Sunshine Nursery School

Sunshine Nursery School Ltd Inspection report for early years provision

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EY343935 Unique Reference Number 20 May 2008 Inspection date John Vernon Inspector

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2 Gisbourne House, Buxton Road, Whaley Bridge, HIGH PEAK, Derbyshire, SK23 7HU

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Setting Address

01663 733929 Telephone number katesebire@hotmail.co.uk E-mail Sunshine Nursery School Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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Setting Address

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?

Sunshine Nursery School Ltd registered in 2006. It is a new registration of a well-established provision. The group operates from self-contained premises on the first floor above a retail and commercial property in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire. The nursery is open each weekday during term time from 08:30 to 12:00 on Monday and from 08:30 to 16:00 on Tuesday through to Friday. The nursery supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Children attend for a variety of sessions and there are currently 53 children on roll. This includes 29 funded three year olds and 16 funded four year olds.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are eight staff who work with the children. Of these, five have an appropriate Level 3 qualification. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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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. Staff promote healthy eating well. Children have been involved in growing carrots, radish and lettuce and are developing a good awareness of healthy eating. In discussion they demonstrate an awareness of which foods are good and which foods are not so good for us. Children’s dietary needs are well met through the provision of a mid-morning snack that takes account of their individual needs and preferences. They sit together in small groups to enjoy a snack of fresh or dried fruit and help themselves to a choice of milk or water. Consequently, they are suitably nourished.

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Helping children to be healthy

Good hygiene is promoted effectively. Well-established routines increase children’s awareness of the importance of washing their hands before eating and after toileting. Staff take good steps to ensure that the physical environment is kept clean to prevent infection. Children help themselves to tissues and staff remind children to cover their mouths when they cough. Therefore the risk of cross-infection is minimised and children stay healthy. All staff have received some food hygiene training and consistently follow appropriate procedures when preparing food or drink.

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Helping children to be healthy

All required documents and consents are in place. Children receive good quality care if they become ill or have an accident because staff are alert and have a good awareness of their individual health needs. The accident and incident records are complete, signed and dated by parents. All staff have a good knowledge of first aid and most staff have specific first aid training to ensure the welfare of the child in the event of an accident or emergency.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are offered a good variety of physical play both indoors and outdoors. Physical play is planned for the children each day, and they have access to a suitable outdoor play area. Children demonstrate increasing control whilst walking and balancing on a variety of age-appropriate equipment. For example, children have fun and enjoy negotiating steps and walking along wooden beams, skilfully moving both forwards, backwards and sideways. Consequently, they are beginning to gain an understanding of how keeping active contributes to a healthy lifestyle.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are suitably protected because staff have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities in respect of safeguarding them. They are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and are able to put appropriate procedures into place to safeguard children’s welfare. The procedures that would be implemented to manage allegations made against staff are included in the child protection policy to ensure there is a reliable framework to follow to protect all children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Overall, children are cared for in a safe and secure environment where staff take positive steps to minimise risks. For example, staff exclude children from the kitchen and organise themselves well when supervising them. Staff closely monitor arrival and departure times to ensure children do not leave without an unauthorised adult. However, currently there is no restriction in place to prevent unauthorised access to the outdoor play area which potentially compromises safety.

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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 Good fire precautions are in place. Staff regularly practise evacuation procedures with the children to ensure they know what to do in the event of a fire or emergency. The setting has received a visit from the local fire brigade and fire officers have talked to children about the dangers of playing with matches. Staff encourage children to hold hands and keep within sight of an adult when on trips. As a consequence, children are beginning to develop an awareness of the importance of personal safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children can select activities from a good range of developmentally-appropriate resources, which meet safety standards. Children are able to rest and play in comfort as there is suitable space for their needs. Toys and resources are available at floor level and are easily accessible to children. Consequently they are able to self-select and make choices about their play. Play materials are monitored to ensure they are safe and age-appropriate, and the regular cleaning of toys and equipment helps to reduce the possibility of the spread of infection. As a consequence, children have fun and stay safe.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children relish their time at the setting. They are confident and happy. They are eager to attend and remain enthusiastic throughout the day as they enjoy very good opportunities to play and learn. All children have warm relationships with each other and with staff. This is as a result of the considerable commitment staff make to ensuring they feel welcome. All children are treated with respect and their contributions to the setting are valued. Their work is displayed around the room and they are encouraged to share their home life with the setting. For example, they bring in pictures of themselves and their families and parents are welcome to share skills and interests with the children, such as playing musical instruments. There are plenty of opportunities for children to snuggle up with staff as they read stories or play alongside them. As a result, children are relaxed and comfortable.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are given very good opportunities to learn about what is right and wrong. They are beginning to understand that their actions, along with the actions of others, have consequences. Staff are consistent in reinforcing the importance of working as a team & helping each other. Positive actions are rewarded through the sensitive use of praise and encouragement. For instance, as children thank each other for passing them items in the play house, staff offer positive feedback saying ‘how kind and helpful you are’. Consequently, children have high levels of self-esteem.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy a wide range of stimulating experiences that encourage their intellectual and creative development. Children’s preferences are respected as they move freely around the setting to access resources. For example, they enjoy dressing as police officers or cowboys. Other children are immersed in role play as they make breakfast or play with baby dolls. Quieter activities such as reading, crafts and jigsaws are also enjoyed. Younger children develop their exploratory impulses as all their senses are used to investigate ‘treasure baskets’, plant seeds, explore the sensory area or play with ‘gloop’. Staff encourage all children to be actively engaged and language skills are rapidly developed as staff talk to them about their interests. As a result children’s social skills are very good.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff encourage the children to walk whilst inside so that they do not fall and hurt themselves. Staff gain children’s attention & encourage them to listen carefully, so that they understand instructions and know what to do. For example, during physical play, they listen to staff explain

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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 how many children can safely balance on an object at anyone time, so that they do not harm themselves.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Bright and colourful displays of ‘Night and Day’ and ‘Family Trees’ adorn the wall of the setting creating a stimulating and welcoming environment. Children have good opportunities to learn about the natural world. Recently, they have been fascinated by the life cycle of a frog. Staff have collected frog’s spawn and children have delighted in watching it change and develop into tadpoles. They have produced a display, drawn pictures, played with three dimensional models and read books about frogs. Staff further promote children’s learning by organising trips near and far. At the local park, children collect an array of differently coloured leaves, seed heads and dried grasses to make a collage of a snail inspired by locally born artist Andy Goldsworthy. Trips further afield to places, such as Buxton by train, correspond with topics covered. This helps to extend children’s learning in practical and engaging ways.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Overall, across the team, staff have a good knowledge of the Foundation Stage and how young children learn and develop through play. Staff have a good knowledge of children’s strengths and needs. They can identify the children who need stretching or younger children who need more support. Across the team, all staff make written and photographic observations about what the children can do to inform future planning and learning. This information is used effectively to progress children onto the next steps in their learning. Staff informally adapt activities to ensure younger children are able to participate and make good progress. Planning is broad, links to the stepping stones and covers general play and adult-focused activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are nurtured to have an independent and enquiring mind. Activities are planned around their interests, and they are keen to take part. Children demonstrate very good levels of concentration, they are actively engaged and some persist for considerable amounts of time. Children behave well and have warm relationships with both staff and each other. Children speak clearly and often with growing confidence, sharing their interests in ‘Show-and-tell’ sessions or during one-to-one conversations. Writing skills are developing with staff providing opportunities for children to write at each session. Children spontaneously write words such as ‘Mum’ or attempt to write staff’s names. Others make emergent writing which is equally valued and displayed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children link sounds to letters as they identify their own name and self-register. Registration and group time at the beginning and end of each day is often used to deliver adult-focussed activities such as group counting, reading stories or talking about the weather. Children understand and use numbers appropriately for their age. Some count up to 10 without help and are able to match numbers to objects as they count the number of dots on dominos. They demonstrate that they understand shape during construction activities and use concepts of size in activities such as sorting different sized buttons. They develop an initial sense of time and place through discussion with staff and looking back at photographs of themselves and family members. Children explore and investigate through adult-led activities such as looking at flowers and glitter frozen in ice or seeing how fabric can stretch to become bigger. Also

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

through their own role play, children use tubes and toy cars to experiment with angles and speed. They have access to information and communication technology and have fun using a lap-top computer. They are able to write and print their name using a key board and different fonts. Additionally, children have access to a music player and electronic games and are shown how scanners work during visits to the local library.

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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 Children laugh as, together with staff, they recite ‘On the Ning Nang Nong’ and ‘I think mice are nice’. They enjoy musical movement sessions and use their own body as a percussion instrument to beat and tap out popular tunes. Children’s physical development is promoted sufficiently through the use of a suitable range of outdoor and indoor equipment. The children enjoy the opportunity to play outdoors and enjoy hiding in the tent, jumping on the trampoline or watching and waving to passing trains.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Planning shows that children have enjoyed using clay and salt dough, as well as twisting, squeezing and shaping malleable materials into designs of their own choice. Children use their senses and imagination to create their own work and to express their feelings. They use a widening range of materials and tools to help them to express their creativity. Creative work made by the children is displayed on the walls of the setting. Staff attach the children’s name to their work, praising each child’s individual efforts, enabling them to feel valued.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are seen as individuals. The development of their confidence and self-esteem along with the nurturing of children’s individual free choice is strongly encouraged throughout the nursery. Children choose to join in activities and can freely choose not to. All age-appropriate equipment is accessible to all children regardless of gender. Children feel a sense of belonging, they have warm relationships with staff who give them reassurance and a cuddle if they need a hug. Staff ensure that the resources and activities positively represent the children who attend, as well as individuals from the wider community. Children are developing their knowledge of the wider world through themed activities such as food tasting and through fund-raising activities for organisations such as ‘Children in Need’ and ‘Water Aid’. Consequently, they are developing a greater sense of how everyone contributes positively to society.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The setting’s policies promote inclusion for all children. Games and activities are adapted or adjusted to meet the needs of all. The provision has very good arrangements in place to support and care for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and staff work in partnership with parents and other professionals to ensure children’s specific needs are met.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well and respond positively to boundaries established by staff. They take turns, share and help each other to tidy away. Staff encourage children to show concern for others, for example, suggesting an older boy help a younger boy who is having difficulty moving a chair at registration time. At snack time, children act as helpers to serve fruit and pour out drinks. Staff encourage children to say ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ to the helpers and to use their manners if they require more drink. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The setting seeks to engage all parents and carers and has in place a varied range of systems for communication. Parents are made aware of how the setting operates through regular newsletters, written policies and a general notice board which is updated daily. All children benefit from the positive partnership staff are developing with parents and carers. Children settle well because the staff work closely with parents to ensure their child’s need are met. Children’s individual needs are discussed and recorded with parents on the children’s enrolment forms. Parents are invited to regular reviews of their child’s progress and are friendly and approachable. This ensures that any changes or concerns are promptly shared which promotes the children’s well-being.

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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 The partnership with parents and carers of children who receive early education is good. Regular newsletters and a notice board are used to provide information about the Foundation Stage and what the children are learning. Parents are encouraged to discuss their child’s progress with their key worker and to contribute to their children’s records of progress. Parents are very complimentary about the standard of education provided. One parent describes the provision as 'absolutely marvellous, extremely nurturing and supportive of children as individuals and learners'. Another parent stated that 'children are so busy learning and making, I’m often astounded by what they do achieve in just one morning'. The setting provides information to parents which gives details about the topics pre-school children will cover each term.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Additionally, parents are provided with some activity ideas to help extend children’s learning at home. However, these ideas do not cover all learning areas and therefore the opportunity for all children to extend and develop their understanding is not fully promoted.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. There are clear staff recruitment and vetting procedures in place for when staff are recruited. The registered provider ensures that new staff are monitored, supported and appraised during their probationary period which ensures children are protected. Over half of the staff who work with the children are qualified and attend additional training courses. This contributes to the quality of care and the experiences provided for children. The registered person takes an active role in the daily management of staff and ensures there are systems in place to provide clear direction, support and leadership, for example, weekly staff meetings take place and staff appraisals have been introduced which include discussions about staff’s ongoing suitability and training needs. Appropriate guidance is given to ensure that staff are clear in their roles; they work as a very supportive and stable team. Staff take turns in leading various activities and

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Organisation

tasks. Overall, they are confident to take on a variety of roles within the setting and during the session such as leading circle time or registration. The welfare, care and learning of the children is promoted through the maintenance of records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision. These policies work well in practice and help to promote children’s enjoyment, development and achievement. Registration forms and information about the children is kept securely and stored safely. Consequently the organisation of childcare and education effectively supports the development of all children.

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Organisation

The quality of leadership and management of early years education is good. The management team is enthusiastic and committed to helping and supporting children learn through play. Overall, across the staff team, knowledge and understanding of how children learn through play is good. Staff have a good knowledge of children’s strengths and needs and all staff are actively involved in the planning, assessment and delivery of the Foundation Stage. Staff are supported and appropriate guidance is given to ensure that they are clear in their roles. Staff are made aware of training opportunities and are encouraged to develop and extend their own knowledge and skills. Effective support and guidance is given by the register provider to ensure the educational programme is delivered well. The registered provider works each day within the setting and provides a strong steer on the ethos of the setting and how childcare combined

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Organisation

with early education will be managed. Overall, children’s needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

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

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration 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 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): • take positive steps to promote safety within the setting with particular regard to the gate used to exit the outdoor play area.

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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): • provide activity ideas which cover all six areas of learning to enable parents to extend all children's development in all areas.

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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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