Treetops Oakwood

Treetops Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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258424 Unique Reference Number 03 March 2008 Inspection date Ann Winifred Harrison Inspector

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382 Bishops Drive, Oakwood, Derby, Derbyshire, DE21 2DF Setting Address

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01332 281978 Telephone number oakwoodtreetops@yahoo E-mail Treetops Nurseries Limited Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are 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?

Treetops Day Nursery opened in 1991 and is part of the Treetops Nurseries group. It operates from self-contained premises in the Oakwood area of Derby. A maximum of 65 children may attend the nursery at anyone time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07:30 to 18:00 all year round. The out of school club is open before and after school during term time and during school holidays.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 161 children aged from three months to 11 years on roll. Of these, 30 children receive funding for early education. The nursery serves the local and surrounding area. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 19 members of staff. Of these, 16 hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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. Children are beginning to learn the importance of good personal hygiene and how to stay healthy. They learn from a very early age that they must wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. They know that they need to remove the germs that may make them poorly. The use of paper towels helps to reduce the risk of cross-infection. Children independently access tissues from dispensers and dispose of them in the bin. This helps to prevent the spread of infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

Good hygiene procedures throughout the setting ensure that children are cared for in a clean environment. For example, staff wash their hands before preparing or serving children's food. They wipe high chairs after each use and they cover tables with table cloths before children use them for meals and snacks. A no shoes policy in the playrooms further enhances the good hygiene in the setting. Babies health is protected through good nappy changing routines, as staff wear aprons and gloves when changing nappies and they wipe down the nappy changing mat after each use. All nappy changes are recorded to ensure that parents are well-informed. There are effective procedures in place to ensure children's physical care needs are met such as toileting, weaning and sleep routines to maintain consistency between home and nursery. Effective procedures are in place for sick and infectious children to prevent the spread of

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Helping children to be healthy

infection and help to keep children healthy. Accident and medication systems are fully understood by staff and all records are accurate and up to date. This keeps children healthy and safeguards their well-being.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are very well-nourished. They enjoy healthy meals and snacks which are freshly prepared on site. Meals include meat, fish, vegetarian options, fresh fruit, vegetables and pasta. On the day of inspection children enjoyed their lunch of chicken curry, rice and naan bread. Snacks include cheese, raisins, tomatoes and bread sticks. Meal times are a social occasion as children sit down together with staff to enjoy their food. All meals comply with any special dietary requirements to ensure children remain healthy. Staff work closely with parents to ensure dietary needs are met. Children are given regular drinks through the day and drinking water is available at all times. Older children can help themselves to drinks and they pour their own drinks at meal times. This ensures they can access drinks when they are thirsty and helps to promote their independence skills. Children are learning about healthy living through discussion

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Helping children to be healthy

with staff and planned topics. Staff talk to children about the importance of fruit, vegetables and water being good for them.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff use the 'Birth to three matters' framework and the curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage well, to provide a good range of physical play experiences for all children. Children use a wide range of equipment in the outdoor play area such as bikes and climbing equipment. They go on regular walks in the community and to the nearby park. They have regular opportunities to play in the indoor soft play area where they can play in the ball pool and climb on equipment. This enhances children's physical development.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children receive a very warm welcome from adults who ensure the environment is interesting and relaxing for them when they arrive. The resources and equipment are of good quality,

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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 clean, safe and appropriate for the age of children using them, and are displayed in an exciting and interesting way throughout the nursery. Good maintenance routines by staff ensure they remain clean and safe. Children learn how to keep themselves safe, for example, they understand that they must wear fluorescent jackets when going on outings so they are very visible to staff. They know that they must hold hands and stay close to staff. They know that they should not play with plastic bags because they are dangerous. They understand that only adults can put their baking into the oven as it is hot and may burn them.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are cared for in an environment where risks to children are limited through good safety and security procedures. Space is organised so children can move around freely and safely. No unauthorised persons are able to enter the setting because the staff are vigilant about checking identification of visitors. They follow procedures consistently to make sure children are only released into the care of named persons. Daily checks on the premises and equipment are made to ensure children are kept safe. Activities such as outings are risk assessed and adjustments are made where necessary. However, not all staff are aware of the procedure to follow if a child is lost. This means children's welfare is not fully protected. Children are well-supervised and staff ensure that adult to child ratios are maintained at all times. Adults are appropriately deployed, ensuring children experience consistent levels of supervision and support. Fire

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

evacuation procedures are fully understood by staff and are practised regularly. Consequently, children's safety is well-promoted.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is generally safeguarded and promoted. There is a clear child protection statement based on national and local child protection procedures. Adults have a good understanding of signs and symptoms of abuse and their responsibilities to report any concerns about a child in their care. However, staff are not all fully aware of the procedures to follow in the event of an allegation made against staff. This potentially compromises children's welfare. A number of staff hold first aid certificates which ensures any injuries are dealt with effectively.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The care, learning and play experiences for children are good. Children are secure in the nursery's welcoming environment and have positive relationships with staff which increases their sense of trust and well-being. They enter the group confidently and enjoy their time in the setting. An effective key-worker system ensures that children and babies are cared for by consistent staff. They benefit from familiar routines and staff are very attentive to their needs. The organisation of activities and routines encourages children to initiate their own play and follow their own interests, as they freely choose to spend time engaged in activities that interest them and motivate them. Young children take part in a wide range of well-planned activities. For example, they have great fun exploring sensory baskets and they enjoy sand and water play. Babies enjoy the feel of paint on their hands and feet and they enjoy musical toys and activity

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

centres. Staff provide a good variety of textures and sounds for them to experience such as plastic bottles with coloured water and rice for them to shake. Toddlers enjoy rolling out pastry and making jam tarts and finding plastic insects in jelly. They begin to use their imagination as they play in the role play area. They listen to stories, play with musical instruments and sing songs and rhymes which helps to develop their communication skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the 'Birth to three matters' framework and how children learn, which means they plan a comprehensive range of activities to offer variety to young children. An effective system of observation and assessment is in place and these are used to plan for children's next steps in learning. This helps children to make progress. Babies

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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 toddlers receive very good care as their individual needs are met. Staff in the out of school provision provide a good variety of resources for children to be able to choose what they want to do. Children are involved in planning the activities. For example, they enjoy working together to make models, play games and do baking activities. They are learning to cooperate and older children enjoy helping the younger children with activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of how children learn and use the stepping stones to clearly identify children's achievements in their individual profiles. Planning is good, links clearly to the stepping stones and ensures a wide range of activities and experiences are provided to extend children's leaning. Staff undertake detailed observations and assessments and they use these to inform planning for children's next steps in learning. Staff engage in children's play and challenge them by good use of questioning to extend their learning. For example, children are questioned about how they think they can join things together when making a tent in the garden with canes and sticky tape. Staff explain new words to children in stories such as, 'necessary' and encourage children to think about

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

what it is necessary for them to do. Children demonstrate their understanding by giving examples, such as, 'it is necessary for us to eat food' and 'it is necessary for us to go home'. Staff utilise everyday experiences that interest children and to help children learn, for example, they watch a near by crane and talk about how it helps the workmen to lift heavy objects. They make good use of resources to maximise children's learning opportunities such as cash registers, real fruit, telephones and tills in the fruit and vegetable shop. They use torches in a tent to help children understand light and dark. Behaviour is very well-managed and this results in a calm and caring environment for children. Any behaviour issues are dealt with sensitively and quietly. Staff discuss the nursery rules with the children and encourage them to be kind and to look after their toys.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children separate from their parents and carers with confidence. They form good relationships with staff and their peers, which promotes their sense of well-being. They sit well at registration time and are confident to share their news about what they have been doing at home. They concentrate well for long periods such as playing with the play dough and listening to stories. Children are confident and eager to learn. They excitedly come into the setting and initiate their own play. They are learning that print carries meaning through recognising their name on their name cards and seeing words in the environment. They listen well to stories, for example, they learn about nocturnal animals as they listen intently to a story about an owl who is frightened of the dark. Children confidently recall other animals that come out at night and what they might eat. They help themselves to story books as they take them into the tent to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

read with their peers. Children listen and recognise sounds as they sound out the first letter of their names and letters of the alphabet as they do jigsaws. They have regular opportunities to practise their emergent writing skills as they write their own name on their work and practise mark-making on the writing table which is well-supported by staff. Children understand and use numbers well. They count reliably to 10 and above, as they count the money in the shop and recognise the numbers in the outdoor area. They find numbered 'magic' stones that staff hide in the nursery. They begin to write numbers as they copy telephone numbers on to note pads in their imaginative play as they pretend to book cars into the garage to be mended.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children move confidently and are developing good coordination skills, and they show a good awareness of space as they negotiate pathways around the garden on their bikes. They learn to balance and climb on a climbing frame. Staff explain to them that exercise is good for them

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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 keeps them healthy. Children express themselves freely through painting and enjoy exploring many different textures such as sand, water and collage. Their imagination is well-developed as they play on the pizza delivery bike in the outdoor take away. They enjoy making models with recycled materials as they make a house from large boxes. Children are interested in the environment and are provided with a variety of activities which enable them to explore their surroundings, for example, going to post letters in the post box and planting bulbs in the garden. They are beginning to learn about time as they discuss how long they have for their turn on the computer and they discuss with staff what happens next and what they have already done. Children have good opportunities to access information communication and technology

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

equipment (ICT). They independently access the computer and confidently use the mouse to operate simple programmes. They use a digital camera to take photographs of each other in the dressing-up clothes.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children arrive happily and choose where they want to play. The carefully prepared environment and well-organised routine helps children to settle quickly and develop strong relationships with staff. As a result, children have a clear understanding of the boundaries in which they are cared for, helping them to learn right from wrong. They are learning to share and take turns with equipment, for example, they share construction toys and take turns when playing on bikes. As a result, children's behaviour is good. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children's individual needs are discussed with parents in detail. Any special requirements or information are discussed and verbal and written feedback are given each day. Any additional needs of children are recognised and met sensitively. As a result, adults demonstrate a strong commitment to providing an inclusive service that meets the needs

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's confidence and self-esteem are developed well by staff with very good use of praise and encouragement. For example, children are praised for tidying up and for responding to staff instructions. In addition, adults deploy themselves appropriately throughout the session to facilitate a free play environment. Children are able to self-select resources and imitate their own play. They hang their coats on their own peg and happily change into their own slippers when they come into the nursery. This helps to foster a sense of belonging. Children are beginning to learn about the wider world through well-planned activities and topics such as Chinese New Year and Diwali. They look at maps and globes as they explore the weather around the world. There are a range of resources to raise children's awareness of diversity, for example, dolls, books and posters. However, these are not always used consistently to help develop

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Helping children make a positive contribution

All children benefit from the very good partnership staff have developed with parents and carers to ensure their individual needs are met. Parents receive good written information on how the setting operates. Information about children's individual care needs are shared between staff and parents through the good settling-in procedure. Parents are invited to bring children for short sessions to settle them into the nursery. They have regular opportunities to talk to staff and to see the children's developmental progress files. They are also invited to a parents evening twice each year and receive daily written sheets on what the children have been doing. They are kept fully informed of what goes on in the setting through newsletters and notice boards. All children are valued and respected as individuals.

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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 partnership with parents and carers who receive nursery education funding is good. They receive good information on the educational programme provided for their children. They are given an information booklet about the 'Curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage' and the six areas of learning. Regular newsletters inform parents of current topics and suggestions of how they might help extend their child's learning at home. However, their involvement in initial assessments to find children's starting point is limited, which potentially restricts children progress. Parents are invited to consultation evenings and they can discuss their child's assessments and attainment with staff when they wish to do so. The consistency is further advanced by daily verbal feedback to ensure parents are informed about what their children

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The day-to-day organisation of the setting is very good and contributes to the positive outcomes for children. As a result, children are provided with good opportunities to access a broad range of interesting and stimulating activities to develop and support their learning. The majority of the staff hold relevant qualifications in childcare and education. They also continue to access regular short courses and in-house training to build on their skills and enhance their practice in the nursery. Recruitment and selection procedures are good and all the necessary checks are completed to ensure that staff are suitable to care for children. There is a strong commitment amongst the staff team to continue to improve the quality of care provided within the group. All of the mandatory documentation is in place. The certificate of registration is displayed, and as a result parents are easily able to confirm details of the nurseries registration.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is good. There is a clearly defined management chain in which each team member has a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Adults work well as a team and benefit from support and guidance from the senior staff. Systems for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the effectiveness of the nursery education within the setting are good. All staff contribute to the planning, and as a result children receive a broad and balanced range of learning opportunities to help move them on to their next steps in learning. Staff meetings and management meetings take place to regularly identify strengths and weaknesses. These are reflected upon and action is taken to consistently improve practice. Overall, children's needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection of care the provision was asked to: further develop effective deployment and organisation of resources to actively support children's play and learning; review risk assessments to ensure these effectively cover all aspects of the provision with particular regard to children's use of outdoor public steps to move between areas of the premises; ensure medication records include parental counter-signatures to acknowledge actual administration and develop arrangements to ensure a sickness exclusion policy is shared with parents; develop staff knowledge of child protection responsibilities and ensure the child protection policy is in line with local Area Child Protection Committee procedures, including relevant local contact details and appropriate procedures to be followed in the event of any allegation against staff.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the setting has undertaken a full refurbishment and resources have been updated and increased. Each room offers free choice to children and a good range of activities and resources. This ensures that children's play and learning is well-supported. Risk assessments have been reviewed and these are regularly updated for each trip or outing. Younger

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Improvements 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 children no longer use public steps to move between areas of the premises as they are all contained in the main building. Older children access the out of school building directly form the near by car park and do not use the public steps. This ensures children remain safe. A new medication procedure has been put into place and parents now sign the records to acknowledge entry. A sick children policy has been introduced and this is shared with parents. This helps to keep children healthy. The child protection policy has been reviewed in line with the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures and staff have received training in safeguarding children. However, not all staff are familiar with the procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation made against staff and this is carried forward to this inspection.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection of nursery education the provision was asked to: develop use of observations and assessments to inform short-term planning and ensure activities and teaching strategies are well-matched to children's stage of development and provide effective challenge and progression, particularly in relation to mathematical and physical development; develop the organisation and use of resources and daily routines, to provide more well-planned and purposeful opportunities for children to operate independently, extend and consolidate their learning and explore their own ideas to the fullest and continue to develop all relevant staff's confident and secure understanding of the stepping stones towards the early learning goals, and all aspects of children's learning.

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Improvements since the last inspection

To address this the setting has reviewed the system of observation and assessment and the detailed observations are used to inform short-term planning of activities. Children's individual next steps in learning are well-planned and their progress is recorded. Staff plan activities around all six areas of learning including mathematical and physical development. Children's independence is fostered well. They help themselves to drinks and pour their own drinks at snack time. They serve their own lunches and put on their own coats and shoes. Children are able to select where they play and most activities are instigated by the children. They have many opportunities to develop their own ideas, for example they make a tent in the garden from canes and sticky tape. Staff have a good understanding of the stepping stones and they make good use of these to help children to progress toward the early leaning goals.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection there have been two complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take action in order to meet the National Standards.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Concerns were raised regarding staff to child ratios and supervision. These concerns relate to National standard 2: Organisation and National Standard 6: Safety. In order to investigate the allegations, a Childcare Inspector visited the provider unannounced. During the visit the inspector interviewed the provider, made observations and reviewed policies and procedures. As a result of the enquiries made and evidence gathered, Ofsted is satisfied appropriate policies and procedures are in place and that the National Standards are being met in relation to National Standard 6. However, an action was set under National Standard 2, to ensure the registration system shows when staff leave the building and which staff are working in the different areas of the setting with children. The Provider was required to have addressed the action within a set timeframe. The action response was duly received and Ofsted is satisfied that the response

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Complaints since the last inspection

A complaint was raised with Ofsted regarding the behaviour of a member of staff at the provision. An Ofsted Childcare Inspector visited the provision to observe and discuss policies and procedures in relation to National Standard 1: Suitable person, National Standard 11:

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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 Behaviour and National Standard 12: Working in partnership with parents and carers. From information obtained during the inspection the provision were found to not be meeting National Standard 12 and have been given an action to ensure that appropriate and prompt action is taken on any concerns raised and a record of all complaints is maintained and Ofsted notified of significant events. The provider was required to have addressed the action within a set timeframe. The action response was duly received and Ofsted is satisfied that the response meets the National Standards. Ofsted can confirm that the provider remains qualified for registration.

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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): • increase staff's knowledge and understanding of the lost children policy • develop further staff's knowledge and understanding of the procedure to follow regarding allegations of abuse made against staff • develop further the resources that reflect diversity and use them consistently to promote children's understanding of others.

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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): • develop further the opportunities for parents to contribute to their child's initial assessments so that each child's interests and needs can be used as starting points for their teaching and learning.

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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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