Setting

Serendipity's Day Nursery and Pre School Inspection report for early years provision

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EY355547 Unique Reference Number 22 May 2008 Inspection date Ros Church Inspector

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79 Appleton Gate, NEWARK, Nottinghamshire, NG24 1LP Setting Address

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E-mail

Serendipitys (Day Nursery) Child Care Services Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day 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 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?

Serendipity's Day Nursery and Pre-School opened in 2007. The nursery is one of three nurseries run by the same provider in Nottinghamshire. It operates from a large house in Newark which was formally used as a nursery. The nursery is on two floors and uses a variety of rooms for different ages. Three separate enclosed areas are used for outdoor play. There is a car park for the cars of both staff and parents. The nursery is within walking distance of Newark town centre. The provision is open five days a week, Monday to Friday 07:00 to 18:00 throughout the year except for bank holidays.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A maximum of 47 children may attend at any one time. There are currently 85 children from nine months to six years on roll. Of these, 15 children receive funding for early education. Children attend both full and part-time. The setting currently supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs 15 childcare staff. Of these, 12 staff have completed recognised early years qualifications and three are working towards a qualification. The setting receives support from the Nottinghamshire Local Authority.

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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's health is promoted throughout the nursery. Staff follow effective procedures to help prevent the risk of cross-infection. For example, staff ensure tables and highchairs are cleaned prior to meals and snacks. All staff are aware of and use the different coloured cloths for varied cleaning jobs. They follow good hygiene procedures when changing nappies, ensuring that areas are kept clean and disposable gloves and aprons are worn. Children learn about the importance of good hygiene as they learn to wash their hands after using the toilet, following messy activities and before eating, pre-school children learn to carry out this routine independently. Younger children and babies use individual flannels for wiping their faces which is effective in preventing cross-infection. Children are well protected if they have an accident or become poorly, staff ensure that at least one person who has a first aid qualification is

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Helping children to be healthy

present in the nursery or on outings. A sickness exclusion policy is shared with the parents to ensure children only attend the nursery when they are well enough to do so. Clear systems are in place for administering and recording medication which may be required, this ensures children's health.

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Helping children to be healthy

All children within the nursery have good opportunities for fresh air and exercise as staff make good use of the enclosed outdoor areas, and local outings. A broad range of activities are set out within the outdoor areas which promote a wide range of physical skills for all abilities. Children enjoy steering and pedalling the tricycles, using the climbing and balancing equipment and joining in with ball games. The two separate garden areas provide opportunities for children to dig, plant flowers and vegetables, or for the babies to practise their crawling and walking skills.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are well nourished and have a good balance of healthy meals and snacks. A wide selection of nutritious meals and snacks are freshly prepared by the nursery cook. Staff work well with the parents to ensure children's dietary requirements and routines are met. Weaning babies are well catered for, their food is pureed or chopped depending on their stage of development. Children sit together for meals and snacks within their own group rooms, this provides a social occasion where children are encouraged to develop their independence skills such as feeding themselves using appropriate cutlery. Pre-school children and toddlers are able to access drinking water as they require, whilst babies are provided with drinks according to their individual needs and routines.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. A welcoming, safe and secure indoor and outdoor environment is provided for children. They are cared for in rooms according to their age and ability. The two rooms for babies which are separated by a safety gate ensure that both mobile and non-mobile babies are cared for in a safe area, providing space for babies to practise their skills of crawling and walking in safety. Rooms are bright and colourful with children's art work displayed on the walls, and individual touches such as curtains at the windows give the nursery a homely feel. A good range of toys and activities are set out on tables or floor areas, play resources and equipment are safe, well maintained and suitable for children's needs and development.

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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 Children remain safe within all areas of the nursery because there are effective systems in place to identify and minimise any risks, and policies and procedures which guide practice. These are followed by all staff to ensure children are kept safe. Staff follow clear safety procedures and ensure risk assessments are carried out prior to taking children out on outings. Good security procedures are in place, the main entrance door is kept locked and a bell alerts staff of parents and visitors to the nursery. Children are supervised at a level that is appropriate to their age, level of understanding and ability so that they are protected from accidents whilst developing their independence. Sleeping babies and toddlers are visually checked and monitored to ensure their safety. Children develop an awareness of safety through discussions with staff and practical

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

activities such as how to sweep spilt sand off the floor to prevent themselves and others from slipping. During outings children learn about road safety. Staff have a sound understanding of the procedures regarding safeguarding children, clear policies are in place which guide staff. Good induction procedures ensure that new staff are fully informed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and enjoy their time at the nursery. Staff interact well with the children and ensure their individual needs and routines are met. For example, young babies rest and eat according to their individual needs, providing consistency with their home routines. Young children and babies have a clear bond with the staff who work with them and readily seek comfort and support from them. Children receive good levels of adult support which allows them to initiate their own activities and learn at their own pace which increases their confidence and ability to make choices. Staff encourage children's language at an appropriate level throughout the nursery. For example, within the baby and toddler rooms staff use language to encourage children's play and provide reassurance where needed. Children enjoy learning new songs and action rhymes.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff use the 'Birth to three matters' framework to plan a good range of activities for the younger children, these include a broad range of activities which encourage sensory development. For example, babies and young children enjoy exploring different media and materials such as paint, shredded paper, spaghetti, cornflour and jelly. However, some creative activities which are provided for the babies do not always meet their individual developmental needs and enable them to gain the most from the activity. Children develop good relationships with staff and make friendships within their groups. For example, toddlers enjoy painting alongside each other, they watch one another whilst painting, they copy actions and respond with laughter.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are making good progress towards the early learning goals because staff have a clear understanding of the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. Staff plan together a broad range of activities which take account of children's developmental needs. Planning clearly links to the Foundation Stage, it identifies learning intentions and how activities can be adapted for different abilities. The six areas of learning are covered within both the indoor and outdoor areas. Planning is flexible to enable children to gain as many experiences as possible. For example, an outdoor activity is changed to include gardening to ensure the planting of small shrubs and plants is done in suitable weather conditions. Children's assessments are carried out regularly, these are based on observations of children's learning, from this information their next steps in learning are

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

identified and shared with the parents. Staff use their time well interacting with the children

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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 and encouraging their development. They have some good teaching methods which include supporting children's learning by encouraging them to think and ask questions. Staff use various effective strategies to encourage children's achievements and manage their behaviour, this includes recording their achievements, good behaviour and helpfulness on a paper leaf and attaching it to the good behaviour tree. The room is well organised with a range of activities easily accessible for the children and additional equipment stored within containers around the room. However, although a good range of activities are available within the creative area such as painting, sand, water, play dough and collage, fewer additional resources and materials are easily accessible to enable children to independently extend their play and creativity and which

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

provide appropriate challenge to more able children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are motivated to learn and have fun as a good range of activities are available, their independence skills are developing well as they make their choice of play activity within the room and outdoor areas. Children are confident within the nursery and make good relationships with staff and one another, many children have special friends within the group with whom they share their experiences. Children's language is developing well and many children are confident talkers, where they have conversations with both adults and peers, and talk about their interests and experiences throughout the day. A good variety of opportunities are provided which help children link sounds to letters and learn to recognise familiar words. For example, children learn the letter of the week, they identify objects within the room beginning with that letter. Their learning is extended further by children using the digital camera and taking

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

photographs of the items, these are then printed and displayed enabling children to use information technology equipment to support their learning. Children enjoy looking at books and listening to stories both in small and larger groups. They learn to use books and other resources such as the internet as a device for learning about the world around them. For example, a group of children with the help of an adult use the computer to find out more about different types of vehicles such as diggers and snow ploughs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children show interest in their local environment and they have good opportunities to explore the garden area and learn about the plants, insects and birds. For example, a group of children learn about different plants and how to care for them as they plant the cuttings and small shrubs such as dahlia, pansies and lavender. Children show interest in counting and numbers and throughout the day they learn to count, recognise numbers and use mathematical language. For example, children count the number of plant pots and describe the size needed for the individual plant. A well-equipped mathematics area enables children to develop their skills in counting, sorting, learning about pattern, size and shape. Children have good opportunities for imaginative and role play within both the indoor and outdoor areas, staff interact well with the children and provide additional resources to extend their play and imagination further. For

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

example, a group of children after watering the plants pretend to be fire fighters they use the watering cans as props to put out a pretend fire, children's play is then extended further by having the use of running water through a hose pipe. Children enjoy songs and rhymes and learning new ones, and use a good range of musical instruments where they learn the names and the different sounds made by each instrument.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are welcomed into the setting and are valued and respected. Positive steps are taken within the nursery to promote children's self-esteem and sense of belonging in the nursery. For example, pre-school children have their own trays where their work and personal belongings are kept. Children's art work is valued and displayed on the walls. Younger children's

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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 family photographs are displayed which promotes their sense of belonging in the nursery. Staff work well with the parents and carers to meet babies and children's individual needs and ensure that they are fully included in the setting. The nursery has good systems in place to ensure the needs of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are met. Children learn about their own community and the wider world through a good range of activities and resources. For example, children go on outings within the local area these include the library, park, market, museum and castle. A wide variety of activities reflecting different festivals are provided and projects such as the 'Mundi' project which the nursery is involved in help children to learn about their own community and the wider world. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Helping children make a positive contribution

development is fostered. Children's behaviour is good, they make positive relationships with one another and learn to play cooperatively together. Staff are good role models and manage children's behaviour positively taking account of their individual understanding and maturity. Positive strategies for promoting good behaviour and achievements are used such as lots of praise and encouragement and the use of stickers and certificates.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff work closely with the parents, they have a good knowledge of children's individual needs through effective communication. This includes daily talks with the parents about children's care. Parents of babies receive a daily diary sheet with information on individual care, including feeds, sleep, nappy change and general information such as activities. Parents of new children to the nursery receive a prospectus giving good information about the settings aims and the individual group rooms. Policies and procedures are available to parents in a folder within the entrance area. Parents are kept well informed about what is happening within the nursery through regular newsletters. Parents are encouraged to express their views and ideas through questionnaires and daily communication. Children's developmental assessment records are available for parents to view as they require or at the planned open evenings. The partnership

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Helping children make a positive contribution

with parents and carers of children in receipt of funding for early education is good. Parents are given clear information about the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage so they understand how their children are being taught. Regular newsletters are given to parents outlining activities which pre-school children have been involved in during the week, this helps to extend children's learning to the home environment. Parents are kept well informed of their child's development through regular progress reports and information on their next steps in learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are protected as there are effective recruitment and selection procedures in place. Procedures ensure that all staff have been vetted and are safe and suitable to be in contact with children. Thorough induction procedures ensure new staff have a good understanding of the nursery's policies and procedures, this promotes the safety and welfare of the children. Children are looked after by caring and enthusiastic staff, of whom the majority have a Level 3 qualification or above. The effective appraisal programme enables staff and management to identify opportunities for further professional development. Staff are committed to developing their knowledge and undertake various courses and training to enable them to provide good levels of care and education which benefit the children. Comprehensive policies and procedures are in place and are regularly updated to ensure they are in line with any changes to promote

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Organisation

children's safety and welfare. All the required children's records are in place, well maintained and kept confidential.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of early education is good. The provider, managers and staff are committed to improving the nursery education for children and all work well together. The

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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 pre-school staff are all involved in the planning of activities and assessing children's development. Managers are very supportive of the staff, they have good systems in place to monitor and evaluate the provision, these include using discussions, observations, regular meetings, and opportunities to work with local authority development staff to identify areas for development and future improvements which benefit the children.

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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 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 play opportunities and first hand experiences are appropriate to individual needs and development, with reference to creative activities for babies.

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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 the range of resources and materials, ensuring these are easily accessible and provide appropriate challenge for more able children, with particular regard to the creative area.

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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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