Leigh Village Day Nursery

Leigh Village Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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EY368849 Unique Reference Number 23 June 2008 Inspection date Lisa Paisley Inspector

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Leigh Village Day Nursery, The Old Chapel, Elm Road, LEIGH-ON-SEA, Essex, SS9 1SG

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Setting Address

01702 480077 Telephone number jwilevill@virgin.net E-mail Village Day Nurseries Ltd 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 outstanding. 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 outstanding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Leigh Village Day Nursery is one of three settings owned by Village Day Nurseries Limited. It opened in 1994 before changing ownership in 2008. The nursery operates from three rooms within a converted Chapel and Sunday School Hall in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex. A maximum of 62 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.30 to 18.30 all year round. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 73 children aged from two to under five years on roll. Of these, 38 receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local area. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery employs 25 staff. Twenty two staff, including both managers, hold appropriate early years qualifications. There are currently nine staff members undertaking further professional development and one member of staff is working towards a professional qualification. 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 outstanding. Children benefit from being cared for in an environment where an exceptional standard of hygiene practices are maintained and are exceptionally well promoted by the staff. All children learn about hygiene routines through washing their hands appropriately, for example, after creative activities, playing in the garden and before snack and meal times. Pictorial notices for hand washing provide children with further gentle reminders to promote children's understanding of the importance of hand washing. Children have access to liquid soap, warm water and the option of paper hand towels and a hand dryer. Staff are vigilant in ensuring children's noses are wiped when necessary. This ensures that the risk of cross-infection is minimised. Good dental hygiene practices are encouraged as children learn about dental hygiene through planned activities. Effective procedures are in place to ensure items in all the first aid boxes are in place

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Helping children to be healthy

and are in date. Over half the staff hold current first aid certificates and staff have an extensive understanding of children's individual medical requirements. Proactive steps are taken to support children with additional medical requirements such as further training and implementing robust care plans. Consequently, all children receive excellent care if they become ill, have an accident or require medication.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children develop healthy eating habits as staff encourage them to try different foods such as fresh fruit on a daily basis and home made cakes and flapjacks. Meals at the nursery are balanced and nutritious as there are robust quality checks in place. As a result, food that is offered is low in salt and sugar content and is nutritionally well balanced. Fresh drinking water is freely available throughout the day ensuring children remain hydrated. Meal and snack times are a relaxed and sociable time where children have opportunities to talk about recent experiences and healthy lifestyles. Older children are able to help themselves to their dinner further promoting independence and choice. Younger children are effectively supported by the staff as they sit with the children offering support and encouragement at meal times. Clear, effective and extensive procedures are in place for the preparation of food to ensure all food is safe for

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Helping children to be healthy

children to eat. Staff maintain excellent written records for each child to ensure their individual health and dietary requirements are met. These are clearly displayed in the kitchen area and in each room of the nursery so that staff can check them at any time.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enthusiastically enjoy an extensive variety of activities that contribute to a healthy lifestyle and emotional well-being. They effectively use an excellent range of activities on a daily basis, for example, tricycles, slides, tents, balls, sand, water and gardening activities. Children’s finer manipulative hands skills are successfully promoted through the very good range of tools such as scissors, pencils, chunky chalks, paint brushes, threading and puzzles that children use well. All children are able to rest and relax in comfortable surroundings and young children are exceptionally well looked after ensuring that they can rest and be active according to their individual needs and developmental progress. Consequently, children are progressing exceptionally well in all areas of their physical development.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children play in a stimulating, cheerful, child friendly environment, which is beautifully organised. The indoor area has been extensively re-organised to create an enabling environment for all the children, as a result, they are able to self-select from an extensive range of activities,

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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 promoting child initiated play and learning. All the group rooms, the gym and communal areas are brightly decorated with excellent quality displays of children's art work, posters, hanging decorative mobiles, photographs and letter and number print. The premises are very clean, well lit, and effectively heated, ensuring that it is suitable for children to use at all times. Although the outdoor area is quite small, staff have made effective use of the space, to ensure that children gain fantastic opportunities which enhances their all-round development and physical skills. For example, the designated vegetable patch and the well-established garden area for the under twos, this proves that staff have planned the area very well for the benefit of the children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Resources in each room are well organised so that they are attractive and accessible to children. Children in the baby room have toys set out on the floor and low tables for them to reach by rolling, crawling and pulling themselves up. Older children are able to use low drawers and shelves to choose toys and resources as well as the range of activities that are set out each day by staff. Children enthusiastically select their own play resources which are appropriate to their ages and stages of development. The extensive range of play equipment and resources are stored at children's height, promoting independence and choice.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Staff ensure that children are safe. For example, they are very vigilant in monitoring all areas of the nursery and there are clear procedures with regards to safety checks. They carry out daily visual checks of the group rooms and outdoor area and discard any broken toys and resources. Staff talk to the children about staying safe, for example, walking inside the nursery, tidying away toys after use and using play equipment safely. Older children have devised their own safety rules that are displayed within the group room. Spontaneous safety events also take place, for example, the police officer visits to discuss road safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are exceptionally well protected as staff have an excellent understanding of safeguarding procedures and how to keep children safe and all of the staff have attended child protection training. A written policy is in place and staff are able to recognise signs of abuse and know who to contact if they are concerned about a child in their care. Policies and procedures have been amended to reflect current practices with regard to the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB). Parents are informed of the group's responsibility regarding child protection reassuring parents of their child's welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Young children have excellent relationships with the staff. They approach them easily for cuddles and staff are very responsive. Natural, warm interaction is apparent. Children participate in lots of meaningful, very well planned activities. For example, transport topic where all children participated in making a transport display. Staff ensure that they provide an inclusive environment for all children. For example, children stand on small stools to reach the water trough and they know that they need to wear an apron, which they reach independently from the child height hooks. They thoroughly enjoy an extensive range of creative activities where their imaginations and self-expression are effectively promoted.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The effective 'key person' system, extensive planning, combined with staff's knowledge of individual children's developmental stages ensures young children are developing in line with their age and ability. Children are encouraged to take the lead in selecting activities and staff support this by encouraging children to explore and investigate toys and resources, all the time talking to them and asking questions to help with the development of language 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 communication skills. Babies particularly enjoy treasure baskets and heuristic play boxes where they can investigate natural and sensory materials.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Staff provide excellent and very well planned activities that assist the children's learning and understanding exceptionally well. For example, clay activities where children are able to make a birthday with a range of natural and malleable resources. Staff have an excellent understanding of the Foundation Stage and they have also successfully implemented the Early years Foundation stage to ensure the transition between both frameworks is smooth. Planning is meaningful, comprehensive and extensive, covering all areas of learning, using focus activities, differentiation and evaluations. Focus activities and children's comments informs future activity plans. Staff use 'All about me' profiles and 'The learning journey' log to track children's developmental progress. Transition forms are in place to support children moving onto school. Children take part in an extensive range of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

activities which cover each area of learning. The combination of free flow play, child-initiated activities and adult-led activities such as circle time enable children to work and play purposefully together. All staff have an extensive knowledge and practical experience of how children play and learn, as a result, a calm, purposeful and creative learning environment is provided for all children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are extremely happy and confident within the nursery. Planned self-registration provide children with the opportunity to discuss their feelings and explain the reasons why they are happy or worried. This enables staff to effectively support children in their emotions and to help them learn about feelings. Children form very close relationships with staff and their friends and they are very interested in their play. Consequently, they are developing positive attitudes towards their play and learning. Children co-operate and work well together at completing self-chosen tasks such as making vehicles with large building bricks. They have ongoing opportunities to write for a purpose, with free access to writing and mark making materials and many children are able to write their names. Role play equipment and dressing-up clothes support children in developing communication skills, for example, the shop and staff

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

participate effectively in role play with children to help them learn about everyday activities. The book corner is very warm, inviting and comfortable for children to sit in. Children very much enjoy reading and listening to stories, they share books with each other, talking about the pictures and looking at words. Children particularly enjoy reading alongside staff who use the opportunity to ask them questions, maintain their interest and help bring the story to life. They have very good opportunities to learn about numbers and counting through the excellent range of resources such as compare bears, puzzles, patterns, matching games and sequencing activities. All the children are confident counters as they can count up to 10 and extensively beyond. Excellent cooking, sand and water activities provide children with excellent opportunities to learn about weight, size and capacity.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have exceptional opportunities to explore objects which help them to learn about the natural world through topic work such as growing vegetables and herbs. Children learn about their local community through regular trips out, for example, to the local shops to buy ingredients for cooking activities. Also there are additional planned outings to the local library, park and beach. Visitors such as the fire safety officer and the police officer help children learn about people's roles in the community. Children can freely access musical instruments in order to learn about making different sounds, staff encourage this, helping children to identify and play simple patterns and rhythms in music. Children have free access to an extensive and imaginative range of creative materials this includes play dough, sand water, clay, shaving foam

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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 and ice sculptures. They can also paint and draw at any time, allowing them to develop ideas and practise fine hand skills. Their physical skills are imaginatively promoted through an extensive variety of equipment, for example, play tents, balls, hoops and tricycles. The gym area also provides additional opportunities for children to be physically active and develop a range of skills. Children's finer manipulative skills are extensively promoted as they have ongoing opportunities to use a very good range of resources to practise their skills such as threading, pouring and mark making. Consequently, children are making outstanding progress in all areas of learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children are allowed the time and space to settle into the nursery environment. Young children are able to carry their comfort toys from home around with them until they feel confident enough to play. Children have excellent relationships with the staff, they run to them for a cuddle and proudly show off their work to them. Children participate in interesting activities that help them to learn about their world and themselves, as they celebrate the Christmas, May Day, St George's Day and Sikh festivals. There is an excellent range of equipment and planned activities that assist children to learn about differences. For example, they have access to play people from Asian and Afro-Caribbean cultures, books, puzzles and culturally specific dressing-up clothes and cutlery and dishes. Children with learning difficulties and who have English as an additional language take part fully in nursery activities. They are exceptionally well supported

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Helping children make a positive contribution

by staff who have a professional, positive and sensitive approach to meeting their needs. The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) and staff work with parents and outside agencies to ensure that all children develop confidence and make good progress.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s behaviour is exceptionally good. Staff effectively support younger children in sharing and taking turns. Children have good relationships with staff and other children. Staff have high expectations and set consistent boundaries for the three to five year olds, which helps them learn to negotiate with others and take responsibility for their own behaviour. Children's understanding of right and wrong are developed as they respond to gentle reminders to care for their environment, resources and each other. Staff are excellent and exemplary role models for children by being calm and polite. Praise is given freely to children, ensuring that they develop confidence and self-esteem and understand that they have done well. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is outstanding. Staff and parents have superb relationships. Staff are very friendly and welcoming towards them as they share relevant information, which helps to promote a secure environment for the children. Parents complete all the required documentation about their child, so that staff are well aware of children's individual needs. Children's individual learning journey profiles are available to parents. Television monitors located in both reception areas of the main nursery and the baby unit provides parents with a very good range of digital images of their child participating in a variety activities. Excellent notices on the information board, displays around the nursery and in individual group rooms informs parents about the 'Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage' and regular meetings are arranged with parents to discuss their child's developmental progress. Consequently, nursery and home links are

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Helping children make a positive contribution

excellent and parents are extensively informed about the care and welfare of their child.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents are aware of how to make complaints about the provision and these are dealt with in a prompt and professional way. Staff listen to parents' concerns and, where appropriate, adapt their policies and procedures accordingly.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. Children's care is significantly enhanced by the exceptional organisation of the nursery. Staff are consistent in their interactions with children and in their regard for safety and security. The extensive range of policies and procedures ensure children's safety and well-being is paramount. All documentation including details relating to staff and children are comprehensive and are obtained, recorded and stored appropriately, ensuring that the nursery continually meets the legal requirements relating to documentation.

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Organisation

Children are cared for by staff who have been checked through the Criminal Records Bureau and who have undergone a thorough and robust recruitment and induction programme. This ensures that all staff working with children are suitable and have relevant training and experience. Staff are highly qualified, very experienced and motivated. They have an excellent rapport with each other, which promotes a secure and trusting environment for the children.

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Organisation

The use of available space within the nursery is successfully and imaginatively well organised, with clear areas for storage, play, food preparation, changing, eating and sleeping. These areas are exceptionally well managed by staff to allow children to play, eat and rest safely and securely.

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Organisation

Leadership and management is outstanding. The registered providers, managers and staff are highly committed, professional, enthusiastic and extremely well motivated in their approach to providing all the children with positive early years play and learning experiences. The manager has effectively supported the nursery during the transition with regard to the change of ownership and the new owners are very receptive to new ideas for areas of improvement. The current management style is an open, hands on approach, promoting a reflective and consultative practice, to ensure positive working practices are maintained. Consequently, new ideas are listened to and implemented if relevant. Effective and clear procedures are in place for new staff, for example, clear inductions with the support of a mentor, this ensures that they feel fully supported within their work. Staff have clearly identified roles and responsibilities such

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Organisation

as health and safety, equal opportunity and behaviour management and they carry out their roles effectively. Regular staff meetings ensure that the care and education children receive is regularly discussed and improved, with all staff members having the opportunity to contribute ideas and suggestions. They are deployed successfully within the nursery and very good staffing ratios are maintained at all times ensuring children are well supervised and supported during activities. Staff are fully supported within their roles and they have an excellent awareness of the policies and procedures which are in place. Consequently, children are cared for by inspirational, experienced and knowledgeable staff and benefit from continuity of care.

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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

Since registration there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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Complaints since the last inspection

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

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are outstanding. 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 outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the care

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of care are outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of nursery education are outstanding.

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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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