Busy Bees Day Nursery at Braintree Great Notley

Just Learning Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 203710 Inspection date 24/09/2009 Inspector Lynn Denise Smith

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Setting address Notley Green, Great Notley, Braintree, Essex, CM77 7US

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Telephone number 01376 552700 Email greatnotley@justlearning.co.uk 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 . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as

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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

Just Learning Nursery is situated at Notley Green near Braintree and is part of a national chain of nurseries owned by Just Learning Limited. The nursery opened in 2000 and operates from purpose-built premises. The nursery is registered to care for a maximum of 100 children at any one time in the early years age group. They are also registered on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 104 children on roll in this age group and a small number of older children on roll.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is open each weekday from 7.00am to 6.30pm for 52 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. Children come from both the local and wider catchment area. The nursery currently supports a small number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and also supports a small number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The nursery employs 18 staff, of these, 14 including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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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

A team of dedicated and professional management and staff ensure that the delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is effective. Children's individual needs, likes and dislikes are proficiently used to plan a stimulating and exciting learning journey for all children within an inclusive and welcoming setting. Parents are actively involved in their children's learning on a daily basis and through the effective sharing of developmental assessments. The setting has a very good capacity to make necessary changes and to maintain continuous provision through their development plans and self assessment processes.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop opportunities to work in partnership with other providers delivering the EYFS to ensure progression and continuity.

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the early years provision

The setting has clear and effective procedures in place to ensure that all children are safeguarded and appropriately protected. Staff are aware of and understand the procedures and follow them proficiently. A number of staff have attended up- to-date safeguarding training and are aware of the inter-agency links in place to This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 protect children. All staff working at the setting have been employed through the robust recruitment and vetting procedures, relevant documentation evidencing their clearance is held on file.

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the early years provision

Children are cared for in a safe and secure environment as staff carry out rigorous daily checks to ensure the premises are suitable. The staff and management have clear ideas about what they want to achieve within the setting and work well as a team to ensure they achieve their goals. The motivated and committed management team both within the setting and within the larger company have worked hard over the past six months implementing a number of changes which have resulted in better learning opportunities for children and a much more cohesive working environment for staff. Staff are confident and enthusiastic about these changes and now fully understand how to implement the Early Years Foundation Stage, allowing children to guide their own play and learning in a safe and stimulating environment. Staff and parents are involved in the setting's self evaluation process and this is updated on a rolling programme. The self-evaluation

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the early years provision

document leads into a development plan for the whole nursery. Plans are in place to scale the development plans down to each room as the process has identified that there are some marked differences for staff and children within each room which are not always focussed on in the large development plan.

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the early years provision

Resources are effectively deployed around the setting. Each age group has at least one base room and most ages have use of two inter-connecting rooms which lead directly to the garden. The toys and play equipment are stored in low level, well- labelled storage containers. Core staff work within each room caring for their key children and are ably supported by lunchtime cover staff and the deputy who works within the rooms on a regular basis. Staff manage the free-flow play system very effectively ensuring that adult supervision is available both indoors and outdoors. Younger children's rooms have been built with integral changing facilities and milk kitchens to ensure that staff remain within close proximity to the children and other staff even when attending to nappy changing duties. All children are valued and respected within the setting and their individuality recognised. Staff demonstrate a good awareness of their key worker children and their home set up.

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the early years provision

Well presented toys and resources reflect diversity and encourage discussions about people's differing needs and welcome posters create a sense of value and belonging.

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the early years provision

Parents receive clear and professionally presented information about the setting by way of a prospectus. Posters and wall displays ensure that parents are well- informed about the EYFS and how their children are learning. Regular newsletters inform them about any changes or forthcoming events within their children's lives. Daily feedback from the key-person to the parents is clear and informative, providing information about how the children have been, what they have been doing and their dietary and sleep patterns. Parents are encouraged to keep staff updated with any changes which occur within the home and are able to play an active role in their children's learning and well-being. For example, they are asked to share photographs of the children's family members and any special occasions. These are placed in the children's learning journeys and used to inform future individual planning. Parents receive a regular assessment of their children's

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the early years provision

progress every month to six weeks which details areas the staff have been working This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on and the children's next steps. Parents are encouraged to share any issues or areas of development they would like the nursery to pursue to promote a seamless learning journey for their children between nursery and home. Partnerships with other agencies are in place to support the nursery and staff value the input from other professionals. Parents are asked to share information with the nursery about any other settings their children attend. Staff are beginning to develop links with these setting to encourage closer liaison regarding the children's development. This process is in its infancy and has been identified as an area for future development.

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and outcomes for children

Children's welfare, learning and development needs are effectively met as staff demonstrate a secure knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The well- organised key person system ensures that children are suitably supported to enable them to make good progress across all six areas of learning. Staff obtain clear information from the children's parents about their home lives, likes and interests and use this to establish their starting points and as a base for their individual planning. Effective use of regular observations enables staff to plot children's progress and to document their learning in a clear and fun way. Children throughout the nursery are provided with a good range of both adult-led and child- initiated activities. The activities on offer provide children with challenging and enjoyable experiences, for example, babies explore shredded paper and regularly access messy activities such as gloop and wet and dry sand. The toddlers have fun

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and outcomes for children

making choices as to whether they play indoors or outdoors whereby they freely access a full range of toys and play materials. Children's personal interests and suggestions are promptly acted upon by confident staff, for example, on Monday mornings children share their weekend experiences with their friends, which for some included a family barbeque. This generates lively discussion whereby a decision is made to hold a barbeque at the nursery. Children talk about the foods they would like to have there, make a shopping list and go to visit the local supermarket to purchase their goods. They enjoy a tasting session once the food is cooked and complete a tick chart detailing which of the foods they enjoyed and which ones they didn't like. Children have good opportunities to learn about their local environment and the people who live there as they often go for walks and have visitors come into the nursery to talk about what they do. A local police

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and outcomes for children

officer and a nurse have been recent visitors, whom the children have thoroughly enjoyed and still talk about enthusiastically when re-visiting the day through photographs. Children enjoy expressing themselves through role play and dressing up, they actively participate in music and movement sessions organised by a visiting 'Jo-Jingles' company.

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and outcomes for children

Children are settled and comfortable in their nursery surroundings. They part from their parents and carers with ease and form good relationships with their key person and with the other staff working directly with them. Children have good opportunities to develop independence and to make choices over their play as the whole setting works around a free-flow play ethos, either between two rooms per age group or between one of these rooms and the garden. Children's safety is This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 paramount within the setting as evidenced by the daily checks which staff carry out and record within each of the rooms. Children develop a good sense of belonging as large and small printed photographs of them at play are presented all around the setting, including on the floor of the younger children's rooms. Children point to their photos and recognise their friends. Children discuss safety within the

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and outcomes for children

nursery with staff when they are coming in and out of the rooms and when they are using the large play equipment in the garden. They are developing a sound understanding about keeping themselves safe and caring for their friends. Children enjoy a healthy day at nursery as they are provided with a full range of nutritious meals and snacks which are prepared and cooked on site. They actively participate in the preparation of fruit and sandwiches at snack time and older children develop independence skills at lunchtime as they proficiently serve their own lunch from the larger bowls provided. All children independently access fresh drinking water throughout the day and understand that it is good to drink water when they are thirsty. Each of the rooms has adjoining toilets and hand washing facilities enabling children to develop independence and to learn self-care skills. Staff are knowledgeable about children's medical or specific needs and ensure that they

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and outcomes for children

follow the parents directions regarding their care at all times. Children are very active and enjoy making choices about whether they play indoors or outdoors. This facility is available to them throughout the year and they also have use of large rooms within the setting for physical play when the weather prevents them from going outside.

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and outcomes for children

Children freely approach staff for cuddles and assistance and have their requests responded to affectionately by confident staff. Their self-esteem is effectively promoted by staff offering constant praise and encouragement. Children learn about the setting's boundaries through clear messages from the adults caring for them. They behave well and are considerate of each other's feelings, for example they share toys and equipment fairly and wait their turn if someone else is using something they would like to use. Children have opportunities to learn about other people's cultures and religions through books, resources and the celebration of festivals and special occasions. Throughout the nursery children are developing skills for the future which include communication and problem solving, reasoning and numeracy. Staff recognise that all children develop at different paces and learn in different ways, activities are proficiently adapted to take this into account. For

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and outcomes for children

example the sand, water and construction play often contains items which can be used for problem solving or number recognition. Children are confident speakers and enjoy conversing with their friends and with the adults around them. Older children are beginning to write recognisable letters and are writing for a purpose when they label and explain their drawings. Children regularly visit the local supermarket which is situated very close to the setting. They devise shopping lists and take some money to purchase the items required. 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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