Graffham Nursery School

Graffham Nursery School Inspection report for early years provision

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EY358768 Unique Reference Number 19 June 2008 Inspection date Jacqui Lloyd / Joanne Lindsey Caswell Inspector

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Graffham First School, Graffham, PETWORTH, West Sussex, GU28 0NJ Setting Address

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01798 867324 Telephone number office@graftham.w-sussex.sch.uk E-mail Graffham Nursery School Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional care Type of care

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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?

Graffham Nursery School registered in these premises in 2007, however, it has been running since 1997. It runs from a self contained building within the grounds of Graffham Infants School which is situated in a semi-rural location close to Petworth in West Sussex. There are currently 32 children on roll and of these 23 are in receipt of funding for nursery education.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Children have sole use of the building and have access to the school grounds and school hall. There are currently eight members of staff employed to work with the children. There are systems in place to support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who have English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group is open during term time only from 09:10 - 12:10 Monday to Friday. Children also have the opportunity to stay on until 13:00 on Monday to Thursday for a lunch club.

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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. There are some effective procedures in place to keep children healthy. Staff act as good role models and help children to understand the importance of hand washing routines. As a result, children clearly recognise why they must wash their hands after toileting, after playing outside and before eating to protect themselves from germs and infection. Written records, such as accident and medication forms contribute towards promoting children’s good health and recording necessary information regarding children’s welfare.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff maintain a generally healthy and hygienic environment. Tables are cleaned thoroughly before eating with anti-bacterial spray. Staff wear gloves and aprons for nappy changing routines and ensure the changing mat is kept clean between use. However, at present, there are insufficient procedures in place for the hygienic disposal of soiled nappies, which impacts on children’s health and welfare.

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Helping children to be healthy

There are many opportunities for children to play outside and benefit from fresh air and exercise. The rural setting enables children to enjoy many activities outside and staff provide appropriate waterproof and protective clothing ensuring outside play can take place all year round. Children make full use of the school grounds, garden and outside play facilities enabling them to enjoy active, physical play on a daily basis.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from healthy and nutritious snacks. Parents provide fresh fruit and raw vegetables which children enjoy eating at the newly-created ‘snack bar’. Drinking waters is always readily accessible, ensuing children can access drinks when they are thirsty. Appropriate procedures are in place for the safe storage of children’s packed lunches. This ensures children’s health is promoted as food served to children is stored safely.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The nursery room offers a bright, colourful and attractive environment for children. The new nursery manager has reviewed the organisation and layout of equipment and furniture, creating an exciting and spacious learning environment. The outside area and school facilities are utilised well to increase the play and learning opportunities available. Good attention is given towards security and effective staff deployment ensures children are consistently kept safe. At present, the layout of the toilets does not sufficiently promote children’s privacy, due to the lack of individual cubicles and doors. As a result, the premises are not totally effective in promoting children’s privacy whilst using the toilets.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff are vigilant regarding children’s safety and take appropriate precautions to keep children safe. For example, the kitchen area is made inaccessible and there are emergency evacuation procedures in place. Although risk assessments are carried out, the procedures for implementing these are not sufficiently robust. As a result, when the nursery moved to its new building, the risk assessment was not updated and amended. Consequently, a formal risk assessment has not been appropriately undertaken on the nursery classroom.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children’s welfare is promoted effectively as staff have a secure knowledge of their responsibilities regarding safeguarding children. Staff complete appropriate training and written

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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 policies clearly outline the procedures to follow if staff have any concerns about a child in their care. This ensures staff implement necessary action to promote children’s safety and well-being.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children enjoy their time spent at the nursery school and develop a positive attitude towards learning. They enjoy close and caring relationships with the staff and relate well to their peers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have a good knowledge of the children and their parents, and they are warmly greeted each session. This enables children to feel confident and secure in the setting. Children arrive happy at the beginning of the session and settle quickly to their self-chosen activity.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff plan an appropriate range of play and learning opportunities for the children, who are making sound progress towards the early learning goals. Children enjoy taking part in a range of activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Some members of staff are currently working towards increasing their knowledge and skills by completing appropriate training. The manager has a good understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and has recently made many significant changes and improvements to the nursery education provision. Staff are beginning to provide some opportunities for child initiated play although these are still limited.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The format for planning and assessment has also been revised very recently and has not yet been fully implemented. Previous planning formats have not always taken into account the individual learning needs of the children. Staff are beginning to address this by staring to plan for the children's individual needs and they have also started to use observations of the children to plan for future learning. For example, children recently enjoyed a painting activity and demonstrated an interest in developing this further. Staff responded well to this and provided children with the resources and support to enable them to extend this by painting directly onto the windows of the nursery. Children clearly enjoyed this as they proudly showed their parents their pictures. On another occasion, when children began to engage in 'superhero' play, staff again responded well to this by planning an activity that extended this area of interest and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

allowed children to develop their ideas further.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing an understanding of mathematical concepts such as size and shape and are provided with resources and opportunities by staff to enable them to build upon this understanding.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Some aspects of the routine can result in children sitting for long periods of time, waiting for the next activity. This results in children becoming restless and not being able to utilise all opportunities for play and learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have easy access to painting materials and other resources that enable them to be creative. Children thoroughly enjoy playing with cornflour 'gloop' and talk proudly about the play dough they have made the day before. They confidently identify the colours of the play dough whilst playing with it and use descriptive language to talk about the activities they are engaged in. Most children recognise their own names as they find their name labels to self register as they arrive.

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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 Staff enable children to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world as they provide children with resources and activities that help children to learn about the role of others, different countries and festivals.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are able to take part in a range of activities that provide them with sufficient challenge and activities that cover all areas of learning, however, many of these activities are structured and adult-led. There are few opportunities for children to initiate their own play and enjoy sufficient time to explore their own ideas.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy playing outside in the well resourced outdoor play area which helps them to develop their physical skills. They have good opportunities to reinforce and develop their skills using a range of equipment. They use the large climbing frame, climb in and out of the boat, use ride on toys and play with a variety of other resources that support physical development. Children also use a range of tools which require hand-eye co-ordination such as pencils, threading resources and musical instruments.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are treated equally and fairly. Staff know the children well and the new nursery manager has very quickly formed warm and positive relationships with all children. Most staff are very aware of children’s personal needs and treat children with courtesy and respect. There is satisfactory provision in place within curriculum planning to help children learn about the wider world. For example, recently children learnt about different countries and art work on display reflects work on Africa.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

There is provision in place to support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Staff utilise their knowledge of each child to recognise any specific needs and work collaboratively with parents and external agencies to provide necessary support. Although there is a designated Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator in place, she has not completed relevant training. Therefore, her knowledge of the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice is limited. This impacts on the effectiveness of how the setting provides appropriate care for children with identified needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well. They form positive relationships with their peers and enjoy making friends at nursery. Children play together co-operatively and show care and respect for each other. Generally, most staff manage children’s behaviour effectively, by offering plenty of praise and positive recognition. Most staff celebrate children’s achievements and recognise positive action. However, not all staff implement the nursery’s written Behaviour Management policy effectively or consistently. As a result, the behaviour management strategies implemented by some staff do not sufficiently reward and reinforce positive behaviour and are not always appropriate for the age and level of understanding of the children. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Parents are warmly welcomed into the nursery and staff make themselves available to discuss children’s progress and any concerns. The nursery manager has introduced good strategies to encourage parents to share their views on the nursery with the use of a compliments book and all curriculum plans are freely displayed for parents’ reference. Written policies are also made available. However, there are limited further opportunities for parents to become more closely involved in their children’s learning and development and to contribute towards activities and topic work.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. There are appropriate procedures in place to ensure that all staff working with children complete necessary checks and undergo relevant vetting procedures. All staff have a sound understanding of the National Standards and effective arrangements are in place to ensure that relevant staffing ratios are consistently adhered to.

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Organisation

The organisation of the daily routine is satisfactory and there are opportunities for children to enjoy a wide range of play and learning opportunities. However, sometimes the opportunities for children to benefit from uninterrupted, child-initiated play and learning is limited.

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Organisation

An effective staff induction programme ensures that all staff understand the nursery’s policies and procedures. Staff have access to further training and are beginning to develop their knowledge of developing early years practice. Regulatory documentation is maintained appropriately. All records are stored securely and confidentially.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery is good. The nursery manager has only been in post for several weeks. However, she has made a dynamic impact in reviewing practice and evaluating where improvements are necessary. The combination of a strong manager and a highly committed management committee ensures that weaknesses in practice are consistently identified and strategies are put in place to bring about improvement. There are now strong links in place between the nursery manager and the school headteacher, board of governors and the reception class teacher. This ensures the delivery of the Foundation Stage curriculum is consistently reviewed, updated and planned in accordance with children’s personal needs.

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Organisation

The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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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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 AND 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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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 provision for disposing of nappies hygienically • review the premises to ensure children can use the toilets with privacy • improve the provision for supporting children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities by ensuing the nominated Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator has access to necessary training • improve the provision for behaviour management by ensuring all staff apply a consistent and positive approach which reflect the nursery’s written policies • improve the provision for safety to ensure that all areas used by children are consistently covered by risk assessments

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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): • continue to develop the planning and assessment records to ensure staff plan for children's individual needs and make use of observation to plan for future learning and development • provide further opportunities for children to initiate their own learning and have sufficient uninterrupted time to explore their own ideas • continue to develop strategies to encourage parents to become more involved in the children's learning

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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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