Inn Farm Private Day 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. Inn Farm Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY373261 Inspection date 18/02/2009 Inspector Lynne Kathleen Talbot

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Setting address Inn Farm, Knotting Road, Melchbourne, BEDFORD, MK44 1BE Telephone number 01234 708655 Email innfarmdaynursery@btinternet.com 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

Inn Farm Day Nursery registered in August 2008 and is a privately owned provision. The nursery operates from a self-contained, single-storey building in the grounds of Inn Farm in Melchbourne, Bedfordshire. The building is accessed by a slope and there is a single step within two areas of the premises. Children have access to fully enclosed outdoor play areas.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is open each weekday throughout the year and sessions are from 08.00 to 18.00. The nursery is closed for bank holidays. A maximum of 30 children may attend the nursery at any one time. Nursery Education funding is received. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. There are currently 20 children on roll, all of whom are within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

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Description of the setting

Three children attend other settings such as the early years unit of the local primary school or pre-school. The setting supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and is able to support children for whom English is an additional language. There are three staff members who all hold relevant childcare qualifications.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good. The nursery provides very effectively for children within EYFS ensuring that every child is fully included and makes rapid progress in their learning and development. Planning is creative, individually organised and thorough, building on the strides made by the children. Staff and management create a very welcoming environment making sure that safety is paramount with excellent procedures for safeguarding and risk assessment, continuous monitoring and extending children's own understanding. Effective links with parents help to involve them in their child's care and education and those secure relationships ensure that children thrive. Procedures for self-evaluation are robust and ensure continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop the educational programme, with reference to supporting children's knowledge and understanding of the world, with particular reference to cultures, disabilities and methods of communication  develop the methods of sharing information with parents to ensure that initial starting points involve parental input. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

Comprehensive policies and procedures ensure that all children's needs are met. The managers and staff use daily procedures to check that hazards are minimised, thereby, ensuring that children may move around learning independently. Risk assessments are thorough, for both the setting and outings, fully addressing risk and ensuring that children are safe when using any part of the premises or on excursions. Security is systematic with viewing windows in all areas and the main door being secured for internal release only. There is a thorough recruitment and induction system which means that all staff are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities. Systems include mentors for new staff and appraisals each year. The robust self-evaluation procedures mean that the nursery team have a clear understanding of their strengths and weaknesses and can implement change to improve the outcomes for children. This is evidenced by the long-term

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provision

development plan showing how each aim is to be achieved and monitored for effectiveness.

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provision

The nursery is extremely inviting, exceptionally well-resourced and provides scope for all areas of development inside the nursery, in the extensive grounds or within the 'messy' barn. Children become self-motivated learners accessing resources within storage labelled in both word and picture. Following on from a discussion with a child they introduced number logs, alphabet pebbles and a listening area in the garden. The staff team work closely with parents to ensure there is an exchange of information to promote children's welfare, learning and development. Younger children have 'all about me' booklets and all children's development is shared with parents through the close observations used to track their progression and shown in their individual files. However, at this time the nursery has yet to formalise their system to involve parents in developing a baseline starting point for children. Staff are proactive in addressing issues of inclusion for every child,

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provision

seeking information and adhering to any instruction or programme set for an individual. Links with other settings are a key strength meaning that complimentary care may be given to benefit children fully.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are consistently offered a stimulating and innovative range of activities which enable them to make exceptional progress in all areas of learning and development. Exemplary observations and assessments ensure that the individual needs of all children are fully met. These are used to identify the next areas of learning for every child which feed the weekly and daily planning of activities. Staff respond positively to children's interests. For example, heuristic play, treasure baskets and sensory sacks are used productively with the under two-year-olds. They explore the textures around them, enjoy stories and rhyme, dress-up and carry out role play from a very young age. These activities encourage children's early concentration, independence and learning skills. The nursery sponsor a child in Rwanda and are also developing links with a nursery in Rwanda. The children learn about other countries and their local community through project works and

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

from discussing events. However, they have limited opportunities to develop This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 awareness of a broad range of cultures, methods of communication or the specific needs of others.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

All children enthusiastically explore the environment and local community. For instance, they care for chickens collecting and feeding them scraps, learning about recycling and collecting the eggs to use later when baking. They demonstrate safety as they walk to the enclosure and investigate aspects of the weather chatting eagerly and recalling when the owner had to tow cars from the car park which were stuck when it snowed. They talk about number, shape and size as they collect and compare the eggs laid each day. Children anticipate events that are planned such as a visit from a tame fox or the Farrier to shoe a horse at the premises. They complete traffic surveys using emergent skills in number to chart what they see discussing the high number of horses that pass by in comparison to vehicles. Children plant bulbs and watch their growth eagerly, measuring them and drawing them to record in individual books the progress made. They consider early

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

science and investigate independently as they make an 'iceberg' telling staff they mixed snow, water and woodchips to make the iceberg before adding polar bears. Children show persistence as they use the outdoor construction area to design and build ramps and obstacle courses together from natural materials. These all- encompassing activities, assisted by the encouragement and preparations made by the staff group, provide children with purposeful opportunities to become engrossed in their learning and development.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children develop language rapidly because they are consistently supported to hold conversations and challenged to reach their own conclusions about questions they ask. For example, when eating lunch of pasta they deduce that it is made from flour and water and link this to the story 'The little red hen'. They talk about what they make from flour and water as well as what other ingredients are included in the dough mix. They use mark-making in all areas, understand rhyme following sequences of words that rhyme, and count and calculate freely. Children develop their own games developing rules together. For instance, when beginning to play hide-and-seek they decide that they are too big to hide and choose to use a puppet instead. They develop this into giving clues such as 'warmer' and 'colder' to each other showing an advanced understanding of how to use language. Children thrive in this safe and stimulating environment. They enjoy wholesome meals

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

made fresh on-site from locally sourced ingredients discussing the links between foods and their health. They complete evacuation routines every month and use road safety every day when moving around, on walks to the village and with the use of equipment obtained for projects. Children show empathy for younger children as they regularly join as family groups and help each other at tasks, such as the computer, explaining to younger children how programmes work. This supports their developing social awareness and respect for others. 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? 1

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped to stay safe? 1 How well are children helped to be healthy? 1 How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? 1 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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