Abbscross Day Nursery 3

Abbscross Day Nursery 3 Inspection report for early years provision

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EY346133 Unique Reference Number 08 August 2007 Inspection date Deborah Ann Benn Inspector

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Collier Row Childrens Centre, 32 Clockhouse Lane, Romford, Essex, RM5 3QJ

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Setting Address

01708 741 144 Telephone number abbscrossdaynursery@yahoo.co.uk E-mail Anne-Marie Paul 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 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?

Abbscross Day Nursery 3 is a privately run provision and one of four settings run by the provider. It opened in 2007 and operates from rooms within Collier Row Children’s Centre in a purpose-built building. It is situated in a residential area very close to the main shopping street in Collier Row in the London borough of Havering. A maximum of 36 children may attend the nursery at any one time. It is open each weekday from 08.00 to 18.00 throughout the year, closing only for Bank Holidays. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 35 children aged from three months to under five years on roll. Of these, four receive funding for early education. Children come from a wide catchment area across more than one borough. The nursery currently 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 seven members of staff. All of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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 benefit from the high standards of hygiene and cleanliness set by staff throughout the setting. Staff actively encourage children's awareness and support good habits through the use of appropriate routines and resources. The use of photographs at children's level in the bathroom help to remind them to wash and dry their hands. Effective routines and staff vigilance ensures that children use soap and disposable towels as a matter of course. Staff are very aware of their own responsibility to prevent cross infection and ensure that one use gloves are used at each nappy change and the changing mat cleaned with anti-bacterial spray between each use. Sheets are changed daily on rest mats and cots and never shared between children during the day.

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Helping children to be healthy

Appropriate documentation is in place to support children's well-being. Children's records include information regarding any health issues and there is a commitment to seek additional training if necessary such as for the use of an epi-pen or the administration of rectal diazepam if required. Clear records are kept of the administration of medication and written parental permission is sought beforehand. All accidents are recorded on individual sheets and the information countersigned by staff and parents, however minor treatment such as a cold compress, is not always recorded. This leaves a risk that parents may not receive comprehensive information about their child's care if further treatment were necessary later. All staff hold a current first aid certificate and appropriately equipped kits are readily available. Staff are very aware of the dangers of the sun and ensure that children are well protected, children are aware

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Helping children to be healthy

of expectations and wait expectantly to have their sun-cream reapplied and put on hats before going outside in the sunshine.

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Helping children to be healthy

Good quality meals are planned jointly between the nursery management team and the adjacent Children's Centre cook. All meals are prepared from fresh ingredients by the Children's Centre cook. Staff ensure that information about children's individual dietary needs, is passed on to the cook daily. Children enjoy fruit for mid session breaks and have free access to fresh water throughout the day as well as at set meals times.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's physical development is adequately supported. Children run, skip and jump in the outside play area although opportunities for them to practise activities such as balancing and climbing are more limited due to current space restrictions. Children use small tools such as paint brushes, pens, water play objects and scissors with accuracy and fit construction toys and puzzles together skilfully.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a clean, bright and attractive setting. Babies and older children are separated and their environment specifically catered to each age group's needs, both groups have access to their own outdoor play area. Good use is made of the space available so that children are able to free-flow between their own areas and access the garden throughout the day as they choose. The purpose built premises has very good security processes in place to ensure that no-one can enter the nursery without being let in by staff who are able to have sight of every visitor before doing so. Additional precautions such as safety covers fitted over door hinges and safety surfaces in the babies' outdoor area, help to limit injuries. The nursery

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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 is decorated with appropriate posters, photographs and displays of children's work. It is welcoming and areas are well defined with space for children to access them easily. The manager's office is readily accessible to parents and available for private discussion. Information for parents is displayed just inside the nursery and there is ample space for storage of children's personal items. Detailed risk assessments and check lists have been formulated and are used effectively to maintain children's safety and uphold the high standard of the premises.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children benefit from the comfortable surroundings, the nursery is equipped with attractive and practical furnishings. The separate "messy-play" room off the main playroom, gives children freedom to take part in creative art activities as they wish in addition to focussed topic linked activities. Particular care is taken in the baby area to ensure that toys and play equipment are age appropriate and not too small. Staff are very aware of the dangers of wrongly sized pieces being a choking hazard. All toys and play resources are of good quality and a wide range is readily accessible to the children at all times. Older children access low level storage to extend their activities and make very good use of the quiet area to relax, look at books or chat with their friends.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's well-being is appropriately safeguarded. Staff have a clear understanding of their individual and corporate responsibilities regarding child protection. Staff receive instruction as part of their initial induction regarding child protection procedures and best practice. Procedures and appropriate telephone contacts are readily to hand and the senior staff are very clear on what actions they need to take. All staff are appropriately vetted and ensure that anyone who has not yet been fully vetted, such as a new or training member of staff, is fully supervised at all times until all checks are clear.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are responsive and enjoy positive interaction with adults and their peers. They play happily, inventing their own games well supported by staff who encourage their thinking and participation without taking over. All children are able to free-flow between indoor and outdoor activities, making their own choices. Babies express wonder and delight, laughing and clapping as they splash water and play with bubbles. Staff communicate gently and effectively with babies using facial expressions, sounds and mirroring their own body signs as well as verbal language. Babies recognise their main carers readily and acknowledge the communication happily, expressing pleasure with smiles and squeals. They babble happily, copying language sounds which are acknowledged and responded to by staff. All children have daily access to a wide range of creative art materials and activities, expressing their own ideas and exploring

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are eager to learn and enthusiastic to take part in activities. Staff support children well, using open questioning to challenge their thinking and then encouraging and providing appropriate resources to help them make their own discoveries. For example a child uses a piece of piping to pour water through, the staff member wonders how they can stop it wobbling, he then lays it down and together they consider how they can make the water go further. He connects a piece of half-tubing and manages to direct the water. The staff member asks him how he can stop the water and he engages his friend in helping him to gather stones to make a dam, insisting they pick "big stones not small ones". Staff naturally engage with children and encourage their linguistic and mathematical

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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 skills as they interact together in activities throughout the day. They confidently cross areas of learning such as bringing in numerals, phonics and understanding of the world as a small group play enthusiastically and imaginatively with a toy garage and cars. Children mark make freely, they access the well resourced writing area to create their own letters and pictures and are actively encouraged to bring this into imaginary play activities, such as writing "prescriptions" when the role play area has been transformed into a doctor's surgery.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff make regular observations of children, these are linked to the stepping stones toward the early learning goals. The planning of focussed activities supports children's individual development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are cared for in an inclusive and positive environment. Effective key-worker strategies mean that babies have the same member of staff to feed, change and help comfort them throughout the day as far as possible. Consistency and continuity of care is further supported through the use of photographs displayed in the babies' sleep room, showing clearly the position each one likes to rest in and what their comforter is.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered. Children are beginning to learn about their own and other's cultures and faiths as they take part in different festivities through craft, stories, music and food. Children show their happiness and security in the setting as they make up songs about what they are doing or had for lunch. Children show their wonder as they enjoy watching the colours change on the bubble machine in the quiet area. Strong and positive relationships are evident between the children who show their care for each other and greet each other with glee.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's behaviour is good. They are aware of the expectations made by the setting and the simple rules based on kindness and respect. Staff skilfully use effective behaviour management strategies to limit boredom and diffuse situations. For example a child stands in front of the gate to the welcome area, the staff states that he looks very important and wonders what his job is, the child states "I'm a gatekeeper" the member of staff asks what tools he might need for that job and very soon the child is fully engaged in imaginary play joined by his two friends.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents receive information about the setting including a copy of all policies when their child starts at the nursery. They receive regular newsletters which includes information about any festivities or topics and are kept informed of any new staff or students. Parents state that they feel confident in the care provided and find the staff warm and approachable. Parents and children are well supported to help them to separate gently as children settle in to the nursery. Guidance is given by the nursery and there is a clear expectation that the child will come with the parent for a minimum number of visits but that this will be increased to meet the child's needs if necessary. All parents are invited to a parents evening where they can have a meeting with their child's key worker to talk about their child's progress.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents of children who receive nursery education is satisfactory. Parents are extremely pleased with the care and education provided and state that they receive regular verbal feedback about their child's progress. Staff spend time with parents when children are settling gaining information to help form a base line to know where children are starting from in order to help gauge how children are progressing. Parents are able to access children's files whenever they wish and staff are always available to speak with them at the end of the day.

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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 However, parents receive limited information about the curriculum and the system for involving them actively in their child's education and link home and nursery learning, is not yet fully developed.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. A well considered operational plan supported by an appropriately trained and committed staff team, positively affects all areas of the setting. High regard is given to children's safety and well being. This is reflected in the standard of training expected of staff, the appropriate and thorough vetting procedures and the high adult:child ratios maintained throughout the nursery day. Regular individual staff supervision is carried out to monitor consistency and quality as well as identifying areas for development and progression. All staff are actively encouraged to continue their professional training and supported to attend workshops in particular areas of interest and responsibility they wish to pursue. Whole staff training days are also planned to ensure that staff knowledge is current and in line with new guidance. Staff meetings are held regularly and are used for internal awareness raising and training as well as passing on

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Organisation

All required written information is appropriately kept; it is current and stored with an awareness of confidentiality.

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Organisation

Children’s learning is promoted through good leadership and management of nursery education. Staff working with children who are in receipt of funded education are confident in and knowledgeable of the Foundation stage curriculum. Areas of change in guidance and teaching are identified by the management team who work closely with the local authority to ensure staff are kept updated.

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Organisation

The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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. 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 that all accident records include the treatment administered, however minor

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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): • increase children's opportunities for physical challenge through climbing and balance • improve systems to involve parents actively in their children's education and better inform them about the Foundation stage curriculum

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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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