Daisy & Jake 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 and Jake Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY390819 Inspection date 27/08/2009 Inspector Gillian Sutherland

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Setting address 185 Spital Road, Spital, Bromborough, Wirral, CH62 2AF

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Telephone number 01513431007 Email spital@daisyandjakedaynursery.co.uk 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

Daisy and Jake Day Nursery is one of three private day nurseries owned by the same provider. It was registered in 2009 and operates from a purpose built two storey building in Spital, Wirral, and may access a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

The provision is registered by Ofsted to provide care for children on the Early Years Register, and the Compulsory part of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 75 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open Monday to Friday, from 7.30am until 6pm all year round.

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Description of the setting

There are currently 75 children on roll. There are 14 staff are employed at the nursery and 11 of those staff are employed to work with the children and all of those staff hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the quality of the provision is good. Children are well cared for and they make good progress in their learning and development. Children attending the setting have fun and are cared for in an inclusive environment, where their individual needs are well met.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The setting is highly effective in ensuring that children needing additional support are helped to achieve. Excellent links are formed with parents, and the nursery staff have begun to develop links and work in partnership with teaching staff of the local primary school. The staff team shows a commitment to improving outcomes for children, through continual monitoring and development of their practices. An extremely detailed self-evaluation of the setting ensures that plans for the future are clearly identified.

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further?

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

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further?

 continue to use the recently devised tracking sheet to monitor children's progress towards the early learning goals  ensure the registration system accurately records the children's times of arrival and departure.

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provision

The provider and staff work as an effective team to provide good quality care and education for children. The provider and staff are experienced and appropriately qualified, and their knowledge and understanding of Early Years childcare ensures that they and the children plan an activity programme that is interesting, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 challenging and fun. The nursery staff have familiarised themselves with the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework, and they keep themselves updated about current childcare legislation and practices through reading, discussion and whenever possible by attending relevant training courses.

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provision

All staff ensure that parents and carers are greeted warmly and made to feel very welcome, and new and prospective parents can visit at any time, without needing to make an appointment. Parents are kept updated through regular newsletters and notice boards, and questionnaires have been given to parents to provide them with the opportunity to not only comment on the care and learning their children receive, but also to invite them to take an active part in supporting their child’s learning and development. Children's welfare is given a high priority within the nursery, where they are fully safeguarded through robust recruitment and vetting procedures, plus regular staff appraisals ensure future training is highlighted. A very effective key worker system is in place ensure the individual needs of each child are fully met. There is a comprehensive set of well written policies and procedures, many of which are explained in detail in the parent's handbook which

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provision

is given to all parents prior to care commencing.

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provision

Documentation which is required for the safe and efficient management of the setting is appropriately organised. However, the daily registration system has not always indicated the times of arrival times for all of the children attending. Records and documentation are updated as required to ensure they fully comply with any changes in legislation. Comprehensive risk assessments have been devised and cover all areas of the building both inside and outside.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are very happy and confident as they enter the day nursery. They quickly settle into their various rooms where they access an extremely varied range of age appropriate activities. There is a good balance of both adult and child-led activities, and the organisation of the play space enables children to make independent choices about which of the many activities that are available they want to participate in. They develop their self-care skills as they are able to pour out their own drinks of water from the jug or with a little assistance from a member of staff, milk from the plastic milk container. Social skills are well promoted as they chat to staff and to each other during meal and snack times. Children are learning about the importance of good hygiene, for example, they can easily reach the child friendly soap dispensers in the toilets when washing their hands and dispose of the paper towels appropriately. Pictorial evidence and posters displayed in the toilets

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

help them to understand why they should wash their hands at certain times during the day, for example, before snack and meal times.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Highly committed staff support children’s play and learning through being actively engaged in their activities. For example, children are provided with opportunities to 'grow your own'. Pictorial evidence demonstrated how the children have followed the growth cycle of their produce from seed to the finished and varied range of vegetables, including tomatoes, peas, green beans and dwarf carrots. Children This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 then enjoy their ‘home grown’ produce as part of their lunch or tea time snack. Children also enjoy their baking activities, and here they made fruit crumble which they all then enjoyed as their dessert. This adult led activity involved the children helping to weigh and measure the different ingredients, and to experience the different textures as other ingredients were added. Extremely well equipped role play areas provide children with lots of opportunities to develop their imagination,

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

communication and language skills. For example, in the outdoor play area a number of children played together using the soft type building bricks, their toy cement mixer and wheeler truck and of course all the pretend builders had their hard hats on whilst they were at work.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children go on outings to many places of interest and a couple of the staff team are participating in Forest Schools training, which is an innovative, educational approach to outdoor play and learning. They are working with rangers from a couple of local nature reserves to develop activities appropriate to the age group of the pre-school child. However, in the nursery garden a group of children were absolutely fascinated as one of them found a ladybird. Other children wanted to see at close quarters this creature and this also prompted much discussion about the colour and size of the ladybird. Children enjoy participating in outdoor activities, which promotes their physical strength and good health. Activities, such as learning to balance as they pedal their bikes and cars around the pathways, skilfully balancing as they walk across the path they have made across the lawn, counting as they go how many planks they have used to get across. Children also

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

enjoyed a visit from the local football team who helped them develop their physical skills as they ‘warmed up’ before jumping, running catching and kicking a football into the net. There is also space in this very spacious garden for children to sit quietly under a tree, or in the den where they can listen to the fluttering noise of the colanders, and other objects tied up in the trees or listen to a story read to them by a member of staff. A couple of the staff team are in the midst of completing their Forest School training, and this is an innovative and educational approach to outdoor play. They are working with the rangers of nearby nature reserves to develop some activities which the nursery children can participate in.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Space is exceptionally well organised throughout the nursery enabling children to have areas in which to be active and areas for quiet times. Very young children have great fun as they explore the treasure baskets and boxes, and they experience the feel and texture of the different objects they contain. Highly skilled staff allows them time to enjoy the feel of the furry hat or the net cosmetic bag, and then waits for them to select the next object. Babies enjoy the sound of the rattles and shakers as they confidently wave them around to listen for the sounds they make, or the child safe mirrors which they can hold and see their own reflection in. Babies and toddlers learn to move around and how to manoeuvre themselves as they crawl around their playroom, with a caring and observant member of staff always on hand. Children in all the different age groups enjoy looking at books and for the older children listening to stories. There are lots of

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

age appropriate books throughout the nursery, and comfortable furniture where a member of staff can sit with one or more children at her side or in front of her and whilst she shows them the books and the pictures. A varied range of festivals are celebrated at the nursery throughout the year, and children enjoy celebrating these occasions by participating in a range of art and craft activities. Children’s art This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and craft work is attractively displayed around the different areas and rooms of the nursery, thus raising their self-esteem.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are making good progress towards the early learning goals and staff are knowledgeable about the Early Years Foundation Stage framework and are able to identify the areas which the different activities link to. Observational assessments of children are completed by key workers and are then transferred to the children's portfolios, which parents have access to at any time. The current system of monitoring and assessing the activities undertaken has very recently been reviewed and revised and a new tracking system devised to monitor and track children’s progress and development. The manager and staff have also begun to develop links with other providers, to ensure children's learning needs are fully met. 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? 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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