St Paul's NurseryOfsted inspection, 22 Nov 2007

St Paul's Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY356600 Unique Reference Number 22 November 2007 Inspection date Anne Jacqueline Nicholson Inspector

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St. Pauls Church, Parish Office, Crawley Ridge, CAMBERLEY, Surrey, GU15 2AD

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E-mail

Julie Marsan-Ward 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?

St. Paul's Nursery is a privately owned nursery which opened under new management from September 2007. It operates from St Paul's Church on the outskirts of Camberley town centre in Surrey. Children are accommodated in the church hall. There are appropriate toilet facilities and a kitchen which children have no access to. There is no outdoor play area but staff provide alternative opportunities for physical play indoors and through going out on walks. There is disabled access to the premises. The nursery serves families from the local community and surrounding area. There are currently 21 children from two-and-a-half years to four years on roll. This includes 11 funded three and four-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group welcomes children with special needs and those who speak English as an additional language. The group operates Monday to Friday between 09:30 and 12:30 during school term

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

times. There are four members of staff who work with the children, of these two hold primary teaching qualifications, one is qualified to Level 3 in childcare and one member of staff holds a valid first aid certificates. The nursery also has a music teacher attending once per week. The setting receives support from outside agencies including an advisor from the Early Years Childcare Partnership.

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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 receive information on how to remain healthy and the nursery undertakes activities promoting this within their daily programme. Opportunities for children to undertake physical activities like climbing, running, large co-ordination movements within each day's session are currently limited. Children gain an awareness of good personal hygiene skills. They learn to blow their noses and place the tissue in the bin, they go to the toilet independently and wash their hands afterwards. They routinely wash their hands prior to eating their snacks and after any messy play activity.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children’s welfare and health needs remain protected through the implementation of a range of forms. Parents provide written information about their children's likes and dislikes, dietary requirements and allergies. Children's needs are met when ill or hurt as there is a first aid qualified member of staff and an accident book in place. Currently details recorded within these entries require more comprehensive explanation on where the injury occurs on the child and action taken. At the start of term children received medication without a specific written request from parents however the nursery now has recording systems in place to gather this information. This requires reviewing to ensure they gather more information about the signs and symptoms displayed prior to administration being required.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's dietary needs get recorded on registration forms and staff remain vigilant of these. Children receive a good variety of nutritional snacks including bananas, oranges, raisins and carrot sticks. During themed activities they enjoy making and tasting their own bread and chapatti's. Children sit with each other and the staff at the table during snacks; enthusiastically interacting with each other and staff acknowledge this as a valuable sociable time for all. Children can independently access water to drink at any time during the session.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Staff ensure that the hall is set out prior to the children's arrival and ensure that any potential hazards or unwanted items from other hall users are removed. Children arrive to a welcoming environment where resources and activities are already in place for them to access. They find their name card, place this on the board and then happily separate from their parents. They can safely and independently access the building's toilets and staff ensure that these are in a good hygienic condition with stools, hand basins, liquid soap and paper towels available to make them more user friendly for the children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

During the session the external doors remain locked to ensure children remain safely protected. Good attention to safety is paid when children arrive and depart with staff supervising the door at the start and the end of the day. Children participate in fire drill practise some time during the term to ensure they are familiar with, and aware of, how to evacuate the premises if a fire or incident occurs. Staff evaluate these to see how well they go. Children develop an awareness of personal safety within the provision through staff communicating clear explanations and safety guidance, including not to run, how to hold scissors and how to play nicely with each other and the resources.

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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 Clearly written child protection policies, based on the Local safeguarding children's board procedures, promote both children's and staff safety and welfare. Parents are made aware of the nursery's obligation to put children's welfare first and raise any concerns they may have to the appropriate authority. Staff demonstrate a sound knowledge of child protection.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy a good range of appropriately aged and stimulating resources during the session. Staff use the Foundation Stage Guidance to plan a range of activities and learning opportunities ensuring that children receive a good balance during the term. Children immerse themselves playing with the resources on offer including role-play in the home corner, building towers of blocks on the floor and being creative with the glue and trays of natural materials like lentils, pulses and cotton wool. Children confidently develop their own play ideas around the hall and within the role play area and staff fully support this improvisation.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's work is valued and nicely displayed around the hall walls. They enjoy talking about their pictures and how they made them to the adults present. Staff know the children's needs and characters well and develop good relationships with them. All children confidently join in with activities and receive good support from staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children participate in a varied range of activities that supports good progress in most areas of the Foundation Stage Guidance. Staff demonstrate a sound knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage and stepping stones and ensure that all areas of learning are covered within the planning. Children receive encouragement to sit calmly and listen especially during welcome and story sessions. They answer to their names and happily participate in conversations about the day, the weather and when describing to everyone the items they have brought in to share from home. Children's confidence develops supported by staff providing plenty of encouragement and praise when they participate. Children's work is valued and displayed on the walls around the hall. Children learn to take turns and display good manners and caring attitudes towards each other. They learn about

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

themselves and the community they live within during topic work along with encouragement to value each other's backgrounds. Staff encourage children's personal independence skills however there are missed opportunities to use practical activities like snack time to develop these further as well as some inconsistencies throughout the session. For example, during the winter theme staff encourage children to put gloves and scarves on for themselves and dress themselves whilst participating in role play, however they assist them to put their coats on at the end of the session. During the session children can independently pour themselves water from a jug however at snack time children share the fruit around but staff pour their drinks and pass plates round the table. Children listen attentively to stories whether as part of a group or as individuals. Children have opportunities to count and recognise numbers up to 10 and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

use familiar songs or counting activities like 'What's the time Mr Wolf' to reinforce this. They gain an awareness of different religious festivals from around the world, other cultures and countries.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children freely move around inside but do not have access to designated outside play space. Within the nursery day there are currently limited opportunities for children to participate in activities promoting large physical movements and development of their physical development and this is an area the nursery are aware requires addressing. Children use the available tools

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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 malleable materials with increasing dexterity and competence. For instance, children confidently use scissors, spread glue and manipulate the play dough. They access pencils and writing equipment freely and enjoy opportunities to explore a variety of materials such as sand, pulses, pasta and straws during the session.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. A clearly written equal opportunities policy is in place, shared with parents and implemented by staff. Children and families from several different cultural backgrounds attend and their individual needs are respected and accommodated. Children learn to value themselves and others through planned activities and topics. Children with additional needs receive excellent support and the nursery staff liaise with several outside agencies for support. Staff demonstrate a good awareness of how to assist children with individual and special needs and give regard to the code of practice (2002) for the identification and assessment of special educational needs. Children and parents are greeted by staff on a first name basis and this assists in developing positive relationships. Procedures for behaviour management are understood and implemented by staff and shared with parents. Children behave very well and show good

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Helping children make a positive contribution

manners. They routinely say 'Please' and 'Thank you'. Children receive positive encouragement and praise when they show good behaviour with staff being positive role models to them. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is good and parents state they are happy with the care their children receive and the information they receive from the nursery. Parents share information in writing about their children's needs ensuring that the nursery looks after them according to parental wishes. Regular newsletters, a registration notice board and a parents' notice board ensures that parents receive good information about the provision and the activities planned. There is a written complaints procedure in place and the nursery are creating a complaints log.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The nursery is still within its first term since opening. It is organised effectively and staff ensure a good variety and range of resources are set out ready for children to view and enjoy when they arrive. The effective use of planning ensures that staff rotate these resources on a regular basis. Children's safety and welfare remain protected through staff undergoing good recruitment, vetting and induction procedures. The nursery's clear written policies and procedures remain accessible to all parents and staff. Most records are comprehensively completed with the documentation relating to administration of medication and the recording of accidents requiring reviewing. Staff understand the importance of maintaining confidentiality. The nursery meets the needs of the range of the children for whom they provide.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery is good. The owner has clear objectives and defined roles and responsibilities for all the staff. An enthusiastic staff team work well together to continually improve the provision and continue their own professional development. The owner and staff are beginning to monitor the delivery of the Foundation Stage and are aware of some aspects that require developing further, such as recording evidence.

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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

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration 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 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 that parents provide prior written permission before medication is administered; including clear details of the signs and symptoms displayed prior to administration being required, the name of the medication, the times to be given and the dosage required • ensure that accident entries are clearly and comprehensively recorded giving clear information about the nature and location of the accident • ensure that there is a complaints log in place and that this is accessible to parents on request

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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): • improve and increase the programme available for physical development ensuring that children have daily access to some form of physical activity • increase opportunities and consistency for children to develop personal independence skills throughout the session.

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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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