Mosaic Centre

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. Mosaic Centre Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY304304 Inspection date 03/03/2009 Inspector Abigail Caroline Cunningham

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Setting address Chapeltown Children's Centre, Leopold Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS7 4AW Telephone number 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

Children only attend this setting before and/or after the school day and/or during the school holidays. The judgements in this report reflect the quality of early years provision offered to children during those periods. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

The Mosaic Centre is one of three nurseries run by The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. It opened in 2005 and is situated in Chapeltown, Leeds. It operates from four rooms in a purpose-built building. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.00 to 18.00 all year round. All children share access to two secure enclosed outdoor play areas. The nursery has two giant snails and a rabbit as pets.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 70 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 109 children aged from birth to under five years on roll, some on part-time places. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

There are 24 members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least NVQ at level 3. Three of the managers hold a Foundation Degree in Business Management, one member of staff is working towards a Foundation Degree in Childhood Studies and two of the managers are working towards a BA Hons in Business Management. The nursery receives support from the trust and the local authority and the emphasis is on learning through play.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good. The staff team are good at promoting the children's welfare and they are working well to ensure all children are included and their individual needs are fully met. The setting also works in partnership with parents and other childcare providers to promote coherence and joined up working. Self-evaluation takes into account the views of parents and staff and it is effective in identifying strengths and priorities for improvements. Therefore, those in charge are able to demonstrate how they have made significant improvements to the provision. The children are making good progress in their learning and development, they particularly enjoy learning about the natural world, they are developing a positive approach to being healthy and have excellent physical skills.

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further?

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

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further?

 implement monitoring systems to ensure that there are no gaps in the children's learning  extend the systems in place for obtaining information from parents to include information about their child's starting points and abilities as they enter the nursery. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

The staff know the children and their families very well. For example, they are fully aware of the children's backgrounds, home language, individual needs and parent's preferences. The staff team are experienced in working with children who have learning difficulties and disabilities, they implement effective procedures in order to work in partnership with parents and other childcare providers, to ensure children receive good support, for example, regular meetings are held and individual education plans are fully implemented.

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provision

An effective settling in and transition procedure is fully in place, which includes a minimum of three settling in visits. There is an established system in place to gain information about children before they start at the nursery, which includes their individual needs, home language and routines. However, this does not extend to obtaining their starting points and abilities from parents, as they enter the nursery. Parents receive regular information via the room notice boards, daily diaries, newsletters, parent's evenings and daily feedback from the key people working with their child. Some parents are currently adding their comments and observations to their child's profile of achievements.

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provision

The senior management team and the staff have created a welcoming and inclusive environment, in which to care for the children. The staff team are very friendly, helpful, motivated and committed to improvement. The staff are fully involved in planning, evaluating and developing practice, for example, through staff meetings, planning meetings and appraisals. Staff have regular access to purposeful training, such as first aid, music and movement training. There are comprehensive nursery improvement plans in place and these are devised, after the views of parents and the whole staff team have been sought. As a result of undertaking the parent questionnaires, the settings menu has recently been reviewed and updated.

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provision

Detailed written policies, procedures and documentation are in place, to ensure children's welfare is safeguarded and promoted. For example, thorough risk assessments are regularly undertaken and reviewed and the safeguarding policy and procedure is shared with parents. The children are supervised at all times, children are unable to leave the premises unattended and they are never left alone with persons who have not been vetted. The system for managing access to the premises is good. Unauthorised persons are unable to gain entry and there is a record of visitors. The staff have completed safeguarding children training and this is also included within staff induction procedures. As a result, the staff demonstrate a sound understanding of safeguarding issues and procedures, in line with the Local Safeguarding Children's Board guidance, for example, the staff have experience of recording any concerns and know to seek advice where necessary.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The setting employs a cook, who has completed food hygiene training. All staff are fully aware of children's individual dietary requirements and preferences which are This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 discussed in full with parents and these are clearly recorded in the nursery kitchen. The menu is displayed for parents to see and healthy snacks, such as fresh fruit and vegetables are readily available throughout the day. Mealtimes are a sociable event, for example, the staff sit with the children and they chat happily together. The children are very independent in feeding themselves, they enjoy their food very much and older children confidently help themselves to both snacks and meals. Planned activities, such as growing and harvesting vegetables and making and tasting soup introduces children to healthy ingredients.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The staff have a thorough understanding of how children develop and learn. For example, they have completed Early Years Foundation Stage training, which is clearly reflected in the planning and assessment records. Planning reflects the different areas of learning and responds to individual children's needs and interests. The system is easy to follow and all staff working with the children know how each part fits together. The system for assessing and recording the children's development, accurately identifies children's achievements, progress and shows the staff's planning to promote the children's next steps in learning. However, monitoring systems have not been consistently implemented to ensure that there are no gaps in the children's learning.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The children engage in a good range of activities requiring hand-eye coordination, such as using crayons, felt tip pens, pencils and paintbrushes. They confidently use one handed tools and equipment and more able children can write their own names and enjoy doing this, for example, in order to independently label their drawings. The older children are encouraged to participate in self-registration on a daily basis and as a result, they can recognise their own names. The children have direct access to the outdoor play area from each of the playrooms and both babies and children of all ages enjoy playing outside. They have great fun participating in daily music and movement sessions and are developing a positive attitude to exercise and being healthy. The children are making excellent progress in their physical development, as staff are highly skilled in encouraging the children to enjoy repetition in their movement and develop their physical skills. For example,

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

young children move spontaneously to movement, more able children can do tipple over's, they enjoy balancing using beams, stilts and like to climb trees and other apparatus, such as the climbing wall.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The children are developing positive attitudes to others. This is because the children enjoy playing with a broad selection of resources, which reflects positive images, such as empathy dolls. They also learn about interesting events, such as Chinese New Year, Diwali and Eid. The children are developing a good understanding of the natural world, for example, the children recently had fun making bird feeders, planting poppy seeds and pansy's. The children also enjoy helping others and caring for the settings pets, for example, a small group of children enjoyed preparing snacks for the other children. They happily and busily chop celery, carrots, tomatoes and cucumber, one child asked the other children, 'Rufus the rabbit likes celery, shall we give some to Rufus'? The staff are good role models and as a result, the children are well behaved, for example, babies and young children are attempting to use good manners, while imitating staff. The

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

children are successfully developing various self help skills, for example, more able children can put their outdoor coats on with very little or no help, they cooperate This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 with hand washing routines and can assert their own needs and preferences. The children also enjoy receiving a variety of rewards for their good behaviour, such as having the opportunity to dress up in superhero costumes for the afternoon. 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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