St Mary's RC Primary School

Ringrose Kindergarten Chelsea Inspection report for early years provision

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105727 Unique Reference Number 17 March 2008 Inspection date Susan Parker Inspector

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St. Luke’s Hall, St. Luke’s Street, London, SW3 3RP Setting Address

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E-mail

Lucy Alexandra Hustler Parker Registered person Childcare 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

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Ringrose Kindergarten was first registered at this premises in 2000. It is a privately run Kindergarten, based in a church premises in Chelsea. It operates from a hall and three rooms. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. The setting is open each weekday from 09.00 to 12.45 during school term times. The Kindergarten is registered to care for no more than 48 children from two years old to five years old. Of these no more than twelve may be under three years old at any one time

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 40 children on roll. The setting currently supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are seven staff members who work with the children. Six of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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 cared for in a warm, clean and hygienic environment where they are beginning to learn about the importance of good hygiene practices and are keen to develop independence in their personal care.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's physical, nutritional and health needs are met due to the effective procedures and practices followed by the staff. However, children use the same overalls for art as they do for cooking activities. Children are able to help themselves to easily accessible drinks. They benefit from a good range of healthy snacks, for example fresh fruits, and biscuits which take account of their individual dietary needs. Staff provide good advice to parents on the provision of snacks for those who wish to provide their own.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy an excellent range of purposeful activities which contribute to their good health. For example there are a selection of good indoor and outdoor activities and equipment to help children to develop control of their bodies as they run, jump, ride on wheeled toys, climb and balance. Children have regular use of the adjacent parks and play arreas. This ensures that they have regular exercise and fresh air. Children are confident to try out new skills and ask for help when needed, this is a result of the staff's very good understanding of each child's stage of development, thoughtful provision of resources and continual encouragement.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from having the majority of staff as qualified first aiders on the premises which ensures that any accidents are dealt with effectively and efficiently. Any prescribed medicines will be administered by a qualified adult and recorded; all records are signed by parents.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are able to move around their play areas freely and independently. Children gain a sense of responsibility as they move around the tables and between groups and rooms with confidence. Staff ensure that the children are learning about keeping themselves safe as they participate in road safety activities and regular fire drills.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The environment is rich and stimulating with children's artwork displayed. Children make full use of the good range of high quality equipment which is safe, attractively displayed, well maintained and suitable for the children's use. They are able to select and access the play resources without risk as they are easily accessible and the staff are vigilant in their monitoring and supervision.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are very well protected by the staff team as they have a clear understanding of child protection. Staff have attended child protection training and give top priority to children's safety and welfare. However, children arriving at the kindergarten with existing injuries do not have this recorded, and the incident record was not available to see at the time of the inspection.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children clearly enjoy the happy and harmonious atmosphere and actively participate in a good range of purposeful activities. They are making excellent progress in their learning, self-esteem and development because staff have a good understanding of how children learn. Staff act as positive role models, and give sensitive support to all children. They respect children's feelings, value their comments and clearly enjoy their company. Staff follow a set routine which promotes children's feelings of security and stability. Children are happy, settle quickly and relate well to other children and staff. Practitioners encourage and build children's confidence and vocabulary through constant praise and recognition. Staff adapt their questioning to reflect each child's stage of development and level of understanding. This helps them meet the needs of all children. The suitably qualified and experienced staff team are committed to the concept

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

of providing high quality childcare and education.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage and of how children learn through play. Although the group are not in receipt of nursery education funding, it is considered very good practice to follow the curriculum for the Foundation Stage where the children learn and progress very well.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The staff participate in planning, and they purposefully draw from their evaluations and experience to continue to develop the group's early year’s curriculum. Staff meet formally as a team to share and collate ideas linked to their current topic covering the six areas of learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are welcomed and included in the setting because the staff value and respect their individuality. Their behaviour is very good. They are aware of what is expected of them, are calm, share, take turns and enjoy each other's company. The staff uses effective skills to encourage and help them to develop their relationships with one another, and to maintain behaviour boundaries. Children are very receptive to the praise and encouragement that is freely given.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children learn to value the differences and similarities between themselves, through sensitive discussions, stories, activities and the use of developmentally appropriate resources. Children develop warm relationships with each other and the staff team, they help and support each other, are aware of, and sensitive to the individual abilities of the other children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Parent's views about their child's needs are actively sought before the child commences at the setting and throughout their time there. Parents have access to the policies and procedures which underpin the running of this enthusiastic kindergarten. Parents and carers are given weekly written reports outlining their child's progress and are able to see the individual folders and children's achievements records.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. An enthusiastic, and well trained staff team, sound and detailed documentation, and positive working relationships ensure that children benefit and enjoy their time at this provision. Staff are skilled and competent in their childcare practice. They demonstrate a real affinity with

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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 children. They use their wealth of experience and their ongoing childcare training to provide a wide range of practical and stimulating learning opportunities.

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Organisation

They organise their time and resources well to provide a wealth of learning experiences for the children. They monitor and evaluate each child's progress and effectively record and share this information.

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Organisation

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 staff agreed to provide a named deputy to take charge in the absence of the leader to ensure consistency. They have devised and implemented a system to record any incidents; however, this record was not available to see at the time of the inspection, so the recommendation continues. The staff have produced a written complaints procedure including the address and telephone number of the regulator to enable parents to complain if they need to. Staff have also included a statement to follow if a member of staff is alleged to have put children at risk. This ensures the safety of all children. The staff have checked all the premises for risks and hazards and minimised these. Children's arrival and departure time are clearly recorded and signed by the parents to enhance their safety.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the last inspection. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure that children's overalls used for art activities are not used for cookery or at snack time • ensure that a record of existing injuries is in place • ensure that the incident record is available for inspection.

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The quality and standards of the care

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

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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