Daisy Chain 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. Daisy Chain Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY153271 Inspection date 29/06/2009 Inspector Diane Lynn Turner

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Setting address Cinder Lane, Heworth, York, YO31 7TP

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Telephone number 01904 422211 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

Daisy Chain Day Nursery was registered in November 2001 and is a privately owned provision. It operates from extended private premises, which were previously a care home, and is situated in the Heworth area of York. Children are cared for in four main rooms, with one of the baby rooms situated on the first floor. There is a separate dining room and office facilities, and an enclosed outdoor play area, with equipment for outdoor use. There is no lift access to the first floor. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 08.00 to 18.00 for 51 weeks of the year. It serves the local community and surrounding areas and is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register to care for 50 children at any one time. There are currently 80 children on roll within the early years age group.

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Description of the setting

There are 16 members of staff, including the owner, who work directly with the children. Of these, 10 have an early years qualification to level 3, one to level 4, one has a degree in early childhood studies and two have a level 2 qualification. There is one trainee who is working towards a level 2 qualification and the owner has an early years teaching degree. The staff are supported by the office manager, two volunteer helpers and a cleaner. The nursery is a member of the National Day Nurseries Association and receives support from the development workers at the local authority.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding. Children are cared for in a vibrant, extremely welcoming and inclusive environment, by staff who value their uniqueness and are committed to providing care of the highest quality. They provide an excellent range of exciting learning opportunities which ensures children are fully engaged and extremely well supported in making excellent progress, given their age, ability and starting points. Excellent attention is paid to building positive, trusting relationships with the parents and carers, and to developing strong links with other providers, and the local community. Rigorous self-evaluation by the manager and staff team ensures that any priorities for future development are promptly identified and acted on, resulting in a service that is extremely responsive to the needs of all of its users.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 continue to develop the links with any other settings the children also attend. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

The nursery is extremely well led and managed in all areas. The friendly, highly motivated and dedicated staff team work extremely well together and carry out their duties diligently. Robust systems are in place for the recruitment and vetting of any new members, for their induction and to support the ongoing professional development of all members. Detailed and very well maintained documentation and comprehensive policies and procedures are in place, which are effectively implemented, and staff are meticulous in safeguarding and protecting children from possible harm. Highly effective systems are in place to monitor and evaluate the service and ensure continuous improvement, with staff, parents and children fully involved in the process. This collaboration ensures the opinions of all concerned are carefully considered and their suggestions implemented wherever possible, to ensure future improvement. Staff give the highest priority to

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provision

promoting a truly inclusive setting. All children are welcome to attend and the greatest care is taken in ensuring their individual care and learning needs are met. Children who are recognised as being gifted are extremely well supported as are those who have learning difficulties or disabilities. Individual education plans are drawn up and very close relationships are fostered with the parents and any other professionals involved in their care. The nursery is a member of the local childcare partnership and has excellent links with the local schools that the children will move on to. Relationships with other settings that some children also attend are still being developed.

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provision

High priority is given to fostering and maintaining excellent relationships with the parents and carers and to ensuring they are kept well informed about all aspects of the service. They receive a detailed and well presented prospectus, regular newsletters are sent out and a wealth of useful information is displayed throughout the nursery. Parents are valued as the children's primary carers and every effort is made to involve them in the children's learning. A library book service is offered, children can bring in photographs of family events to display on the 'home to nursery board' and parent evenings are held three times a year. In addition, workshops are held to inform them of particular aspects, such as the Early Years Foundation Stage, and they are very welcome to share their skills with the children. Parents spoken to at the inspection all expressed overwhelming praise for the staff and the care provided.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are very happy and extremely settled within the setting and have very close relationships with the staff who care for them. They enjoy an excellent balance of adult led and self-initiated activities which helps them to make rapid progress towards the early learning goals. Staff enable them to independently explore the activities and skilfully use questioning and conversation to challenge their thinking and to support them in extending their learning. They make detailed observations of the children's responses to the activities and meticulously record their findings in their individual learning journeys, which are shared regularly with the parents. They make excellent use of every learning opportunity as it arises. For This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 example, the younger children currently have an avid interest in transport and staff have seized the opportunity to help them make models of trains, and paintings of

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

boats, and to experience the thrill of travelling into the city by bus. This was made all the more exciting as the outing was also to observe a member of staff getting married. The children point excitedly to the photographs of their adventure and relish recalling the experience.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Babies and toddlers are offered a wide range of tactile experiences. They show wide eyed wonder as they explore various sized balls, and shake and roll bottles containing colourful materials. They laugh with delight as staff remove their shoes so they can splash in a tray of water as part of a planned activity to make a rock pool, showing great curiosity as they explore sand, shells, stones and various 'sea creatures'. The older children show sustained concentration and have a real thirst for knowledge. They have an excellent understanding of letters and sounds and are very proud of the vegetables and flowers they are growing outdoors. They confidently and independently use their mark making and creative skills during other activities, such as making road markings in the outdoor area with chalk, and creating a wonderful jeep using recyclable materials as part of their topic on the jungle. An extremely harmonious atmosphere is evident at all times and children's

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

behaviour is exemplary. They are overwhelmingly welcoming to visitors and are extremely proud of their nursery. They respect and value each other's differences and abilities and learn about the wider world and to care for others. For example, they take their elderly neighbours gifts at harvest time, sing carols for them at Christmas and they are sponsoring an African elephant.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Staff are extremely effective in helping children to learn about keeping themselves safe and healthy. As a result, the children relish the opportunities they have to use the outdoor area and show excellent physical skills as they use wheeled toys and the climbing frame. They learn about eating healthily through valuable practical experiences, such as growing their own fruit and vegetables, which they enjoy at mealtimes. Personal hygiene is positively promoted from a very early age, with even the babies attempting to use wipes to clean their hands before they eat. The older children confidently explain that they need to wash their hands to get rid of germs, and that they need to have sun cream applied before they go out in hot weather, to stop them getting burnt. They also remind the staff that they too need to wear a hat when it is sunny. 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? 1 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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