Pear Tree Day Nursery

Pear Tree Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY361458 Unique Reference Number 03 June 2008 Inspection date Catherine Hill / Hazel Stuart-Buddery Inspector

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Pear Tree Day Nursery, 14 Winchester Street, FARNBOROUGH, Hampshire, GU14 6AW

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Setting Address

01252 523029 Telephone number info@peartreedaynursery.com E-mail Pear Tree Nursery (Farnborough) Limited Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day 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?

Pear Tree Day Nursery was opened in September 1988 and registered under new ownership in 2007. It is a sister nursery to Pirbright Day Nursery and is situated in a private house, which is located in Farnborough, within a conservation area in Hampshire. The three to five year olds have the use of the ground floor, which is divided up into a large activity room, a messy play room and a quiet room. The upstairs is used for the two to three year olds. The nursery is open Monday to Friday 08.00 to 17.30 for 50 weeks a year. Children mostly live in the local area and either attend on a full time or part time basis.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery can care for a maximum of 26 children per session. There are currently 46 children on roll. The nursery supports children who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently five members of staff, three of whom work with the three and four year olds during the sessions, whilst two members of staff work with the two to three year olds. Staff rotate between the two groups, so that all staff and children get to know each other. The

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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 staff have suitable qualifications and are committed to updating skills and knowledge by making use of available training.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children develop an understanding of a healthy lifestyle at the nursery where they take part in regular exercise and eat healthy food. Children play outside daily, weather permitting, and have access to a range of resources, such as a rocker and wheeled toys. Indoors, they develop their physical skills using balance beams, play tunnels and balls. They move freely around their nursery room and younger children competently negotiate the stairs to and from their base room. A good variety of snacks and meals are provided for children with menus clearly displayed for parents. All staff have had training in food hygiene and are aware of children's particular dietary requirements. Children sit happily together as they eat their snack of bread sticks and apple slices accompanied by a drink of milk or water.

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Helping children to be healthy

The nursery's policies and procedures ensure children are protected from illness and infection. Staff maintain the environment in a clean condition and record bathroom hygiene checks which are carried out during the day. Floors are swept after snack time and tables cleaned with antibacterial spray before children sit to eat. Picture/word signs by wash basins remind children of hand washing procedures and children wash their hands before they eat, although this practice is not consistently reinforced throughout all age groups. Children's toothbrushes are hygienically stored in 'Brush buses'. Children receive appropriate care if they have an accident as four of the five members of staff are first aid trained, with training arranged to ensure all staff are qualified. Accident and medication records are maintained and these contain all necessary detail.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Bright, colourful arrangements of children's work are displayed alongside educational posters to provide a welcoming, stimulating surround for children's care and learning. Staff are friendly and approachable and warmly greet children as they arrive. Children are at ease in the nursery and settle quickly to engage in an activity of their choice. Room temperatures are monitored and recorded during the day to ensure the rooms are comfortable for children to relax and play in. An excellent range of age appropriate resources are accessible to children with clear word/picture labels on storage boxes. Staff set out a range of toys for children to choose from on arrival having regard to children's individual likes. For example, younger children play with toys in the water tray, with inset puzzles and the train set.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Good safety procedures ensure children remain safe whilst in the nursery. A written risk assessment is in place and this is regularly reviewed. Safety gates are used, as appropriate, the entrance door is securely locked and a password system is in place which ensures the safe collection of children. Children develop an understanding of how to keep themselves safe as they take part in regular recorded fire drills. Staff are vigilant to safety during the day and gently remind children to sit on chairs properly so they do not tip over. Children's welfare is well safeguarded as staff are confident with the procedures to follow with any child protection concerns. A child protection policy is in place to support practice, although this still refers to Area Child Protection Committees and does not fully detail procedures to be followed should

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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 any allegations be made against staff. Information about child protection is prominently displayed for parents inside the nursery entrance.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are cared for by a team of qualified staff who all contribute to activity planning sessions. They are able to develop a range of skills through daily play. Younger children have fun as they play musical instruments with gusto as they sing along to songs, such as 'Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star'. They giggle and laugh as they play and enjoy the experience of working together. Staff encourage children to find their name card and then to count the letters in their name. They sensitively support children by giving them clues regarding the shape and colour of the card they are looking for. Children enjoy listening to stories and staff foster their interest in literature as they read to them, for example 'Spencer's Spaghetti' and 'Guess Who?' To hold children's interest staff change the tone of their voice to suit the story context and ask children questions about the story and pictures in the book to make them think. Development records

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

are in place for children but these have not been consistently completed for younger children to track their progression in learning. In preparation for the implementation of the new Early Years Foundation Stage [EYFS], in September, a new observation record keeping system has recently been introduced together with new books to track children's development through the EYFS.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children make good progress in their learning because staff who deliver the Foundation Stage curriculum have a good understanding of it. Organisation of the group, as well as effective planning, ensures that all areas of learning are fully covered over a one year period. Staff make observations on children and note these in their development records, although not all files are consistently updated. This information is used to inform future planning and to differentiate work if needed. Specific learning targets for individual children who may need further support or challenge are recorded on the weekly planning sheets.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children arrive happily and immediately settle into their chosen activity. They separate easily from their carers and socialise with their peers. Their independent skills are developing, although some children rely on staff putting on dressing up clothes and painting aprons for them. Children are well behaved; they are secure in their environment and show care and concern for others as they help each other pour drinks at snack time. Children play well together and share and take turns amicably. Children are excellent communicators. They order their thoughts well before answering questions and confidently talk to adults and peers. They begin to learn that print carries meaning as they recognise their own name when they arrive. However, letter templates are not displayed around the room to give children constant reminders. Staff do not always take opportunities to link sounds with letters, particularly during group time. Children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

have opportunities to develop their mathematical skills. Staff work directly with children for focus activities and encourage them to recognise numbers out of sequence. Children learn about colours and shapes as they play games that encourage them to identify different coloured shapes on the floor. Children use mathematical language such as bigger and smaller as they compare the different sizes of dinosaurs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop an understanding of the passage of time through daily calendar activities and learn about diversity through planned activities. Visitors to the nursery, such as policemen, and

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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 trips to the local fire station, help develop children’s knowledge of different people’s roles in the community. Children have daily use of a computer and skilfully use the mouse to build pictures of houses. Children have daily opportunities to develop their physical skills. During inclement weather the children make good use of indoor space and dance to the beat of a jungle drum. They stomp around like elephants and tip toe quietly like mice as they listen to the drum and quickly find a shape on the floor when the drum stops. Children develop their fine motor skills as they use pencils and complete puzzles competently. Children enjoy dressing up and using their imagination. They proudly walk around showing off their chosen outfit. Some children wear fancy shoes and handbags and use pretend phones and confidently report

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

they are ‘Ladies going shopping’. Artwork displayed throughout the nursery shows examples of children’s paintings, computer work and group collages.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children show kindness to others as they voluntarily share resources, such as musical instruments. They develop an understanding of fair play through discussion with staff and take some responsibility for their environment as they help tidy toys away before their snack. Staff praise and encourage children to help boost their self-esteem and provide cuddles, as appropriate for younger children, to support their emotional well-being. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is appropriately fostered. Children are treated with equal concern by staff who act as positive role models with regard to manners. Children behave well and play amicably together. Appropriate support is provided for children with learning difficulties and the nursery has a special educational needs policy to support their practice.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is good. Information is given to parents about the Foundation Stage curriculum and the early learning objectives that are covered. Regular meetings are held with parents where targets for their child are set to ensure individual needs are met. Parents are able to look at the development files for their child and talk informally with their child’s key worker at any time. A good range of information is displayed throughout the nursery for parents, who are kept up to date with nursery practice through regular newsletters. Parents share information with the nursery about their child when they first start but record forms do not clearly record children's religion, home language or culture to share with staff so that children's individual needs can be appropriately catered for. Parents are happy with the nursery and care provided.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Staff are effectively deployed throughout the nursery to provide children with opportunities to develop their knowledge and skills in a supportive atmosphere. Staff rotas are in place and staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities. Good procedures are in place to ensure the continuing suitability of staff and continuing professional development is supported. The nursery monitor and evaluate their practice on an ongoing basis. The nursery owners are committed to providing high standards of care and have identified areas for further development to improve their already good practice. A good range of documentation is in place to support nursery practice, although some lacks a little detail. For example, attendance records do not always show all children's departure times. Overall, the nursery meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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 The leadership and management of the nursery education is good. Staff who deliver the Foundation Stage curriculum work closely together to ensure the planning and monitoring of children’s learning is effective. Staff receive in-house training to enhance their knowledge of the Foundation Stage and the early learning goals. Staff are effectively deployed within the pre-school room to support children’s educational development.

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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. 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 hand washing procedures are consistently reinforced throughout the nursery • ensure development records for younger children are consistently completed with supporting evidence to chart progression of skills • improve documentation by ensuring: children's registration forms are completed with details of their individual needs; attendance records show the departure times of all children and by improving the detail in the child protection policy particularly relating to the procedures if any allegations are made against staff.

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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): • improve the programme for communication, language and literacy by taking every opportunity to link letters with sounds and provide visual displays of letters around the room.

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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 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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