Ashby Fields Primary School

Bowlers Community Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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131671 Unique Reference Number 14 December 2007 Inspection date Asia Islam Inspector

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81 Crouch Hill, London, N8 9EG Setting Address

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E-mail

Bowlers Community Nursery 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 satisfactory. 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?

Bowlers Community Nursery registered in 1994 and is run by a management committee of parents. It is housed in a self-contained premises within the grounds of Crouch Hill recreation centre, which is located in the London Borough of Islington. Children under two years have access to a room and the older children are based in the main open plan play area. There is an enclosed landscaped garden for outdoor play. The nursery is open to all families living in the locality. Operational hours are from 08.30 to 17.30, 48 weeks a year. The group offers sessional, daily and weekly care to meet the needs of the parents.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is registered to care for a maximum of 36 children aged under five years. There are currently 29 children aged from one year to under five years on roll. Of these, 13 children receive nursery education funding. The group support children with learning difficulties and disabilities and those with English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are eight staff members working directly with the children. Most of the staff members hold early years qualifications. Additional staff are also employed for administration, maintenance, cooking and cleaning.

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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's physical development is very well planned within the sessions. They have access to a well equipped outdoor play area. They enjoy running around, role playing, climbing up and down the large apparatus, kicking balls, balancing on the large climbing frames, riding scooters and bikes and digging the sand. Children are confident in their spatial awareness and they skilfully negotiate around the equipment. Some of the children enjoy helping the staff to brush up the leaves from the ground with their gardening tools.

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Helping children to be healthy

Nutritious snacks and meals are provided at the setting to promote their healthy eating. They have fruit and crackers at snack times and chicken casserole with vegetables and fruit dessert for lunch. Children enjoy their meal times and talk readily about their likes and dislikes with peers and staff but discussions do not focus on healthy eating. The younger children are encouraged to learn about table manners from the examples set by peers and adults. Older children confidently use the cutlery to eat their lunch with. Drinking water is available during meal times and throughout the day to meet their thirst need.

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Helping children to be healthy

Hygiene procedures are developed to ensure most of the children's toys and equipment are clean. Some of the armchairs and cushions used by the children are not clean. Staff remind children to wash hands at the appropriate times to support their hygiene practice. The more able children understand about the importance of hygiene and express that they wash hands because of "germs". They independently use the toilet area that is very well equipped with child height toilets, wash basins, a soap holder and hand drying facility. The younger children are supported to develop their self help skills as staff show them how to flush the toilets. Babies' nappies are checked and changed regularly for their wellbeing. The staff wear gloves and aprons and they disinfect equipment regularly to reduce any infections.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health and wellbeing is promoted because the accident and medication procedures are well developed. Records are maintained with the required details. Parents' written consent to seek emergency medical advice and treatment is in place. First aid boxes are available in the rooms and most of the staff members hold a valid first aid qualification. There is a designated health and safety person, who holds the responsibility for checking and ensuring that there is a sufficient supply of first aid materials for use in the event of an emergency.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children's artworks are attractively displayed and make the environment very bright and welcoming. Most of the safety procedures and devices are in place to ensure children's safety and security. For example, the front door is fitted with entry buzzer and is always monitored by the staff team to ensure children are protected from any unwanted visitors. Safety gates are fitted to prevent them gaining unsupervised access to hazardous areas such as the kitchen. Risk assessments are regularly carried out and records are maintained with the details. However, some aspects of safety have been overlooked in the garden, for example, the plants and fixtures on the ground. Children's attendance records do not include their daily hours of arrival and departure to ensure their full safety. Staff regularly check children's toys and equipment to ensure these are well maintained and safe for play. The procedures to follow in the event of

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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 any child protection concerns are developed and the staff team are familiar with the responsibilities to protect children's interests.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very interested in the range of resources provided for their development. They enjoy exploring and playing freely alone, with peers and adults. Children are independent and initiate their own play because most of the resources are well-organised and within reach. Staff are very vigilant and offer children encouragement when needed, which helps to keep them engaged in meaningful play. Children under two years have access to activities that support their free movements and sensory development extremely well. The Birth to three matters framework is used to observe children's progress and plan activities but their next step in development is sometimes not clearly recorded. Attractive and brightly coloured early learning toys and books are arranged on the carpet to effectively support their curiosity, crawling and walking. Staff offer children affection and give them eye contact and gestures and verbalise

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

activities to support their emotional wellbeing and communication skills. Their individual needs are accommodated within the routines of the nursery as the staff team have a flexible approach. There is an established relationship between the children and the staff. Children are happy and they confidently ask for help during activities and for more food at lunch time. They respond eagerly to staff's support and guidance. Some of the children take a little more time to separate from their carers when they arrive. Strategies are in place to manage this successfully as the children are gradually settled in and confidently participate in activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of the teaching and learning is good. A system is in place for assessing children on entry to the nursery and thereafter on a regular basis. Sometimes these records do not clearly show the dates, focused areas and children's next step in learning. Their activity plans are available and cover all areas of learning. Samples of their work and photographs show the activities they have participated in to benefit their learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are learning about friendships, feelings, politeness and to say please and thank you within activities, to support their social skills. They play amicably together with peers and adults and have developed positive relationships. Children independently put their coats on to go out to play and readily line up to march outside on staff's request. They eagerly participate in the activities both indoors and outside. Prints are displayed across the nursery to help children make links with the written words. They enjoy listening to adult read stories, and they calmly explore and handle books. Children are good communicators, they talk about their activities with peers and adults. They listen to each other and share their views. For example, during snack time one child says, "I have made a big one" whilst eating the crackers and they talk about shapes. An opportunity is missed to talk about size and shapes to further support

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children's learning meaningfully. Counting is also given less emphasis within the activities to support and extend their mathematical development in everyday activities. Resources are provided for the children to develop early writing skills but these are sometimes not well organised to extend children's independent writing. For example, more able children do not freely write their own names. They can recognise the letters of their names on the place mat and are beginning to form the first letters of their name. Children are involved in role playing doctors and patients, which helps their understanding about adult roles in society. They build creatively with duplos and they also make three dimensional models, like the witch on a broom stick for Halloween, with adults' support. Children are learning about the festive season and

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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 the weather as they focus on the cold, snow and Christmas celebration. This is strongly evident in the current artwork and displays. Resources to support their understanding about everyday technology are not widely provided. For example, children have access to a telephone only during the session.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are currently preparing to celebrate the Christmas season. They have decorated tree shapes with glitters and stars. They are also encouraged to celebrate other community festivals over the year to increase their understanding about the wider communities. They have access to a range of resources that reflect positive images of culture and disability. Children are encouraged to play equally with the available resources regardless of their gender. Their choice and preferences are valued. Children with learning difficulties and disabilities are supported to make progress within activities. Learning plans are drawn up by the key worker together with the parents and outside professionals to promote individuals' needs. Children's understanding about the consequences of behaviour is supported through clear explanations and positive role models. Children behave and play extremely well together with peers and the adult. They eagerly

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Helping children make a positive contribution

respond to adults' guidance and support. Children listen and show value for each others comments. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Parents are involved in settling in their children, which is dependent on the child's needs. Information to meet their care needs is obtained, recorded and thereafter regularly updated through verbal and written exchange of information with the parents and carers. Parents are encouraged to take part in the management committee. Complaints procedure is displayed along with most of the nursery procedures to ensure parents are well informed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. An initial home visit is carried out before children's placement starts at the nursery and an assessment is carried out to help them settle into the nursery routines. Children's activity plans and information about the nursery education are displayed for parents. They are encouraged to take reading books home to share with the children. Parents are encouraged to help children write something about the weekend or bring something in to the nursery to share with peers. Initial settling in report and meeting takes place with the parents, followed by regular progress reviews, reports and meetings to ensure parents are well informed about their children's nursery education. Parents expressed that the nursery staff are very welcoming, approachable and they meet their children's needs very well.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children benefit from an environment that that is spacious, bright and welcoming. There is a good range of resources available to support most of areas of their development. The staff team demonstrated a secure understanding about children's developmental needs. They encourage children to play freely and make them feel comfortable as individuals' interest in play, sleep, meals and settling in is accommodated. Most of the required records are maintained well, although some of these are not easily available for inspection. For example, activity plans for the younger children and a child's file. The setting is in breach of a requirement of registration because the children's attendance records do not include the daily hours of attendance, which means their safety is compromised. Children are cared for in a warm and gentle manner. They are made to feel secure because the staff are well deployed across the

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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 nursery throughout the day. The provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

The management and leadership is good. The manager and the staff team work cooperatively to ensure children receive quality education through play. They obtain regular feedback from parents to ensure their view are taken into consideration when planning children's learning and development. The setting operates an inclusive policy, where families and children from all backgrounds are welcome. New staff undergo vetting procedures, an induction and probationary period before permanent employment is offered. This is to ensure their suitability to work directly with the children. The existing staff have access to regular appraisal, supervision and training to support their childcare practice. The setting has introduced a self assessment system for monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching but some of the areas for improvements have not been recognised. for example, the opportunities necessary to support

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Organisation

and extend children's mathematical development and their awareness about technology within everyday activities.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the group was asked to ensure systems for registering children's and staff's attendance included the daily hours of attendance, that children do not have access to broken toys and mats exposing foam and drinking water is made available at all times.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The children's attendance records do not include their daily hours of attendance. Staff's attendance records now include their daily hours of attendance. However, following this inspection the setting has started to maintain the necessary details for children. This means their safety was being compromised until this issue was raised again at this inspection. A drinking fountain is accessible to children to ensure drinking water is always available to meet their thirst need. Broken toys are replaced and moved from children's reach but a mat exposing foam is accessible in the garden. However, since this inspection, the nursery has removed it from children's accessibility. This means some aspects of safety continued to be overlooked until raised again at this inspection. The nursery continues to improve children's safety.

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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 satisfactory. 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): • ensure children's attendance records include their daily hours of arrival and departure • ensure the risk assessments include the plants and fittings in the garden to reduce any risks • ensure records are better organised and easily available for inspection

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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 opportunities to support and extend children's mathematical development and about technology within everyday activities • enhance systems for monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching

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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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