Claremont Nursery

Claremont Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY286277 Unique Reference Number 30 October 2007 Inspection date Liz Margaret Caluori Inspector

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Claremont School, Ebdens Hill, St. Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN37 7PW

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E-mail

Claremont School ( St Leonards ) Ltd 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?

Claremont Nursery has been registered since 2004. It operates from seven rooms, one of which has a mezzanine floor, in a self contained building in the grounds of Claremont School on the outskirts of Hastings. The nursery has three dedicated outside play areas and access to the school grounds. The nursery serves the local area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is registered to provide care for 76 children and there are currently 78 children from one to five years on roll attending on either a full or part time basis. This includes 45 children who receive funding for their nursery education. The setting welcomes children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities as well as those for whom English is an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group opens five days a week for fifty weeks of the year. Sessions are from 08:00 until 18:00. Children attend for morning or afternoon sessions or for whole days.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 16 staff who work with the children in the nursery, all of whom hold a relevant childcare 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 The setting receives support from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children play in a very clean, bright and attractive environment. Very good hygiene standards are maintained by staff who follow a cleaning rota each day. This includes regularly wiping tables, checking the toilets and washing the floors. Children are very well supported to develop good personal hygiene practices. Older children routinely wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet and younger children are supported as necessary.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff follow hygienic practices when changing nappies. They wear gloves and wash the mat after each use. Appropriate toilet facilities are in place for older children and most are able to visit these independently. However, there is no door or partitioning in the toilet facilities used by the two year old children. This arrangement does not offer sufficient privacy for this group of children.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy tasty and nutritious snacks and meals, freshly prepared on site by the nursery cook. Menus are planned in advance and a vegetarian alternative is available each day. Children learn about the importance of healthy eating and are provided with a good selection of fruit and vegetables. There are effective arrangements in place to ensure that children’s individual dietary requirements are clearly identified and understood by all those involved in the preparation and serving of food. Meal times are generally very lively and positive occasions and children chat happily with their friends. They are learning to use knives and forks correctly which helps to promote their social skills. Children have constant access to drinks.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff with first aid qualifications are present at all times which ensures that children are appropriately cared for in the event of an accident. Effective procedures are also in place regarding the care of sick children and the administration of medicines. The setting has appropriate arrangements to maintain the required written records and these are generally well ordered.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy very regular opportunities to develop their physical skills. There are three fully enclosed outdoor play areas filled with resources appropriate for the varied ages and developmental stages of the children attending. All contain an extensive selection of toys and equipment to encourage children to practise their gross motor skills. They use ride-on toys, climbing frames, slides and soft play equipment to develop their co-ordination and play games with their friends. In addition, the nursery children also have regular access to the extensive school grounds.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children play with toys and equipment that are well maintained, clean and attractively presented. Many are stored at a low level so that children can select items for themselves.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

There is a range of effective safety precautions in place around the setting including the use of socket covers and safety gates to restrict access to potentially hazardous areas such as the kitchen. There are also good arrangements in place to identify and report any faults or hazards,

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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 such as fungus spotted growing on tree stumps in one of the play areas. These issues are addressed promptly. Children listen well to the explanations and instructions given by staff and move very sensibly around the nursery. They are well supported to learn how to keep themselves safe. They take part in group discussion about a range of appropriate subjects and also benefit from meeting visitors such as the local Police Officers.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The nursery has good precautions in place to protect children in case of a fire. Emergency exits are clearly indicated and free from obstruction. Fire fighting equipment is in place and regularly checked. Children take part in practise evacuation drills and written records are kept.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are safeguarded by clear and appropriate child protection procedures. All staff are trained to recognise the potential signs and symptoms of abuse and any concerns are reported to the manager who acts as co-ordinator. The manager is very clear on the responsibilities attached to this role. She reports directly to the school head teacher who has the relevant contact details should it be necessary to make a referral.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children thoroughly enjoy their time in the nursery. They form extremely warm and positive relationships with staff and clearly enjoy the good humoured banter and relaxed atmosphere.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The youngest children flourish as a result of the warm and attentive care of staff. They respond very well to the smiles and eye contact they receive from familiar adults. This helps them to feel secure of their place in the group and to develop good self-esteem. As a result, they are developing the confidence to explore their environment and the resources provided.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

There are nursery wide topics and themes during each term and separate planning takes place within in each room. This ensures that staff are able to reflect the interests and individual needs of the children that they work with. Planning for the younger children follows the Birth to three matters framework and is very skilfully adapted to be appropriate for each child’s age and stage of development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff demonstrate a thorough understanding of the Foundation Stage of the National Curriculum. They work extremely well as a team and constantly share information about individual children to ensure that they are each offered the appropriate level of challenge.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Each day consists of a mix of free play and adult focussed activities. These are planned to cover all areas of learning. Staff are competent at engaging children’s interest and provide them with a range of imaginative and stimulating activities. However, whilst the quality of this educational input is very high, on occasion there is a significant level of adult direction and intervention. At these times children are not sufficiently supported to develop the skills to learn independently. Despite this, children are all making very good progress towards the Early Learning Goals.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use extremely expressive and descriptive language as they instigate and join in a range of lively and interesting conversations throughout the day. Staff offer a good level of support to extend children’s language and also take time to listen to them when they speak. Children enjoy listening to stories read by staff and are developing an interest in the books displayed

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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 in the room. Children make good use of the opportunities they receive to practise writing and many are able to form recognisable letters.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children count with great confidence and enthusiastically join in activities aimed at promoting their mathematical development. Many are able to recognise written numerals and are beginning to develop an understanding of the basic concepts of addition and subtraction. They also benefit from very regular opportunities to practice skills such as sorting, matching, comparison and shape recognition.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Creatively children are also making good progress. They do not routinely have independent access to the full range of art resources. However, they enjoy very frequent opportunities to use the materials set out by adults and produce very expressive and individual pieces of art. Displays of children’s work are attractive. Whilst these largely reflect the work undertaken in adult focussed activities, each room has an area set aside to present children’s individual art work. Children also have access to resources to support them in their role play and small world play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are learning about the wider world through a range of interesting topics aimed at extending their general knowledge. Staff make extremely good use of the extensive school grounds to encourage children to explore and investigate nature. They also stimulate children’s interest through imaginative activities such as ‘listening walks’.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children throughout the setting are very clearly valued and respected as individuals by all staff. They thrive in the care of familiar and trusted adults and are developing the confidence to express themselves and share their views. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. They are provided with a range of activities and resources aimed at promoting positive images of people from throughout the community and wider world, including those with disabilities. They also take part in activities to mark a wide range of festivals and special days.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s behaviour is extremely good. They are polite, well mannered and caring. They show a very good understanding of right and wrong and are becoming skilful negotiators. Adults act as very good role models and are good-humoured, patient and consistent when dealing with the children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The nursery has good arrangements in place to care for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The staff team has a very positive attitude towards meeting the needs of all children and the manager has trained to act as the additional needs co-ordinator. The nursery also has appropriate arrangements in place to care for children who speak English as an additional language.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is good. Those whose children receive funding for their nursery education are given very good support to help them understand the Foundation Stage of the National Curriculum. They are invited to a power point presentation and are shown the individual profile record books which will be completed during the year. They also attend regular meetings during which they discuss their child’s progress. They are encouraged to share information about achievements made at home. Written reports are produced and these indicate the next steps for each child. The parents of all other children are also invited to attend regular meetings

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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 to discuss their child progress. Parents are given a good range of written information about the nursery. This includes clear guidance on the procedure to be followed should they wish to make a complaint.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

All parents and carers receive a friendly greeting as they drop off and collect their child. This time is also used to share any relevant information. Children benefit greatly from these positive relationships.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Leadership and management are good. The setting is owned by the school principal with overall responsibility for the nursery falling to the head teacher. The nursery manager is responsible for the day to running of the nursery and is supported by a strong and cohesive staff team. There are very effective arrangements in place to ensure effective communication. All involved are very clear on their roles and responsibilities. Regular meetings are held to discuss all aspects of the running of the nursery and the service provided. The procedures in place to recruit staff are entirely appropriate. They are vetted to ensure their suitability and are inducted in all policies and procedures. The setting also has appropriate procedures in place to support volunteers and students on placement.

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Organisation

The nursery has a comprehensive range of policies and procedures and these are currently being reviewed and updated. All required documentation and records are maintained; this contributes to the effective management of the setting.

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Organisation

Space is very imaginatively used to create wonderfully inviting play spaces, particularly for the younger children. Similarly, the outdoor play areas are attractively designed and provides exciting environments for children to explore.

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Organisation

There is a comprehensive range of written policies and procedures in place and these are currently being updated. All documentation is present and appropriately maintained; this contributed to the effective management of the setting.

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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

Since the last inspection there has been a change of head teacher and manager within the setting. The setting has successfully addressed all areas of improvement identified as a result of the inspection. It was recommended that the deployment of staff and use of space be reviewed to more closely monitor ratios. A review of the pace and routine of each session has also taken place. Two written policies were also identified as needing revising. These issues have all been addressed and these improvements contribute to the effective management of the setting. Recommendations were also made to revise the planning for the younger children. The setting now plans very effectively for this group of children using the Birth to three matters framework. As a result, children are provided with activities which offer them an appropriate level of challenge and which address their all round development.

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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

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 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): • review the toileting arrangements for the two year old children to offer greater privacy

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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): • increase the support for children to become independent learners but offering more opportunities for them to explore and experiment for themselves.

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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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