Clementswood Nursery

ClementsWood Neighbourhood Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY263449 Unique Reference Number 17 March 2008 Inspection date Karen Pretty / Emily Alderson Inspector

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46 Grosvenor Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 1LE Setting Address

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0208 478 3121 Telephone number Shah_matin@hotmail.com E-mail Just Fun LTD 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 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?

ClementsWood Neighbourhood Nursery opened in 2003. The nursery has been incorporated as a private limited company 'Just Fun Ltd' and is situated in a residential area of Ilford, London Borough of Redbridge. The nursery operates from three rooms in a converted house and also includes a kitchen, children's bathroom, staff room, office, laundry and storage facilities. A maximum of 38 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.30 to 18.00 throughout the year, except bank holidays. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 32 children aged from seven months to under five years on roll. Of these, 18 children receive funding for early education. The nursery serves the town and surrounding local area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs seven members of staff including a cook. Of these, seven hold appropriate early years qualifications and four members of staff are working towards a higher qualification. The nursery receives support from the local authority and is currently working towards the QuILT 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 satisfactory. Children attend a setting which has satisfactory health and hygiene practices. Food is handled and stored correctly in the fridge and cupboards provided. The cook and staff follow the correct procedures by washing their hands and ensuring that the surfaces are clean prior to handling food. Cross-infection is further minimised as each child has their own sheet and blanket which are regularly washed and nappy changing procedures are sound. The nursery is cleaned by a cleaner and staff keep their rooms tidy throughout the day. However, children are not fully learning about simple good health as staff do not encourage them to wash their hands with soap and warm water prior to eating.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children receive appropriate care when they are ill or have an accident because all members of staff are trained in first aid and there are first aid boxes in each room. Should children have an accident a form is completed which parents sign to acknowledge the entry. Parents give prior permission for staff to administer medicine, a form is also completed and stored within the individual file in each room. Although parents are giving permission for emergency medical advice the current consent form does not completely cover situations when the setting may need to seek both emergency medical advice and treatment. Consequently, children’s well-being in a medical emergency is potentially compromised. If children are unwell parents are called and asked to collect their child, they are informed of the length of exclusion time via the setting's notices on the parents board.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have their health and dietary needs met and increase their understanding of healthy living as the setting request all the necessary information from parents prior to placement. The cook provides the children with home cooked meals each day. Children are offered a balanced menu and the food provided is nutritious and healthy. Children are offered regular drinks of juice, milk and water and in addition to meal times children enjoy snacks which consist of oranges, bananas and plain biscuits amongst other foods. Parents are informed of what their children have eaten via the weekly menu displayed on the parents board. The cook and staff are aware of children's allergies and dietary requirements and reminders are displayed on notices. All food offered to children is according to parents' wishes.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children’s physical play experiences are promoted because children can access the garden which is equipped with a range of resources for them to use. Younger children's physical needs are met as they are able to use the furniture and other resources to pull themselves to standing and help them balance. The baby and toddler room have lots of space for children to use ride-on toys, slides and other equipment to enhance their physical development. Children access a range of small world play, threading and puzzles which all further support their physical development.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The environment is warm and welcoming for children, staff, parents and carers. Each room is brightly decorated with children's work, photographs and posters. Staff greet the children on arrival and help them to settle in. The space is organised to suit the children's needs. The nursery is divided into a baby room, toddler room and pre-school room. In addition there is a kitchen, office, staff room, laundry room, toilets and a garden. Children are placed in each room

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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 according to their age. Resources are well positioned in low-level drawers and baskets so that children can help themselves to what they want. All the equipment and resources are checked by staff and anything deemed unsuitable is removed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The setting's arrangements meet some health and safety guidelines because staff are aware of the procedures. Each member of staff checks their room prior to children arriving. They ensure that plug sockets are covered and anything unsuitable is put out of children's reach. Stairs are not accessible to children as stair gates are used both at the bottom and at the top. Although indoor risks are suitably minimised outdoor security risks are not. The garden's side gate is a low-level gate with a bolt that children can undo as it is within their reach. It therefore comprises children's safety as they are able to leave the garden unsupervised. The setting have systems in place to manage entry into the provision, they use an intercom system to grant parents' entry. If a person unknown to the setting is collecting a child they are issued with a password and staff greet them at the door.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

In the event of a fire children are protected as staff have clear procedures in place which are regularly practised with the children so that they are aware of the routine. In addition, precautions are taken with smoke alarms fitted on both floors, a fire blanket in the kitchen and an extinguisher. Children are occasionally taken on outings and remain safe as younger children are in pushchairs and parents attend to help with the older children. Children are well protected because all staff understand their role in safeguarding children and are able to put appropriate procedures into practice when necessary. The nursery have literature and contact numbers to guide them should there be the need to make a referral.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children happily enter the nursery with their parents and are greeted by staff. Staff are welcoming and children enjoy talking to them, showing them affection by giving them cuddles. Children are encouraged to be confident and develop their independence through praise. They self-select from the activities on offer making decisions about how they want to spend their time at the setting. This helps the children to develop their independence. Staff encourage the children to try new things by acting as role models, showing the children how and supporting them when they try. They are provided with fun and meaningful activities and access a wide selection of resources. The baby and toddler room staff write weekly plans for their rooms. The plan shows the resources under different headings of learning, such as manipulative play, listening, music and messy activities amongst others. Staff plan a messy activity twice a day

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

for children to enjoy. The resources are easily accessible to all children and in the baby room resources are presented on the floor in baskets so that children can freely access what they want to play with. Toddler children access the resources in labelled drawers. The children remain engaged as they change their activity when they want to. Children under three years of age are supported as staff have a sound understanding of the needs of younger children. Staff plan activities in line with the 'Birth to three matters' framework. They carry out regular observations of the children under the four aspects. The information is used to write a developmental record every six months which is shared with parents.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. A sound balance of adult-led and child-initiated play ensures children are motivated and engaged in an appropriate range of developmentally appropriate activities. Staff use their basic knowledge of the Foundation Stage

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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 and how children learn to provide a stimulating environment which reflects all children's background and the wider community. Staff use an effective range of teaching methods to motivate children so they are keen to learn and make progress. They use successful strategies to engage and interest children, for example, at story time children participate with actions relating to the describing words, this encourages their involvement and ensures the children develop an understanding that text carries meaning. Staff regularly join in with children's play to extend their learning and they informally adapt activities to provide children with realistic challenge. Children enjoy daily access to the outside area where they go out as a whole group. This is used mainly as an opportunity for physical play, although staff are actively working

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

towards providing resources to support the whole curriculum outdoors. However, the outdoor area could be used to provide children with more flexibility and choice, allowing them to move spontaneously between the indoor and outdoor environment.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The daily planning of focused activities identifies appropriate learning intentions based on appropriate stepping stones. However, planning within the everyday routine curriculum does not identify learning opportunities. In addition, the focused activities are not clearly evaluated against the learning outcome to identify what children have learnt or what could be improved next time to ensure the children are provided with future activities that are appropriate to their stage of development, and offer sufficient challenges. Assessment is based upon meaningful observations recorded in children's records of progress. However, they have not yet devised an effective system of evaluating these records to formally identify children's next steps in learning to use as an aid to inform future planning. Staff manage children's behaviour effectively and provide them with good strategies to help them learn to manage their own behaviour.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop a sense of self-worth when proudly taking responsibility for given tasks, such as putting on and fastening their own coats before going outside to play. They form good relationships with each other and play together well, interacting and negotiating with appropriate staff support. Most children are confident communicators, they are eager to speak about their artwork and what shape their sandcastles are. Children are encouraged to mark-make with set-out resources during planned activities and have free access to writing resources within other areas of the room to allow them to practise and develop their early writing skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children listen and respond to stories in a whole group and sometimes access books independently during the session to develop their enjoyment of books. Staff encourage the children to identify and count numbers out during sorting activities and they are beginning to develop some simple problem-solving skills. Children enjoy joining in with number activities, such as counting out shaped pieces to place in the board, with some children confidently responding to 'how many left?' or being able to follow the pattern. Children explore capacity during planned activities with water and sand; they have frequent opportunities to engage in exploring and investigating other materials to develop their natural curiosity, such as cornflour, shaving foam, pasta and play dough.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy having regular opportunities to operate simple everyday programmable equipment, such as tills and telephones. Children have regular opportunities to freely use computers and develop basic skills using the mouse. Children design and build using construction kits, such as 'Duplo', magnetic shapes and train sets. They explore change, for example, while looking at the weather during group time or when using wet and dry sand.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy using their imagination based on their own experiences while using the role play area and the dressing-up clothes. They take part in regular planned craft activities giving them the opportunity to explore their own creativity. Children have planned opportunities to use

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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 musical instruments and they enjoy joining in with their favourite songs and rhymes; they listen to CDs where they experience different rhythms and beats.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are all included and their differences acknowledged because staff value each child. Children are given the opportunity to share their experiences either in group discussions during lunch and snack time or one to one with staff. Children have a sense of belonging at the setting as some of them have individual pegs to hang their coats. They also have their own trays and boxes for their belongings. Children's confidence is increasing through the praise they receive from staff as it helps them to feel proud of their achievements which is evident as they smile showing that they are pleased. Children learn about diversity as staff plan activities based on cultural festivals and celebrations such as Easter, St Patrick's day, Eid and Diwali. In addition to the activities children access a range of resources which promote positive images and reflect diversity. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The setting do not currently support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities although have in the past where they worked closely with 'Equal Chances' to support and help the children to progress. The setting has a trained special educational needs co-ordinator in place and all staff have a general awareness. Children understand appropriate behaviour because staff explain the consequences of their actions so that they are able to learn. Staff are all consistent with their approach to behaviour and follow the procedure outlined in the policy. They praise positive behaviour so that children know they have done well.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are cared for by staff who work with parents to meet their individual needs and ensure that the child is fully included in the setting. Parents initially receive information which gives them an overview of the setting and how it operates. They are able to read the policies and procedures at the setting. Parents are asked to fill in a registration form which gives the staff vital information about their child to enable them to meet their needs inline with parents' wishes. They are also asked to complete an initial questionnaire giving further information to help settle their child, for example, bottle times and food preferences. Staff communicate with parents on a daily basis and write daily diaries for each child. Parents also receive regular newsletters giving them information about future topics and activities amongst other information. Parents have a notice board in the entrance which provides them with further

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Helping children make a positive contribution

information. Every six months parents are invited to attend parent evenings. They meet with the staff to discuss their child's progress and view their individual files which they are invited to make comments on. Parents are informed of how to make a complaint via the setting's policy, however, the policy does not provide parents with up to date contact details of the regulator.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of children receiving nursery education is satisfactory. Parents receive clear information about the Foundation Stage in the setting's prospectus and via the information displayed on the notice board. They are informed about the curriculum plans through short-term planning documentation which is also displayed. Parents can talk about their child's achievements at any time, the key person system enables parents to discuss their child's progress with somebody who is knowledgeable about their individual needs and current stage of learning. Children's records are freely accessible to parents within the room, providing the opportunity to share their achievements or make ongoing contributions. Children's starting points are discussed with parents and information is provided, this is used to informally define initial individual educational needs within the Foundation Stage. Therefore, children's

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Helping children make a positive contribution

learning is enhanced through this positive working partnership.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children are safe as they are cared for by individuals who have all been fully vetted. Staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of child development. The setting place emphasis on training and currently have three members of staff currently working towards a Level 3 qualification in early years and one member of staff working towards a Level 2. Individual members of staff are trained in specific areas, such as safeguarding children, food hygiene, leadership in pre-schools, communication with babies, art beyond the easel and inclusive play amongst others.

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Organisation

The staff have a clear understanding of the National Standards and their responsibility to comply. However, on the day of inspection a member of staff was absent and the contingency arrangements in place were not sufficient to meet the needs of all of the children. The manager covered the staff absence by working with the children in the pre-school room, she also needed to carry out office tasks, such as answering the phone, showing prospective parents round the setting and cover staff lunch breaks. Furthermore, the deployment of staff is not effective and consequently compromises children's welfare and development as the staff are stretched and children do not have their full attention.

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Organisation

Children’s well-being is promoted by organised records. The setting has an operational plan and the policies and procedures in place and are reflected in practice. Children's records are stored accessibly and confidentially. Each child has their own file which has their settling-in questionnaire, their development records, observations and any completed medical and accident forms. These are stored accessibly in each room so that staff can refer to them during the day. Each room has a daily register which parents are asked to complete to record their child's time of arrival and departure. Staff monitor this, however, it is not consistently completed as some children are not signed out.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of nursery education is satisfactory. The setting is satisfactorily led as the management support staff in their roles with an induction process, regular team meetings and appraisals, all of which contribute to the staff’s professional development. All staff are involved in suggesting topic and activity ideas and it is clear that they work well as a team sharing their practice. The management is responsible for ensuring that the members of staff are kept up-to-date with mandatory training. The regular team meetings are productive and a useful time to share ideas, planning the provision offered for the following week. The setting is committed to improving care and education and are reviewing their practice in a number of ways, asking parents for feedback, evaluating different areas of the room and key person observations which have proved useful with making changes. The setting is quick to

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Organisation

identify strengths and areas for improvement with clear future plans in place. They work closely with the local authority and have the help and support of an early years advisor. In addition, the management attend forums which allow them to share ideas with other local settings.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, to improve the standards of care, the nursery was required to: request written permission from parents for seeking emergency medical advice or treatment; complete written details in the accident book to include the signature of the staff member who dealt

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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 with the incident, any witnesses and ensure entries are countersigned by the parent; improve the organisation of meal times in order to develop children's independence and choice.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The setting ask parents to consent to emergency medical advice, however, are still not asking parents to consent to emergency medical treatment. This has been raised again as a recommendation at this inspection. Accident and incidents are all completed, include all relevant information and are signed by the parents. Meal times are organised so that staff sit with the children making it a social time. Children choose some of their food, for example, which bread they want to eat. They sometimes make their own sandwiches although they are still not involved in serving food to further promote their independence.

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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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • improve hand washing procedures for all children to minimise the risk of cross-infection • request permission to seek emergency medical advice and treatment • improve the security of the outside area, this refers to the gate on the side of the nursery • provide parents with the correct contact details of the regulator • ensure suitable contingency arrangements are in place to cover emergencies and unexpected staff absences • ensure staff are deployed effectively in the premises to promote the safety, welfare and development of children • ensure an accurate record is maintained on a daily basis of children's actual hours of attendance.

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The quality and standards of the care

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 nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure planning identifies learning opportunities within the everyday routine curriculum and is clearly linked to stepping stones • develop further the systems for evaluating focused activities against the intended learning outcome • continue to develop the assessment and evaluation of children’s progress to identify next steps in their learning and to inform future planning • develop opportunities to allow children to move spontaneously between the indoor and outdoor environment.

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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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