Nonsuch High School for Girls

The Valley Nursery School Inspection report for early years provision

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103008 Unique Reference Number 11 March 2008 Inspection date Anne Legge Inspector

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Wheelgate House, Trevowah Road, Crantock, NEWQUAY, Cornwall, TR8 5ES

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E-mail

Wheelgate House Child Education and Development Centre Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Out of School care Type of care

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E-mail

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

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. 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?

The Valley Nursery School opened in 1988 and is registered to care for up to 26 children, aged under eight years. The group has its own premises and uses two main rooms, with integral kitchen and toilet facilities. The nursery serves the local and outlying areas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 23 children on roll, including 10 who are in receipt of nursery funding. The nursery opens five days a week during school term times. Care is provided from 08:00 to 17:30. Funded sessions are from 09:30 to 15:30 each weekday. The nursery also offers a holiday club for one week at Easter and five weeks during the summer holidays. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are welcomed and supported.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are seven staff working with the children, three of whom have relevant teaching or child care qualifications, and the others are working towards appropriate qualifications. The nursery receives support form the Local Authority.

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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 benefit from mainly healthy eating. Parents provide a very good variety of fresh fruits, which children share at snack time. They eat well balanced lunches, as most parents follow the good advice given by staff about nutritious meals. Staff provide toast for afternoon snacks. Children have plenty of fluids, as the drinks they bring from home are always available and empty bottles are refilled with water. There are appropriate systems for recording and meeting any special dietary needs. Children have access to physical exercise and fresh air at most sessions. They make good use of the outdoor play area in almost all weathers, to run, climb or balance, ride wheeled toys or practise their ball skills. They also dance or play active games indoors.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's protection from infection is satisfactory. The premises are clean and staff carefully wash or cover tables before children eat, and wear gloves when preparing snacks and meals. Children learn to wash their hands appropriately, using liquid soap and paper towels, to reduce the risk of cross-infection. However, they only have cold water, which limits their protection from infection. Bathroom areas are cleaned before sessions, but they are not checked regularly during sessions, so potties are sometimes not emptied promptly and toilets are not always flushed. Children's care is satisfactory when they are unwell or injured. Accident records are comprehensive and shared appropriately. Records of medication administered lack details and are not signed by parents after administration. The staff's first aid qualifications have mainly expired, although training has been arranged for some staff in the near future.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children play in secure premises, where a locked outside door and gates across the play rooms ensure that no-one can enter or leave unnoticed. A password system is used effectively to protect children, when adults other than their parents collect them from the nursery. Children choose from a wide variety of toys and resources, which are mainly clean and in good condition. The nursery has recently introduced improved systems for washing toys regularly, often including children in this process. Play materials are stored at low levels, so that children can select safely and independently. Children usually practise evacuation procedures each half term, although this is not consistent and fire drills are not repeated, to include all children attending. Consequently, some children do not have opportunities to become familiar with the routine. Appropriate fire safety equipment is in place.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have a satisfactory understanding of safety issues and they carry out risk assessments on the premises and resources. A daily check list is completed before children arrive, covering, for example, the safety of electric wires and sockets, fire exits and outdoor play areas. Gates are used effectively across the kitchen and play rooms, to protect children from harm. Children learn to be aware of hazards, as staff discuss, for example, why they should not throw sand. Staff have undertaken some training in safeguarding issues and procedures, and have a satisfactory knowledge of ways to protect children from harm, although the safeguarding policy is out-of-date.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy a good variety of activities, which effectively promote their development. Children aged under three years engage in a wide range of exciting activities, which are carefully planned, using the Birth to three matters framework. They access plenty of sensory play, freely exploring substances, such as paint, glitter and sand, to stimulate their curiosity. They enjoy heuristic play and treasure baskets, when they investigate a wide range of bags and containers, filling them with balls, buttons, straws or sparkly bangles. Children use musical instruments, dress up for imaginative role play or experiment with programmable toys. They develop their sense of self, using photographs displayed on the wall. Children make good progress, as staff talk and play with them, very effectively extending their understanding and language skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Older children choose enthusiastically from a wide range of resources and activities. They enjoy a good balance of free play and more structured activities, which are sometimes led by adults, but often child-initiated. They settle quickly and are keen to attend. They move confidently between activities and concentrate well at chosen and adult-led tasks. During some school holidays, children enjoy themed days and activities, providing a wide variety of play experiences.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff plan a good range of interesting activities, which meet children's individual learning needs and successfully promote their development in all areas of learning. Planning is based on assessment information and covers the whole curriculum over time. Children's achievements are noted and staff have a good understanding of the next steps in their learning, although records are complex and not always clear for parents. Staff interact effectively with children, using questions and discussion skilfully, to challenge their thinking and extend their understanding.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children talk confidently and develop good listening skills, as staff encourage them to listen carefully in group activities. They discuss letter sounds and use writing for a variety of purposes, including writing their news, with adult support. Children recognise their names and sign themselves in on a white board. They enjoy sharing stories, such as well-known fairy tales. Children develop their understanding of numbers, as they count in a wide range of practical contexts, such as counting children present or the number of small toys in a hoop. They compare groups of objects, extending their knowledge of patterns. Children discuss and match shapes and use mathematical language when playing with sand and water.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop their understanding of the natural world, as they discuss seasons and grow flowers or use natural resources, such as shells. They explore different textures and materials, such as when comparing rough and smooth items or wet and dry sand. Children extend their creativity, as they paint and draw or make collages. They enjoy lively role play, making meals and picnics in the 'Hansel and Gretel' home corner. They like to sing familiar songs and use musical instruments. Children develop their physical skills, using small equipment, such as pens and scissors with increasing control. They climb and balance or play ball games outdoors, although there are limited challenges for physically able children.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children settle happily at the nursery, enjoying warm relationships with staff. They receive plenty of praise and encouragement, which promotes their self-esteem. They benefit from the staff's positive and consistent management of their behaviour and they generally behave well. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. They learn to share and take turns with resources, as staff explain why they should consider the feelings of others. They learn about differences, as they celebrate a range of festivals, including Diwali and Easter, or use books, dressing-up clothes or musical instruments from different countries. All children are welcomed and included, and staff know families very well and meet children's individual needs. Babies' routines are recorded and carefully followed, according to the wishes of parents. The nursery takes part in local events, such as a Fiesta night. Children with learning difficulties

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Helping children make a positive contribution

and/or disabilities are carefully monitored and supported, and staff work effectively with parents and other professionals, to meet children's additional needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's care is mainly consistent, as there are many good systems for sharing information with parents. The prospectus, newsletters and notice boards help to keep parents informed about all aspects of their child's care. Fundraising events and Nativity plays involve carers in the work of the nursery and younger children have home communication books, which detail most of their activities. Records of younger children's development are available, if parents ask to see them, although this rarely happens, so carers are not always fully involved in their child's development. The nursery's partnership with parents and carers of funded children is good. Current topics are detailed in newsletters and key workers discuss children's progress regularly with parents. Termly reports summarise children's achievements in each area of learning, although progress records lack clarity about the details of this progress.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children are cared for by dedicated staff, who are committed to constantly improving the quality of provision. Some staff have appropriate qualifications and others are currently working towards them, so that the required number of qualified staff will be in post. Ratios are satisfactory overall and children receive sufficient individual attention to promote their development. Leadership and management of the nursery education are good. Staff have worked closely with the Local Authority and have developed their current reflective practice, improving systems to ensure that children's individual learning needs are met. All activities are evaluated and an effective staff appraisal system is in place. Teaching has become more child-centred and children now make good progress.

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Organisation

Children play in comfortable surroundings, where staff make good use of current displays and attractive resources, to enhance the environment. The space is used creatively and children are grouped appropriately. Standards of health and safety are satisfactory. Children's care is underpinned by all the required documentation, although the complaints procedures are slightly inaccurate, the safeguarding policy does not reflect recent changes, and medication records lack details and are not shared appropriately with parents. Overall, the nursery meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection, the nursery agreed to update risk assessments, to restrict children's access to the kitchen and to improve hand washing procedures. Staff also agreed to increase their understanding and effective implementation of the Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs, to record accidents confidentially and to notify Ofsted of significant changes. Since that inspection, children's safety has improved, as a gate is in place across the entrance to the kitchen and daily risk assessments are carried out, to identify hazards. Children now use paper towels to prevent cross-infection, but they still have no warm water for hand washing. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are appropriately monitored and supported. Children's confidentiality is protected, as accident records are now shared appropriately, and Ofsted has been informed of all recent changes.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection, the nursery was asked to develop systems for monitoring the quality of provision, and to update assessment systems and use this information for planning appropriate activities. Staff were also asked to review the use of time and resources and the balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities. Children now make good progress, due to a clear emphasis on allowing them to take the lead in planned activities, and to effective organisation of time and resources. Assessment systems are sufficiently detailed to allow staff to plan successfully to meet children's individual learning needs. There are now effective systems for monitoring the quality of the nursery education, including staff appraisals and the regular evaluation of activities.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since April 2004 there has been one complaint to Ofsted, which required the provider to take action to meet the National Standards. The complaint related to National Standard 1: Suitable Person and National Standard 6: Safety. Concerns were that children were left unattended in a room in the nursery, with no adult present; that unchecked people may have access to the children and a big hammer was left lying by the front door of the nursery, which children could have picked up.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Ofsted carried out an unannounced visit and set an action under National Standard 14: Documentation requiring the provider to ensure that all adults on the premises are appropriately checked. Ofsted was satisfied that the provider took appropriate steps to carry out the required checks, and 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 satisfactory. 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 AND 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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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): • promote children's good health by ensuring that a qualified first aider is always present, by providing warm running water for hand washing and by cleaning toilets and potties regularly during sessions • improve children's safety in emergencies by practising evacuation procedures sufficiently often for all children to know the routines • share children's development records regularly with parents, so that they can be fully involved in their child's progress • ensure that children's care is underpinned by current and comprehensive documentation, including medication records which are detailed and shared appropriately, an accurate safeguarding policy and up-to-date complaints procedures.

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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): • provide suitable challenges to promote the progress of able children in their physical development • continue to develop assessment records, so that they show clearly how children are making progress in all areas of learning, and share this information regularly with parents, so that they can fully support their child's development.

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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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