Immingham Day Nursery

IMMINGHAM DAY NURSERY Inspection report for early years provision

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205549 Unique Reference Number 19 November 2007 Inspection date Jill Scargall Inspector

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23 Pelham Road, Immingham, North East Lincolnshire, DN40 1AA Setting Address

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E-mail

Paul Chappill 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?

Immingham Day nursery is a privately run nursery. It opened in 1998 and operates from a converted house in the town of Immingham. A maximum of 49 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open from 07.30 to 17.45 for 51 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 48 children aged from a few months, to under five years on roll. Of these, four children receive funding for early education. Children come from a wide catchment area, many of the parents travel into work at the nearby docks and refineries. The nursery supports children with learning difficulties.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs 12 staff including the cook. All the staff working with children hold appropriate early years qualifications, or are working towards them.

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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 encouraged to develop good, independent, hygiene routines, by toileting, hand washing and cleaning their own teeth as soon as they are old enough. Soap and paper towels are available to them. Younger children have robust nappy changing procedures, with nappies hygienically disposed of, and all policies are in place to help to minimise cross infection. Staff talk and smile at children whilst they are changing nappies and establish eye contact.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children who are ill are asked not to attend the nursery and parents are made aware of this. Those who have accidents are well looked after by caring staff who have first aid qualifications. They are given lots of reassurance and comfort until they feel better. Accidents, incidents and medicines administered are all accurately recorded. Children enjoy outside play whenever possible in the nursery's fence garden area, or they go out for walks. They can rest when they are tired, in cots, or on floor mats.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff enthusiastically promote a healthy diet for children. They have breakfast soon after they start at the nursery in the morning. This is a pleasant social occasion where children help themselves and one another to food, to find their places, and discuss what they are going to do today, or have done the evening before. Staff sit with children and chat to them. Children have cereal and toast, they can help themselves to water from the water fountain at any time of day. The nursery cook considers parents' wishes and children with special diets and she works with staff to plan an additive free, balanced menu. For example, at lunch time they have sausages, Yorkshire pudding, broccoli, carrots, potatoes and gravy, followed by fruit or yoghurt; and at teatime they may have sandwiches or spaghetti and fruit or yoghurt. Babies are given bottles and weaning food according to their parent's wishes.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are greeted by name and welcomed into a warm environment. The premises are clean and newly decorated and staff work hard to keep them clean for the children. Babies use the whole of the first floor and the downstairs of the nursery is used for older children, however the conservatory room is a good resource that is not fully used for the majority of the day. An entry system is in place to keep children safe and they practise regular fire evacuation procedures. Ongoing risk assessments are carried out for both indoor and outdoor play, however, some areas of risk assessment have not yet been completed, for example, risks from unfastened safety gates, areas of new untreated wood, and plastic toys exposed to all weathers.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children can use an appropriate range of developmentally appropriate toys, equipment and resources. Most of these can be accessed easily at children's level so they can choose further activities if they wish. They develop independence by helping to tidy up and put toys away. There is sufficient equipment for the ages of the children being cared for in each room so that routines can be followed and they can participate in daily activities. For example, babies have buggies, cots and high chairs, and there is low level furniture for older children. Children are occasionally taken or collected from school by the nursery's car which has several named drivers and relevant business insurance. Health and safety measures are in place and appropriate records are kept. There are effective procedures in place to make sure that children are collected by named persons, according to the wishes of the parents. Children are further safeguarded

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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 by staff being up to date with current procedures and having training and experience in child protection.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Activities and play experiences are planned using staff's knowledge of individual children and based on the 'Birth to three matters' framework and Foundation stage guidance. There is a structure to the day which makes children feel settled and secure. They are given opportunities to play independently, with their friends, and to participate in adult led activities. They enjoy learning through a variety of play experiences and their interest is maintained.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Babies and younger children are encouraged to communicate, if their language is developing, they 'talk' to adults and mimic what they are saying and respond to facial expressions. All children join in with music and rhymes, shaking musical instruments to the rhythm of the music and having a happy time. They have many opportunities for creative activities and messy play when they paint with their hands and feet and use rollers to make pictures. They feel cereals and dried leaves and autumn fruits set out for them. Sand and water play, and a creative table are routinely available. They enjoy looking at books with an adult and listening to stories.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. A short term plan is in place, but there are no detailed long term and medium term plans or process for monitoring areas of learning covered over a period of time and therefore there are significant gaps in children's areas of learning. Staff work well together to provide a broad range of activities to help children learn but do not have a sound understanding of the Foundation stage guidance. They are enthusiastic and use some effective questioning to promote children's thinking and this contributes to a pleasant atmosphere where children enjoy themselves. Planning and assessments are benefiting from current review, there have been some significant developments to help children move forward. However, these systems are not consistently used effectively to make sure children have access to a broad, balanced curriculum over a period of time. Observations record some

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

of the children's individual progress but this information is not used methodically to plan the next stages of learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are well behaved and confident. They pay attention to their friends and to adults and will help one another, older children often assisting younger ones. They are developing independence by mastering skills like taking their own shoes on and off, and blowing their own noses, and disposing of the tissues. Children have many opportunities to talk and discuss with their friends and adults. They talk about the weather, what they had for breakfast, their families and the things they are going to do to day. They enjoy listening to stories and telling familiar stories before the reader. They can follow books from left to right and they are aware that print tells the story in the pictures. Older children are working hard to recognise some letters and they can experience 'writing' on chalkboards, whiteboards, paper, paint and note taking in the home corner.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children habitually use mathematical language when they compare sizes and shapes and identify simple shapes, for example, circles, squares and triangles. They also regularly count objects, the number of children in the group, and the number of chairs they need. Children's imagination is developed through play in the home corner and dressing up, they bathe dolls and dress them and prepare food and make a cup of tea. They learn about the wider world by everyday

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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 experiences, for example, being in the wind and the rain, looking at minibeasts and finding out how a digger works. They discover how things work on a more simple level by using a pencil sharpener and a phone and a till in the home corner. They regularly sing, play with musical instruments and move to music and have interesting times in the creative area where they can use sand, water, paint and other media to do collage and junk modelling.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are treated equally and have access to all toys and equipment suitable to their age and ability. Activities are modified where necessary to enable children to participate at their own level. Resources are available that show diversity and the wider world an although there is a variety of books, games, small world equipment, dressing up, and puzzles that illustrate diversity there are few activities that celebrate this. Children with learning difficulties benefit from a fully trained co-ordinator who liaises with parents and other childcare professionals to put into place individual learning plans for some children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well. They know the behaviour expected of them and respond to staff's praise and encouragement. Staff provide a good role model and are consistent in their approach. Children and staff speak to one another in a calm, friendly, respectful manner and children thrive on encouragement and co-operate, for example, by replacing toys and helping to tidy up.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Staff try to involve parents in their children's care, their views are actively sought, and they supply them with a lot of verbal information before the children start in the nursery, together with a booklet of information. Staff regularly share information at doorstep meetings and they record information about babies' routines for parents. Newsletters give them updates about the nursery and planning is displayed on a notice board near the door. There are some opportunities for parents to help children with work at home. However, there are few systematic arrangements for staff and parents to share children's progress towards the early learning goals, and therefore parents cannot always become more meaningfully involved with children's learning and help children to make the best progress. Parents do not receive sufficient information about early education.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The leadership and management are good. The management team are recent appointments and they have made some innovative changes in the systems in the nursery. The manager is enthusiastic and has a sound vision for the future of the nursery and the improvements for the children in her care. She is implementing relevant training programmes and changes to planning and assessment, but these are not yet fully established and therefore have had only some impact on improving children's nursery education. An action plan from the last inspection has been implemented and all policies and procedures have been reviewed. In addition, the manager has introduced regular staff meetings and a key worker system. She is promoting a stable work force with a training programme in place and has high expectations of staff. An induction programme is available for new staff. Parents are given newsletters and the nursery is

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Organisation

establishing a rapport with families who are welcome at any time.

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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 Documentation is in good order, and easy to understand. A confidentiality policy is in place and all documents are securely stored, attendance records are up to date and children are also encouraged to self register. There are high ratios of staff to children and staff are deployed effectively. They organise time so that children are cared for in small groups according to their developmental stages. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the nursery was asked to make some improvements to the premises to ensure children were safe. They have installed extra safety gates and have a regular programme of cleaning outside equipment some of which, is stored in an outside shed and these measures contribute to a safer environment for children. the nursery were also asked to increase the amount of resources, toys and equipment available to children, and to plan outdoor play activities. They have purchased some toys and augment these by borrowing from the local toy library in order to provide more varied play experiences for children. A list of equipment used in each session is in position.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The nursery was asked to address health and safety issues and increase staff's knowledge. A policy is now in place and risk assessments are on-going. Staff's knowledge has increase by disseminating information at staff meetings, and by encouraging staff to attend health and safety training courses. Staff also now have adequate refreshment breaks throughout the day. The nursery were asked to have a named person for behaviour management. One member of staff is receiving further training in order to inform others. Staff have fully addressed behaviour management of children by raising expectations and discussing behaviour with them so that children are well behaved.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The nursery were asked to review early education assessment records to include a parental contribution to assessment. This is being addressed by constant review of assessment, parents receive only limited information about children's progress.

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Improvements since the last inspection

They were asked to develop children's independence. Children benefit because they regularly undertake helpful tasks when asked, and using their own initiative. They are able to perform a lot of self care tasks independently. They were asked to provide opportunities for children to construct, design and build. Children have an opportunity to use construction toys daily. They can also access design and craft materials at any time and they are encouraged to use these to model and make collages.

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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 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. There are no complaints to report

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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 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): • continue to regularly monitor and review safety of equipment and resources through risk assessments • further develop activities that improve children's understanding of diversity • provide a variety of indoor play experiences that develop children's large muscle skills.

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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): • review use of conservatory area to provide further opportunities for children's play • develop staff's understanding of the framework for early education • further develop planned activities to provide a broad, balanced and purposeful curriculum • further develop planning and assessment to identify the gaps in children's learning and to consistently plan the next steps in learning • make sure parents receive detailed information about the curriculum for early education and encourage them to be involved with children's 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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