Little Angels

Little Angels Inspection report for early years provision

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EY366742 Unique Reference Number 09 April 2008 Inspection date Anne Mort Inspector

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St Aiden's Church Hall, Crompton Way, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 8UR Setting Address

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E-mail

Karen Jackson Registered person Childcare Type of inspection Full day care, Sessional care, Out of School 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

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Little Angels is owned and managed by a private provider. The facility was registered in 2007 and operates from two designated rooms within church premises. All children share access to a secure, enclosed outside play area. A maximum of 40 children may attend the setting at any one time. There are currently 32 children on roll.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The facility provides play group sessions from 09.15 to 12.15 and from 12.30 to 15.00 during school term times. Children may bring a packed lunch and stay over the lunchtime period. The setting also provides out of school care, operating term time from 07.30 to 09.00 and 15.00 to 18.00 with school holiday care 07.30 to 18.00.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The facility employs four members of staff, of whom, three hold relevant early years qualifications. The facility has links with the local early years team.

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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. Consideration is given to cleanliness. Staff follow satisfactory procedures to promote children's health, such as cleaning a table with anti-bacterial spray before using it as a dining table. Children practise good hygiene habits with hand washing a part of the daily routine. The toilet facilities are very clean with a separate changing room should a child need privacy. However, the paper towel dispenser is empty and the paper towel roll is on a window sill above child's height. Children share one material towel, thus they are not protected from the risk of cross contamination.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health in other areas is well supported as staff are aware of any medical needs. Staff have first aid training and there is detailed accident recording taking place. There is a system in place to record parental permission and administration of medicine. All reasonable steps are taken in the matters of food preparation and delivery and staff hold food hygiene certificates.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have opportunity to develop their physical ability. There is a range of resources to promote physical development. These enable children to develop small and large muscle control. For instance, indoors, children use pencils and colouring pens. Outside, they have the use of a variety of equipment, for instance, balls and bicycles. Older children also use suitable equipment, for instance, skipping ropes, table top football and a pool table.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children understand what constitutes healthy eating as the staff talk to them about this. Children in out of school care have a meeting each week, in which they decide on the week's menu. This is written by the children and on display. Children’s needs for drinks are met; they are offered drinks at regular intervals and encouraged to bring their own name labelled drinks bottle. Their emotional needs are being met due to the staff presenting snack time as a chatty sociable occasion. Children sit at the table with a member of staff and enjoy their drink of cordial and crackers, with a choice of ham or chicken as a topping.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children’s safety is supported. On the whole they have a safe environment in which to play, as risks are minimised due to the diligence of the staff. Written risk assessments of the premises are carried out with control measures noted. A risk assessment sheet is on display in the appropriate room, as a daily reminder. Management is proactive in writing action plans, for example, to provide radiator covers. However, these are not yet in place and the radiators present a hazard should children fall against them, as they give off excessive heat.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are at ease in the organised environment and move freely and with confidence. This is due to good planning as each of the two rooms is set up to accommodate the needs of the age of children who access that room. Staff present the physical layout of the resources in the rooms with care, to ensure an uncluttered floor and clear walking space near doorways. This allows children to play independently and explore the activities on offer. Pre-school children play in a bright room that is decorated with their work. The furniture is set out to create areas of learning, for instance, a construction area, a reading area and a writing area. In out of school care children's comfort is provided for and they have ownership of the room as labels and notices are all either written or painted by the children.

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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 Staff monitor the presentation of play materials to make sure they are interesting and support children’s developing skills. Children are given complete free choice whether to be active or play quietly. They select from a wide range of resources that include, for the younger children, number and language games, books, dolls, construction, jigsaws, creativity materials, role play clothing, a garage and cars. In out of school care children have free access to a computer, a games console, painting, books, shared board games and construction materials.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff keep children safe in their care. When attending out of school care children are met at a designated place in the play ground and transported in a vehicle to the facility. Daily registration of staff and children on the premises is taking place. The premises remain locked with a bell entry system. Staff allow persons known to them into the provision to collect their child at the end of the session. Parents then sign them out or staff sign the register to note a child has left their care. Some children have experience of the emergency evacuation procedure for the club. However, the written fire drill record shows that an emergency evacuation procedure has only been practised with the children who attend out of school care in the morning.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is given due consideration by the procedures in place and documents held about child protection. The manager has a good level of awareness of her role in child protection issues. She ensures all staff are made aware of their role and of the policies and procedures in place.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The provider, who is also the manager, and her staff are very well aware of how to provide for the care and education of children. They have knowledge of the 'Birth to three matters' framework. There are sound plans in place to attend additional relevant courses, for instance 'Play work'. Current knowledge is used very effectively to plan suitable activities for both young and older school aged children. Children's enjoyment and achievements at the setting are promoted through the documentation in place. This includes many displays of children's own work.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All children relate well to the staff, who have a wonderful manner. Their emotional security is established because staff value their presence in the facility. Staff consistently reassure young children as they play. Staff sit at their level, sustain frequent eye to eye contact with them and join in their play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's language skills are significantly enhanced both in pre-school and in out of school care. This is because the staff use age appropriate and stimulating language in their conversation with them. Children are quickly becoming independent learners. They develop manipulative skills as they handle the resources and discover what they can do with them. Young children rapidly develop handling skills because staff make available suitable toys, such as jigsaws, toy animals and different vehicles, small enough to be handled, pushed and pulled. Children enjoy the challenge of keeping the vehicles on the road mat.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Young children develop their concentration span and experience early reading skills. They sit contentedly with a member of staff and share books. The member of staff relates a story to the children. She asks children questions and gives value to the activity. There is an unhurried, happy atmosphere and children rapidly become competent at handling a book, turning the pages and predicting the storyline.

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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 develop a sense of themselves because staff are very skilful in planning activities. Pre-school children learn about growth and many can name parts of their body. Photographic evidence on display reveals pictures of when children were babies and their age now. This learning is extended as children talk about what they need to make them grow. They are planting seeds into containers to discover what is needed to make them grow. Staff use conversations with out of school care children to share talk about their family and events that have happened or due to happen. Children are aware of themselves as part of a bigger world because staff plan trips out. Photographic evidence illustrates a trip to a museum and a library.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children spend their time purposefully and explore a wide variety of interesting play materials that offer sufficient challenge. Staff create and sustain a very happy atmosphere in which children's learning is significantly enhanced.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's needs are very well met as they take part in a care routine agreed between staff at the provision and their parents. All children are welcome in the provision and the manager and staff are aware of how to provide for inclusion. Staff are committed to the children and treat each child with the utmost respect, taking time to listen to their conversation and answer any queries. Children receive a huge amount of self confidence and positive self-esteem through the interaction, care and attention they receive from the staff. Children quickly develop a sense of responsibility and awareness of the needs of others. They help staff to tidy up and are praised for remembering their manners and for helping younger children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff work in a very calm and consistent manner. As a result children are happy and exceptionally well behaved. Older children have taken part in deciding the rules of the out of school club. These are written by the children and on display. Children are fully supported and supervised by staff and choose where to play. This develops their independence and they choose to engage in activities that interest them, for instance, in pre-school children enjoy drawing, construction tasks and vehicle play.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children use suitable resources, both age appropriate and those to present a realistic and effective challenge. Posters, resources and books reflect positive images of diversity. In the out of school care club children are busily engaged in a pool tournament. Management supplies a trophy that is held at home for a week by the child who wins. Other children share the computer game or the free choice painting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff have a good relationship with parents and give importance to the sharing of information. Children's individual care and well-being is fully supported. Parents note on documentation all relevant details about their child to enable appropriate care to be given. There are arrangements in place for staff to exchange information about a child and the day's events when the child is collected. Partnership with parents is enhanced by the staff’s professional yet friendly approach when parents come to collect their child. In addition to this, parents receive a newsletter and an attractive informative notice board in each room illustrates all relevant information.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Effective recruitment procedures mean that safe and suitable practitioners work with the children. An induction programme for new staff informs them of the routine, policies and

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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 procedures of the club. Staff have the opportunity to attend training to refresh their knowledge base and update their skills. Children's welfare and all round development is supported. Staff work well together to ensure children are supervised at all times. Staff are aware to keep children safe from persons who have not undertaken a vetting procedure and are extra vigilant on outings.

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Organisation

Children play in tidy, uncluttered rooms with easy access to an enclosed outdoor play area. These areas give space for free movement and exploration. Children's needs are met as staff manage their time effectively. They attend to children's developmental needs and interests in the provision of suitable resources.

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Organisation

Policies and procedures are in place, though not fully carried out, for example, the fire drill. However, documentation held is in line with the National Standards for day care and, on the whole, is used to support the welfare of children. It relates to the planning and delivery of care and education in pre-school and reflects the care in the out of school club. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Not applicable, this is the first inspection since registration.

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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. 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

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • promote good hygiene practice in the toilets, to prevent the risk of cross contamination • monitor the heat of radiators for children's safety • carry out fire drills on a regular basis in both the play group and the out of school care club.

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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

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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

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