Daisy Chain Nursery (Westbourne)

Daisy Chain Nursery At Westbourne Inspection report for early years provision

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EY361991 Unique Reference Number 30 June 2008 Inspection date Lisa Ellis Inspector

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Westbourne Church Hall, Westbourne Road, Emsworth, Hampshire, PO10 8UL

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Setting Address

01243 370401 Telephone number kayticurtis@kayticurtis.wanadoo.co.uk E-mail Daisy Chain Nursery (Emsworth)Ltd Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Sessional 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?

Daisy Chain Nursery at Westbourne is one of two provisions run by Daisy Chain Nursery (Emsworth) Limited. It opened in 2007 and operates from a church hall in the village of Westbourne, West Sussex. The nursery provides sessional care for children aged from two and a half to five years. It is open each weekday from 08.40 to 12.10 during term time. A maximum of 30 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 29 children on roll, of whom 23 are in receipt of government funding for nursery education. Children have access to a fully enclosed outdoor play area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently five members of staff employed to work with the children who all have early years qualifications. The group is supported by the local authority and the Pre-school Learning Alliance. There are systems in place to support children with English as an additional language and those who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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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 very well promoted as they learn good procedures to maintain healthy bodies. They are aware of when hand washing is necessary, such as after using the toilet and before eating. Children apply their own sunscreen and play under gazebos which helps to minimise the harmful effects of the sun during warm weather. As they apply their sunscreen they show a good understanding of why it is important to do so, telling each other that they do not want to get sunburn.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are treated appropriately following accidents as a practitioner with a first aid qualification is always on site. All accidents are well recorded and signed by parents to promote children's health. Written consent has been sought from parents for permission to seek emergency medical treatment following more serious incidents. Children are protected from the risk of infection as clear procedures are in place to exclude those with contagious ailments.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are cared for in a hygienic environment because practitioners take care to clean the tables, toys and equipment on a regular basis to minimise the spread of germs. Children have their own place mats for snack time which highlight any food allergies to ensure their dietary needs are met. They are provided with snacks such as milk, fruit, vegetables and breadsticks to promote healthy eating and have constant access to drinking water to help them remain suitably hydrated.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have excellent opportunities to play in the fresh air as the group successfully operates free flow activities where children can move between the indoor and outdoor environment throughout most of the session. They thoroughly enjoy participating in a wide range of physical activities both indoors and outside which greatly contributes to a healthy lifestyle and provides them with plenty of exercise.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children greatly benefit from being cared for in a safe and secure environment which they have sole use of during the hours the group is open. They are very well supervised at all times as practitioners deploy themselves well between the indoor and outdoor areas to ensure ratios are maintained and children are safe. Children are generally well protected from the risk of accidents as detailed risk assessments and daily opening and closing check lists are used to ensure the facilities remain suitable for use. However, procedures are not always fully followed when a new risk becomes apparent. For example, the risk assessment has not been updated to show that there is a hole in the carpet that poses a trip hazard to children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are provided with a welcoming environment as practitioners greet them at the door on arrival. Bright and colourful posters are displayed in the hall and children's art work is valued as their pictures and paintings are hung on a washing line for all to see. As practitioners have to pack absolutely everything away at the end of every session, displays of children's work are not a permanent fixture at the moment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children independently select their own resources from a very good selection of toys and equipment that meets their developmental needs and covers all areas of learning. Most of the

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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 equipment is stored in low-level, labelled drawers and boxes to enable children to make choices in their play.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children learn good procedures about keeping themselves safe in the group. For example, regular fire drills are planned and practised to ensure that all children know what action to take in an emergency situation. Children's well-being is effectively promoted as practitioners have all undertaken recent training in child protection to update their knowledge on what action to take should they have concerns about individual children's welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Young children are fully involved in all activities that the group has to offer. Practitioners provide younger children with all the support they need to help them join in with the older children and be relaxed within the setting. Young children take an active part in whole group activities, learning to be skilful communicators and competent learners as they explore their environment and the full range of activities on offer to them. Interaction between all aged children and the adults is very good.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good as practitioners have a good knowledge of the children's individual abilities and plan activities accordingly to help them make progress in their learning. Practitioners are all qualified and experienced and have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage which they use effectively to ensure a wide range of activities covering the whole curriculum is available. Practitioners meet regularly to discuss future planning, making effective use of their observations on individual children and evaluations of activities to help all children meet their full potential.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Sessions are well planned to allow children the freedom to move around all areas of the provision to whatever takes their interest. The hall is set up to provide continuous provision for all areas of learning and an adult initiated activity is usually available for children who would like to participate. Resources are changed half way through the sessions to provide children with different learning experiences and further challenges. There is a very good balance of child led activities which practitioners join in with at the invitation of the children, for example, if the children want a customer in their shop or if they need help getting dressed in their role play clothes. Practitioners maximise these opportunities by effectively questioning children and introducing new language to make them think and therefore make progress in their learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are making good progress in all areas of learning. They have high levels of independence from taking themselves to the bathroom, selecting their own resources, pouring their own drinks and making up their own games. Positive relationships are established with children showing a good understanding of their emotions. They have a very good understanding of the behavioural boundaries and are kind and thoughtful to others. Children quickly learn the routine of the sessions and new children are helped to follow them by using the pictorial time line, showing the activities that come next.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children thrive in the free flow environment as they are encouraged to use their developing knowledge in whatever they do. They often start an activity indoors, such as mark making on paper to make their own shopping lists before they go and hunt for items to take to other children at the tills. They use mathematical language and number to make a bill, with some

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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 children being able to write recognisable numerals. Children use their imaginations to take their purchases out into the garden where they set up picnic blankets and have a tea party with their peers with the shopping they have brought.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are able to sit in a large group and listen to others and thoroughly enjoy participating in action rhymes and songs. They take pride in using the musical instruments they have made during sing-a-long time at the end of the sessions. Children are able to recognise their written names and many can write their names on their work. Practitioners encourage all children to have a go at writing their names even if they are not yet at the stage of being able to write recognisable letters. Children are praised and valued for trying all activities whatever they manage to do and practitioners help wherever needed, for example, helping children to hold a pencil correctly.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy learning about living things and the environment around them. They are currently involved in growing sweet peas, tomatoes and mushrooms. They enjoy investigating outside, often collecting insects to look at in their bug catchers. As they do this they talk about changes that they have noticed between the insects such as more or less legs, shape and size. Children have free access to a computer on which they use basic skills such as clicking and dragging to follow educational programmes which promote colour, shape, number and letter recognition.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children take great pleasure experimenting with different materials. They imaginatively talk about how a mixture of soap flakes and water looks all 'gloopy' and how it erupts like a volcano after they pour it into bottles. Children are greatly valued and encouraged when they create their own experiments. For example, a child asked for some card and water as he wanted to make a river in the garden. A practitioner helped him fold the card and watched as he fetched wooden blocks for the sides to make a bridge and poured water down the middle. He was so pleased with himself when the practitioner took a photograph of his finished product so he could show his parents what he had achieved.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's fine and gross motor skills are developing well through a varied selection of activities and resources. They like to paint and use peg boards and learn to use scissors safely with increasing control. There is equipment for climbing and balancing indoors and outside and children are able to manoeuvre tricycles and scooters safely around the provision.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are valued and treated equally within the setting. Individual needs are discussed with parents and external help is sought from other professionals as necessary to help all children make progress in their learning and development. As practitioners have such a good understanding of the children's individual capabilities and personal preferences, they adapt the learning environment accordingly to provide an inclusive setting. For example, an activity to encourage recognition of numerals and counting is chalked onto the wall in the garden for children who do not function as well in an indoor environment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are learning about the wider world through a selection of resources that promote diversity and challenge stereotypes. Sometimes parents come into the group to talk about their cultures or jobs to help children develop a growing awareness of the wider community. Children's social, moral, spiritual 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 behave very well and are keen to tell visitors and remind each other of the rules, such as, not using scooters on the ramp, sharing equipment and helping to tidy up. Practitioners act as positive role models for the children and are quick to praise and encourage children to promote positive behaviour in the future.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

New parents are provided with an informative prospectus about the group and what it has to offer their children. They are invited to visit with their children before they start in the group to help them to settle into the environment. Parents receive regular newsletters about what is going on in the group and have access to a notice board which displays insurance and registration certificates. They have access to the full selection of policies and procedures. The complaints procedure alongside contact details for Ofsted are clearly displayed. All parents have access to their children's 'all about me' books which can be used as a two-way communication tool and gives examples of activities the children participate in, alongside photographs of them during the sessions. Practitioners are always available to speak to parents should they have concerns.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The quality of the partnership with parents of children in receipt of government funding for nursery education is good. Discussions with the parents during the inspection show they are generally very satisfied with the education that the group provides for their children. Many parents comment on how happy their children are and the quality of the staff team. Parents are given basic information about the Foundation Stage via the prospectus, however, a couple of parents say that they do not really know what progress their children are making in their individual learning and are not sure of what the Foundation Stage is. Although one to one consultations with parents are planned to discuss individual progress, these have not happened to date. Parents are able to be involved in their children's learning by being a helper in the group and by visiting to discuss topics with them to aid them in their learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides as the practitioners show a good understanding of child development and are all appropriately vetted. Suitable systems are in place to recruit and vet new practitioners and full inductions are given to help promote continuity within the setting. All practitioners have contracts of employment and written job descriptions so they are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities regarding the care and education of the children. Practitioners receive annual appraisals to monitor the quality of their work and identify any training needs but at the moment, the systems for ensuring their ongoing suitability are only informal.

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Organisation

Children's safety is well promoted as visitors to the provision are monitored. Records of children's and practitioners' attendance clearly show the times of arrival and departure to further promote safety. All of the regulatory paperwork is maintained to a good standard and is shared with parents as necessary to promote the welfare of the children. The whole of the provision is very well organised from the layout of the room, staff deployment, documentation and planning which all contributes to positive outcomes for children.

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Organisation

The quality of leadership and management is good. The manager of the group is very enthusiastic, is hands on with the children and oversees practice on a daily basis. The director/owner of the nursery is a frequent visitor to the group who has a strong vision of quality care and education. Both the manager and the director/owner are positive role models for the rest of the staff team, always striving for improvement which is reflected in the group's self evaluation and ongoing action plans.

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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 Practitioners and the manager monitor the educational programme on a regular basis to ensure good coverage of the whole curriculum and to ensure that what they are planning for the children is effective in helping them to make progress in their learning. Practitioners ensure that all children have opportunities to participate in all activities, promoting an inclusive setting where every child matters.

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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 all potential hazards are identified on the risk assessment • formalise the procedures for ensuring the ongoing suitability of 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): • further develop the partnership with parents to better inform them of the progress their children are making in their learning

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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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