Porchester Junior School

Surrey & Borders Partnership Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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122529 Unique Reference Number 14 February 2008 Inspection date Carol Newman Inspector

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West Park, Horton Lane, Epsom, Surrey, KT19 8PB Setting Address

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01372 203477 Telephone number lisa.whitlock@surreyoaklands.nhs.uk E-mail Surrey Oaklands NHS Trust 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?

Surrey and Borders Partnership Day Nursery was established in 1984 and it is owned by the Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Trust. A maximum of 50 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08:00 to 18:00 for 52 weeks of the year. Children have access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 89 children aged from three months to under five years on roll. Of these, 30 receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs 32 staff of whom, 19 including the managers hold appropriate early years qualifications. A current first aid certificate is held by all members of staff.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting receives support from the Early Years Childcare Service.

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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 develop good personal hygiene routines and self-care skills. There are effective procedures in place to prevent the spread of infection. Staff monitor hand washing after toileting and before snack and staff explain the need to wash hands. Topics such as 'Health and Bodily Awareness' help children understand the need for good personal hygiene, good diet and adequate rest.

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Helping children to be healthy

Parents give prior written consent to administer medication that ensures children receive the correct dosage according to their needs. Children who are infectious do not attend thus preventing the spread of contagious illnesses. All staff hold a current first aid certificate. This means they can give appropriate care if there is an accident and written parental permission to seek emergency medical treatment is requested.

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Helping children to be healthy

Snacks of fruit and drinks of water help children develop healthy eating habits from a young age. Staff gather all relevant information regarding diet and medical history. This ensures children's individual dietary and medical needs are met. Children benefit from nutritious meals that are cooked on the premises. The cook has a very good understanding of healthy eating for under fives. Older children can pour themselves a drink whenever they want one. This ensures children recognise and address their own needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Babies individual sleeping and feeding routines are adhered to which contributes to their health. Food intake and nappy changes are recorded to ensure a healthy balance is maintained. Staff use the Birth to three matters guidance to provide a good range of physical play experiences for babies and children under three years.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy many opportunities to take part in physical play in the large outdoor play area that is suitable for use all year round. Children can access a range of equipment, including slides and climbing frames, to develop their balance and co-ordination. Children use a range of small tools when playing with the play dough. They use pens and pencils effectively and hold them correctly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Staff organise the indoor space effectively, allowing children to move around safely, freely and independently. Children use a wide range of good quality toys and resources appropriate to their age and stage of development.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The premises are very secure and there are good procedures in place to prevent unwanted visitors gaining access. Staff deployment is very good and guarantees children are well-supervised and safe at all times. Children and staff practise the emergency evacuation procedures on a regular basis. This helps children become familiar with the routine in the event of an emergency. The setting have an emergency evacuation box, containing supplies for the comfort of the children, in case the group are unable to re-enter the premises at any time.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff carry out regular risk assessments in each room and outside to minimise hazards and ensure the safety of the children. Very young children and babies can crawl and learn to walk

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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 in a child friendly environment. Staff regularly check sleeping children to ensure their safety and well-being.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding children issues and know how to proceed if they have concerns about a child in their care. This supports children’s wellbeing.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children under three explore and experiment through a range of well-planned activities that are appropriate for their stage of development. For example, the 'Hedgehogs' thoroughly enjoy playing with musical instruments, looking at books and climbing on the soft play equipment. In the 'Rabbits' group, children participate enthusiastically when playing with bubbles in the garden. They enjoy small world play, shape matching, colour matching, making Valentine cards and experimenting with paint. Children in the 'Moles' group play animated games with inset puzzles and they learn from resources such as the train track and the building bricks. They take much pleasure in dancing, dressing up and pretend play such as 'going swimming'.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young children are able to make themselves understood through language and actions and staff give good support to help babies learn about their environment. Staff use the Birth to three matters framework to ensure activities for children and babies under three are appropriate and stimulating.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff make regular observations and record achievements in children's profiles. This helps the staff plan for each child to ensure their learning and developmental needs are met.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The younger children benefit from very effective learning experiences because they have access to a good range of resources. Children are free to play and interpret activities in their own way, with good staff support.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are well motivated and enjoy new challenges such as building towers with bricks. Children are independent when they visit the toilet and pour their own drinks. They confidently approach adults and visitors and they are keen to show what they can do. Children express themselves clearly and competently. They enjoy stories, and books are freely available. Children know the letters of their names and they attempt to write them, forming most letters correctly. However, the children's work is not always valued when staff fail to acknowledge the children's endeavours.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff make regular observations and record these in the children's profiles. Activity evaluations identify children who would benefit from additional support, however, they do not identify extension activities for more able children. In addition, children's individual next steps are not included in the weekly planning so that children are constantly moving on in their learning at a good pace.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children count confidently during the daily routine. Staff use activities, such as making Valentine cookies, to encourage the children's counting skills. Adult supported activities, such as matching shapes on a 1:1 basis, develop the children's understanding of the properties of simple shapes.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children investigate using their senses. They explore arctic animals in ice and know they must wind up the musical box to make it work. Children use glue and collage to represent 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 experiences. They learn about different cultures and beliefs as they celebrate a range of festivals throughout the year. Outings to the garden centre, the local farm and the library and visitors to the setting help children to learn about their environment.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use their imagination well in the role play area. They pretend to be customers in the Chinese restaurant and this is well supported by staff who show an interest in the children's activities. Staff observe the children during free and focussed activities and use their notes to assess children’s achievements. Staff are good role models and demonstrate a positive attitude towards learning by presenting activities in an interesting and enthusiastic manner.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Staff have a positive attitude towards diversity. Children become aware of their own and other cultures through a good range of resources, labelling in different languages, planned activities and as they celebrate a variety of festivals. Children enjoy respectful relationships with adults and each other. They are beginning to develop confidence and self-esteem. The children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff offer good support for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Staff are secure in their understanding of the code of practice, which means they are able to meet and plan for children’s individual needs. Staff are trained in the use of Makaton/PECs to help children who have learning/hearing difficulties. Staff willingly discuss any concerns with parents to ensure the children's needs are met.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff support younger children in sharing and turn taking. Children learn about themselves and their own capabilities. Staff set consistent boundaries for older children which help them learn to negotiate with others and take responsibility for their own behaviour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents contribute to an initial assessment of their child to ensure staff have a good knowledge of individual needs and achievements. This helps staff to build on what children already know and enables staff to settle children quickly.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents receive good information about the Foundation Stage. The information outlines what and how children will learn. This ensures parents understand that play has an important role in developing children’s skills for the next stage of learning. A good partnership with parents contributes considerably to children's well-being while at the nursery.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are well grouped and the key worker system ensures appropriate support and care throughout the day. Staff understand their role and responsibility. They have the opportunity for professional development and the management actively support and encourage staff in their roles. There is a good induction programme and regular appraisals identify strengths. The premises layout is appropriately organised and children are able to play outside throughout the day.

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Organisation

Leadership and Management are good. Management have clear objectives and defined roles and responsibilities. They evaluate practice constantly to ensure continual improvement in the outcomes for children. Children benefit from qualified and experienced staff who are very

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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 caring. The staff are committed to attending further childcare training and development courses. This helps them to reflect, monitor and improve the quality of the care and education they offer to all children. Staff hold regular meetings to discuss planning and contribute to in-house training sessions.

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Organisation

All mandatory records are in place, confidential and well maintained. This guarantees the safe and effective management of the setting in order to promote children's welfare. The provision 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 nursery agreed to undertake a risk assessment of the outdoor play area to make sure it is safe and secure. Regular risk assessments are carried out daily and yearly to ensure premises are safe for the children's use.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The nursery also agreed to strengthen the support for bilingual children by providing duel language labelling on work areas and familiar equipment. Labelling around the room is in all languages spoken by the children represented in the setting. This demonstrates that staff value the children's cultural differences and gives all children a sense of belonging.

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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 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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • improve procedures to ensure all accident and medication records are dated and signed by the parents at the earliest opportunity.

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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):

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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 • ensure the children's efforts are always valued and acknowledged • ensure activity evaluations identify children who would benefit from extension activities as well as those who would benefit from additional support and include individual children's next steps in weekly planning.

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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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