Busy Bees Day Nursery at Wandsworth

Busy Bees Day Nursery - Wandsworth Inspection report for early years provision

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EY290072 Unique Reference Number 06 March 2008 Inspection date Heidi Wilton / Susan Mann Inspector

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Dolphin House, Riverside West, Smugglers Way, London, SW18 1EG Setting Address

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E-mail

Leapfrog Day Nurseries (Trading) Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Out of School 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 good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery opened in January 2001 and is now part of the Busy Bees group. It operates from the ground floor of residential flats, near to the River Thames and Wandsworth Bridge. The premises consist of five play areas, a communal play space, toilets, nappy changing area, outdoor play area, office, and adult mezzanine level. The internal area is open plan, and the space has been divided into rooms using partitioning and sliding doors. A maximum of 95 children may attend the nursery at any time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07:30 to 18:30 excluding bank holidays and Christmas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 78 children aged from six months to four years on roll. Of these 18 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local and wider community and they attend part time and full time. The nursery supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 16 staff who work directly with the children. There are nine staff who hold an appropriate early years qualification and five staff currently working towards a childcare

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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 qualification. The setting receives support from the local Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children’s health is promoted well through a range of effective procedures. Staff practices are hygienic to limit the spread of infection. Staff wear disposable gloves and aprons when changing nappies and serving food to limit the spread of infection. Cleaning routines are robust throughout the nursery. Toys and equipment are cleaned frequently to ensure they do not harbour germs. The nursery kitchen maintains high standards of hygiene to ensure that all food is safe to eat.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a wide range of healthy meals and snacks. These are prepared from fresh ingredients on the premises by the nursery cook. She plans and prepares a healthy and balanced diet which children eat with great enthusiasm. However, children do not always wash their hands prior to eating. This could spread infection and cause children to become unwell. Children sit together and enjoy one another’s company as they eat. Older children share pieces of fruit from a plate at snack time. They do not have opportunities to prepare the fruit themselves, nor do they have individual plates to eat from at snack time. This does not promote the development of their independence at these times.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children with individual dietary requirements are very well catered for through the nursery ‘red plate policy’. This ensures that children who follow a special diet are given the correct foods to maintain their good health. This is supported by clear documentation that ensures all relevant staff are aware of these needs. Menus are displayed for parents to see, so they know what their child will be eating that day. In addition, the nursery cook supervises cooking activities with the children. At these, they prepare a variety of foods that are healthy, such as cheese scones, and they then eat these with their meals during the day.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children throughout the nursery use the secure and spacious outdoor area. This allows them to benefit from fresh air and exercise. This promotes their general well-being and level of fitness. Younger children enjoy their times in the garden. They ride tricycles up and down the decking area, or happily play in the sandpit.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children’s safety is the top priority of the nursery staff and management. All staff are wholly vigilant and watchful to ensure children of all ages are fully supervised. Excellent procedures are in place to ensure that children are fully secure. Evacuation procedures are exemplary to ensure that children would be safe in the event of a fire. The nursery practises the evacuation drill each month, and this is timed and fully evaluated to ensure it is wholly effective. Notices around the nursery direct adults to the nearest exit point in the event of an emergency, and staff have clearly delegated roles to ensure all children leave the building safely.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children have their needs met completely by the excellent nursery premises. These are extremely well organised to provide children with a superb environment. Colourful displays of children’s work adorn the walls of each room. These are well presented to create a stimulating environment. They show children that their efforts are valued which helps them become self assured. The

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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 nursery health and safety co-ordinators oversee daily checks to ensure all areas are completely safe for children to use. Detailed risk assessments are carried out to ensure that any hazards are identified and dealt with to prevent injury. The nursery manager monitors the accident records in order to identify any common causes of injury so these can be addressed.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children throughout the nursery play with an abundance of high quality toys and resources. These are presented in low level storage so that children may access them easily. For example, in the Sparkle Room, young children eagerly help themselves to toys that are laid out on shelving for them to reach with ease. In the Twinkle Room, a baby is utterly content as he explores items from a treasure basket. All rooms are thoughtfully arranged to maximise the opportunities to develop children’s independence and enjoyment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are protected from harm and neglect because the nursery has exemplary procedures in place to safeguard their welfare. The child protection coordinator is highly knowledgeable of her role to record and report concerns. Staff throughout the nursery, including temporary staff, are fully aware of the signs and symptoms of possible abuse and know what action to take. This element of the provision is supported by a comprehensive statement on safeguarding children’s welfare, and by an extensive range of documentation and information.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children of all ages are happy and settled. They all enjoy a wide range of interesting activities that are fun for them to do. Staff interact well with children to extend their development and enjoyment. They are very attentive. Children and staff demonstrate affectionate and strong relationships with one another. All children under the age of three benefit from a strong curriculum that is linked to the Birth to three matters framework. Activities are planned and children's development is observed and assessed so that each child may make progress at their own pace. Children benefit from planned ‘Together Time’. Here they enjoy dedicated time with a member of staff to help develop their skills, such as independence or building confidence.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Babies in Twinkle Room play happily in the calm environment. They regularly enjoy messy play activities such as painting, as well as playing with a wide range of toys and music activities. Children aged between one and two years in the Starburst and Sparkle Rooms are busy and occupied. They develop their confidence in walking. They enjoy a wide range of stories and singing, as well as art and craft activities and lots of free play. For example, a group of children enjoy making pictures with glitter. When they have finished, some children enjoy rubbing the glitter around the table with their hands, feeling the texture and making patterns.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

In Nursery Class One, children aged between two and three years are confident and busy. They play imaginatively in the role play area, and with a wide range of inviting activities and resources. For example, a group of children use felt tips to draw pictures at a table. They laugh with one another as they make marks across their paper and talk about the colours they are using. Children of all ages are well cared for and benefit significantly from the enthusiastic and caring approach of all staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning for children in receipt of funded nursery education is good. Children have lots of exciting and stimulating activities and resources to explore and play with. The resources are age and stage appropriate which ensures children's needs are well met. Staff

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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 demonstrate positive and caring attitudes towards all the children. They plan appropriate activities for the children for their ages and stages of development in line with the Foundation Stage curriculum. Staff conduct daily observations of all the children during the daily structured activity and whilst children are busy and engaged with a range of activities. However, these observations are not consistently recorded into children's developmental records which does not ensure children's progress in learning is effectively tracked.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have many opportunities to engage with arts and crafts which are already set up for them by the staff. For example, using pens and stencils and creating collages and paintings. However, children have limited opportunities to access arts and crafts freely throughout the session to create using their own imaginations. They enjoy joining in with familiar rhymes and giggle at themselves in the mirror within the role-play area. Children have lots of opportunities to engage with physical activity within the outside area. They have fun as they dig in the large plant pots, move around on tricycles and balance across the stepping stones. However, children have limited opportunities to free flow between the inside and outside areas during the session. This does not ensure children are able to freely choose when they go outside to run around or to enjoy the fresh air.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident within the environment and arrive happily. They independently hang their bags and coats on their pegs and put their own coats on when going outside to play. Children who need help with self care skills such as putting on coats and tying shoelaces are supported by staff. Children behave well and staff use positive behaviour methods to ensure children develop a good understanding of right and wrong. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have a wide variety of opportunities to make marks inside and outside. They make marks in the sand tray and use a variety of notepads, paper and writing utensils during their imaginary play. Children love to listen to the member of staff read them a story and become engaged as the member of staff skilfully changes the expression and intonation of her voice to keep children enthralled.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children foster an awareness of number both inside and outside. They jump from stepping stones in the garden counting as they do so and count how many knives and forks are needed at lunchtime. Older children enjoy counting coloured cubes and successfully match and count the correct numbered cubes to the squares on the board. Children have lots of fun using a range of information technology equipment. They explore telephones and shop tills and especially enjoy taking photographs with the real digital camera and become excited as they print them on the computer to display on the nursery wall. Children have fun digging in plant pots in the garden area and excitedly call to the staff member about the worm they have found. The member of staff extends the learning further by encouraging the children to look at the worm through the magnifying glass and draw what they see on the paper.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued as individuals in this inclusive nursery. They learn about other cultures and beliefs through playing with a wide range of resources that reflects our diverse society. This is enhanced by celebrating a range of festivals from a variety of cultures and countries. For example, children learn about Christmas and Chinese New year through topics, events and activities. They enjoy celebrations of those families who use the nursery, such as Australia Day. This element of the provision is supported well by the equal opportunities coordinator. She

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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 promotes discussion and development at staff meetings, as well as producing displays around the nursery to promote awareness and understanding.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are given a high level of support to enable them to settle well and make good progress. The nursery special educational needs coordinator works closely with the manager and staff to ensure that children’s needs are met. For example, staff use Makaton signing to communicate with children who have difficulties with speech and language.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children manage their behaviour well. Staff are knowledgeable about child development and they have realistic expectations of what children can do. They clearly explain why certain behaviour is unacceptable when children have a dispute over sharing a toy. Robust strategies are in place to identify triggers and ongoing difficulties with managing children’s behaviour to enable all children to be supported well. Children benefit from the strong role modelling provided by all staff, who are kind and patient. They also receive lots of praise and encouragement throughout each day which promotes their positive behaviour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the very strong relationship that exists between their parents and the nursery. Parents appreciate the welcoming environment that the nursery provides. Their opinions are valued by the nursery. A liaison group of parents is being formed to develop communication further, and provide an effective forum for parents to express their evaluation and suggestions for development. Parents are given daily information about their child’s well-being. They receive a daily record card that provides information about their child’s eating and sleeping habits, as well as what they have done that day. This provides each family with a valuable insight into their child’s day. Parents and children receive additional care from the health visitor who visits the nursery each month. These visits provide opportunities for children’s general health to be monitored if parents wish it.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership for parents and carers for children in receipt of funded nursery education is good. Staff display the monthly and weekly planning for parents which ensures they are well informed about what their children are doing and learning can be consolidated at home. The staff team have displayed photographs of the examples of activities children partake with at nursery and have written information next to them about how the activities link to the stepping stones and early learning goals. This ensures parents are well informed about the curriculum and activities can be continued within the home environment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff provide parents with information about the current topic and other information about how and when children are ready to learn to read and write is displayed on the parents notice board. The information also includes examples of activities parents can do at home with their children to help with their children's development. The setting include information about topics within newsletters to ensure parents are well informed and a key worker list is displayed to ensure parents are fully aware about who their child's key worker is. Parents are offered parents evenings twice a year where they can communicate with their child's key worker about their child's developmental milestones. Staff provide parents with mini reports at this time detailing their child's progress within the six areas of learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children enjoy taking the nursery teddy bear on their annual holidays and this serves as a good link for parents with their child's learning and the nursery. Children enjoy taking photographs of the teddy on their holidays and share their holiday stories with their peers.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children receive a good standard of care because the organisation of the nursery is planned and well documented. The nursery manager and staff team are well qualified. Training is planned effectively to ensure they regularly update their knowledge and skills. A wide range of robust policies and procedures provide an effective framework for the provision to foster consistency in good practice. All documentation is accurately maintained and updated to ensure the ongoing well-being of children. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

The leadership and management for children in receipt of funded nursery education are good. The manager monitors staff daily with the support of her deputy and the base room manager. The manager and deputy oversee the planning and ensure what is written on the plans is being implemented with the children. They monitor staff to ensure observations are being conducted of all the children. However, although the management ensure staff are recording observations of all the children these observations are not consistently recorded into the children's individual records. This does not ensure children's progress in learning is effectively tracked.

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Organisation

The manager and deputy monitor staff daily discussing any concerns as they arise and celebrate any achievements or good examples of best practice. Annual appraisals are conducted where targets, concerns, achievements and training needs are identified and discussed. Staff have many opportunities to update their expertise through attending both in-house and external training. Any training attended is cascaded back to the rest of the staff team to ensure everyone is up-to-date with the latest knowledge and guidance. The management also attend regular training and meet with managers from other settings. The manager and staff have opportunities to attend training taking place at other nurseries and can gain good examples of best practice to implement within their own nursery. The staff team in the Nursery Class Two room work effectively together to create an exciting and stimulating environment for the children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection, the nursery was asked to consider three recommendations in their provision of care. All have been fully addressed. Routines have been reviewed to enable children to enjoy greater independence and greater contact with staff. For example, children sit with staff and each other at snack and meal times. They enjoy one another’s company and feed themselves independently. Children see positive images of disability through a wide range of displays and pictures that are located throughout the nursery. The staff team are wholly consistent in their promoting of positive behaviour. They give frequent praise and encourage children for kindness and sharing toys, and show great respect for the children in their care.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last education inspection the nursery were asked to address three recommendations. All of these have been fully addressed. They were asked to improve the layout of the room and corridors so that staff can organise resources more effectively and children can access and play with them in an integral manner. The children can now access toys and resources independently within the room and can play with them in an integral manner. The nursery were asked to provide opportunities for children to mark make and measure in all areas of play. Children now have many opportunities to make marks and measure within their everyday play. The nursery were asked to improve the level of staff support to those children who still require help with self care. The nursery staff help children who still require help with self care skills such as

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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 putting on their own coats and tying their shoelaces. Children's self esteem is boosted at this time because staff offer lots of praise and encouragement for their achievements.

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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. 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 children's health is protected through robust hand washing procedures before they eat • develop children's independence further at snack time by allowing older children to prepare their own fruit and use individual plates for their food

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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): • further develop the organisation of the routine to allow children to free-flow between the inside and outside environment and enable children to freely access arts and crafts to create using their imaginations • ensure staff consistently use observations to effectively track children's progress in 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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