Brightsparks Day Nursery

Brightsparks Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY348872 Unique Reference Number 19 September 2007 Inspection date Sandra Patricia Jeffrey Inspector

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The Colonnades, 619 Purley Way, Croydon, CR0 4RQ Setting Address

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0208 6670687 Telephone number emmajjones@tiscali.co.uk E-mail Brightsparks Day Nursery Registered person Integrated 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 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 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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Brightsparks Day Nursery has been registered since April 2007 and is one of three privately owned nurseries. It provides full day care for up to 61 children aged between three months and five years. The nursery is open from 08.00-18.00, five days a week all year round, excluding bank holidays and one week at Christmas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery operates from a single storey purpose built building, located within a leisure complex in Purely, which is a suburb of the London Borough Of Croydon. There are ample parking facilities to assist the safe dropping off and collection of children.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Children are cared for in age appropriate rooms including a baby room with separate play and sleep areas, a tinies room, a toddler room and a pre-school room. There is a fully enclosed garden for outdoor play, separate toilets for the older children, as well as laundry and kitchen facilities on the site.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

At the time of the inspection there were 23 children on roll, including four children who were in receipt of nursery education funding. In addition to the manager, there are three full time

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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 members of staff and one part time staff member employed. Staff from the other two nurseries cover sickness and/or holiday absence, which ensures continuity of care for the children.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Additional staff are in the process of being employed, as the children's numbers grow within the nursery. A qualified cook is also employed and cooks meals on site on a daily basis. All care staff hold suitable qualifications in Childcare and Education. The nursery receives support and mentoring from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.(EYDCP)

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a bright, clean and welcoming environment. The rooms each have air conditioning and heating which enables the staff to ensure the rooms are maintained at temperatures that are comfortable for the children. In addition, windows are left open to ensure that fresh air can also circulate, this helps to keep the children healthy.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children begin to understand good health and hygiene practices because clear procedures are in place and are effectively used by the caring staff members. For example, older children know to wash their hands with soap before they have a snack and after using the toilet, 'because the dirt gets in our teeth and tummies and makes us unhappy'. Younger children and babies have their hands and faces washed for them by the attentive staff.

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Helping children to be healthy

Effective nappy changing procedures are in place and are followed by the staff who wear gloves and aprons when changing nappies. They ensure that the changing mat is cleaned with anti-bacterial spray and their hands are cleaned with anti-bacterial gel in between each child's nappy change. This protects children from the risk of cross infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children’s health is further protected because staff are well informed about children's medical conditions and other health considerations including dietary needs. Detailed information is collected at registration to make sure staff are aware of all relevant issues. Four staff members hold current first aid certificates, enabling them to deal appropriately with any accidents that may occur.

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Helping children to be healthy

All documentation required for the recording of accidents and administration of medicines are in place and set out clearly. Parents give prior consent to administer medication in order that children are given the correct dose according to their needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from a healthy lifestyle, they go into the garden on a daily basis for fresh air and to play with the equipment available, which helps them to begin to develop their large motor skills and control of their bodies. Children learn to balance, climb confidently and peddle bikes, manoeuvring them skilfully around obstacles. These opportunities to enjoy physical activities contribute to their good health.

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Helping children to be healthy

There are also good daily opportunities for children to extend their fine motor development, for example, by turning puzzle pieces to make them fit, cutting with scissors, using pencils correctly and peeling their own tangerines at snack time.

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Helping children to be healthy

The setting uses the Birth to three framework to plan activities for the youngest children. The babies and tinies are learning to control their own bodies and are gaining physical skills

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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 appropriate to their stage of development. They are beginning to move confidently in the warm and comfortable surroundings of the baby room in a variety of ways.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are beginning to understand the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. They sit together to enjoy drinks and snacks including rice cakes with cheese spread and fresh fruit, laying the foundations for healthy eating. Children have access to drinks of water throughout the day and know that they can access these drinks whenever they are thirsty.

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Helping children to be healthy

The daily routine includes breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and a light tea. Children were seen to enjoy their food and the social occasion of eating together in small friendly groups, with members of staff sitting with the children and helping those who required it.

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Helping children to be healthy

Nutritious meals are cooked in the nursery on a daily basis by the qualified cook who uses a high proportion of organic food, including lots of fresh sessional fruit and vegetables. The cook takes great pride in preparing a variety of meals that the children were seen to enjoy. The older children are encouraged to serve themselves at lunch time, which helps them begin to understand about their own needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff follow babies' individual sleeping and feeding routines. This provides continuity of care and contributes to the babies' good health. Staff respond appropriately when babies express their needs both verbally and non-verbally, for example, by pushing their spoons away when they have had sufficient to eat and rubbing their eyes if tired.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children benefit from playing in a spacious well-organised environment where they can play freely and independently. The environment is bright and cheerful and wall displays depict children's art work which recognises their achievements. Staff organise the environment to create an accessible and stimulating place where children independently select activities.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children have access to suitable and well-maintained equipment that is regularly checked. The staff ensure they follow strict cleaning rotas and toys are sterilised on a regular basis, with close attention being paid to the baby room toys and equipment. This ensures the resources are safe and suitable for use.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The possibilities of accidental injury are identified and minimised through on-going risk assessments, which means children are able to move around the setting safely. Some items stored in the shed in the garden however, posed a risk to children's health as they had collected rain water which had become mouldy and contaminated and could easily be accessed by young children. The management were proactive in the removal of these items once this issue had been highlighted by the inspector.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The children are supervised at all times and staffing ratios are maintained well. However, on the first day of the inspection a parent leaving the premises left the main gate open, this compromised the safety of the children playing in the garden. The manager was quick to respond to this incident when it was highlighted by the inspector. By the second day of the inspection, initial steps had been taken to rectify this safety issue and work had begun on improving the security of the gate. In the mean time staff were made aware of the need to ensure that the gate was securely closed to ensure the children's 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 There are detailed policies for non collection of children and lost children, these are made available to all staff and parents. These measures promote the wellbeing of the children. Children are occasionally taken out on trips to local facilities in the area. The practice when taking children out on such trips is for them to wear a sticky label with their names and the telephone number of the nursery, in case they become separated from the group. The inspector discussed the dangers of identifying the children to strangers with the use of such name stickers.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children and staff are developing a clear understanding of the procedures to follow in the event of an emergency, such as fire, as these are regularly practised in the nursery. Appropriate staff interaction helps develop children’s awareness of safety within the setting. Sleeping babies are checked every ten to fifteen minutes to ensure they are safe and secure in their cots. Staff are aware of safe sleeping positions and ensure that there are no hazards in the cots when the babies are sleeping.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Comprehensive safe-guarding children policies (child protection) are in place which give details of the procedures to be followed if staff have concerns about the wellbeing of the children in their care. Information is also made available for parents which ensures they are aware of the setting's responsibilities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very happy, confident and relaxed at the nursery. They settle well and enjoy their time playing with the good selection of resources available to them. They play well together and are forming some good friendships. They readily approach the caring staff for support, indicating that good trusting relationships are in place. The children benefit from the strong bonds they have formed with the consistent staff members who care for them. All staff interact with enthusiasm in all aspects of the children's play and the children in turn, respond well to their guidance and support. This fosters their emotional wellbeing and helps them to achieve.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children under two years old happily explore and experiment in their play. Staff use the Birth to three matters framework to ensure activities for babies and children under three years of age are appropriate. Babies and toddlers enjoy warm and caring relationships with the staff who are attentive to their needs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children feel secure within the familiar daily routine and enjoy making choices about their learning experiences by selecting their own play materials. Equipment is set out at low levels, which enables children to self-select their choice of activity and allows them to explore and investigate at their own pace. The younger children are also developing a love of books as they listen to simple stories in the baby room and point to familiar objects such as 'the cat' or 'the teddy' and repeat familiar words.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have developed a generally good understanding of the Birth to three matters framework and have implemented it into their planning. They use observations of children's development to plan for their individual needs and endeavour to evaluate these activities to ensure that future play opportunities are appropriate. However, some observations are not dated when recorded, which hampers the evaluation of any development and could therefore mean that children may not always develop their learning fully.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The babies benefit from being cared for in a calm and peaceful environment where they are generally very settled, although some babies are still new and are still adjusting to their changes.

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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 They respond very well to reassurances from the staff who are very caring and attentive to the children's needs and feelings.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children make steady progress towards the early learning goals with good support from the staff. Staff have a good understanding of the Foundation stage and use their knowledge to plan activities to enable children to make progress in all areas of learning. Staff are good role models and demonstrate a positive attitude towards learning by presenting activities in an interesting and enthusiastic manner.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Teaching methods are fun and age appropriate, which motivates children to learn and take part in the exciting range of activities available to them, such as printing with fruit and mixing paint to create Autumn colours as part of the current theme. Staff organise their time well so that they spend it directly with the children. There are opportunities for children to engage in activities planned by the staff, but they are actively encouraged to initiate activities for themselves as well, based on what interests them. They are given good opportunities to 'be their own person and to do their own things too'. This develops their self confidence and self esteem.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children speak very confidently to both peers and adults. They talk openly during the day about themselves and their families. They express their ideas and experiences very well using good vocabulary. Children are also encouraged to think situations through for themselves and to resolve any problems they may have themselves with the support of the staff. For example, children are asked how many aprons are needed if three children want to play in the water and how many cups are needed if five children are sitting down for tea. This also encourages children to solve simple mathematical problems in every day situations.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are very confident when counting and older children count confidently to fifteen. Good questioning of the children in the pre school room, encourages their mathematical development, when they are asked to count the ducks in the water for example and then guess how many there would be if one was added or taken way.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children’s understanding of space, shape and measure is developing well; they recognise the properties of simple shapes. Children learn how to use numbers in everyday situations and show that they understand size and shape through practical activities such as fruit printing, when they talk about semi circles and crescent moons.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Some children are beginning to form letters when they write and some can recognise the letters in their names. They have some opportunities to write for different purposes, for example at the writing and creative areas. The environment has limited text and visual clues to aid children's reading skills, this does not present an environment that promotes language and literacy development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are given good opportunities to investigate using their senses and to discuss similarities and differences using natural objects, for example during the fruit tasting and feely bag activities, when the children were encouraged to taste and feel the different autumn fruits as part of the current topic. Good descriptive words such as rough, smooth, hard and soft were explored as the children joined in enthusiastically with the well planned activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Discussions about how and where the fruits grew expanded the conversation, with children guessing whether the fruits grew on trees or underground. Staff in the pre school room are

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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 particularly skilled at encouraging the children to think for themselves and to extend their learning beyond the immediate activity. Good use of open ended questioning of the children encourages them to think for themselves. In addition with lots of repeating to ensure children are very confident in their understanding.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy exploring the world around them as they make shadows with their hands from the reflection of the sun and as they talk about the sun being hot and able to dry wet clothes. They are also aware that sun cream and sun glasses must be worn when out in the sun to protect them from it's effects.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing a good understanding of past, present and future, as they discuss events in their nursery lives, for example, 'yesterday we did this' and 'tomorrow we will do that'. Children learn about different cultures and beliefs through topic work such as exploring other countries and religious festivals. This helps to develop their understanding of diversity.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are spoken to and treated with the greatest of respect and are reminded to be kind and considerate to their friends. They are praised for 'good listening' and for 'being kind' and a 'good friend', this builds their confidence and self esteem and makes them feel valued in the nursery. They are happy, stimulated and encouraged to learn with enthusiasm by the dedicated team of staff who praise the children at every given opportunity.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Staff treat the children with respect and value their individuality. Children have access to a range of resources that enhance positive images of various cultures and traditions, including a selection of books, musical instruments and dressing up clothes. Children are given equality of access to all play and learning resources regardless of gender. Children learn about cultures that may be different from their own through activities based on a variety of different festival and celebrations throughout the year. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There are appropriate systems in place to support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. Staff have a calm and consistent approach to managing children's behaviour. They are reminded to wait for their friends before eating and are encouraged to say sorry and have a cuddle if they hurt or upset another child. They are praised for good waiting and good listening and gently reminded to 'switch their ears on' if they are not listening. This results in a calm atmosphere, which helps children to behave well.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Staff gather relevant information at the time of registration to ensure children are cared for according to parents’ wishes. Parents receive information about the educational programmes used in the setting, including the Foundation Stage and the Birth to three framework. Parents also receive information about the nursery via the notice boards and through the very informative, well designed monthly newsletters.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

All staff members make themselves available to talk to parents at both ends of the day and complete daily contact books for each child. These detail what the children have eaten, drinks, sleeps, nappies, activities and what the children have really enjoyed doing each day. 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 take these books home with them at the end of each day and have space to add any comments if they wish. This ensures parents are kept informed about their children's daily activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

A complaints policy is in place should a parent wish to make a suggestion or complaint about the nursery and the regulator's contact details are made available to parents as required.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The leadership and management of the setting is satisfactory. Space, staff and resources are suitably organised to create a stimulating and accessible environment, where children are busy and occupied throughout the day. Children are cared for by staff who have been appropriately vetted, due to effective recruitment procedures. The team work very well together and are aware of their individual responsibilities. Staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of child development, and staff ratios are maintained well, ensuring that children are supervised appropriately.

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Organisation

Staff feel well supported and are competent within their roles and are very caring towards the children. There is an effective induction programme in place which ensures that staff understand the policies and procedures to follow to ensure that children receive appropriate care.

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Organisation

Monthly team meetings, where members of staff from all three nurseries attend, include team games, with tests on policies and procedures and/or other topics of importance such as child protection. This provides the staff with regular opportunities to further their professional development, which enriches their practice.

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Organisation

There are clear aims for the provision and staff demonstrate a commitment to continually improving the quality of care and education for the children. The registered provider and manager promote a clear ethos for the nursery and demonstrate a sound understanding of their strengths and areas that need improvement.

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Organisation

They were proactive in addressing issues that were raised during their inspection including the security of the gate and the safety of items stored in the garden shed. Additional safety issues relating to taking children on trips were also addressed.

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Organisation

Organisation of records is generally effective, but staff are not consistent when completing medication records, which result in weaknesses in the nurseries procedures. In addition, the existing injuries records do not cater for parents to add their own comments. These issues also reflect weaknesses in the partnership with parents.

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Organisation

Children's observations and assessments are generally well maintained and are generally used well to inform the planning for children's next steps in learning. However, this is not consistent within the nursery, which reduces their effectiveness in assessing any improvements and/or areas for further development. There are also implications for ensuring that all parents are kept well informed about their children's development.

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Organisation

Visual aids in relation to developing the children's language and literacy skills are limited within the pre school room, which impacts on the children's learning in this area. The proprietor and manager were receptive to the weaknesses highlighted and keen to improve in all areas discussed.

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Organisation

All mandatory records are in place and well maintained and ensure the safe and effective management of the setting in order to promote the children's wellbeing. There are

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 comprehensive policies and procedures in place, which are regularly reviewed and updated. In addition, each room has it's own manual with polices, procedures, and daily routines specific to each room, including health and safety considerations. This underpins the running of the setting, which contributes to the welfare of the children. Overall, the provision 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 then 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 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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure children cannot access unsafe/unsuitable items stored in the shed in the garden and ensure the main gate is securely closed when parents leave the premises • ensure children cannot be identified by strangers when they are out on trips • improve medication records by obtaining parental signatures to confirm administration entries and extend the existing injuries records to include parents comments • ensure that children's assessments and observations are up to date to enable their next steps to be identified and used effectively to aid the planning for children's individual needs (Birth to Three)

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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): • create an environment that is rich in promoting language and literacy development

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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 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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