Park Lane International School

Little Angels Nursery Ltd Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

137803 Unique Reference Number 06 February 2008 Inspection date Jennifer Devine Inspector

p.1

25-27 High Street, Harlesden, London, NW10 4NE Setting Address

p.1

E-mail

Little Angels Nursery Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

p.1

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

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Little Angels Nursery is owned by a private provider. It opened in 2000 and operates from premises at Harlesden Methodist Church in Harlesden, in the London borough of Brent.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 31 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08:00 to 18:00 for 49 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 21 children aged from six months to under five years on roll. Of these four children receive funding for nursery education.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs six staff, of whom all staff hold appropriate early years qualifications.

p.2

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

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's health is satisfactorily supported by staff who implement adequate hygiene procedures within the nursery. Older children understand about the importance of ensuring their hands are clean before eating and help themselves to baby wipes. Staff are aware of good hygiene routines when changing nappies, wearing disposable gloves and aprons to minimise cross infection. Suitable recording procedures are in place for accidents and medication administration. There are five staff members who are first aid trained and this ensures children's welfare in the event of an emergency occurring.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children are provided with a satisfactory diet. They have a variety of fresh fruit and raw vegetables at snack time. However, the menus indicate there is a limited use of fresh foods used and this means the children’s health is not adequately supported. Parents with children under two years provide their child's main meal, which staff store and reheat appropriately. Drinking water is readily available throughout the day for all children.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy regular fresh air and exercise everyday which encourages their good physical health and development. They thoroughly enjoy playing in the well equipped garden which enables them to extend their physical skills. They enjoy the climbing frame and using the cars and tricycles where they steer and navigate around obstacles. They play in the garage where they pretend to be car mechanics, using drills and tools to take apart an old toy car. Other outdoor activities include rolling balls down the guttering pipe, weaving and digging in the mud.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The staff provide a warm welcome to the children and parents, who bring their children into their designated rooms to settle them in. The setting is suitably clean, maintained and attractively decorated with children's artwork and posters.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The nursery is well equipped with appropriate furniture and resources which are safe and kept clean. There is suitable equipment for children under two years to eat comfortably in highchairs and rest on sleep mats with their own bedding. A cot is available to sleep the youngest babies. Individual bedding is used if the cot is shared to prevent the risk of infection.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The setting has a full range of toys and play equipment and both rooms are set out to enable all children to independently select their chosen activities.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Overall, staff are aware of safety issues within the nursery and conduct daily risk assessments before the children arrive to ensure all areas of the nursery remain safe. However, portable electrical equipment such as tape recorders have not been checked by a qualified person and this poses a risk to the safety for children. Good security precautions are in place such as having close circuit television to monitor the front entrance. Fire evacuation procedures are in place and children take part in fire drills regularly which helps them gain an understanding of fire safety issues.

p.3

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 Staff have a secure understanding and knowledge of child protection issues; they are aware of the signs and symptoms of child abuse and know the reporting procedure to follow if concerned for a child's welfare.

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Most children are happy and enjoy their time at nursery, where they are making good progress in the development. Some children are still settling and are learning to separate from their parent. However, staff gives these children lots of support and reassurance and they eventually settle down. Staff working with the children under two years use the Birth to Three matters framework very well to guide their planning to provide an exciting and stimulating environment to encourage children's early skills. Babies and toddlers are extremely confident to explore their surroundings, they choose toys to play with and return to the staff for comfort regularly. Young children have fantastic opportunities to explore and experiment with a range of materials. They help to make play dough and know what ingredients are needed and tell staff 'you need to add the oil'. Staff have a good understanding of providing an environment which support children's

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

early investigative and exploratory skills. They are aware of Heuristic play and ensure there is a range of natural materials accessible for children. Staff also plan using the Birth to Three matters framework for the children between two and three years although this is closely linked with the Foundation Stage and staff adapt activities according to the children's ages and abilities. Staff are kind and affectionate to the children and support their learning well. Young children feel secure and grow in confidence because of the continual interest shown to them by staff.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a comprehensive knowledge of the Foundation Stage and how children learn and develop. They plan a well balanced curriculum which is well matched to children's needs and interests. Children's attitudes to learning is positive. They are able to select their chosen play and become involved, often spending long periods of time concentrating on a task. Although children's independence is promoted in the setting by children having choices this is not continued at meal times as they have no opportunities to serve their own food or make decisions about how much or how little they may want to eat. Children have good relationships with each other and familiar adults and are learning to share and take turns. Children are confident speakers and engage in conversations during their play and with adults who provide good support to develop their vocabulary and

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

thinking further. Children have great opportunities to begin to write or mark make as paper and writing materials are accessible throughout the environment. For example, children write on post it notes whilst playing in the home corner. All children are encouraged to label their work, children write their names clearly or are beginning to write their first letter of their names. Children enjoy looking at books and listen well at story time. They learn about the components of the books as staff take time to explain about the author, illustrator and the beginning and end of the story.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have lots of opportunities for developing their understanding of numbers and problem solving as the environment is filled with practical activities to support their learning. For example, children experiment with the weighing scales when they add more or less bricks to make the scales balance.

p.4

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 Children develop their knowledge and understanding of the world through many practical activities. They enjoy searching for treasure using the metal detectors and looking closely at insects using magnifiers. They learn about growing when planting and caring for their own tomato and carrot plants. Children's creativity is rapidly progressing as they have extensive opportunities to create and experiment with various materials. Children have free access to art and craft resources which is widely used and enjoyed. Children develop their dexterity and coordination as they glue, use scissors to cut cellotape or paint with brushes. They have free access to musical instruments and also have singing times to develop their understanding of sound and music further.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's development is closely observed by staff and notes made which are then transferred to children's records of achievement profiles. Although staff have begun to develop systems for recording the next steps of learning this is inconsistent and impacts on not all children's learning needs being fully planned for and met at all times. Teaching methods are good, staff are enthusiastic to promote the nursery's philosophy that 'children are the leaders and adults are the followers'.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Staff are aware of individual children's needs which promotes children's happiness and security within the nursery. Children's confidence grows through having the opportunity to make choices about their play and through the respect and care shown by staff.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

Overall children's behaviour is generally good. They are beginning to develop an understanding of the boundaries and expectations of nursery life. They are beginning to learn to share and although some children currently use physical means in a disagreement, staff are generally close by to stop this behaviour and talk to them about positive behaviour methods. Children are provided with a meaningful range of resources that reflect positive images of the wider world, such as puzzles, dressing up and home corner equipment. They participate and acknowledge various festivals and celebrations throughout the year and this helps develop an understanding of cultural diversity. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The setting has a clear understanding of the needs of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. There is a special needs co-coordinator worker present who would be designated to work with children, parents and outside agencies.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents is good. Staff welcome parents into the setting and have established effective communications to keep parents well informed. Young babies routines are fully discussed with parents to enable the same routines to continue at nursery. Staff speak with parents everyday and link books are also used to enhance communication. Parents take part in their child's learning as staff provide activity sheets to continue their learning at home. More formal meetings are held throughout the year to discuss children's progress further and share achievement profiles. Parents also participate in various fundraising events at the nursery such as sponsored walks.

p.5

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

p.5

Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The leadership and management of nursery education is good. Children's care and learning is enhanced by the staff's good understanding of the Foundation Stage and child development. Staff work well as a team, and are motivated and enthusiastic to provide a stimulating, exciting environment. The manager is committed to further development and supports staff to attend further training. Staff meetings are held regularly where the manager reviews practices and identifies areas for continuous improvements.

p.6

Organisation

All the staff working directly with the children hold a recognised early years qualification. Robust recruitment procedures are in place to ensure staff are suitable to work with children. Suitable procedures are in place to prevent unsupervised contact for staff who are currently waiting for their Criminal Records Bureau disclosures to be processed. Staff ratios are not fully met at all times as staff often work alone when they arrive in the morning. This compromises children's safety and welfare. Although overall hygiene is maintained in the setting babies hands are not washed appropriately before meal times. Most of the required documentation and records are in place to ensure the smooth running of the nursery. However, no checks or risk assessments have been completed on portable electrical appliances and this poses a safety hazard.

p.6

Organisation

The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the nursery has made improvements in the care and education provided to children. The Child Protection procedure has been updated to include the procedure for dealing with an allegation made against a member of staff. The behaviour policy has been updated to include a statement on bullying. These ensure staff are fully aware of the procedures to follow and therefore protect children's welfare. The nursery has made very good improvements in the outdoor provision and this ensures children's physical health is promoted. The curriculum planning now includes the learning intentions for activities and this helps ensure children gain benefit for their development.

p.6

Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004 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.

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.6

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.

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.6

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

p.6

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 menu planning to ensure children are provided with main meals which are nutritionally well balanced • ensure portable electrical equipment is checked regularly by a qualified person • ensure there is at least two members of staff on the premises at all times.

p.7

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): • continue to develop the systems for recording the next steps of learning for children (applies to care for children aged two to three years also) • develop more opportunities for children to develop their independence at snack and meal times.

p.7

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

p.7

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

p.7