Tamalder Childcare

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. Tamalder Childcare Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY295367 Inspection date 09/03/2009 Inspector Valerie Block

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Setting address Unit 26, Meadow Road, Whitehaven, Cumbria, CA28 9HX

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Telephone number 01946 690490 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 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).

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

Tamalder Childcare is one of two nurseries run by Furness Childcare Ltd. It opened in 2004 and operates from a converted building. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area, three playrooms, a resource room and a sleep room. There is a play room on the first floor without lift access. The nursery is situated on the outskirts of Whitehaven, Cumbria. It is open each weekday from 07,30 - 17,30 all through the year apart from a week at Christmas and bank holidays. The nursery occasionally opens on a Saturday. There is a holiday club.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 85 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 70 children aged from birth to under eight years on roll, most in part-time places. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

There are 13 members of staff, 12 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least NVQ level 2. The setting provides funded early education for three and four-year-olds. The nursery is a member of the National Day Nursery Association.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good. The setting shows a good capacity for improvement and children are in the main kept safe and healthy. Children are well settled, enjoy their time at nursery and are making good progress in their welcoming setting. Partnerships are well established with parents and are being developed with other providers to ensure children's unique qualities are understood and planned for.

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 review procedures for assessment to include more information from parents about children's starting points in their learning and development and further ways to value linguistic diversity and cultural heritage to promote children's play and learning.  review the risk assessment for the pre-school area and the training room  document the full risk assessment for each type of outing, stating when it was carried out, by whom, and the date of the review as well as any action taken following a review or incident. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

Children are kept very safe as the setting has very good recruitment processes and security systems, such as a finger print recognition entry system, to ensure children are with suitable persons. Designated staff understand the required procedures for safeguarding children and attend regular training to ensure they have up-to-date information in this area. Overall, risk assessments are good, being regularly reviewed for each area in the nursery. Recently some rooms have been changed about and this has led to some safety issues for children that requires a review of the risk assessment. When children leave the site for visits, staff consider the risks involved and the procedures in writing clearly explain this process although there are no written risk assessments to evidence this.

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provision

Documentation is confidentially kept as required and documents to ensure clear observation, assessment and planning are in place as well as daily report sheets that parents are invited to contribute to, so ensuring good information exchange about the children's care and progress. Parents advise that they and their children are very happy with the service provided at this nursery. The nursery are very thoughtful about involving parents at their nursery to the full, they ask for parents' views using regular questionnaires and have a parents' consultative group in place to advise them of parents' views and involve parents in the running of the nursery.

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provision

Children's individual needs are known and met well as there is a very effective key worker system in place. The setting consider how they can include and welcome all families at their setting. For example, there is a ramped access to the building as well as welcoming posters using different languages to welcome everyone.

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provision

This setting has received a quality assurance award from the local authority and has also used the Ofsted self-evaluation tool to consider its performance using staff's views, advisors' input as well as parents' opinions. The nursery is soon to have an updated outdoor play area as a result of their evaluation of areas for improvement. Strengths and areas for improvement are accurately reflected in the nursery's own assessment. Staff show a commitment to and capacity for improvement as they regularly attend training courses to improve their practice and required training, such as first aid training, is refreshed on a regular basis.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are making progress and form trusting, warm relationships with their key staff who are knowledgeable about the Early Years Foundation Stage, the individual children, their interests and their progress. Good observation, assessment tools are used together with individual children's information, to plan interesting activities for all children and babies and staff use their skills and training well to develop an enabling environment for children to grow and learn. Children and babies enjoy fresh air daily in their safe, secure play area. Children use a variety of outdoor play equipment including balls and ride-on toys, they play imaginative games with their friends and develop physical skills. They enjoy walking over steps, learning to balance and judge distance. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children who have additional needs are well-cared-for, valued and included in the

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

life of the setting. Staff work well in partnership with parents and other agencies to meet children's additional needs. Children who speak English as an additional language are likewise valued and included, although staff have a limited understanding of their cultural heritage and so do not use this information sufficiently in planning play and learning. Children's individual interests are used in activity planning in a flexible way to assist learning goals. For example, children use a real camera around the nursery as children have shown an interest in cameras and bring in their own toy cameras to show staff and friends. The result is that all children develop an interest in the world around them, begin to understand how technology is used in everyday life and learn how to operate equipment. Staff display the children's photos to good effect and so children's self-confidence and esteem grows. Children show interest in helping to raise money for children in

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

need in Africa and staff read them a book about how children live there, about the food they eat and their environment. So children learn to understand different cultures and helping people less fortunate than themselves. Children's next steps in development and learning are known and planned for well. Parents are involved to some extent in assessment, as they have regular exchange with staff about their children and are encouraged to develop children's learning based on suggestions from staff. Although there are discussions with parents about children when they first come to nursery, there are some weaknesses in receiving detailed, robust information from parents to understand children's learning and development at that point.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children's health is well promoted as there are very good systems in place, including a hand clean machine for everyone entering the nursery, to prevent cross-infection. Parents are aware of all illnesses going around the nursery as this information is displayed in the entrance hall and sickness policies detailing exclusion periods are known to parents who have access to all policies. Children learn to keep themselves healthy as the nursery regularly have activities to help children understand the principles of healthy living. Children know that milk helps them grow and makes healthy bones. The children benefit from the nursery supporting children to clean their teeth after each meal. Children are learning to keep themselves safe as staff regularly undertake fire drills and explain to children that it is important to leave the building quickly when told to. Children learn to behave well as the staff model good polite behaviour and use praise to reinforce

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

good behaviour. The setting provide a good amount of computer equipment, using interesting programmes to assist children's information technology skills. Other equipment such as electronic toys, telephones and cameras are also available helping children to become knowledgeable and skilled in using technology to promote economic well-being in later years. 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? 2 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? 3

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped to stay safe? 3 How well are children helped to be healthy? 2 How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? 2 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 B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The registered provider does not meet the requirements of the compulsory and or voluntary part/s of the Childcare Register.

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 ensure all areas of the premises are safe and suitable for childcare. 24/03/2009

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 ensure all areas of the premises are safe and suitable for childcare. 24/03/2009

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