Allexton Day Nursery Ltd

Allexton Day Nursery Ltd Inspection report for early years provision

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EY347961 Unique Reference Number 19 July 2007 Inspection date Paula Hunt Inspector

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West End SureStart Children's Centre, Catesby Street, Leicester, LE3 5PB

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E-mail

Allexton Day Nursery Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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E-mail

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

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Allexton Day Nursery Ltd was registered in 2007 and is run by a limited company. It operates from the West End Sure Start Children's Centre in Leicester City where they have sole use of three rooms with limited access to other areas dependent upon use by other groups. The children's centre is well used by various community groups and there are links with local health services. A maximum of 30 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08.00 until 18.00 for 51 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 42 children aged from birth to four years on roll. Of these, 11 children receive funding for early education. Children come from the local area. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs nine members of staff, all of which hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery are members of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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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 play in a clean environment where they learn to follow good hygiene practices. They are independent in their self-care skills such as washing their hands before meals and after visiting the toilet. Younger children are helped with wiping their nose and individual flannels minimise the risk of cross-infection. Older children understand the need to wash their hands to 'get rid of the germs', and they dispose of tissues appropriately. Staff set good role model examples, for instance, cleaning the tables and high chairs with anti-bacterial spray. Children who are infectious do not attend, thus preventing the spread of illness. Parents are well informed about the procedures and recommended exclusion periods. All of the staff hold a current first aid certificate. This means they can give appropriate care if there is an accident. Records of accidents and the administration of medication meet the regulations.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished as they enjoy freshly prepared, hot cooked meals and they benefit from fresh fruit and vegetables. A menu displays information for parents about the range of cooked meals provided and liaison with them ensures children's dietary requirements are met. Milk or water is provided at snack times; drinking water is always available and older children help themselves when thirsty. Staff talk to parents to regularly update their information about home routines and they feed babies accordingly.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are physically active and have good daily access to an outside play area where they can ride bikes, play parachute games, practise ball skills and have space to run about. Older children develop awareness of their large muscle skills, as they visit local parks and attractions to participate in a broad range of activities that contributes to their health and physical development. Children participate in a good range of action rhymes, jumping and moving to music indoors. Some children benefit from additional music sessions each week with visiting specialists. Babies enjoy the indoor space crawling around the floor, rolling on the mat and cushions and pulling themselves up to look out of the window. Babies have room to roll, stretch and crawl. When ready, they are encouraged to practice their first steps under the watchful eye of caring staff. Babies and children who need to sleep or rest are able to do so in relative

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The large, purpose-built nursery offers an attractive and welcoming environment for children and their parents or carers. Playrooms are arranged in small, age-appropriate units so that children develop a sense of security and can move around safely. The outside play space is fully enclosed with high-level fencing.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children play in safe and mostly secure premises where most hazards are identified and minimised. Staff put appropriate measures in place to help prevent accidents such as safety gates across corridors, socket covers in unused electric sockets and finger guards on doors. However, risk assessments have not been completed for the new premises, the use of baby walkers or the outdoor play areas to identify potential hazards and to keep children safe. Children learn what is expected if they must leave the building in an emergency, as they are involved in regular evacuation drills. Staff have clear roles and responsibilities and fire exits are clearly marked. This promotes children's awareness and safety should a real situation arise.

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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 are protected well by staff who have sound knowledge and understanding of child protection issues. They are aware of their responsibility to safeguard the children and know the correct procedures to follow should they be worried about a child in their care. The child protection policy does not have the procedures to follow should an allegation of abuse be made against a member of staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Babies and children throughout the nursery are happy and settled. They receive continuity of care as staff get to know them well through the key worker system. The consistent daily routine provides structure to the day and helps children to feel secure, as they know what to expect. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the 'Birth to three matters' framework to support children under the age of three years. Babies receive lots of cuddles and reassurance from familiar and experienced staff. They eat and sleep according to parent's wishes and when awake, enjoy tactile experiences of natural and manufactured toys. Staff spend time talking to babies, encouraging mobility and awareness of others. In the toddler unit staff help children gain independence through daily routines. They extend their curiosity through cause and effect toys, develop imaginative play and experiment with paint and dough. Children enjoy stories

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and singing and begin to learn the principles of sharing and taking turns. All children enjoy playing outside although the garden is a good size, it is currently being developed to provide a more stimulating and interesting environment.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a clear understanding of the Foundation Stage and plan appropriate activities based on their observations of children's development. Activities and plans are sufficiently evaluated on a regular basis to identify the strengths and weaknesses and the impact these have on the children. However, observations and assessments do not clearly link to future planning for individual children's development. Children have a positive attitude towards learning. They show interest in the activities provided and make good use of the resources. For the greater part of the day, children choose what they want to play with, but they also benefit from pre-planned, adult-led activities during each session. Staff support children's learning as they join in with their play. They ask questions to make them think such as "What do you think we need to fix these two pieces together?" and use daily

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

routines to provide meaningful experiences such as, during circle time children calculate how many boys, girls and adults are present.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

A strength of the setting is the children's progress in their personal, social and emotional development. Children are very happy to attend the setting and enter the playrooms confidently. They operate independently within the nursery, seeing to their own personal hygiene and care. Children choose activities from those provided and help staff tidy activities away. Children have very good manners, they say 'please' and 'thank-you' and are considerate to one another as they share and take turns or wait patiently in a queue. Children are beginning to make good attachments to others in the group and have friends they like to be with.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident speakers, they question why things happen and what people are doing and confidently state their needs, likes and dislikes. More able children are beginning to develop emergent reading and writing skills as they are linking sounds to letters of the alphabet and use good pencil control to form recognisable letters, including writing their own names. They handle books well and can talk about past events which are photographed and displayed.

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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 beginning to develop a good interest in numbers; they count well to ten and beyond and more able children are beginning to solve simple mathematical calculations.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children greatly enjoy looking at the world around them. They examine the leaves of plants, using magnifying glasses and observe how they grow. They create and experiment with technology as they build using construction sets, collage and recycled materials. They also learn how to use simple equipment such as computer, mobile telephones, microphones and tape players. Frequent visits to local attractions, shops and the library, helps children to learn about the local community and environment. Children confidently explore a good range of creative materials such as paint, malleable materials, collage, sand, and water. Staff effectively support them to extend learning. For example, a child carefully constructing a kite from a variety of paper, string and suitable fixings.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy singing and they confidently take part in imaginative play and re-enact first hand experiences such as taking their baby on a walk to the shops and putting the dolls to bed. Children move freely with pleasure and confidence indoors; they are developing their physical skills as they balance, climb, bounce, throw and catch. They are developing excellent hand-eye co-ordination in fine physical skills; using scissors with high levels of concentration and control to cut string for their kite. Children take pride in their work and gain a sense of ownership in seeing their pictures attractively displayed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children develop a good sense of belonging and being part of the wider community through every day activities, displays and planned topics. Babies and toddlers begin to identify who they are as they see themselves in low-level mirrors, and snuggle in to a familiar member of staff to enjoy their bottle. Children see photos of themselves and their work displayed within the nursery. They become aware of various festivals as they take part in activities linked to Christmas and discuss differences in the way other people celebrate. Children with special needs are supported appropriately. The Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) has attended initial training and links with advisors and connected professionals to ensure all children are included. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The staff team have a consistent and positive approach to behaviour management; consequently, children of all ages behave very well. Staff quickly distract very young children before issues arise; they encourage sharing and turn taking; and guide older children to talk through frustrations and conflicts. They acknowledge children's feelings; encourage them to explain their particular need and help them find mutually acceptable solutions. In this way, children learn to consider the needs of others and resolve disputes through discussion and negotiation. Children gain a sense of responsibility as they help tidy away the toys or borrow 'Gitta' the nursery doll for a weekend.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents receive clear and well-presented information about the nursery. The notice boards display policies and procedures; examples of children's art work; and items of interest such as menus and activity plans. Staff are friendly and approachable and they build positive relationships with parents. The settling-in period gently introduces children to nursery and gives parents the opportunity to get to know their child's key worker, which in turn helps children to feel more secure. Staff talk to parents every day to give feedback on their child's well-being. Staff encourage parents to contribute towards their child's learning. For example, they ask parents to record in a diary or take photographs of their

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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 child's adventures with the pre-school's 'Gitta doll'. Parents talk enthusiastically about the care their children receive in the nursery. A complaints procedure is readily available although is in need of updating to reflect current guidance to ensure parents know who to contact if concerned about any aspect of their child's care.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are cared for according to parents' wishes which promotes continuity of care and their well-being. There are effective systems in place to ensure information is shared on a regular basis about the children's progress and daily activities, for example, through daily chats and access to development records. Policies and procedures are available to parents about the setting and notices in the hallway and newsletters are used to update parents on any changes and forthcoming events. Parents of children who receive funded nursery education are given information about the Foundation Stage and on how to extend children's learning at home.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. Company practice ensures the nursery operates rigorous recruitment procedures. All staff are vetted, undergo a period of induction and receive regular supervision and take part in an annual appraisal system. Throughout their employment, they have good access to training and good support for their ongoing professional development. In this way, children are cared for by a well-qualified, stable and motivated staff team. Staff meet regularly to plan activities and discuss identified areas for improvement. Most regulatory documentation is in place and up to date, although the daily register is not accurate as on occasions children had arrived but not been marked in. Overall, children's needs are met.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration there has been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE 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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure risk assessments are conducted for the new premises and include use of the baby walkers and the outdoor area; include an action plan with timescales identifying actions to be taken to minimise any identified risks • improve procedures for the checking of security to ensure children are unable to leave unsupervised • update policies in line with new legislation and current guidance with regard to child protection and complaints • ensure daily attendance registers are accurately maintained.

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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): • develop children's assessment records and complete regularly to clearly show progress through the stepping stones • develop planning to include activities and learning intentions for the outdoor classroom.

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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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