Lindale Muddy Boots Nursery

Lindale Pre-School Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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317552 Unique Reference Number 14 November 2007 Inspection date Sandra Elizabeth Williams Inspector

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School House, School Hill, Lindale, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, LA11 6LE

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E-mail

The Trustees of Lindale Pre-School 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Lindale pre-school nursery opened in 2001. The registered body is the Management Committee, Lindale Nursery. The nursery is located within Lindale Primary School grounds and is fully self contained. The ground floor consists of two playrooms and a kitchen. Bathroom facilities are located on the first floor. All children share access to an outdoor play area. The group serves children from the local area. There are no children attending with English as a second language or with learning difficulties or disabilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 12 children aged from two to under five years may attend the nursery at any one time. There are 16 children currently on roll, of whom, seven are in receipt of funding for nursery education. The nursery is open from Mondays to Fridays from 08.45 until 11.45. A lunch session is provided for children from 11.45 until 12.45 if required.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are two members of staff who work with the children, both of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. The staff are supported by Sure Start and by an advisory teacher from the school. The staff are currently working towards a quality assurance award for children's services.

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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 developing good physical skills as they engage in a range of physical activities which contribute to their good health. The children particularly enjoy playing on the bikes and scooters, developing their physical coordination and sense of space as they pedal around the playground, skilfully avoiding each other. They also enjoy throwing and catching balls which helps them to develop their hand-eye coordination. Children develop their fine motor skills as they use scissors for cutting out shapes, cutters for making shapes in the play dough and the good range of mark making equipment.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children begin to learn about healthy eating as the staff provide healthy snacks such as fruit, toast and breadsticks. Children are encouraged to develop their independence as they choose from a plate of mixed fruit and as they pour their own drinks throughout the session. Snack times are enjoyable and social occasions. Children particularly enjoy making harvest soup. They help to cut up the vegetables and enjoy tasting the soup at snack time. Children's special dietary needs are known to the staff who work closely with the parents to ensure children's needs are met appropriately.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are cared for in a warm, clean environment where staff implement good hygiene procedures and practices. Children learn the importance of washing their hands before eating their snacks, after using the toilet and after petting the rabbit. They are developing good levels of independence as they attend to themselves in the bathroom, under staff supervision. The ability of the staff to attend to the children's health and medical requirements is good as their training in first aid is up to date and the first aid kit is well stocked. They also have clear systems in place for recording accidents.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a welcoming and safe environment where potential hazards are regularly identified and minimised. This allows children to move around safely and play independently. Children are provided with two well set out playrooms, which provide ample space for children to easily and safely access the play equipment. This allows them to make choices and develop their independence, as they happily chose to play with the table top games and the creative equipment. Children use good quality equipment, appropriate to their age and stage of development, which complies with safety standards. Children are protected from harm as the staff regularly check the equipment for any damage or hazards. Equipment is child-sized and play equipment is organised well and at a low-level to ensure that children can access them easily and safely.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children learn to keep themselves safe because staff explain acceptable boundaries. For example, children know that they must not run inside in case they fall. The children learn about fire safety as the staff regularly practise the emergency evacuation procedure with them. The staff are watchful and vigilant at all times, ensuring that the children are safe as they play. The risk assessments help to minimise the hazards to children. The front door is always kept locked and secure. However, the key is not always placed out of the reach of children, which could pose a potential risk to children.

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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 welfare is promoted as the staff recognise their responsibilities to protect young children from harm. They have a good understanding of potential signs of abuse and neglect, also of who they should contact to report any child protection concerns. They have undertaken child protection training recently. Staff have also reviewed their child protection policy since the last inspection.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are settled, happy and enjoy their time at nursery. They enjoy positive relationships with the staff, which increases their sense of trust and helps them develop a strong sense of self. The children are excited and enthusiastic when they arrive at the nursery and are greeted warmly by the staff. Children are given choices during their time at nursery as they independently choose from the range of activities on offer. Children show an interest in what they do in the setting. They particularly enjoy the craft activities and play dough, where they have opportunities to develop their creative skills. The theme for this week is 'people who help us' and the children enjoy making policemen and firemen's helmets to wear.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children begin to distinguish between right and wrong because the staff teach them to take turns when playing games. The children learn good manners and respect for others because the staff act as positive role models. For example, when sitting at the table at snack time, the staff encourage the children to say 'please' and 'thank you' as they hand out the fruit and drinks.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children make sound progress as the staff are developing a satisfactory understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum. They plan an appropriate curriculum which covers most aspects of children's learning. However, planning, assessment, observation and recording in relation to the early years goals and stepping stones are not thoroughly recorded. Children's individual learning needs are not accurately known, which means that the staff do not have clear plans to enable individual children to move on to the next step in their learning. Staff do not set high enough expectations of what the more able children can achieve, consequently they sometimes do not receive sufficient challenge.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop sound social skills. They are interested and motivated to learn. They are also confident to suggest ideas and speak in a familiar group and also to sit quietly, when appropriate. This is particularly evident during registration and story time. They confidently play in small groups and on their own if they choose. They have formed positive relationships with staff and their peers. Children demonstrate developing self-confidence as they enthusiastically show the inspector their favourite puppets. They are developing good self-care skills as they put on their coats and hats before going outside to play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop satisfactory speaking and listening skills as staff regularly engage them in conversations. They enjoy story time and are able to add their interpretation to stories. They are encouraged to recognise their own and their peers' names as they self register and identify name cards at registration. Children link sounds to letters, naming and sounding letters of the alphabet. One child spontaneously experiments with rhyming words as he eats his toast. He says 'the ghost eats toast up the lamp post'. Children are able to select books from the book corner and are able to handle them carefully and turn the pages in the correct order. They enjoy sitting with the staff reading the books and learning to follow the text from left to right.

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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 have opportunities to develop their writing skills as they write their names on their art work.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have opportunities to count in everyday activities, such as counting how many children are present at registration. Children have opportunities to view numbers to support their number recognition skills as the staff hold up numbers at registration and ask the children to identify them. They are confidently able to recognise numerals up to 10. They are also able to recognise shapes. They are learning about size when comparing the length of their breadsticks. The more able children, however, are insufficiently challenged in their problem solving and calculating skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use information technology with enthusiasm. They learn to control the mouse and move around the screen to follow the programme. They also confidently select music CD's and play them on the CD player. One child selects 'Bob the Builder' music and the rest of the children spontaneously dance and jump around to the music. They learn about past and present as they visit a toy museum to look at the different types of toys from the past and compare them with present ones. Children have opportunities to express themselves creatively through the use of various mediums such as paint, play dough, sand and water. They also use musical instruments with delight and beat out rhythms to African music.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Overall, children make satisfactory progress towards the early learning goals given their capacity and starting points.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children make a positive contribution and play a full part in the setting as they are warmly welcomed by staff who value and respect their individuality. Children are encouraged to develop positive attitudes about a diverse society through the resources and activities provided by the staff. Resources includes multicultural books, dolls, posters and maps. The children celebrate festivals such as Chinese New Year and Diwali by undertaking craft activities and tasting different types of food. They also learn about their own community as the staff take them on outings to the village shop and the park. With support and guidance children are happy to share, take turns during their play, learn to play cooperatively and develop skills in negotiations. For example, when the children play with the play dough, they share the equipment and take turns.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Positive behaviour is constantly encouraged by the staff by use of praise and encouragement. These positive approaches foster children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Children with learning difficulties are welcome to join the setting and there is a support system set up if required. Staff have attended appropriate training courses to support children with difficulties and are aware of the importance of working closely with parents and other agencies if required in order to fully support the children's needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Parents find the staff approachable and friendly and children benefit from the positive partnership the staff have with the parents. Parents become involved in their children's learning by bringing items into the nursery for certain activities. Some parents also attend the nursery and share their expertise with the children, for example, baking, cooking and science. Staff communicate informally with parents on a regular basis about children's welfare and care, however, there is no formal system for gathering information about the children when they initially join the nursery. There is a formal

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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 system for keeping parents informed of children's educational progress and development in the form of written reports at the end of the year.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The organisation of the care is satisfactory because staff are qualified and are aware of the need to attend relevant training courses to enable them to keep up to date with current childcare practices. A rigorous procedure is in place in relation to the recruitment of staff. This means that staff employed in this setting are suitable to meet the needs of children.

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Organisation

Children are relaxed and confident in the environment due to the organisation of their care and learning. Children's play opportunities are sound as the staff organise the premises well, thus allowing children to move about easily. Documentation which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being is in place. Staff are familiar with the policies and procedures and these are also shared with the parents.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is satisfactory. Children's educational needs are adequately met through the sound leadership and management of the play leader who has a constructive partnership with the management committee. Staff have developed a sound understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum. The staff have established links with the advisory teacher at the school who assists them in their teaching methods and systems for assessing children.

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Organisation

Children in the main are provided with a varied educational programme. Staff meet regularly to evaluate and monitor the quality of teaching and learning. This means that the staff have an understanding of the setting's strengths and weaknesses.

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Organisation

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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection it was agreed that a policy would be devised for the induction of staff into the setting. This has been undertaken and is particularly helpful for students as well as new staff members. It was also agreed that the child protection policy would be revised to include procedures to be followed in the event of allegations being made against a member of staff. This has been undertaken, thus improving the guidelines for protecting children. It was agreed that staff would provide opportunities for children to learn about diversity on a regularly basis. The planning of topics and themes now include more multicultural activities, thus teaching children about our multicultural society.

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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 records 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 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): • further improve the security of the setting by ensuring that the front door key is out of the reach of children at all times

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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 the planning and assessment systems to ensure that children's individual learning needs are met and that all children receive sufficient challenges in their learning • provide more opportunities for children to develop their problem solving and calculating skills • further develop systems for obtaining information from parents about their children's starting point when they first join the nursery.

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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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