Clever Clogs Nursery

Clever Clogs Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY348390 Unique Reference Number 03 July 2008 Inspection date Sally Ann Hubbard Inspector

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Downham Market Youth & Community Centre, Howdale Road, DOWNHAM MARKET, Norfolk, PE38 9AH

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Setting Address

01366 383337 Telephone number cleverclogs.downhammarket@googlemail.com E-mail Clever Clogs Nursery 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Clever Clogs Nursery is privately owned. It opened in 2007 and operates from two rooms in a community building, situated in the town of Downham Market, Norfolk. A maximum of 26 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.30 until 18.00 for 38 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 59 children from two to under eight years on roll. Of these 33 children receive funding for nursery education. The nursery also cares for children who are over the age of eight years. Children come from the local catchment area. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and also supports a number of children with English as an additional language. The nursery employs five members of staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications and one is working towards

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are learning the importance of personal hygiene through the pleasing support and guidance that the staff give them. For example, they remind children to wash their hands before eating their snack and after using the toilet, telling them that they must 'get all the germs off'. Children's health is appropriately safeguarded because staff use an anti-bacterial spray on surfaces where food is served and exclude those who are suffering from an infectious illness. All staff are trained to administer first aid and parents give written permission enabling staff to seek emergency medical care, so that children are usually able to receive help quickly if they are seriously ill or hurt themselves in nursery. However, when they use the small hall the first aid kit and accident book are not immediately accessible to ensure children's health needs are fully met.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's growth and development is promoted very well. Staff encourage parents to supply a variety of healthy options including fresh fruit and raisins for their snacks. Older children demonstrate they understand which foods they should eat to keep themselves healthy by confidently telling the staff 'yoghurts are healthy'. They enjoy a range of foods, especially a visit to the local pizza restaurant where they sample a variety of toppings to develop their taste buds. Staff obtain details of children's dietary needs before they provide care and a record of any allergies is kept in the playroom to prevent food being served that is not appropriate to their well-being. A jug of fresh water is kept on a low table throughout the session so that children can help themselves to a drink if they are hot or thirsty to maintain their health.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have a positive attitude to exercise and learn why this is good for them. For example, the older children walk to school each day. The nursery children know they 'must put on sun cream, and drink lots' in hot weather and they look forward to playing outside in the fresh air. Staff keep a supply of boots to hand so that outside play can be offered regardless of the weather to help children to develop a healthy lifestyle. The adults provide a worthwhile range of physical activities both indoors and outside to encourage children to use up their surplus energy. For instance, they greatly enjoy taking part in a sponsored walk for charity around the playing field.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are happy on arrival and quickly separate from their carers because they receive a warm welcome from the staff. Staff are sensitive to children's individual needs when settling and encourage the use of personal comforters to help them to become emotionally secure. The suitable range of resources is checked each day and items are removed if they are damaged or incomplete so that children can play with minimum risk of hurting themselves. Children are learning to keep themselves safe. For instance, staff show them how to use the equipment correctly and involve them in helping tidy up before snack. However, the floor is not always tidied between play and children could trip on items that have been left on the floor.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety is generally given priority and all staff carefully monitor play. However, the risk assessment of the inside and outside play areas is not sufficiently thorough to minimise all potential hazards to children. For instance, the drain cover is not securely in place and staff are not always vigilant to secure the high bolt on the small room door. Fire procedures are

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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 displayed, fire exits are unobstructed and staff understand their roles in helping children to escape. Children practise a fire drill regularly, therefore they are confident to leave the building safely and quickly in an emergency.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are suitably protected from the risk of possible harm. For instance, the staff never leave them alone with people who have not been vetted and they are not allowed to leave with adults unless the nursery has consent from their parents. Staff understand the procedures to follow if they have concerns and they demonstrate that they are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of children at risk. Local Safeguarding Children Board contact details are kept to hand so that staff may act quickly if they are worried to protect children from the risk of possible abuse.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and they get on well with the staff who are caring and give them lots of personal attention. For instance, they join in with their play and children often approach the adults to ask for help or to show off their work. Staff make very pleasing use of questions to extend learning such as 'what happens if?' or 'how many more do you think we need?' As a result, the children are motivated and spend long periods of time engaged in meaningful play. They concentrate well because the staff make effective use of praise and encouragement to persuade them to persevere with challenges including cutting out or weighing stones or shells.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are helped to build on their existing skills by a staff team who encourage them to choose resources from items that are set out. However there are no low-level storage facilities to maximise opportunities for children to self-select equipment and initiate their own play. Children in the breakfast club are well settled, relaxed and enjoy a good rapport with their peers and adults. Staff are caring, for example, remembering to ask children if they won their races at sports day. Younger children are reassured by the familiar routine because they know what happens next. They work alongside each other happily and staff sensitively encourage them to take turns, for example, when making their individual pizzas for snack.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children are making sound progress in all areas of their learning because staff have sufficient knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage. Staff all meet together weekly to discuss and produce plans that cover the continuous provision and more focussed activities to enable children to progress towards the early learning goals. Although children do not have a key person, the staff know them well, they provide good role models and positively manage children's behaviour. Staff monitor play and use their assessment records of children to provide activities that help them make some progress. However, they do not make effective use of unexpected opportunities for children's learning that arise in everyday play situations therefore this impacts on the rate of progress that children are able to make.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have a positive attitude to learning and they are eager to try new experiences, such as using crayons to take rubbings from various items around the room. Mark-making materials are available at every session and children show pleasing pencil control. Children are beginning to use language appropriately when they play together and some are content to work at their own self-chosen task. They communicate confidently with other children and adults, making their needs known. Those who speak English as an additional language are well supported and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 helped to communicate their needs. Staff use resources such as the internet to gain knowledge of children's home language and work closely with their parents. Children are able to develop their literacy skills because they can freely access a good range of fiction and reference books and enjoy sharing these with adults. However the lack of labelling of resources and everyday items means that children are not sufficiently encouraged to recognise that print carries meaning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy exploring the natural world when they are taken for walks around the field and have opportunities to observe and discuss the lifecycle of the frog. They learn about technology by using the computer and begin to use the mouse competently. Children follow simple mathematical programs, however, they do not have sufficient opportunities to solve simple problems within routine play. For example, they are not encouraged to add water to dry sand to build a castle. Children pour their own drinks to develop their hand to eye co-ordination. They access a range of tools to develop their manipulative skills such as glue spreaders and scissors and they roll or cut the play dough competently. Children show increasing control over their bodies as they participate in the music and movement session.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's creative skills are suitably promoted and they are responsible for their work from beginning to end. They particularly enjoy delving into the coloured gel to find sea creatures which helps develop their sensory skills. Children begin to show an interest in different sounds and rhythms as they clap in time with the ‘good morning’ song and play the musical instruments. They freely express their ideas and feelings in the role play area which is regularly changed, for example, to provide a home area, café and market stall.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children feel at home in the nursery because the staff appreciate their varying needs. They help children to feel good about themselves and encourage them to show a caring attitude towards each other by their sensitive use of praise. For instance, the adults frequently say 'well done!' or 'that's clever' and they clap enthusiastically when children achieve. Children show pleasure when staff take time to ask them about things they have done which helps them develop their self-esteem. All children are able to access a range of age-appropriate resources such as dolls and books that contain positive images to encourage them to value diversity.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. They are confident, able to make friends easily and have planned opportunities to learn about the faiths and beliefs of others through discussing festivals, such as Chinese New Year, Easter and Halloween. Children behave very well because the staff are positive role models and their calm, consistent responses help them to manage their own behaviour. The adults get down to the children's level and quietly explain if they have to intervene. As a result, children co-operate and they begin to understand right from wrong.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities receive good support to meet their additional needs because the staff are able to recognise any developmental delay. There are well-developed procedures in place to guide staff if children appear not to be making progress and there are identified members of staff to co-ordinate care for children having additional needs. Children are helped to participate to the best of their ability because staff recognise that care is an ongoing progression with parents and they work closely with other agencies to develop individual learning plans that ensure children achieve simple goals. Parents and carers are made to feel very welcome and the nursery displays posters and other information about what is happening to keep them informed. They speak positively about the nursery and say

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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 'it's very friendly and play orientated'. They are pleased that children have choices about what they do and say 'it's brilliant', 'a very motherly, homely environment'.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of funded children is satisfactory. The nursery has a welcoming prospectus which explains the six areas of learning. Parents and carers are able to exchange information informally at the beginning and end of each session. They can ask to see their children's developmental records at any time. However, there are limited formal opportunities for parents to discuss children's learning stories. They are not consulted about children's starting points at the onset of the Foundation Stage which could impact on their overall progress. A regular newsletter keeps parents up to date with themes and events and staff display plans within the setting.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Overall, children's needs are met. They are cared for by staff who are suitably vetted and committed to on-going training. They work well together as a team to provide an appropriate learning environment and generally organise the available space so that children can make some choices. Although the layout of equipment promotes safe movement around the small hall, children's choices are restricted in this area as staff are not able to provide a full range of activities. In addition weaknesses in the organisation of first aid resources could impact on children's well-being. Children have time to be active, to concentrate or take part in quieter activities and the established daily routine provides sufficient variety to hold their interest.

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Organisation

All legally required documentation is maintained accurately and the robust attendance records of staff and children ensure they are kept safe in an emergency. Staff are guided by a comprehensive range of policies and procedures that are regularly reviewed, therefore, the nursery operates effectively.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is satisfactory. The proprietors have a 'hands-on' approach and work alongside the staff on a daily basis. As a result children's welfare and learning is appropriately supported. Suitable induction procedures are in place, however, staff appraisals have not been carried out to ensure they are able to operate with maximum effectiveness. An on-going action plan is in place to address any areas for development. The nursery works closely with the support teacher to improve the effectiveness of the educational programme. The clear aims enable staff to provide a friendly, fun and stimulating learning environment as evidenced by the sound progress that children are making towards the early learning goals.

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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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Complaints 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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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • improve the risk assessment of the premises and outside play area to ensure that potential hazards to children are minimised • review the operational plan to show how the premises and equipment are used to meet the needs of children when using the small hall.

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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): • ensure staff make effective use of unexpected opportunities for children's learning that arise in everyday play situations • increase opportunities for parents and carers to support children's learning with particular reference to formally informing them of their children's progress and working with them to plan the next steps in learning • develop further the leadership and management of the setting by ensuring that ongoing staff appraisals take place.

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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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