Eden Garden Nursery

Eden Garden Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

EY345639 Unique Reference Number 28 April 2008 Inspection date Kathleen Snowdon Inspector

p.1

St. Benets Primary RC School, Ouston Lane, Ouston, Chester le Street, County Durham, DH2 1QX

p.1

Setting Address

0191 4111488 Telephone number care@edengardennursery.com E-mail Eden Garden Nursery Ltd Registered person Childcare Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

p.1

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

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Eden Garden Nursery, which opened in 2007, is located in the grounds of Saint Benet's Roman Catholic Primary School, Ouston, County Durham and is close to all facilities, including local schools and nurseries. It is a purpose built nursery where children are accommodated in four rooms according to their age and developmental stage. All children have access to a fully enclosed outdoor play area.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is open from 07.30 to 18.00, Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. A maximum of 61 children under five years may attend the nursery at any one time. Currently there are 80 children on roll and they live in the local and surrounding communities. There are 18 members of staff, all of whom hold relevant qualifications. The nursery supports children who speak English as an additional language.

p.2

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

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Delicious and appetising meals that are freshly prepared on the premises using organic produce offer the children the nourishment they need to grow and develop. They become familiar with different flavours and textures when they eat pasta and fish dishes, traditional roast dinners and curries, served with ample portions of vegetables. Throughout the day the children help themselves to fruit and drinks of water, both of which are always available in all of the rooms. As well as this they enjoy wholesome snacks, such as breadsticks, toast and sandwiches, to encourage the development of healthy tastes and preferences.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Readily available soap and hand towels enable children to become increasingly independent as they carry out self-care tasks. For example, they wash their hands before eating, after using the bathroom and after outdoor play, which teaches them about the importance of cleanliness and helps them to establish good personal hygiene. Along with the sensible policy that deals with sick children, this minimises the spread of infection and common illnesses.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

There are very good opportunities for children to be active. The youngest children enjoy the challenge of trying to reach objects that have been strategically positioned by staff to encourage them to develop and practise new skills, such as crawling and walking. Older children move in different ways during exciting games like 'Pirates', when they pretend to hoist the sail and scrub the deck, and 'Hokey Cokey' which shows the children that exercise is fun.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children move freely in the welcoming, very well lit and well ventilated nursery environment where staff carry out daily risk assessments indoors and outdoors to minimise the risk of accidents. The range and quality of furniture, toys and resources is first class and helps children to make progress in all areas of their development. These are in pristine condition through the ongoing checks and cleaning that staff carry out to ensure that children handle items that are safe and hygienic and are easily accessible to encourage the children to make choices and decisions.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have good awareness of safeguarding children issues. They have attended recent training and are knowledgeable about the signs and symptoms that indicate possible abuse. Staff subtly alert the children to the risk posed by unsuitable people and potentially dangerous situations through conversations about strangers and isolated places; this teaches the children the importance of staying close to known and trusted adults.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Good priority is given to safety in general. For example, visitors sign in and out to allow staff to monitor who has access to the children, while secure entry and exit arrangements ensure that there is no unauthorised entry or exit. Safety equipment is used in a sensible and judicious way. For instance, safety gates prevent children gaining access to certain areas where staff have identified a slight risk and covers are placed in electrical sockets to protect children's fingers. As well as this, regular fire drills take place to help the children cope with emergencies.

p.3

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

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Interesting and stimulating activities keep the children engaged and motivated and give them lots of scope in which to enjoy themselves and have fun. They have many opportunities to express their creativity. For example, they experiment with painting techniques by using brushes, spreaders, twigs and rollers to produce unusual and often stunning effects. The youngest children take delight in handling gloop, custard and jelly. They use these to make patterns on tabletops or windows and so become familiar with the properties of a range of substances.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Many of the older children particularly enjoy and show flair for building and constructing. During purposeful and self-initiated activities they handle top quality wooden blocks, large and small, to make structures such as ramps, bridges and tracks. They then use these to support their role play as they pretend to cross rivers and climb up to castles. Rich and productive play experiences like these allow children to practise design, become familiar with concepts such as balance and size, and use their imagination.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Underpinning all this are the excellent relationships between the children and the staff. The children receive the staff's complete attention during their time at the nursery and as a result they are happy, settled and secure. The effective key person system helps children to develop a sense of belonging and children are encouraged to visit siblings in other rooms to establish and maintain a strong connection with home. Highly positive early experiences such as these enable the children to form stable and strong subsequent relationships with others.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All the children are treated with equal regard and consideration. Staff know their individual preferences, routines and interests and this ensures that the children are cared for in a way that meets their individual needs. Good quality books about disability, culture, ethnicity and gender help the children to form positive views of diversity and some festivals are celebrated, for example, Chinese New Year and Easter. However, overall, the resources and activities that promote equal opportunities are fairly limited at present.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

Consistent and sensitive guidance from staff helps the children to behave well, while clear explanations about why certain actions are unacceptable teach them right from wrong. Positive behaviour is recognised and praised and this promotes the growth of positive personal qualities, such as kindness, helpfulness and consideration.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. Very good quality written information is given to prospective parents. Once children begin attending, daily sheets inform the parents of the younger children about important information such as food intake and nappy changes, while daily discussions and a dedicated noticeboard keep all parents well informed about their children's recent experiences and current events.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents have highly positive views of the staff. They describe them as 'friendly and approachable' and think the quality of care their children receive is 'excellent'. They identify the food, the well equipped sleep room, the happy atmosphere and the quality of toys and furniture as particular strengths and think that attending the nursery has increased their children's confidence.

p.4

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

p.4

Organisation

The organisation is good. Documentation is very well organised. All essential records are in place and are stored securely on-site to protect confidentiality. Amendments are made as soon as changes occur to keep information up to date and accurate. The registration and public liability certificates are prominently displayed so that parents and other interested parties can scrutinise them should they wish to.

p.5

Organisation

A rigorous recruitment procedure ensures that staff are vetted and deemed suitable before they have unsupervised access to children. All staff show a sound awareness of registered numbers and understand the importance of never exceeding them. Staff are committed to further training, and recent courses include safeguarding children, first aid, fire safety and food hygiene.

p.5

Organisation

Staff work well as a team and have excellent relationships with the children. They plan and provide exciting play experiences and are skilled at knowing when to intervene and when to stay out of children's interactions. Staff show respect for the children's efforts, exemplified in very well presented displays of the children's artwork and they have simple but lovely practices, such as encouraging children to sit on a throne and wear a crown on their birthday; this helps the children to understand that they are valued and special.

p.5

Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

p.5

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.

p.5

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.

p.5

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.5

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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

p.5

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): • continue to promote equal opportunities, for example by extending the range of resources and activities that reflect diversity.

p.5

The quality and standards of the care

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

p.5

The quality and standards of the care

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

p.6