Granta Park Day Nursery

Granta Park Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Granta Park Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number 259680 Inspection date 17 October 2005 Inspector Veronica Sharpe / Emma Bright

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Granta Park Day Nursery

Setting Address Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, CB1 6GP Telephone number 01223 471010 E-mail grantapark@ntl.com Registered person Kids Out of Hours Ltd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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Granta Park Day Nursery

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 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve. The registered person does not meet 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Granta Park Day Nursery opened in 2001. It operates from purpose built single-storey premises on an industrial estate near Great Abington, near Cambridge. The nursery mainly serves the businesses in the local area although children attend from the wider area. Children are organised in 4 units according to their age and

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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 have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 35 children aged from 0 to 5 years on roll. This includes 2 children who are eligible for nursery education funding. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group currently supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The group opens 5 days a week, for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 07:30 until 18:30. There are 15 members of staff working with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications in childcare. There is 1 member of staff currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. The nursery is part of a small chain of nurseries operated as Sunhill Daycare (Europe) Ltd.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is inadequate. Children's health and safety is compromised because staff have inconsistent routines and often fail to follow basic hygiene procedures. For example, although staff use gloves when nappy changing they do not change gloves between changes nor wipe down the changing mats, which means children are at high risk of cross infection. Some areas of the nursery are not cleaned sufficiently well to ensure children play in a healthy and hygienic environment. Some children learn about personal hygiene by washing hands before the main meal, however this is not consistent in all areas, for example, children do not always wash their hands appropriately before snacks or after using the potty. Some children learn about space and play active games outside. However, insufficient time is allocated to allow children to fully benefit from the interesting and attractive outdoor environment. Toys and equipment used by the children are, in

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Helping children to be healthy

some areas, dirty and not organised to attract children's interest and therefore lie neglected and unused. Older children move in a controlled way when running and show a good sense of space for example, when riding trikes to avoid collision. Children rarely use tools that help them develop their manipulative skills, such as scissors, rolling pins or cutters. Necessary documentation is in place to ensure staff are informed about children's medical needs and parental consents have been obtained so appropriate treatment can be administered as required. Children's health and safety is at risk because in some areas medicines are stored inappropriately, are not labelled with children's names and staff are unaware who they are intended for. Children enjoy varied and plentiful cooked meals although these are not always designed to be nutritionally sound. Children's ability to make healthy choices at snack times is limited as they are only offered a biscuit and milk. Babies are offered

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Helping children to be healthy

adequate amounts of water, although this is generally only at meal times. Older

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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 children are not adequately hydrated as they are offered water only at lunch times and have no opportunities to access water independently at other times and therefore meet their own needs. Children's special dietary requirements are taken into account and allergies are known to staff. Babies are able to feed, be active or sleep according to their individual needs as they enjoy a flexible routine where parents' and carer's wishes are taken into account. Children generally can rest or be active appropriately as staff are beginning to be aware of their individual needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is inadequate. Children are cared for in a secure indoor and outdoor environment, for example the front door has a coded lock for entry and gates are locked to prevent unauthorised access. However, children do not play in a safe environment because staff do not have an adequate understanding of how to identify and minimise risks and they are not fully aware of their responsibilities. Children's knowledge of fire safety procedures is adequate because they practise the fire drill. However the procedures have not been updated to take into account recent changes in nursery policy, for example that children do not wear shoes or alternative footwear, which could compromise children's safety in an emergency. Children play with resources and equipment that are generally safe and suitable for the age range. However the range of accessible equipment is limited so children are not always able to exercise their ability to choose. Children develop their physical

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

skills using a range of outdoor play equipment, such as bikes and trikes. Some of the equipment, such as a slide and water tray, is neglected and dirty, which means children are not encouraged to use and enjoy it. Children are protected because staff are generally secure in their knowledge of child protection and have a satisfactory understanding of the local Area Child Protection Procedures. Sufficient staff have current first aid training so children receive appropriate treatment in the event of an accident.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is inadequate. Children in all areas of the nursery are developing positive relationships with staff. Babies in particular settle quickly on arrival and respond well to the staff who sit and play with them and give them affectionate cuddles. Children in all areas of the nursery enjoy listening to stories, younger children enjoy songs and know some of them well. Staff encourage children to handle books and older children choose some books independently. To improve the outcomes for younger children staff are beginning to implement the 'Birth to three matters' framework. In some areas children benefit from a limited range

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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 of organised activities that are suitable for their age and stage and development. However, generally activities and routines do not take into account children's individual needs, for example, the timing of whole group activities sometimes extends well beyond children's ability to listen and concentrate. Children's ability to make independent choices is limited by insufficient accessible resources and the level of planned adult directed activities. Arts and crafts in particular, because of the high levels of adult input offer children insufficient challenge and inhibits children's need to create, experiment and learn independently. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is inadequate. Staff do not have a sufficient knowledge and understanding of the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and how children learn. This lack of knowledge means that not enough activities are planned to truly interest the children. As a result children are being given too few opportunities to acquire new knowledge and skills. Planning is in place, but is not clearly implemented to ensure that children learn through a range of interesting and rich experiences. Children’s achievements are linked to the stepping stones. However, the assessment records have not been sufficiently developed to fully record children’s achievements and planning for the next step in their learning. Parents do not have sufficient opportunities to contribute, sharing what they know about their child's abilities. This means that staff have an incomplete picture of children's attainments; consequently most of the activities lack challenge and stimulation. Children’s behaviour is generally good and they have formed good relationships with

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

one another. Children are interested in what they do in activities that encourage them to use their imagination and independence, for example they enjoy painting their own pictures and talking about them. However, children are not able to independently access a full range of activities and resources that support their learning and enable them to develop their play. Children generally communicate well with adults and each other. They enjoy books, reading together and listen well to stories. However, children’s early writing skills are poorly catered for as there are limited accessible resources for all children to practise this skill in a variety of everyday situations. Children demonstrate an understanding of numbers and counting. However, this is not consistently supported in the daily routine to help children develop and practise this skill, which means children do not use their mathematical skills readily to solve

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

problems. Children’s creative skills are not well supported and they have limited opportunities to express and develop their own ideas because few resources are available for them to access. Overall, children do not make good progress in all areas of learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is inadequate. Routines for younger children and babies take into account their individual needs, for example babies sleep and eat according to their home routines as discussed 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 parents or carers. Staff are developing positive relationships, especially with the younger children. They are aware of children's likes and dislikes and discuss their physical needs with parents or carers. Settling in systems should ensure children settle happily into the nursery, however, these are not always applied to benefit the child. Children are unable to develop their understanding and knowledge of other lifestyles and cultures as there are no resources, such as posters or photographs to show them positive images of diversity. Activities and resources do not reflect the backgrounds of the children who attend, which inhibits their ability to value and respect their own and each other's culture. Children have insufficient access to resources and this impacts on their ability to make choices and develop their

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Helping children make a positive contribution

independence and self-esteem. Children's behaviour is satisfactory because staff show an understanding of appropriate behaviour management strategies, for example, they apply 'time-out' where necessary. Children are generally well behaved and have a sense of right and wrong although staff do not always take the time to help children understand why their behaviour is unacceptable. Parents and carers of younger children speak well of the setting and the staff. They receive information about the nursery policies and procedures and are comfortable with verbal feedback, which is given on a daily basis. A notice board keeps parents informed about events and nursery routines. A detailed information sheet is given to parents to complete on placement so that staff are aware of personal details and children's individual needs. The partnership with parents of children who receive nursery education is satisfactory. Parents receive some information about the Foundation Stage

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Helping children make a positive contribution

curriculum. However, parents have few opportunities to look at or contribute to their child's assessment record, sharing what they know their child can do at home. This means that children do not benefit from the sharing of information that would enhance their learning. The provision does not foster children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Organisation

The organisation is inadequate. Staff work hard and are keen to improve the outcomes for children, but an extended period of change means staff and management are inexperienced and lack the knowledge and confidence to implement effective and positive change. Inadequate organisation and deployment of resources, equipment and staffing limits children's capacity to develop and progress in all areas of the nursery. Children's independence is inhibited because they have limited access to resources and have few opportunities to make choices and decisions. Necessary policies and procedures are in place that meet the requirements of the

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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 National Standards, however, some of these are not implemented so that staff are informed and knowledgeable, for example, health and safety and this affects children's welfare. The leadership and management of the nursery education is inadequate. Too little is done to ensure that the range and quality of activities for all children is good enough, this had an adverse effect on their learning and development. Recent staff changes have had an impact on the provision. Although staff who work with the children in receipt of funding for nursery education are appropriately qualified, management have not ensured that they have sufficient knowledge of the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage to help children achieve well. The lack of clear direction and systematic monitoring of teaching and learning means gaps in children’s learning

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Organisation

continue unnoticed. Overall, the provision does not meet the needs of the children who attend.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the nursery was asked to inform parents about the child protection policy and review the accident policies & procedures. The child protection policy is shared with parents on placement and is included in the portfolio of policies and procedures displayed in the entrance hall for parents' information. Accident policies and procedures comply with the requirements of the National Standards and are implemented consistently by staff. A recommendation to ensure the support poles in the covered outdoor area are made safe has not been met. These still pose a risk to children. This continues as an action for the provider to improve the risk assessment in order to minimise hazards for children, with particular reference to children's footwear, the door in the home corner, medicines, stinging nettles in the garden, unlabelled food and milk for babies and supports for the covered outdoor area.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection, the provider agreed to develop the programme for communication, language and literacy and for mathematical development. These areas of learning have not been developed to ensure that children make good progress, and this is reflected in the outcome of this inspection.

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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. Since the last inspection in June 2004 the setting has had five complaints. In November 2004 a concern was raised regarding insufficient staffing ratios (Standard 2: Organisation). Ofsted investigated by carrying out an unannounced visit on 23/11/2004. An action was raised under Standard 2 to ensure an accurate record of all staff deployment is kept.

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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 In January 2005 a concern was raised about staffing ratios (Standard 2: Organisation) and staff changes that Ofsted had not been informed about (Standard 14: Documentation). Ofsted investigated by carrying out an unannounced visit on 20/01/2005. The provider was served with compliance notices for the following: Standard 1 (Suitability) ensure unvetted staff are not left alone with children. Standard 2 (Organisation) ensure the system for registering children and staff attendance on a daily basis is accurate and shows hours of attendance. St 2 (Organisation) ensure an accurate record of staff deployment is kept. Standard 14 (documentation) ensure staff changes are notified to Ofsted. An action was also raised under Standard 2 to ensure minimum staffing ratios are maintained at all times. Ofsted visited the setting on 27/01/2005 and were satisfied

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Complaints since the last inspection

that compliances and actions had been met. In February 2005 concerns were raised regarding staffing ratios (Standard 2: Organisation) that rooms were not open on time due to cleaning (Standard 4: Premises) and the way the setting had dealt with a complaint (Standard 12: Partnership with Parents). Ofsted were aware of staff shortages and were satisfied that action had been taken to address this. The provider was asked to do an internal investigation on the other aspects and report to Ofsted within 7 days. The provider supplied an action plan detailing how the issues were to be addressed. In May 2005 concerns were raised under Standard 2: Organisation, Standard 3: Care, Standard 6: Safety and Annex A: Care of babies. A visit was conducted on 25/05/2005 to investigate concerns. The provider was served with two compliance notices as following: Standard 2 (Organisation) demonstrate that an accurate system is in place for

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Complaints since the last inspection

registering children and staff attendance on a daily basis, showing hours of attendance. Standard 2 (Organisation) show that the records of attendance for both children and staff have been maintained on a daily basis. Actions were also raised: Standard 2 (Organisation) to make sure sufficient staff are working with each group of children, including those aged over 3 years to be able to support individual needs and maintain safety. Standard 6 (Safety) make sure children are unable to leave the play rooms without adult supervision; make sure electrical sockets which are not in use are inaccessible to children; make the floor covering at the top of the stairs safe; make the staff room inaccessible to children. A monitoring visit was made on 12/07/2005. Inspectors found that the compliance notices and actions were being met.

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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 In June 2005 Ofsted received a complaint under Standard 1: Suitability, Standard 2: Organisation, Standard 6: Safety, Standard 12: Partnership with parents. This related to supervision of children, staffing ratios, meeting children’s needs, reporting and recording accidents and communication with parents. Ofsted investigated by carrying out an unannounced visit on 13/06/2005. The inspectors found an accident had been dealt with and recorded appropriately and that there were sufficient staff supervising the children. A recommendation was raised for the provider to review the accident procedures and the accident policy.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider remains qualified for registration.

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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 inadequate - notice of action to improve. The registered person does not meet 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care, the registered person must take the following actions: • ensure staff take positive steps to promote children's good health by implementing consistent routines that prevent the spread of infection • ensure fresh drinking water is available to children at all times • improve the risk assessment to identify actions to be taken to minimize hazards on a regular basis. This refers particularly to children's footwear, the door in the home corner, medicines, stinging nettles in the garden, supports for the covered play area and unlabelled food and milk for babies • improve the range of resources that show children positive images of diversity. Ensure resources are accessible and reflect the backgrounds of the children who attend (this also applies to nursery education) • plan and provide a suitable range of activities for children, which is appropriate for their stage of development and based on their individual

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The quality and standards of the care

needs. Ensure activities take into account children's interests and provide choices that develop children's independence and enhance their confidence and self-esteem. (This also applies to the nursery education).

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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 These actions are set out in a notice of action to improve and must be completed by the date specified in the notice.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education, the registered person must take the following actions: • improve the quality of teaching by developing staff knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and develop the planning to ensure the six areas of learning are covered effectively • implement systems to monitor and evaluate the provision of nursery education to ensure children have access to good quality learning experiences • improve children's assessment records so they are informative. Ensure parents have further opportunities to contribute to their child's record in order to improve staff knowledge when planning the next stage in children's learning. These actions are set out in a notice of action to improve and must be completed by the date specified in the notice. The Department for Education and Skills and the local authority have been informed.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements 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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