Borden Grammar School

Happy Child Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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137800 Unique Reference Number 11 October 2007 Inspection date Jennifer Devine Inspector

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Longstone Avenue, Harlesden, London, NW10 3TY Setting Address

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E-mail

Happy Child Limited 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?

Happy Child Day Nursery is one of a chain of nurseries owned and managed by Happy Child Limited. It opened in 1997 and operates from a single storey purpose built pre-fabricated building in Harlesden. A maximum of 66 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each week day from 08:00 to 18:00, all year round, except for bank holidays. All children share access to a secure, enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 63 children aged from 3 months to under 5 years on roll. Of these 12 children receive funding for nursery education.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs 16 staff. Nine of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications. All other 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 benefit from a healthy diet as they are provided with nutritious meals which are freshly prepared daily by the cook. Babies are offered the same menu and the food is pureed or mashed according to their needs. Older children have very good opportunities to serve their own lunches and decide on how much they wish to eat, which increases their independence. Younger children are learning to feed themselves using a spoon and staff sit with them to offer their support when needed. All children have access to water to drink throughout the day. Staff are vigilant about children's dietary requirements and are fully informed of their individual needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health and well being is promoted generally well within the setting as they are cared for in a clean and well maintained environment. Staff follow health and hygiene routines such as wearing disposable aprons and gloves when changing nappies and this ensures children's welfare. Older children have good independence with their personal hygiene needs but staff do not always remind children about hand washing after being in the garden and then eating their snack. This compromises children's good health. Children do not attend nursery if they are unwell and this reduces the risk of cross infection. The room used for the youngest babies is a designated 'no shoe' area and this ensures that babies can crawl around on the floor with no risk to their health. Effective recording procedures are in place for accidents or medication administration. All staff are first aid trained and this ensures children's welfare in the event of

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are developing a positive attitude to physical exercise which is enjoyed everyday. The outdoor play area is planned extremely well into the curriculum to ensure children have free flow of play between indoor and outdoor activities. All rooms within the nursery have a designated outdoor area and this enables the children to have choice of playing outdoors and experiencing different weathers. Babies who have learnt to walk show eagerness and excitement when staff speak to them about going outside. Children's physical skills are developing as they climb, balance and move over and under equipment. They are learning to navigate space and steer when riding tricycles and cars around the garden.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a very warm, welcoming and child friendly environment. The setting is attractively decorated with children's artwork, displays and important information for parents to read. There is a range of good quality furniture, toys and equipment which are well maintained. Children have plenty of space to play comfortably and can access their choice of play as resources are displayed within their reach. Babies have appropriate sized furniture and have designated cots with their own bedding for sleeping comfortably. Most activities for the young babies is set out on the floor and this enables them to be safe whilst they move around the room exploring all the time.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are cared for in a safe and secure environment. Good security devises are in place to gain access into the nursery. The front door is kept locked and only opened by staff. All visitors identification is checked and entered into the visitors book. Risk assessments are carried out regularly to reduce the possible risks on the premises and daily safety checks ensure toys and equipment are suitable and in good condition. However, no assessment has been conducted

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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 on the ivy growing in the garden and this compromises children's safety. Regular fire drills are conducted and this ensures children gain an understanding of evacuating the building safely. The manager records the evacuation time and identifies any problems with the process.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have a comprehensive understanding of the nurseries child protection policy and local safeguarding procedures and this ensures children are protected from possible abuse. They are aware of signs and symptoms of abuse and understand the reporting procedures to follow if concerned.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children arrive at the nursery and are happy to see each other and familiar staff. They separate well from their parent or carer and quickly settle into the nursery routine. They enjoy a very good range of interesting activities where they acquire new skills and knowledge in a stimulating and supportive environment. Staff use the Birth to three matters framework effectively to guide their planning for the children under three years. They have a good understanding of providing an environment for encouraging exploration and investigation. Young babies thoroughly enjoy toddling around from one interesting activity to another and experience natural materials such as water and sand play. Activities are placed on the floor for babies to access easily and they thoroughly enjoy tumbling into the indoor sand pit where they scoop up sand and then watch and feel it run away through their fingers. The toddler room is well

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

equipped to support these young children in developing their imagination and creativity. For example, an area within the room is dedicated to a home corner to encourage children to learn to share and play together in a homely atmosphere. Staff are kind and affectionate to the children and support their learning well. They are skilled at providing an environment where children learn to become independent learners but also provide support and guidance as required. Young children feel secure and grow in confidence because of the continual interest and warmth shown by staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have a very good knowledge and understanding of the Foundation stage and how children learn and progress. They plan a well balanced curriculum which is influenced by the children's interests and needs. The nursery is set up to encourage children to be independent and involved in a variety of stimulating and challenging activities. Staff observe children's development and transfer their observations into the children's individual portfolios. The portfolios are used to assess children's progress and identify next steps of learning. Teaching methods are good, staff are enthusiastic and spend quality time with children, although sometimes there are missed opportunities to extend children's vocabulary and thinking.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's attitudes to learning is positive, they are highly engaged and motivated throughout their time at nursery. Children concentrate well and absorb themselves in activities. They play amicably together, sharing and taking turns. They help each other to solve problems such as when building with the wooden blocks and deciding on how to build a track for the cars. Children are confident speakers and engage in conversations with each other and adults. They enjoy looking at books and are learning about turning the pages carefully and are able to retell some of their favourite stories. They have extensive opportunities to develop their early writing skills and as result many children are able to write recognisable letters and their names. Children are developing their understanding of numbers as they participate in a range of practical activities such as when counting how many leaves they had collected from the garden. Children's creativity

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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 is rapidly progressing as they are provided with extensive opportunities to experiment and create using various materials. They are provided with the resources and knowledge using picture clues, to make their own play dough. Children enjoy helping to mix powder paint when designing their own leaf prints, learning at the same time to add the correct amount of water to ensure the right consistency. Staff provide a rich environment which encourages children to learn about the world they live in. Doctors or the local Police officers visit the nursery regularly, which teaches the children about their local community.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are well behaved as they engage in meaningful play. They learn right and wrong in ways they understand and staff use appropriate, positive strategies to manage any difficulties that may arise. For example, staff talk calmly to children who are angry, reminding them to speak softly and not shout at their friends.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff are fully aware of individual children's needs which promotes happiness and security within the setting. Children's confidence develops through having the opportunity to make choices and through the respect and care shown by staff. Children develop an understanding of other faiths and cultures within society and have taken part in many celebrations such as for the festival of Eid. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The setting has a comprehensive understanding of the needs of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Although there are currently no children attending with additional needs, appropriate strategies are in place to support any children and work closely with outside agencies if required.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents is good. There are effective systems in place to keep parents well informed about their child's day. Staff are approachable and make themselves available to discuss any issues with parents. All children have a daily link book completed which is given to parents and includes information such as how their child has been and what they have eaten. All children have individual portfolios completed when they first start and these move with the child as they grow up and move into the different age groups. This information is open and always available for parents to look through. More formal meetings are held where parents can spend time discussing their child's progress and learning with the key worker. Extensive information is displayed in the hallways for parents to keep up to date with forthcoming events of the nursery. Parental comments indicate parents are very happy with the service provided.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents are particularly commending to the manager being approachable and receptive to any comments or suggestions.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Over half the staff working directly with the children hold a recognised childcare qualification. Other staff are currently on recognised childcare training courses. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure all staff are suitable to work with children. Staff ratios are maintained and staff from neighbouring Happy Child nurseries provide emergency cover as required. All required documentation and records are in place to ensure the smooth running of the nursery.

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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 The leadership and management is good. Children's care and learning is enhanced by the staff's good understanding of the Foundation stage, Birth to three matters framework and child development. The manager is committed to further development and actively encourages staff to attend further training. Staff meetings are held regularly where the staff team review practices. Each room has an individual action plan which is set and identifies areas for continuous improvements. Staff work well as a team as they are motivated and enthusiastic to provide an exciting, stimulating environment. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the nursery has made improvements in the care its provides. Staff are vigilant in ensuring children are well supervised when using the toilets. This ensures their overall safety is maintained at all times.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004 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. 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 all staff are aware of hygiene procedures in relation to hand washing • conduct a risk assessment on the ivy in the garden to ensure its safety

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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 staff's understanding of providing challenge to further develop children's thinking and language development

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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 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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