Busy Bees at Blaby

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. The Lavender Bush Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY388572 Inspection date 28/07/2009 Inspector Alison Edwards

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Setting address 170 Lutterworth Road, Blaby, LEICESTER, LE8 4DP

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Telephone number 01162786040 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

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

Lavender Bush Day Nursery registered in 2009. It is one of six privately-owned nurseries run by Bush Babies Children's Nurseries Ltd within Leicestershire and Leicester city. It operates from a two storey building in the village of Blaby and serves the surrounding area. Children are based in three ground floor areas, with associated cloakroom facilities. Children have access to an additional active play area on the ground floor, and there is a first floor sleeping area for babies. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play. The nursery operates from Monday to Friday from 07:45 to 18:00 for 51 weeks each year.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of 60 children under the age of eight years at any one time. All of these may be within the early years age range. It receives funding to provide nursery education to three- and four-year-old children. There are currently 94 children on roll, all of whom are within the early years age range, and 32 of whom are funded. Including the manager, there are 14 regular childcare staff. Of these, eight hold relevant qualifications at Level 3 or above, and two hold qualifications at Level 2.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good. The nursery works effectively with parents to ensure that staff know individual children well, so helping them to provide good support for their care and welfare needs. Staff and managers make good use of ongoing training opportunities to review their practice and to ensure that they have a generally good overview of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Consequently, they are continuing to further develop their existing sound arrangements to help children make progress in their learning.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure staff have an up to date understanding of safeguarding issues and are able to implement all aspects of the safeguarding children policy appropriately  develop planning and provision of outdoor play to fully extend children's learning across all aspects of development  develop more effective systems to assess the next steps in children's learning, and to plan and provide a more consistently challenging and stimulating learning environment to enable children to make consistently high levels of progress in each aspect of learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

Organisation is effective in ensuring that the nursery runs smoothly on a day-to- day basis. Staff and managers work well together as a team, and make use of meetings within the nursery and across the chain to share and update their understanding of relevant aspects of current childcare issues and practice. Several staff are studying for higher level qualifications, so showing a commitment to on- going improvement. The nursery has made good use of careful action plans to ensure that there has been a smooth transition for children and staff under its new ownership. Current plans, such as developing more effective provision for outdoor play, are well-targeted to bring about continued improvement in the provision for children. Staff show a ready willingness to review and develop their practice, for example, as they experiment with how to best track children's current abilities and to plan for their continued learning and progress.

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provision

Robust recruitment and induction processes ensure that children are cared for by suitable, well-qualified adults with a generally good understanding of their individual roles and responsibilities. For example, staff are clear on how implement relevant policies to act in children's best interests in the event of an emergency such as a fire, or a child going missing. Relevant in-house and local training ensures that staff recognise what child abuse and neglect mean, and are clear on their responsibilities in the event of any concerns about a child. Policies and procedures are reviewed by senior managers within the nursery chain to ensure that they are fully in line with current local and national guidance. However, staff are not yet fully familiar with how to implement the nursery's current safeguarding policy, with particular regard to the procedures to be followed in the event of any allegation against a staff member.

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provision

The nursery gives high priority to working closely with parents, carers, and other agencies involved with children. As a result, staff have a good understanding of children's individual needs and circumstances, enabling them to offer consistent and sensitive care to support children's well-being. Parents receive regularly updated information about the nursery's provision through displays, newsletters and parents' evenings. The nursery's layout ensures that parents have easy contact with senior managers, as well as room staff, on arrival and collection, so helping to encourage good relationships and a two-way flow of information. Systems are in place to seek information from parents about their knowledge of children's needs, abilities and interests, so enabling staff and parents work in partnership to help children make links in their experiences and learning. The nursery is familiar with ways of working in partnership with other agencies to

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provision

support the inclusion of children with disabilities and/or additional learning needs.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

There are good arrangements to promote children's safety and health. Staff are careful to offer high levels of supervision at all times, for example, when constantly monitoring sleeping babies, so enabling them to give them prompt and sensitive attention as they wake. They help older children begin to develop an This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 understanding of simple safety issues, as when they engage them in meaningful discussion about stories including aspects of road safety, or children getting lost in a supermarket. Children enjoy choosing from healthy snacks, such as a selection of fresh fruits, and benefit from well-presented and nutritious meals. Consequently, they are developing good eating habits. They enjoy frequent opportunities to extend their large muscle skills, for example, as babies move rhythmically to music or as older children confidently use a good range of play equipment in the rear

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

garden, or purposefully participate in action songs in the large active play room. From an early age, children generally show good levels of dexterity. For example, staff encourage babies' interest in purposefully 'posting' items into shape sorters, or activating knobs and levers on 'cause and effect' toys.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The nursery gives high priority to promoting children's personal, emotional and social development. Staff spend time talking to parents about children's needs and preferences, and how they express these, and about effective ways of managing children's individual behaviour. Consequently, they know children well, so helping them to separate confidently from their parents and carers, and settle readily to their chosen activities. Staff understand the importance of sensitively responding to young children's gestures, facial expressions and vocalisations to help them feel that their needs are understood. They are familiar with the use of signing and picture cue cards to help all children's communication skills, and their understanding of what behaviour is expected of them. They help children to develop an awareness of others from an early age, for example, as they encourage babies in simple sharing and turn-taking play. As a result, older children

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

collaborate well, as when they work together using simple computer programs. Children use a fair range of resources reflecting individual and cultural differences, such as dolls with different skin tones and books about different lifestyles, so helping them to recognise and respect diversity.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Staff are aware of the main areas of learning within the EYFS, and offer children a suitable balance of activities generally supporting their overall development. Consequently, children are usually engaged and busy in their play. For example, older babies show purposeful interest as they choose and manipulate chunky interlocking plastic bricks to build a tower, so beginning to develop an awareness of shape and size. Children across the age range usually show enjoyment and interest when sharing books and stories with staff. Staff make sensible use of spontaneous learning opportunities to help children learn about the natural world. For example, children begin to show care and concern for living things as they think about how to make a suitable temporary home for 'Freddy' the tiny frog, which they found in the garden. They usually have ready access to a selection of creative and mark-making materials, such as crayons, dough and scissors, to help

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

them express their own ideas. Consequently, children are establishing a sound basis for their future development and making sound progress in their learning. Staff are actively exploring how to best identify and record information about children's changing abilities and interests, and how to use this in on-going planning. However, current systems are not yet consistently effective in identifying the next steps in children's learning, or in providing a consistently stimulating and challenging environment for children to purposefully extend their skills. For example, role play resources are not always presented in the most stimulating way This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 to build on children's existing interests, and books are occasionally damaged and torn, so not fully promoting children's successful, independent use. 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? 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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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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