West Kent and Ashford College

Teddy Bears Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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130727 Unique Reference Number 09 November 2007 Inspection date Christine McInally Inspector

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59 Glebe Villas, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 5SL Setting Address

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01273 412 100 Telephone number susan@teddybearsdaynursery.co.uk E-mail Susan Louise Thomas 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?

Teddy Bears Nursery first opened in 1991 is privately owned and offers full day care. The nursery serves the local area and is registered to care for 34 children at any one time. There are currently 65 children on roll, of these, 19 receive nursery funded education. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and a number of children attend who have English as an additional language. The nursery is open Monday through Friday from 07.30 to 18.00 all year round, except for bank holidays and one week over Christmas. The nursery is situated on a residential street in Hove close to Portslade Station. The nursery has a baby unit as well as facilities for toddlers and pre-school aged children. The building was converted to its present use with the baby unit on the first floor. There are two outdoor play areas, one of which has a safety surface. There are 15 members of

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

staff, of these, 11 hold recognised early years qualifications. The setting receives support from CEYC (City Early Years and Childcare) and takes part in QUILT (Quality in Learning and Teaching) a quality assurance scheme.

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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 play in a clean environment, where they learn about good hygiene practices. They are familiar with routines for hand washing and know to do this before eating or after using the toilet. Good procedures such as staff wearing disposable gloves for nappy changing, helps sustain high levels of hygiene and prevents cross infection. Relevant documentation is in place to record accidents and administration of medicine, which helps to protect children's welfare.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy regular physical play both indoors and out. A stimulating variety of activities helps children gain increasing control of their bodies, for example, as they play on the seesaw or as they scoop up the jelly during messy play. Staff have a sound knowledge of Birth to three matters; they use the guidance well to provide a range of physical play experiences for babies and young children. All children are able to rest and be active according to their needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy using the café style system to help themselves to snacks and refreshment during the session at a time that suits them. They are provided with a range of healthy snacks including fresh fruit and vegetables encouraging them to develop healthy eating practices. Their personal independence is further developed as they cut the fruit and vegetables for themselves. However, due to space constraints the organisation of lunchtime for children aged over two years is less effective.

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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 warm, safe environment. Attractive displays of children's art work, colourful furnishings and excellent information displays provide a welcoming atmosphere. Visitors have to ring the bell to gain entry so children are safe from intruders. Regular risk assessments, indoors and outdoors, further ensure children’s safety. Children begin to develop an understanding of keeping themselves safe as they practise fire evacuation procedures.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children have easy and safe access to a good range of toys and resources appropriate for their age. For example, babies and very young children have access to treasure baskets and older children may choose from stimulating materials stored at their height. Toys and resources are carefully selected to ensure they are suitable for children. They are encouraged to help tidy up at particular times of the day. This helps children to take responsibility and to look after the resources and their environment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are safeguarded by staff that have a clear understanding of child protection policies and procedures. There is a clearly written policy which is shared with the parents, helping to promote children's well-being.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their time at the nursery and younger children are making good progress in their personal and social development. Children are involved and have a good variety of activities such as re-enacting the book 'We're All Going on a Bear Hunt' during outdoor play. Babies can practise walking with push-pull toys and walkers. Staff are caring and attentive to children's

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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 needs recognising when they are tired and need comfort, support and reassurance. Children achieve well because staff are skilled and use their understanding of early years guidance, such as Birth to three matters and the curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage, to provide good quality care and education. Staff are skilled in using children's assessment records to help inform the planning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Babies and toddlers enjoy lots of physical contact with the staff which enables them to feel extremely secure and play contentedly. Staff value children's contributions and creations, displaying them attractively on wall displays, developing children's self-esteem. They also include examples of children's work in the individual children's progress files with accompanying photographs, this information is then used very well to plan for the next steps in each child’s learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff work well as a team they are clear in their roles and provide consistent levels of support and interaction with the children. Children make good progress through the stepping stones, towards the early learning goals. Staff are secure in their understanding of the Foundation Stage and this is demonstrated in the planning. Regular observations of the children contribute to the assessment records and the information gathered is used well to inform the planning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing an awareness of other's needs and have good self-esteem because staff listen to them and value their ideas and contributions. Children develop a healthy interest in books, they enjoy sharing stories with adults and peers. They are confident speakers, and understand they can use writing for a variety of purposes and are beginning to write for themselves. Children skilfully use and recognise numbers in everyday activities. Children count confidently and recognise numbers that are important to them. They choose number activities during free play and enjoy number rhymes and songs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Topic work and practical activities arouses children's natural curiosity and develops their exploration and investigation skills. They learn about the local environment as they go for walks; pictures of local landmarks are used well to help children develop a sense of belonging. Children are confident in using information and communication technology, for example, they demonstrate good mouse control when playing games on the computer. Children move confidently showing a good awareness of space and others in both the indoor and outdoor space. Children express themselves creatively using all of their senses to actively explore a stimulating range of new experiences. For example, children show delight as they handle the jelly they are exploring.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children feel good about themselves as staff treat them with respect. They develop self-esteem and confidence as they voice their opinions and make choices and decisions. Staff have a positive attitude towards diversity. Children are developing an awareness of their own and other cultures through a range of resources, planned activities and as they celebrate a variety of festivals. The use of visual symbols helps bilingual children develop an understanding of the nursery routines. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are very well supported through liaison with parents and other agencies. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered well.

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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 Children behave well in the positive atmosphere of the nursery; they enjoy the praise and encouragement they receive and follow simple rules well. 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 helps them learn to negotiate with others and take responsibility for their own behaviour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. Staff build excellent relationships with parents and work closely with them to ensure that children's individual needs are met. This good partnership contributes considerably to children's well-being while at the nursery. Staff are friendly and approachable they ensure that all parents know how their children are progressing and developing. Parents are welcome to discuss their child's progress whenever they wish; they are informed through daily discussions and termly reports about their child's development. Children’s learning is enhanced from this sharing of information between staff and parents.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. Children play and learn in a warm, welcoming and extremely child friendly environment. Their care is further enhanced by extremely good organisation and resources to support and extend their learning. Children benefit from being cared for by staff that are qualified and experienced in childcare. All staff members have a good knowledge and understanding of children's developmental needs. The nursery uses a 'free flow' system which allows the children to choose the activities they wish to participate in and when. All children receive good support from a staff group that enjoy their company and know them well helping them feel secure and confident.

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Organisation

The management team work extremely well together, they have a clear vision of where they are going with the nursery and have put in place systems to help them achieve their goals. Policies and procedures are used effectively to promote the welfare, care and learning of children. All aspects of the children's care and learning are discussed with the parents, who are kept well informed of their child's achievements. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

Leadership and management of the funded nursery education is good. Effective systems are in place to monitor and evaluate the educational programme. There are regular appraisals that identify training needs and staff are actively encouraged to enrol on relevant courses. This supports staff in their role and ensures they have the latest and most relevant information available.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the previous nursery education inspection the nursery has developed the outside areas to cover all six areas of learning. This helps to support children in progressing in their learning and development.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Following the last care inspection the nursery further developed staff's understanding of the Foundation Stage and introduced a termly report for parents detailing their child's progress and achievements. Both of these measures contribute to the learning and welfare of the children.

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Improvements 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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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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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 the organisation of lunch time for children aged over two years to maximise learning and enjoyment

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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): • make improvements as indicated in the care section above

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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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