Kindred Lowdham

Alphabet House Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

253312 Unique Reference Number 17 October 2007 Inspection date Janice Walker Inspector

p.1

Gunthorpe Road, Lowdham, Nottinghamshire, NG14 7EN Setting Address

p.1

E-mail

Anthony and Marie Brentford Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

p.1

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

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Alphabet House Day Nursery is one of two privately owned nurseries. It opened in 1991 and operates from a converted large detached house in the village of Lowdham in Nottinghamshire. There are four areas within the nursery where children are cared for in groups according to their age and level of ability. On the ground floor are rooms for the babies, young toddlers and older toddlers. The pre-school room is situated on the first floor. In the young toddler room daily activities are extended into the small adjoining outdoor area. There are two enclosed outdoor play areas adjacent to the building. There is a car park at the rear of the building for staff, parents and visitors.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is open each week day from 07.30 to 18.00. It is open all year round, closing only for Bank Holidays and for one week between Christmas and New Year. A maximum of 65 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 83 children on roll. Of these, 17 children receive funding for early education. Children attending come from the local and surrounding areas and attend a variety of sessions each week. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and disabilities. All children currently attending speak English as their first language.

p.2

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 nursery employs 14 members of staff. Of these, 12, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications and one is working towards a qualification. The setting receives support from the early years support team from the local authority. The nursery has recently been selected to participate in the ‘active minds movement programme’ which actively promotes mobility for babies.

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are cared for in an environment where staff implement effective cleaning routines and good hygiene practices to help minimise the risk of cross-infection. Policies relating to children who are ill and the practice of notifying parents of infectious illnesses help to support this. Children begin to gain an understanding of personal hygiene through effective adult support and daily routines. They know to clean their hands before and after meals and can easily access tissues to clean runny noses. Staff have a good understanding of children’s health needs with secure systems in place to ensure that these are met, for example, there is a clear policy regarding the administration of medication and a risk assessment is in place for children with severe allergies. The clearly displayed accident and emergency procedure in each room along with good systems for recording accidents and medication records, well-stocked first aid boxes and

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

a high proportion of staff with first aid qualifications, contribute to children’s immediate safety and welfare.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children are very well nourished. They have regular meals and freely access drinking water throughout the day. Pre-school children also have access to snacks such as dried fruit or fresh fruit or vegetable crudités at all times. The on-site cook prepares fresh, appetising, nutritious, home-cooked meals which take account of the individual needs of all children. Specific dietary needs are met and babies’ food is mixed to the required consistency. Menus for babies who are weaning introduce an extensive variety of fruit and vegetable purees such as butternut squash and cauliflower, sweet potato and celery.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children are making good progress in their physical development. Staff are beginning to use the ‘Birth to three matters’ framework to plan a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities to develop physical control. Indoors, young babies have ample space to move around and explore their toys. The setting is participating in the ‘active minds movement programme’ which is based on studies evidencing a link between babies’ early movement and later learning success. Staff actively encourage babies’ free movement through the practice of positioning them on the floor to roll and move independently along with the use of the programme’s equipment which supports their movement and control of their bodies in different ways. Younger toddlers are beginning to learn control of their bodies through regular access to soft play equipment, which they climb and balance on and through regular opportunities to dance and move to

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

music. Older toddlers follow instructions to songs such as sleeping bunnies, lying still when appropriate and jumping and bouncing with glee as they wake. All children, including babies, have regular access to the outdoors. Daily routines include times in the garden and children also enjoy trips to the local park and for walks around the local environment. In the garden, older children ride bicycles and scooters, steering skilfully around obstacles and develop their balancing skills as they move along the balancing beams. They develop their small hand skills through activities like threading and playing with peg boards. Nutritious daily drinks and meals help to support their understanding of a healthy diet.

p.3

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

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are looked after in a bright, inviting and well-maintained environment. They use good quality toys and there are sound systems in place to check that they remain safe for them to use. Most equipment is also maintained in good condition. Children are cared for in groups according to their age and level of ability which ensures that play materials are developmentally appropriate and staff pay good attention to safety issues when presenting toys and play materials, allowing adequate space between activities to minimise the risk of trips and falls. The provision of two separate outdoor play areas enables mixed age groups to safely access physical activities outdoors at the same time.

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff work in teams throughout the nursery, deploying themselves appropriately to ensure that they provide good levels of supervision. A range of risk assessments, along with daily room checks and checks of the outdoor area help to minimise the risk of accidents. Appropriate fire precautions are in place and there are good systems in place to ensure that children who are asleep remain closely monitored. A secure entry system to the building ensures that children are kept safe and secure when indoors. However, the main entrance to the setting leads directly into one of the children’s outdoor play areas and although careful consideration has been given to the positioning of the locks to help ensure children are not able to leave the premises unsupervised, they are not secure in ensuring that access to the premises is managed fully effectively. This potentially poses a possible risk to children playing outdoors from unauthorised

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children’s welfare is effectively promoted because staff have a sound awareness of their responsibilities regarding child protection. The designated member of staff has undertaken relevant training to develop her knowledge and understanding of issues and knows the relevant agencies to contact. Parents are made aware of the setting's procedures regarding child protection on admission to day care.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are confident, happy and enjoy their time at the nursery. School-age children enter exuberantly, keen to share their daily news with staff and to engage in their chosen activities. They play co-operatively with one another and enjoy being able to make their own decisions and freely select their games and activities. Sensitive settling-in procedures support young children’s initial separation from parents and formalised procedures for parents to meet key staff in each room as children move through the age groups eases these transitions. Staff are competent and confident, supporting children to settle well. They are kind and caring and through their ongoing reassurance, encouragement and praise, they establish warm and effective relationships with the children, enabling them to feel secure and develop a strong sense of their own self-worth. They know the children well and are sensitive to their needs and feelings,

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

meeting their individual needs by enabling them to eat and sleep according to their own routines.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff are making good use of the 'Birth to three matters' framework to enhance younger children’s experiences of daily routines and to plan a good range of age-appropriate activities for these children who enjoy a stimulating range of experiences where they learn through play. Younger children develop early communication skills as staff warmly interact with them at feeding times and during play. Strategically-placed toys and equipment actively encourage children’s attempts to move independently and the use of mirrors and bright colourful displays

p.4

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 capture their interest. Children develop their senses by freely exploring various substances such as jelly, cornflakes and wet and dry pasta and they explore different ways of using paint and other mediums to design and create. Toddlers exude confidence within their room, enthusiastically participating in large group activities such as dancing and singing. They know a wide selection of songs, they sing with gusto and excitedly join in the actions.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff have a sound understanding of the Foundation Stage and plan and provide a range of worthwhile activities. Planning systems however, are not yet fully effective in ensuring that all areas of learning are covered equally and sufficiently. Children's progress is monitored with some informative observations but the information gained is not yet effectively used to plan next steps for individual children, therefore, although planned activities identify learning intentions, they do not always provide an appropriate level of challenge. Initial assessment systems are not yet in place to ascertain children’s starting points at the beginning of the Foundation Stage, therefore children’s progress cannot yet be effectively evaluated. There are appropriate systems in place to support children with learning difficulties or disabilities and children respond well to staff’s consistent and

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

appropriate methods for managing behaviour. The organisation of daily routines ensures children have opportunities for indoor and outdoor play along with large and small group activities and these are mainly well-organised. There is a good emphasis on children’s choices and free play which encourages children’s independence.

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are settled, confident and ready to learn. They behave well as a result of the clear expectations set by staff and gentle reminders of the rules. Through group activities they learn to share and take turns and are keen to share their opinions and ideas. They form good relationships with staff and with each other and many of them play co-operatively together. They have good self-esteem which staff foster through the interest they show in children’s achievements and, the helper-of-the-day scheme. Some daily routines provide opportunities to encourage independence and self-help skills, such as children’s choice times. Children confidently talk to each other and adults, engaging in meaningful conversations, asking questions and seeking support when necessary. They enjoy story sessions; listening intently and eagerly contributing to ensuing discussions. They freely select from a wide range of age-appropriate

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

books, which helps to foster their enjoyment of reading. Children enjoy sounding out letters and confidently suggest words which begin with those letters. They are beginning to recognise their written name through good daily routines, such as finding their name card at the snack table. The writing table is well-equipped to support mark-making.

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Older children count confidently to 10 and some are beginning to recognise some numerals. Children practise their counting skills and explore concepts of shape, space and measure during planned activities, although practical learning opportunities that arise through routines, such as counting children present and singing number rhymes, are not regularly used. Children learn about growth and change through planned activities such as growing sunflowers, tomatoes and sweet peas and using natural resources to create seasonal displays. They are developing a good awareness of the use of information technology in everyday life. They confidently use the computer and freely explore the use of tills, calculators and battery toys. Their sense of time and place is enhanced as they welcome visitors such as firemen into the setting and enjoy regular trips into the community to visit resources such as the park and library. They learn about

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

the cultures and beliefs of other people through planned activities related to festivals. Children's creative skills are developing through an appropriate variety of activities such as box modelling, painting, construction and small world toys. They enjoy dance sessions with the visiting specialist,

p.5

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 often select ribbons for dancing and moving to music during free-choice times. Children use their imaginations well during role-play.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children behave well as staff are good role models. Effective systems are in place which promote positive behaviour and encourage them to care for each other, such as earning leaves or stars to display for acts of kindness and achieving personal goals. Staff manage unwanted behaviour appropriately and skilfully, taking into consideration their knowledge of individual children. High levels of support and attention help children to learn what is right and wrong. Children are valued and respected. Their art work is attractively displayed around the nursery and clearly named coat pegs, table mats and drawers for personal possessions help to develop a sense of belonging and of their own self-worth. Staff in the young toddler room support this particularly well through the use of photographs brought in by parents reflecting images of pets, relatives, toys and favourite objects and these young children eagerly share the book, showing great

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

excitement when they recognise familiar people and objects from home. There are effective systems and good links with parents and other professionals to support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Children are developing their awareness of the local community through planned activities such as walks around the local environment. They are also beginning to develop an awareness of the wider world by accessing a good range of play resources that reflect positive images of different cultures and by celebrating different festivals. Overall, children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff develop good relationships with parents, work effectively with them to share information about individual needs to ensure that these are met and maintain diaries to keep them informed of children’s daily activities. Parents have access to a good range of information about the setting. Notice boards along with twice annual newsletters and parent’s evenings keep them well informed about current issues within the setting and they have formal opportunities to voice their opinion about the setting through the parent questionnaires.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of children in receipt of funding for nursery education is good. Good information about the Foundation Stage is provided in the welcome booklet so parents develop an awareness of the curriculum and how children’s learning is supported in the setting and there are some opportunities for them to be involved in their child’s learning by bringing in artefacts from home. There are good systems in place to share information about children’s progress and development through regular parent’s evenings, although parents are not yet actively encouraged to formally share what they know about their children on admission to enable staff to evaluate their child’s progress effectively.

p.6

Organisation

The organisation is good. The effective organisation of the nursery enhances children’s care. Sound recruitment procedures ensure that staff are appropriately vetted and suitable to work with children, and they are clear of their roles and responsibilities due to good support systems which include an initial induction and ongoing meetings, both as a team and on an individual basis through the appraisal system. Children benefit from being cared for by a staff team who are confident, well-qualified and consistent which helps them to settle and to build positive relationships. Staff evidence a commitment to improving the care and learning of children through their regular attendance

p.6

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 at relevant training courses and their effective links with other relevant professionals. They organise space and resources well, which enables children to access a broad range of stimulating activities both indoors and outdoors. There is a good balance of free choice and adult-led sessions and the organisation of space for the younger children ensures that they can rest and sleep undisturbed while others continue to play. All legally required documentation, which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being, is in place and effectively organised to be readily available when needed.

p.6

Organisation

Leadership and management of early education is good. Senior staff have a clear understanding of their areas of strengths and those to improve and the new Manager is systematically working towards her identified goals. There are minor weaknesses in the planning systems but staff act as positive role models and work well together as a team to provide a broad range of activities and support children’s learning. The staff team demonstrate a high level of commitment to the provision and work well together to deliver a broad variety of activities and ensure children are supported. Effective links with the teacher advisor helps to monitor the effectiveness of the education provision. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

p.7

Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection, the setting agreed to one action and one recommendation relating to care. They agreed to ensure procedures are in place to notify Ofsted of relevant changes to staff. A procedure is now in place which gives clear guidance to staff on the circumstances to notify Ofsted along with appropriate contact numbers, this supports the efficient and safe management of the provision. They also agreed to develop staff knowledge of child protection issues and procedures. Staff now undertake child protection training as part of the induction process to ensure they are aware of possible indicators and the setting’s procedures. They also regularly attend external courses to enhance their awareness of relevant issues which helps to safeguard children’s welfare.

p.7

Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection, the setting agreed to two recommendations relating to nursery education. The first was to further improve staff's knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage and how children learn best. Staff working with the pre-school children have since all attended a range of training courses to enhance their understanding of the Foundation Stage and receive regular ongoing support from the curriculum advisor from the Local Authority. This helps to ensure that children access a suitable range of activities to support their learning. They also agreed to develop opportunities for children to freely access resources. The daily routine and organisation of resources has since been changed and children now have free access to activities which were previously restricted. They are now able to initiate their own learning and develop their own creative ideas through independent, purposeful activity.

p.7

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.

p.7

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.

p.7

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

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.8

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.

p.8

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

p.8

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): • improve the security of the outside play area to more effectively manage access to the provision when children are using this area.

p.8

The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • continue to develop planning to ensure staff deliver a broad and balanced curriculum, which covers all areas of learning equally and frequently and that activities are adapted to provide appropriate challenge to individual children • gather appropriate information from parents to identify starting points for children’s learning to enable staff to build on children’s previous learning and skills and effectively evaluate their progress.

p.8

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

p.8

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

p.8