Warren Wood Primary School

Chuckles Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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140989 Unique Reference Number 21 November 2007 Inspection date Diane Wilkinson Inspector

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Budmouth Technology College, Chickerell Road, Weymouth, Dorset, DT4 9SY

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E-mail

Budmouth Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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E-mail

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

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Chuckles Day Nursery is privately owned and managed by Budmouth Technology College. It opened in 1989 and operates from four rooms in a designated area of the college. The nursery is situated on the outskirts of Weymouth. The nursery is primarily for college staff, but children also attend from the local area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Children have access to an enclosed garden area and also to the college tennis court and playing field when they are not being used by students. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 17:30 for 50 weeks of the year. A maximum of 52 children aged under six years may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 82 children on roll, of these 20 children are in receipt of funding for nursery education. The nursery provides support for children who speak English as an additional language and children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 18 members of staff working at the nursery, and a well qualified manager who oversees the day to day running of the setting. Of these, 16 staff including the manager hold an appropriate early years qualification.

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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. Hygiene procedures throughout the nursery, including for nappy changing, are good. Children why know it is important to wash their hands before lunch and after they go to the toilet. They enthusiastically help staff tidy away after snack time and wash the tables. Parents value the support the nursery offers in toilet training. Very good attention is paid to ensuring food preparation and toilet areas are kept clean at all times. Babies and younger children’s health is supported by their individual routines for feeding and sleep times. There are good procedures for administering medicines and the recording of accidents, the details of which are fully shared with the parent concerned. Parents’ value and children benefit from, the speedy contact the nursery makes with them if a child is ill or upset.

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Helping children to be healthy

Healthy snacks are provided and the nursery ensures children have regular drinks, even when they are reluctant. Children bring their own packed lunches which can be heated and staff are vigilant that the food is at the correct temperature. Parents support the nursery well in their encouragement of eating healthy foods. Lunch times are social occasions when key workers eat with groups of children. Children’s manners and eating habits are excellent and behaviour in the toddler room at lunch time is outstanding. Younger children use high chairs and feed themselves well. All staff are trained in handling and lifting children and provide very good support for children with specific physical needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children’s access to physical activity is good. Children regularly use the soft play area and spend two sessions outside each day when the weather allows. Toddlers and pre-school children ride a variety of wheeled toys safely and considerately. They love watching the college students playing on the school’s sports field. Older nursery children are aware of the importance of exercise. The youngest children have a variety of resources in their room which encourages progress in their physical development.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children safety is effectively promoted and staff pay good attention to children’s safety and welfare. They are vigilant of all activities, including those that take place outside, to ensure children are not at risk. Regular fire drills and risk assessments take place and the nursery benefits from the fact that college maintenance staff are able to respond immediately to many concerns. The college minibus, which is used to transport children to off-site activities, is well maintained and fitted with suitable restraints for children of this age.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

A comprehensive range of policies ensures procedures are fully in place to safeguard children in the diverse activities they undertake. Staff are very well trained in first aid and their awareness of child-protection procedures are good, with senior staff having special expertise in this area. The nursery has its own special educational needs co-ordinator who helps to ensure children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are safely looked after. Resources in each room are appropriate for the children’s age and interests.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

From the time they start in the nursery, children develop a growing awareness of how to keep themselves safe. Older children know which areas and resources are out of bounds to them and are learning to use equipment, such as scissors safely.

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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 The systems for monitoring children’s attendance in the nursery are good. Procedures for checking on adults other than parents who might come to pick up a child are effective in keeping children safe from harm. The sleep rooms are well organised and provide a safe and relaxing environment. Children sleep safely, as good systems for checking on them while they sleep are consistently and effectively implemented by all staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children have lots of fun in the nursery and enjoy coming. Staff are very caring and love being with the children who settle well and participate in all activities enthusiastically. Staff interact with children well, prompting and probing to help children discover things for themselves. There is a genuine sense of delight when a child completes a difficult task, such as finishing a puzzle. In the baby room, there are a wealth of activities which encourage their curiosity and awareness of the world around them. The ‘treasure baskets’ are exceptionally well used in helping babies to explore objects of different materials or associated special themes, such as Christmas. The youngest children love looking at the photographs of other babies displayed in the nappy changing area, although less use is made of photographs to help children recognise how well they are doing. As children move up to the toddler room, they learn to co-operate

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

with each other in activities, such as acting out a pirate story or in role playing telephone conversations. They become very enthusiastic about stories and are keen to look at books with adults. Children’s concentration increases and they persevere with tasks such as threading a row of beads.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning are good. Pre-school children are taught well in a stimulating and challenging learning environment. Staff are well qualified and very skilled at engaging children’s interest. For example, story times often include props that help children’s participation and encourage their comprehension skills. Adults use resources very well to support learning. The children were hugely delighted when the puppet crow mistakenly called a ‘cat’ a ‘bat’ and were very keen to correct him. Activities such as these help children develop a good understanding of letter sounds.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff engage in lots of talk with children, they are skilled in asking open questions and inviting children’s views on many activities. Children develop confidence and are willing to try new things. They enjoy copying letters to write out rules and some even try writing on their own. Children take part in a wide range of interesting activities, for example pond dipping, counting games, music and drama activities and pottery. Skills in holding a pencil and using scissors and brushes are developed well.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Progress across all areas of learning is good. Children are well prepared for when they start at primary school. Children’s progress is assessed effectively against their stepping stones in learning and the information used appropriately to help plan future activities. Staff are beginning to improve their planning of activities to capitalise on individual children’s skills and interests, although it is at the early stages of development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. An effective key worker system means all children have an adult who they can relate to well. The key worker also moves rooms with the children for a settling in period. This, together with

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 the very positive ethos and caring environment, helps children begin to develop confidence and self-esteem from the time they start.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents value the close links they have with staff in maintaining a consistent approach, such as in managing children’s behaviour. Children’s behaviour is very good and often exemplary and is remarked on by many visitors. Children are good at taking turns and sharing resources. Children are keen to take on responsibility, and some become upset when it is not their turn to be a monitor. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. They are excited about what happens in the world around them, for example, when watching chicks hatch. They learn about other cultures, for example in stories from India or Africa.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff sensitively correct children’s errors and are quick to praise their success. As a result children develop self-esteem and the confidence to try new things. A great deal of photographic evidence is collected and used to assess children’s progress and inform parents. However, not enough use is made of the photographs to show children how well they are doing and to celebrate their success. Children’s work is displayed, but often at a height which makes it difficult for them to look at closely.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The nursery has a productive partnership with parents. They are well informed on nursery provision and procedures and their suggestions are welcomed and acted on where possible. Parents of children in the baby room receive good information on their child’s day. Although the nursery does not hold formal consultations with parents on other children’s progress parents say they are well informed through regular conversations with the child’s key worker. The partnership of parents and carers for nursery education is good.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The nursery supervisor is responsible for the day to day management of nursery, and is a good role model for her staff. She leads a well qualified, experienced and hard working staff team who work effectively together. The nursery is well organised and there is a consistent approach to care and learning which benefits children well. All mandatory documentation, policies, procedures and permissions are in place. These are reviewed regularly, agreed by all staff and held securely. Staff’s enjoyment in working with the children is very evident, this is valued by both children and their parents. The result is a nursery where children are safe, happy and well motivated and consequently develop well.

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Organisation

The nursery benefits significantly from its close links with the college which shares the accommodation and where the majority of parents work. Many of the college facilities, such as the large area for outdoor activities benefit children well. College students support the nursery in many ways, for example, a student designed and made a ‘boat’ which children enjoy using in role play.

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Organisation

Leadership and management of the nursery education is good. Good monitoring and evaluation of the provision and the commitment to continuous professional development help the nursery to regularly update and extend its provision. Staff enthusiastically take on new enterprises and the provision of ‘treasure baskets’ in the baby room is one example of recent innovation.

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Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider agreed to address the following areas.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Make sure the register is clear, and shows the times of arrival and departure for staff and children. This is now completed in a format for easy cross checking who is responsible for children’s care during the time they are present.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Improve the nappy changing procedures in the toddler room. This has been addressed well and procedures are well organised and hygienic.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Make sure that medication records are confidential, and parental signatures are obtained. This has been addressed well. Derails are held securely and signed by parents.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Develop planning, recording and assessment linked to the stepping stones, to ensure that each child is provided with opportunities to support their progress in learning and to ensure that staff are aware of exactly what children are expected to learn from planned activities. Planning is good and staff plan effectively for children’s progress through the stepping stones.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Enhance teaching methods to ensure that staff extend children’s learning in everyday situations. Interaction with children is good and staff are swift to move them on to the next steps if they have succeeded in a task.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Improve upon the organisation of resources so that children are able to extend the activities on offer themselves and select their own materials and tools. This has been done well. From a young age children work confidently on their own and as they develop are confident in selecting their own resources.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Provide opportunities for parents to be more involved in their children’s learning and to share the progress in their children’s development with staff. This is been addressed satisfactorily. There are many informal opportunities for parents to learn about their children’s development and staff indicate how they can be involved in helping their children learn.

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Improvements since the last inspection

There is a commitment to continuous improvement which benefits children well.

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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. 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): • provide further opportunities to help children recognise and celebrate their achievements

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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): • continue to develop ways of incorporating individual children’s skills and interests when planning activities.

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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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