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Other · Ofsted report

The Lloyd Park Centre

Inspected 17 Mar 2008 · published 15 Apr 2008 · URN EY283352

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Summary

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  • Inspection datesingle source

    17 Mar 2008

  • Postcode verified

    E17 5JW

  • Name on report verified

    The Lloyd Park Centre

Page 1 of 12
Page 1 of the report

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+85Very positivemore positive than 88% of reports of this type

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Praisevery welloutstandingexcellenteffectivelyenjoyconfidentlypositivesafe
Criticismconcernsnot alwayspoorat risknot positive

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FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improve positive critical
  • Findings4952w+85
  • What needs to improve138w+33

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Pages
12
Words of findings
5,083
longer than usual (typical 1049)
Reading level
Hard
Flesch 44, typical 45
Average sentence
22 words
Next steps
5
typical 5
Hedged sentences
4%
“some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 82%What needs to improve 2%About the inspection 16%

Full report text

The Lloyd Park Centre Inspection report for early years provision

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EY283352 Unique Reference Number 17 March 2008 Inspection date Anne Daly / Suzanne Joyce Stedman Inspector

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Winns Avenue Entrance, Lloyd Park, Walthamstow, London, E17 5JW Setting Address

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0208 531 9522 Telephone number lpc@thelloydparkcentre.co.uk E-mail The Lloyd Park Centre 'Building For a Brighter Future' Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Sessional care, Out of School care, Crèche 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 outstanding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The Lloyd Park Centre is one of two settings managed by a voluntary organisation known as The Lloyd Park Centre ‘Building for a Brighter Future’. The setting opened in 1987, before moving into purpose-built, open plan premises in 2004. A maximum of 125 children may attend the centre at any one time. The centre opens on five days a week all year round, with the exception of Bank Holidays and two weeks over Christmas. Sessions are Mondays to Fridays from 08:00 until 17:50. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 179 children from birth to eight years on roll. Of these, 50 children receive funding for nursery education. The centre also cares for children over eight years of age. Children from the local community and surrounding areas attend for a variety of sessions. The centre currently supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and also children who have English as a second language. African snails and goldfish are kept on the premises.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The centre employs 49 staff, including three administrators, three catering assistants and a caretaker. Of the remaining 42 nursery staff, 29 hold appropriate early years qualifications and 15 are working towards further qualifications. The centre is supported by a staff member holding

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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 Early Years Professional Status and also by a qualified teacher. The centre has been quality assured by Quilt. The centre receives support from the local authority and from health and educational professionals based within the Children's Centre.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children’s health is being well supported by staff taking positive steps to promote their good health, including encouraging them to begin to take responsibility for meeting their own health needs. Older children are very independent in their personal care through understanding the need to wash their hands to prevent illness from germs, especially before handling food and after using the toilet. Younger children are encouraged to be independent when using the toilet and are beginning to understand that they must wash their hands as they may carry germs and that poor hygiene may affect their health. However, some staff do not always remind children to wash their hands before eating their snacks, which may potentially be putting some children at risk of infection. Babies and younger children are being protected from cross-infection during nappy changing by staff following good procedures, such as wearing disposable gloves

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Helping children to be healthy

and disinfecting the changing mat after each child. All children are benefiting from staff ensuring the maintenance of a clean environment by following detailed and well-maintained routines, such as cleaning surfaces with antibacterial liquids before children eating their meals.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children’s accidental injuries are being well managed through some staff holding current first aid qualifications. The possible risk of cross-infection of children is being reduced through information being displayed for parents and carers regarding children’s health, such as exclusion times for all infectious diseases. Children are being well safeguarded if they require medications during their stay at the setting by staff following effective procedures to support individual children’s medical needs, including only administering medication following pre-authorisation by parents or carers and witnessing all medication being given. In addition, some staff are trained in procedures to support children with specific health needs, for example in the use of an Epipen in the case of anaphylactic shock. Children’s needs are being considered through appropriate accident records being shared with parents or carers to ensure that they are kept

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished and have good opportunities to learn about healthy eating through staff providing them with regular drinks and nutritious food complying with their dietary requirements. The centre has four-weekly rotated menus to ensure that children enjoy a very varied range of ‘home’ cooked food, which is freshly prepared on the premises. Meal and snack times are made social occasions by children and adults sitting together around the table to enjoy their food and each other’s company, although some staff do not demonstrate positive role models as how to eat at a table. Children aged two plus serve some of the food themselves and some can confidently pour their drinks of water. They are given good opportunities by staff to learn about healthy options, for example, when looking at different fruits and vegetables and discussing what they feel like before actively preparing salads to be eaten. They demonstrate

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Helping children to be healthy

a good understanding of healthy practices and take responsibility for the implementation of rules by knowing that they take their plates and cutlery to a table after finishing their meal, putting their cutlery in a bowl to soak and piling their plates ready to be washed.

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Helping children to be healthy

Babies are thriving through both their nutritional and emotional needs being well met by staff, who sit on comfortable chairs while cuddling them. They are therefore able to observe the

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Helping children to be healthy

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 changes in the baby’s behaviour when they are getting tired and require to sleep. Babies and toddlers are given opportunities to enjoy their food and to become independent in feeding themselves when using fingers, forks and spoons.

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Helping children to be healthy

School aged children are developing an understanding of healthy eating, for example, when cooking a variety of dishes and having to remember to bring in fruit from home if they wish to bake a fruit tart.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children of all ages are able to take part in many worthwhile activities to promote and develop their skills of co-ordination, control, manipulation and movement. Children over two years can freely choose whether to play inside or outside to stimulate their minds and bodies and to benefit from fresh air. They have different styles of wheeled toys on which to practise their skills of peddling, scooting or pushing when moving backwards or forwards around obstacles on the hard surfaced area. They thoroughly enjoy playing running games, such as ‘Mrs Crocodile’, with staff members. Staff have a very good understanding of the needs of younger children and provide them with appropriate activities and resources to support their physical and emotional development. Toddlers have many opportunities to find comfortable ways of grasping, holding and using things they wish to use, such as paintbrushes or musical instruments. Babies

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Helping children to be healthy

are taken for walks in their buggies. Mobile children are becoming increasingly independent by acquiring control over their bodies and by learning new physical skills, including enjoying the freedom to run around the garden. A group of over twos were balancing blocks to build a complex ‘city’ structure, before using construction toys to make aeroplanes to fly over ‘the city’ to deliver fruit.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children play in a very child-friendly, stimulating environment where they are able to see colourful and interesting images and displays all around them to promote conversation and ultimately their learning. Their artwork is attractively displayed to effectively promote their good self-esteem by showing them that staff value their efforts.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are cared for and kept safe in secure and very suitable for purpose premises. Staff ensure that the environment allows children to have good access to a comprehensive range of facilities to successfully promote their development. They undertake daily written checks to ensure that the premises and equipment remain safe for children’s use. However, they do not always risk assess from a child’s eye level to effectively identify and reduce hazards to children, for example, within the babies’ changing area and by making all blind cords inaccessible.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are able to move freely in a very child-friendly environment, in which they can explore and take ‘risks’ while being under appropriate supervision. Their safety and security are priorities and they are protected from unknown persons entering the setting by the use of coded key-padded doors. Children are being further safeguarded by clear procedures to ensure that only authorised persons are allowed to collect them. Staff are vigilant in their supervision of children and risks are minimised by the utilisation of ‘Fingagards’ on all main doors to prevent children trapping their fingers.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All children are benefiting from a well-organised learning environment in which they are provided with an extensive range of age-appropriate resources and equipment. Children aged between two and under five years attending either full or sessional day care can independently access

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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 the different areas of learning. Clearly labelled toy boxes are stored at child height, with pictures to enable children to easily identify with what they wish to play.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children go on outings with staff within the local community to extend their learning and knowledge with their parents’ or carers’ written permission. Staff follow the setting’s outings policy, signing out which children are being taken and always ensuring that they take mobile phones to enable them to act in their best interests in an emergency. Staff are effectively deployed to ensure the safe arrival and collection of children attending two local schools, collecting from both and delivering to one.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are able to correctly use safe and appropriate equipment through staff encouraging them to become aware of their own safety and of that of others. They are learning that they have to pick up and tidy away toys to prevent their friends from hurting themselves. Pre-school aged children are beginning to understand that there are rules and boundaries to keep themselves safe, for example, by helping to mop up any spillages of water. They are learning to keep themselves safe when riding bicycles, knowing that, before using a ride on toy, they must put on a cycle helmet to protect their heads if they should fall off. They are being actively reminded of such good practices through posters on the fencing illustrating how to put on helmets.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children participate in regular fire drills to ensure that they have a raised awareness of fire safety and of how to evacuate the building in the event of an emergency or incident. When the mains-linked smoke alarm is activated, a telephone call goes straight to the emergency services and children participate in unplanned evacuation procedures, learning that they have to stay outside until the Fire Brigade confirm that the premises are safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are protected and safeguarded by the setting’s clear policies and procedures. Staff are aware of the signs and symptoms of possible abuse and of the correct procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child’s welfare. Some staff members have recently attended Safeguarding training for designated persons to ensure that any concerns are dealt with promptly and sensitively. Staff share their child protection procedures with parents or carers to ensure that they know what actions will be taken to fully safeguard their children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. All children have their individual needs very well met and they are developing an extensive range of knowledge and skills through staff planning and providing an extensive range of stimulating activities and play opportunities to help them to achieve in all areas.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children aged from two years are very confident and independent, for example, when collecting their coats before going outside to play on a windy, wet day. They use initiative, for example, when picking plant leaves for their ‘poisonous potion’ and later the same group of children were breaking down chalk into the ‘potion’ over a pretend stove. All children have very good opportunities to non-verbally express themselves through staff providing many worthwhile opportunities to encourage their thoughts, ideas and feelings through a varied range of expressive forms, such as body movement, art and singing. Babies thoroughly enjoy feeling mediums, such as paints, dough and different types of paper stripes. They show great curiosity and interest in things ‘falling down’, such as when staff were throwing crepe paper streamers and small pieces of paper into the air. Staff also provide splendid opportunities for babies to

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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 explore different textures, for example, when climbing in and out of containers containing dry and wet sand, water and coloured ‘rice krispies’.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Crèche children acquire a wide range of new knowledge and skills, for example, when exploring ‘treasure baskets’ and when having opportunities to make positive relationships with other children and staff when playing with pretend food.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

School aged children are developing confidence and high self-esteem and are showing great interest in what they do. They are able to make decisions and to choose what they do, for example, some of them take soft play equipment outside, while others enjoy playing on the climbing frame. Children who choose to stay indoors use their imagination when tapping in small tacks to ensure different shaped pieces stay in place. Children are consistently sharing their experiences with one another, for example, what they have done at school or what they will be doing when they go home. They are being extremely well challenged, for example, at the breakfast club, helping a staff member set up a large structure with large wooden bricks, planks and soft play blocks, onto which large and small containers were precariously balanced. Children and staff then attempted to throw small balls into the containers from a safe distance

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

to gain 10 or five points. Children’s individual needs are well met through being able to choose with what and for how long they wish to play, with staff continually reminding them that breakfast is being served, but that they can go when they like.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are learning to distinguish right from wrong, while forming very positive relationships with their peers through staff setting consistent boundaries and appropriately supporting them to develop skills. They are encouraged to take turns and to say that they are sorry if they accidentally hurt another child.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children’s individual needs are being very well met by staff observing and recording what they are doing and using their observations to plan for the next steps of children’s play, learning and development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. The staff team have an excellent knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage. The qualified teacher oversees the planning for the children receiving early years education. She produces the long term planning to ensure that all areas of learning are covered, while all staff are very involved in the medium and short term planning. The majority of children receiving early years education have been through the nursery, so staff have an excellent knowledge of their starting points and capabilities from their developmental records. If new children are introduced, staff observe the children and gather information from parents or carers to ensure that they know each child’s starting point. Medium and short term planning and individual activity sheets include details of the learning intention, what the activity involves, resources to be used and the different types of questions to be

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

asked. In addition, they include for which specific children the activities are planned. Staff make constructive observations of children at play to contribute significantly to children’s progress records, which provide key workers with a very clear picture of what a child is able to do in each area of learning. Each child has very clear individual targets set for their next stages of learning based on these regular assessments and observations. Activities are evaluated in terms of what each child has learnt, with the evaluations being used to effectively inform future planning. Children are included in the planning through staff asking them with what they like to play, resulting in activities being focussed on their favourite toys and activities.

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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 Staff have very good relationships with the children to encourage them to become involved and to persevere with tasks. Children have splendid opportunities to consolidate and extend their learning, for example, they have pencils, crayons and paper outside to enable them to record information at any time. They are benefiting from staff utilising a very good variety of teaching methods, including open-ended questions, encouraging children to try, sensitive intervention in their play, extending activities and involving all children in activities. Staff make matching games for children with learning difficulties, for example, picture lotto of the children attending the setting. Children have a very good rapport and warm relationships with staff, resulting in them being extremely eager to learn new concepts. When recalling a story, many

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

older children are very eager to recall the household items in the tidal waves. Children are always trying out new experiences, such as mixing different coloured paints in water to make ‘chocolate’.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff’s daily constructive observations of children at play contribute significantly to progress records, which provide their key workers with a very clear picture of what individual children are able to do in each area of learning. They are therefore able to plan and adapt activities and experiences to ensure that the less able children are given effective support, while providing the more able children with significant challenge to maintain their interest and motivation. When counting and calculating, more able children use three fingers on both hands to make six, while others count all fingers on one hand and one from the other. Staff effectively manage children’s behaviour and encourage them to have a very good understanding of the need for self-discipline. Children also have a very good understanding of the boundaries by knowing the necessity for simple rules. Older children know to be quiet while sand passes through the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

sand timer, while a staff member shows them a variety of story books from which they can choose and to indicate which story they would like to be read through facial expressions.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children separate happily from their parents or carers and display great confidence to link up with staff for support and assistance. More able children operate very independently within an exciting environment and recognise and manage their own needs well, for example, they put on their coats before going outside to play. Staff support children’s independence very well when they are learning to do things for themselves, such as by praising their efforts to manage their own personal needs. Children demonstrate flexibility and adapt very well to different types of learning areas, for example they take ‘risks’ when walking along a high pathway without staff support. They form great relationships with their key person and peers through for short periods of time each day participating together in a particular activity, for example, listening to different animal sounds before placing counters on the appropriate animal on cards.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children thoroughly enjoy looking at books on their own or with staff in small or large groups. They confidently join in with stories by anticipating what may happen next. They enthusiastically recall stories, such as knowing that peas are ‘green drops’, mashed potatoes are ‘fluffy clouds’ and fish are ‘ocean nibbles’. They explore and experiment with sounds and more able children are hearing and saying the initial sounds in words. Without prompting, they are able to confidently tell staff other things beginning with the letter sound. Many excellent opportunities, both indoors and outdoors, are provided for children to write and to explore mark-making. More able children can confidently find the correct magnetic letters to spell their names, while other children can write recognisable words unaided.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing very good mathematical skills through a splendid variety of enjoyable, practical activities, including stories, songs, puzzles, patterns and problem solving. More able children can very confidently recognise numbers up to 20 and to pick out any missing numbers on a number line. They understand that they have five fingers on each hand, making a total of

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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 ten fingers. They can confidently name the shapes being drawn by staff in the air. All children are able to see the use of numbers when playing games on everyday pieces of equipment, such as the telephone.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have excellent opportunities to make sense of the world around them by investigating and exploring through numerous first hand experiences in a stimulating environment. They are able to observe, to ask questions and to be curious through the provision of a broad range of activities forming the foundation for their later technology learning. They videoed the ‘wedding’ of dolls, after which staff helped them to replay the video. They can programme toys and have good opportunities to perform basic functions by using the laptop mouse to complete simple programmes. Children are very involved in the garden, in which mosaic pictures behind the growing beds illustrate the story of the Hungry Caterpillar. They are able to recognise and name the herb plants and thoroughly enjoy digging soil. Many planned activities help to develop and support children’s very good understanding of the wider world, for example, the local Police

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are being offered a wealth of opportunities to use their senses and imaginations to create their own artwork and to communicate their feelings. They explore what paint can do in a variety of superb ways, for example, watching what happens as paint drips from waist height onto paper on the floor, before watching the changes when sprinkling glitter onto the paint. Staff are very keenly aware of how individual children learn, skilfully adapting activities to build on children’s interests, for example, when children were mixing different coloured water, one of them realised that he could see his reflection in the water. Children have plenty of time to explore and experiment with materials, such as cornflower and water. Staff interact and support children very well, for example, asking them what is happening and how the material feels in their hands, introducing new words, such as ‘hard’ and soft’. Children eagerly play a

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

variety of musical instruments to produce very many different sounds.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children thrive as they enjoy an extensive range of physical activities and continual opportunities for fresh air and exercise. They are keen to enthusiastically explore, experiment and to refine their movements and actions, such as when exploring malleable materials by patting, poking and twisting to make a ‘birthday cake’. Children can very successfully fill containers with water, which gives them plenty of confidence to take care for themselves by pouring their own drinks.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are learning in an effectively organised, welcoming environment to help them to become very independent. Staff are making highly effective use of what is available both within the Centre and the local environment to enable children to make outstanding progress towards the early learning goals in relation to their starting points and capabilities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children’s welfare, care and education are being effectively promoted through staff working in partnership with parents or carers to meet their individual needs. Children’s settling in periods are made very individual to meet their needs and of those of their parents or carers. Staff keep detailed records of sleeping times, nappy changes and food intake. Key persons are available at the beginning and end of the day to ensure that parents or carers are able to discuss their children’s day with them. However, it can prove difficult for some parents and carers to acquire a very detailed account if they are delivering and collecting children at a similar time. Children’s developmental records are freely available at any time and all parents or carers are invited to attend twice-yearly meetings. The management team fully recognise the importance of including

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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 parents or carers in all aspects of the Centre, aware that it is integral to the well-being and education of the children in their care. Before staff deliver certain activities or topics to their children, parents or carers are consulted to ensure that they are more than happy for their children’s participation.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are very well settled and very eager to attend, relishing their time in a vibrant setting, in which staff always put them first. Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are greatly valued, respected and fully integrated into the setting. The special needs co-ordinator (SENCO) has an excellent understanding of her role and liaises well with parents or carers and other agencies to ensure that she effectively meets children’s individual needs. She attends professional meetings with parents and carers to offer them positive support. She takes specific action to help children with learning difficulties and disabilities to make the best possible progress, for example, by providing additional adult support and adapting activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are learning about an extensive range of cultural festivals and traditional events celebrated by children around the world. They are learning about their own and other cultures by planning and arranging ‘an Asian wedding’ for their dolls. They decorated the imaginary role play area for the wedding of ‘Imaran and Sodiai’. They made a poster, writing in both English and Bengali, to effectively show children that ‘Shaadi Mubarak’ means ‘Happy Wedding’. Excited children dressed up for the occasion and staff drew ‘Henna’ on children’s hands with parents’ permission. Very enthusiastic children played the music, including an Asian drum called a dholki. Children thoroughly enjoyed the dancing, with many copying staff’s movements. They sampled a wide range of Asian foods, such as onion bhaja and sweet rice.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Very young children are cared for in a warm and comfortable environment to enhance their good sense of belonging. They thoroughly enjoy the company of adults, feeling safe and very well loved when being given their bottles by staff sitting on comfortable seats. Good eye contact is maintained and plenty of cuddles are given by staff to ensure that the child understands that they are valued and very important to them. Children are encouraged by staff to bring their comforters from home because they recognise and have a very good understanding of how comforters will help children to achieve a successful move from home to centre.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s behaviour is very good when playing happily together. Staff effectively support younger children to be kind to one another and to take turns. They set clear, consistent boundaries to help all children to learn to negotiate with others and to take responsibility for their own behaviour. If they hurt their friends, staff explain to children how they had made their friends feel, while encouraging them to say sorry. Praise is freely given to children to ensure that they develop their confidence and self-esteem through understanding when they have done well.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. They are able to confidently speak and relate to staff, visitors and other children. They benefit from having access to a wide range of play resources and equipment to effectively promote positive images of diversity, such as books, small world play and craft activities.

p.9

Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers of children in receipt of funding for early education is outstanding. The Centre sends out questionnaires to be effectively evaluated by staff to ensure that they react very positively to any concerns or suggestions. All plans for all six areas of learning are displayed in the play area to keep parents and carers fully informed of the different activities and teaching methods. Children’s developmental records are maintained to a very high standard and any parent or carer can request to take their child’s records home for

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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 methodical review at their leisure. These records contain many first hand observations and photographs of children learning through play. Parents and carers are actively encouraged to volunteer to assist at the Centre and to become involved for the benefit of children’s learning, especially if they have specific skills.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. All children are being very well cared for due to the efficient organisation of the Centre. Staff undergo vetting procedures to ensure that children are being fully safeguarded and cared for by staff who effectively meet their individual needs. Vetting checks are currently being processed for some members of the Management Board to enable Ofsted to determine the suitability of all the adults providing the day care for the children.

p.10

Organisation

The Centre managers and their management team have a very clear vision for the setting to ensure the provision of the best possible outcomes for children. The management team is very proactive as they have very successfully piloted the new Early Years Foundation Stage for the benefit of the children. There is a strong ethos on reflective practice, resulting in staff actively participating in fortnightly meetings to evaluate children’s learning. Regular staff appraisals and observations ensure that the management team remains aware of the skills and particular interests of individual staff members. Staff are motivated to attend both external and ‘in house’ trainings to help them to meet the needs of all children. Children greatly benefit from the diversity of the staff reflecting the local community with regard to culture, ethnicity, gender and disability. The staff members speak eight languages, which assists with the settling in of

p.10

Organisation

Children are being cared for in open planned premises, with the under twos being cared for in a partitioned area, subdivided to ensure that groups do not exceed 12 babies or toddlers at any one time. Toddlers can see the older children through a clear partition, resulting in them making smooth transitions into the older group of children when they reach the appropriate age. Children aged between two and under five years have free flow play and can choose the area of learning they wish to explore by play. When school aged children are on the premises, staff close the room partition doors to ensure appropriate groups with good resources to enable all children to be very well cared for and supported during their time at the Centre. The Centre also operates a crèche in a separate room, especially for the children of parents or carers attending classes at the Centre.

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Organisation

The required documentation is in place for the safe day-to-day management of the Centre and to promote children's welfare, although the risk assessments require review to ensure that the safety of children is not being compromised. The operational plan includes contact details, policies and procedures to enable the setting to operate safely on a daily basis and to ensure that the well-being and welfare of children are being promoted.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is outstanding. The registered providers play a very active role, for example, by ensuring that a sub committee monitors and evaluates the provision. They effectively delegate the day to day running to the Centre manager and her team, who are fully committed to ensuring that all children receive the highest quality of care and education. They actively encourage all staff to review and monitor their practices through fortnightly meetings, planning evaluations and discussions about children’s profile records. The senior staff working with the children hold either early years professional status or a teaching qualification, ensuring that the curriculum and teaching methods take account of children’s individual needs and the

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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 diverse ways by which they learn through play. They ensure that all children are being very well supported to achieve their potential, including working with parents or carers to encourage their children’s excellent progress.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection, the registered providers were given two recommendations; to improve the systems for recording accidents and medication given to children and to include parents’ and staff’s signatures where required and to keep records of children's arrival and departure times and of fire drills.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last care inspection, appropriate forms are now used for the recording of accidents and the administration of medication, with staff, parents or carers signing appropriate sections to ensure children’s welfare is being fully protected. Staff now take responsibility of recording all children’s arrival and departure times to ensure that, in the event of a fire, they know exactly how many children have to be evacuated. There are now procedures for correctly recording fire drills to ensure that children’s welfare is not being compromised.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Not applicable for nursery education inspection.

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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.

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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 outstanding.

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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 all staff consistently encourage children to learn about personal hygiene through daily routines • take reasonable steps to ensure that hazards to children on the premises are minimised (this refers to the babies’ changing area and blind cords) • review the systems for the exchange of information between parents and carers and staff members.

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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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The quality and standards of the nursery education

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of nursery education are outstanding.

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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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