Heathcoat Primary School

Abc Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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113343 Unique Reference Number 30 October 2007 Inspection date Heidi Wilton Inspector

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217 Aldwick Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex, PO21 3QG Setting Address

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E-mail

Jan Turney 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?

ABC Day Nursery opened in 1991 and operates from a large two-storey property situated in the Aldwick area of Bognor Regis. The nursery is privately owned and serves the families from Bognor Regis and the surrounding areas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is registered to provide care for 34 children from three months to five years and receives government funding for three and four year olds. There are currently 61 children from three months to five years on roll and of these, 22 children are in receipt of nursery education funding. There are currently children attending with learning disabilities and/or difficulties and English an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is open from Monday to Friday 08.00 - 17:30 all year round, excluding bank holidays. Children are able to attend full-time or on a sessional basis. There are 16 members of staff including the manager. Eight staff work on a full-time basis and eight on a part-time basis. All staff have childcare qualifications. There are 10 members of staff qualified to level 3, five to level 2 and one staff member has qualified teacher status. All staff attend ongoing training.

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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 nursery receives support from the local Early Years Partnership and Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are protected from cross contamination as they wash they hands before meals, after going to the toilet and after messy play activities. Parents are well informed about the sickness policy which ensures they are aware of incubation periods should their child contract a communicable disease. The nursery have accident and medication records in place and staff complete these appropriately. This ensures children are kept safe and parents are well informed.

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Helping children to be healthy

Parents provide lunches for their children and these are stored appropriately. Staff encourage parents to put ice blocks in their children's food bags to ensure the food remains fresh. They gain information about children's allergies and dietary requirements at the outset to ensure they are well informed. Children's independence is limited at mealtimes as they are not given the opportunity to find their own lunch boxes and put foods onto their own plates.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have lots of fun as they ride tricycles and move themselves around in toy cars. They enjoy climbing the climbing frames and laugh as they whiz down the slides. Children enjoy local woodland walks and have fun as they interact to familiar music, moving and bending their bodies.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Staff ensure children are safe as safety equipment is used throughout the nursery. For example, stair gates, highchairs and cots are in place. Staff risk assess the inside and outside environments daily to ensure risks are identified and minimised. The nursery have gained parental permissions which ensures children are safe and parents well informed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Sleeping children are monitored regularly with the use of sleep charts, baby monitor and regular visual checks. This ensures they are safe and protected. Fire drills are practised with the children on a regular basis. This ensures all children know what to do in the event of a fire or emergency.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The staff team have all attended child protection training and all demonstrate a good understanding of where to make referrals. The nursery has a child protection policy which is shared with parents to ensure they are aware of the nursery's professional responsibility. However, the policy is not currently in line with the Local Safeguarding Children Board's guidelines.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Babies and young children arrive at the nursery happy and separate from their main carer well. Those who become upset are given a cuddle and reassured by staff. Staff use distraction techniques, such as introducing the children to exciting activities to help them feel happy again. Parents and their children are offered settling in visits at the outset to ensure the child becomes

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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 familiar with the environment. This enables the child to experience a smooth transition from the main carer to the nursery.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Babies have fun as they throw different shaped balls across the room and giggle as they run to pick them up again. They have a wide variety of toys and equipment to play with and can independently access these from the low level shelving and baskets. Young toddlers become engaged as they bang drum sticks onto the toy drums and others sway their bodies to the familiar background music. Toddlers and young children become excited as they submerge their hands into bowls of coloured spaghetti and inform the visitor 'it is cold'. They have fun as they drip glue onto paper and create pictures with the leaves they collected on their woodland walk. Young toddlers love using the paints on the low level art easels to create lovely pictures and others become excited as they move their bodies to familiar action music.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning for children in receipt of funded nursery education is good. Staff complete planning for the children linking activities to the stepping stones and early learning goals. They conduct regular observations of the children to track their development and these are transferred into their individual records. The records clearly show what stepping stones and early learning goals the children have reached but they do not show the children's next steps in learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children move about the inside environment freely choosing from a wide selection of age and stage appropriate activities. They have structured times within the outside area during the morning and afternoon session but the freedom to free-flow between the inside and outside areas is limited. Children are confident and approach the visitor to tell her about their lives. Staff interact at child level, listening and responding to what the children say and do. This ensures the children feel valued which in turn boosts their self esteem and confidence. Children independently access a variety of paper and writing utensils and have fun using these within their art and craft activities and during their imaginary play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have access to a variety of resources which foster an awareness of mathematical concepts. They have fun playing with different sized magnets and enjoy throwing beanbags onto the numbered squares on the large mat. Children love to measure objects with the tape measure and have fun putting objects into each side of the weighing scales. They excitedly show the visitor the pumpkins they have grown in the nursery garden and have fun as they scoop out the middles. Children have access to a computer and enjoy interacting with the variety of programs, such as matching body parts.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children can independently access a wide variety of arts and crafts from the low level shelving units. They have opportunities to explore cross stitching and enjoy cutting different materials to stick onto their pictures. Children enthusiastically join in with familiar rhymes and songs and become excited as they make a variety of biscuits for Halloween.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The nursery treat all children as individuals and show them equal respect. Staff are good role models to the children as they show both each other and the children respect. This in turn encourages children to respect their friends and people around them. The nursery celebrate festivals with the children which fosters an awareness of other cultures. Children enjoy tasting

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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 different foods, such as noodles and rice and have fun eating them with chopsticks. The nursery have three named learning disabilities and/or difficulties coordinators who work together to meet the needs of all the children. The setting work in partnership with parents and outside agencies, such as speech and play therapists. They continue action plans within the nursery to ensure consistency in care and learning is achieved for the children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

All staff have a good understanding of the behaviour policy. This is reviewed at staff meetings to ensure all staff are using consistent behaviour strategies with the children. Children are rewarded with positive praise, encouragement and stickers for good behaviour. Staff talk to the children at child level and use timeout methods when necessary for any unacceptable behaviour. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff communicate verbally with parents both at the beginning and end of each day. In addition, the baby and toddler room complete written information about the children's routines which is shared with parents at the end of the day. This ensures parents are well informed. Parents gain information through regular newsletters and from information displayed on the parents notice boards. Parents are informed at the outset about the setting's policies and procedures and these are included in the parents prospectus which ensures parents can refer to them at home. The setting share a complaints policy with parents and have a log in place should any concerns arise.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers for children in receipt of funded nursery education is good. Parents are informed about the Foundation Stage and areas of learning both verbally at the outset and from written information within the parent's prospectus. Parents are informed about the education provision at open days and staff talk to them about the Foundation Stage curriculum. Parents are welcomed to look at their child's records at anytime and key workers communicate with parents about their child's development. However, next steps are not indicated to parents as these are not included within the individual records. The nursery have a great activity book for parents to look at with suggestions of activities to help them get their child ready for going to school. In addition, the nursery display information for parents about children who are going to school next year to ensure they are well informed.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom they provide. The manager uses high staff to child ratios each day and delegates the team effectively. All staff are fully knowledgeable about where they are working within the nursery as the manager displays clear and detailed staff rotas. She has robust recruitment procedures and ensures all staff are vetted and suitable to be caring for the children. The team all have up-to-date paediatric first aid qualifications which ensures children are treated appropriately in an emergency. Staff have detailed inductions when they start employment at the nursery to ensure they are aware of policies and how the provision operates. The nursery have gained all required information about the children from their parents and all documentation is securely filed away to maintain confidentiality.

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Organisation

The leadership and management for children in receipt of funded nursery education are good. The manager is responsible for the day to day running of the nursery and is supported well by her deputy and the whole staff team. Staff work effectively and support each other both within their own rooms and across the whole nursery. The manager monitors staff on a day to day basis feeding back any concerns and celebrating any achievements and good practice. In

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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 addition, the manager conducts annual appraisals with the staff. This is a two way process where achievements, concerns, training needs and targets are discussed and identified.

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Organisation

The manager is involved with the planning process and ensures all staff are completing plans and conducting observations of children's development. The whole staff team attend planning meetings where ideas are discussed and plans are formalised. The manager encourages staff to attend regular training to update their expertise and knowledge and attends regular training herself. The staff all demonstrate positive attitudes to their roles and show dedication to meeting the needs of the children in their care.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the nursery were asked to address some recommendations. They were asked to develop the procedures for recording of visitors and uncollected children, and the child protection policy to include the relevant detail and review arrangements for the recording of nappy changes and monitoring of sleeping children. The nursery now have good procedures in place for recording of visitors and uncollected children. This ensures children are kept safe and staff know when unfamiliar adults are within the nursery. The nursery have developed the child protection policy although it is currently not in line with the Local Safeguarding Children Board's guidelines. The nursery have developed procedures for recording of nappy changes and monitoring of sleeping children. This ensures children are kept safe and parents are well informed.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last education inspection the nursery were asked to provide more information to parents relating to the Foundation Stage of learning and children's progress towards the early learning goals. The nursery ensure all parents are informed verbally at the outset about the Foundation Stage and the areas of learning. In addition, information about the Foundation Stage is included in written format within the parents prospectus. This ensures parents are well informed about the education provision being provided to their children. The nursery share records with parents which detail their children's progress towards the early learning goals. This ensures parents are aware of their development although they are not currently made aware of their child's next steps in learning.

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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. 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): • further develop children's independence skills at meal times • update the child protection procedure in line with the Local Safeguarding Children Board's.

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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 a flexible approach to enable children to move freely between the indoor and outdoor areas • further develop children's individual records to include next steps in learning and share these regularly with parents.

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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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