Kids Planet Ashton

Clockwork Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Clockwork Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY225043 Inspection date 25 July 2005 Inspector Deborah Unsworth

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Clockwork Day Nursery

Setting Address Queen Street, Ashton Under Lyne, Greater Manchester, OL6 6NW Telephone number 0161 343 4500 E-mail info@clockworkdaynursery.co.uk Registered person Clockwork Day Nursery Limited Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care, Out of School care

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Clockwork Day Nursery

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?

Clockwork Day Nursery opened in 2002. It is situated in a two storey building in Ashton under Lyne, close to the town centre and the motorway systems. The setting offers full day care and out of school care. The out of school club is situated on the first floor within a large room. The nursery is situated on the ground floor with large play suites that interlink. All children share access to a secure, enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is open from 07:30 to 18:00 Monday to Friday.

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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 A maximum of 122 children may attend the setting at any one time. There are currently 119 children on the register for the nursery and 37 on the out of school register. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The numbers include 19 funded 3 year olds and 2 funded 4 year olds. The setting welcomes and supports children with special needs and those whose first language is not English. There are currently 30 staff who work directly with the children of whom over half hold a relevant childcare qualification. The majority of unqualified staff are working towards gaining a recognised qualification. The setting receives support from the development workers at the local authority. It has an 'Investors In People' award and is a member of the National Independent Day Nursery Association.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children understand the importance of personal hygiene and staying healthy through daily routines as they independently wash their hands after using the toilet and are encouraged to wipe their own noses. Good pictorial images are displayed in some bathrooms to remind children to wash their hands. Children are protected from infection and cross contamination through good hygiene routines which are clearly established and consistently followed by all staff. Clear procedures for recording accidents, administering medication and sick children are understood by all staff, shared with parents and are effective. Consequently children are well protected. Children benefit from the provision of excellent quality menus which offer them a balanced and nutritious diet. The menus are carefully devised taking into account the advice from a dietician. As a result the setting has gained a 'Gold Healthy Eating

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Helping children to be healthy

Award' from the local authority and NHS Trust. Children are developing an awareness of the importance of healthy eating through adopting healthy choices with food, planned activities and everyday practices. For example children confidently choose dried apricots and raisins at snack time and talk about these 'being good for you.' Mealtimes are unhurried, social occasions which help children learn to enjoy nutritious food and be independent as part of a healthy lifestyle. Children have access to a good range of indoor and outdoor equipment to develop their physical skills. They enjoy physical activities outdoors such as running into the space under the parachute and benefit from fresh air on a regular basis. However the lack of planning for outdoor play means that children are not consistently set challenges to develop their physical skills outdoors. Babies receive ample opportunities to sleep in accordance to their individual needs and parents' wishes.

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Helping children to be healthy

They are active, benefiting from plenty of space and good opportunities to develop their physical skills indoors. For example they crawl, pull themselves up on furniture and practice walking to explore their toys and environment.

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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 The provision is good. Children are cared for in well maintained, spacious and clean premises. A wonderful reception area creates a welcoming, informative, warm and friendly atmosphere for children and parents. There is an abundance of quality information about the setting in this area which is attractively displayed for easy reference. Some lovely photographs displayed around the nursery of the children on outings help to develop children's sense of belonging. They benefit from a good amount of space indoors which is used effectively by staff. Playrooms are arranged well to provide different areas for play, rest and meals. Consequently children move around the environment easily, confidently and safely. Children benefit from a good range of quality resources which are suitable for all

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

ages and abilities, clean and safe. Resources are generally well organised so that children can select them independently. Older children make good use of the writing area. They confidently select tools such as paper, pens and rubbers and then return them carefully. There are very good, effective systems for keeping children safe and secure. Regular risk assessments are conducted, recorded and action taken when needed. Children are supervised by a good ratio of staff to children who are alert to their needs and any potential safety hazards. All hazards are promptly reported and dealt with. The effective use of CCTV and an intercom entry system helps ensure children's safety. Children learn the importance of keeping themselves safe through topics such as 'keeping safe in the sun' and simple rules such as not running in nursery. Children are well protected because the staff have a good knowledge and understanding of child protection issues. They are aware of their roles and

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

understand the procedures they must follow if they suspect abuse or neglect. Most staff have attended child protection workshops or training and a nominated member of staff takes responsibility for liaison with child protection agencies.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. There are some differences in the experiences of children under 3 years and children who receive nursery education. Children experience a good range of indoor activities which contribute to their all round development. Staff are beginning to make good use of the Birth to three matters framework to inform their planning and practice which has a positive impact on the quality of the young children's learning. Children make choices of where they want to play and are able to access most resources independently to extend their own interests and learning. Those who attend the out of school provision help staff when planning activities. For example children are encouraged to plan their own leaving parties and do so with confidence and enthusiasm. They have good opportunities to try new experiences as the staff plan a 'come and play' workshop with musicians. The children develop confidence,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

self-esteem and social skills as they practice playing the musical instruments in preparation for the concert.

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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 valued and respected by staff. Positive relationships are established resulting in children being happy and settled. Staff listen carefully to children and get down onto their level when for example, they read books together or play with children in the home area. Young children are developing good concentration whilst they persevere with tasks in small group activities. They are encouraged to think and make connections as staff ask some challenging questions. Infants and babies have good opportunities to delight in sensory exploration using all their senses. They become aware of different textures as they access treasure baskets, corn flour, sand, pasta and water. With good support from staff the toddlers relish the feel of the sand on their feet and between their toes. They develop

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

communication skills as staff respond to their gestures and babbling and talk to them as they play. Nursery education. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff have a sound understanding of how children learn and a reasonable range of teaching methods. However some staff such as those who are new or less experienced are not secure in their knowledge of the Foundation Stage. Staff are conscientious and eager to develop their skills. They attend training and are pleased to receive support from the early years consultant. The level of challenge is sufficient to interest most children in the activities and enable them to make sound progress. Children explore their environment and generally have a positive approach to learning. They show interest and get involved in most activities and are able to concentrate for periods of time. However some children become restless and inattentive during large group times. Children are confident speakers who

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

enthusiastically engage in conversation as staff actively encourage and value talk. They enjoy sharing books. However the children rarely link sounds to letters. Children count confidently to ten and are calculating through practical activities. They begin to calculate one more and one less using multi-links. However there are missed opportunities for counting in everyday routines such as at snack time and few opportunities for children to see numbers as labels in their environment. Children examine objects and living things to find out more. For example photographs show them looking at and handling snakes, insects and tadpoles. They access the computer confidently and generally use it well to support their learning. Children are developing their control and coordination skills as they access the small and large equipment indoors and out. Children sing rhymes and simple songs with enthusiasm and enjoyment. They use their imaginations well as they play with the dolls in the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

home area and pretend to book holidays for their friends at the travel agents. Children use their senses to explore texture, colour and shape as they make collage pictures, paint freely and play with the scent balls. Staff complete assessments for individual children linked closely to the stepping stones. These assessments are not used effectively to plan the next steps in children's learning and to inform teaching. Consequently staff plan mostly for the children's group needs rather than individual needs resulting in older children not being sufficiently challenged and at times younger children finding it difficult to sustain concentration. Currently one member of staff is mainly responsible for

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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 completing weekly play plans. Plans include what children are intended to learn and are linked to the stepping stones. However they lack detail of how children will be grouped and staff deployed. Plans do not cover all areas of learning sufficiently such as 'linking sounds to letters.' Staff are warm and affectionate which creates an atmosphere in which learning can be developed. A good range of quality resources are mostly used effectively to help children progress in an environment which is generally well organised and conducive to children's learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are individually welcomed into the setting. They are included in the activities provided and individual needs are generally well met. Staff work effectively with parents and other agencies to ensure, where ever possible, that children who have special needs are appropriately catered for and included. This helps to promote their all round development. Children develop respect for others as they for example, listen to each others news at 'circle time,' share the resources and work with a friend when setting the tables for lunch. They gain awareness of their local environment and the wider world through access to good resources that promote positive images and visits to the local library, airport and zoo. Specific topics such as 'holidays,' where the older children learn about the flags from different countries, promote children's awareness of the wider world. They are beginning to learn about cultures and beliefs

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Helping children make a positive contribution

through celebrating festivals such as Divali, dressing up and tasting different foods from around the world. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Children's behaviour is generally good. They are mostly patient and co-operative with one another, learning to share and take turns. Children understand behaviour boundaries. They are learning social skills and play happily together. The staff act as good role models and use positive strategies for managing behaviour. For example, the out of school children get a 'smiley face' when they have behaved well which is displayed on a chart. There is a clear policy of dealing with behaviour and bullying issues which promotes children's social confidence and self-esteem. Partnership with parents is very good. They receive substantial, well written information about the care and nursery education. Consequently they are well

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Helping children make a positive contribution

informed about how the setting operates, so that they can work together for the children's safety, welfare and learning. Children's care and education is enhanced by some good opportunities that are in place to exchange and share information. There is a parents forum which meets monthly, parents evenings where children's progress reports are shared and ongoing daily discussions. Parents enjoy the opportunity during 'parents activity week' to plan and participate in activities within the nursery. Play plans are clearly displayed which helps them understand the purpose of some activities. Parents thoughts, ideas and contributions are clearly valued. They return questionnaires about the quality of care provided and are encouraged to make suggestions to enhance the provision.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Leadership and management is good. Effective recruitment and vetting procedures and an efficient induction for new staff help to ensure that children are safe and well cared for. Staff work well together as a team to ensure the setting runs smoothly. They are aware of roles and responsibilities and are mostly deployed effectively to support children's learning. Appraisals, regular meetings and good access to training ensures that staff are well supported in their professional development. The management team have a strong commitment to improvement and training and the professional development of staff to further raise the quality of care and education. Some of the staff who work with the foundation stage curriculum are new or have limited experience working with this age group of children. The managers have implemented a programme of staff training and support for these staff aimed at

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Organisation

improving the education. Management monitor and evaluate the care and nursery education through regular meetings, support from the early years consultant and returned parent questionnaires. They are currently being assessed through the 'Quality Counts' scheme. Management are mostly aware of their strengths and weaknesses and act on their and others evaluations to make improvements. They act as good role models for staff. They lead by example which helps to motivate staff. Organisation of space, time and resources is generally good promoting positive outcomes for children's safety, care and learning. The grouping of children is generally effective, although less so in the pre-school rooms. Very good policies and procedures are in place, updated regularly and understood by staff. These are implemented well in practice contributing to the safety and well being of all children. Overall, the provision meets the needs of all children who attend.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The previous care inspection recommended that the nursery ensured there are sufficient first aid boxes, that all issues discussed with parents are recorded and that confidentiality is maintained when displaying children's dietary needs. The nursery now has first aid boxes in every room and a complaints book has been set up to record issues raised by parents. Children's individual dietary needs are now displayed out of sight. These developments serve to further protect the children and support confidentiality.

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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 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): • introduce planning for outdoor play to enable staff to make best use of resources, activities and experiences to promote the learning and physical development for all children and set sufficient challenges (also applies to nursery education)

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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): • ensure that children's assessments are used as a guide to teaching and future planning • develop planning to ensure that all aspects of learning are given sufficient emphasis, grouping of children is effective and that they are set sufficient challenges.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

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