St Osburg's Catholic Primary School

Castle View Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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103711 Unique Reference Number 27 November 2007 Inspection date Beryl Witheridge Inspector

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1 Castle View Road, Strood, Rochester, Kent, ME2 3PP Setting Address

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01634 718144 Telephone number alisonlaker@hotmail.com E-mail Castle View Day Nursery 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?

Castle View Day Nursery opened in 1996 and operates from five rooms in a converted house. It is situated in the town of Strood, Kent. A maximum of 70 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07:00 to 19:00 for 52 weeks of the year, closed Bank Holidays only. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 113 children aged from three months to under five years on roll. Of these 36 children receive funding for nursery education. Children mostly come from the local catchment area. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and disabilities and can support children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs 20 staff. Of these 15 staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications. There are currently no staff are working towards a qualification.

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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 encouraged to learn good health routines. They are encouraged to wash their hands after going to the toilet and after messy play; older children are able to be independent and can take themselves to the toilet, staff escort younger children. All the older children have a toothbrush and clean their teeth after lunch; they have received a visit from a dental worker who provided them with their toothbrushes. The toddlers have their own flannel in a named bag to prevent any cross contamination. Staff use disposable gloves when dealing with any bodily fluids and changing nappies. Children's bedding is washed on a daily basis. Tables are wiped with antibacterial sprays to ensure that surfaces are clean. Children with infectious illnesses do not attend the nursery which helps prevent cross infection. Children's health needs are promoted through the written policies and the accident and medication records; these are

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Helping children to be healthy

confidentially kept in each child's own personal file. Children enjoy opportunities to be active.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are encouraged to eat healthy foods. Drinks are readily available for them throughout the session. The children's cups in the baby and toddler room are named. The snacks provided include breakfast with a choice of cereal or toast, a mid morning snack of fruit, a cooked lunch, cooked on the premises, and a high tea with sandwiches and fruit. Children who are present all day could also have a cooked meal later in the day if parents wish. The after school children have sandwiches and fruit or beans, spaghetti or cheese on toast; parents can supply a hot meal which staff will heat up. Parents are advised of the food provided for lunch and tea on a menu which is displayed on the parents' noticeboard. Staff work closely with parents to ensure that children's individual dietary needs are met.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's physical development is encouraged through the opportunities to play outside in a large, secure outdoor play area on a daily basis. They have plenty of room to run, and use ride on toys and bikes, large apparatus including climbing frames and slides, hoops and scooters. Children begin to understand the effects exercise has on their bodies as they come in from the garden; they note that they are breathing faster, that they are warm from running around. Fine motor development is good because children have many opportunities to use appropriate equipment and tools, such as pens, pencils, scissors, knives, forks and spoons, painting and construction.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are able to learn and play in warm, clean, bright premises; the nursery is divided into different age groups with each group having their own room. Children's work is displayed on the walls and there is a parents' noticeboard outside each room. The premises are safe and secure both indoors and out. The toys and equipment are regularly cleaned and checked for safety. Any broken equipment is thrown away. Parents and children are greeted at the front door by a member of staff and there are procedures in place should someone other than the parent/carer be collecting the children. The children attending the out of school club are collected from the school by nursery staff. They all wear a reflective jacket when walking to and from school. The liaison between the parents and the nursery is not always as good as it should be regarding these children; parents sometimes collect the children from school

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

themselves without advising the nursery. Children are supervised closely at all times while in the nursery. Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers help to provide safe surroundings. A fire

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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 company checks these on a monthly basis. Staff also carry out a monthly risk assessment. They also have spot checks from an outside agency to check the safety of the premises.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are learning how to help keep themselves safe. A monthly emergency evacuation is carried out and is recorded on the fire log; however, this practise may not include all the children. Children's welfare is considered through the child protection procedures which are in place. One member of staff has recently updated her training and will feed this information back to the rest of the staff with the help of the Early Years advisory teacher. Staff are aware of their own vulnerability and the procedures to be followed in the event of an accusation are included in the written policy. The written policy requires updating to ensure it is in line with the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children come eagerly into the nursery and happily settle to the activities provided. There is a lot of close interaction between staff and the babies; a lot of hugs and cuddles. Children have great fun playing together; they show a keen interest in the activities available, they play well together in groups and they share and negotiate their roles when taking part in role play. Children do not have totally free access to all of the resources but are able to make independent decisions about what they would like to do; if the resources are not easily accessed by the children the staff will get them for them. Toys and resources include role play, puzzles, construction, sand play, dolls and prams, painting, book corner, puzzles, stickle bricks, cars, roads and garages, singing, stories and outdoor activities. Children are friendly and sociable, they enjoy each other's company. Children show a high level of wellbeing and involvement as

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

they settle easily to activities throughout the session; they have a good relationship with staff and each other. Children's learning is extended by staff who talk to them and ask open ended questions; when a child produces a drawing the staff listen to the child's explanation of their work and how she achieved the results.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Some staff have a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage and others a basic understanding of how children learn. A member of staff in each room has undertaken training in the Foundation Stage. Staff use the early learning goals and the stepping stones when they are planning the activities. There is no clear evaluation of the activities which could be used to support future planning. The planning is clearly linked to the next steps for individual children. Children are progressing in relation to their individual starting points, either identified with their parents when they first start or supported by the records which have followed them through the nursery using the Birth to three matters framework. Children are interested in the broad range of activities and experiences provided, which cover the six areas of learning. The activities provided reflect the community the children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

come from and the wider world around them. Staff do the planning on a four week rota and will repeat the activities and areas of learning again to ensure that children are competent in each area before moving them forward to the next stepping stone. Parents see their children's records every six months and are able to have an input into their child's next steps.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy their time at the setting. They are happy and eager to take part in what is on offer for them to play with and can make their own decisions about what they would like to do. Some activities are child led, others are adult led. Children talk openly to the staff and ask questions. Children understand between right and wrong and consider the consequences of

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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 their actions on others; they are reminded of the house rules and are asked to think about the other person’s feelings. Children are becoming independent; they are able to take themselves to the toilet and wash their hands and are able to put on their coats when they go outside to play. Children show an appreciation of books and stories which are freely accessible; they listen well when a story is told to them, eagerly answering the questions about the story. Children communicate well with both peers and adults. They listen and take turns when speaking in groups. During role play they negotiate their roles; they include other children and the staff when they are 'preparing food' in the home corner, asking others what they want to eat and then 'cooking it' for them. Some children can recognise simple familiar words, such as their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

names and other's; this is extended through environmental print, such as 'Book Corner', the names of shapes and hand washing notices. Children are not being provided with enough experiences to use numbers in everyday situations; there is very little use of numbers or opportunities to problem solve especially in the four-year-olds' room. Children show that they understand size and shape through activities, such as doing jigsaws and playing with construction. They have opportunities to explore capacity through water and sand play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children learn about living things through the opportunities for outdoor play where they can observe the insects that live in the garden. Children learn about themselves and one another; they look at different festivals and cultures throughout the year. Children’s fine motor skills are developing well. They are competent at doing jigsaw puzzles and building with construction. Children explore the concept of communication with mobile phones, role play tills and the computer. They have free access to the computer but the seats are too low and children have to stretch to reach the mouse. Children demonstrate a good awareness of space and move confidently, imaginatively and safely around the room and when playing outside in the garden. They enjoy balancing, jumping, running and music and movement. Children enjoy being creative and make some wonderful drawings. Children's work is proudly displayed on the walls allowing

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

them to celebrate their achievements. Children enjoy singing songs and enjoy using musical instruments to accompany themselves. They join in enthusiastically; some children are eager to lead from the front and want to sing on their own while others are happy to just join in with the rest.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are welcomed into the nursery and staff understand the importance of treating them according to their individual needs. Staff talk to the parents to learn about the children's backgrounds, their culture or any specific needs they may have. Toys and resources provide the children with positive images of diversity for the children; although the nursery is aware that the resources representing disability could be improved. Children learn about different festivals and celebrations throughout the year. They have looked at Chinese New Year, Christmas, Easter, Hanukah and Divali. Parents support these activities by coming in to talk to the children about a festival which their family may be celebrating, to talk about the clothes they wear and to provide them with food to try. Children are able to learn about their similarities and differences as well as exploring aspects of the world around them. Children who have learning difficulties

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Helping children make a positive contribution

and disabilities are well supported with staff undertaking extra training to provide the level of care which is required to meet their needs. The nursery also receives support from the area Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO). They work closely with the parents and individual learning plans are drawn up for these children to help with their development and progress.

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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 Children's behaviour is of a high standard. Staff have talked to the children about what the rules should be and discuss them with the children to reinforce them. Staff are excellent role models and discuss any unacceptable behaviour with children in a positive, calm manner. The behaviour management strategies used are aimed at the children's age and understanding. Children are regularly praised which helps to promote their confidence and self esteem. They receive a smiley face badge for good behaviour. Children benefit from consistency of care, because the staff and the parents have a close working relationship. Parents feel that they can talk to the staff at any time. Parents are kept well informed about the group through monthly newsletters.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents is good. Parents receive general written information about the nursery and the keyworker system when their child first starts. The parents of the older children receive written information about the curriculum, the Foundation Stage and the early learning goals. Parents receive a six monthly progress report about their child; they are able to make an appointment to discuss these records with the keyworker and are able to make suggestions for their child's future learning. These records are clearly linked to the stepping stones so it is very easy and clear for staff to explain to parents how well their child is progressing towards the early learning goals. Parents feel that their children have made good progress and are developing well since starting at the nursery.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The owners, manager and the staff are suitably qualified or are undertaking training to provide the children with good care and nursery education. They work well together to ensure they meet the individual needs of the children attending. The recruitment procedures are rigorous and robust to ensure that the staff working with the children are suitable to do so. Children's welfare, care and learning are promoted by the well written policies and procedures which are implemented by all the staff throughout the nursery. The staff continually risk assess and supervise children at all times.

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Organisation

Children have plenty of space to move around and access the toys and resources which are on offer, all of which are developmentally appropriate and meet their individual needs. The record of attendance is up to date and staff attendances are clearly recorded. The nursery maintains a high staff child ratio. All the required documentation is readily available for inspection. All information is confidentially kept and is safely stored. The owners and manager have a clear understanding of the records which provide parents and carers with clear information about the care provided and ensure that children's welfare is monitored. The registration certificate is clearly displayed in the entrance lobby.

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Organisation

The leadership and management are good. The owners and manager work together to ensure that the care and nursery education are well integrated. New staff receive an induction to all areas of the nursery before they are allocated to a certain room. The overall success of the curriculum is evaluated through monthly observations of the staff and their planning, and using the children's records to ensure that all areas are being covered. There is a clear vision for the wellbeing and achievements of the children; staff are given time to interact with the children, children are allowed to make decisions about the activities and are able to ask for help and support from the staff when they need it. Children are given the freedom to experiment. Training and resource needs are identified through annual staff appraisals. The high staff ratios permit

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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 staff to be able to go on courses regularly. Staff are motivated through the six monthly and the daily visits to each room by the manager to talk to the staff and identify if there are any concerns. The group is receives outside support from an Early Years advisory teacher and are able to bring in training through the local authority. The nursery are proactive and committed towards improving the quality of care and education and are undertaking Accreditation.

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Organisation

The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the group were asked to look at several aspects of the care they offered. They were asked to refresh staff's awareness of health and hygiene routines, the recording of accidents and confidentiality. All staff have either attended or are about to attend a Basic Hygiene course. Staff are now completing the accident forms correctly and these are kept in the child's individual folder to ensure confidentiality is maintained at all times. They were also required to ensure that children's privacy, dignity and independence is fostered when using the toilet facilities. The toilets now have doors to provide children with privacy, dignity and independence. The nursery was asked to provide parents with information about staff training and courses. These are now displayed on the noticeboard and in the operational plans; parents are also able to attend some of these courses if they wish.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The nursery were required to review the behaviour management procedures to ensure that the behaviour of the few is not detrimental to the wellbeing of all the children in the room. The behaviour management procedures now in place deal with the children according to their age and understanding and the children's behaviour is of a high standard. The staff were asked to improve the recording of the stepping stones and include these in future planning. The plans are now led by the clearly identified next steps for the children. They were also asked to provide parents with opportunities to review their child's records and to have an input into their next steps. All parents receive a six monthly review of their child's progress which they can discuss with the keyworker. They are also able to have an input into their child's next steps to help them progress and develop.

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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

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 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): • ensure that all children are included in the emergency evacuation procedures so that they know how to protect themselves • review the written safeguarding children policy and procedures to ensure they are in line with the Local Safeguarding Children Board 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): • extend the evaluation of activities to help staff with the future planning • ensure that opportunities for mathematical development, problem solving and mathematical language are used effectively

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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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