to become involved. A teddy bears' picnic in one room was well resourced and provided an excellent basis for discussion and the use of imagination. Teddy bears sat with their tea set on the table along with leaves and small logs which immediately drew the children's interest. Play ranged from a small teddy crying and bigger ones trying to comfort him to thinking about what else could be done to make him

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

happy. It all ended up with the teddies using bowls as boats and floating away on the lake. Although there was some staff interaction at the start of the activity it evolved with children taking over the management. Another occasion a child talked about what she could hear in a shell. She said with the first one she could hear the sea and with another she could hear boats. She then proceeded to look inside to see if she could see anything.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Children are extremely self confident, sharing their ideas and initiating conversation not only with their peers but also with other adults. They are motivated to learn and move excitedly from one activity to another developing their ideas and using resources from a number of areas to complete their ideas. After planting and caring for the potatoes they had planted the time came to dig them up. An enthusiastic group of children helped to do this and remembering the story of The Enormous Turnip they all joined together behind a member of staff to pull one of them out, laughing as they did so. Planting an acorn at the nursery evolved into an outing to Sherwood Forest with a camera crew to meet Robin Hood and search for, collect and then plant some more acorns as part of the Peoples Millions appeal. The children were excited as Robin

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Hood appeared and were eager to answer his questions such as 'how did you get here?' When they told him that they had come on a bus he asked them what a bus was as he went everywhere on his steed. One particularly enthusiastic child answered that it was like a very big car. The children followed the instructions given by the camera crew and at times this meant pretending to do things. They were excellent at this having been used to using their imaginations at nursery. Because the children had been told the story of Robin Hood prior to their visit the whole day became more alive to them. Children recognise their own names and most are able to copy these or at least make some attempt to do so as they label their own art work. The more able children are beginning to recognise certain letters and find more words that begin with the same letter. Numbers and calculation are used in everyday activities such as counting the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

numbers of boys and then the girls then deciding which there were more of. They learn about space as they take part in movement and music and exercise as well as manoeuvring wheeled toys around an obstacle course. Children are gaining an understanding of information, technology and communication equipment as they freely access the computer, choosing the disc they would like, following instructions and completing the game. Two children sat happily helping each other and chatting through what to do next. Children are therefore becoming aware that at times it is advantageous to work together to get the result they need. Photo albums are a much valued resource in the book corner and groups of children sit looking through the book together, discussing who was in the picture and what they were doing when the picture was taken. A visit to the local church the previous week provided opportunities for discussion and children enjoyed copying a photograph of the outside. When one child had

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

completed hers she presented it to a member of staff who asked if it could go on the wall or if she wanted to take it home. The child responded with ' Put it on display because I am not shy of everyone seeing it and mummy can see it there'. This demonstrated to the child the value the member of staff put on her picture and also the confidence she felt about having her work displayed. Cassette and CD players enable children to listen with headphones to any music they like and provides opportunities for them to go into a world of their own if they wish. Children use the vast array of craft resources making such things as a telescope 'so that I can look at things', to a church to go on the display, to a range of pictures. Their imaginations and creativity abound. Children have access to outdoor play on a daily basis and staff are very keen that there should be a range of resources inside and out and that one area is just an extension

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

of the other. Children delight in collecting things from outside to use indoors in activities and they paint, use construction equipment, writing materials and craft resources outside as well as parachutes, balancing equipment and a range of wheeled toys.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Children make excellent progress in all areas of learning because staff have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum and are aware that children learn most effectively when they are having fun. Staff place a high emphasis on children becoming independent learners enabling them to move freely from one activity to another. They are skilled at organising the environment both inside and out to motivate the children, encouraging the development of their self-confidence and self-esteem.

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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 A wide range of toys, resources and activities covering the six areas of learning are freely accessible to children, which helps them to make good all-round progress. Staff constantly asses the situation to see if there are any areas which need to be changed to initiate further interest. Children are kept busy and remain focused throughout the session. Activities provide challenge and interest and staff readily support children enabling them to develop at their own speed. Assessments are used to inform future planning enabling staff to provide activities which will support children's progression.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children in this nursery are beginning to learn about difference form an early age. They talk about differences in colour and type of hair, learn how to sign and use this throughout the day but especially at story time. Children are beginning to learn some words in other languages and see the written word in more than one language through labels around the room as well as in books. Through the information staff receive from parents they are able to provide an environment where positive role models are promoted in all areas and difference is celebrated. A feelings book allows children to show how they feel by turning to a page and staff have found this provides an avenue to encourage them to talk about how they feel. Staff are very aware how important it is to meet the needs of all children attending and are constantly looking for different ways to do this. For example, a child who did not like to contribute or respond to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

questions at story time gained in confidence as a doll, 'Molly' was given to each child when it was their turn to talk. Staff within the nursery are always ready to accept support from other people and will obtain or adapt equipment or resources needed to enable all children to be included.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's behaviour throughout the nursery is excellent. Staff are fully aware of the policy and procedure and are consistent in how they deal with any unwanted behaviour. They use praise and encouragement to good effect and through taking the time to talk to the children they encourage them to think about their actions and how these affect other people. Because staff are alert to changes in children's behaviour they pre-empt any situations that may occur and provide a distraction which keeps them interested and focused. Children are also given time to work out their differences with each other to enable them to begin to manage their own behaviour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is outstanding. Great emphasis is placed on this being a partnership and therefore information must be shared. There are so many avenues they use to do this such as at the original registration visits, open evenings, questionnaires sent out, daily information sheets and daily exchanges of verbal information both at the start and end of the day. Parents of children about to receive funding are invited to an open evening at the nursery and are given a presentation by the room leader about the Foundation Stage and stepping stones. They are made aware of the different areas of learning and how staff assess the children showing which level they are at. This enables parents to become more aware of the reasons why some activities are undertaken and what children are learning at each one. Evaluations from these parents showed how much they valued this evening. Although parents

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Helping children make a positive contribution

are made aware that they can look at their children's assessments at any time there are more formal arrangements to do this at the open evenings held each term. Planning information is displayed in the hallway enabling parents to extend their children's learning at home. The first month of children's time in the pre-school room is spent finding out at what level each child is at so that a base line can be formed. This enables staff to assess how the children are developing and what support is needed to enable them to progress. Staff take on board and

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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 value any comments made by parents and wherever possible act on what has been said. They fully appreciate that the parents and carers know the children better than anyone else and appreciate it when parents become involved.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is met.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The nursery ensures that children are fully protected through the procedures they have for recruiting staff as well as ensuring that training is offered and encouraged in order to develop their knowledge and understanding as well as keeping up to date with any new developments within the childcare field. Staff undertake a comprehensive induction where they are given time to read and ensure they understand all the policies and procedures of the nursery as well as their roles and responsibilities. They then spend time working in one of the rooms shadowing another member of staff so that they become familiar with the routine as well as getting to know the children. The appraisal system and staff meetings further enable all staff to feel involved in the day to day running of the nursery and to know that their views are valued. Staff within the setting provide an environment where children thrive.

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Organisation

Children are cared for in a well-organised, welcoming and appealing environment. Children receive continuity of care because regular, qualified and experienced staff work in each room.

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Organisation

All records, documents and policies and procedures are in place and are stored to ensure confidentiality. They are updated regularly enabling staff to be fully aware of any changes to personal details further protecting children. These records effectively promote the outcomes for children's care and early years education. Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is outstanding. The manager and staff are fully committed to providing an excellent standard of care and education for all the children. The registered provider, manager and staff all work together as a team, communicating effectively to ensure that children's needs are met. Monitoring and evaluating systems are in place involving self-evaluation as well as evaluations sent to parents. This enables the nursery to assess its own strengths and weaknesses and to address any issues as they arise whilst gaining a real understanding of how they can move forward. Staff regularly undertake training to ensure they keep up to date with current information and an early years teacher provides support and guidance to help the setting maintain its high standards.

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Improvements since the last inspection

A recommendation was made at the last inspection that the nursery should incorporate other written signs and labelling to allow children to recognise and identify difference. Through books and labels around the room children see a variety of different languages enabling them to become aware of and accept difference.

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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

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

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The quality and standards of the care

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of care are outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of nursery education are outstanding.

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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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