Partou Roundhay Day Nursery & Pre-School

Primley Park Childrens Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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319393 Unique Reference Number 14 November 2007 Inspection date Christine Snowdon Inspector

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60 North Park Avenue, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS8 1HS Setting Address

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E-mail

Primley Park Childrens Nursery (Roundhay) 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?

Primley Park Childrens Nursery opened in 1999 and is one of three privately owned nurseries. It operates from a converted school in the Roundhay area of Leeds and serves the local community and surrounding areas. There are five rooms within the nursery which are used to provide childcare. There is a fully enclosed area for outdoor play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round, with the exception of bank holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year. Opening times are from 07.30 until 18.00. The nursery is registered to care for a maximum of 75 children and there are currently 107 children on roll, of which 17 are in receipt of nursery education funding. Children attend for a variety of sessions, both full time and part time. The setting supports children with disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 19 staff employed to work with the children including the manager. All but two of them hold early years qualifications of level 2 or 3. The setting receives support from a teacher mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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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. All children in the nursery are gaining a clear understanding of the importance of good hygiene practices. Older children independently visit the toilet themselves and deal with their own personal routines. Staff ensure younger children and babies are encouraged and supported well. For example, all babies' and toddlers' hands and faces are cleaned before and after meals. Staff ensure that children are cared for in a clean and hygienic environment and there are clear written routines for staff to follow when changing nappies. However, they do not always remember to clean down the mat between changes. Staff are vigilant at recognising any child who is feeling unwell and take effective steps to support them. Whilst staff clearly follow procedure and record any medication they are asked to administer by the parents, they do not ensure parents re-sign to acknowledge the entry. There is a clear sickness policy in place and

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Helping children to be healthy

the nursery keeps parents well informed of any childhood illness or health issues.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children develop a very positive attitude to being active in the outdoor areas. They enjoy the good range of physical activities that contribute well to their healthy lifestyle. They climb, swing and balance as they use the large apparatus. They enjoy the physical challenges as they develop their skills in a safe environment. For example, staff supervise and assist the children to gain confidence as they reach out and slide down the pole. Younger children enjoy the parachute game as they run excitedly underneath and follow directions. Indoors children show good hand–eye coordination as they use scissors, pencils, paintbrushes and tools correctly. Babies and young toddlers develop good coordination skills as they crawl around and use the furniture to pull themselves onto their feet to practise their early walking skills. They enjoy the singing sessions and attempt to clap their hands and follow the action rhymes.

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Helping children to be healthy

All children benefit from the healthy and nutritious diet they receive. All food is prepared and cooked on the premises using fresh foods and vegetables, for example, turkey with roast potatoes, cauliflower and gravy, followed by milk pudding. Babies' food is pureed according to their individual needs. Mealtimes are very sociable occasions when children chat happily with staff and their peers. Children thoroughly enjoy their meals and eat well, with some having second helpings. Fresh drinking water is readily available and there are effective procedures in place to ensure individual dietary needs are met.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a very safe and secure environment. The effective systems in place ensure that children can play freely and are safely supported by the vigilant staff. For example, the buzzer system into the nursery ensures no one enters without authorisation. All visitors' identifications are checked and their presence recorded. Children learn to keep themselves safe by taking part in regular fire drills and using tools, such as knives and scissors, safely. An in-depth risk assessment is undertaken at regular intervals along with unannounced checks carried out by managers from the company's other nurseries.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All areas in the nursery are welcoming and child-orientated. Children and parents are greeted warmly on arrival and children settle easily into the daily routine. The heating system comes on early to provide a warm and comfortable temperature on arrival. However, after the weekend closure and a cold night it was cool for a short period on the first day of the inspection. All

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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 areas are well resourced with toys and play equipment which promote the ages and stages of development very well. For example, all children have heuristic play opportunities and enjoy the various textures and smells of the natural materials. Most rooms have good-sized carpeted areas for children to sit and play in comfort. However, this is not so in the toddler room, and the pre-school carpet is stained. There is no domestic style furniture provided within the baby room to reflect home life experiences and assist staff to bottle feed babies in comfort. Several of the room door handles are loose and do not always close properly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected from harm because staff have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities to safeguard children. Staff and management are aware of what action they are required to take should they have any concerns. Policies and procedures are regularly updated and shared with parents.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children flourish and thoroughly enjoy their time at the nursery. They show a strong sense of belonging and are motivated and stimulated throughout their stay. Babies and young children benefit from the very positive interaction with the staff and enjoy the close contact with lots of hugs and cuddles. Staff have a clear and sound knowledge of the 'Birth to three matters' framework. They plan a stimulating range of activities and play experiences for all young children. For example, they get really excited as they hunt for items hidden in the large pile of paper strips. They throw the paper into the air onto their heads then roll on the floor and cover themselves over. They sit on the staff's knees, snuggling in as they look at the pictures in the book together. Babies love to watch themselves in the mirrors; they gurgle, wave and chuckle at their reflection whilst banging loudly with the whisk on the floor.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. A well balanced curriculum and easily accessible resources ensure children have a very positive range of learning experiences in a fun and enjoyable manner. Staff work effectively together on the planning and these are clearly linked to the areas of learning in the Foundation Stage. They make observations of the children and every child has their own individual attainment folder where their progress is well documented and supported with examples of work. Staff are skilled at bringing out children's interests and ideas and they incorporate these very well in the planning. They spend their time effectively by engaging and supporting the children in their play. Staff ask open-ended questions which promote children's thinking and positive discussion. For example, when talking about the author of the story, they ask the children if they know which other books she has written. They consider

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

this for a while then respond saying 'The Gruffalo', and another says it's their favourite story.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident and motivated learners; they exuberantly take part in all of the activities and those children who find this difficult are sensitively supported. They are starting to develop good levels of independence as they choose which activities to use, attempt to put on their own aprons and use the toilet themselves. However, children's independence is not fully challenged or promoted at snack and meal times. Children have a very good understanding of writing for a purpose. They write out a shopping list ready for making pizza and attempt to write their own names on their artwork. More able children write the labels for the kite wall display. They are starting to recognise their name in print and some recognise the label on their cup correctly. However, the limited use and small letters on the labels means this is not as effective as it could be. All children show a real interest in books and stories. They listen intently

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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 and learn new words and their meanings as staff read out the story with enthusiasm and skill. For example, staff ask children if they know what the word 'anxious' means; after a little more explanation children agree it means 'worried'.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children develop a good understanding of number as staff develop strategies to help the children recognise familiar numbers in their environment. Numbers are displayed around the areas, such as on the rocket board, number line and the magic number of the week. They count confidently and use number during their activities. For example, they count five chairs around the table and then up to ten with the two tables. They learn early calculation as they sing number rhymes, such as five cheeky monkeys. The more able children are gaining good levels of confidence and skill as they use the computer. They are able to recognise and name the various shapes, such as triangle, circle, square and rectangle, then move the shape to the matching space using the mouse with support from the staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children have a strong sense of exploration. They enjoy taking part in the senses game when they all wear blindfolds and tried to guess which foods are in the pots using only their smell. They learn about the changing season and how things grow. For example, they tell the inspector about the seeds they are growing, saying that they cut out the pumpkin seeds, put them in a pot with 'muck' and watered them. They enjoy digging in the garden area and playing in the autumn leaves. They enjoy singing and have a good repertoire of well-known songs and rhymes. Documentation shows they have regular music sessions and a visiting parent played the mandolin for them. Children are creative and enjoy experimenting with colour and textures. They use various fruit and vegetables for printing as they learn about healthy foods. They learn about mixing colours together to create a new colour. For example, staff ask them which colours

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

are needed to make purple and the children say blue and red. They confidently use paint, felt tip pens and pencils to create some lovely pictures and talk enthusiastically about what they have drawn.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Effective relationships with the parents provide staff with in-depth knowledge and information. This ensures that they have a clear understanding and appreciation for the uniqueness of each child so that they are fully included in the life of the setting. Cultural diversity is extremely well promoted within the nursery. Staff skilfully raise children's awareness to similarities and differences in a very positive way. They celebrate a wide range of festivals throughout the year and this term they will learn about Diwali, Hanukkah and Christmas. Children's behaviour is very good indeed. Staff are excellent role models and conduct themselves in a calm and caring manner. Children have very good manners and say please and thank you appropriately. Staff give gentle reminders when necessary and thank children for their responses. Children learn to share and take turns through the staff's effective strategies. For example, staff explain that

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Helping children make a positive contribution

football rules mean that they cannot pick the ball up and carry it around but it must stay on the ground for the team to kick. As a result, they happily share the ball. The children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit greatly from the nursery's clear commitment to a fully inclusive setting. All children enjoy the positive play and learning opportunities they take part in. Careful planning of activities and resources by staff ensures all children are fully included and achieve their learning potential. The setting works very effectively with outside agencies and other professionals to establish best practice and care for the children. There are individual education

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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 plans in place, along with other plans from various support agencies which staff closely adhere to.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. There are strong bonds with parents which contribute significantly to the children's well-being within the nursery. Staff work closely with parents and relationships are open, trusting, friendly and professional. This ensures that children are settled and there is good continuity of care. The nursery takes effective steps to ensure all parents are well informed about the setting and can access all the information. Parents recognise and value the care their children receive. This was demonstrated through very positive verbal and written responses during the inspection period.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. There is a clear management structure in place which offers support to staff at all levels. They have good appraisal systems in place which include formal meetings as well as regular 10 minute sessions with the manager. There is a good level of qualified staff within the team and they show commitment to their ongoing training and development. Regular staff meetings are held along with in-house training sessions. As a result, they are a cohesive and knowledgeable staff team. Children are protected because staff are appointed through rigorous and robust employment procedures. A comprehensive induction and probationary period forms a firm basis for staff employment. All documentation that underpins the setting is very well organised and all elements are covered.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is good. There is clear leadership within the setting and the manager spends time effectively working alongside the staff. There are clear systems in place to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the educational programme, which includes regular observations of children's progress and evaluation of the planned learning activities. Staff are very enthusiastic and knowledgeable with regards to planning the curriculum, and children's attainment records are kept up to date.

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Organisation

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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the nursery was required to make improvements with regards to the setting's policies and procedures. There are now clear procedures in place for the nursery to follow in the event of a missing or uncollected child. In addition, the child protection policy includes steps to be taken in the event of an allegation being made towards a member of staff and staff have a sound knowledge of procedures. The improved risk assessments cover all areas of the setting, which identify and minimise risks successfully.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Whilst there were no significant weaknesses raised at the last nursery education inspection, the nursery was asked to consolidating staff's knowledge and understanding of the stepping stones and the new assessment system. The current planning system is effective and involves the staff team in the planning, observations and assessments.

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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.

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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 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): • ensure all rooms have appropriate carpeted areas and these are clean and well maintained. Make sure door handles are in working order and domestic style furniture is provided within the baby room to promote normal life experiences • ensure effective systems are in place to maintain an appropriate temperature at all times • improve hygiene practice in relation to nappy changing procedures • obtain parents' signatures to acknowledge the entry when any medication is administered and ensure the medication procedure reflects this.

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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): • further promote children's independence at meal times • increase the opportunities for children to recognise and use their name cards.

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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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