Bright Horizons Chandlers Ford Day Nursery and Preschool

Yellow Dot Day nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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511099 Unique Reference Number 04 July 2007 Inspection date Helen Mary Ball Inspector

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Cranbury Park, Hocombe Road, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh, Hampshire, SO53 5QS

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Setting Address

02380 275723 Telephone number hello@yellowdotnursery.co.uk E-mail Jane Elizabeth Dyke Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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Setting Address

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?

Yellow Dot Nursery is one of five early years settings run by Yellow Dot Limited. It opened in 2000 and operates from seven rooms in a purpose-built building in the Chandler’s Ford area of Hampshire. A maximum of 62 children may attend the setting at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07:45 to 18.00 daily. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 112 children aged from four months to under five years on roll. Of these, 42 children receive funding for early education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery currently supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and also children who speak English as an additional language.

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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 thrive at this nursery because staff follow highly effective procedures and practices which meet children’s physical, nutritional and health needs. Children show exceptional levels of independence, and their self-care skills are well developed. For example, older toddlers confidently walk unaided from their base room to the toilets, and competently use the toilet and wash their hands without adult intervention. Children’s health and welfare are very effectively underpinned by the careful maintenance of all appropriate documentation, such as accident and medication records.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children explore, test and develop physical control in stimulating indoor and outdoor experiences. Staff have a clear understanding of both the Birth to three matters framework and the Foundation Stage. Their excellent knowledge of each child means that the youngest children are confident to try out new skills, and set their own limits within a safe environment. For example, staff provide babies with plenty of safe, obstacle-free space for crawling and exploring, and toddlers are thrilled to successfully navigate the outdoor climbing equipment. Kindergarten children develop a positive attitude to physical exercise, as they delight in the challenges of a versatile range of activities which they tackle with enthusiasm. They recognise the effects of exercise on their bodies and talk about getting hot when they have been running.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children’s health is greatly enhanced by having healthy food and drink. Their main meals are cooked freshly on the premises, and the cook prepares a nutritious range of meals every day. Children thoroughly enjoy their lunches and eat with gusto. Staff understand that the needs of babies are different to the toddlers. As a result, young babies are fed according to their own routines. They form close attachments to staff who cuddle them closely when they are bottle fed. Staff are diligent in ensuring that baby food is reheated to the correct temperature as they test all meals with a probe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children are cared for in a stimulating, child-friendly environment. They take great pleasure in looking at the colourful displays of their work, and are proud to show visitors their works of art. This helps children to develop a clear sense of belonging, and as a result they settle quickly. The nursery is extremely well organised, with each age-group using dedicated base rooms. The cheerful and friendly staff create a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere throughout the nursery, where music is piped through to communal areas. The nursery is set in large grounds belonging to a local estate. It is surrounded by fields to one side, and large trees to the other. This gives a sense of safety and tranquillity to the setting.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children throughout the nursery play with a broad range of high-quality toys and equipment which meet their developmental needs. Staff ensure that toys are accessible to children which helps to develop their independence by allowing them to make choices. Children are excited and interested in what they are playing with; they are stimulated and have fun.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children play and move about the setting safely due to highly effective measures. Full risk assessments are carried out on the premises, and daily check sheets ensure that all areas are safe for children. Generous staff ratios mean that children have ample supervision and support,

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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 although staff are skilled at supervising without compromising children’s independence. Children are gaining an excellent understanding of how to stay safe, and tell the inspector "we must always say our name for the register or you won't know we are here if there is a fire alarm. We don't worry about our shoes, we can go outside in our slippers".

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are safeguarded because senior staff have attended Advanced Child Protection training. Staff are aware of the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child, and the comprehensive child protection policy is shared with parents.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children show a zest for learning and delight in their time at nursery. Babies thrive in their relaxed base room, where the enthusiastic staff provide a wide variety of new experiences. For example, babies gaze with wonder at the sensory lighting and delight in exploring finger painting as they watch red and black paint dripping from their hands. They are taken into the fresh air several times a day, and enjoy quiet walks beside the local fields. Staff are kind and caring; they know each baby well and cuddle babies when they feed them. As a result, they follow each baby's individual routines and babies feel secure when snuggling up during bottle feeding.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Toddlers relish their creative activities. They learn simple action songs and rhymes, and accompany their singing with enthusiastic shaking of their musical instruments. They are excited by the sounds they make and have great fun. Staff effectively use the Birth to three matters framework to plan activities, and toddlers create a range of pictures using different materials. For example, they make "bee" pictures by sticking strips of yellow and black paper together. Staff are skilled in allowing children to create pictures to their own satisfaction, and in their own time. Children point to the colourful displays of their work with pride and this raises their self-esteem. They thoroughly enjoy playing in the garden, where staff provide a wide range of physical challenges. Toddlers particularly enjoy the ride-on toys, where they learn to scoot with increasing speed and control.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Children come into the setting confident and eager to learn, and are highly motivated by the excellent range of activities which support their learning across the curriculum. They are effectively supported by staff who extend children's learning using positive teaching and questioning. Children work very well together and are exceptionally kind and helpful. For example, one child helps another to put on her wellington boots while saying "I shall help you tuck in your jeans so they don't get wet". Children share and take turns without adult prompting and this greatly contributes to the harmonious atmosphere in the kindergarten.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are articulate and able to express themselves clearly. They enthusiastically participate in story time and staff are exceptionally skilled at ensuring that all children remain interested; they ask children questions to maintain the momentum of the story and to extend their thinking. Children learn letter sounds through the Jolly Phonics scheme, and staff consolidate children's learning of sounds and rhyming by playing simple board games. Many children can recognise letters and confidently write their names. There are excellent opportunities for children to write and mark-make since a variety of writing and drawing materials are freely available both indoors and outside.

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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 relish counting and have many opportunities to do so. For example, they confidently count how many are present at registration. They learn about basic calculation as staff ask them to work out how many children are present and what would happen if another arrives. Children recognise and name simple 2D shapes, and are beginning to understand the concept of 3D shape. For example, a child shows the inspector a picture of a rectangle and then fetches a duplo brick and says "this is a cuboid because it is solid and I can hold it".

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are naturally curious about the world around them. They enthusiastically discuss the weather and tell the inspector that the sun hides behind the clouds, and that the clouds make rain. They explore the nursery gardens where they splash in puddles and enjoy digging. Children use the computer with confidence and are adept at controlling the mouse. Children are becoming aware of other cultures and beliefs through using multicultural resources and through themed activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have ample opportunities to use their imaginations both indoors and outside. They delight in role play in a variety of settings including a puppet theatre and the outside playhouse. They freely experiment with a wide range of media and materials, and staff encourage them to express their creativity. Children participate in music and movement sessions with exuberance; staff join in with children and they all have fun.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children move freely with pleasure and confidence. They use a wide variety of large and small scale equipment that help them to develop their large and small muscle skills. For example, they clamber on and off equipment in the garden, and carefully use objects such as peg boards that require hand-eye coordination.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Overall, staff provide a rich child-centred environment where children flourish. The flexible approach to planning provides an excellent balance between adult-led and child-led activities, and this allows children to learn at their own pace. Staff use highly effective systems to observe, monitor and record children’s achievements and to plan experiences that help children take the next steps in learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. All children are welcomed and they play a full part in the nursery. Staff value children's ideas, and respect children's individuality. Children are encouraged to express their feelings and staff respect what children say. For example, a child says "My feelings are hurt because my friend isn't sitting with me". Staff immediately respond and ask children to allow the little girl to sit with her friend, offering praise for their kindness in moving. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are effectively supported, and systems are in place to ensure that their additional needs are catered for.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's behaviour is exemplary. They are kind and considerate, showing great respect for each other. For example, a small group of children are constructing a marble run and a child says that he only has a few pieces. Another child immediately offers him more and then suggests that they could join all their pieces to make one big marble run. As a result, the children work together harmoniously and construct a large marble run together. Children take an active part in the nursery and show care for their environment. They hear the music playing which indicates "tidy up time", and without adult prompting, carefully tidy the toys away. Children are eager to please and respond very well to the abundance of relevant praise and encouragement offered by staff. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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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 Children benefit from a highly successful relationship between the parents and staff. Parents are well informed about the provision through the informative prospectus, the nursery website, newsletters and the policy documents. Photographs are regularly taken and displayed outside each base room, and this means that parents can see what their children have been doing. Parents of babies and toddlers receive a daily written record of their child's day. Staff and parents exchange information through regular discussions, and parents find staff approachable and easy to talk to. Overall, this excellent partnership with parents contributes significantly to children's well-being and effectively contributes to a seamless transition from home to the setting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is outstanding. Parents are kept well informed about the Foundation Stage, and what topics their children will be learning. They regularly discuss their children's progress with staff, and receive written termly reports. They know that they can see their child's records of progress and samples of their child's work at any time. Parents are regularly consulted about their children's needs, and management seek their views about the nursery through questionnaires and comment cards.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. Children greatly benefit from a well organised and stimulating environment. The exceptional organisation of both their care and education ensures that children reach their full potential in their learning, within a safe and nurturing environment. Children can access resources easily because they are organised effectively. Children spend much of their time in the excellent outdoor play area which is used as an outdoor classroom. The new extension under construction will provide children with additional base rooms as well as decking areas immediately outside, which will further enhance their outdoor experiences.

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Organisation

The management team ensure that children benefit from a well qualified staff, and the nursery manager is both dedicated and experienced. Most staff have early years qualifications as well as several years experience of working with children. The nursery has robust procedures for ensuring that new staff are suitable to work with children. References are followed up and staff are asked to complete a medical declaration. All are vetted and undergo a thorough induction process. There is an annual appraisal system in place which ensures that staff continue to be suitable to work with children. The manager ensures that staff are very well deployed and the generous staffing ratios mean that children receive ample support. The nursery is one of a small chain, and this means that staff from other Yellow Dot settings cover absence and sickness. This ensures continuity of care for children, and that the company procedures continue to be

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Organisation

A strength of this setting is the enthusiastic staff team who work closely together; they are friendly and supportive of each other. This creates a relaxed and happy atmosphere, where laughter from both adults and children permeate the nursery. Senior managers encourage this team spirit by arranging a series of social events.

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Organisation

Children's welfare is significantly enhanced through the keeping of all necessary records, policies and procedures required for the efficient, safe management of the provision. Overall, the setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is outstanding. The owner provides excellent leadership and vision. Her enthusiasm is infectious and as a result her competent manager leads a dedicated staff

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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 team, underpinning the nursery ethos of “Inspiring Potential”. The owner has high expectations and leads by example.

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Organisation

Nursery education is delivered by an enthusiastic staff team. Planning is thorough and includes differentiation to take account of children’s individual stages of development. Detailed evaluations are used to inform future plans and to ensure that all areas of learning are covered. Management and staff are eager to develop children’s care and education in a variety of ways, and are currently working towards providing the full curriculum both indoors and in the outside area. Management value staff views, and together they are planning the forthcoming moves into new base rooms, which gives all staff ownership of the project.

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Organisation

Staff and management continually evaluate the effectiveness of the provision, and are currently working towards the Effective Early Learning accreditation.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection, recommendations were made for the setting to ensure all recorded accidents are countersigned by parents. Systems are now in place to ensure that parents countersign accident records which means that they are fully aware of their child's health and welfare. The setting was also asked to expand the lost child procedure, and to ensure the complaints procedure includes the address and telephone number of Ofsted. These procedures have now been updated.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection, the nursery was asked to give consideration to inviting parents to contribute more fully to their children's assessment records. The nursery have now introduced "All about me" sheets, and also send written reports to parents on a termly basis. Parents' views on these reports are sought and taken into account. The nursery was also asked to consider using information cards to provide students and volunteers with more details on activities. The nursery has now developed a substantial number of "How to do" cards, and these are used effectively throughout the nursery by staff and volunteers alike. They include details of the expected learning outcome of the activity, suggested ways to help a child achieve the outcome, and ideas for vocabulary to introduce to the children. This means that children gain optimum support from staff and volunteers.

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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 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 AND 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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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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