Beaufort Park Nursery

Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated. Beaufort Park Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY365196 Inspection date 03/12/2008 Inspector Maggie Thorp

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Setting address 2 Heritage Avenue, Off Grahame Park Way, Hendon, NW9 5FW Telephone number 07968 109524 Email Type of setting Childcare on non-domestic premises This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration whichever is the later, which require Ofsted or the provider to take action in Annex C.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10). This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

Beaufort Park Nursery is owned by the company Bright Horizons. It has been registered since 2008 and operates from the ground floor of a new, purpose-built building in Hendon, in the London Borough of Barnet. Access to the nursery premises is good. Children are grouped by age in group rooms for children under one year, one to two years, and two to five years. There are fully enclosed areas adjacent to the group rooms for outdoor play. The nursery is registered to provide 120 places for children in the early years age group. Currently, there are 49 children on roll. Children attend a variety of sessions each week. The nursery is open five days a week, for 51 weeks of the year, from 07.30 to 18.30. There are 12 staff, 11 of whom are appropriately qualified, working directly with the children, plus a deputy manager and cook.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The setting does not promote children’s welfare effectively, particularly in regard to staff:child ratios, risk assessment and the key person system. Children enjoy some activities, but a lack of resources and poor planning mean that not all children are helped to learn and develop. Partnership with parents is encouraged by staff chatting to parents and recording information about their children's needs, but the information provided for parents is not always accurate. Management makes some use of self-evaluation but it is not sufficiently robust, nor is leadership effective enough, to ensure that children benefit from this.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the early years provision requires significant improvement. The registered person is given a Notice to Improve that sets out actions to be carried out.

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further?

To comply with the requirements of the EYFS the registered person must take the following action by the specified date:

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further?

 organise staffing arrangements to ensure that safe adult:child ratios are maintained throughout the day to meet the needs of the children [Suitable people] 19/12/2008  ensure there are suitably qualified, experienced senior staff in place to monitor practice and to ensure practitioners receive the support that they need in observing and planning to help children progress in all areas of learning [Suitable people] 19/12/2008  organise premises, equipment and toys in a way that meets the needs of children and that provides rich and diverse learning opportunities including books, pretend play, mark making and outdoor play [Suitable premises, environment and equipment] 19/12/2008  assign each child a key person with whom they can 19/12/2008 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 develop a genuine bond and be able to become familiar with the setting and to feel confident and safe

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further?

within it [Organisation]  maintain records required for the safe and efficient management of the setting and to meet the needs of the children and make these easily accessible and available for inspection, including those for attendance and recruitment [Documentation, Suitable people] 19/12/2008  conduct risk assessment that staff understand and can implement including which aspects of the environment need to be checked on a regular basis: maintain a record of these particular aspects and when and by whom they have been checked in order to fully protect children [Suitable premises, environment & equipment] 19/12/2008 To improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 further promote children's health by ensuring meal times are always well organised social occasions and that kitchen staff receive appropriate on the job training  continue to develop the arrangements for reviewing, monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of inclusive practices to ensure children with English as an additional language and children with developmental delay or disabilities are responded to quickly and appropriately, involving other agencies as necessary

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provision

Although the policies and procedures of the company are sound, staff are not sufficiently aware of how to implement them so children are fully safeguarded. There is a lack of clarity about who is responsible for following up any concerns about children. Risk assessment was carried out when the setting opened but this has not been reviewed and staff are not clear about what daily checks should be carried out and by whom. Some documentation is well kept but attendance records for staff and children are not all available or complete to ensure children's well- being.

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provision

There are periods when adult:child ratios are insufficient to meet children's needs and children become upset. This is made worse when no supernumerary staff are present and so those caring for children are also answering the door and telephone. The key person system is not well established or understood. This leads to children being passed between staff when unsettled and upset rather than receiving the care of someone with whom they have a genuine bond. The company has devised a good assessment system for observing and planning for children but this is not yet being used to help all children make progress, enjoy and achieve. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Staff chat to parents and welcome them into the setting. Parents are kept well informed about their child's day through a daily diary. However, not all parents are clear about who their child's key person is so that they can work closely with that

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provision

person to meet their children's needs. This is in contrast with the information the company provides about a key person for each child.

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provision

Self-evaluation is not sufficiently effective to ensure that the quality of what children receive is continually improving. Some training has been offered training to effect improvement. However, the weaknesses in how activities are organised, rooms are resourced and the key person system have not been effectively identified and addressed. In fact, recent changes to combine groups of children have made what children experience less enjoyable. In addition, kitchen staff are not well informed about how to use equipment to promote children's health.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The environment is not well organised to help children progress in all areas of learning. There are too few resources, particularly resources to foster children's interest in books, mark making and imaginative play. Children under two only have one or two books and home corners are not attractively set out. Staff have begun to plan how to include and support children with English as an additional language and children with learning difficulties or disabilities but they are not yet fully supported.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Staff plan some good activities like collage, baking and water play. Toddlers and babies enjoy water play, sometimes exploring this with their whole bodies. However, the way some activities are presented reduces children’s enjoyment and little learning takes place. Only one mixing bowl is provided for nine children who just stir the mixture and pass the bowl on. Toddlers seated around a table to make a collage get bored and frustrated and their behaviour deteriorates as they wait a long time for the resources to be set out. At other times children's behaviour is good. Little phrases like 'use gentle hands' help even very young children relate well to each other.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children's language is encouraged well by some staff. Babies and toddlers respond with interest as staff name and describe what they point to. However, some questions children are asked are not well phrased to encourage learning. Children are enthusiastic about outdoor play and enjoy using the safe, well laid outdoor play area. However, sometimes two- to five-year-olds have only 45 minutes outside a day for and younger children have none.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children's health is promoted by the healthy food provided and the cleanliness of the environment. Children are learning about good hygiene, for example, washing their hands before taking part in cooking activities. The systems for noting allergies, medicine administration and accidents further encourage children's good health. Mealtimes are sometimes, but not always, well organised to encourage children’s enjoyment and independence. However, children's safety is at risk because staff do not carry out safety checks, for example, to ensure that electrical sockets are inaccessible to children. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

How well does the provision promote inclusive practice? 4 The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement.

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Foundation Stage led and managed?

How effective is the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement? How well does the setting work in partnership with parents and others? How well are children safeguarded? 4

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped to stay safe? 4 How well are children helped to be healthy? 3 How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? 4 How well are children helped to make a positive contribution? How well are children helped develop skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being?

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex C: complaint/s made to Ofsted

This section of the report includes details of any complaint/s made to Ofsted when:  we took action for the provider to meet the requirements of the Early Years Register; or  we asked the provider to take action in order to meet the requirements of the Early Years Register; or  the provider had already taken any necessary action to meet the requirements of the Early Years Register.

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Annex C: complaint/s made to Ofsted

We will not report on any complaint where the provider met the requirements of the Early Years Register or did not require any action by Ofsted or the registered provider.

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Detail of the complaint/s

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since registration.

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Detail of the complaint/s

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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