Happy Days Penrice

Happy Days South West Ltd Penrice Inspection report for early years provision

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EY279965 Unique Reference Number 22 January 2008 Inspection date Sarah Jane Wignall Inspector

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Penrice Hospital, Porthpean Road, St. Austell, Cornwall, PL26 6AA Setting Address

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01726 71188 Telephone number Penrice@happydaysnurseries.com E-mail Happy Days Day Nurseries 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Happy Days South West Ltd Penrice is one of the 20 nurseries run by Happy Days South West Ltd. It opened in 2001 and operates from four rooms in a purpose built nursery building. It is situated in the grounds of Penrice Hospital on the outskirts of St Austell, in Cornwall. A maximum of 80 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.15 until 18.00 for 51 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 143 children from three months to eight years on roll. Of these 23 children receive funding for early education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The setting currently supports children with learning difficulties/disabilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs 25 members of staff, 23 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications to NVQ 2 or above. Many staff are working towards further qualification and all staff attend regular training courses. The setting receives support from Family Services. They are members of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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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 as they learn about health and hygiene through the daily routines. Older children are becoming independent as they wash their hands and independently get tissues when they need them. Posters placed around the sinks remind children of the importance of washing hands to keep them healthy. Hand washing facilities help to limit the risks of cross infection. Babies are provided with individual cot sheets that are regularly laundered. Staff ensure the setting is kept clean and surfaces are wiped regularly throughout the day. Nappies are regularly changed and disposed of hygienically. Parents are kept well informed of any accidents and effective systems are in place to ensure the giving of medication is well monitored. Staff preparing food have completed food hygiene training and they ensure the kitchen is kept clean and food stored appropriately.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's dietary needs are well met as they are provided with good portions of food throughout the day. Sample menus are displayed within the setting so that parents are well informed of the foods that are available. Children learn about healthy foods as they cut up different fruits such as mango and melon and discuss the texture, smell and taste. Children are provided with healthy and filling snacks such as cereal and milk or fresh fruit. They have a hot cooked lunch that includes good portions of vegetables. Staff ensure children have lots to drink during the day and older children are able to help themselves to their drinks bottle when needed. Staff ensure they are well informed about any special diets or allergies.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy access to fresh air and exercise on most days but particularly when the weather is fine. Outdoor play areas are available to all children with younger children sharing their designated play areas. Staff are keen to develop the outdoor play facilities so that all children, particularly the younger children, will have access to covered areas increasing their ability to go outside when the weather is poor. Older children enjoy riding on bikes as they follow an obstacle course. They show good co-ordination and control as they steer around the course. Children learn to move like machines as they take giant robotic like steps. They develop fine muscle control as they competently use knives, forks and spoons when eating.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children benefit from being cared for in designated base rooms that are appropriate for their age and stage of development. Effective procedures are in place to ensure the building is secure and staff monitor the arrival of parents and others before allowing them access to the building, ensuring children are kept safe and secure. Overall daily checks are carried out of the communal areas of the building, but checks on individual rooms are not monitored. As a result some potential hazards are not immediately identified. Children learn about fire safety through regular fire drills. Older children confidently recall how they must line up when they hear the alarm before going outside. Appropriate fire fighting equipment is in place and regularly tested.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety is protected as they have access to a suitable range of age appropriate resources within their individual base rooms. This ensures that young children do not come into contact with small items. Staff monitor the use of resources and broken or damaged items are removed. Staff caring for babies wash items regularly to limit the risks of cross contamination. Young

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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 children are well supervised as they sleep. Staff organise the play rooms so that children sleeping on floor mats are able to rest safely away from other children who may still wish to play.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected by staff that have a good understanding of child protection and are aware of action to take if they are concerned about children in their care. Comprehensive policies and procedures are in place, with clear lines of referral if concerns exist.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Babies and young children are cared for by consistent staff in appropriate base rooms. As a result they feel safe and secure and are developing good relationships with staff. Staff in all rooms put in place suitable daily routines that include busy and quiet times, ensuring that babies have the opportunity to rest and sleep when they need to. A good range of creative play is offered and they particularly enjoy experimenting with foam and playing with spaghetti. Staff are responsive to babies individual needs and ensure they are fully informed of home routines which they try to follow in the nursery. Staff use the Birth to three matters framework as a focus for planning suitable activities for young children. Regular observations and assessments of children's progress are used to identify the next steps in learning. Older toddlers enjoy playing with dolls and staff increase their understanding as they help them to dress the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

dolls talking about different parts of the body and where the clothes should go. Staff link well with parents and other room supervisors in deciding when it is appropriate for a child to progress to the next room. Transfer sheets are used to pass on key information about children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and children's learning is satisfactory. Staff have a sound understanding of how children learn through play and they plan a broad, balanced range of practical activities each session. Most children are happy and settled and are confident when around staff and other children. Children have access to two adjoining play rooms where a range of floor and table top activities are available for them. Areas of play include the role play area, book corner, writing area and creative play. Some resources and activities are not well laid out or attractively presented and as a result the purpose of the activity is not clear to children or they have difficulty successfully completing it for instance trying to find their name card from a very large number. Sessions offer a suitable balance between adult led and free choice. Staff use weekly plans to identify structured activities and learning intentions. However children are not always

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

grouped appropriately resulting in some children not being sufficiently challenged to extend their learning or less able not sufficiently supported.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are gaining in confidence as they independently access resources, feed themselves at meal times and meet their own needs for personal hygiene. They are learning to share and take turns and staff plan activities that support this learning, for instance in waiting for a turn to put the marble down the marble run. Children are developing good relationships with each other and several sit together and discuss forthcoming birthdays. Children are gaining confidence as they speak and communicate with others. Staff encourage this by giving them the opportunity to share news at circle time. Children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories. However large numbers of children present during whole group story time results in some younger children losing interest. Children enjoy making marks with pencils, crayons and chalk.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are learning about numbers and counting as they play games and role dice. They count the number of dots on the dice and match this to the correct numbered card. They learn about

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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 size as they talk about different sized machines. Staff reinforce this understanding as they use their hands to demonstrate the difference in size. Children are gaining confidence and an understanding of technology as they use the computer and other programmable toys. They learn about growth and change as they occasionally plant seeds and watch them grow. Children have access to an adequate range of creative resources. They enjoy using play dough to mould and shape. They use cutters and rollers to create shapes such as sausages and snails. Most children respond appropriately and show satisfactory levels of concentration throughout the session. Overall children are making sound progress in their learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children benefit as they are cared for in key groups and by generally consistent staff. Staff work closely with parents in gaining an understanding of children's individual needs, particularly when they start at the setting. Effective settling in procedures help children and parents feel confident. Children with additional needs are well supported at the setting. Staff liaise with parents in identifying key areas for development and they ensure all staff working with children are appropriately briefed in order to effectively support their learning and development. Older children have some opportunities to visit local community projects where they learn about plants and the natural world. They learn about other cultures and languages as some words from the Cornish language are displayed within the setting and children undertake a celebration of other festivals within the curriculum.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are comfortable and confident in the care of staff and respond well to increasing independence as they move up through the nursery. Staff are consistent in their approach and they respond to children in a warm and caring way. Staff dealing with babies are responsive when they are upset and ensure they are well supported as they play. Older children enjoy being chosen as special helper if they have helped in the nursery or done something well. Daily routines are well established and older children respond well to a café style snack system where there is minimal disruption to play. When a change of activity is needed staff give children notice by announcing that tidy up time is imminent and getting children involved in helping to pack toys away. Children respond well to good amounts of verbal praise and encouragement throughout the day.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Children are well supported by the relationship staff have with parents. They are provided with good amounts of information both about the setting and their child's daily routine. New parents are given an informative prospectus and also access to policies and procedures that are displayed on the notice board. Regular newsletters are sent home outlining staff changes, training courses staff are attending and information about topics to be covered during the term. Parents of babies and young children receive daily written sheets outlining feeds, nappy changes and sleeps during the day. With older children feedback is verbal at the start and end of sessions. All parents are invited into regular meetings with staff where development records are shared and any issues or concerns are discussed. Parents of funded children are informed of songs and nursery rhymes that are planned for the

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Helping children make a positive contribution

term so that they can support their child at home. Funded children are able to take a story book home to share with parents and children take home a teddy, in turn, where they are encouraged to use a book to record his adventures while staying with them. Staff try to address any concerns parents have regarding their child's development or specific areas that parents wish them to focus on such as developing writing skills or speech problems. The nursery fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children benefit from being cared for in a well organised setting. Effective and robust recruitment and vetting procedures help to keep children safe. Staff ensure that all people working with children are fully vetted and assessed. New staff undergo comprehensive induction procedures that include policies and procedures and health and safety issues among others. They are well supported and supervised by senior staff during their probationary period. All staff undergo regular appraisals that are used to identify strengths and weaknesses and ongoing training needs. The manager is well supported by senior staff within the Happy Days chain, who make regular monitoring visits to help improve practice. All staff are encouraged to develop their skills through ongoing training. Day to day organisation of the nursery is effective in meeting children's needs. Comprehensive and well organised documentation is in place.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery are good. While there are some weaknesses in the delivery of nursery education senior staff are fully aware of and keen to address them. The team of staff working with funded children has only recently come together, due to staff changes and as a result they have not fully consolidated their day to day practice. Staff delivering nursery education are well supported by senior staff who advise on planning and delivery of the curriculum. They are currently making arrangements for the play leader to visit another setting within the chain, where she can observe good practice and gain ideas for this setting. Staff continually review and adjust how the educational programme is delivered. They are aware that current practice on staff deployment and grouping of children does not always result in all children being sufficiently challenged, but they are looking at ways to improve this for

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Organisation

instance in more clearly targeting certain children for specific activities and ensuring all staff are aware of this. Overall 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 care inspection the provider was asked to ensure that all children have an appropriate range of activities and resources that promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice. At the last nursery education inspection they were asked to ensure activities are extended to stimulate the older and more able children and to provide clear assessment records which identify need and inform future planning.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Children learn about difference and diversity as they play with a range of resources such as child sized crutches and wheel chairs and they learn about other festivals and traditions through planned activities and topics. Staff use regular observations and assessments of children's progress to help identify individual targets for development. They plan a suitable range of activities to meet the needs of all children attending and they look at ways of improving the groupings of children to ensure they are challenged throughout the session.

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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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Complaints since the last inspection

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

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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 satisfactory.

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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 daily safety checks are in place for each room and are used to identify and minimise hazards • continue to develop the outdoor play area so that babies and young children can maximise their access to fresh air and exercise

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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): • ensure staff are deployed effectively and children grouped appropriately so that all children are actively involved and appropriately challenged throughout the session • ensure planned activities and use of daily resources are well thought through and attractively presented.

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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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