Judy's House Limited

Judy's House Limited Inspection report for early years provision

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EY363117 Unique Reference Number 10 June 2008 Inspection date Dinah Round Inspector

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20 Park Lane, WIMBORNE, Dorset, BH21 1LD Setting Address

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E-mail

Judy's House Limited Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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E-mail

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

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Judy's House is a privately owned day nursery situated near Wimborne town centre, in Dorset. It opened originally in 2001 under the name of Julyns and moved to its current premises in 2002. The nursery operates from a converted bungalow which has three playrooms and associated facilities. Children have access to a fully enclosed outside play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is registered to care for a maximum of 15 children aged under five years at any one time. There are currently 36 children on roll, of these, 12 children receive funding for nursery education. The nursery welcomes children who have learning difficulties or disabilities, and children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery operates five days a week from 08.00 to 18.00. It opens all year round except bank holidays and over the Christmas period. The children come from the local area and attend full or part time.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

A team of nine staff work with the children. Of these, eight staff hold an early years qualification. Staff take it in turns to cook the meals at lunch time. A bank of staff provide cover for holidays and sickness.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health is promoted well. They are cared for in a clean environment where they develop good practice in their own personal hygiene. The older children use the easily accessible toilet and hand washing facilities unaided, and the provision of liquid soap and paper towels helps to minimise cross-infection. Children benefit from the effective procedures followed by staff, such as the wearing of protective gloves when changing nappies and providing children's individual bedding for the cots which are cleaned on a regular basis. Children's nappies are changed frequently which makes sure they feel comfortable in their play. Babies routines with regard to sleep and eating patterns are discussed with parents and respected. Fans are provided to keep the rooms cool and comfortable for the children in hot weather. A clear sickness policy makes parents aware that children must not attend if they have an infectious illness which

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Helping children to be healthy

helps to reduce the spread of infection. Clear accident and medication records are maintained and signed by parents. Most staff have completed first aid training which makes sure children would be protected in an emergency situation.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are provided with a good variety of healthy and nutritious food, which is freshly prepared each day on the premises. For example, they enjoy snacks of fresh fruit and a hot cooked lunch, such as tuna pasta bake followed by a yoghurt. Staff provide a sociable meal time where children happily chat together, and younger children are supported in learning to feed themselves. Children have regular drinks during the day including when playing outside which ensures they do not get thirsty. Children's individual dietary needs are clearly recorded and carefully followed to ensure children remain healthy.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy daily opportunities to access the outdoor play area with staff organising a variety of activities to promote children's learning experiences. For example, children excitedly put water into containers to carry and use large and small brushes to 'paint' and 'wash' various equipment or walls with it. Staff erect a parachute to provide a covered shaded play area outside, and ensure children wear hats and sun cream so they are protected from the sun when playing outside. Children take part in a variety of physical play sessions, including practising ball skills and moving to music on the Sticky kids tape. They visit to the local park to access large play equipment and have good opportunities to develop their fine-motor skills as they use scissors with control, carefully scoop up the sand, and enjoy drawing with the chalks and pens.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The effective security measures in place protect children from uninvited visitors and makes sure that children are unable to leave the premises unsupervised. Appropriate safety equipment is in place, such as socket covers, safety gates, and reins are used in highchairs to keep babies secure. Risk assessments are carried out annually including any outings, with visual daily checks completed by staff. However, there are occasions when staff miss potential hazards accessible to children, such as the looping wire from the compact disc player and loose stuffing in the large soft toy. Gentle reminders are given to children to help them learn how to play safely. For example, staff explain to children not to stand on a chair when washing the car with the paint brush outside, as they could fall.

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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 The space available is organised effectively to ensure children can move around freely as they choose their activities. Young babies are closely supervised as they explore their environment, with suitable furniture and resources to encourage them to develop their mobility with confidence. For example, two babies delight as they meet each other and play peep-a-boo in the low tunnel. The low level table and chairs enable children to access their activities safely. Children are provided with a good range of play provision and resources which are clean and age-appropriate.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children and staff learn what to do if they need to leave the building in an emergency through regular evacuation practices. Fire safety equipment is in place with clear procedures displayed and the regular fire drills are recorded. Overall, staff have a clear understanding of their responsibilities to safeguard children. They are aware of the signs and symptoms which may indicate abuse and know the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child. The nursery's detailed child protection policy is shared with parents to inform them of the nursery's responsibility to safeguard children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and content in the nurturing environment provided by staff. They enjoy coming to the nursery where they are cared for by friendly, caring and reassuring staff who are genuinely interested in the children. This makes children feel settled and secure. Children have good relationships with staff and each other, with key worker staff observing children's individual achievements to help monitor their development. Written observations and photographs are recorded in the children's learning diaries which are shared with parents.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children take part in a wide range of fun and stimulating experiences both indoor and outdoor to promote their learning. From an early age they enjoy sensory play as they explore materials, such as paint, gloop, and cooked pasta. The babies are fascinated as they use their hands to feel the texture of sand and love to move their bodies to the music, wiggling, turning and clapping to the music. Staff know the children well, they get involved with the babies encouraging their development and promoting their language in the activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All children have the opportunity to come together at times during the day which enables siblings to have time with each other, for example, at lunch time and during the 'good morning' session. This helps children with the transition from the baby and toddler room to the older children's room.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Overall, staff have a clear understanding of the Foundation Stage and use this to provide children with a broad range of learning experiences. Planning has a weekly focus, with a flexible approach to link with children's individual learning. The nursery has recently introduced a new 'free-flow' system within the sessions to allow children to follow their own interests. This is generally working well, effectively promoting children's independence and enabling them to engage in child-initiated play while supported by staff. For example, children have fun as they pretend to be fire people, locating fires and using the hose to put them out, then writing a fire record on their notepad. A member of staff skilfully asks questions to develop their thinking, however, some staff are less confident with the new 'free-flow' system and opportunities to fully extend children's learning are sometimes

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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 Staff carry out written observations of children's development which with photographs are recorded in their individual dairies to show their achievements in the different areas of learning. However, systems to clearly reflect children's progress towards the early learning goals are still being developed. Resources and routines are effectively organised to promote children's independence. For example, children carefully select their own cutlery and serviettes from the tray at lunch times. Staff regularly praise the children and value all their efforts which makes children feel good about themselves.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are confident, keen to learn and eager to get involved in the stimulating play opportunities. They are interested and engaged in their activity showing good levels of concentration. Children show consideration for others as they learn to take turns with the toys and equipment. Children speak confidently to others, happily sharing their news at circle time, such as ' I've been to swimming lessons' and 'I've got a new song to sing'. Children learn to recognise their written name through daily routines and have very good opportunities to use mark making resources within their play. For example, pens and paper are readily available at the writing table, chalks are provided indoors and outdoors, and children enjoy writing for a purpose as they create a list of the different pets people in the nursery have.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children count regularly during their play and within the daily routines. They are able to count that there are 13 children present at circle time and staff successfully introduce the concept that adding 'one more' to 13 makes 14 children, when a child arrives during the discussion. Children use a variety of resources that develop their understanding of size, shape and pattern, and staff make use of spontaneous opportunities to incorporate shapes within the play activities. Children learn about living things and nature as they help to care for the nursery guinea pig, and take part in planting and watering the courgettes, sunflowers and marigolds. Children use their imagination very well in role play and art and design, with staff encouraging them to be creative and follow their own ideas. They enjoy creating a builder's shop, using the till and scanning the different items for their customers. Children have very good opportunities to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

explore a wide range of sensory materials, such as water, sand, clay, play-dough, jelly, paint and bubbles.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued and their families welcomed. Staff have a good understanding of children's needs and ensure younger children's individual routines are followed. Children see their photographs displayed and have their own coat pegs and shoe boxes which promotes a strong sense of belonging to the group. Children have turns to take the nursery 'Travel Monkey' puppet on holiday with them, they bring back photographs and relay to others during circle time what he did on his visit. Children have good opportunities to learn about their local community. For example, they visit the various shops in Wimborne, take part in the nursery's Christmas event in Wimborne Minister and enjoy the fun of the local pancake race.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The special educational needs coordinator is clear of her role and attends regular training to continue to update her knowledge. She links closely with parents and outside agencies to support children's individual needs, incorporating particular weekly tasks in with planning. All children get involved in the 'Good Morning' rhyme to greet each other using sign language. Children are gaining an awareness of other cultures and the wider world through access to a wide range of resources, and discussion at story time. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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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 Children cooperate well during tidy up time and quickly find a job to do. For example, they happily collect all the play food and enjoy helping to sweep the soil up outside. Children are learning to share and take turns, and staff use effective methods, such as the use of an egg timer to help reinforce the message. Children benefit from regular praise and encouragement which helps to boost their confidence and self-esteem.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the staff's positive relationship with parents. Parents receive good information about the setting through the nursery welcome pack, which includes details of their policies and procedures, which is also available via the nursery website. Parents are kept well informed of events through notice boards, newsletters and on-going communication. Staff encourage settling-in periods for children to help the transition from home to nursery and the nursery owners recognise when a little extra support and reassurance is needed for parents. However, parents are not clear who is their child's key worker, so information about their child can often be exchanged with different staff members. Parents views and ideas are welcomed through informal discussions and written questionnaires that are sent out. Partnership with parents and carers of children receiving nursery education is good. Children's progress is shared

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Helping children make a positive contribution

both informally, and through the individual diaries showing photos and written observations which are sent home on a regular basis. Staff discuss ideas with parents on an individual basis of ways they can get involved with their child's learning at home. A meeting was previously organised for parents to share information about the new Early Years Foundation Stage. Parents are happy with the care their children receive at the nursery.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are provided with a bright, welcoming child-orientated environment. Space and resources are well organised to allow separate areas for different age groups, successfully promoting children's independence to initiate their own ideas. Children benefit from being in a small setting where the high ratio of staff makes sure they are well supported. Staff work together extremely well as a team and are clear of their roles and responsibilities, however, at times, safety issues are not always identified. The flexible structure of the day means that children's individual requirements are followed, although, parents are not fully clear about the nursery's key worker systems. The nursery meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Organisation

Policies and procedures are in place to support the smooth running of the nursery. This includes clear staff recruitment procedures which includes making sure that applicants are subject to procedures to ensure they are suitable to work with children. A detailed staff induction process ensures new staff are well informed to carry out procedures to promote the welfare of children. Documentation is well organised, kept secure and confidential.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is good. Children are cared for by a small team of enthusiastic staff who constantly communicate to promote children's care and well-being. The joint owners provide strong leadership and support the staff well. The on-going discussions and regular meetings provide opportunities for staff to share issues, ideas and concerns. Annual staff appraisals are used as a positive tool to acknowledge the staff's individual strengths and to help identify areas for development and training. The owners have a positive attitude to the on-going development of the provision and continue to reflect on ways to improve outcomes for children. For example, they have recently introduced the free-flow system within the session to promote more child-initiated play.

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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

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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): • make sure staff are consistent in monitoring and reducing any potential risks to children • develop key worker systems further to ensure parents are clear of their child's key person

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • develop further staff's understanding of the new systems introduced within the sessions, to ensure opportunities to fully extend children's thinking and learning is continually promoted • continue to develop children's assessment records to clearly reflect each child's progress towards the early learning goals.

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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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