Sunrise at Wharton

Sunrise at Wharton Inspection report for early years provision

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EY362409 Unique Reference Number 13 June 2008 Inspection date Rachel Ruth Britten Inspector

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Wharton Children's Centre, Bradbury Road, Winsford, CW7 3HN Setting Address

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E-mail

Over Hall Community Enterprises Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Sessional care, Crèche 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?

Sunrise at Wharton was registered in 2007. It is part of the purpose built Wharton Children's Centre in the Wharton area of Winsford, Cheshire. It is one of two nurseries within children's centres that are owned by Over Hall Community Enterprises Ltd., which is a registered charity. The nursery is open each weekday from 08.00 to 18.00 for 51 weeks of the year. The crèche opens on a flexible basis to support children and families attending the children's centre. A maximum of 60 children may attend the nursery at any one time and no more than 12 children may attend the crèche. Children share access to secure enclosed outdoor play areas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 90 children on roll. Of these, 58 receive funding for early education. Children mostly come from the local catchment area where they live. The setting supports a number of children with learning difficulties and disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There nursery employs 17 staff. Of these, nine hold appropriate early years qualifications and eight are working towards a qualification. The nursery has regular access to a pedagogue for support and guidance.

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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 stay very healthy because practitioners show children how to take responsibility for their health and promote healthy lifestyles throughout the routines of every day. For example, children always wash their hands before each snack and meal and are helped through discussions to learn why this is important. They fetch tissues from accessible boxes and know that they should disposing of these into a nearby bin. Staff are thorough in their personal hygiene too, protecting children from cross infection by wearing disposable gloves and aprons for nappy changing and food preparation and washing their hands regularly.

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Helping children to be healthy

Good attention to individual children's health needs means that toileting and dietary needs are catered for according to each child's needs and their parents' wishes. There is a clear sickness and medicine policy and parents are asked to supply sun creams for the warm weather and coats and sturdy shoes for the winter. Most staff have first aid qualifications and have accessible first aid supplies. Consent is obtained for the seeking of any necessary emergency medical treatment. However, medication records are not always correctly completed because more than one system is in use and some details are put onto daily feedback sheets which are not retained on the premises. This jeopardises children's health if communication with parents is unclear about what is needed and given.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy very good levels of physical activity and challenge both indoors and outdoors because the imaginative, child-centred curriculum is offered both indoors and out, ensuring that children have plenty of fresh air and exercise. They take part in climbing, balancing, construction, ball skills, role play, group games, arts and crafts, water play and investigation and riding activities in the outdoor play areas. Children's emotional health is good in the setting because staff are consistently deployed to key groups and move easily about between activities supporting all the children's choices and facilitating their play. Staff are warm and responsive to all children, ensuring that children have independence, but are not isolated.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are very well nourished and enjoy a healthy diet through snacks and meals made on the premises. Snacks are based around fruits and vegetables and the rotating menu is low in sugar and free of additives. Children enjoy sausage casserole with mushrooms, new potatoes and cabbage for their lunch on the day of inspection followed by fresh poached pears and apple with yoghurt. Water or milk is offered to drink and water is available in jugs with clean cups throughout sessions in every room. Children enjoy a high level of involvement in creating sociable meal times. They sit in small family groups with staff who encourage good manners and independence in pouring drinks, serving some of the food and wiping the tables. Pre-school children are also getting involved in washing up their own plates and cups following rolling snack time.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in an very welcoming, spacious, bright and stimulating environment with a happy and purposeful atmosphere. The varied activity spaces are invitingly set out to maximise children's choices and provide cosy spaces to set up and use the stimulating and high quality resources. The open plan lay-out allows children freedom of movement and access to all resources. Low level furniture, comfortable seating and cushions are skilfully used throughout

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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 to create a calm, understandable, but stimulating atmosphere. In addition, there are photos of children at play and displays of their work all around to reinforce their new learning experiences and relationships. Children's coats and bags are accessibly stored in the entrance area and they can independently choose any play materials because things are kept organised in low storage boxes, on open shelves or attached to the walls.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children use a first class range of stimulating resources which contribute enormously to their enjoyment and achievement and are set out for them to access easily. For example, children enjoy paint, sand, water, books, role play, small world, experimental, construction, colouring and craft activities on the day of inspection. Inspiring role play equipment, every day household and natural objects, treasure baskets and media are used alongside computers and audio equipment to stimulate every child's senses. As a result, children settle to play very well, finding challenges all around the room as well as knowing where to find their favourite things. They feel confident in their surroundings and feel that it is truly theirs because they are allowed to explore and use everything within it.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety is supported well through documentation and staff's practice. Staff have designated roles and areas to maintain to ensure that these are clean, safe and ready for children to use. The health and safety officer evaluates accident records to see if there are any patterns with specific rectifiable causes. There is good security to the public entrance door of the centre and parents and carers are usually greeted by centre or nursery staff before moving into the nursery itself to collect their children. The nursery entrance is released from inside upon request or manned by staff at the beginning and end of sessions. Careful arrangements using enrolment information are made to ensure that staff know exactly who is collecting a child and who is permitted to do so if this is not the usual parent or designated carer.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Periodic fire drills are held in conjunction with the whole centre and records are kept of these identifying any hazards to safe evacuation. Electrical appliances, wiring and fire equipment are checked and documentation about what to do in the event of any emergency is posted. Risk assessments are undertaken to manage the indoor and outdoor play environment. However, identified risks, including exposed electrical sockets, curling mat corners and the limited accessibility of the evacuation cot are not always minimised on a day to day basis, exposing children to some small risks. Nevertheless, staff are highly vigilant to keep floors mopped and dry, using yellow signs to clearly mark wet areas. Children are learning about how to keep themselves safe because staff support them to take considered risks and bring safety into their discussions with children. For example, staff teach them to walk indoors, to eat small bites of

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

their food in case they choke, to watch what they are doing as they play with chiffon scarves and to consider one another as they move around the rooms.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected from abuse because staff have a good understanding of their role in child protection and safeguarding procedures. Child protection information is clearly displayed. Staff work together with other agencies to support children who are at risk and have procedures in place in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff. The named persons for child protection have been on safeguarding children training and keep contact numbers readily accessible and checked periodically for correctness.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children's enjoyment and achievements are good. They immediately settle to play, discover and experiment because the routines of the day are sensitively planned to allow children of all

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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 ages to initiate and pursue their interests. This is facilitated for example by providing for three and four-year-olds to utilise the indoor areas while two to three-year-olds play outside, use the sensory room or sleep in the baby suite. The environment and staff offer children challenge, choice and independence including in the separate baby suite where under twos enjoy a smaller, quieter environment with purpose made furniture and equipment to promote their development appropriately. Children freely play until the formal beginning of the morning or afternoon sessions, when children meet in their small key groups to greet one another and talk about what they are going to do. Staff organise activities and adapt these according to individual children's preferences, noting for example that their action game activity using the chiffon

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

scarves does not interest a number of the two-year-old boys for long. Large group time for some story and song is used before meals, but children mostly have time to move about the setting independently and go to inviting book, mark making, role play, construction, painting, craft and messy play areas both indoors and out. Key staff come alongside them to question and develop their play and learning. For example, a staff member helps a child to learn the name of the animal figures she is finding in the sand. Another talks to children about the acrobatic and dance display they saw yesterday and suggests that as they dance, they could try to dance like them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff come alongside individual children and talk to them about what they are doing and what it is like. They ask questions and listen to children's ideas. They make good use of photos, displays and stories to revisit and consolidate what children have been doing and encourage them to take most of their creations home. For example, children design and make kites and decorate them with a variety of shiny and colourful paper, pipe cleaners and straws. They also select their own large paper and attach it to the easel to make their own paintings. Key workers for babies spend most of their time closely with their key children, forming trusting and fruitful bonds with them, encouraging their physical and emotional development. For example, babies are quickly learning to recognise themselves and others, are interested in trying to feel and touch things and move about their environment and are trying to say new words and become

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

competent walkers and feeders. Key workers spend small group time with their children aged two to four years a few times every day, providing various media for them to use, from play dough to sticky note paper and tape. This develops their communication sharing and cooperative skills and allows the key worker to observe and provide for their key children's development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff help children to extend their knowledge and develop their natural curiosity through real experiences, for example, as they hunt for spiders in the outside den or attach nappies and put clothes on the baby dolls. Throughout sessions, children are confident and enjoy playing alongside one another and adults. When it is time for snacks and clearing up, ample time is allowed for children to do as much for themselves as possible, with full adult help and support. As a result, children actively contribute to their own setting, sorting and clearing up, cooperating together to clean tables, wash up and put the books and construction things back into their places. Each child's preferences and achievements are noticed and praised, sometimes photographed, noted as evidence, displayed or taken home. As a result, each child feels valued and confident to show staff what they can do and to talk about their ideas. Development

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

records are being transferred onto the Early Years Foundation Stage framework at present.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of the teaching and learning is good. Consistent staff are able to provide a nurturing atmosphere for three and four-year-olds so that most of them are making good progress. A vibrant, well planned, child-centred play environment, the help of an early years pedagogue for advice and input, and a commitment to evaluation and planning informed by children's own

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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 interests ensure that all the areas of learning are seamlessly provided in a way that appeals to children. 'Learning possibilities' are posted around the areas of the nursery to prompt staff about how to use the resources positively in a variety of ways to promote learning. Key staff work hard to observe each child's development and staff work closely as a team to support every child's learning. They have hands-on assistance from the manager and all make observation notes when they see any child doing something significant. However, observations are not promptly transferred into children's individual profiles and individual next steps are not often documented to tell staff what they should be doing with a child to promote optimum progress. Nevertheless, the ethos of free choice is successful for the majority of children attending and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

allows them to make good progress. This is because children feel in control in a stimulating but planned environment and can follow their interests.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are making good progress in all the areas of learning. Staff are successful in providing for their personal, social and emotional development, providing a firm basis in small key worker groups from which the other areas of learning follow. Children are actively listened to and given time to make choices and talk about their wishes and feelings. They are supported and shown kindly how to think about one another, be polite and feel part of the group. Each child has a developmental file containing varied evidence of their work in observation note, photo and profile form. Most examples of work are clearly annotated to explain what they show children can do. These are available to be seen by parents and observation notes are helpfully displayed alongside planning each day too. Checklists under the Early Years Foundation Stage are adopted in readiness for the new requirements for learning and development for all children under five.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Key staff have a thorough understanding of the Foundation Stage and how children learn. They observe, individually plan and know their key children very well. They celebrate children's achievements immediately and display and show their work on the walls and in photographic form. They regularly make observation notes and take photos during sessions about what they see children can do. They provide less opportunities for children to learn about the world through investigation and time and input from staff to assist children with this are sometimes limited. For example, when a child shows interest in what a candle is and how she might use it staff do not talk to the child about it's uses or help them find ways to use it in their play. Nevertheless, staff are planning to develop their outdoor area to offer gardening and more investigative activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are mostly independent, confident and considerate learners because the staff are good role models and design the environment to maximise its welcome and children's sense of belonging. Children find their name cards to attach to their picture in their key worker home group area as they arrive to show that they are here and they see their photos and work displayed all around the walls. Children are at home in the whole nursery and move easily from the under twos area into the main nursery because the whole unit is open plan and children visit the sensory room and baby suite for sleeps as well as seeing the babies outside. Parents and children are warmly welcomed by their key staff who communicate clearly and openly at the beginning and end of sessions, exchanging information about children's particular needs, so that sensitivity and due regard is given to children's present circumstances and feelings. This is supported by

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Helping children make a positive contribution

daily diary sheets describing each child's day.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children have good opportunities to consider and value diversity because there are sufficient resources, activity ideas and positive images to promote children's awareness of diverse cultures

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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 and disabilities. Activities also take place to celebrate events in the calendar year, such as Halloween, Christmas, Shrove Tuesday and Valentines day. Children and adults with significant physical disabilities and behaviour or learning needs are included fully in the life of the setting because the setting is on one level and staff are committed to inclusion. They work together closely with parents, other agencies and the pedagogue to plan and provide individual education plans for children with disabilities or learning difficulties. Staff liaise sensitively with parents and relevant professionals, some of whom are immediately accessible in the centre, to ensure that they plan and work together using recognised and consistent techniques which benefit children with additional needs. Some children have hearing loss, so the use of Makaton is being

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Helping children make a positive contribution

adopted throughout the nursery to assist early communication for babies and inclusion for all toddlers and pre-school children. Particular concerns about individual needs of children are taken seriously too. For example, staff are working closely with parents where there are concerns about baby fluid intakes and are logging these half hourly to ensure that they know in detail how this is going.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff are skilled and successful in giving children a rich and varied choice of activities. Key workers are offering both one to one time and encouragement to join in with group activities. Children mostly behave well and are able to share, care for one another and cooperate because staff model appropriate play skills and clearly explain what is expected of children. The emphasis is upon praise for kind acts and appreciation of good manners or great work. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Significant incidents involving behaviour are recorded, although details about what was done by staff about the incident is not presently recorded.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The quality of partnership with parents and carers is good. Children receive consistency of care because key workers and managers are forging supportive relationships with parents and obtain good quality consents and child details from the outset. Parents are made welcome in the setting and settling in arrangements are flexible to families' needs. Parents are informed about their child's progress and can view the planning and observations each day as well as having easy access to their child's developmental file. However, they are not informed enough about what they can do to help their child at home. Parents are attending the centre for various reasons and enjoy the special activities laid on, such as the recent visiting dance acrobatic road show.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents read about the policies and procedures of the setting because a policy is displayed for them each month. This is backed up through varied displays throughout the setting of information about what the children are doing, and how their experiences are leading to good outcomes. Parents are also asked to complete feedback forms about the service when their child moves to another part of the nursery. There are plans to make books available to borrow and parents are given informative newsletters, a handbook and information about the whole children's centre. Parents know how to contact Ofsted and their levels of satisfaction have recently improved. Parents seen on the day of inspection are impressed with their children's progress, the quality of feedback and the welcome in the setting. There is a complaint policy displayed and the complaints record system documents most parent and Ofsted complaints,

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Helping children make a positive contribution

although there has been one provider investigation which is not presently in the file.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are well protected and cared for by trained, up to date and motivated key staff, all of whom are vetted. Staff are supported by managers and a centre based pedagogue who spend

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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 time in the nursery itself and provide meetings, training and models of good practice so that individual staff can continue to develop. However, few staff have had individual appraisals or support sessions because these have not yet been prioritised. The day care service is linked with the interagency services, groups and advice offered in the centre and some families and child minders make use of the crèche, support groups and information available. The centre's public areas offer information about the daily routine of the nursery, the 'every child matters' agenda and all the support groups and information available for families. Much of what is offered in the centre is tailored towards parenting, preventive health, and caring for babies and toddlers. In addition, family support workers are based in the centre and use the nursery

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Organisation

to provide respite and specific packages of care where appropriate.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education is good. The pedagogue provides support to all staff, offering ideas and strategies for successful teaching in the Foundation Stage. In addition, the day care management team have got to know parents and children and have redesigned the nursery daily routines and layout to improve the outcomes for children. They have also greatly emphasised the key worker role so that children and families develop meaningful relationships with one staff member. All staff have been given specific responsibilities and are keen to develop specialisms in matters such as equal opportunities, health and safety, child protection, community involvement and behaviour. They are often working in pairs and have gained confidence and improved morale as a result. Formal quality assurance and evaluation systems are less well developed, but the managers have clear plans to improve key aspects for

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Organisation

children, such as extending the use of the outdoors for gardening and growing and increased use of information technology.

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Organisation

Policies and procedures are suitable and mostly work in practice to promote good outcomes for children. Children's enrolment details are accessibly, but confidentially stored so that necessary details can be referred to support consistency of care. Likewise, procedures for keeping all areas of the nursery ready for use are clearly set out and delegated. However, some policies and procedures are being inconsistently used or exist in more than one version. For example, the new displayed behaviour policy is not the same as the one in the operation plan and the incident record sheet being used is less informative than the sample copy in the operational plan. The medication records in use are not all the same. These factors hold back the smooth running of the nursery and parents' understanding of it. Nevertheless, much has been done to improve key records, such as the daily attendance registers so that these are

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Organisation

correct at all times and can be relied upon in an emergency.

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Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

In April 2008 Ofsted received a concern relating to National Standard 1 (Suitable person), National Standard 2 (Organisation), National Standard 6 (Safety) National Standard 8 (Food and drink) and National Standard 12 (Working in partnership with parents and carers). The concerns related to the amount of accidents that were occurring, the safety of the premises, both inside and out, the ability of staff to deal with children's dietary requirements and the overall supervision of the children who attend the provision. An Ofsted Inspector visited the setting unannounced on 14 April 2008 to make observations, check records and interview staff

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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 and managers. As a result of this visit actions to improve were raised in relation to National Standards 1, 6, 8 and 12. The provision responded appropriately to the actions and have put measures in place to ensure they and the National Standards continue to be met. Ofsted are satisfied that the provision remains suitable to be registered at this time.

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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 that medication administration systems are unified and used consistently throughout the nursery so that parents give written consent and instructions and also sign every administration in acknowledgement • ensure that exposed sockets are always protected and tripping hazards minimised • ensure that policies and procedures of the nursery are all current and consistent and that all staff have individual support, development and appraisal opportunities.

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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): • ensure that evaluations of activity plans identify and provide clearly for children's next steps and ensure that evidence of children's development is promptly transferred into their individual progress profiles • continue to find ways to involve parents in continuing their child's learning at home.

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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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