Fountain Children Centre

Fountain Children Centre Inspection report for early years provision

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EY272868 Unique Reference Number 12 February 2008 Inspection date Alison Romanczuk Inspector

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19 Bird in Bush Road, London, SE15 6RW Setting Address

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020 7639 2233 mob 07763 279990 Telephone number

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E-mail

The Fountain Children Centre 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 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?

Fountain Children's Centre was opened in February 2004. The provider of this setting is the Fountain Children's Centre Committee. The premises are situated on the ground and first floor of a church vicarage in Peckham, in the London Borough of Southwark. The centre has its own entrance gate in Bird in Bush Road. It comprises of three group rooms on the upper floor with appropriate children's toilet facilities, two rooms on the lower floor, manager's office, and the kitchen. A soft play surface has been laid for the children in the enclosed small outdoor area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The centre is registered to take 42 children under five years old of whom 12 may be aged under two years old. There are currently 32 children on roll. Thirteen of the children receive nursery education grant. Children attending the setting are from the local community and the centre provides support for children with special educational needs. Twenty three children have English as an additional language. Fountain Centre provides care for children of parents living and working in the area or commuting into town and operates five days a week, Monday to Friday, from 07:00 to 18:30.

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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 well maintained because staff are clearly inducted into the centre's comprehensive health and safety procedures and implement them well. Children have access to daily outside play and often visit local parks for fresh air and physical play. They play in an environment which is kept clean and orderly and resources are well managed. They are encouraged to develop good habits early on such as washing their hands before lunch time and to develop independence in tasks such as helping themselves to water when they are thirsty in the older group rooms. Children are well cared for when unwell and staff work well with parents to support children's recovery from illness. Clear infectious illness policies are displayed and the staff use medication procedures correctly, so that they clearly record medication and request consent for emergency treatment. Most of the staff hold up to date first aid certificates,

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Helping children to be healthy

should an emergency arise and accidents are clearly recorded and monitored. Children are well nourished at the centre and enjoy their meals which are well balanced and of a good quantity. Staff record children's dietary requirements and particularly with the babies, work well with parents in providing a routine which follows on from home. The centre's newly planted fruit and vegetable garden provides a valuable hands on experience for the children in helping to grow their own healthy foods.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children's safety is given priority at the centre and some staff have trained in risk assessment to underpin the centre's good practice in this area. Guidelines are displayed about the rooms, kitchens and bathrooms and staff understand their roles in this area. Children's safety is maintained because the environment is secure with video entry systems and staff clearly record any visitors to the building. The group rooms are suitable for children's use and allow children space to move around safely when exploring their interests. Regular discussions, particularly with the older children encourage them to be aware of their own safety when playing, for example they know not to run inside and to walk slowly down stairways. Equipment is of good quality and children play with toys which are of a good standard and easily accessible in see-through boxes and on low level shelves. Children are protected from fire because the centre

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

has fire prevention equipment in place which is checked annually and regularly recorded fire drills are held to familiarise the children with evacuation procedures. Children are safeguarded from harm and are well supervised daily both at the centre and when on outings. Staff get to know the children well and record any concerns they may have. Most staff have attended recent training in safeguarding procedures and understand how to share their concerns when appropriate.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their time at the centre and get to know staff well. They benefit from the stimulating environment provided by staff and are eager to explore the environment and develop increasing independence. Babies receive lots of one to one attention and cuddles and crawl about the room confidently seeking objects from treasure baskets and navigating their way across giant cushions. Toddlers participate in a range of activities and are learning to interact positively with those around them. They chat with increasing confidence about what they are

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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 doing and show curiosity during activities. Whilst staff get to know the children well informally, observations are not always used well to plan for their individual achievements and interests and some children become disengaged as a result. Despite this the children enjoy free play when they use sand and water play and choose books and role play resources, for example and they show increasing imagination at these times. They particularly enjoy small group times with staff who sit at their level to read and encourage the children to explore their experiences using their teddies and dolls, for example.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Most staff have trained in the Foundation Stage and the environment reflects their commitment to providing a stimulating and challenging experience for the children. Plans follow the stepping stones to learning in all six areas but are not always fully informed by observations and information about individual children. This is because observations are at a development stage and lack evaluative information which staff need to inform activities. Despite this and given the high percentage of children who have English as an additional language they progress well and for the most part are engaged purposefully in activities. On some occasions, however children struggle to negotiate their needs with others and there are some disagreements, for example during free play. Overall, children are given time to explore their interests, for example in a well equipped home corner

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and to choose from activities set out such as table top games, play dough, craft, collage making and sand and water activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have generally good opportunities to make marks in preparation for early literacy and resources such as paper and pencils are easily accessible but not always encouraged in the home corner which is a popular area with the children. Children show increasing proficiency in recognising their names and those of their peers but are not suitably introduced to the sounds that letters make. They particularly enjoy those times when staff read to them and as a result they show a fondness for books which they access independently during the sessions. Staff generally encourage the children's growing vocabulary, for example during circle time discussions about growth but not all staff fully utilise language to support the children's understanding of concepts and at times staff use language which is not correct and this confuses the children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children count during games where they take turns, for example and have access to natural materials which they use to build, weigh and problem solve. For example, the staff use sand and water activities to talk to the children about full and empty and to compare shapes. Children match colour and shape as they use coloured threading discs and inset puzzle pieces and often talk about size and measurement as they compare their growing heights and those of their plants. The children particularly enjoy themed work where they learn about the cycle of plants and a vegetable and fruit garden is currently being constructed to further support this interest and the children's involvement in growing healthy foods.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children demonstrate increasing confidence in creative activities as they mimic discussions in the home corner and use their time to become hairdressers or gardeners. They respond creatively to music and colour and enjoy mixing paints for free painting and painting with their hands. Their knowledge and understanding of the world is supported through scientific work using magnification glass, for example and when using computers to support their learning. Many activities involving parents and the local community give the children a good foundation of the local and wider world around them and help them understand where they fit in. Children develop well physically, having access to climbing apparatus and large equipment outside and

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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 the children show increasing coordination as they manoeuvre wheelbarrows around and use scissors and pencils in their play.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered and they benefit from attending a centre which is fully inclusive and encourages respect for all children and their families. The children use a range of toys and books which reflect different cultures and ways of life and the centre's walls are adorned with photographs of the children involved in celebrations and visits to the local community. A recent Black History Month celebration shows parents and children dressed in national costumes, for example and a visit from local African musicians. Children benefit from the centre's encouragement towards parental involvement and other photographs show a child's parent visiting the centre with a fire engine and fire fighting colleagues. The partnership with parents and carers is good as a result and parents are well informed of the curriculum and daily activities provided. They particularly benefit from a

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Helping children make a positive contribution

termly report produced by children's key workers giving them information on their children's progress. Children behave generally well at the centre showing care and consideration for each other but at times the older children have difficulty negotiating their needs. Despite this staff offer positive feedback for the children's good conduct and the atmosphere is friendly for the most part.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Good practice at the centre is clearly underpinned by comprehensive and well implemented policies and procedures. Staff demonstrate a commitment to and enthusiasm for providing a good quality service to the children and families who attend. As a result the children's safety, welfare and education is well supported and the children clearly settled into the routine at the centre. Staff work well as a team, attending regular meetings with each other and managers and training is particularly well sourced to ensure staff are up-to-date with current guidelines and the National Standards. Staff are well qualified and vetted to ensure their suitability to work with the children. Documentation at the centre is used appropriately, for example to record children's personal details and their attendance times. Leadership and management of the centre is good and managers clearly monitor the provision for funded children in order to

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Organisation

evaluate the curriculum and identify strengths and areas for improvement. Managers clearly support staff's professional development and they receive good levels of training to ensure they support children in working towards their potential. Overall, the centre meets the needs of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

During the last inspection the centre was asked to inform Ofsted of relevant changes to management at the centre. They were asked to review and improve the operational plan in order to ensure good practice regarding staffing arrangements, the care of children and policies and procedures and to ensure that procedures to deputise, in the absence of the person in charge, are effective. The centre was asked to conduct a risk assessment on the premises identifying action to be taken to minimize identified risks. They were asked to display relevant documentation for parents, including Ofsted's role in regulating the service and to have this available for inspection at all times. The centre was asked to ensure that sufficient/suitable

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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 furniture/equipment was available to meet the needs of all children and to provide an appropriate cleaning schedule for the kitchen. They were asked to review arrangements at meal times, to promote children's independence and self help skills. In response the centre has improved upon the operational plan to ensure good practice is consistent and staff understand their roles, including tasks such as cleaning schedules. Children's meal times now allow for more independence and children in the older group rooms now serve themselves at lunch time. The centre is now well equipped to meet the needs of all children and a deputy is now in in place. The centre now uses a risk assessment to clearly identify and make safe hazards which may occur and some staff have trained in this area. Parents have access to all relevant information

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Improvements since the last inspection

including the centre's complaints procedure which is displayed on the notice board.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection there has been one complaint made to Ofsted which required the provider to take action in order to meet The National Standards. The complaint related to National Standard 3; Enjoying and Achieving, National Standard 6; Safety and National Standard 8; Food and Drink. Ofsted visited the centre in July 2007 and set an action to keep a record of complaints relating to the National Standards and ensure that any action taken and the outcome is recorded. The centre responded by updating it's complaints procedure to a suitable standard. Ofsted was satisfied that the provider remained qualified for registration.

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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.

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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): • ensure observational notes are used as a tool to inform planning for individual children

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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 behaviour management procedures so that children are helped to negotiate their needs and have methods which help them to share the equipment • ensure children's growing vocabulary is well supported and that children learn about the sounds that letters make

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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 • review observational techniques to ensure they are useful in planning the curriculum for each child's needs

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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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