Scargill Infant School

Hackney Care For Kids Inspection report for early years provision

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144589 Unique Reference Number 13 March 2008 Inspection date Gulnaz Hassan Inspector

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61 Evering Road, London, N16 7PR Setting Address

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E-mail

Mama & Papas Children Association 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Hackney Care For kids has been in operation since 1983 and is managed by a voluntary committee. The setting operates from purpose built three storey premises in Stoke Newington in the London borough of Hackney. The nursery is registered to care for a maximum of 38 children under five years. There are 30 children on roll including 14 children funded for nursery education.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The setting supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 07:30 to 17:30 for 50 weeks a year. The setting employs seven staff all of whom hold level three and four qualifications in early years. A cook and an administrator are also employed. The setting receives support from the Local Authority development worker.

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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 are well cared for in a clean and tidy environment where children help to put their activities away. Children are learning about good hygiene practices as part of their daily routine. There are good systems and procedures in place to ensure that the risk of infection and cross contamination is minimal, for instance with regard to nappy changing, and frequent checks to ensure areas such as the bathrooms are clean. There are secure procedures in place to look after children in the event of accidents or sickness.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy relaxed and sociable meal times when they spend time talking to each other. Children benefit from a range of healthy and nutritious meals. Lunches are well planned to reflect children's multicultural backgrounds and to enable them to develop new tastes and try unusual dishes such as salt fish and ackee dumplings, mutton curry and pasta and tuna fish bake. A vegetarian or non-red meat alternative is available each day to meet children's needs. For tea, children have dishes such as scrambled eggs and crackers or beans on toast. Children have a variety of fruit at snack times. Children have ready access to drinks of water at all times during the day.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have good opportunities to play in the fresh air, to exercise and to develop their physical skills. Children have access to a well resourced outdoor area. Children confidently climb apparatus, ride bikes and engage in a variety of outdoor games. Children enjoy regular music and movement sessions that help develop their balancing and coordination skills.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are well cared for in a safe environment. There are good security systems in place to protect children from intruders and to ensure that children cannot leave the premises. Risk assessments are rigorous and help to identify and remove potential hazards and risks. Children are developing a good understanding of emergency evacuation procedures and of the importance of regular escape plans because they have opportunities to rehearse evacuations and to have the processes discussed with them.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The premises are well maintained, warm and welcoming to children. There is a good range of play and learning resources available. These are well organised to ensure accessibility and to promote children's choice and independence.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have a good understanding of how to implement the setting's child protection policies and procedures. They are very confident and familiar with the processes required if they have concerns about children in their care. This means that children are protected from harm. However, there is risk to children's welfare due to the fact that the systems in place to record the arrival and departure times of children are not sufficient.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children under the age of three years make satisfactory progress in their development. Although staff have received training in Birth to three matters, this framework, required to help improve

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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 outcomes for young children has not yet been fully incorporated into the planning and practice. Children in the baby room enjoy looking at picture books, for instance, about musical instruments. Staff extend children's interests in this activity by setting out a range of musical instruments on the floor so that children can identify which instruments they can find in the book. Children enjoy a range of creative activities, for instance they make marks with chunky crayons on giant sheets of paper on to the floor and they roll out dough with rolling pins. Children engage in activities that help to develop their language and speech, for instance they engage in telephone conversations, listen to stories and name objects on flash cards. Children show good levels of attachment and bonding with the staff who look after them, as a result

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

they are settled and secure and in return staff show genuine commitment and affection for the children in their care.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children in the toddler room engage in activities that are appropriate for their levels of development, for instance children make wheeled toys that resemble racing cars from the construction sets, engage in pretend play, paint and play with water. Children's vocabulary is well promoted, for instance during a mark making activity using stencils the staff member names a variety of water vessels for children and encourages children to repeat 'yacht' and 'ship' with her. Children sort objects according to size, shape and colour, they sing number songs and are learning to distinguish left from right as part of the song they are singing. Occasionally children's activities in the toddler room are slow to start because aspects of organisation at the setting have an impact on this room. This means that children are often waiting whilst activities and resources are set out or because once activities are ready it is snack

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

time so that children have to wait for even longer. There are some systems in place to observe and assess children, however, these are not monitored to ensure frequency and consistency, as a result children's progress and development has not benefited as observations and assessments have not been completed on children for a number of months.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. The setting has a satisfactory understanding of the Foundation Stage Curriculum. The planning for the Foundation Stage is largely based on the areas of learning but do not include all of the aspects. Planning for the individual needs of children is informal rather than planned. Observations and assessments of children are presently infrequent and at present do not fully support or inform children's learning and development. Adult initiated activities lack focussed planning, as a result children do not fully benefit from clear and detailed teaching and learning intentions.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Some areas of children's learning are good. For instance children's physical development is well supported by a range of outdoor play equipment that encourage children to develop their climbing, swinging and balancing skills. Indoors children enjoy music and movement sessions, where they gallop, swim and crawl listening to 'Poldy' a music character with whom children can exercise. Aspects of knowledge and understanding of the world are also developing well, for instance children's Information Communication Technology skills are encouraged and monitored to ensure that all children have equal access to this resource. Children also learn about the natural world through topics, such as the environment and spring. Children learn about the past by visiting the Museum of Childhood where staff are able to show children the toys that they played with when they were children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children participate in some well considered activities to support communication, language and literacy, for instance children play 'I Spy' around the nursery and outside where children spot 'a bumble bee on a red flower' or 'a black and white cat on the wall'. Children draw pictures of the scenes they have spotted whilst staff write the captions for them. Children make marks and form recognisable letters in all areas of the provision, for instance in the sand or with foam

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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 water tray. The home corner is used creatively to support children's learning, for instance as a travel agent complete with brochures, timetables, booking forms and diaries. Children enjoy story telling and acting out the stories they have heard, they create giant wall displays featuring favourite stories, such as 'The Hungary Caterpillar'. In maths children make a giant number chart of the total number of dogs, birds, bikes and other things they have seen during a walk. Children engage in real cooking activities, for instance they wash, clean and cut a mackerel, lay it in a tray and bake it in the oven.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's personal, social and emotional development is well supported. For instance, children in the foundation stage behave very well, they take pride in supporting and caring for each other and for the babies and younger children in the nursery. Children show good levels of independence skills, they dress themselves for outdoor play and line up sensibly to go downstairs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children's self-esteem is promoted well by staff who respect their individual backgrounds and know children and their families well. Children are developing a positive attitude to others by celebrating festivals, such as the Chinese new year and black history month. Children have access to a range of resources and images that reflect diversity, however, materials that reflect images of disability are very limited. Staff support children's home languages sufficiently well, for instance they learn words and phrases in children's individual languages. Although there are currently no children with learning difficulties or disabilities at the setting there are very good systems in place to ensure that children's needs are supported.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children demonstrate a very good understanding of right and wrong, as a result children behave very well towards staff and to each other. They care for each other and take turns, with encouragement younger children are learning to share. Staff intervene promptly and appropriately to manage incidents of snatching. Staff are good role models they give clear explainations to children, for instance when the toddlers complain about each other to the staff. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Parents receive daily feedback about their children and parents spend time with staff exchanging information about children. Although parents are encouraged to meet with staff as and when required, formal meetings with parents to discuss progress and development of children in the foundation stage takes place on an annual basis only. Some information about the areas of learning is available to parents in the information booklet. However, parents are involved in their children's learning, children take home books and activities to share with their parents. A clear complaints procedure is available to parents.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom they provide. The recruitment and vetting procedures for staff and volunteers are rigorous and this ensures that children are being cared for by staff who are all suitable and well qualified. The arrival and departure times for children are not consistently documented. This is a breach of regulation and has been discussed with the setting and on this occasion further action will not be taken.

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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 There are a good range of policies and procedures available, however, these are not readily accessible to parents. All records and consent forms are regularly updated to ensure the safety and welfare of children. The setting is well informed about the significant events that require Ofsted notification and the certificate of registration is displayed as required.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is satisfactory. The manager of the setting is aware of most of the strengths and weaknesses of the nursery education and she is committed to addressing the areas for improvement identified in this inspection. General weaknesses are reflected in the teaching and planning for the foundation stage which is basic and does not reflect or support the depth of learning that at times take place. The systems in place to monitor teaching and learning in the foundation stage is satisfactory but not wholly effective to ensure consistent and continuing practice. For instance staff have not compiled effective observations and assessments of children for some months. However, the setting is able to demonstrate that processes are in place to improve and develop the systems for planning and for the monitoring of children's progress.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provision was asked to ensure that at least one member of staff held a first aid certificate, that the policies and procedures were updated and that the attendance register contained all required details. The setting was asked to ensure that a number of safety hazards identified at the inspection were addressed. The provision have ensured that a number of staff hold first aid certificates, safety issues have been addressed appropriately and the policies and procedures have been updated. However, the requirement to ensure the documentation of the children's attendance register remains outstanding and a further recommendation has been set to address this requirement.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection a number of key areas for improvement were identified. These were to implement systems to monitor the quality of teaching and observations for children. These areas remain as areas requiring further improvement. A further key area for improvement was to increase opportunities for children to climb and balance during outdoor play. This recommendation has been met well by the setting.

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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 satisfactory.

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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): • improve outcomes for children under three by using an approach in line with Birth to three matters • ensure that the daily register accurately documents the arrival and departure times for children • develop resources that reflect positive images of disability.

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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 the planning for the curriculum to ensure that learning and teaching intentions are detailed and that the adult initiated activities and the focus activities are well planned to include intentions, open ended questions and vocabulary (this also applies to care) • develop the methods of assessment and observation to inform planning for the next steps in children's development and their individual needs (this also applies to care) • develop staff's knowledge and understanding of the curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage and introduce a rigorous system for the monitoring and evaluation of the quality of teaching and learning • ensure that there are formal systems in place to share information with parents about children's learning in the foundation stage.

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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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