Jam Kangaroo Nursery, Pre-school & Kids Club

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. Jam Kangaroo Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY298560 Inspection date 21/10/2008 Inspector Anne Felicity Taylor

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Setting address The Southam Centre, School Street, Southam, Warwickshire, CV47 1PL Telephone number 01926 813 815 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

Jam Kangaroo Nursery registered in 2005. It operates from a converted Victorian school building in Southam, Warwickshire. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There is easy access to the nursery building, with most of the children's facilities on the ground floor. There is a sensory room and an activity room on the first floor.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered to care for a maximum of 71 children on the Early Years Register. There are currently 40 children on roll aged from eight months to four years. The setting is open each weekday from 08.00 to 18.00 for 52 weeks of the year, closing for public holidays. The nursery offers hour long sessions on Friday, which are open to the local community, for babies under two years old for play and exploring, and creative art sessions for children aged two to five years. Support is available for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and for children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The nursery employs 10 staff, eight of whom have appropriate early years qualification. Several staff are adding to their formal qualifications.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The warm and friendly environment at the nursery ensures that children and parents feel welcome. Children are safe and secure and enjoy a wide variety of activities and lots of individual care and attention. Staff know each child very well, and therefore can promote and encourage development by offering play and learning which compliment the interests of each child. Children enjoy regular local walks, and become familiar with their community, including the shops and the park. Strong relationships with parents, plus good procedures and links with support networks, ensures that all children's additional needs are met well. The owner and senior staff are constantly reviewing the service they offer, and have detailed development plans in place. This means that they are continually implementing change to benefit all the children and parents.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure that parents are fully aware of all the individual and group information available to them regarding the children's care and learning  ensure information is in place for each child about legal contact and parental responsibility  ensure procedures stated in the operational plan are followed and recorded, with special reference to staff appraisel and induction procedures  review the organisation of snack and meal times in order to give children choice and opportunities to develop their independence. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

The owner and the staff team are very focused on developing and improving the child care and education offered at the nursery, and therefore continue to encourage each child to reach their full potential. Parents complete regular questionnaires, and detailed development plans are compiled and discussed and reviewed. This means that any weakness is addressed quickly, and the facilities are constantly improving. For example, the development of the outdoor environment has effectively enhanced the play opportunities available for the children.

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provision

The majority of the staff holds relevant early year’s qualifications and all are experienced. Staff are supported and encouraged to add to their qualification and encouraged to complete training courses. Therefore, children benefit as they are cared for by skilled staff who keep up to date with developments in early years. Regular staff meetings support the staff in all areas of the nursery, where they discuss issues, current developments and events, for example, and an imminent open/fun day. Appraisal and induction procedures are generally completed, however, these are not always completed in full or recorded, which compromises their effectiveness in improving practice. There are rigorous and robust recruitment procedures in place, ensuring that children are cared for by suitable people and are safe at all times. For example, students and volunteers are always supervised.

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provision

Individually organised settling in visits mean that parents gain confidence in the staff and the setting, and that children are happy and comfortable. Parents are offered a colourful information booklet, and the well-developed key person system offers plenty of opportunities for staff and parents to exchange information, for example, a child's stage of development and any individual needs. Parents complete most of the required admission information. However, details of legal contact and parental responsibility is not completed which means that staff do not have all the required information. There is plenty of information about projects, activities and events the children take part in, including daily notice boards and regular newsletters. However, parents are not always aware of all the information available therefore do not always feel fully involved of their child's learning.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

All staff are completing training in the Early Years Foundation Stage and are consequently implementing changes to methods of recording the children's progress and their planning to meet individual children’s care and learning needs. They are committed to providing an inclusive service and good procedures are in place to assess any child with learning difficulties and/or disabilities or a specific individual need, for example, a special diet. Effective links are in place with support networks and with the local primary school. Regular observations are completed and recorded. The knowledge and experience of staff means that planning in all areas of the nursery is adapted to meet a child's stage of development or interests. Therefore, all children make good progress towards the early learning goals and are learning through play and have lots of fun. Staff manage children's behaviour consistently according to each child's stage of development. As a result children

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 behave very well and learn to be considerate and helpful, for example, in sharing and taking turns.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Effective hygiene procedures are in place throughout the nursery. All the children are encouraged in good personal hygiene routines, including washing their hands and faces after meals. Younger children have their nappies changed regularly, and when needed, and potty training is organised in cooperation with parents, to ensure continuity and success.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The children's health and well-being is significantly enhanced by the varied and nutritious diet they are offered, and by the regular access to outdoor and physical play. All the children enjoy the challenge of completing an outdoor obstacle course and investigating and selecting flower and herb plants for a gardening activity. Older children are delighted as they improve their skills using the outdoor equipment, and babies enjoy the achievement of climbing on to the small climbing frame. Children are offered three meals a day, plus a morning and afternoon snack. They learn about healthy eating through discussion, displays and projects. All food is prepared from fresh ingredients on site, and the children's interest in food is promoted well, through the cook, who organises and supervises cookery sessions for the children to take part in, for example, food tasting sessions. Therefore, they observe change and

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

learn about different diets from around the world. Children enjoy their lunch. However, an opportunity for the children to help to prepare meals is missed limiting their opportunity to make independent choices. Babies and younger children have their individual needs met well as appropriate foods are prepared such as puree of vegetables or fruit. All food is stored and prepared safely because storage temperatures are monitored and recorded and many of the staff have completed food safety training.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Babies and children have easy access to appropriate high quality resources in all areas of the nursery, and displays and equipment is at child height that makes the play areas very attractive and interesting. Babies experiment with sound and textures, easily using equipment positioned at their level. Toddlers 'make tea' for friends in the home corner. All children are developing a love for books, both story and factual. They enjoy group story time listening to 'Over on the Farm', with staff who introduce them to new vocabulary and counting. Younger children are delighted as they use feely and musical books, investigating texture and sound enthusiastically. 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

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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of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

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

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Foundation Stage led and managed?

How effective is the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement? Good

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Foundation Stage led and managed?

How well does the setting work in partnership with parents and others? Good

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped to stay safe? Good How well are children helped to be healthy? Good How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? Good How well are children helped to make a positive contribution? Good

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped develop skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being? Good

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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 the last inspection.

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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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