Smarties Private Day Nursery

Smarties Private Day Nursery Limited Inspection report for early years provision

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EY345518 Unique Reference Number 03 August 2007 Inspection date Sjertsje Ebbers Inspector

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205 Nottingham Road, MANSFIELD, Nottinghamshire, NG18 4AA Setting Address

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E-mail

Smarties Private Day Nursery Limited 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?

Smarties Private Day Nursery opened in 2002 with a change of ownership in 2007. It is situated in a residential area on the southern outskirts of Mansfield. A maximum of 28 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open Monday to Friday throughout the year from 07:20 to 18:00 with the exception of three weeks annual holiday (over Christmas, Spring and August bank holiday). All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 58 children on roll from birth to five years, attending a variety of sessions each week. This includes six funded three-year-olds and nine funded four-year-olds. Children are accommodated in rooms according to their age/ability. The nursery has systems in place to support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities as well as children with English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs nine members of staff. Of these, eight hold relevant early years qualifications and one staff member is working towards a qualification. The group receives support from the local authority.

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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’s health is well promoted as the staff take positive steps to promote children’s good health and encourage them to begin to take responsibility of meeting their own health needs. For example, children know about personal hygiene through daily routines such as hand washing. Positive steps are taken to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures taken when children are ill so that health needs are met.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are actively learning about healthy lifestyles, for example, as part of their routine children brush their teeth at the nursery. They are involved with growing vegetables and fruit which make up part of their meals. Children's diet is balanced and consists of nutritious foods. Parents’ wishes are taken into account and care is taken to comply with children’s dietary and religious needs. Staff effectively move a water dispenser outdoors and into the rooms to ensure children are kept hydrated.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy the fresh air and have regular opportunities for outdoor play. Many activities are moved outdoors when the weather is suitable, for example, children have snacks outdoors. Children are making clear progress in their physical development because staff have a good understanding of how children develop and how they can be supported. For example, staff in the baby room monitor their development closely and encourage children to stand or walk when they are ready for it. Children in the pre-school have good opportunities to develop their small muscles skills both in- and outside as they are playing with tools in the sand outdoors and shape play dough with their fingers. During yoga that takes place weekly, they have physical challenges such as balancing on one leg. As a result children are moving with increasing control and get plenty of exercise.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are being cared for in a safe and welcoming environment where there is sufficient space for them to move around. For example, babies have plenty of space for crawling, walking and to pull themselves up safely. All areas are child-friendly with colourful displays for children and introductions of numbers and letters throughout. The outdoor area is organised effectively so children have access to grass and pavement and can use the three areas safely. All rooms contain thorough risk assessments for the activities that take place there. This ensures that all staff and visitors can access these and understand how risks can be minimised.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a good variety of toys and resources that promote a balanced development. Toys are kept clean as staff wipe them as necessary and they are sterilised on a regular basis. They are kept in suitable condition as staff check them for faults and mend or dispose of them. This ensures toys and resources are safe and suitable for children’s use. They are stored at low-level for children to access them easily. Activities are laid out for the children and pre-school children are involved through discussion of which resources they want to play with. This promotes children's involvement in decision-making and their independence.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are actively learning how to keep themselves safe through projects such as 'Children's safety week', where they learned about safety through practical activities. For example, they were taught about stranger-danger and road safety by police officers and discussed fire safety

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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 and the use of smoke alarms with fire fighters who visited the nursery. Staff also regularly practise fire drills with children so they are prepared in the event of a fire.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a thorough child protection statement which includes the appropriate procedures to be followed in the event of a safeguarding issue. Management and staff have a good knowledge of signs and symptoms of abuse and of child protection procedures due to training and useful booklets so staff have quick access to information on safeguarding children. As a result children are safeguarded.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and settled in a colourful play environment arranged with interesting objects and toys that stimulate sensory play. For example, as children explore the room they find tambourines on the floor and tap their feet on them to listen to the sound it makes. Children have access to a variety of textiles that they enjoy exploring with their fingers and they investigate the room while looking through coloured plates. Staff encourage children’s playfulness by playing games such as peek-a-boo and pretending to sneeze. All children giggle at staff’s jokes and join in. Children also initiate games themselves and are starting to form positive relationships with their peers and adults. Staff join in with their play at children’s level. This allows them to make contact with staff when they want to. For example, as a staff member picks up a book, several babies crawl towards her and snuggle in to look at the book together.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff positively engage with children during routines, for example as babies are sung and talked to during nappy changing.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are given the opportunity to express themselves in a variety of ways. Staff have introduced children to simple sign language and also explain the facial expressions of emotion puppets. They encourage children's creativity and allow children with much time and independence to express themselves creatively. Children's language development is well supported as staff know them well and model good language. Children are rewarded with lots of praise and encouragement which helps them to feel confident, for example, when they have learned a new song. Staff’s understanding of the 'Birth to three matters' framework is strong because they have received relevant training and their practice is in line with the framework. The activities are interesting and build on children’s interests. However, it is not yet clear from the planning how the next steps for children’s individual development are planned for. Children’s

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

progress is monitored very well and documented in the form of detailed observations and reports for parents. Overall, younger children's learning experiences are well promoted.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning of funded children is good. The curriculum that is provided is balanced and the activities cover the six areas of learning, in line with the Foundation Stage. Development records have been put in place to identify how children are achieving and they show clear progress. Observations are used to mark children's development. However these are not yet linked to the short-term planning to plan for the next steps for each child and to provide differentiation more consistently. Staff use good teaching methods such as open-ended questioning and they clearly explain how they support children’s learning through a wide range of play experiences, both in- and outdoors. Staff in charge of nursery education organise the group and activities effectively to suit children's interests.

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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 enjoy their time at the pre-school and are keen to start playing and learning. They select activities and access resources themselves which promotes their independence and creates child-initiated play. For example, children access card and scissors themselves and enjoy cutting shapes. They learn to respect themselves and others as the nursery celebrates and acknowledges differences. Children become confident and self-assured in their play, negotiating and interacting well with their peers to share ideas and experiences. Children are developing relationships and social competences because they are interacting with peers and are learning to work together in pairs or bigger groups.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are making good progress in language and literacy. Younger children are starting to recognise the letters in their name. Some more able children are writing sentences and reading simple books which prepares them well for school. Children have good opportunities to develop mathematical skills. Staff cleverly interweave mathematical questions and language in children's play, for example, asking children about shapes during free play. As a result children are making good progress in counting and recognising shapes. They also practise their mathematical and literacy skills in an educational computer program and competently operate the computer by themselves.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have access to a variety of practical activities that help them acquire a range of skills, knowledge and attitudes related to knowledge and understanding of the world. For example, they are encouraged to look after the rabbit and the two guinea pigs at the nursery. They feed them the carrots that the children have been involved with growing themselves. Children make good use of their imagination in spontaneous role play situations both inside and out. They enjoy acting out real-life situations such as playing a mother and grandmother who look after the baby together. Staff effectively join in by asking them questions to extend children's imaginative play and their verbal skills. Overall, children make good progress in their learning and achieve well given their capability and starting points.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are developing a sense of belonging at the nursery in several ways. Staff have devised activities to make children stand out and feel special by allocating little jobs to children, such as a recycling monitor. Children get involved with the routine of the day as they help with the register by putting images of their faces on the board to show that they are present. Staff praise their good behaviour and children are rewarded with stickers from time to time. Children's pictures are displayed throughout the nursery and they reflect the diversity of the children and the wider community. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are making good progress at the nursery. Staff regularly exchange information with parents and other professionals to share a consistent structure to their care and development and to ensure their individual needs are catered for.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. They are learning how to make a positive contribution to others by getting involved with fund-raising projects such as red nose day. Also, children know how to contribute to the environment by helping to recycle at the nursery. They are developing positive relationships as they are learning to respond to others from a very early age. For example, staff encourage babies to be gentle when they show an interest in each other. Staff have developed good techniques to manage behaviour and children are encouraged to think about their own behaviour. There is a strong focus on reinforcing positive behaviour by using lots of praise.

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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 The partnership with parents and carers is good. Staff find out about children’s individual needs through regular discussion with parents, as well as day sheets, diaries and good settling in procedures. The setting promotes a continuous and consistent approach to children's behaviour, development and learning and welcomes parents' feedback and involvement in the nursery. Parents are informed on their children's progress on a daily basis but also during parents meeting that take place every three months. Staff prepare individual reports for parents which are detailed accounts on children's development across the six areas of learning. Parents can get actively involved in their child's learning as they receive practical information and details of how they can help their child to develop. This contributes to good relationships with parents

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The management and organisation of the setting is pro-active in ensuring the practice of all staff contributes positively to children’s good health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and ability to take an active part in the setting. The management has high expectations of staff and effective procedures are in place to monitor their development, through the use of staff questionnaires and appraisals. Rigorous recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that the staff have suitable qualifications and experience to work with children and that children are protected from harm.

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Organisation

Children are well cared for in a setting where the staff are committed to continue to update their skills and knowledge by attending training. They make up a strong staff team with commitment to continual improvement. Good settling-in procedures ensure that parents feel secure in the care their child receives and this means children settle readily and become confident members of the nursery. Policies, records and procedures are clear and comprehensive, underpinning the good practice in promoting positive outcomes for children.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of nursery education is good. Thorough systems are in place to look at the effectiveness of the provision and through this evaluative practice the staff team continue to enhance children’s experiences at the setting. Staff ensure that all parents have regular opportunities to discuss how their child is progressing and they are well informed about the Foundation Stage through parents' meetings and children's reports. All children are well supported to achieve their potential as staff know their starting points and monitor their progress effectively. Overall, children's needs are met.

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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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Complaints since the last inspection

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

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Complaints since the last inspection

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

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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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • make improvements as indicated in the nursery education section below.

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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 the short-term planning to include the next steps in children's individual development (also applies to care).

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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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