Kidz Inc LtdOfsted inspection, 21 Sept 2005

Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY252739 Inspection date 21 September 2005 Inspector Marilyn Joy / Wendy, Elizabeth Lightfoot

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Nursery

Setting Address Fareham College, Bishopsfield Road, Fareham, Hampshire, PO14 1NH Telephone number 01329 287753

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E-mail

Registered person Kidz Inc Limited Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day 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 For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Leonora and Little Oaks Day Nurseries form the privately owned company Kidz Inc. Ltd and were first opened in October 2002. The nurseries are both on site at Fareham College, in Hampshire. They operate from two separate buildings and serve the local community as well as students at the college. Both have direct access to a secure outdoor play area. The nurseries are jointly registered for a maximum of 58 children. There are currently

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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 82 children on the roll. This includes 21 children who receive funding for nursery education. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery currently supports a small number of children with special educational needs. The nurseries open 51 weeks per year and operate from 06:00 to 18:00 Monday to Friday. The staff team includes 18 members of staff who work directly with the children either on a full or part time basis. There are 17 members of staff who have relevant early years qualifications and 1 member of staff who is currently working towards a recognised qualification. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Daily fresh air, home-cooked nutritious meals and exercise contributes positively to children developing healthy lifestyles. A healthy eating menu is followed to encourage good eating habits from an early age. Children sit in sociable groups with staff as they enjoy meals together and babies are cuddled when they have their bottles. Children help themselves to water whenever they are thirsty. Effective health and hygiene procedures are followed throughout the nursery to prevent cross infection and promote children's good health, for example when changing nappies or preparing for meals. Children are beginning to learn the importance of good personal hygiene through their daily routines. Toilet and hand washing facilities are all at low level so children can manage independently. Appropriate steps are taken if children are unwell and most documentation is in place to record accidents and medication, although some is not fully up-to-date. Children's

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Helping children to be healthy

individual health and dietary needs are met because staff have a sound understanding of what they are. Children move confidently around the setting according to their age and stage of development. They develop skills in using a range of equipment and materials. Outdoor play is included in the daily routines for all children. Non-mobile babies sit on a rug and watch the trees or explore a box of toys. Older children develop skills in balancing, negotiating the obstacle course or making large movements with the hands and arms as they chase around swirling ribbons in the wind. Children climb and balance on a variety of small equipment when playing outside and sometimes have opportunities to extend their skills when they explore larger play equipment at the park. Daily activities and rotation of resources encourages children's hand-eye co-ordination well. Babies practise hitting objects together and reach out to explore

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Helping children to be healthy

the treasure basket. Older children develop good cutting skills as they practise using scissors during craft activities.

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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 Children and parents are welcomed into an environment where safety and security are given careful consideration. Staff are ready to receive children and talk to parents. Notice boards display a range of information for parents and bright displays decorate the walls. Children benefit from having access to a good range of age-appropriate toys and equipment which are safe, clean and well-maintained. Heuristic play and treasure baskets are particularly good and includes a stimulating variety of objects and materials for babies and toddlers to explore. Most resources are easily accessible so children can help themselves. Thorough risk assessments are regularly carried out to ensure the premises are safe and that outings and events can be managed safely. Records are kept of when

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

children go on outings, although they lack sufficient detail about who went and when. Safety is given a high priority. Children learn about keeping themselves safe through good support from staff who explain the consequences of their actions and the reasons for not doing something. Children respond well and are praised for listening. Children's welfare is safeguarded and they are protected from harm. The premises are secure and there are effective systems for ensuring children are only released to known persons. Staff are aware of child protection issues and their responsibilities should they have any concerns about a child. Written procedures are in place although they lack sufficient detail. Evacuation procedures are practised and staff are aware of their duties to ensure children are evacuated quickly.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and settled. They are involved, interested and engaged in activities that are generally appropriate for their age and stage of development. The Birth to Three Matters framework is used well to plan activities to support younger children's development and assess their progress. Children's curiosity is nurtured. Babies explore treasure baskets full of exciting objects and heuristic play focuses their attention in particular areas. All children enthusiastically explore a wide variety of materials and mediums to stimulate their senses and encourage their creativity. Babies explore spaghetti and beans. They paint with their hands and enjoy water play together. Older children enjoy making patterns with foam and feel it squishing through their fingers. Children receive good support from staff to explore activities, to make connections and acquire new skills. They enjoy sharing stories together when sitting under the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

parachute or joining in with songs. They develop confidence in communicating with others because staff respond well to their attempts at language, facial expressions and actions. Children make positive relationships with staff and each other when playing or sitting together at meal times. They develop confidence and self-esteem in an environment where they are valued. Their individual needs are incorporated into the daily routines so they have time for rest, sleep and play. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff use their knowledge of the Foundation Stage to plan a range of activities and

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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 experiences that children enjoy. They benefit from staff involvement in their activities and the relaxed conversations they have with them. Daily plans ensure all areas of learning are included and children have access to the full range of resources, however planning is not always put into practise. Some observations of children's achievements are detailed and clearly show what they can do, but the overall system for planning and assessment is not always used effectively to assess children's progress or plan their next steps for learning. Procedures are in place for supporting children with special educational needs although formal systems are not fully developed in all areas to monitor their progress. Children's social and emotional development is given a strong emphasis by staff who

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

are particularly good at helping children to develop confidence and self-esteem. Children are frequently praised and learn to distinguish right from wrong. Some opportunities are missed to develop their independence skills in daily routines. Children enjoy looking at books and sharing stories together. They are beginning to understand print carries meaning and photos on their name cards help them to recognise their names. Older children attempt to write their names and some form recognisable letters. Writing areas are well-resourced and children enjoy using them, although materials are not always available in the role-play area to provide purposeful reasons for writing such as making a shopping list. Children's language and communication skills are fostered by staff who know them well and encourage them to talk about their families and experiences throughout the day. Children develop confidence in speaking in a group and contributing at circle time.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Interesting topics introduce children to the world around them. They learn about living things and how they grow. They find out about the jobs people do and visitors from the community help to bring the topic alive. Children investigate and explore a wide range of different materials and media. They concentrate on pouring and filling containers with bubbles when playing in the water tray and explore the texture of sand and foam. Some activities introduce children to counting and mathematical concepts, however opportunities are missed during routine and planned activities to maximise the learning opportunities presented. Children enjoy being creative and express themselves freely when choosing from a variety of craft materials. They enthusiastically join in with singing familiar songs and action rhymes.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children develop a strong sense of belonging and self-assurance in a relaxed and supportive environment. They receive lots of cuddles, praise and encouragement. Children are comfortable and at ease with staff who know them well. Parental involvement in the settling-in routines as well as ongoing sharing of information contributes to children and parents feeling happy and secure. Home-link books are completed daily for all ages so parents know about children's eating and sleep habits in the nursery, as well as some of the activities they have been involved in and any issues staff may wish to discuss with them. The good relationships developed with parents means individual needs and parents' wishes can be incorporated into the care provided. Individual circumstances are responded to sensitively and staff take

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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 care to ensure they work closely with parents when planning activities. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children form positive relationships with staff and each other. They learn about the wider society during topics and discussions. Clear and consistent boundaries help children understand what is expected of them and behave well. Effective strategies are used to support children who find it more difficult to follow behaviour expectations. Children are familiar with daily routines. They help to tidy up and know the rules for playing outside. Children play co-operatively together and learn to share and take turns. Partnership with parents is good. Parents are provided with a wide range of good quality information about the nursery, Birth to three matters and the Foundation

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Stage. Planning is displayed in each room and brief details of the topic are included in the newsletter so that children can contribute items of interest, such as photos of their family to link with the topic. Parents can view or discuss children's progress records at any time and a formal discussion is planned annually. Parent's views are sought and the nursery is proactive in responding to feedback.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The nursery meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Robust recruitment and employment procedures means children are cared for by qualified and experienced staff. Comprehensive induction procedures and staff and student handbooks, ensure staff are clear about their roles and responsibilities. They work well together to provide a happy and relaxed atmosphere where children are nurtured and well cared for. Effective staff deployment means additional support is available whenever needed, for example when feeding and settling babies. Regular and reliable temporary staff provide continuity of care when covering for staff absence, although there is little information in the planning for older children to support them in implementing the planned curriculum. Operational procedures are implemented well to promote positive outcomes for children. They are currently being reviewed to

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Organisation

provide greater consistency between the two nurseries. Most documentation is in place although some is not kept fully up-to-date. Leadership and management is satisfactory. The nursery has clear aims and the dedicated leadership team are working towards putting them fully into practise. There are some procedures for monitoring and evaluating the quality of care provided although this is not sufficiently followed through to monitor all aspects of the nursery education and children's progress. There is a clear commitment to developing the nursery through ongoing training and involvement in a quality assurance scheme.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the nursery was asked to update the fire log book, the accident records and the complaints procedure. The fire log book provides a clear record and evaluation of the fire drill including how long it took to evacuate the children. The accident records are organised chronologically and provide a clear record of how

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Improvements 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 accidents to children are responded to. Parents are informed verbally and are asked to sign the accident record, although this does not always happen on the same day. The complaints procedure has been updated to provide parents with information about the steps they should take if unhappy with the care provided.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure all documentation, relating medication, accidents and outings, is maintained accurately and the child protection procedure is detailed and reflects practise

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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): • implement a system to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the nursery provision for all children in particular the monitoring children's progress, including children with special educational needs, and the evaluation of activities • use assessment more effectively to inform the planning and to ensure activities are presented at the right level for individual children • provide children with more opportunities to explore mathematical concepts such as counting and problem solving during everyday and planned activities

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and

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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 concerns about inspectors' judgements 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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