Little Bo Peep Nursery

Little Bo Peep Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY367240 Unique Reference Number 10 July 2008 Inspection date Sally Wride Inspector

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Little Bo Peep Nursery, 33 Pepper Street, Inkberrow, Worcester, WR7 4EW

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Setting Address

01386 793102 Telephone number littlebopeepnursery@yahoo.co.uk E-mail Little Bo Peep Limited Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Out of School 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?

Little Bo Peep Nursery originally opened in 2001 and re-registered in 2008 to a limited company. It operates from three rooms in a converted house in the village of Inkberrow. The nursery serves the local community and surrounding area and has strong links with the local school. There is a fully enclosed play area available for outdoor play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 28 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 58 children from seven-months to four-years-old on roll. This includes 21 funded children. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and has procedures in place to support children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The group opens five days a week for 51 weeks of the year from 08:00 until 18:00.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 12 members of staff who work with the children. Of these, eight have early years qualifications to National Vocational Qualification Level 3. Two members of staff are graduates in Early Years. The setting receives support from the local authority and works in close partnership with external agencies and health professionals. The setting has recently been

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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 successful in obtaining a bronze award in the Promoting Health In Early Years Settings accreditation programme.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children benefit from a care environment that is clean and well maintained. Their good health is promoted through effective cleaning routines, such as toys cleaned on a rota basis to ensure that they are clean and hygienic for the children to use. Children develop an understanding of good hygiene practice as they wash their hands at appropriate times using good quality hand washing resources and facilities. Older children manage their own toileting and hand washing with increasing independence but benefit from staff who are alert to remind them that they need to flush the toilet and wash their hands. Children receive good care in the event of an accident because all staff have current first aid training. Staff keep accurate records of any accident that occurs and ensure that these are signed by parents. Children are protected from cross-infection because the nursery has a clear policy in place, which is openly shared with

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Helping children to be healthy

parents to ensure they are fully informed.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have good opportunities to develop healthy eating habits. Many of them have nursery lunches and these are varied and nutritious and include a range of vegetables in the menus, ensuring that children develop an understanding of healthy option foods. At snack time all children make decisions about what they would like to eat from a choice of different fruits, such as apples and oranges. Babies are well nourished and become independent eaters because staff encourage them to feed themselves as soon as they are ready to try. Older babies learn to drink from a beaker without a lid and fresh drinking water is easily accessible to all children throughout the setting. Children's special dietary needs are well met because parents receive lunch menus in advance and choose which days they wish their child to have meals provided by the nursery.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children develop a good awareness of the importance of fresh air and exercise because they go outside every day, enjoy further physical activities indoors and older children spend one morning a week in 'forest school'. Children in the baby room develop good physical skills because staff know each child well and support their progress. Older children develop an understanding of the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle in terms of exercising regularly and eating well through discussions with staff throughout the day.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children use premises that are safe, suitable, warm and welcoming. The organisation of toys, resources and equipment is attractive and welcoming to children. Children see their own work displayed within their base rooms, as well as posters to support their learning and photographs of themselves on birthday charts. They use a wide range of equipment that is suitable and safe. This is because the staff provide child-sized furniture, equipment and toys that are appropriate for their purpose, are of suitable design and condition and are very well maintained.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children receive care in a safe and secure environment because the owner has assessed and minimised hazards and reviews risk assessments from time to time. A recently installed biometric security system on the front door ensures that only authorised adults are able to enter the

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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 building through recognition of their fingerprints. Regular reminders are sent to parents via newsletters to ensure that they are aware of the importance of not allowing others, including other parents to enter the building.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children learn how to protect themselves because there are clear emergency evacuation procedures which are known to staff. Children have regular opportunities to practise these procedures which ensures that they develop an understanding of the actions to be taken in the event of a fire. Children learn to keep themselves safe because staff encourage them to think about the consequences of their actions. In 'forest school' the older children learn to use tools such as saws safely. On outings they talk about the danger of talking to strangers and learn to cross roads safely. Specific projects that focus, for example, on road safety, highlight safety issues to children and develop their understanding.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is safeguarded because all staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in relation to child protection. They have a good understanding of the known indicators or child abuse and of the action that should be taken in the event of a concern about a child in their care. Effective procedures are in place for the safe arrival and collection of children. This ensures that children are only able to leave with known and authorised adults.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children of all ages settle extremely well in the friendly home from home atmosphere of the nursery. They form good relationships with the staff who work in their particular base rooms and older children begin to develop friendships with others of the same age. Babies make good progress because the staff who work with children under three years of age have a firm understanding of the principles of the 'Birth to three matters' framework and use this knowledge to inform their practice. They plan suitable activities and observe and record children's progress, including a photographic record of their time in nursery, that is given to parents when children leave.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Babies and younger children have fun exploring treasure baskets and a wide range of textures. They use play dough regularly and paint with their hands and brushes when they have the necessary control. They discover different materials as they play with media, such as jelly, spaghetti and shaving foam. They relish music and movement sessions, construct with age-appropriate blocks and enjoy exploring the different sounds that they can make with a range of musical instruments. They enjoy sitting with staff and their peers to look through picture books and listen to stories. They relish time exploring the role play area and resources. They create tracks for their trains and explore their reflections in well positioned mirrors. They enjoy planting seeds and observing growth as they water and nurture their plants. They have great fun tasting their creations, for example, strawberries and tomatoes.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. All children make good progress towards the early learning goals. This is because staff have a good knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum and a solid understanding of how children learn and make progress. Effective systems are in place to enable children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to make progress. Staff are aware of each child's starting points because they see assessments made by staff caring for children prior to their entry to the pre-school room and confirm these with their own observations. Children benefit from planning that includes differentiation for those who are

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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 more or less able and identifies targets for specific children. Staff evaluate activities in terms of their success, but do not always use the information gained to identify further areas of learning required for individual children. Children behave very well and respond positively to the interesting range of planned activities and extensive times of free play. They are enthusiastic learners and progress well because staff manage their time effectively to maximise the time they spend with the children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are very confident and openly introduce themselves to visitors to the setting. They enthusiastically talk to staff and their peers about family activities and what they are doing at the weekend, for example, going camping. Children independently access toileting facilities and manage their self-care needs very well. They receive lots of praise and positive reinforcement from staff for their efforts and achievements which fosters their self-esteem. Children are encouraged to think about their worries and communicate these to staff and their peers during circle time, for example, one child explained that she worries about crocodiles. They confidently talk to and in front of their peers and enjoy good relationships with each other. They are very happy and settled in their care environment and enjoy excellent support from staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Pre-school children enjoy a weekly session in 'forest school' throughout the year. They develop their independence as they put on outdoor clothing. They gain confidence as they take measured risks and explore the outdoor environment. They design and build dens, they make nests in the grass, they use tools, such as saws to chop wood safely and they enjoy a barbeque with toasted teacakes. Children enjoy using a range of construction toys to build models. Older children work together co-operatively on a tower. They use their mathematical skills to decide whether or not the tower is taller than themselves. Staff extend their learning by encouraging them to think about whether their tower is taller than the adult. Many of the children count up to ten or above and the vast majority are able to write their names forming recognisable letters.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children learn to handle books carefully and enjoy looking at books alone or with an adult. They join in with the words and actions of favourite songs with nursery staff and during music sessions with 'Jo Jingles'. This helps them to develop a sense of rhythm. They talk freely to staff and their peers as they play and during snack and meal times. Children see posters and text displayed in their learning environment which helps them to develop an understanding that print carries meaning. They see posters such as the alphabet, opposites and colours and refer to labels on toy boxes to identify what is inside. A phonic learning system helps children to link sounds to their letters. Children have free access to a computer within their base room. They use age-appropriate programmes that often link to other areas of learning, for example, colour, shape and number recognition.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children benefit from opportunities each day to engage in physical activity. They make good use of the garden area as they freely flow from the indoors to the outdoors as part of their play. They use a range of resources and equipment that support and extend their physical control. Children enjoy creative activities such as role play and arts and crafts. They use their small muscle control as they cut out pictures from magazines and stick them on to a collage picture. They draw and colour with a range of writing resources and paint using a range of techniques.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children improve their understanding of our wider society as they play with toys, such as small world people, jigsaws and musical instruments that reflect our diverse society. They discover other cultures and religions as they celebrate a variety of different festivals. For example, they taste Chinese food at Chinese New Year. Children develop their awareness of their local community because the nursery enjoys good links with both the local church and the primary school. They make regular use of the computers at the primary school and they visit the church for a story session that helps them understand moral issues, such as the difference between right and wrong. Effective procedures are in place to identify children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Their needs are met because staff encourage parents to seek help from outside agencies and encourage them to pass on information to help them work with their

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Helping children make a positive contribution

children. They attend training that supports them in their work with children with particular needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the good relationship that the staff have with their parents. Parents receive an informative brochure about the nursery before their child attends. This contains some of the nursery policies and procedures, including information on how to make a complaint. Parents are able to view the settings full range of policies and procedures upon request, however, these are not routinely available which does not ensure that parents are fully informed of how the care of their children is organised. In other respects all parents receive detailed ongoing information about their children's welfare. They talk readily to staff when they collect their children about their children's day, their welfare and activities that they have enjoyed. In addition, parents of children aged under twelve-months receive a written daily diary to support these verbal exchanges of information.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Throughout the nursery, children behave very well. They respond positively to the calm manner of the staff and their consistent expectations for children’s behaviour. They learn to share and to take turns and develop good self-esteem because they are praised when they share toys with others. Older children learn to negotiate with each other over situations, such as taking turns on the computer. Children's challenging behaviour is managed effectively with clear and effective strategies that help children to gain an understanding of right from wrong and the consequences of their actions. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is outstanding. Parents are provided with detailed information about the Foundation Stage curriculum and six areas of learning. They are invited to attend open evenings that are specifically focussed on how their children will be supported to achieve and make progress in all areas of learning through their play. Parents receive regular newsletters that detail information relating to planned activities and events and are able to view planning documents which are openly displayed for their attention. This information enables parents to extend their children's learning from home. All children leaving nursery for school receive a detailed written report at the end of each academic year. A new system is currently being implemented to provide all parents with regular written reports of the progress that their children are making. All parents are invited to attend twice yearly forum meetings

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Helping children make a positive contribution

during which they receive information about the organisation of the setting and childcare and education, such as, how to promote healthy eating, security of the building, information relating to 'forest schools' and how to promote child-initiated play.

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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 good. Children flourish in the well-organised nursery environment and benefit greatly from the experience and expertise of the excellent team of staff who work with them. The vast majority of staff are trained to Level 3 or above, exceeding minimum qualifications requirements significantly. Effective recruitment, vetting, induction and appraisal procedures are in place, ensuring that children are cared for by safe and suitable staff, who have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities and the organisation of the setting. In addition, many staff take additional responsibilities in their roles, such as fire drill officer and funding coordinator. This ensures that all staff are collectively responsible for the efficient running of the setting, which is valued by the owner and managers of the setting. Adult to child ratios are well maintained and as a result children are well supported in their care, learning and development.

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Organisation

All of the required documentation which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being is in place, carefully stored, well-organised and effectively maintained. These are regularly reviewed and are only accessed by staff, ensuring that confidentiality is maintained. The settings range of policies and procedures are routinely updated to ensure that they reflect current good practice and professional advice. They are well known by staff who implement them effectively in their working practice with children.

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Organisation

The leadership and management is good. The owner of the nursery works closely with her two managers to provide clear leadership and direction to an excellent team of staff who work well together as a team. The owner is actively involved in the nursery and is readily accessible to staff. As a result, excellent relationships are established. The owner and managers have a clear vision for the provision of the nursery education, both in the long term to meet the needs of each child in the pre-school room and in the short term to complete the creation of a combined library and quiet area. This new space will enable children to work on a one to one basis with staff and professionals from external agencies, in addition to small group activities, such as sharing stories. The owner of the nursery is committed to investing in her staffs' knowledge of the early years and encourages them to regularly access relevant training courses and more

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Organisation

formal qualifications. This benefits children greatly as staff good practice is refreshed and extended. The owner, managers and whole staff team work together to assess the settings strengths and to identify areas for further improvement. They are all involved in the programme of self-evaluation to identify areas of development to improve their practice further and to evaluate the impact that changes have and continue to make to the children in attendance, in terms of their care, learning and development. Overall the provision 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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Complaints 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

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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): • ensure that policies and procedures are available to parents at all times.

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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 further systems for planning to ensure that next steps of learning are identified for all children.

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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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