Caldecote Day Nursery

Caldecote Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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200546 Unique Reference Number 21 July 2008 Inspection date Paula Hunt Inspector

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2a Caldecote House, Lancaster Road, Rugby, Warks, CV21 2QN Setting Address

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E-mail

Mariana Dixon Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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E-mail

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

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. 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?

Caldecote Day Nursery was registered in 1995. It operates from three playrooms on the ground floor and three on the first floor in a converted building situated close to Rugby town centre in Warwickshire. The nursery is open for 51 weeks of the year and operational times are Monday to Friday from 08:00 until 18:00. All children share access to a small outdoor play area at the front of the building.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 49 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 78 children aged from three months to under five years on roll. Of these, 19 children receive funding for early education. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and also children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs 16 members of staff. Of these, 15 hold appropriate early years qualifications and one is working towards a qualification.

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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 satisfactory. Children are encouraged to look after their health through the support and guidance that staff give them. For example, they wipe tables with anti-bacterial spray and remind children 'to wash all the germs off' their hands after using the toilet and before eating. Staff follow the correct procedures for the administration of medication and recording accidents. Written parental consent is obtained to seek emergency medical advice or treatment if necessary, most staff have completed first aid training and the first aid box is adequately stocked. This enables staff to respond appropriately in the event of an accident. However, staff are not consistently attentive to ensure babies noses are wiped and that children who have vomited are quickly identified and appropriately attended to.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are increasing their understanding of the importance of a healthy diet through a choice of fresh fruit and vegetables at snack time such as pear, apple, orange, breadsticks and raisins and milk, squash or water to drink. Children's individual dietary needs are met because the staff respect and comply with parents' wishes about food and drink. However, a menu is not displayed to enable parents for example, to consider what their child has for lunch when preparing a packed meal they send in for their child. Babies are supported and encouraged to feed themselves although young babies are not consistently held when being fed their bottles.

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Helping children to be healthy

Most children enjoy regular opportunities to play in the fresh air and take part in adequate physical activities that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. For example, young children develop skills and confidence as they use wheeled toys and climbing equipment whilst older children's needs are met with regular use of play equipment at the local park. As babies start to become mobile they are appropriately supported as they crawl and toddle about accessing a range of early years play equipment. Children are provided with good opportunities to develop their small physical skills through using a range of tools such as scissors, pencils and brushes, which they do safely and with increasing control.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children receive a warm welcome from the staff and come into the nursery happily. Children's art work is displayed all around the room and hanging from the ceilings, creating a child-centred environment. This helps children become emotionally secure in the setting. All ages have easy access to a satisfactory range of toys and resources that are safe and appropriate for their use. Storage has been considered to enable safe and independent access. For example, babies have an adequate range of resources placed within their reach and those starting to move about are supervised to ensure they only have access to items that are appropriate. Staff are vigilant to children who are starting to pull themselves up so they can do this safely.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have undertaken risk assessments and taken appropriate steps to minimise risks to children. For example, carrying out daily visual outdoor safety checks and ensuring the entrance to the nursery is kept secure to prevent unauthorised access. Children are learning how to keep themselves safe. Staff give gentle reminders about using toys appropriately, for example, when babies are exploring sound and discovering how to make noise they are encouraged to bang on the box, not on each other. All children are encouraged to help tidy up and most do this

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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 effectively working happily with the staff. Older children practise road safety when they go on local walks and again when playing in the park.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are safeguarded because they are never left alone with persons who have not been vetted or released in to the care of unknown adults unless the nursery has consent from their parents. Staff are guided by a satisfactory child protection policy that is also prominently displayed for parents. They keep local guidance to hand and demonstrate that they are able to recognise the signs and symptoms of child abuse. Consequently, they are able take appropriate actions as soon as they have concerns about children in their care to protect them from possible abuse.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Staff have a developing knowledge of the 'Birth to three matters' framework and use this to plan and provide activities. However, children's choice of activity and access to resources is limited at the beginning of the day. Babies and toddlers enjoy opportunities to paint, use glue and explore textures with play dough and fabric. They enjoy stories which are read on demand and music which is incorporated into their day. Their physical development is promoted as they learn to pull themselves up on furniture and are supported in walking by staff who hold their hands. Babies sitting in a supportive ring are given a variety of resources to play with and staff encourage exploration and communication skills. Children respond to staff chatter, and facial expressions, with sounds and smiles delighting in the contact. They play well together and are learning to share and take turns. Younger children are supported appropriately with these skills

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

by staff that are sensitive to their stage of development. Consequently children are learning right from wrong in a supportive environment. Communication skills are being encouraged at all levels. Babies enjoy making sounds knowing that staff will respond. Toddlers love songs and rhymes as they practise new words and sounds and staff encourage children to chatter freely to gain confidence.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are interested in learning and eager to become involved in activities. They are making good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas of their learning. Staff have a clear understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and what they expect the children to achieve. They plan together being ably supported by the room leader who is confident in the system they use. Children's interests are used as the starting points for the planning which is effective and covers all areas of learning. Key workers effectively evaluate children’s progress and use this to plan for their next steps. Record keeping is informative and made more interesting with the addition of samples of children’s work. Parents are encouraged to regularly look at their child’s file and several enjoy taking these home and adding photographs or other information showing their child’s developing skills. Staff are well

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

deployed to ensure children are supported in their learning and the environment organised to help children be self-sufficient.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing good literacy skills as they form letters within their names correctly and associate sounds to letters. For example, identifying the sound of the letter at the beginning of their name or day of the week. They can freely access an adequate range of books although these are not always displayed in an inviting manner and reference books are limited. All children enjoy listening to stories in a group with a member of staff. Children are confident communicators as they talk about what they have been doing at the weekend or where they

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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 live. They actively use numbers within their routine play and some can count competently and reliably to twenty and above. For example, they count how many boys and how many girls attend the session and are able to add one number to another, thereby, developing good understanding of calculation. Planned activities help them find out about capacity as they play in the water and sand or make playdough. Children frequently recognise shapes as they sort, match, construct and play games.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy learning about the world around them and show an interest in their environment. They discuss the weather and plant seeds, observing their growth. Children confidently use the computer and display good design skills as they build with construction toys, making large house models out of small bricks. Visitors such as the fire service and local rangers help them understand about people who help them and how to stay safe. Children are able to appreciate and respect diversity through purposeful topics that explore the festivals of the world, such as Eid and Chinese New Year. They learn about their own culture as they celebrate bonfire night and Christmas.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy many opportunities to express their ideas creatively in music, art and craft. Their sensory development is well promoted. They enthusiastically explore with paint, glue and a range of natural materials such as, sand, water and household materials. They readily engage in role play and find out what it is like to be a customer in a farm shop or travel agents.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children feel a sense of belonging to the nursery and through an effective key worker system get to know the children well. Staff introduce them to satisfactory resources and activities which promote discussion about different cultures, religions and abilities. Children have celebrated festivals from around the world such as Eid and Chinese New Year. Some documentation, displays and posters are presented in different languages to ensure all feel welcomed and valued. Children of all abilities receive appropriate individual support. They are skilfully supported by staff to take part in all activities. Staff are quick to recognise and act upon any concerns or developmental delay and work closely with parents and other agencies to ensure that all children are helped to participate to the best of their ability. All children gain a sense of value increasing their self-esteem.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. They are beginning to learn how to behave considerately to one another and are learning to share resources. They are effectively supported to help manage their own behaviour because staff set clear boundaries and have high expectations for their behaviour to be good. Staff present as positive role models to the children because they are calm, polite and friendly. Children's self-esteem is promoted as staff praise and congratulate children on their achievements.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents receive a prospectus that states the nursery's aims and provides basic information, including about the curriculum and six areas of learning. Notice boards are used well to display a range of information for parents. Termly newsletters provide updates and parents are encouraged to discuss any concerns they may have. A complaints procedure is devised and a log is maintained to show how any issues have been resolved to support the care of the children. However, this procedure has not been updated to include the revised guidance issued by the regulator in 2005. Parents enjoy the daily chat with staff and explain that the diary system used for the younger children keeps them up to date with what has happened to their child during the day.

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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 in receipt of funding for early education is satisfactory. Parents have access to information about the Foundation Stage and know who their child’s key worker is to support the verbal exchange of information. However, there are no systems in place to encourage parents to share information about their children's starting points and therefore staff are not fully able to plan for individual children's learning. A formal opportunity for parents and carers to meet with their child's key person and discuss their progress is provided annually. Parents are complimentary about the care of their children but plans of activities are not displayed and consequently, opportunities are limited for parents to support their child’s learning effectively.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children are secure and settled within the setting. Children receive both individual and group attention as there is a high staff ratio working directly with the children for most of the day. Children benefit from staff holding appropriate qualifications, suitable to their roles, and being appropriately checked. Generally the children have the necessary facilities to ensure they can eat, play in comfort and undertake any personal care. The nursery management team is interested in ensuring that the practice of all staff contributes positively to children’s health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and ability to take an active part in the setting.

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Organisation

A range of adequate written records, policies and procedures are in place to guide and support staff. However, staff arrival and departure times are not recorded on the daily attendance register and therefore children's well-being is not fully assured.

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Organisation

Leadership and management are satisfactory. A new manager has recently been appointed and she has worked with the owner and staff who have a strong commitment within the nursery to ensuring that the children and families receive a supportive service. Staff are encouraged to attend training and have recently attended infection control, food hygiene, equality and diversity and child protection courses. However systems are not firmly established to regularly review and evaluate the whole service. Therefore opportunities are missed to further improve the care and education of the children. Overall children's needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, the quality of care was judged as inadequate. The setting needed to improve procedures to ensure that staff have appropriate skills and experience to their jobs; to ensure staff were aware of good hygiene practices in order to prevent the spread of infection; to comply with food safety regulations and hygiene; to ensure kitchens conform to environmental health and food safety guidelines; to review and extend risk assessments, to ensure fire extinguishers, alarms and smoke detectors are checked annually, to ensure electric fans did not pose a hazard to children and to ensure staff and parents are aware of the child protection policy and procedures.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The provider has taken positive steps to address all of the above actions set by the regulator and children's safety and welfare is appropriately promoted. For example, electric fans have been removed, child protection policy has been updated to include allegations against a member of staff or volunteer and is prominently displayed for both staff and parents to read. Some staff have also attended child protection training to update their knowledge and skills. Contact was made with the fire department and new extinguishers installed to be checked on an annual basis. Risk assessments have been reviewed and steps taken to minimise any identified risks

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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 to children. Fridges have been replaced or cleaned and kitchens have been visited by Environmental Health and awarded the 'Gold Award' . Most staff have completed training in basic food hygiene and comply with food safety regulations.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. 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 systems to ensure parents are fully informed about the service provided with regard to menu's, the activities provided and update complaints policy in line with current guidance (this also applies to nursery education) • ensure staff arrival and departure times are recorded in the daily attendance register • improve young children's choice and variety of resources and activities with regard to the beginning of the day • ensure babies individual needs are met with regard to wiping their noses, being held when fed and receive prompt attention when sick • firmly establish systems to regularly review and evaluate the whole service(this also applies to nursery education).

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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): • develop an effective system to obtain children's starting points to inform planning and ensure children's learning is robustly supported • ensure children have access to a wide variety of books including reference.

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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 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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