Paint Pots Preschool & Nursery

Paint Pots Pre-School + Nursery (Shirley) Inspection report for early years provision

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EY362370 Unique Reference Number 04 June 2008 Inspection date Amanda Shedden Inspector

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19 Howard Road, SOUTHAMPTON, SO15 5BB Setting Address

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02380223548 Telephone number dwright95@clara.co.uk E-mail Paint Pots Pre-School and Nursey Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care, Out of School care Type of care

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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?

Paint Pots Pre-School and Nursery opened in 2007 and is one of a small group of nurseries privately owned. The nursery provides after school and holiday care for five children under eight years. It operates from a large converted house in a residential area of Shirley, Southampton. The children use play rooms on the ground floor and first floor. There is a fully enclosed garden at the rear of the premises for outdoor play. A maximum of 38 children may attend and there are currently 47 children on roll, five of whom are in receipt of nursery funding. The nursery and pre-school operates Monday to Friday, sessions are from 7.45 to 18.00, and is open 51 weeks of the year. Children may attend for a variety of sessions including pre-school sessions in the morning or afternoon. A team of eight staff will work directly with the children. The setting receives support from the 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 play in a clean environment where they learn to follow good hygiene practices. The bathrooms are bright and attractive and there are photographs reminding children to wash their hands. Young children and babies are helped to ensure their hands are clean before eating and after using the toilet. Older children are independent in their personal skills as the playrooms are adjacent to the bathroom, enabling them to use them when they need to. Children use paper towels to dry their hands ensuring no cross infection. The changing areas are bright and cheerful with mobiles hanging above the changing mats for children to watch whilst they are being changed. Staff wear gloves and aprons when changing nappies and they ensure that area is always left clean and tidy.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff recognise the signs of tiredness in the babies and young children. They act on this knowledge to plan and support appropriate periods of rest and play. Sleeping children and babies are checked regularly and recorded; this information is passed onto parents in their daily diaries or information sheets.

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Helping children to be healthy

Staff have a clear understanding of the procedures to be followed if a child were to need medication or if they have an accident. Over half of the staff have an appropriate first aid certificate ensuring that if a child were to have an accident they would be treated immediately and appropriately. There is a sick child policy in place which is shared with the parents, ensuring they are fully aware that the nursery cannot care for their child if they are unwell.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are offered a range of home made meals and snacks each day. There is a four week menu ensuring that children are offered a wide range of foods that contribute to their good health. The cook and staff work together to ensure that children are only offered foods that are appropriate to their needs. Children and staff sit together at snack and meal times making it a social occasion and, where needed, they help the children to use cutlery properly. Children are able to help themselves to drinks throughout the day encouraging them to recognise for themselves if they are thirsty.

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Helping children to be healthy

Young children’s physical development is developing well, staff encourage and support the children in their next steps for instance crawling or walking. They support children that are starting to feed themselves, gradually developing this new skill. Older children are able to use the garden each day with a range of resources such as a low level climbing frame, home corner balls and a trampoline. However, the challenges for the after school children are limited. Each day children use a range of resources from scissors to paint brushes to enhance their physical skills.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The nursery is bright and attractive and provides a welcoming environment for the children and their parents. The walls have colourful displays with photographs from nature, of the children undertaking activities and their own art and craft work, giving children a sense of belonging. In each of the pre-school areas there are attractive signs showing what the area is for. For instance, the computer area, home corner, and writing area.

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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 Staff ensure that the nursery is ready for the arrival of children. Daily risk assessments are undertaken and in each room there is a notice encouraging staff to record anything else that may need attention. Children and staff regularly practise the evacuation procedure ensuring they would know what to do if an evacuation became necessary. The front door of the nursery is always locked and all visitors are required to show identification and sign in and out. Children may only be collected by persons known to the staff or if required a password system is in place to ensure the safety of children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children and parents are greeted warmly by the staff. Most children settle in quickly to the friendly environment and those that are still unsure are supported well in a sensitive manner by the staff. The displays of the resources allow even the youngest children to make their own choices about play, they confidently select from the good range of stage appropriate resources. The low level storage boxes have photographs on the outside showing what is in them, staff talk to the children discussing their choices. Babies have their resources rotated regularly and the design of the baby rooms encourages children to use all three areas giving them a wide range to choose from.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is protected as all staff have a clear understanding of their role and the procedure to be followed if they had concerns about a child.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Babies and young children receive individual attention and develop warm and trusting relationships with the staff. Interaction is warm and caring and staff are beginning to know the children well and address their care needs effectively. The areas for the babies are bright and cheerful, their art work is displayed and the resources are on the floor enabling them to self select. They can freely move from one room to another once they are mobile enjoying the activities in each room. Many of the children enjoy the sensory room where they stare in awe at the patterns on the walls, whilst they sit on the strands of fairy lights as they change colour. They throw and try to catch the flashing ball, chew on the colourful water discs or play with the fairy wands that change colour whilst they hold them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff make observations on the babies and children ensuring the staff know the children well however this information is not used effectively to ensure that the focused activity enables all of the children to progress according to their individual level. Staff interaction with the children is positive.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Older children enjoy playing in their base room and at times, sharing the pre-school rooms. They enjoy free painting as they splash the paint onto a large sheet to make a mural. They concentrate and persevere on the computer mastering their mouse skills. They play in the sand and water filling containers up, pouring the water out. Some children taking great care as they pour the water through the wheel. They watch the texture of the sand change as they add water to it. Staff interact well with them talking to them about the changes, praising and encouraging them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children from the after school club arrive eager and confident. They choose for themselves what they would like to do from making games up, becoming nurses and doctors attending to the injured member of staff. They have fun applying loads of bandages and giving them many injections to make them better. Others choosing to draw and make small books about the Battle of Britain or The Queens of England, sitting and discussing with staff whilst they draw.

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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 Nursery Education.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage and how children learn. Plans are made which are linked to the six areas of learning providing children with a range of interesting and worthwhile activities. Observations are made on the child's achievements and evaluations are made to ensure that the child's next steps are identified. However, these need developing further to ensure that needs of all of the children are being met.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The well laid out rooms allow children to freely access the different activity areas; resources in each area are used to enhance the children's learning experiences. There are displays of people from around the world and documents reflect that they visit other cultures. There is a nursery teddy bear which children are encouraged to take on holiday, there is a map of the world and where teddy has been is identified with photographs of activities and places he has visited: skiing, climbing trees in Germany, visiting the town in Wales with the longest name and going on the boat to Dublin.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff's interaction with the children is positive. They encourage children to contribute their own thoughts, ideas and knowledge through all of the activities. Staff allow children to initiate activities and quickly encompass as many areas of learning as possible through discussion. For instance, children wanted to look at the animals from around the world; staff encouraged them to identify the animals and where in the world they came from, children answered confidently and were supported when they did not know.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

When planting seeds staff encouraged children to undertake the activity themselves, asking open ended questions encouraging children to identify resources that are needed such as pots, seeds and earth and discussing what plants need to grow. The children concentrated and persevered transferring the earth into the pots, scattering seeds and carefully filling the jug up with water, carrying it across the room and watering the seeds. Staff encouraged children to talk about what they were doing, using mathematical language to talk about size and number, praising the children increasing the child's self-esteem. The children were encouraged and supported as they made their mark, some beginning to form letters on the paper to label their pot.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's creative development is encouraged as they choose what colour paint they want to use. Again, being encouraged to identify and name the resources they need to make paint. Staff support them effectively by talking to the children, encouraging them to contribute their own ideas and knowledge whilst the child mixes the paint. They talk about the colour and feel of the paint and the texture as it changes when the water is added. Staff sit with the children talking about what picture they are painting, allowing the child to tell the member of staff what shapes she should paint.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy looking at books and singing songs. They know books go from left to right turning the pages with care and talking about the animals in the book. They have fun walking like penguins and will talk confidently about the animals they like and dislike. They join in singing familiar songs enthusiastically laughing as they change the words for the bus song into words connected to a fire engine.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued and respected as individuals and information is obtained through discussion and registration procedures to ensure all staff are aware of their individual needs and requirements. Children learn about other cultures as they explore aspects of a variety of festivals, such as Chinese New Year and Ramadan. Many resources including posters and play mats reflect the diverse world around them. Staff have a clear understanding of equal opportunities and implement the policies and procedures well. Staff liaise closely with parents of children with additional needs and they work with other agencies and obtain equipment to ensure the children's needs are being met.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff manage children’s behaviour exceptionally well. Staff are positive role models, they talk quietly to the children praising them for their achievements, building on their self-esteem. The policy reflects that there are strategies available if required and these are shared with the children and their parents. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents of children who are in receipt of funding for nursery education is good.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents and carers is good. All children benefit from the strong relationships that are building between the parents and staff. Parents are given detailed information ensuring they are aware of each other's responsibilities; this includes a prospectus with polices and procedures and regular newsletters. There is an induction pack for new parents and each year parents are given a questionnaire asking their opinion on the nursery. Parents are made aware of the records kept on the children and they are invited in twice a year for formal discussions about their child's progress. They can access their child's records on request and are able to discuss their children's ongoing progress with the manager or key worker at any time. Parents are kept aware of the experiences their child is having through daily discussion and the newsletters. Parents of children who receive nursery funding are also offered a pamphlet with

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Helping children make a positive contribution

ideas on how to support their child's further learning at home which is linked to the six areas of learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The organisation of the nursery is good. Children of differing ages and abilities are cared for in rooms that are appropriate for their stage of development. Children are cared for according to their needs, children can sleep and eat when they need to. Children can move freely from one activity to another, ensuring they are fully occupied and stimulated throughout the day.

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Organisation

The staff support each other to care effectively for the children for instance at the end and beginning of each day and at lunch times staff undertake whatever role is needed, feeding babies, serving food to all of the children. Staff know the children well and will work with a different age group if needed to ensure that children are well cared for. High adult to child ratios are maintained enabling children to receive good levels of care and support.

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Organisation

All required documentation which contributes to the children's health, safety and well-being is maintained to a high standard. The setting 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 There is a robust recruitment procedure in place and all new staff undertake an in-depth induction before being left alone with the children. Staff meet regularly to discuss all aspects of the nursery to ensure that they are providing a safe, stimulating and fun environment for the children.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the setting is good. The owner and management team work hard to improve and promote all aspects of the nursery for the benefit of the children. The owner has a clear vision of what she wants to provide for all of the children and their parents. She plays a very active role in the nursery, supporting and motivating the staff team successfully. She observes practice and discusses with staff to assess the setting's strengths and areas of improvement that are needed. Staff are enthusiastic; motivated they work well as a team and are committed to continually improve the quality of care and education for the children. Staff are encouraged to undertake training to increase their knowledge and skills and this information is cascaded to all of the staff.

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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 that the focused activities for the babies meet their individual needs allowing them to progress • further develop the garden to incorporate resources for the older children.

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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): • further develop plans and evaluations to meet the needs of all of the children.

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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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