Prior Heath Nursery & K ClubOfsted inspection, 25 Sept 2007

Prior Heath Nursery & "K" Club Inspection report for early years provision

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EY349088 Unique Reference Number 25 September 2007 Inspection date Nicola Hill Inspector

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Prior Heath School, 4 Prior Road, CAMBERLEY, Surrey, GU15 1DA Setting Address

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E-mail

PA Childcare Ltd. Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Out of School 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?

Prior Heath Nursery and 'K' Club is privately owned by PA Childcare Ltd. It was re-registered in 2007 as a limited company, but has been in operation since 1997. The nursery and club are situated in the grounds of Prior Heath School in Camberley, Surrey. The nursery consists of two units called Butterflies and Ladybirds. One of the units is registered for the ‘K’ Club, which is a before and after school club and summer camp. Children have use of an enclosed outdoor play area, and suitable toilet and kitchen facilities are available.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery and club serve the needs of families in the area and the local community. The nursery is registered to care for a maximum of 44 children aged between two and under five years. There are currently 93 children on roll. This includes 52 funded three-year-olds and seven funded four-year-olds. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, term time only. Butterflies operates from 09.00 to 15.00 and Ladybirds from 09.00 to 14.00. There are two children currently attending with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and three children speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 The ‘K’ Club is also able to support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. It is registered to care for a maximum of 20 children aged between four and eight years. The club operates each weekday, term time only from 08.00 to 08.40 and 14.50 to 17.30. The summer camp operates from 08.00 to 17.00 for two weeks during the summer holidays. It is registered to care for a maximum of 16 children aged between four and eight years. The out of school facilities have a total of 26 children on roll.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 19 full-time and one part-time staff currently working with the children at the nursery, nine of whom hold a recognised early years qualification. Seven members of staff are employed to work with the children at the ‘K’ Club, four of whom hold relevant qualifications. The setting receives support through a teacher mentor from the school and the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are accommodated in premises that are clean, comfortable, and well-maintained. They stay healthy and are well protected from the spread of cross-infection due to the staff’s vigilance and well maintained procedures for cleaning. For example, staff clean tables with anti-bacterial spray before mealtimes and wear gloves when changing nappies. Children learn good hygiene practices as staff remind them to wash their hands before mealtimes and before cooking activities. Older children understand the reasons for doing this, as they talk about their hands having germs on them and that they will get tummy ache if they don’t wash their hands. A clear written policy regarding sick children, information on communicable diseases and the effective recording of all accidents and administered medication, promotes children’s health and well-being. Children are well protected in the event of an accident as all staff have current

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Helping children to be healthy

first aid qualifications, have quick access to a first aid box and permission has been sought to obtain emergency medical care.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff seek details of the children’s dietary needs and allergies before the onset of care, which enables them to meet children’s individual needs. Children at the ‘K’ Club understand the importance of taking regular drinks as a way to maintain their health, and confidently help themselves to water from the water dispenser. Children bring breakfast and healthy snacks for after school from home. Staff understand the importance of having a good meal before the school day starts and will stay on at the club to ensure children have eaten before they are taken over to the school. Children at the nursery learn about healthy eating, as staff encourage parents to provide healthy and nutritious snacks to be shared at the group, such as banana, satsuma, strawberries and apple. They also have independent access to drinking water and have a choice of juice, water or milk at snack times. Most children enjoy the provision of a lunch

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Helping children to be healthy

session, with parents supplying a packed lunch so that their children can benefit from this social time. Staff work with parents to ensure all are promoting a healthy diet.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a good range of fun activities, which contribute to their good health. Each nursery unit plans both indoor and outdoor activities to help promote children’s physical development and help them gain increasing control over their bodies. For example, they go into the school hall for group games, music and movement sessions and use of the apparatus. Children also use the school playing fields, nature trail and enclosed gardens adjacent to each unit. Children have lots of fun playing ‘Duck Duck Goose’, throwing and catching balls and riding a range of wheeled toys. Children attending the ‘K’ Club, also participate in a range of

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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 activities to help them develop and use their physical skills. They learn about the importance of activity in a healthy lifestyle as they join in free-play and organised activities, such as football, team games and parachute games and use the equipment in the Ladybird’s garden.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children attending the nursery are welcomed into a well organised, child friendly environment. Friendly staff, displays of children’s photographs and work and a range of inviting activities that are already set out, provide a stimulating atmosphere. The layout of both nursery units and the low storage of resources, enables the children to self-select their own play equipment and access different areas for play. For example, children choose to play in the home corner, look at books, paint at the easel and take part in art and craft activities. Children at the ‘K’ Club are also familiar with the setting layout and move freely and safely between activities. They have use of some of the nursery equipment, but can also access toys and resources more geared to their age group. The club have their own display board on which to display the children’s artwork, which helps them to feel a sense of belonging and a sense of ownership

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There are effective procedures in place to ensure children's safety on outings and minimise risks within the nursery and ‘K’ Club. The premises are kept secure and daily checks of the area are carried out, although these are not formally recorded. Staff are vigilant in observing the whereabouts of children and position themselves appropriately both inside and out to ensure all children are well supervised. They take head counts at regular intervals and escort the ‘K’ Club children to the school building to ensure they arrive safely. Children are able to develop an awareness of their own safety within the nursery and ‘K’ Club as staff talk to them about safety issues, such as why they should not fire a toy cannon towards other people. They learn to protect themselves in the event of a fire or emergency through regularly practising the fire evacuation procedure. However, there is no formal fire log where staff can record their

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are suitably protected from harm because staff have a secure understanding of issues relating to child protection and their responsibility if they have any concerns about a child's welfare. All staff have a clear understanding of the known indicators of abuse. However, they have not recorded all incidents of existing injuries when children have arrived at the setting, which may impact on any future child protection concerns and does not protect staff members from allegations.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their time at the ‘K’ Club and are happy and enthusiastic to attend. They receive a warm welcome on arrival, and eagerly share their news of the day with staff who are attentive, building children's self-confidence and feeling of belonging. The children have fun, involve staff in their play and feel able to approach staff for support. Careful planning by the staff, ensures that all activities are appealing and fun, and build upon the children's own interests, recognising their needs outside of the school day. The current theme of 'Dinosaurs' has resulted in a bright, colourful display of children's work. Children have also had fun making dinosaur biscuits and flying pterodactyl models. They happily play with a range of toys and resources, such as board games, Lego, action figures and the karaoke machine, and enjoy a movie night

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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 each Friday, with the staff providing a DVD and popcorn. Staff involve themselves in the children's chosen activities and spend time chatting and playing with them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children attending the nursery arrive eagerly, and are ready to start their busy session of play and learning and evidently enjoy themselves. The staff work hard to support new parents and children in the separation process, and as a result, children settle quickly. Staff develop caring relationships with those younger children who are not in receipt of nursery funding, in order to support their emotional needs. As a consequence, children's sense of security and well-being are increased and they become confident to explore the environment and engage in activities that support their play, learning and development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff are starting to implement the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework and are therefore incorporating the Birth to three matters framework effectively to help observe and assess children under three years, plan good learning opportunities and allow children to learn at their own pace. Young children begin to play happily with each other and with adults and they enjoy a range of sensory and exploratory experiences, such as painting and playing with the sand, water and scented playdough. They participate enthusiastically in songs and rhymes, select books, engage in role play and have lots of fun playing games, such as ‘Duck Duck Goose’ in the school hall.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. The children's personal, social and emotional development is fostered well and underpins all other aspects of their learning. Children show confidence in being without their main carer and form good relationships with adults and their peers. They eagerly show visitors around the nursery building, pointing out where they keep their coats and store their work. Children interact cooperatively during group activities and politely say ‘good morning’ to staff when the register is taken. They show high levels of concentration and involvement in activities, and develop good levels of independence as they attend to personal hygiene without reminders from staff and pour their own drinks at snack. Children enjoy books and show good interest in stories read by adults. They confidently talk in large groups about the items they have brought in for show and tell and respond well to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

open ended questions posed by staff. Children have generally good opportunities to recognise their own name as they self-register at the beginning of the session. They have some opportunities to practise emergent writing, although this is not fully promoted during everyday activities, such as role play, and children's names are sometimes written for them on their work.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children gain confidence in using numbers and patterns as they take part in number songs and action rhymes. They talk about their ages and recognise and name colours and shapes. Children’s mathematical development is encouraged well as they learn about numbers and counting in the daily routine. For example, they count how many children are present at circle time and think about what number comes next when they are talking about the date. Planned activities offer a range of practical experiences to enable the children to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world. They explore the texture of dough, sand and water, and investigate changes as they cook, mixing the ingredients together to see what happens. Children are developing a good understanding of time as they talk about the date and the weather. They learn about their environment as they go on bus trips to the shops and raise caterpillars into

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

butterflies in a butterfly garden. Children often meet visitors from the local community, such as fire fighters, the police and a pilot, and are gaining a good awareness of technology as they competently use the mouse to draw pictures on the computer.

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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 Children's physical development is well promoted and they enjoy a wide range of activities that help them to develop their confidence and skills when using large and small apparatus, tools and equipment. They move confidently with good spatial awareness and handle scissors, paint brushes and playdough tools competently and safely. Children's fine motor skills are also developing well as they take part in a range of activities which require hand-eye coordination, such as hammering nails into wood and threading beads. Children enjoy opportunities to enhance their creative development as they paint and draw. They thoroughly enjoy a musical painting session where they dance around the table to music, pretending to be different sea creatures. When the music stops, they rush to the table to paint with their fingers on the paper provided,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and laugh as they become covered in paint. Children enjoy imaginary play in the home corner, which is changed regularly to fit the current theme, such as a spaceship, a travel agency and the vets. Singing is another favourite activity, with children enthusiastically taking part in familiar and favourite action rhymes and songs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children make good progress towards the early learning goals as staff have a secure understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum. They understand how children learn effectively and use their self-chosen play to extend their learning. Staff get fully involved in the children's activities and position themselves well around the nursery room to support and assist as necessary. Good, skilful questioning is evident throughout the sessions, where staff use their knowledge of individual children to challenge and extend their learning within the daily routine.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff plan a varied, interesting and challenging programme of activities across all six areas of learning. Staff know the children well and adapt the activities and experiences they plan, ensuring effective support or challenge is provided to all children. However, staff in the Butterflies unit do not complete structured activity plans before the actual activity takes place, meaning it would not always be clear to covering staff or volunteers, how the planned activities can be extended or simplified to meet the learning needs of all children. Staff make observations during each structured activity and these are then used to inform the planning for the next week. Children's developmental records are updated regularly with observations and children's artwork, which provide a clear picture of children's progress throughout their time at the nursery.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are welcomed and included within the setting. Their individual personalities and needs are well known and respected by staff. Children play an active part in the provision, making choices about activities they wish to participate in, and helping to tidy away resources. They have access to a good range of resources and planned activities to help them gain an awareness of diversity, although images that reflect diversity around the nursery rooms are limited. Staff seek to provide an inclusive environment for all children and are experienced in sensitively meeting children's additional needs which they do by working in close partnership with parents and other professionals. There are sound procedures in place to ensure that the individual needs of children speaking English as an additional language are met.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are confident and have high self-esteem as they are continuously praised by staff for their achievements. The staff act as positive role models for the children and provide clear and consistent boundaries, which help the children to feel secure in their environment. Methods used for managing children's behaviour are appropriate to the ages of the children attending. Children at the ‘K’ Club have good manners and play harmoniously together, with older children offering to help the younger children put their models together. Children at the nursery

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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 confidently talk about the rules and know to stop and listen when a member of staff says ‘Freeze Please’. They are considerate and thoughtful in their play. For example, one older child shows a younger two-year-old how to cross his legs at circle time. The setting fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children at the ‘K’ Club and nursery feel a sense of belonging as the staff work well with parents to identify their needs, special interests and dislikes. Parents are required to complete registration forms, which supply necessary information, such as emergency contact details and medical needs. Staff make parents feel welcome and take time to talk and listen to them about their children. Parents receive regular information about the ‘K’ Club and nursery through newsletters and information displayed on the parent notice board. They speak highly of the group and staff and feel they are friendly and caring. Parents comment that the level of care is superb and that staff provide a pleasant and busy environment for the children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of children receiving nursery education is good. Parents receive detailed information about the Foundation Stage curriculum as part of the nursery prospectus, and are kept informed about the ongoing curriculum and activities their child is involved in each week through plans displayed on the notice board. Parents often help their child to search at home for items that relate to the colour or shape of the week. However, they are not regularly provided with suggestions of activities and experiences to try at home that link to the current topic, which would enable them to further support and share in their child's learning. Parents have good opportunities, both planned and informal, to discuss and review children's educational records and identified learning targets. Keyworker meetings are also held each year for parents of children who are leaving to go to school.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Well organised deployment of staff provides children with stable levels of care. Children are protected because the recruitment procedures are thorough and ensure that all staff are safe and suitable to be in contact with children. There are suitable numbers of staff with childcare qualifications and relative training, such as first aid, to support the care and well-being of children. Training and development needs are identified by the staff team through annual appraisals. However, the manager does not hold training and development records for each staff member, meaning there is no clear system to monitor the training that staff have attended, and help the manager highlight areas for development.

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Organisation

The staff work well together and demonstrate enthusiasm for creating a safe and secure learning environment that stimulates children. Both the nursery and ‘K’ Club have a set of policies, which are readily accessible to parents, although not always appropriately maintained. These detail procedures that are designed to keep children healthy and maintain their well-being, including procedures for lost or uncollected children, complaints and child protection. Other documentation and parental consents, which also contribute to the safety and welfare of children are all in place. However, the attendance registers for both staff and children, do not clearly record their actual times of arrival and departure.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education is good. There is a strong commitment by the manager to develop the provision to promote learning in all areas. The staff support this and are skilled in their roles, having a good knowledge of the Foundation Stage. The staff work well as a team and hold regular meetings to discuss ongoing practice, daily issues, planning

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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 and children's development. Overall, the setting 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.

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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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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): • further improve existing arrangements for maintaining children's safety by maintaining a formal fire log book and ensuring any existing injuries when a child arrives at the setting are recorded • improve organisation of documentation by ensuring the registers for the nursery and 'K' Club clearly record staff and children's attendance times • further improve the existing arrangements for ensuring the ongoing suitability of staff by maintaining a training and development record for each staff member.

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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): • improve opportunities for children to practise writing and recognising letters in their names and develop writing for a variety of purposes • improve the current planning systems so that staff in the Butterflies unit complete their daily activity plans before the activity takes place, therefore giving a clear learning intention • further develop the partnership with parents by providing them with information about planned topics and relevant activities they might like to try at home with their child in order to help them support their child's learning outside the setting.

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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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