Teddy Bear CornerOfsted inspection, 20 Apr 2009

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. Teddy Bear Corner Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 200788 Inspection date 20/04/2009 Inspector Elenora Griffin

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Setting address Seggs Lane, Alcester, Warwickshire, B49 5HJ

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Telephone number 01789 400816 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). This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

Teddy Bear Corner nursery registered in 1996 and is one of a group of two nurseries owned by Teddy Bear Corner Ltd. It operates from a converted detached property in the market town of Alcester in Warwickshire. Children are cared for across four ground floor rooms with access to toilets on the same floor. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.30 to 18.00 for 51 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of 38 children in the early years age group at any one time. There are currently 45 children on roll. The nursery is able to provide places for children who receive funding for early education, although funded children generally move on to the other nursery in the group. Children attend for a variety of sessions and mainly come from the surrounding area. The setting supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The nursery employs 18 members of staff who work with the children on a rota basis. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications and two are working towards a qualification.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory. Children are happy and content in the bright and welcoming environment of the nursery. Positive partnerships with parents and carers promote outcomes for children and the key person system ensures that generally, children's individual needs are appropriately met. Staff are developing a sound knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and use this to provide interesting and stimulating activities that help children to make steady progress in their learning and development. Staff are resilient to change and have adjusted well to the re-organisation of the nursery following some of the staff and older children moving to the other nursery in the group. Since then, deputies have stepped up to the challenges of taking on increasingly more responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the nursery and all staff are working hard to meet the requirements of the EYFS. Consequently, the

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

staffing team demonstrate a satisfactory capacity for continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further the planning to ensure that the experiences children bring with them are used as the starting point for their learning and ongoing learning is personalised to meet their individual interests and needs  extend opportunities for children's independent exploration of creative resources, ensuring that the activities and environment effectively reflect the value of children's originality and expressiveness This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  develop systems for reviewing, monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of inclusive practices in order to further promote and value diversity within the nursery, in particular children's linguistic diversity  ensure that details provided for parents for contacting Ofsted are up to date.

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provision

Children benefit from the good systems that are in place to involve parents in their children's experiences, learning and development. Daily diaries complement daily chats to ensure that parents are well-informed about their child's day and care routines. Photographic displays highlight to parents the activities and experiences that take place for their children and planning is clearly displayed. Parents are encouraged to become actively involved in the setting with 'parent corner' meetings held bi-monthly to provide parents with opportunities to talk to staff and to make suggestions. Regular parent evenings are also held to provide parents with the opportunity to talk to their child's key worker about their child's progress.

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provision

Management is beginning to develop formal systems for self-evaluation, which include gathering the views of staff and parents to provide the basis for effective evaluation. Feedback is positively received with management starting to look at improvements that can be made in response to parents' comments. For example, some parents do not get to see their child's key person on a daily basis and so staff are exploring ways of improving the key person system. However, self- evaluation systems do not include provision for the review, monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of inclusive practices. Consequently, resources, experiences and activities that promote and value diversity within the nursery are limited, with little recognition of children's linguistic diversity or opportunities for them to develop and use their home language in their play and learning.

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provision

Children are safeguarded from harm and neglect and positive steps are taken to promote their welfare. There is a clear child protection procedure in place that is understood by all staff; some staff have completed safeguarding children training and flowchart procedures from the Local Safeguarding Children Board which are displayed for all staff to see.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are happy and content in the nursery, cared for by staff who strive to ensure that they feel safe and secure in their surroundings. Each child has a peg and draw for their own possessions, which helps them to start to develop a sense of belonging. Staff have a lovely rapport with children, interacting positively with them and engaging with them at their level. Babies enjoy exploring the various resources that are placed around for them and snuggling in with carers for hugs and reassurance. Children enjoy moving and spreading out with activities in the spacious rooms of the nursery. They play with cars and train tracks and look at books with their carers. In the nature garden, children have great fun digging, playing with water and looking with wonder as they find mini beasts under logs. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children's individual needs are supported by their key person who uses individual

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

trackers to record children's progress. Staff have started to make learning journey observations in order to identify some next steps in children's learning and development, although these do not currently link in with the planning for each room. Children benefit from participating in activities and experiences that staff plan to support their general age and stage of development, guided by the three year topic programme. However, planning does not take account of the experiences children bring with them, such as their cultures, home languages and particular interests and is not personalised to meet their individual interests and needs.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children have great fun exploring the interesting variety of materials that staff provide for their messy play. They explore the consistency of gloop, the properties of water, sand, dry rice and pasta, and delight in the sensory appeal of rice and mud. Children enjoy regular opportunities to participate in art and craft activities. However, the opportunities children have to independently explore and revisit the creative and messy play resources are limited. This is because they are only able to access these during short sessions in the separate messy play room. Art and craft activities are often used to create work that staff use to complete their display boards and to develop children's individual scrapbooks. The same value is not attached to children's own work, that reflects their originality and expressiveness, as this is not displayed or included in children's scrapbooks.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are developing a good understanding of how to stay safe and to be healthy. They learn to manage the risk of touching stingy nettles in the nature garden and staff talk to them about road safety on the regular trips they take to explore the local area and countryside. Children enjoy seeing animals in fields and help to take care of the nursery fish and guinea pigs. Meal times are social occasions when children sit together to enjoy healthy, balanced meals that are freshly prepared on the premises. Children reap the benefits of daily opportunities to be active outside in the fresh air, exploring the wild plants and bugs of the nature garden or using the small climbing frames and slides in the front play area. 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? 3 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? 2 How well are children helped to be healthy? 2 How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? 3 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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