Ladybirds Kinderclass Ltd

Ladybirds Kinderclass Ltd Inspection report for early years provision

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321579 Unique Reference Number 13 September 2007 Inspection date Christine Snowdon Inspector

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St Andrew's Church Hall, Huntington Road, York, North Yorkshire, YO31 9HU

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E-mail

Ladybirds Kinderclass Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional 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?

Ladybirds Kinderclass Ltd opened in 1992. It is a privately owned provision and operates from St Andrew's Church Hall in Huntington near York. A maximum of 20 children may attend the setting at any one time. The group opens Monday to Friday 09.00 to 12.00 and 12.30 to 15.30 term time only. There is an enclosed area for outdoor play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 53 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 35 children receive funding for nursery education. The group serves the local area and children attend for a variety of sessions. The group supports children with English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting employs three staff who work full time. All three have Level 3 early years qualifications. The group is a member of the York Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and is also a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. The children are cared for in a warm, clean environment where there are some good hygiene practices in place. For example, staff clean down tables before snack time and ensure the sickness policy is adhered to. However, children do not wash their hands before snack time. Also the current practice of children using a shared bowl of water for hand washing after using the toilet does little to prevent cross-infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

The children are encouraged to enjoy being active in the outdoor area. Whilst there are some limits on the availability of the outdoor area, it is well used when possible. Children develop their physical skills as they use the wheeled toys with increasing strength and accuracy. They have good spatial awareness and avoid collision with one another. Indoors they enjoy music and movement sessions when they enthusiastically shake the musical instruments and take part in the action songs. For example, they pretend their fist is hammer and drum to the rhythm of the song. Children show good hand-eye coordination as they hold and use scissors, pencils and paintbrushes correctly and safely.

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Helping children to be healthy

The children are well nourished and are developing an appreciation of healthy eating. They enjoy a varied range of healthy choices, such as bread sticks, cheese, raisins and banana. They choose either water, milk or juice at snack time. However, children do not have access to fresh drinking water throughout the session. Children's dietary needs are adhered to and staff ensure parents' wishes are respected.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in premises that are welcoming and child orientated. Staff ensure the resources are set out on a daily basis ready for the children's arrival. Displays of children's art work are bright and attractive and this gives them a sense of belonging. Children move independently and confidently around the setting and make good use of the areas and play opportunities provided. Resources are of good quality, age appropriate and are in a safe and clean condition.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are good systems in place with regards to children's safety. For example, the premises are safe and secure and effective measures are taken to ensure safe collection at the end of the session. However, the uncovered grates in the outdoor play area are a hazard when children play outdoors. Children learn how to keep themselves safe as staff reinforce the dangers of traffic when outside. During a visit from the police they talk about stranger danger and recent events in the media which help allay their concerns. Children learn how to evacuate the premises quickly and safely as they take part in the fire drills.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected. Staff have a clear knowledge of child protection through attending appropriate training. Detailed policies and procedures are in place and staff understand the procedures to follow should they have any concerns. Staff are particularly vigilant with regards to supervising children in the toilet areas when other users are in the building.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children settle very well at the setting due to the effective settling-in policy and the warm and welcoming approach from the caring staff team. Children are confident and know the routines well. For example, they leave their carers easily on arrival and sit on the mat for register and circle time. Children spend their time purposely and are actively engaged throughout the session. They make independent choices and move freely from one activity to another.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy the positive interaction and pleasure from taking home 'Tilly' one of the setting's empathy dolls. She goes with the family on trips and outings and encourages the children to be responsible and caring as they carry out her personal care tasks, such as cleaning her teeth and dressing her. They take photographs of her stay and parents and children write about her experiences. These are added to her life story book for everyone to enjoy.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. The staff's sound knowledge of the early learning goals and how children learn, enables the children to access the whole curriculum at their chosen play. Staff have a good understanding of how children can broaden their understanding in all areas of learning at any one well-planned, good quality activity. For example, when making their number game they take bark rubbings from the tree outdoors, cut out the apples shapes, paint them, write the numbers on their sheet and match them up. Staff explain what the activity is about and support the children well so they complete the task. The staff team is effective in planning a well-balanced curriculum and use the resources and facilities well to provide a fun and enjoyable learning programme. A variety of teaching styles are used, such as individual, small group and whole class. Staff have a good awareness of each child's level of ability and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

build on what they know and can do. As a result, children are motivated and eager learners and make good progress through the stepping stones.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are very confident and are eager to take part in all the activities throughout the session. They know the routines and what is expected of them and join in appropriately. For example, they are happy to help with tidy up time in readiness for their snack. Children are developing their independence skills as they put on their own aprons before painting and take turns to be table monitors at snack time. However, there are no opportunities for children to pour their own drinks or help with the preparation of snacks.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop very good language skills. They talk confidently and clearly as they engage in activities and discussions with staff and their peers. Children learn to recognise their own name card and the more able children assist the others with this task whilst finding their place at the table. They show excitement when they find a box of new cars and they tell the inspector this is a fast one, this is a jeep and this one is a police car and that it can go faster than the speed limit. Children are making very good progress with their mark making and writing skills. All children are encouraged to try to write their own name on their art work and more able children do so independently using well formed letters. They are starting to link letters to sounds as staff practise phonics with them. For example, staff encourage the children to sound out the phonics as they play the colour matching game.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing a good awareness to number. They confidently count up to five and some beyond this. Through well planned activities they recognise and match the numbers one to five. For example, they cut out the numbered apple shapes and match them to the

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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 corresponding numbers on their tree picture. They point to the inspector's lap top and recognise the same numbers on there as well. They learn calculation through singing number rhymes and use mathematical language whilst sorting and positioning the different sized bears. They are developing their understanding of the basic shapes and can identify those such as circles, triangles and squares.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children have strong exploratory senses. They show great curiosity as they examine the different textures and feelings of the bark when doing their rubbings. They say it feels bumpy, hard and rough. A member of staff lifts them up to feel a section where the bark is missing and they tell her it is smooth and soft there. They learn about nature and growing as they plant bulbs in the nearby woodland area. The life cycle of the butterfly is followed carefully as they watch it change through the varying stages from caterpillar to butterfly. Children independently access and use the computer in the setting. They skilfully move through the various screens using the mouse with control and confidence. Children learn about other aspects of information technology (IT) equipment. For example, the staff suggest taking photographs of a completed model and help the children to do so.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children get a great deal of pleasure as they express themselves freely using big bold marks whilst painting at the easels. They enjoy the water play outdoors and use water and paintbrushes to draw and mark make on the concrete flags. Staff provide some well-planned opportunities for children to use a variety of mediums and techniques when painting and being creative, for example, marbling and sponge painting. However, there are limited opportunities for children to access additional resources which enable them to develop their imagination and enjoy unplanned, spontaneous, creative activities. Children enjoy music and experiment with different sounds and noise levels. They select their instruments and increase the sound level as the adult raises her arm then decrease as she lowers it again.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children enjoy a wide and varied range of experiences that promote their understanding of the local environment and the wider world. They get out and about in their local community and benefit from the visitors to the setting who link into the themes and topics. For example, whilst learning about Indian culture they dress up in saris and get involved in the cooking of traditional food. They hold fundraising events to sponsor children in India so they may attend school and receive an education.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The staff know the children well through positive liaisons with parents and ongoing observations of the children. This way staff know about the children's individual care and learning needs and address them well. As a result, children feel secure, confident and valued in the setting. Children's behaviour is very good due to the staff's consistent approach and effective use of praise and encouragement. Children have strong and trusting relationships with the staff and are developing friendships with their peers. They play well together, take turns and share equipment. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnerships with parents and carers are good and relationships are very positive. The settling-in process, key worker system and parental involvement in the setting, means that children develop a comfortable three-way relationship with the staff and their parents. Parents receive clear information about all aspects of the group. Noticeboards, newsletters and discussions are informative, relevant and easily accessible. For example, the prospectus contains summaries of the setting's policies and procedures along with the curriculum and learning outcomes. Parents

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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 are actively involved in their children's learning in various ways, such as recording children's achievements and home events which are then shared and celebrated at circle time.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are cared for in a welcoming and child orientated environment. Staff are particularly well organised with regards to setting up and clearing away which has to be done on a daily basis. They arrive early to ensure all is ready for children's arrival. They use furniture and resources well to create defined areas of learning and provide the children with easy access to toys and equipment. Staff plan periods of outdoor play whenever possible within the constraints of the building due to other users.

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Organisation

Children are well cared for by the committed staff team. Staff are well qualified and experienced, they continue with their own learning and development through training. They work well as a team and support students in the setting. Their operational plan and information sheets show clearly how staff are deployed to support the children in their learning. There is a range of well-written policies and procedures in place which are used effectively to support their practice and these are readily available to parents.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of nursery education is good. All staff are involved in the planning process and these are discussed on a weekly basis. They carry out spontaneous and planned assessments of the children's learning which is used well to evaluate the learning outcomes and inform future planning. Regular staff meetings develop staff's knowledge and promote consistency in their approach. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the setting was asked to conduct a risk assessment and ensure their medication record is appropriate. The staff now carry out daily checks of the building and resources along with the more in-depth annual assessment to ensure hazards are identified and minimised. Any medicines administered to children are clearly recorded in line with the National Standards.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection of the funded nursery education the group was asked to provide more opportunities for children to experience IT and access resources to develop their gross motor skills. Children now independently use a computer during the sessions with confidence and skill. They develop their gross motor skills as they pedal and steer a good range of wheeled toys in the outdoor area. A further issue was to extend resources and self-selection with regards to creative opportunities and whilst some progress has been made this remains an area for improvement.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004 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 complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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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): • ensure hand washing arrangements promote good hygiene practice and children wash their hands at appropriate times • ensure children have access to fresh drinking water throughout the session • ensure the grates in the outdoor area are made safe or inaccessible to children.

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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): • provide opportunities for children to develop their independence in relation to snack time • provide resources and opportunities for children to be more spontaneous in their creative play and develop their own ideas.

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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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