Jabberwocky Day Nursery

Jabberwocky Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY330720 Inspection date 08/09/2009 Inspector Angela Cole

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Setting address 28 Two Hedges Road, Bishops Cleeve, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 8DT Telephone number 01242 678075 Email ymcneilly@aol.com Type of setting Childcare on non-domestic premises to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It rates council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 08456 404040, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA

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T: 08456 404040 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk 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.

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

Jabberwocky Day Nursery Limited was registered in 2006. It is privately owned and is situated in Bishop's Cleeve, near Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. The nursery operates from seven rooms in detached premises that have been converted and extended. The children are cared for in four groups and share an enclosed outdoor play area with paved, grassed and safety surfaces. The nursery is open each weekday from 08.00 to 18.00 for 51 weeks of the year. The setting is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 35 children in the early years age group may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 82 children aged from four months to under five years on roll, some in part-time places. The setting provides funded early education for three and four-year-olds. There are seven full-time staff members with five additional part-time staff

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Description of the setting

available to provide cover. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications with one working towards a Level 3 diploma. There are three members of staff with higher qualifications, including one who is gaining Early Years Professional Status.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Well developed knowledge of children’s individual needs ensures that staff successfully promote many aspects of children’s welfare and learning. Children feel safe and secure at all times so, within the given routine, they develop the confidence to enjoy and explore the experiences offered to them. As a result, children make good progress, given their age, ability and starting points. The partnership with parents and other agencies is a key strength and contributes significantly to ensuring that all children's needs are well met, though partnership with other providers is less well developed. In-depth reflection by the manager and senior staff team ensures that most priorities for future development are identified and acted upon, resulting in a service that is responsive to the needs of all families.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop the routine to maximise children's concentration, the following up of their interests, and opportunities to use outdoor facilities  extend links with other providers offering the Early Years Foundation Stage to ensure all adults take part in assessment and so that there is continuous and consistent care. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The nursery is well organised to ensure the safety of children. It is effective in helping them to feel safe so that they settle and learn in a welcoming atmosphere that focuses on individual children and their families. Safeguarding children is prioritised, for example, through the vetting of adults and repeated checks to ensure that staff left in sole charge of children are suitable. Children are well safeguarded and staff receive training in child protection, so that any welfare concerns are identified and responded to appropriately in consultation with parents. The management takes effective steps to ensure that children are safe indoors and out, and that furniture, equipment and toys are suitable, very clean and safe. All records required for safe and efficient management to meet all children’s needs are well maintained. These include detailed risk assessments that are regularly reviewed with effective action taken to reduce hazards, for example,

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the early years provision

when children go on outings into the local community.

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the early years provision

Staff actively promote equality of opportunity so that all children make good progress in their learning and development. Children's family backgrounds are valued and staff sensitively promote their understanding of differences. Each child is actively supported through the well established key person and their parents welcome the detailed account of their child's individual day. Policies and procedures are freely available and revisions are offered to parents for consultation so these may be well understood by families to be effective and inclusive for their children. The setting uses and manages its available resources effectively to meet needs of children so they make good progress in relation to their starting points. For example, babies reach a good variety for themselves and other equipment, such as interesting items in treasure baskets, is rotated to keep them interested. Toddlers and older children are well challenged by the craft and art resources

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the early years provision

available in their base rooms. Staff are effectively deployed to support individuals and groups of children. Their professional development has good impact on plans to further improve the provision, for example, through a proposed staff-mentoring system. The nursery demonstrates good commitment to sustaining resources, for example, by recycling footwear, paper and materials for making models.

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the early years provision

The leaders effectively share their high ambitions for the nursery and successfully implement improvements to provide good quality care and education. These arise through continuous evaluation that well includes the views of staff, parents and children. Recommendations raised at the previous inspection have been very well tackled in terms of improved outcomes for children. As a result, information for parents and the planning, providing and monitoring of resources and play experiences to meet children's observed, individual needs have considerably improved. Staff effectively identify the setting's strengths and most areas for development, including outdoor learning, though have not fully evaluated the routine in relation to maximising children's concentration. Partnerships with supporting services and some other providers promote progression and continuity of learning and care for the children attending. The nursery fosters good

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the early years provision

communication with parents and carers to effectively enable them to support and make decisions about their own children’s learning, well-being and development. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

All children learn and develop well in relation to their starting points and capabilities as described by their parents and previous key persons. This is because adults have, or are gaining, a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The children enjoy their learning and are usually interested, motivated and well involved in their own choice of activity, supported by attentive staff. For example, young ones help to prepare the paints and then spend a long time at an easel experimenting with lines and shapes to mix colours. However, the routine is not always planned to help children to maximise their concentration through immediate follow-up of their interests and the timing of some large group activities. Good quality of planning for individuals ensures that each child is offered an enjoyable and challenging experience across the areas of learning. Information from observation and assessment is well used to plan activities that are tailored to

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and outcomes for children

the needs and abilities of individuals. As a result, children are often active learners, able to be creative and think critically. They explore a wide range of different materials through their senses, such as sand, water, flour and pasta, and eagerly join in music and songs. From a young age, children use their imaginations in well- resourced role play, for example, to tell the story of 'Goldilocks and the five sharks'.

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and outcomes for children

Children feel safe and effectively develop their understanding of issues relating to safety. Babies and toddlers benefit from many cuddles, which offer physical reassurance for their emotional well-being. Children effectively behave in ways that are safe for themselves and others as they learn to clear play spaces and choose a helmet before using the new wheeled toys. They have good understanding of dangers and how to stay safe when taking small risks, including when negotiating stairs and making dens under the camouflage net. Children benefit as staff effectively promote their good health to prevent the spread of infection and when they are ill. They learn to understand and adopt healthy habits, such as good hygiene practices. They talk about why it is important to follow established hand washing routines so that 'we don't have germs'. Children are active and learn about the benefits of physical activity. Babies and young children are frequently

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and outcomes for children

taken outdoors to move around as they are able, for example, to play with balls and catch bubbles. Older ones are well challenged by the large climbing frame and look forward to the arrival of new balancing equipment. Young children gain good skills using their small muscles to deftly thread shapes and cut with scissors. From an early age, children gain good confidence to make healthy choices about what they eat and drink. They have independent access to drinking water and are regularly offered a choice of milk or water at meal times. They show a growing understanding of healthy options when choosing from substantial snack foods that include fruit and seasonal, home-grown vegetables. They enjoy a varied menu of nutritious, home cooked meals whilst sat in small groups with their friends.

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and outcomes for children

There is well-planned, purposeful play and exploration, both in and out of doors, with a good balance of adult-led and child-led activities that fosters active learning. This means that children have good opportunities to take on responsibilities and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 play a part in the setting and wider community. Babies and older ones confidently make appropriate choices and decisions as they take toys from the accessible storage. Mobile children can choose at some part of the day whether they go outside or stay indoors, though this depends on their pattern of attendance at the nursery. Older ones make sensible choices of toys for the tables and the helpers for the day take their responsibilities seriously to lay the tables quietly while others are concentrating on a story. Children are polite and behave well as they join in and learn to cooperate with each other, for example, to share dinosaurs and wood

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and outcomes for children

blocks. They make friends, respect each other and tolerate each other’s differences. In the homely atmosphere, they often 'visit' other parts of the nursery and children learn to care for younger ones as they come to greet their brothers and sisters.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop good skills for them to use in the future. They make good use of skills appropriate to their age in communication, literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology. Babies babble well in response to the adults talking with them and learn to press buttons on toys to make sounds. Young children tell stories in their own words as they 'read' picture books and willingly solve problems, such as counting up to four shapes to find how many they have threaded. Pre-schoolers competently find their names using the initial sounds of the letters and set themselves problems, such as selecting programmes they want to work through on the computer. The children regularly learn about the wider world as they welcome visitors, including a parent who explains her family's special days and puppeteers who come from a local church to tell the Easter story. They go out to explore the local environment, to play in the park or visit shops to buy

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and outcomes for children

fruit and care items for pets to add to their 'animal hospital'. The children are well prepared for going to school through developing a wide range of self-care skills, meeting visiting teachers and talking about those who have just moved on. 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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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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and managed?

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 2 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 3 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 2 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 2

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Stage

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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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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