Apple Tree Day Nursery

Appletree Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY290042 Unique Reference Number 07 February 2008 Inspection date Daphne Prescott Inspector

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44 College Hill Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA3 7HE Setting Address

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02084160478 Mob 07940784970 Telephone number enquiries@appletree-nursery.com E-mail Apple Tree Day Nursery (UK) Limited Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are 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?

Appletree Day Nursery is privately owned. It opened in 2004 and operates from two rooms, which is an extension of domestic premises in Harrow Weald in the London borough of Harrow.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 12 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08:00 to 18:00 for 49 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 20 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 10 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local and wider community.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs five staff, three of the staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications and two staff are working towards a qualification.

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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's good health is encouraged and they are making good progress in their physical development, because they get daily exercise. Outside they have a lovely time running around excitedly with their friends and experiencing, for example, riding on bikes and finding insects in the garden. They also have great fun playing with staff as they role play the story 'Going on a Bear Hunt'. Children are enchanted by this activity; they run through the grass with great delight as they eagerly recite the story together.

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Helping children to be healthy

The premises are clean and well maintained to also ensure a healthy environment is provided for the children. Children's understanding of good hygiene and taking responsibility for their own hygiene is encouraged well, through their daily routine. For example, children wash their hands independently after using the toilet and before lunch. They are familiar with the routine, and talk with staff about the need to wash hands because of germs. Information regarding children's medical needs is in place, and administration of medication and accidents are recorded appropriately. Staff have first aid qualifications and written records show that basic first aid is administered appropriately when minor accidents occur.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from nutritious, healthy and well-planned meals. Staff also discuss children's individual dietary needs with respective parents as part of the admission procedure and relevant information is recorded. Lunch and snack time is relaxed, and used as a social experience; staff sit with the children chatting as they eat. Children talk about what food they have and staff skilfully reinforce children's understanding of healthy eating, by talking about how many pieces of fruit and vegetables they need to eat each day to keep healthy. In addition, staff preparing children's meals hold food hygiene certificates to further promote the health of children when preparing or serving their food. The nursery offers the children drinks at snack and meal times and staff encourage the children to ask for a drink at anytime. However, children cannot independently access a drink for themselves as drinking water is not readily available throughout

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Helping children to be healthy

the day to ensure children remain hydrated.

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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 well maintained and child-friendly environment. The nursery is welcoming for parents and children as the walls have displays of the children's art work, and toys and activities are set out appealingly. There is ample furniture for children to rest, eat and play comfortably. Resources are age appropriate, clean and well maintained, which keeps children safe. Space is organised, enabling children to move around safely and use equipment on tables and play on the floor safely. Children can easily access resources independently as they are at the children's level and they constantly make independent choices of what they would like to do.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The staff help keep the children in the nursery safe, because they are very vigilant in closely supervising the children and their activities. Staff ensure that the nursery is well secured and that anyone wishing to gain entry is suitably identified before gaining access. All visitors must sign the visitors log book. Also the arrangements for the arrival and collection of children are effective and help to ensure children's safety. Detailed written risk assessments are in place of the premises and are regularly reviewed to reduce hazards. The provider also discusses with

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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 staff procedures to follow when visitors visit the nursery to help keep children safe, such as the local fire brigade. However, children's safety is not totally safeguard as written risk assessments have not been completed for visitors. Priority is given to fire safety; there are well-signed fire exits and fire fighting equipment in place. Fire drills are held and discussions take place with children relating to fire safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is safeguarded because staff have a good knowledge of child protection procedures. They are aware of the indicators of child abuse, and the procedure to follow to report concerns.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and settled. They are eager to attend and relish their time in the nursery. On arrival children are welcomed by staff, and immediately begin enthusiastically playing with a range of activities set out. Staff give all of their attention to the children to ensure that they are happy and fully engaged in the activities provided. Younger children are supported by kind and caring staff who are able to respond to their individual care, learning and welfare needs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The Birth to three matters framework to support children's learning in their earliest years is well understood by staff. They have worked well to plan a variety of stimulating and fun activities to encourage younger children's all-round development. Staff have implemented an effective system to record children's development in line with the Birth to three matters framework. The records include observations on the children and their achievements. Younger children are involved and interested in their play. For example, they sit at tables threading different shapes on long colourful strings. They enjoy this one to one attention with a member of staff and they sit for long periods of time as the activity is interesting to them. Staff talk to children continually, asking questions, making suggestions and helping children achieve tasks, such as using the glue stick to stick paper together and completing puzzles. They laugh and have fun as they

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

energetically join in action songs. Children enjoy story times and looking at books, as they listen attentively and with enjoyment to the stories being read.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. The provider and staff are very enthusiastic and have a clear understanding of how children learn. Children are well supported by committed and knowledgeable staff. They have good knowledge of the Foundation Stage of learning. Activities are planned according to the early learning goals and also following children's interests. Staff observe and record what children do and plan the next steps in their learning. Staff are good at questioning children. They use open-ended questioning to encourage the children to think for themselves and help them develop a wider vocabulary. They value and listen to what the children have to say.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enter the nursery with confidence and they separate from their families with ease. They are quick to say goodbye to their parents and then settle smoothly into the day's routines. It is evident that children want to learn, they are enthusiastic as they play and they demonstrate great curiosity. They are very confident to express their feelings and to talk about their families freely.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children arrive and self register, choosing their names and displaying them in the nursery of who is in today. They are beginning to write recognisable letters and words as they label their

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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 own drawings. Children have good access to writing materials such as pencils, papers, and crayons. Letters are displayed around the rooms which help children understand the meaning of words. However, there are fewer opportunities for children to link sound to letters during activities. Staff constantly speak with the children. They listen well and participate wholeheartedly in conversations and stories. They enjoy this time and they call out the answers to questions posed about the story in a quiet manner. Children enjoy familiar songs and rhymes. They enthusiastically join in with the actions and demonstrate that they have great singing voices as they sing with great enjoyment.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Their knowledge and understanding of the wider world is developed through activities covering the main festivals from other countries. They also learn about different parts of the world through discussion. For example, children have opportunities to develop their skills with technology; they are shown an aerial view of New Zealand on the computer. They also look at a globe and talk about the sea and mountains and where they live in relation to New Zealand. They talk about the different planets and space as they role play going to the moon and living on planet earth. Children are becoming familiar with the local community as they go to the local shops and post office. They are also learning about caring for the environment as staff set up a recycling centre for the children. Children eagerly sort out paper and cardboard into the different containers provided and chat with staff on the things that they can recycle at

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

home and nursery. Children also learn about the past and present as they talk about the days of the week and the different seasons.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have daily opportunities to take part in activities outside. However, staff do not always plan and fully incorporate the six areas of learning so that children experience the full curriculum outdoors. Children are learning about simple numbers as they confidently count everyday objects up to 10 and beyond. They use mathematical language to describe shape, size, and position during their play. Good opportunities are provided for the children to work out things for themselves. For example, a ball is stuck in a long cardboard tube; they work together on how to remove the ball from the tube, with support from staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children explore colour and texture and they particularly enjoy and benefit from the free access to the creative resources. They use scissors and glue and other materials to express themselves through their art and design. They have good opportunities for exploring and experimenting as they make their own play dough. They talk about the consistency of the play dough and what it feels like when they have added too much water.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children and parents have a good sense of belonging as staff warmly welcome parents and children into the nursery. Children's individual needs are well known by staff. All children are encouraged and supported, so they can maximise the experiences and enjoyment of the activities provided. They have access to resources that reflect diversity. Different themes and festivals are being discussed and acknowledged, helping children's understanding of the world they live in. Systems are in place to support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and children who have English as an additional language.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave very well, they benefit from constant praise and encouragement from staff, which increases their confidence and helps them take pride in their achievements. Children understand their own needs and begin to respect the needs of others. They are confident, self assured and can work and play well on their own or with others. Children enjoy being given

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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 responsibilities, such as helping to cut their own fruit at snack time with suitable utensils and pouring their own drinks, thus helping to develop their self-esteem and boost their confidence. Children act kindly to one another, they cooperate and take turns well. The nursery's positive approach fosters children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Good relationships between parents and staff ensure information is shared well, and helps children feel happy and secure in the nursery. Written information about the setting, in the form of a prospectus, newsletters and daily home link books are provided for parents. Additional information is also displayed on the parents and carers' notice board. Partnership with parents and carers who receive nursery education is good. Children are cared for by staff who work with parents to meet individual children’s needs and ensure they are familiar with what is happening in the nursery. Staff are consistently available for daily chats with parents and there are opportunities each term for discussion on their children's progress.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Leadership and management for nursery education is good. Staff are led by a highly committed provider who is a very positive role model. The provider and staff work very well together as a team. The nursery is well organised because the provider and staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and the provider leads the staff team very efficiently. She recognises the nursery's strengths and weaknesses and is working within a good framework to constantly improve the organisation. She is also aware of developing the planning of activities for the outside area and encouraging children to link sounds to letters. They plan and provide a range of activities and experiences for children, that encourage their development, and that the children enjoy. Staff work well as a team, they keep up to date with childcare developments, and increase and update their skills through regularly attending training courses.

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Organisation

The provider and staff are motivated and interested in the children, and are deployed effectively to give appropriate support and supervision. Staff take measures to keep children safe and secure whilst at the nursery. The staff team work together to use the available space for the children's benefit. However, children need to have independent access to drinking water. The required documentation is in place to support children's health, safety and well-being, with the exception of risk assessments for visitors to the nursery. The provider is currently in the process of updating the nursery's written policies and procedures, helping to enhance and promote the safety and well-being of the children. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to make sure children are well protected and cared for by staff with relevant qualifications and experience. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection the provider agreed to ensure parents sign medication records and the behaviour management statement includes methods to manage bullying. The provider ensures parents sign medication records and has included methods to managing bullying in the behaviour management, for the safety and welfare of the children.

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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 the last inspection there have been no complaints made to Ofsted. 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 fresh drinking water is available to children at all times • conduct a risk assessment and an action plan that identifies action to be taken to minimise identified risks for visitors to the premises.

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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): • develop opportunities for children to link sound to letters during activities • continue to develop the use of the outdoor area and include it in the planning of the six areas of 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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