The Hayes Primary School

The Family Haven Inspection report for early years provision

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101760 Unique Reference Number 12 March 2008 Inspection date Linda Janet Witts Inspector

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31 Spa Road, Gloucester, GL1 1UY Setting Address

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01452 422971 Telephone number info@the-family-haven.freeserve.co.uk E-mail The Family Haven Registered person Childcare Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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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

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The Family Haven opened in 1988 and operates from a semi-detached house in the centre of Gloucester. It is a charity and offers a range of integrated services to support families and children, some of whom are in temporary accommodation. These include crèche facilities, welfare advice and support, craft workshops, respite care, information sessions and pre-nursery and nursery care.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The Family Haven is registered to accept a maximum of 28 children at any one time. There are currently 58 children on roll aged between birth and eight years. The centre operates each week day from 09.30 to 16.00 for 52 weeks of the year except for bank holidays. The nursery is open from 10.00 to 13.00 and 13.30 to 15.30.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The Family Haven has two nursery base rooms, a dining room, kitchen and a soft-play room on the ground floor. A sleep room, parents' room and staff facilities are located on the first floor. An additional office and therapy room are located on the second floor. Bathroom facilities and a laundry are also available. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor area with impact absorbent safety surface. Children attend from all areas of Gloucestershire. The centre welcomes children with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 The centre employs a team of four staff to work directly with the children. All of the staff, including the manager hold relevant childcare qualifications. Nursery staff have completed first aid and child protection training. There are two staff who work with the parents. There is also an administrator, a cook, a fund raiser and health visitor that are based in the centre. The centre has been awarded the Bristol Standard Quality Assurance Award.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's play areas are suitably maintained and kept clean by staff who take positive steps to promote good hygiene practice. They ensure safe handling of food and children are helped to wash their hands before lunch. This helps to minimise the risk of cross-infection. They do not however, routinely wash their hands before they have a snack. There are satisfactory arrangements for nappy changing. Children who become unwell or injure themselves are cared for sensitively. Staff are trained in administering first aid and records of accidents are appropriately maintained. The group has a clear sickness policy that helps to protect children from infectious illnesses and appropriate permissions and records are in place regarding the administration of medication to children. Children tend not to require a sleep whilst attending the centre, as they attend on a sessional basis or are too busy playing. There are sleep facilities

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Helping children to be healthy

available for use. The sleep room is equipped with several cots and is monitored to ensure the safety of those sleeping.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are provided with snacks and a home-cooked lunch. The snacks offered satisfy children's needs but do not include much fresh fruit and other healthy foods. The lunch menu is varied and does incorporate some fruit and vegetables. Drinks are offered at mealtimes. Children either eat together in the nursery or can join their parents who are also offered lunch. Mealtimes are relaxed, social occasions when children and adults sit together to enjoy their food and each other's company.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children get plenty of physical exercise and have regular opportunities for fresh air and exercise outdoors. There is an enclosed play area with latex safety surface. Here children can practise their climbing skills, use wheeled toys, run freely and practise ball skills. Children are challenged in their physical development by the equipment available to them. Children as young as 18 months show no fear as they climb the wooden structure on all fours. They beam a smile of satisfaction when they reach the summit and then slide down the slide before running round to repeat the process. The two, three and four-year-olds are keen to try manoeuvres they see siblings and older children do. For example, they gain courage to slide down the pole attached to the large climbing structure. An adult is on hand to help the children to undertake the challenge safely and to offer verbal encouragement and praise for achievements. Children

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Helping children to be healthy

manoeuvre dolls in pushchairs around the area avoiding collision with other children or objects. Others propel themselves on tricycles and in sit-in vehicles. Children develop ball skills as they kick footballs and throw them through the basket ball hoop. Children are also taken out for walks locally. This is often to the nearby park which offers an extensive range of play equipment that the children can use.

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Helping children to be healthy

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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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children's welfare is safeguarded by the nursery staff who ensure that children are protected from people who are not vetted. A security system enables staff to monitor all visitors and records of visitors are made. Children cannot leave unsupervised and their access to areas other than the main nursery is restricted.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The environment in which children play is generally safe. Steps are taken to minimise risks within the nursery rooms. For example, spilt sand is swept up promptly to prevent children slipping; exposed electrical sockets are covered and small resources are kept away from the area where babies and toddlers play. Children are escorted between the indoor and outdoor areas to keep them safe. Outdoors the garden has a latex safety surface. Here children are able to take risks, such as using the high wooden climbing structure, whilst being closely supervised. However, children's safety is sometimes compromised by the large quantity of equipment set out for them to play with. The equipment can limit the space available for children and as a result children can walk too close to equipment that is in use and sustain injury. Children are helped to learn to keep themselves safe. They learn to carry and use resources safely and not

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

to take action that may compromise their own or others safety. Regular fire drills help to familiarise children with emergency evacuation procedures.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are regularly taken on outings. Coach trips are planned four times a year and children and their parents join staff for these fun days out. They also walk to local places of interest and sometimes such excursions may include trips on a train or in other vehicles. Parental permission to transport children in vehicles is not routinely requested.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children use a suitable range of toys and equipment. The resources are appropriate for the children's different ages and stages of development. Resources are mostly of good quality and children can access many of the resources for themselves. They know not to attempt to take resources from higher shelves and ask the adults for assistance.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All staff are trained in child protection, to ensure that they are aware of possible signs of abuse or neglect and appropriate action to take if they have concerns about a child's welfare. The nursery has a comprehensive child protection policy to safeguard children and this includes a suitable strategy to deal with any allegations against a member of staff or volunteer.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children of all ages enjoy their time at the Family Haven. They all arrive with enthusiasm, detaching from their carer with confidence. They are relaxed in the company of the staff and students. Children are familiar with the routine and happily join in the activities available to them. Children are able to choose a variety of resources, initiating their own choice of activity, and also engage in adult-led activities. Activities are adapted for younger children to ensure their participation and enjoyment.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Activities are loosely planned to reflect the Birth to three matters framework to promote development of children under three years. Staff interact playfully with the babies and young children. Through unobtrusive support children are given the emotional security to explore and investigate the nursery play environment. The babies and young children play happily with the manufactured toys readily available to them. They explore activity toys, pressing buttons and

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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 manipulating them to look closely at how they work. Toddlers open up toys to reveal contents and fit objects inside containers. They like to explore the sounds of musical toys and utilise resources, such as, a small wooden hammer, to operate the keys on a piano-type toy creating music in different ways. Young children have few natural materials to explore and investigate.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children aged over two years like to spend time with the babies and toddlers and find pleasure in interacting with them and playing with the activity toys and resources available within the room designated for the babies and younger children. They also like to engage in the activities that are available in the adjoining room. Here the children can dress-up and play in the home corner. They extend their role-play bringing resources out of the home corner, for example, to have picnics and to take their 'babies' for outings. They play with small world figures, castles and cars. They can look at books, watch videos, draw and play in the sand.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Topic based activities are enjoyed. For example, for the topic of Easter and growing, children decorate cards and eggs, they plant seeds, go for walks to the park and make a height chart. They make musical shakers and join in singing nursery rhymes with gusto, clapping along together. They have opportunities to explore 'gloop', a corn flour and water mixture, and ice filled latex gloves. They play with balloons and chase bubbles. Children undertake cooking activities and have regular opportunities to paint and do cutting and sticking creative activities. Outings enable children to get up close to animals and the outdoor natural environment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are very happy and settled within the group. New children are reassured and gain confidence very quickly. Children develop very good relationships with the staff and students. They are relaxed in the company of adults and their peers of different ages. All children are fully included. Children with special needs, learning difficulties or disabilities are supported well. Children for whom English is an additional language are warmly welcomed. The high adult to child ratios ensure that one to one support is given as required. Staff are experienced in the recognition of special needs and work closely with parents and outside professionals to support children in their development effectively. Activities are adapted as necessary to ensure that all children wishing to participate in an activity can do so.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are encouraged to be independent from an early age. For example, when they finish their snack they take their cups and plates to the sink ready to be washed. The children are also keen to help with tidying up and domestic chores, such as, sweeping up sand. Children learn good manners and are becoming familiar with the behavioural expectations within the group. Most are well behaved, follow instruction well and are encouraged to share and take turns.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children attending come from a range of different ethnic and family backgrounds and can see some positive images of their own and other cultures. They also participate in activities that introduce children to the wider community.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents and their children are supported extremely well, as staff are sensitive to their individual needs and personal circumstances. Working in partnership underpins all of the work that the Family Haven does. This positive partnership with parents contributes significantly to children's well-being. This gives children the confidence to form secure and happy relationships with staff. Parents are encouraged to take an interest in what their children do at nursery. As most of the parents stay on site they can pop in to see their children at play; help out with children's

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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 individual care; eat with their young children and also join their children on outings. Parents find staff approachable. Each member of staff is committed in their role as key carers to individual children. They have established good relationships with the children and their parents and promote two-way communication. Parents report that they are very happy with all aspects of the provision and value the support they receive highly. Parents receive written information about the provision and regular newsletters to keep them up to date with nursery news. Useful information is also available on the various parent notice boards. The parent information includes the nursery's complaints procedure. This includes a telephone number for parents to use should they wish to report a complaint to the regulator but the regulator's contact address is not

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Helping children make a positive contribution

included. Full details of nursery policies are readily available for parents to examine.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The nursery offers a child and parent centred facility. The provision meets the needs of the children for whom it provides. It is managed by capable and enthusiastic individuals, supported by equally enthusiastic staff. They work well together and enjoy their work. Staff have good access to training. Nursery staff and most centre staff have completed first aid and child protection training. An effective system for recruitment and vetting of staff is implemented and ongoing suitability of staff ensured.

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Organisation

Children play happily within the well-organised play space. Children are offered a suitable range of activities. They have regular fresh air and exercise and excursions enhance their play opportunities. Security measures are very good. Staff are vigilant in their supervision of children within the setting and outdoors. However, insufficient attention is given to potential risks that are created by the play equipment particularly in the event of adults being distracted. The adult to child ratio positively supports children's play, as does the positive partnership with parents.

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Organisation

Staff maintain required records well. They record actual times of children's and staff attendance, accident and medication records. They gather information from parents to enable them to meet individual children's needs including parental consents to administer medication and to seek emergency medical treatment or advice. Consents to transport children in a vehicle are not requested. Records of children's progress are also kept. The nursery policies and procedures are mostly well-written and reflective of nursery practice. The complaints procedure does not include the contact address of the regulator.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection one action was raised to ensure that the nursery staff keep a written record signed by parents of medication administered to children. Recommendations for improvement were also made. These were, firstly, to devise operational procedures for the safe conduct of any outings provided. Secondly, to request written permission from parents to seek emergency medical advice or treatment. Finally, to share policies and procedures, records and regular information to promote the welfare and development of the child in partnership with parents.

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Improvements since the last inspection

In response to the action raised and recommendations made, action for improvement has been completed. Records of any medication administered to children is now routinely recorded and signed by parents. Also, parental permission to seek emergency medical treatment or advice is requested. The nursery now has clear procedures for outings that promote children's safety and well-being. Policies and procedures and relevant documentation are readily available on

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Improvements 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 site for parents to examine as they wish. Key policies are prominently displayed on parent notice-boards to ensure parents read them.

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Complaints since the last inspection

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

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Complaints since the last inspection

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. 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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure that risks presented by the outdoor play equipment are minimised • extend the nursery complaints procedure to include the regulator's contact address. Also obtain written parental consent to transport children in a vehicle

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The quality and standards of the care

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 care

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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