Paper Moon Day Nursery

Papermoon Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY272011 Unique Reference Number 15 January 2008 Inspection date Gill Ogden Inspector

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104 Boultham Park Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN6 7TH Setting Address

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E-mail

Papermoon Nurseries (Mansfield) Ltd 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?

Papermoon Day Nursery is one of five nurseries run by Papermoon Day Nurseries Ltd. It opened in 2004 and operates from converted property in a residential area near to Lincoln city centre. The premises has three main rooms where children are grouped according to their ages and all have adjacent toilet or changing facilities. There is a secure outdoor play area. A maximum of 34 children may attend the nursery at any one time and it is open each weekday from 08:00 to 18:00 for 51 weeks in the year.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 59 children aged between birth and five years on role which includes 19 children who receive funding for early education. The nursery is able to support children who have learning difficulties and/or disabilties.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

All eight staff who work with the children hold an appropriate early years qualification. Two staff members are currently upgrading their qualifications. The nursery is a member of the National Day Nurseries Association.

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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 satisfactory. Children are looked after in a nursery that generally pays close attention to their overall health needs. Rigorous cleaning procedures are followed and staff take pride in ensuring the nursery is clean and welcoming for children and their parents. Much care is taken to prevent cross-infection when nappies are being changed by consistent use of gloves, aprons and the efficient disposal of soiled nappies. Older children are quickly and easily supported to become independent in using the toilets because they are easily accessible from the playroom. Parents receive good information about illnesses that will prevent children from attending because it would be detrimental to others. Children enjoy lots of natural light indoors because all the rooms have good-sized windows which the children can see out of easily. However, the room temperature in the baby room is much lower than that in the rest of the building and is not

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Helping children to be healthy

warm enough for the age of the children being cared for there.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy plenty of fresh air and exercise outdoors each day. This is planned into the routine and if the weather is such that children are unable to go outdoors then indoor exercise such as jumping, stretching and ring games are done instead. Babies have plenty of safe space to begin to move around, crawl and walk and are well-supported by staff to do so. Older children have a good understanding of the clothes they need to wear when the weather is hot or cold to ensure their good health. They are also learning well to understand when they need extra drinks and show this by saying they are thirsty during exercise and help themselves to drinks of fresh water. They immediately place their cups in the washing up bowl in the sink after they have used them.

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Helping children to be healthy

A menu of nutritious food is provided for the children at breakfast, lunch and tea times. Most of it is prepared from fresh ingredients on the premises and minimal convenience food is used. Children enjoy tucking in to meals such as cheese and potato pie and baked beans, tuna pasta bake and garlic bread, vegetable curry, chicken pasties, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, yoghurt and flapjacks. Snack time often finds children trying out dips with breadsticks as well as enjoying fresh fruit and milk. formula and any food provided by parents for babies is stored and prepared correctly. Careful notice is paid to any special dietary needs children may have.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in premises that are well-maintained and kept in a good state of decoration. Any requirements made by agencies such as environmental health are quickly adhered to, such as the fitting of a new extractor fan in the kitchen. The outdoor area is free from any hazards and is always checked for its security when children are playing there. Access to the premises is monitored closely by keeping the door locked and requiring the bell to be rung. Staff are easily able to check through the glass door who is wishing to come in. High handles on internal doors prevent children from getting out of rooms by themselves. All the necessary safety equipment, apart from a fire blanket in the kitchen, is in place and checked regularly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children learn to keep themselves safe by, for example, taking part in regular fire drills, learning about road safety when they get out and about in the community, and taking good notice of staff when they prompt them about the dangers of behaviour such as running around indoors.

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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 Babies are secured carefully in high chairs at appropriate times such as when they are being fed. The range of toys available for children is appropriate for their need, clean and in good condition.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are further safeguarded because staff have a secure understanding of their child protection responsibilities and these are shared with parents. Keeping up to date with new local procedures is deemed very important by the nursery and so key staff attend training regularly and ensure anything new is cascaded quickly and effectively to the whole staff team.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very happy and settled in the nursery because it has a family atmosphere and they have warm and caring relationships with the staff. A good range of equipment and resources is used effectively to provide interesting play activities for all the children. Staff use the 'Birth to three matters' framework to plan activities for the younger children and to reflect their practice. Babies enjoy lots of sensory experiences with activities such as popping bubbles, hand and foot printing, sand and water play and exploring foodstuffs such as jelly and mashed potato. They enjoy playing with musical instruments, even playing with rattles in unison at times, and listening to and jiggling to music. They regularly get out and about in the community, such as going for walks to the pet shop or to the park to feed the ducks. The smallest babies are included in activities at all times when they are awake even if this means just sitting with an adult and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The 'Tweenies' demonstrate increasing concentration skills and interest in others, for example, when they sing good morning to each other. They begin to develop more communication skills to express their understanding such as holding up their fingers when they pick out a plastic duck to show that they remember that it is used for a counting song. They are very well-supported by staff to join in activities as much as they feel comfortable to do and are given plenty of time to sit quietly and watch others if they need to. In this way they gradually join in with, for example, action songs. They thoroughly enjoy mixing play dough which they then go on to use to mould and talk about the different shapes they make from it with cutters. Children relish looking at photograph albums, recognising pictures of themselves and others which contributes well to their sense of worth and belonging.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage and how children learn. As a result they plan a broad range of practical activities to enable children to achieve the stepping stones towards the early learning goals in all the areas of learning. Staff are clear about individual children's next steps because they carry out ongoing observations to collect evidence of their skills and knowledge, which they then use to inform planning. Staff use a variety of teaching methods such as explanation and demonstration during circle time, providing resources for children to initiate their own learning and then supporting and reinforcing their exploration and discovery through questioning and conversation. Children of all abilities are supported appropriately to ensure they make the most of the learning opportunities on offer. Staff are very careful to ensure that children who have not attended

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

for a while are given time to talk about things from a while ago so that they feel welcomed back and valued. The room is set out in clear learning zones so that children quickly learn where different resources are kept and especially their own trays where they put examples of their

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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 work to take home. However, then outdoor area has not yet been developed to provide for the full curriculum which may be detrimental to some children who may learn more easily outdoors.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children make good progress in all the areas of learning and especially in personal, social and emotional development. They arrive excitedly, wanting to talk about their home lives with their friends and the staff, such as what they did at the weekend and that they were now better through taking medicine when they were ill. They need little prompting to listen and show respect for each other, for example, when they are sharing their news at circle time. Children enthusiastically take part in all activities and show very good concentration especially in large group activities such as when they are listening and joining in with stories and rhymes. They soon begin to recognise their names, even the younger ones recognising the initial letters, and use the writing area regularly, choosing pens of different colours and talking about what they are writing or drawing. Children are very skilled in using the computer, manoeuvring the mouse

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

well to play games and knowing how to turn it on and off. They gain a secure understanding of the natural world, for example when they recall that it needs to be very cold to snow and enjoy using foam as snow to pretend that cars are caught up in snow drifts. They are alert to any changes in the weather, quickly commenting that the sun has come out when it has been grey and rainy for a while. Children are developing pre-mathematical skills through problem solving activities such as fitting puzzles together and enjoying counting and grouping activities. They talk about 'small' and 'big' and develop their understanding of quantity and weight, for example, as they draw pictures and play with sand and water. Children use their imaginations through role play, such as pretending to wash, cut and dry each others hair in the 'hairdresser's' and develop their artistic and design skills through painting, collage and constructing with a

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

variety of materials form recycled items to construction kits and small world resources.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. All children are made welcome in the nursery. Warm, working relationships are quickly developed with parents to ensure that necessary information is received about the children so that they can be cared for appropriately and plans can be made to meet their ongoing needs. Every effort is made to ensure that any children who may have additional needs are supported well and fully included in the nursery. Children gain a secure understanding of their local community and individual and national culture because they get out and about on visits regularly, celebrate festivals such as Easter and Bonfire Night and take part in fund raising events such as 'Children in Need'. They are sensitively introduced to differing cultures and learn to respect all people through having daily access to a range of resources during their everyday play, and discussing and

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Helping children make a positive contribution

enjoying activities that are built around what is happening in the wider world at various times of the year.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave very well because staff act as good role models. They are consistent in prompting children and praising them. They promote their self-esteem effectively by, for example, giving them responsibilities such as being a 'special helper' and encourage them to think about others as part of their daily routine. Staff work closely with parents to check whether there may be any reasons for changes in behaviour and how it is being dealt with at home.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents receive lots of regular information updates throughout the nursery by regular newsletters both for the nursery as a whole and the individual rooms children are looked after in. Some excellent information regarding babies' development is provided by means of a book that includes lots of photographs with captions that let parents see what their children do during

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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 day. Close attention is paid to any information received from parents to enable staff to provide effective continuity of care. The partnership with parents and carers of children in receipt of funding for early education is good. Lots of information is displayed outside the pre-school room and parents have easy access to children's progress records because they are stored in their trays, which are used daily, with other items such as examples of their work. Parents are able to chat to staff informally at any time and also are offered opportunities to attend open evenings twice yearly. Parents are very pleased with the progress their children make. However, parents and carers are not yet given enough options to enable them to become fully involved in their children's learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The organisation of the nursery contributes effectively to children's well-being. Thorough procedures are in place to ensure all staff are recruited and vetted appropriately and induction and appraisal systems ensure the ongoing monitoring and support of staff. Staff attend regular training either by going on courses or attending in-house events to ensure their development and the needs of the nursery are met. The premises are used effectively to provide for the differing needs of the children, and the manager spends regular time in all the rooms which helps her to monitor on an ongoing basis the quality of care received by the children, the needs and practice of the staff and the continuing suitability of the resources and environment. Staff work well together as a team and are able to cover for each other comfortably in any room because it is a relatively small nursery so everyone knows each other well. All records are kept

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Organisation

carefully with enough detail and stored appropriately. Policies and procedures are reviewed regularly to reflect current legislation and practice in the nursery.

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Organisation

Leadership and management of early education is good. The manager and pre-school leader are very enthusiastic and motivated to provide the best quality experiences for children. They both work very closely with local authority advisers and readily absorb any advice they are given. The manager has recently attended a briefing on the Early Years Foundation Stage, the pack and poster are set out in the staff room so that staff can begin to look at it and in-house training is planned for all staff in the near future. There is good awareness of the need for an Early Years Professional to be in post within the next few years and early education is fully included in the development plans for the nursery. Overall, children's needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

As a result of recommendations made at the last inspection parents can more easily access policies and procedures because they are displayed in the entrance along with other information about the nursery so they are now better informed about the service offered; an adult rocking/ feeding chair has been purchased for the baby room which contributes to creating a more domestic environment where babies can be fed comfortably and safely. Although thorough risk assessments are carried out regularly and recorded there is still no fire blanket in the kitchen so the overall framework for children's safety still remains slightly weak.

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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 the room temperature in the baby room is always at least the minimum required

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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 the outdoor area so that it can be used more fully as a complete learning environment • increase the opportunities parents have to become fully involved in their children's 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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