Downe Primary School

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. Brightlands Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number 101614 Inspection date 22/04/2009 Inspector Jenny Read

p.1

Setting address 107 St. Georges Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 3ED Telephone number 01242 230938 Email Type of setting Childcare on non-domestic premises This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.1

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.

p.2

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).

p.2

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

p.2

Description of the setting

Brightlands Day Nursery opened in 1997. It is privately owned and operates from the basement of a town house situated close to local amenities and Cheltenham town centre. The premises include four activity rooms, a sleep room, a kitchen and bathroom facilities for children and staff. The children share access to an enclosed, outside play area with decking area, fenced grass area and a patio surfaces. There is a semi-circular drive for delivering and collecting children and steps leading down to the main entrance. Children attend from the local community and surrounding areas for a variety of sessions. The day nursery supports children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

p.3

Description of the setting

The day nursery, which is on the Early Years Register, and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register, is registered to provide care for a maximum of 32 children at any one time. There are currently 50 children on roll from birth to five years, of these, 17 children receive funding for nursery education. No children attend within the later years age group. The day nursery is open all year round from 08.00 until 18.00, excluding the Christmas week. The owner/manager employs a team of eight full-time and five part-time staff to work with the children and a cook. The owner holds the Foundation Degree in Early years, the deputy has qualified teacher status and eight staff hold an appropriate early years qualification to level 2 or 3.

p.3

Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is inadequate. The leadership and management is weak, therefore, practice fails to meet a number of welfare requirements, which impact on children's safety and fail to meet their individual needs. Risk assessments are not complete and appropriate guidelines and safety measures are not implemented when using the trampoline to protect the children. Children are not supported by a key person to ensure experiences are tailored to support their individual interests and stages of development. Therefore, practice is not sufficiently inclusive. The preschool children and middles group enjoy a broad range of stimulating and enjoyable activities, however there are significant weaknesses in the experiences and challenge for the babies and toddlers. Systems for monitoring the setting are not in place to successfully identify practice, key strengths and areas for improvement to plan effectively to meet children's

p.3

Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

individual needs. This results in numerous inconsistencies in the quality of care for children and discrepancies in staff skills and knowledge to support the children. The manager has little awareness of what is actually happening in practice, therefore guidance for staff and systems for monitoring their on-going suitability are not effective.

p.3

Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the early years provision requires significant improvement. The registered person is given a Notice to Improve that sets out actions to be carried out. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.3

further?

To comply with the requirements of the EYFS the registered person must take the following action by the specified date:

p.4

further?

 ensure systems for informing parents of any accidents or injuries sustained by the child whilst in the care of the setting and of any first aid given are consistently implemented (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare) (also applies to Childcare Register) 15/05/2009  take all reasonable steps to ensure the safety of children, staff and others on the premises in the case of fire, and have a clearly defined procedure for the emergency evacuation of the premises (Suitable premises, environment and equipment) (also applies to Childcare Register) 15/05/2009  ensure each child is assigned a key person, having particular regard to the statutory guidance, stating: the key person should meet the needs of each child in their care and respond sensitively to their feelings, ideas and behaviour, talking to parents to make sure that the child is being cared for appropriately for each family (Organisation) 15/05/2009

p.4

further?

 develop and implement robust systems for identifying strengths and monitoring areas for improvement to raise the quality of care and children's learning (Organisation) 29/05/2009  carry out a full risk assessment for each type of outing to identify all risks and the action taken to minimise hazards to children and ensure this is reviewed before embarking on each outing (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare) (also applies to Childcare Register) 15/05/2009  ensure effective systems are in place to make sure that the individual needs of all children are met, and that systems are used to plan and organise, to ensure that every child receives an enjoyable and challenging learning and development experience that is tailored to meet their individual stages of development (Organisation) 29/05/2009  ensure adults looking after children have appropriate qualifications, training, skills and knowledge, having

p.4

further?

particular regard to the statutory guidance, stating: induction training should be provided for new staff to help them understand how the provision operates and their role within it; and regular staff appraisals should be carried out to identify the training needs of staff (Suitable people) 15/05/2009 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  ensure risk assessments are conducted and reviewed regularly [at least once a year or more frequently where the need arises] and identify all aspects of the environment and daily routines that need to be checked on a regular basis (Suitable premises, environment and equipment) (also applies to Childcare Register) 15/05/2009  take all reasonable steps to ensure that hazards to children - both indoors and outdoors - are kept to a minimum (Suitable premises, environment and equipment) (also applies to Childcare Register) 15/05/2009

p.4

further?

To improve the early years provision the registered person should:

p.5

further?

 continue to develop the observation and assessment systems to identify children's next steps so that every child receives an enjoyable and challenging learning and development experience that is tailored to meet their individual needs  ensure that all staff have up-to-date knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues, the procedures to follow with any concerns and their roles and responsibilities  maintain a two-way flow of information with parents and between other settings children attend to promote a consistent approach to their care and learning

p.5

provision

The leadership and management of the setting are not effective to improve outcomes for children. Systems to monitor the quality of care and children's learning and to know what is being provided meets children's needs and the welfare requirements are weak and not inclusive of staff, resulting in the manager having an unclear picture of the service being provided for children. Consequently, there are significant weaknesses in the quality of care and experiences for children in the baby and toddler room, resulting in low expectations. There are several breaches of regulation; several safety issues to children, and insufficient progress has been made to address identified staff weaknesses and previous poor practices.

p.5

provision

The premises are secure and risk assessments are in place for many aspects of the building and equipment. However, the assessments are not completed by the staff and do not identify all risks to children during play and daily routines as required. Therefore all hazards are not securely highlighted, well known or understood by staff and appropriate safety guidelines for use of the large trampoline are not followed to ensure all reasonable steps are taken to minimise risks to children. In addition, assessments of each type of outing undertaken are inadequate and do not sufficiently identify hazards to children to safeguard their welfare.

p.5

provision

The required records and documentation are all in place but do not show an accurate or consistent picture of events to support children's care and safeguard This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 their welfare. For example, the new accident forms to ensure detailed accounts are recorded of any accidents are not used by staff and current records are not consistently shared with parents to ensure they are well informed to provide appropriate care for their child at home. The complaints log does not contain appropriate details and the fire log does not include sufficient details or an accurate record of the frequency of evacuation drills carried out.

p.5

provision

Appropriate recruitment procedures are described, and some checks to ensure an applicant's suitability are well implemented. However, induction procedures are not robust to ensure staff have secure knowledge of their roles and responsibilities. As a result, children's safety is put at risk because staff lack confidence and sound knowledge of fire procedures. Monthly staff meetings and yearly appraisals take place for some staff. However, suitable and consistent monitoring methods to assess all staff's knowledge and skills, to address key concerns identified and assess their on-going suitability to promote children's welfare are not effective. Although staff have suitable awareness of safeguarding issues, knowledge of the procedures to follow is inconsistent to ensure concerns to protect children are dealt with appropriately.

p.6

provision

Suitable numbers of staff are on hand in all areas to assist the children and some staff in the preschool room and middles group motivate and engage the children in a stimulating range of activities. However, this is not consistent throughout. Implementation of a key person system is not effective or understood by staff as required to ensure daily routines are well thought through; close partnerships are established with parents, and staff know and understand children's individual needs to plan and facilitate their play effectively. Although there is suitable space for children, organisation of rooms, restricts play opportunities for the pre-school children and limits all children from experiencing free-flowing indoor and outdoor play.

p.6

provision

Parents value the friendly staff and monthly newsletters provided in some groups and the diary sheet recording general care issues in the baby room. Information about children's progress and on-going learning is not shared with parents to enable them to support their child's learning at home and planning is not inclusive of staff, children and parents to ensure next steps in their learning are clearly identified, well known and inform future planning. Although parent questionnaires have been implemented, these have not been widely available to enable all parents to contribute to the setting and their child's learning. Partnerships with others involved in the children's care and education are not well established to ensure that children's needs are met and there is continuity in their learning.

p.6

The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are making adequate progress in their learning and development in the preschool room and middles group because the enthusiastic staff provide a wealth of interesting activities and learning experiences. However, the quality of experiences for children in the baby and toddler room is poor. They spend long periods with minimal purposeful interaction with staff and lay or sit around with only a small selection of plastic toys to play with, rarely exploring water, paint or This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 other media to help develop their sensory experiences which aid their future learning. The lack of stimulation means children become bored, misbehave, seek attention from unfamiliar adults or spend time just looking out of the window at the children in the garden. Staff lack knowledge and understanding of appropriate activities for the youngest children and remove any challenges in the garden,

p.6

The quality and standards of the early years provision

which help to develop their early walking, balance and co-ordination.

p.7

The quality and standards of the early years provision

The setting is not implementing the key person system, which is impacting on the youngest children from becoming familiar with the setting, to feel confident and build respectful and caring relationships. As a result, not all children are settled or feel secure. Methods to establish what children know and can do and to monitor whether what is provided for them is effective are not secure because planning throughout the nursery is completed by the room leader and is not inclusive of staff, parents and children. Assessment records are also completed by the room lead and loosely show where children are but give no indication of future learning. Consequently, planning is not based upon children's interests or their next steps meaning staff do not have clear enough understanding of children's individual learning needs to provide appropriate support and purposeful challenge.

p.7

The quality and standards of the early years provision

Some staff in the preschool room and middles group actively engage in the children's play, role modelling, chalking and encouraging their skills in numbers, shapes and problem solving. The children enjoy occasional planting and show curiosity when exploring the garden for snails. However, this is not pursued by staff to extend children's interests and learning. Preschool children investigate objects in the environment on their nature walk, collecting various leaves, twigs and feathers to explore and talk about. However, commentary to extend language and questioning to focus the activity and encourage discussion is weak, meaning children lose interest quickly. Some children eagerly explore the shaving foam, laughing with pleasure as they squeeze the foam between their hands and try to engage the staff member who shows little interest in what the children are doing.

p.7

The quality and standards of the early years provision

Some staff encourage their co-operative play with others. They learn to share and take turns on the computer in the preschool and proudly 'read' out their part of the home-made story book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar in the middles group. The preschool children develop skills for the future, showing good competencies on the computer whilst supporting each other. However, the younger children have limited opportunity to explore their keen interests in the computer and other technology to help them progress and develop their skills further. All children enjoy set times during the day for fresh air and outdoor play. However, the garden is not utilised effectively for all children to enhance their experiences and learning. In addition, discussion and activities about the value of fresh air and physical exercise to promote a healthy lifestyle rarely takes place. This impacts on children learning about health issues.

p.7

The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children do not know appropriate action to take in an emergency to keep themselves safe because regular evacuation drills do not take place. In addition, children's safety is put at risk through insufficient practise of the escape plan during key routines, for example, meal times and sleep times. As a result, staff lack confidence and are unclear of their responsibilities. Stringent nappy changing routines are well implemented by staff and the wearing of gloves to wipe children's This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 noses is generally consistent throughout to minimise cross contamination. Children demonstrate a growing awareness of the importance of hand washing benefiting from regular routines and developing independence in their personal care. Although children experience few foods that reflect the cultural diversity of the children attending and the local community, they enjoy healthy, home-cooked food

p.7

The quality and standards of the early years provision

and regular drinks to ensure they are well hydrated. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.8

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

p.9

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

p.9

of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

How well does the provision promote inclusive practice? 4 The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement.

p.9

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? 4

p.9

Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped to stay safe? 4 How well are children helped to be healthy? 3 How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? 4 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?

p.9

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

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

p.10

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

p.10

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The registered provider does not meet the requirements of the compulsory and or voluntary part/s of the Childcare Register.

p.10

Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

p.10

Annex B: the Childcare Register

 take action as specified in the early years section of the report (Welfare, suitability and safety of the premises and equipment and suitability of persons) 15/05/2009

p.10

Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

p.10

Annex B: the Childcare Register

 take action as specified in the early years section of the report (Welfare, suitability and safety of the premises and equipment and suitability of persons) 15/05/2009

p.10