Bright Horizons Sutton Day Nursery and Preschool

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. Teddies Nurseries Limited Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 153871 Inspection date 27/07/2009 Inspector Amanda Jane Tyson

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Setting address 14 Sherwood Park Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 2SQ

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Telephone number 020 8770 0261 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

Teddies Nursery is owned by BUPA and is part of a chain of nurseries. It is located in a two storey house in a residential area of Sutton, close to shops, schools and parks and serves the local community. It has been registered since June 2001.

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Description of the setting

Since September 2008 the nursery has been registered on the Early Years Register for a maximum of 55 children within the early years age range, of whom no more than 30 may be aged under two years at any one time. There is currently a total of 84 children on roll, of whom 24 are aged under two years. Children are grouped into one of four base rooms: Baby Care, three to 18 months; Little Learners, divided into two rooms, 'Ducklings' for under twos, and 'Hedgehogs' for two to threes; and the 'Learning Centre', children aged three to five years. The setting provides for children with specific physical and/or learning needs and for those who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The nursery opens five days a week all year round except for bank holidays and a week at Christmas. Sessions are from 07.30 until 19.00. There are 10 members of staff, most of whom have early years qualifications to at least level 2. Base rooms are lead by staff who are qualified to level 3, which is also held by the manager and deputy.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the quality of the provision is good. Leadership is strong and effective in driving improvement through good self-evaluation and procedures for developing staff's knowledge and skills through induction, supervision and training. Success is epitomised by the excellent provision for children with specific physical and/or learning needs, and for the outstanding attention given to working in close partnership with parents and other professionals to support children's welfare and learning needs. Children are happy and well safeguarded. They enjoy a good range of inclusive activities, are well monitored and supported in their learning and development and, as a result, are making good progress from their starting points towards the early learning goals.

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further?

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

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further?

 provide more opportunities for children to make connections between their play and real world experiences: pay particular attention to making art and craft materials and equipment more accessible to encourage independent design, to improving the quality of role play, and frequency of treasure basket and heuristic play  improve the provision for outdoor play and experiences for all children  make better use of the observations taken by staff, of children's individual progress and development, to guide planning and to inform assessment. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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provision

Children's welfare is well safeguarded by rigorous operational policies and procedures which begin with safe recruitment and a thorough induction programme. Risk assessment is thorough and all staff complete a programme of mandatory training, for instance in child protection, as well as having good opportunities for developing professional and specialised practice. Management are clear about their regulatory responsibilities, such as for responding to any complaints or allegations, and staff are all secure in their knowledge of what to do if they are worried about a child. Routine recording of children's health development, including all injuries sustained, both on and off the premises, ensures that possible emerging patterns are promptly recognised and acted upon. Roles and responsibilities of staff are effectively designated and clearly defined. For example, children with specific learning and development needs are monitored and

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provision

supported by a trained Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) who ensures their Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) programme is fully inclusive of their specific requirements. The key-working system is highly effective because staff and management use their secure knowledge of each staff member to match them to the needs of children and their parents. There are good systems in place for ensuring that the required adult to child ratios are maintained.

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provision

Management's commitment towards self-evaluation is paying dividends. The setting have worked extremely hard to achieve their quality assurance accreditation for both the under threes and over threes. Whilst the outdoor play area is restrictive in what it currently offers children, the action plan for its re- development highlights a vision for excellence. The setting have embraced the EYFS and this is well demonstrated by the several modifications made to the systems for monitoring and assessing children's progress and development as they strive for the most effective method, which is a working progress. The setting is moving away from 'adult directed' activities and although wall displays in some areas are still not wholly representative of children's 'own creations', management are astutely aware and this is being addressed through internal training.

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provision

Partnership with parents is a key strength. Settling-in and leaving interviews are conducted with parents to gain their views which are then used to drive improvement. Parents are secure in their understanding of the EYFS concept. Their positive approach is testament to the exceptionally good methods that the setting have adopted for explaining the EYFS, through parent evenings which provide visual examples of how children learn through play such as, literacy and numeracy within 'shop-play'. Regular parent consultations enable staff to discuss children's progress and development and to agree next steps for learning. Newsletters keep them informed of activity themes and day to day operational issues. Staff make sure that parents are provided with a comprehensive overview of their child's day, including general disposition, care routines and activities which are often brought to life with photographs. Parents hold the setting in high regard, citing the

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provision

friendliness of staff, their children's enthusiasm to attend each day and the progress they are making as key features. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The settling-in procedure for new children takes very good account of parent-child attachment and separation issues. This well provides for the establishment of a secure and trusting relationship between children and parents, and their allocated key practitioner before children are left for a full day for the first time. The staff team are consistent and enthusiastic and together they create a happy environment for children. This is epitomised by the frequent squeals of laughter heard from the preschool room, and the contentment of babies when being bottle fed or comforted during 'moments' of distress, for instance if they become tired. The premises is well maintained, generally well organised and sufficiently resourced. However, baby and toddler rooms are less well equipped with natural and real equipment to help children make sense of the world they live in, the full range of creative media is not always accessible to children so that they can create whatever they want to,

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

and role play is not always appropriately resourced in babies and toddlers to match their stage of development and innate fascinations.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The foundations for children to adopt healthy lifestyle habits are being well laid; children enjoy a well-balanced daily menu of fresh fruit snacks and wholesome meals and regular drinks, they take part in a programme of well led music and movement sessions, brush their teeth daily, and are reminded by pictorial instruction to wash their hands after using the toilet and blowing their noses. The spread of infection, most worryingly during the current period of the Swine Flu pandemic, is therefore well minimised. Toddlers are becoming proficient at feeding themselves and preschool children demonstrate high levels of independence as they help to set up and clear away the dining table and serve themselves. Older babies enjoy sitting to the table with staff and each other, but the arrangement of highchairs against the wall for younger babies conflicts with the otherwise good inclusive practice demonstrated by staff. Children are developing a good

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

understanding of safety rules; visits from the fire brigade help them to understand what to do in the event of a fire, visits from the police teach them about stranger danger and the traffic club organises for children to practise road safety. The latter two are both consistently consolidated by staff when they take children on outings. Furthermore, the setting regularly practises a well thought through evacuation procedure for in the event of an intruder.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Toddlers and preschool children have daily use of the garden where they enjoy running, climbing, balancing and riding wheeled equipment. Sand and water are sometimes provided as are a selection of other resources, such as chalks to encourage mark making. However, overall planning for outdoor play is underdeveloped. Not enough consideration is given to making use of the local parks, especially for babies who would benefit from seeing, smelling, hearing and touching nature which they cannot currently do very well in the nursery garden. Babies thoroughly enjoy playing with real and everyday resources and this type of play is highly beneficial in encouraging children to make connections with their real experiences. For example, a baby picked up a sponge and began to rub it all over the wall. A sturdy wicker basket provided a superb climbing challenge that was far This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

more 'risky', and therefore more challenging and fun than traditional apparatus; then it became a boat which provoked delightful social interaction between three babies. However, opportunities for babies to enjoy this type of play are rather more occasional than regular. Toddlers benefit from very good adult support; they sing with gusto, listen carefully to stories and enthusiastically shout out their suggestions as to what will happen next when the page is turned. They are becoming confident communicators, developing a love of books, and learning to recognise colours, shapes, objects, and to describe the weather.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Preschool children, including the youngest and those with specific learning needs, recognise their name and link the letters to the correct phonetic sound. They label areas, through copying, within role play, for instance 'the ice cream stall at the seaside', producing well formed letters. Children count reliably well into double figures and are progressing well with their problem solving, reasoning and numeracy skills. Toddlers and preschool children enjoy growing vegetables and flowers in pots and all children benefit from a wide range of visitors to the setting who help to bring children's learning to life. For example, a mobile farm with a selection of small and some large animals and 'Zoo-Lab' who bring exotic species, such as snakes, tarantulas, lizards and scorpions for the children to observe at close range. 'Travelling Ted' is the nursery bear that goes home with children for weekends or holidays and on return children take pride in describing his antics to

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

all their friends. In this way, children learn about the differences between family cultures and experiences.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children's starting points for learning are very well identified on admission and assessment records are kept up to date through 'catch a moment' observations. The quality of these records is variable amongst staff; some are excellent and others not so good, but overall they provide a good picture of children's EYFS learning journey. However, whilst many staff record highly noteworthy observations that provide a wealth of information about what children know, can and cannot do, these are not always used well to inform next steps for learning and overall assessment. Children who speak English as an additional language and those with identified specific physical and learning needs are exceptionally well monitored and supported. Designated staff liaise closely with parents, the local authority SENCO and a range of external early years and health professionals. As a result, these children are making exceptionally good progress in their learning and

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

development which is preparing them well for transition to school. Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging and are learning to differentiate between right and wrong; they share, take turns and have a lot of fun together. Overall, this is a rapidly developing early years setting whereby children's unique needs are well understood by a caring and kind staff team. 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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