Seer Green Nursery

Seer Green Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY253035 Unique Reference Number 30 January 2008 Inspection date Nikki Whinton Inspector

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John Orme Room, Jubilee Hall, School Lane, Seer Green, Buckinghamshire, HP9 2QJ

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E-mail

Seer Green Nursery Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional 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?

Seer Green Nursery opened in the late 1960s. It operates from the John Orme room of Jubilee Hall in the village of Seer Green, Buckinghamshire. The provision is managed by a voluntary management committee, made up of parents of children at the nursery and members of the local community. A maximum of 19 children may attend the setting at any one time. The group opens five days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 09.00 until 11.30 Monday to Thursday, and 09.00 until 12.30 on a Friday. They also operate afternoon sessions from 12.30 until 15.00, Monday to Thursday. The Plus Four group currently operates on Friday mornings. The children have access to the Jubilee Hall for physical activities and a secure outdoor play area. The setting serves the local area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 37 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 28 children receive funding for early education. All children are offered four sessions a week. The setting currently supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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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 employs 13 members of staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications and one is working towards a further qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children lead a healthy lifestyle whilst in the provision. They have daily free choice opportunities to experience fresh air and exercise whilst playing within the provision's fully enclosed garden area. In addition, they are able to use the adjacent school fields for activities, such as nature walks. Children have good spatial awareness. They move freely, confidently and with pleasure. They take part in regularly planned physical education activities within the school hall and use a variety of equipment, such as balance squares, balls and ride on vehicles to help support their large muscle development. Children increase their fine motor control and coordination by learning to handle safely a range of tools, including scissors, shape cutters and pencils.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children learn good hygiene regimes as part of the daily routine. For example, they are aware of the need to wash their hands before eating or after toileting. There is a range of measures to support the children's good health. Sufficient staff have a current first aid qualification, correct administrative procedures are followed should accidents occur or children require medication, the sick child policy is included within the prospectus and written parental permission has been obtained to seek emergency treatment. However, children's existing injuries when they arrive for a session are not consistently recorded.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children gain an appreciation of healthy eating through the good range of nutritious snacks that they enjoy whilst in the provision. The group often arranges a cafeteria-style snack system, where children are able to decide when they wish to eat and consume food at their own pace. Allergies or dietary issues are discussed with parents as part of the registration process. These discussions are carefully recorded and any needs accommodated. Children are able to help themselves to drinking water at all times, which helps to ensure they are consuming fluids in sufficient quantities to meet their individual needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children play within premises that are clean, appropriately maintained and of a suitable temperature. Photographs of children engaged in activities and displays of children's labelled artwork create a welcoming environment for parents. Children's safety has a high priority within the setting. There is a variety of measures to promote their safety and reduce the chances of accidents. Staff are well deployed, the premises are secure, twice daily risk assessments are completed and socket covers are fitted to exposed electric points. In addition, children are learning to share some responsibility for their safety through practical activities, such as taking part in fire drills and tidying away toys, thus reducing the risk of trip hazards.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children help themselves to a good variety of equipment. Such as, free choice opportunities help to build their confidence and sense of belonging within the setting. They benefit from the staff's awareness of safety issues concerning the purchase and ongoing maintenance of equipment. As a result, children play with clean, well maintained, age appropriate toys that are safe and suitable.

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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 Children's well-being is supported by staff that have a secure knowledge of child protection issues, confidentiality of information and the correct procedures to follow if concerned about the welfare of a child.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are enthusiastic, well motivated and eager to learn. They enter the provision willingly, separate easily from their main carer and quickly start making independent decisions regarding the activities they wish to explore. Children have very positive relationships with the kind, caring staff and are building good friendships with their peers. Children demonstrate good self-control and are able to play cooperatively together, for example, whilst engaged in role-play or when investigating small world resources. They gain self-care skills through practical opportunities including putting on their coats for outside play, changing independently for physical education sessions or washing their hands after a painting activity. Children learn to sit quietly and concentrate for short periods through planned daily routines such as 'share and tell' or story time.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Younger children within the setting, who have not yet started on the Foundation Stage curriculum, attend most sessions with their older peers. Staff adapt activities as necessary, to support their differing stages of development. They undertake regular observations of the children, which they use where appropriate as evidence when completing children's profiles.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage. They are consistently well deployed to support children's learning. Staff plan a wide variety of practical activities that cover all aspects of the curriculum and support children's progress towards the early learning goals. They undertake regular written observations of the children, both as part of a targeted focus programme and spontaneously during the sessions. These observations are used to complete assessments of the children following the Buckinghamshire Foundation Stage Record of Achievement system and as a guide when writing children's twice-yearly reports. However, there are currently some gaps in children's assessments. As a result, children's learning potential may not always be maximised.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have a good range of vocabulary. They enthusiastically express their thoughts and ideas. For example, one child informs a member of staff, 'the sand is all gloopy', whilst another points to a station on an underground map stating, 'if you go there you can go to nana's house'. They are becoming aware of alternative ways of communicating, such as by signing or speaking in French. Children thoroughly enjoy exploring books spontaneously, either alone or with adults and friends. In addition, they listen eagerly to regularly planned whole group stories, such as 'The Gruffalo'. They start to recognise familiar words in print through daily routines such as self-registering or finding their name card at snack time. Children are learning how to link sounds to letters and enjoy meaningful opportunities, for example, when engaged in role-play, to practise and develop their early writing skills. Children count confidently, including when

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

counting the number of peers present at a session or the number of children playing outdoors. They are learning to recognise numbers as labels, and through activities such as themed shape weeks or by experimenting with sand and water are gaining an awareness of shape, space and measure. Children have fewer opportunities as part of the daily routine to calculate or solve simple mathematical problems.

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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 Children welcome meaningful visitors to the setting to share their skills and knowledge. For example, two parents regularly organise computer and cooking activities. In addition, the setting has received visits in recent months from people such as fire fighters, a doctor, a pilot and a hygiene nurse. Children take part in a variety of local outings, such as a picnic in the local park, a bluebell walk and a topic-linked visit to a member of the local community to see old-fashioned toys. Such stimulating, age appropriate activities enable children to gain an appreciation of their local environment and the wider world. Children enjoy designing and building with a range of construction materials and learn about the passage of time through activities including experimenting with sand timers. Children have more limited chances to use information and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

communication technology resources as part of their everyday play. Children explore a range of media and materials including dough, chalk and paint. They regularly take part in child centred creative activities involving art and sing a growing repertoire of action songs from memory. Children thoroughly enjoy using their imagination whilst engaged in role-play. They benefit from the good range of props available to them and the involvement of staff to help enhance and extend their play experiences.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are acknowledged and respected as valued individuals. They benefit from the staff knowing them well, appreciating their differing needs and from having an awareness of their varying home circumstances. Children access a suitable range of resources, such as dressing up clothes, small world figures, books and role-play resources to help them gain an awareness of diversity. Children attending with additional needs or English as an additional language receive appropriate staff support in order for them to be fully integrated within the setting. They experience carefully targeted assistance in order to promote their development and learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well, as appropriate for their age and stage of development. Their behaviour is supported by staff that act as very good role models, talk to the children appropriately and use positive strategies such as praise, encouragement and 'smiley charts' to promote children's appropriate behaviour. Children start to gain an awareness of right and wrong whilst in the provision.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents is good. Parents are made to feel very welcome and part of the nursery 'community'. They are encouraged to become involved in the group, such as by joining the management committee, volunteering for rota duties, helping their child to bring in topic-linked articles from home for 'share and tell', by taking 'Travel Tim' on their family adventures or by sharing their skills. Parents are kept up to date with information about the group or forthcoming events through the parents' file, the group's website, regular newsletters, the parents' notice boards and informal discussion with staff. They are made aware of their child's academic progress through twice-yearly reports, which are linked to the Foundation Stage curriculum and a yearly parents' evening. However, parents are not regularly encouraged to share with staff what they know about their child's educational achievements, to aid initial

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children are confident, independent and demonstrate good self-esteem. They enjoy sharing news about their home lives, 'my baby now says dada' and are able to listen to others. They have good social skills, share resources successfully and take turns, for example, when waiting to select their snack time fruit. Through topic based practical activities including eating a themed snack by candlelight

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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 as part of Diwali celebrations or dragon dancing and exploring the group's Chinese restaurant during Chinese New Year, children start to gain an awareness of a range of cultures and festivals.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's care, learning and development are promoted by a suitably experienced, enthusiastic, well-motivated staffing team that works extremely well together. All legally required documentation is carefully maintained, securely stored and easily accessible to support children's care, such as in an emergency. However, parents are not made aware of the provider's child protection responsibilities, prior to a child commencing in the setting.

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Organisation

The leadership and management are good. The hard working, dedicated committee and very capable staff team work very well together and have shared aims for the setting. The group regularly evaluates the quality of its practice and has a very positive attitude towards development. The staff meet on a regular basis to access targeted training, review children's progress and plan the educational provision. However, the leadership does not currently monitor the key worker's assessments. The group has forged strong links with the on site primary school. Nursery children use the school hall for weekly music and movement sessions, attend school assemblies and have their lunch in school each Friday during the summer term. Children from the reception class watch the younger children's annual nativity play, whilst their teacher liaises closely with the nursery school staff. Such firmly established, positive links help children in

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Organisation

their transition into statutory education.

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Organisation

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

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Improvements since the last inspection

As a result of the last combined inspection, the group was given a recommendation and a point for consideration, to help develop the quality of the setting. The care report requested the group update the uncollected child, complaints and allegation against staff procedures to ensure that all required information is included. The education report suggested the provision of further formal information to parents on their child's progress during the year.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The group has now updated the uncollected child, complaints and allegation against staff procedures. Parents are provided with appropriate formal information on their child's progress during the year. These improvements have had a positive impact on the quality of care and education offered to the children.

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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 maintain 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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Complaints 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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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): • ensure children's pre-existing injuries are always recorded • ensure parents are made aware of the provider's child protection responsibilities, prior to a child commencing in the setting

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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 partnership with parents, to ensure parents have regularly planned opportunities to share with staff what they know about their child's educational achievements, to aid staff's initial and ongoing Foundation Stage assessments • develop the programme for monitoring and assessment, to ensure the current ongoing observations that are undertaken on the children, are used to complete regular assessments of their progress across all aspects of the Foundation Stage curriculum. Use information from assessments when planning activities to promote individual children's future learning.

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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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