Busy Bears Day Nursery

Busy Bears Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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309377 Unique Reference Number 06 December 2007 Inspection date Cynthia Walker Inspector

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A 2 Manor House Lane, Preston, Lancashire, PR1 6HL Setting Address

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E-mail

Stewart Birchall Netstar 9 Ltd 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?

Busy Bears Day Nursery was registered in 1992 and was registered under current management in 2001. It operates from a detached property which offers accommodation on the ground and first floor. The nursery serves the local community and is situated close to all amenities and schools in the flood area of Preston. The nursery is organised into three separate playrooms on the ground floor and a large playroom on the first floor. Children have access to enclosed areas for outdoor play. The nursery opens five days a week from 07.30 until 18.00, closing for bank holidays and the Christmas period only.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is registered to care for a maximum of 50 children under five years. Currently 72 children attend the nursery throughout the week, of these, 20 children are in receipt of nursery education funding. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery supports children with learning difficulties. The nursery employs 13 staff who work with the children and a nursery cook. Of these, over half the staff working with children hold appropriate early years qualifications and two are working towards qualifications. The nursery receives the support of the local authority.

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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 are well nourished and enjoy a wide variety of meals and snacks which incorporate a good selection of fruit and vegetables. The children's dietary needs are discussed with the parents and appropriately recorded to ensure that individual children's needs are met. Children are able to access fresh drinking water independently throughout the day. Children's routines are discussed with parents, enabling the nursery to ensure children have appropriate rest or sleep.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are developing an effective understanding of personal hygiene as they become increasingly independent around personal care, for example, as they wash their hands before their lunch and after going to the toilet. They explain that they are washing their hands to get them clean. Although staff are following appropriate hygiene procedures whilst nappy changing, the procedures for hand washing in the baby kitchen lack clarity. Staff demonstrate that children are suitably cared for if they have an accident or need medication because they follow appropriate procedures. However, the nursery does not have written parental permission to seek any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment for all the children, to promote their good health. Staff sensitively implement the sickness procedure when children become ill during the nursery day.

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Helping children to be healthy

Daily use of the outdoor area is actively developing the children's physical skills. Children confidently climb the bars on the climbing frame and enjoy using the slide. They run and jump around the space, chasing each other and negotiating pathways to follow. Children sit harmoniously together on the large swing and enjoy the gentle rocking movement, whilst others skilfully manoeuvre the wheeled toys. A weekly visit from a dancing teacher and swimming lessons for the older children enrich their movement experiences, and children enjoy simple music and movement when the weather does not allow them to go outside. Children's physical development is supported by balancing logs, a climbing frame, a swing, wheeled toys, trampolines, tyres, sand pit and a variety of small equipment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a warm and secure environment where most risks have been identified and minimised. Although the nursery completes detailed daily safety room checks, which include the outdoor area to identify any hazards, there is no overall risk assessment in place to identify potential risks to children. Most glass within the nursery is safe with the exception of two small panels within the main door and staff are waiting for the decking in the baby outdoor area to be made safe for children because it has become slippery in the wet weather. Regular fire practises reinforce children's understanding of fire safety. Although staff maintain a good awareness for procedures to follow on outings, the written procedure was not available within nursery. Children are learning about keeping safe through clear explanations as they use the stairs to access the outdoor area.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Photographs of children involved in a variety of activities and displays within the individual rooms ensure the nursery is welcoming to everyone. The organisation of the individual playrooms enables children to move independently and spontaneously around the different areas of play. The large baby room contains a comfortable area for the younger children, however, although

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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 a partition is available this is not maintained to ensure children are not cared for in groups of more than 12 children. There is a reasonable range of resources which are appropriate for all the children's ages and stages of development. Resources in most areas are arranged to allow children to make independent choices.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are effectively safeguarded by staff who have a good understanding of child protection procedures which are in line with the Local Safeguarding Children Board.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children enjoy their time in nursery and arrive happy and eager to participate. Younger children make satisfactory progress because staff are continuing to develop their understanding of the needs of children under three. Regular spontaneous assessments are completed on the children and this information is used on a weekly basis to inform the planned programme of activities. Learning journals are in place for all the children which are directly linked to the 'Birth to three matters' framework and include photographs of children's involvement in activities and the occasional spontaneous observation. However, these continue to be developed and do not include information to clearly evidence the children's future learning. Younger children enjoy experimenting with water and brushes as they transfer the water on to a coloured plastic mat with the brushes and make marks. They carefully fill and empty containers with dried pasta

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

shapes and develop their hand-eye coordination as they sweep up the sand. Children under two experiment with crayons as they make a variety of marks on paper. They watch with great interest as the older children play outside, with some children becoming very excited as they find their siblings. Children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories with the staff and examine the variety of toys available to them with interest, for example, concentrating as they slowly examine a plastic shape as they twist and turn it through their fingers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. The manager has a sound understanding of the Foundation Stage and is supporting the newly established staff team in improving their knowledge. There are detailed short term plans which reflect a wide range of planned activities linked to all areas of the early learning goals. Planning includes adaptations for the lesser and more able children and are clearly evaluated. Although the manager has sufficient understanding of the individual children's abilities and the staff team are completing spontaneous observations, this information is only informally linked to the future planning. Assessment records are being established for the children and include photographs of them involved in activities, however, they do not include any recorded evidence of assessment including the children's next steps for learning. Staff have established positive relationships with the children and actively praise

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children for their achievements. They use effective questioning in most areas, although this is not reflected within the daily routines for mathematical development. The environment is separated into different learning areas with supporting resources, however, the presentation of some areas and children's independent access to some resources impacts on children's progress and learning in creativity and mark making.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have a positive attitude to learning and are interested in the appropriate range of activities. They concentrate well at circle time and persist for long periods at activities, such as cutting and sticking. Children are confident communicators using language to give detailed explanations about their drawings of spiders and use language to imagine the items they found in the garden in the 'digging game', such as a smelly sock. They confidently identify their first

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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 names and link simple phonics to the initial letter of their name and the letter of the week. Displays reflect opportunities for children to experience simple mark making, however, the presentation of the mark making area and access to mark making materials within general play is limited. Children confidently count to five as they complete the daily calendar and planned activities support mathematical development. However, there are few opportunities for children to experience simple calculation or mathematical language within the daily routines. Displays within the nursery highlight the children's involvement with the computer. Photographs demonstrate that children are experiencing aspects of the natural world and are discovering their environment as they visit a squirrel park, an owl sanctuary and the sea life centre. Children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

excitedly discuss their visit to see the reindeers and discuss what they might like to eat, such as carrots or apples. Children enjoy exploring interesting malleable material and use good imagination to create individual drawings and some paintings. However, displays of children's work are adult directed and although some resources are accessible in the creative area, their presentation does not encourage children to develop their individuality. The introduction of hospital resources within the role play area stimulates the children's interest and they use good imagination as they try to stop the doll's arm bleeding and give it medicine. Other children find a large book and actively pretend to complete the nursery register.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are developing a positive attitude to others through the provision of an appropriate range of resources which includes dolls, dressing up clothes, books, toy cooking utensils and small world figures. Activities which enable the children to develop an understanding of other cultures and their own community are included in the planning. Children's individual needs are established through discussions with parents and there are systems in place to clearly record these. There are suitable systems in place to support children with learning difficulties or disabilities. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well as they respond to the clear and consistent explanations from staff. They play harmoniously together at activities such as role play, and work cooperatively together to construct a football stadium. Staff encourage children to share resources at activities and take turns, for example, at circle time. Children show concern for others as they discuss how children had cut their lip and older children support younger children to find their name card.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Parents are actively welcomed into the nursery and receive sufficient information about the setting through leaflets, regular newsletters and noticeboards. The nursery takes sufficient steps to ensure that parents are kept informed about the relevant policies and procedures. Although a parents evening is planned for the future, the ongoing needs of children are shared informally with parents on a daily basis and parents do not have access to their children's assessment records. Parents are asked to contribute to some activities, however, they are not given information on how they can be involved in children's learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Most of the required documentation which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being is in place. Effective recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to determine the suitability of staff members to safeguard the children attending the nursery. Although the nursery has

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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 had difficulties accessing training, the manager has a positive attitude to the future training needs of her staff team. Space within the nursery is appropriately organised to support the play and learning opportunities for children.

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Organisation

Leadership and management are satisfactory. Suitable staffing procedures and an enthusiastic manager ensure staff work as a supportive and effective team. Regular staff meetings ensure outcomes for children are maintained There are procedures in place to monitor the overall provision through detailed questionnaires to parents. The nursery liaises with advisors from the local authority to improve the quality of education for children.

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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 care inspection the nursery was given a number of actions relating to procedures for lost and uncollected children, access to the kitchen, low-level glass, security of the outdoor area, the hazards linked to the hot water cistern and wires, and documents relating to the use of a vehicle. The nursery was given a number of recommendations in relation to monitoring sleeping babies, the temperature of the baby room, the privacy in the toilets, the temperature of the water, good hygiene procedures, plans of activities in the baby room, the child protection procedure and written permission for emergency medical treatment.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The nursery has implemented a procedure for lost and uncollected children and reviewed the child protection policy, which contributes to the safety and well-being of children. However, the nursery is not maintaining the written parental permission to seek any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment for all the children in the nursery to promote their good health. Most risks have been identified to ensure children are cared for in a safe environment, for example, children do not access the kitchen, the outside area is secure and the old climbing frame removed, a new boiler has been fitted for the hot water and all electrical wires are covered, all documentation is in place for vehicles used to transport children, staff sit with sleeping children and monitors are also in place, and the water is thermostatically controlled. Although most of the glass is safe for children, two small panels in the main door do not contain safety

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Improvements since the last inspection

glass and impact on children's safety. A thermometer is in place to maintain an appropriate temperature within the baby room. Staff ensure children develop an understanding of personal hygiene and use appropriate procedures whilst nappy changing.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The key issues highlighted in the nursery education inspection related to making the methods used to record the children's progress more manageable and the opportunities for parents to contribute to these records.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Assessment records are being established for the children and include photographs of them involved in activities, however, they do not include any recorded evidence of their progress or the children's next steps for learning. Although a parents evening is planned for the future, the ongoing needs of children are shared informally with parents on a daily basis and parents do not have access to their children's assessment records.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004 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

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 The 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): • obtain written parental permission to seek any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment for all children • clarify the hand washing procedures in the baby kitchen • conduct a risk assessment of the premises to ensure all hazards are identified and minimised, particularly the decking in the outdoor baby area and the glass in the front door; ensure the procedures for any outings are available at the nursery • ensure that children under two years are cared for in groups of no more than 12 • improve the system for recording the observations for children under three years to reflect their achievements, progression and future learning.

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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): • continue to develop the children's assessment records to clearly identify the children's next steps for learning and use this information to inform future planning • review the presentation and availability of resources particularly for mark making and creativity • increase the opportunities for children to experience simple calculation and mathematical language within the daily routines • ensure parents are well informed of their children's achievements and enable parents to become involved in their 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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