Gordon Day Care Nursery Ltd

Gordon Day Care Nursery Ltd Inspection report for early years provision

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EY372626 Unique Reference Number 01 July 2008 Inspection date Valerie Thomas Inspector

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Albany Works, Moorland Road, Burslem, Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, ST6 1EB

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E-mail

Gordon Day Care Nursery Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day 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 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 good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Gordon Day Care Nursery Limited opened in 2008 and previously operated as B.A.S.K.C since 1989. The setting operates from a refurbished school building situated close to the town centre of Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. A maximum of 78 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The setting is open each weekday from 07.20 until 17.45.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 100 children aged from birth to 11 years on roll. Of these, 10 receive funding for early education. The setting supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Children are taken to and collected from a number of schools in the local and surrounding areas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 14 members of staff who work with the children. Of these, 13 hold appropriate early years qualifications and one is working towards a recognised early years qualification.

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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 clear procedures and routines implemented to ensure that children fully understand the importance of good personal hygiene. Young ones wash their hands before they have a drink and eat their lunch and staff talk to children about why they need to wash their hands when they have touched the grass in the park. Children know that they have germs on their hands and that they need to wash them when they get back to the nursery. During nappy changes staff wear protective clothing and clean all surfaces between changes which helps to prevent the spread of infection. The nursery has a clear policy in place for children who have infectious illnesses in that they are excluded for a specific period until they are no longer infectious to others. This helps to promote children's good health.

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Helping children to be healthy

Physical development is promoted satisfactorily although younger children do not have sufficient opportunities to play outside in the fresh air. As the nursery has no outdoor play area children are taken to the nearby park across from the nursery. However, for young children this is sometimes only once or twice a week. This does not help children to fully develop a healthy lifestyle. When they do visit the park they thoroughly enjoy running around in the large open spaces and have lots of fun as they kick the balls along the grass. Young ones squeal with delight when they see the water fountain rain down on the ducks and older ones excitedly run around looking for insects to put in their little carriers. Older children enjoy jumping and hopping around, trying to do star jumps and running after staff to catch them.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from a healthy and nutritional diet. Their individual needs are fully discussed and recorded with parents and all staff are made aware so that children's health is not compromised. Menus are planned on a rota basis to ensure that children have a varied and healthy diet. At lunch time staff sit and talk with the children, explaining that they will be big and strong if they eat all of their meals and lots of praise is given. Children attending the out of school club are involved in a 'Smile Project' where they have helped to devise more healthy menus and discussed oral hygiene. Displays of how to promote healthy eating are available in the main corridor which gives parents useful information that they can use for planning menus in the home. This helps to develop positive attitudes towards healthy eating.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. There is good space within the setting to provide children with a varied range of activities. Children attending the out of school club have the use of the rooms on the first floor while younger ones are cared for on the ground floor. All rooms are brightly decorated with lots of posters, children's art work and displays of what children have been involved in. There are sufficient toilets for children to use although the ones used by younger ones do not offer privacy to ensure their dignity is respected.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff have developed wonderful sensory play areas for the Tiny Tots room and the Pre-school room which offer a wide range of materials for children to explore. The range of toys for play indoors is good and they are organised effectively in all rooms to ensure children have easy access. They are stored in low storage containers and on low shelving to allow children to make decisions about their play.

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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 Generally, there are appropriate procedures in place to keep children safe most of the time. Security for the nursery is good. The main door is kept locked and staff monitor access at all times. Risk assessments are completed for indoor play and any outings undertaken. However, one of the fire extinguishers is not stored securely and potentially poses a hazard to children's safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children learn the importance of keeping themselves safe through the clear boundaries set by staff. They know that they must walk by the wall and hold hands with their partner when they go to the park. Staff implement very effective procedures to keep young ones safe if a dog approaches them in the park. They gather all children close to them and instruct them to stay still until the dog leaves. Regular fire drills ensure that children in the out of school club know exactly which door they need to go out of and where they need to stand. They also know that when they walk to school they need to wait for staff to go to the middle of the road and can only cross when staff tell them to. This promotes children's safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Child protection procedures implemented help to ensure that children's welfare is safeguarded. Staff have a satisfactory understanding of signs and symptoms that may indicate abuse and are aware of the correct procedures for reporting any concerns. They are aware of what to do if there is an allegation made against staff although the child protection policy does not fully reflect the procedures discussed.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children experience a varied range of activities each day which contributes to their development and ensures they are happy and enjoy their time in the setting. Their individual needs are met well and their welfare is promoted through staff providing good support and children show much interest as they play in the various rooms. Young children thoroughly enjoy their time in the park and staff extend their learning as they talk to them about the size and colour of the dog and make chains with the daisies. Staff promote children's language well as they encourage children to take part in the singing session. Children choose the objects from the bag for the rhymes they want to sing and have lots of fun as they pretend they have ears like Peter Rabbit. Young ones develop relationships with each other as they play in the role play area making drinks and look at books together in the book corner.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

There is clear planning in place for younger children which links to the 'Birth to three matters' framework. It shows that opportunities for sensory play are very good with children able to explore the texture of baked beans, gloop and mud. Children aged two-and-a-half years up to the age where they can receive Government funding are cared for in the same room as the older children and engage in the same activities. However, staff are very aware of the capabilities of all of the children in their key worker group and adapt activities accordingly. Regular observations as children play are completed with their individual interests recorded and these are used to inform planning for the following week.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's independence is developed well. Young children are encouraged to manage their self-care when they go to the bathroom and to feed themselves at lunch time. Older ones are skilled at serving their own lunch and confidently take their plate to the cook when they have finished. The constant use of praise by staff for their efforts develops children's confidence even further. Consequently, children are learning to become self-sufficient.

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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 This inspection did not include any observations of children playing in the out of school club. However, discussions with the children show that they 'love going to the club' and that they 'like everything'. They excitedly describe the various trips they have taken part in, saying how they went hunting for crocodiles and eagerly show the photographs of them at the 'Snow Dome'. Children are very happy and have good relationships with the staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Planning of activities is detailed. There are clear learning intentions which link to the stepping stones and these are differentiated for the varied abilities of children. It provides good detail to enable all staff to deliver the educational programme and most areas are covered. However, regular opportunities for children to develop all aspects of their physical development are not fully planned for. The assessment system is effective with clear targets for children's learning and regular observations and photographs to show how they are progressing. Staff's understanding of the Foundation Stage is good and they use this knowledge to incorporate the six areas of learning during child-choice activities. Staff sit with the children encouraging conversation, engaging in their play and building positive relationships with them. However, children are not always sufficiently challenged to develop

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

their language for thinking and imagination. Staff manage behaviour very well with clear boundary setting. Children know that Gita the puppet says good sitting and good listening for circle time and that they need to tidy away when they hear the music. There is a good range of resources to promote children's learning and they are organised very effectively to promote their independence.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children concentrate well as they take part in a wide range of activities. They are keen to take part in the 'Bear Hunt' story and enjoy putting their arms up and over and down and under as they join in with the actions. They sit and listen well when they try to guess which instrument they can hear as they sit in the park. Relationships with each other are good. Children know and understand the rules of the setting well. They know that they need to wear a band when they are playing in the role play area so that there are not too many children at any one time. Children's language skills are developing and they are confident to talk about their news at circle time. They sit with staff to look at books and show good recall when they answer questions. However, they are not sufficiently encouraged to predict what might happen or explain their thinking through open-ended questions. Children's literacy skills are developing well. Children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

find their name when they paint their picture and attempt to write the letters. Many other opportunities for children to practise their emergent writing skills exist. There is writing equipment in the jungle area and staff show children that writing can be used for a purpose as they write a shopping list with the children in the role play area.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use and understand numbers well during activities. They count how many days of the week there are during registration and confidently count up to eight legs on the picture of the lotto card. During the game of lotto children develop their knowledge of calculation. They count how many fish they have on their card and know when the number of fish on the other card is the same or different. Children show a good understanding of size and shape. They confidently show staff that they want a big cucumber from the shops by spreading their arms out wide and are able to name the various shaped bean bags set out on the shelf. Children have good opportunities to develop their exploration and investigation skills. They learn about change through planting sunflower seeds and looking at the life cycle of a butterfly, and excitedly look for insects in the park to put in their carriers. Children are competent at using

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

the computer and confidently move and click the mouse to activate the pictures on the screen, making Flump wobble and dance.

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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 show good control as they use the pencils and pens to write their name and use their cutlery at lunch time. They have lots of fun in the park as they run after the staff to catch them, stopping and starting safely and practise their jumping and hopping skills together. However, they do not have many opportunities to develop their skills for climbing, balancing and riding wheeled toys. Children demonstrate a good knowledge of colour as they describe what colours they can see in the rainbow when they go to the park. Opportunities to explore a wide range of textures are good. Planning shows that they explore mud, make models with clay and children sit and concentrate well as they roll the dough to make different shapes. Samples of children's art show that free expression is encouraged and children make their own patterns as they paint

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. There is a varied range of resources which portrays positive images of culture, gender and disability which helps to develop children's understanding of diversity. These include, small world equipment, dressing-up clothes and many posters displayed throughout the setting. Staff develop children's knowledge of the wider world through a range of interesting activities such as visiting the Apedale Heritage Centre and going to the local shop to buy fish for a food tasting activity. There is good support for children attending with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Staff work closely with parents to identify their child's needs and plan specific targets together, to help their child progress. Children have their 'Passport to an enjoyable day' displayed to ensure they are always supported appropriately. There is an identified Special Educational Needs Coordinator who has an effective understanding of the 'Code of Practice'

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Helping children make a positive contribution

and all staff are involved. This ensures all children are included and their well-being is promoted.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's behaviour is managed effectively by staff. Clear boundaries are set and children respond quickly and positively at all times. Young children learn that they need to share and not take the ball off their peer when playing in the park and soon become distracted as they run after a different ball. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Older children are told they are kind for fetching a knife and fork for their friend at lunch time. Good use of praise and encouragement helps to build children's self-esteem well. Children enjoy receiving smiley faces for their efforts and proudly put them in their little pots hoping to achieve the 'Star of the Week' award. High priority is given to displaying children's work throughout the nursery and out of school club which helps children to feel valued and good about themselves.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Positive relationships with parents are promoted. All policies and procedures are displayed in a folder in the main corridor with one policy highlighted each month to develop parents' awareness further. Additional information such as details on how to promote healthy eating and planning of activities with photographs are also displayed in the rooms and corridors. There are clear procedures implemented to help new children settle with detailed information gathered on the child's individual routine and needs. Children have their family photos displayed and they are able to carry these around with them. This helps them to feel secure. Each child has a daily diary where staff record details of how the child has been during the day and observations that staff make of children's progress are actively shared with parents. Consequently, this enables parents and staff to work together to meet the needs of the child.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers of funded children is good. Regular newsletters are sent home which include the activities the children will take part in and how they link to the six areas of learning and planning is also displayed for parents to view. The setting actively

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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 encourages parents to be involved in their child's learning in meaningful ways. For example, they are given ideas such as looking in the garden for mini-beasts and counting out the cutlery for tea. Children's progress is actively shared through discussion at the end of each day and inviting parents in to view the observation records for their child on a regular basis. This enables parents to be involved and support their child's development and learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Recruitment procedures are adequate and ensure all staff are appropriately vetted with relevant checks completed. Generally, the system for the induction of new staff is appropriate. However, the arrangements to promote staff development are not robust and are not fully effective in identifying if there are any gaps in staff knowledge. All required documentation is in place and all records are stored securely to ensure confidentiality. There is a detailed operational plan to show how the nursery operates. However, the written child protection policy is not fully reflective of what procedures would be implemented in the event of an allegation made against staff. This does not fully promote children's welfare.

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Organisation

There is a good level of qualified staff who work with the children. They are experienced and attend additional training courses to keep their knowledge updated. For example, 'Cultural Awareness', 'Emotional and Social Needs of Children' and the nursery have taken part in a 'Letters and Sounds' project. This helps to broaden children's experiences and increases staff knowledge of childcare issues, impacting on the quality of care provided.

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Organisation

Generally, the setting is organised appropriately to meet children's needs. Children's independence is very much encouraged through the way resources are organised in the rooms and this enables them to make decisions about their play inside. Staff demonstrate caring and attentive attitudes which results in children being happy and relaxed in the setting. Overall, children's needs are met.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of funded children is good. There is a clear system to monitor and review practices through staff meetings and advice from external agencies. Staff attend Cluster Group meetings with other providers and visit other settings to observe and discuss practices to extend their knowledge and enhance the practice in the nursery. The recent changes to how progress is observed are a clear indication that individualised learning is a top priority for the nursery. Consequently, this ensures children are making good progress towards the early learning goals.

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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 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 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 children's good health is promoted through increased opportunities to be active outdoors • make sure toilets are suitable for use; this refers to ensuring the dignity and privacy of children is respected • ensure there is a robust system to promote staff development and that all policies reflect how the setting operates • make sure that fire extinguishers are stored safely.

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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): • plan more effectively to ensure there are increased opportunities for children to use a varied range of small and large equipment to develop their skills for climbing, balancing and using wheeled toys • ensure that questioning during activities encourages children to develop their language skills for thinking and developing their imagination.

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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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