Mary Seacole Day Nursery & Family Support Unit

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. Mary Seacole Day Nursery & Family Support Unit Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY297552 Inspection date 11/08/2009 Inspector Sheena Bankier

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Setting address Mapp Community Centre, 22 Mount Pleasant, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 2TD Telephone number 01189 168418 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

Mary Seacole Day Nursery and Family Support Unit has been registered since 1991 and has been registered in the current premises since 2006. It is a registered charity which works in partnership with two other projects, PHAB and APPOLLO. The nursery and the other projects are housed in the same community centre. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register to provide care for 51 children in the early years age group. There are currently 41 children on roll in the early years age range. Children attend on a full- and part-time basis and come from the local and wider area.

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Description of the setting

The nursery opens every week day between 08.00 and 17.45 for 51 weeks a year. The setting is able to support children with special needs and children for whom English is an additional language. 15 staff work with the children on a full- and part-time basis. Most of the staff hold appropriate early year’s qualifications. In addition there are administration, catering staff and volunteers at the setting. Four members of staff are currently undertaking training including further qualifications in early years.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is working towards Quality Assurance, which includes the Investors in Children Award.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the quality of the provision is good. The nursery promotes and recognises children's individual needs effectively. Staff work in very good partnerships with parents and liaise closely with other professionals to support children and families. The setting values and welcomes the views of parents and children to review and develop its service. Appropriate procedures mostly ensure children's good health and safety well. Children enjoy a good range of activities and play to support their learning and development needs. Staff generally provide very good interaction with children to support their learning outcomes.

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further?

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

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further?

 review hygeine procedures and take the necessary steps to prevent the spread of infection  develop staff practice to ensure they use open questions to support and extend children’s thinking and help children make connections in learning.

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provision

Staff have a secure understanding of safeguarding children's welfare. They undertake training and demonstrate a good working knowledge of the nursery This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 policy and procedure. Staff know the potential signs and symptoms that may be observed and, in the event of concerns, who to report these to. Staff work effectively as a team with good communication and understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Overall, staff practice is consistent. Further training attended by staff increases their knowledge, understanding and practice. This training is then cascaded to the rest of the staff team. As a result, other staff are able to review and develop their practice.

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provision

Documentation is mainly very good and the setting reviews and updates their policies and procedures regularly. Parents receive some very good information to support them, for example, displays about the EYFS. An 'open door' policy encourages parents to feel they can spend time at the nursery with their children. Staff have an excellent rapport with parents and provide a warm, friendly welcome. As parents arrive with their children staff ensure parents feel comfortable and welcome to settle in their children and speak to them about their children's needs. As a result, strong partnerships evolve and this promotes consistency and continuity in children's care and learning needs.

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provision

Regular daily checks and risk assessments promote children's safety. Staff are aware of potential dangers to children and use their understanding to increase the understanding of less experienced staff and volunteers. The nursery is clean and staff carry out basic cleaning duties through the day, for example, cleaning the tables before children eat. Procedures are in place to reduce and avoid the spread of infection, such as wearing protective clothing when changing nappies. Notices on display provide information to parents about cases of infectious illnesses and the signs and symptoms. However, at times there is a lack of organisation to promote effective hygiene when staff can not leave the area they are in, for example, accessing tissues and disposing of used tissues and staff being able to clean their hands to prevent the spread of infection.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Staff gain very good information about children's needs and starting points. This enables them to plan and provide appropriate activities and care. When children first start at the setting, the settling-in visits are utilised well to gain parents views and opinions, for example, about the cultural needs of children. Staff continually use information from parents to support and plan for children's learning outcomes, for example, using events and changes in the children's lives to provide play experiences. These support children's understanding of these. Short term planning systems enable staff to respond to the children's interests to extend their learning, such as recognising celebrations in children's lives or responding positively to children's interests in mini beasts. Staff recognise the importance of working closely with other professionals to promote children's outcomes.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

All rooms undertake regular written observations. These identify children's next steps of learning. The observations link to the EYFS and the areas of learning. Parents receive information about their children's progress through regular discussions with staff and through sharing the records of children's progress. Daily diaries promote two-way exchanges of information with the younger children's This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 parents along with verbal exchanges of information. Children take items home to continue the learning experience with their parents, for example, seeds children have planted. The nursery considers well how it can support the children's transition to school, for example, through a topic on school and a display of school items and books. The teachers of the schools children are moving onto are invited in to visit the children and staff at the setting and this supports information sharing

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

about children's needs. Parents receive a report and the children's development records as they leave which they can also share with the new setting. As a result, this promotes a smooth transition for children as they move to new settings.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children enjoy an bright and stimulating environment where they can make their own choices. This allows them to initiate their own play and ideas. Children are happy and settled at the nursery. They relate to their peers and adults well. Babies enjoy and benefit from care tailored to their individual needs. They are exceptionally happy and at ease in the environment. Staff respond positively to children's ideas, for example, to sing a song and to be '10 little ducks' as a group. This also supports children's understanding of number, adding and subtraction. Print and numbers are effectively used in the setting with labels, sentences and questions displayed around the rooms, for example, the toilets are labelled with numbers and words are placed near the sink and taps, such as 'hot' and 'cold'. This encourages children to understand that print carries meaning. The older children's emergent writing also supports the displays and other information. This values the

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

children. In the butterflies room children benefit from a writing area with different resources to use in their writing along with the alphabet and words on display to support their learning.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Good use is made of books, puppets and songs to promote children's language skills. Staff spend time chatting to children, for example, at meal and snack times. Staff show interest in children as individuals talking about events in their lives with them. At times, some staff do not always phrase questions effectively to engage children in conversation about their play and work. Staff understand how they can support children who speak English as an additional language working closely with parents and using appropriate resources, for example, dual language books.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The outside area provides for all areas of learning as staff and children choose resources to take outdoors, such as cars, construction and mark making resources. Children develop their physical skills as they climb, crawl and learn to propel themselves along in wheeled toys. Children enjoy the sensation of the sand as they play in bare feet. The staff encouraging them to observe the patterns they make with their feet and supporting sharing of the tools in the sandpit. Children benefit from interacting across the different age groups, such as playing in the garden together or visiting different rooms.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children use their independent skills well and staff encourage this, for example in the Caterpillar room the toddlers know they need to take their shoes off and put them away and make efforts to do this by themselves. Children gain a sense of belonging through use of named pegs and trays and photographs on display. Photographs, displays and writing reflect the individual backgrounds of the children who attend. This promotes inclusive practice. Staff support children in understanding the needs of others. They remind children 'to be kind to their This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 friends' and encourage good manners and verbal communication between children. Pictures of different emotions help children understand feelings, such as 'happy', 'grumpy' and 'sad'. In the two younger rooms these are set by mirrors to promote the children's understanding of them. This supports children's personal, social and

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

emotional development. 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? 2 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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