Becket Primary School

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. North Star Nursery & Holiday Club Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 109123 Inspection date 17/11/2008 Inspector Nikki Whinton

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Setting address Polaris House, North Star Avenue, Swindon, SN2 1UH

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Telephone number 01793 411994 Email julie.jones@stfc.ac.uk 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).

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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

North Star Nursery and Holiday Club opened in 1999. It operates from a single storey building with five rooms, toilets and kitchen. The provision is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery and holiday club primarily serve the employees of the research councils. A maximum of 40 children within the early years age range may attend the nursery at any one time. The provision also cares for older children. The group opens weekdays all year round. Sessions are from 08.00 until 17.45. There is wheelchair access and ground floor facilities for those with disabilities. There is a fully enclosed outside play area available.

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Description of the setting

There are currently 50 children in the early years age range on roll. Of these, eight children receive funding for early education. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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Description of the setting

The provision employs 13 members of staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate early years qualifications and one is working towards a qualification. The group has achieved an Investors in People Award and Pre-School Learning Alliance accreditation.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

North Star Nursery and Holiday Club is an inclusive early years provision offering a balance of child initiated and adult led learning, where children enjoy a positive experience and are encouraged to be active independent learners. The staff have formed close links with the parents, who are invited to become involved in their child's learning, both within the provision and at home. The staff are reflective practitioners, aware of the need to improve assessments, free flow play and some aspects of documentation. The nursery helps all children to make progress towards the early learning goals and has a good capacity to further develop the quality of the welfare, learning and development offered to the children.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop the organisation of the provision in order that all children have the chance to take part in regularly planned purposeful outdoor play activities that help to promote individual children's progress towards the early learning goals  develop the assessment system in order to identify each child's progress across all aspects of the curriculum  develop the procedures for risk assessments to ensure that records are maintained of the checks completed on sleeping children and for each type of outing. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

The leadership and management team is experienced and suitably qualified. They are aware of their important role in safeguarding children and know the procedures to follow if concerned about the welfare of a child. The capable, caring staff value and respect the children as individuals. They have a good partnership with the parents, who are actively encouraged to become involved in the setting. They are invited to attend the parents' user forum and to take part in 'singalong' and monthly play sessions. They are kept up to date through daily diaries, e-mail contact, newsletters and informal discussion with staff at the beginning or end of the sessions. The group has a positive attitude towards continuous improvement, with most issues raised at the last inspection having been completed. All staff are involved in evaluating the effectiveness of the provision and are encouraged to attend targeted training in order to develop their professional knowledge. The

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provision

setting has a good understanding of its strengths and the main areas for improvement, such as developing the assessment system and free flow play to outside. The group has achieved Pre-School Learning Alliance accreditation and welcomes advisors from the Swindon early years team to help support improvement.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The provision is clean, suitably maintained and of an appropriate temperature. Notice boards, photographs of children engaged in activities and labelled displays of children's artwork help to create a welcoming environment for children and their parents. Children behave well, with older children being able to concentrate for short periods, such as when completing the daily weather chart. Children are generally very confident and self-assured, with any child who is initially a little hesitant to settle, receiving good adult support to assist their integration. Children are developing their social skills and learning to share resources and to take turns, such as when waiting to select their snack time food. Children are building their self-care skills through practical activities, including putting on their coats and boots for outside play and independently putting their art creations in their labelled

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

drawers. They show consideration for others, such as when a child spontaneously finds a tissue to wipe a friend's runny nose. Older children have the chance to take some responsibility within the group. They sort rubbish for recycling, help themselves to drinks and take turns to be the snack and lunch time monitors who lay the table and push the food trolley back to the kitchen.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The nursery is an inclusive provision, where all children have the chance to be active independent learners. Older children help themselves to resources from labelled, low-level storage units, whilst non-mobile babies choose from a selection of toys that are placed within their reach. Children take part in a balanced programme of child initiated and adult led activities. For example, older children become absorbed playing musical instruments such as 'boom-wackers' and confidently count the fruit and vegetables that are used as props whilst listening to the story of 'The very hungry caterpillar'. The toddlers enjoy sharing books spontaneously with the staff, completing jigsaws and experimenting with dough. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 The babies gain pleasure from exploring 'treasures' such as bead necklaces, cardboard tubes and giant wooden curtain rings. The staff plan to cover all areas

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

of the Early Years curriculum, although opportunities for purposeful outdoor play are more limited. They undertake regular written observations of the children which are used to plan for the next steps in their learning. Staff in the pre-school room have started to form links with other early years settings that some of the children also attend, in order to offer a coordinated approach to their learning. Parents are encouraged to become involved, such as by reading to the children at story time, attending the Father's Day tea or by taking the group's soft toys, Trevor and Trudie, on family excursions. They receive their child's assessment records on a three monthly basis to study at home and are invited to contribute their own comments regarding their child's progress. However, the assessments do not clearly identify children's progress across all aspects of the curriculum.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The staff know the children well, act as good role models and have a positive rapport with them. The children are offered a balanced menu of freshly prepared hot meals and snacks. All allergies, dietary needs and parental preferences are discussed, recorded in the base rooms for immediate staff referral and accommodated. Children are learning the need for good hygiene regimes, such as washing their hands before eating or after toileting. Through practical opportunities, including taking part in fire drills and tidying away resources after play, children are gaining an awareness of how to keep themselves safe. There is a range of measures to promote children's safety. The premises are secure, children are appropriately supervised and socket covers are fitted to exposed electric points. However, no risk assessments are undertaken for each type of outing experienced by the children and whilst sleeping babies are appropriately

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

supervised, no records are kept of when a child is checked. 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? 2

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped to stay safe? 2 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: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met 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

Since there have been no complaints made to Ofsted.

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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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