Just Learning Nursery

Just Learning Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY254577 Unique Reference Number 19 May 2008 Inspection date Cathryn Parry Inspector

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Silver Fox Way, Cobalt Business Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE27 0QJ

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Setting Address

0191 257 8842 Telephone number newcastle@justlearning.co.uk E-mail Just Learning 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?

Just Learning Nursery is part of a national childcare company. It opened in 2003 and operates from 10 rooms within purpose built premises at Cobalt Business Park in North Tyneside. A maximum of 110 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.30 to 18.15 for 52 weeks of the year. All children share access to secure enclosed outdoor play areas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 148 children aged from seven months to four years on roll. Of these, 36 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs 29 childcare staff. Of these staff, 22 hold appropriate early years qualifications and five members of staff are 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 good. Children are cared for in a lovely clean and comfortable environment, where they are beginning to develop an understanding of good hygiene and personal care. They competently undertake tasks, such as washing and drying their hands and putting on sun hats before going outside to play. The health of babies and younger children is protected by additional hygiene precautions. These include the regular sterilising of equipment in the baby room and frequent washing of individual cot sheets. Staff promote good practice to prevent the spread of infection and keep children healthy. Examples of this are where they follow an effective procedure when changing nappies and wear disposable gloves and an apron. Clear records are kept in respect of accidents and medication and these are shared with parents and carers. Children do not attend if they are sick, which enables staff to protect others from illness. Staff have the knowledge to respond

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Helping children to be healthy

positively if children have an accident as they are trained to administer first aid. The nursery has not had any incidents where articles from the first aid boxes have been required. However, both first aid boxes have bandages and sticking plasters that are past their use by date. Consequently, depending on the type of accident, staff are not effectively equipped to react. Written permission from parents and carers to seek emergency medical advice or treatment is in place. Consequently, their welfare is safeguarded.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children flourish as they access good opportunities for physical play. These include using sit and ride toys, playing with bats and balls and running with streamers. They develop and test their physical skills through stimulating daily indoor and outdoor experiences. Babies and toddlers are developing their locomotion and balance skills through using a selection of push-and-pull toys. Children are active or restful through choice and babies sleep in-line with their individual needs and parents’ and carers’ wishes. A varied and imaginative menu, which includes appetising wholesome meals, using mainly fresh ingredients is provided. This encourages children to have a good awareness of healthy meal options and the opportunity to try new foods. There are three separate menus for children at different stages in their development. Foods provided, include butternut squash and pepper for babies who are just being weaned,

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Helping children to be healthy

chicken and broccoli pasta for children who are progressing to more solid food, and pork and apple casserole for the older ones. They confidently ask for drinks when they are thirsty, as well as having free access to water throughout the day. All relevant documentation with regard to health, including specific dietary needs and consent forms are in place and up to date. These positively safeguard children’s well-being.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a really welcoming setting where positive steps have been taken to promote their safety and security. They are safeguarded well as the nursery is secure at all times. This is supplemented with very effective procedures for adults collecting children, including the use of a password system. Parents and carers are familiar with the routines, understanding that only senior members of staff are allowed to let them in. Consequently, it is clear that security is given priority and access to the premises is effectively monitored. Regular checks and cleaning keep the broad range of toys and resources in good condition. This ensures that children handle items that are clean and safe. They participate in activities fully as furniture and equipment are of an appropriate size. The main entrance and all the playrooms are decorated with children's artwork and low-level pictures and posters for children to enjoy and give visual

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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 stimuli. Large windows throughout the nursery enable children to benefit from natural light whilst playing indoors.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff provide good levels of adult supervision so children take appropriate risks as part of their development. An example of this is where they access large climbing equipment. Appropriate safety equipment is in place to ensure hazards are reduced. This includes door hinge protectors, smoke detectors and a fire blanket. Regular risk assessments both indoors and out, minimise the risk of accidental injury effectively. These are regularly reviewed and any highlighted hazards swiftly acted upon. An example of this is where electrical wires in the baby room were secured to ensure children who are beginning to stand and walk do not pull on them. Children's knowledge about personal safety is encouraged by gentle reminders from staff to pick up the toys so they do not trip, road safety activities and regular fire drill practises. These positively contribute to children developing a sense of danger and of how to keep themselves safe. Staff

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

have attended relevant courses on child protection either provided by external facilitators or through in-house training. They demonstrate a sound understanding of associated issues. Consequently, children are safeguarded well. All the required procedures and documentation are in place to ensure that children’s welfare is safeguarded and promoted.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The affectionate and gentle care given by the staff enables children to develop a sense of belonging and trust. Staff are enthusiastic and activities are undertaken with a sense of fun. A very good balance of child-centred and adult-led experiences ensure appropriate challenge for the children's age and stage of development. Staff caring for the younger children plan activities through observation and letting them lead the play. These plans, along with children's developmental files are constantly being reviewed and developed in anticipation of the new Early Years Foundation Stage being implemented in September 2008. Children's progress is recorded in individual records with examples of their artwork and photographs. Consequently, staff can monitor children's progress and plan accordingly, whilst the children relish the play opportunities provided. Their self-esteem and a sense of belonging are encouraged as their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

paintings are widely displayed on the nursery walls. Children enjoy their time at the nursery and are eager to participate in the variety of activities provided. These include building with construction toys, looking for worms in the soil, sharing books and playing with the dolls house. They have access to a wide range of resources, including natural materials. These enable younger children to learn through their developing senses. Children find the resources fun and sufficiently challenging, which helps to develop appropriate levels of concentration. Young babies use movement and sensory exploration to make connections within their environment. An example of this is where they play with bubbles, explore jelly, see their reflection in the mirror and listen to a range of music. All children have opportunities for creative and exploratory play, as they paint, play with sand, water and dough. Effective use is made of the local area giving children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

a breadth of opportunities. An example of this is where they visit the cows in the neighbouring nature area. They delight in using their imagination, for instance, when pretending to make strawberry curry and manipulating the puppets.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of the teaching and learning is good. Children settle quickly and happily on arrival in the pre-school room and demonstrate familiarity with group routines, as they sit sensibly for story time. A new planning and recording system is being implemented. The plans are thorough and relate closely to individual children's progress. This is complemented with regular

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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 observations of children, which are evaluated and transferred to their specific developmental file. Consequently, staff, parents and carers can easily see progress being made. Daily calendar activities develop children’s understanding of the passage of time. Excellent use is made of open ended questions to make children think. They use information and communication technology to support their learning, for example, they operate the compact disc player and use appropriate software programmes on the computer. Children develop mathematical thinking as they weigh ingredients for baking, see numerals and shapes in the environment and use small coloured pegs for sequencing. Staff regularly extend activities, for instance, when the children discuss where they live, draw pictures of their homes and then make houses out of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

large cardboard boxes. Whilst constructing their models they wear high visibility jackets and discuss issues relating to safety, such as wearing hard hats. This inspires children to be creative and increases their knowledge. The pre-school rooms have recently been reorganised to meet the needs of the children attending and in preparation for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Consequently, areas within the rooms are still being evaluated to ensure they are effectively utilised by children. A role play area is available for the children to access. However, at the start of the inspection it had limited resources and was not attractively set out, which resulted in children not being inspired to use the area. Children’s communication skills are fostered well through various activities, including songs and rhymes. This is complemented by staff listening to children and consistently responding. Consequently, there are good interactions between

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

the children and staff. Parents and carers also have the opportunity to pay for their children to have Spanish lessons if they wish. Many of the toys and resources are labelled with pictures and words, which encourages children to make informed choices. However, some of the trays, boxes and storage jars are not labelled or are incorrectly labelled. This has a negative impact on nurturing children's recognition of words, letters and the appropriate use of capital letters. They use their initiative well, for instance, where a child decides to use a plastic skittle as a golf club. Older and more able children are challenged sufficiently as staff plan to suit their growing needs. They all have good opportunities to learn about living things as they grow and care for plants from seed. This is further extended as they make sandwiches with the cress they have nurtured. Children enjoy visitors coming to the nursery. Examples of these are the firemen with

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

their engine, the police, professional musicians and the dental community worker. Consequently, they enjoy a breadth of opportunities to increase their overall knowledge.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. An effective induction procedure ensures the staff have a sound knowledge of the child before they start attending regularly. They are sensitive to children and their family’s individual circumstances and tailor the induction to meet their specific needs. Staff interact warmly with the children and carefully support new children while they settle into the group. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Staff share their own feelings with the children, which encourages them to discuss how they feel and show empathy towards others. The staff's confident approach to equal opportunities actively contributes to children’s positive attitudes to the wider community. This is complemented with access to a wide selection of resources relating to different cultures. These include a wealth of fiction and non-fiction books and lovely dolls from around the world. They celebrate a range of festivals with children

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Helping children make a positive contribution

that represent their own and other cultures, such as Christmas, Easter, Divali and Chinese New Year. Children have been given opportunities in the past to paint whilst holding a brush in-between their toes and have worn blindfolds. This increases their awareness of some disabilities. However, there are few resources showing positive images of people with disabilities. This has a negative effect on raising children's overall awareness and understanding of

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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 difference. Staff have cared for children with learning difficulties and disabilities in the past. Systems are in place for them to work effectively with other professionals where necessary, in order to help all children achieve their full potential. A positive attitude to providing an inclusive environment is demonstrated throughout.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. General information is shared effectively about the provision by means of noticeboards and monthly newsletters. Children receive consistent care as there is a daily verbal exchange of information between their key member of staff, parents and carers. This is complemented with written diaries, which are used as a two way system for sharing information between home and the nursery. Additionally, there are regular parents and carers evenings as well as them being invited to be involved in workshops and activities within the nursery rooms. An example of this is where a father who is an engineer came and helped children create drawings of vehicles and then made computer print outs of their end designs. Excellent relationships with parents and carers are highly beneficial to the continuity of care that the children receive. Parental feedback is encouraged in a variety of

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Helping children make a positive contribution

ways, including a suggestions box and questionnaires. Consequently, the manager and her team are able to evaluate the care and education provided and act positively on any ideas where possible. High emphasis is put on partnership with parents and carers, which has a positive impact on children’s overall well-being. Consistent behaviour management ensures children understand right from wrong. Good strategies are in place for managing behaviour, which are appropriate to the children's ages and stages of development and understanding. Staff’s management of older children’s behaviour is very good, as they use a problem solving approach to any social conflict. This encourages the children to have an awareness of their own behaviour. Children are encouraged to consider the consequences of their words and actions for themselves and others.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The leadership and management is good. The manager is well supported by her area manager, as well as her deputy. A robust recruitment procedure is in place. This ensures that all staff have suitable checks completed to ensure their suitability to care for children. Consequently, children are safeguarded well. Regular team meetings and individual supervisions enable her to monitor the nursery and encourage full participation from her team. She shows a commitment to the professional development of her team, encouraging training in all areas. The manager recognises the strengths within the staff team and sees them as a real asset within the nursery. She encourages individual ideas to further develop the care and education provided. The manager demonstrates a passion and enthusiasm for the setting, her staff and the service provided for the children. She is keen to implement changes as needed to further improve the

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Organisation

high quality of care and education provided. Documentation for each child is organised well and stored confidentially. Consequently, their privacy is maintained at all times.

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Organisation

Children access a broad range of play opportunities through the generally good organisation of space, time and resources. Each room is arranged appropriately for the age and stage of development of those who use it. Successfully organised space enables children to play independently or with others. This includes having free access to each room’s individual outdoor area for most of the day. Staff are deployed effectively, enabling children to develop good relationships with them through regular contact and a key worker system. The flexible routine ensures children have time to complete activities at their own pace. Staff work closely with parents and carers to establish the child's needs and follow individual routines, such as sleeping and eating patterns. This has a positive impact on promoting a feeling of stability and security

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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 for the child and their parents and carers. Children are able to select from a wide range of resources, which meet safety standards. Free choice and independence is promoted well as the toys are stored at the children's height. They benefit greatly from a highly motivated and caring staff who have an excellent understanding of children’s individual needs.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection the provider was asked to provide more opportunities for children to access natural items during play. They were also asked to ensure the assessments of individual children are used to inform future plans by clearly identifying the challenges to set for the more able children. A request was made to provide a variety of opportunities for children to write for different purposes. The provider has positively responded to each of these, which has a positive impact on children's overall development.

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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 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): • further develop equal opportunities resources with regard to disability • ensure items in the first aid boxes are replaced as necessary.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • further develop labelling in the environment • further develop resources in the role play area and their organisation.

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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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