Elan Nursery

Elan Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Elan Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY305006 Inspection date 19 December 2005 Inspector Fler Wright

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Elan Day Nursery

Setting Address 59 Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH16 3DR Telephone number 01444 474647 E-mail liz@elanstudio.com Registered person Elan Fitness Limited Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Full day care

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Elan Day Nursery

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Elan Day Nursery opened in 2005. It is a privately run nursery and operates from the top floor of a commercial building in Haywards Heath, West Sussex. The children use 3 main rooms, and the nursery also has access to separate kitchen, toilets and staff facilities. They have sole use of these areas during opening hours. There is no outdoor play area available, although staff take children to the local park on a daily basis. The nursery opens 5 days a week for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 07:00 to 19:00. A maximum of 54 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 currently 63 children on roll. Of these, 3 children receive funding for nursery education. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and with English as an additional language. The nursery employs 11 staff. Of these 8 staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications and 1 member of staff is working towards a qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Established hygiene routines enable children to learn about the importance of washing their hands to help maintain good health. The environment is clean and tidy, staff take appropriate precautions during nappy changes. Parents are given information regarding contagious diseases which all help to prevent the spread of infection. However, on isolated occasions, babies are given snacks to eat directly from the floor increasing the risk of cross contamination. Children enjoy a varied and nutritious range of home cooked meals on a daily basis. Staff usually sit with the children to eat the same meals, acting as positive role models to help encourage them to eat their lunches. Healthy snacks include breadsticks, carrots, cucumber and grapes that all help to encourage children to develop healthy eating practices. Staff remind children to drink on a regular basis. All children have individual named beakers that are accessible to them throughout their

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Helping children to be healthy

play helping to ensure they are sufficiently hydrated. However, toddlers do not have the opportunity to decide for themselves if they are thirsty when eating their meals, as drinks are not always freely available at this time. Children freely enjoy a range of activities that help to develop their physical skills. They visit the park at least once a day helping to keep them fit and healthy.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. All children benefit from playing in a sufficiently spacious environment which allows them to move around and play safely. The space in the baby room is organised effectively in order to meet the needs of the children. The large toddler room is divided into two sections. The smaller 'quiet area' has the potential to be an inviting space as it contains soft cushions, play mats and dressing up clothes. However, despite staff setting it up for use, the partition is gated off meaning that children cannot access it for the vast majority of the day. This means that children are not able to sit or relax quietly in a designated area should they wish to do so. There are a number of books in the quiet area, although they are jumbled in a box together, making them uninviting and difficult for children to see what is available.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Equipment is rotated between the toddlers and the babies, which means they all have access to a reasonable range that is appropriate for their ages. However, there are limited resources available to promote imaginative play and there are few tables. As a result children find themselves crowding around activities, limiting the opportunities for them to participate fully. The premises are secure and there are effective procedures in place for the safe arrival and departure of children. Although staff do not record when they leave the premises at lunch times so it is unclear who is on the premises at any given time. Staff deployment is effective and helps to ensure children are well-supervised and safe at all times. There are satisfactory procedures in place for outings although

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

some parental consents are missing putting children at a slight risk. Staff have some understanding of potential hazards, as the vast majority are minimised, although the broken tap in the toilets is not inaccessible putting children at a possible risk of harm. Staff are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and have a sufficient knowledge of the process to follow should they have any cause for concern. This ensures they quickly recognise when a child is in danger, although they are unsure of the procedures that would be implemented if an allegation was made against them.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are happy, relaxed and confident and enjoy the time they spend at the nursery. They approach staff for support indicating trusting relationships are built. Staff in the baby room take a genuine interest in each child's well-being and offer appropriate care and support in order to aid learning and development in all areas. Children have access to good quality, stimulating toys that provide balance and challenge. Toddlers enjoy and learn from a range of activities including, decorating biscuits, water play and physical play. A structured activity is usually on offer during each main session. Children are able to choose whether they participate or continue playing with other resources helping to them to make choices about the activities they become involved with. However, the way the space and resources are organised in the toddler room does not always help children take initiative or develop increasing

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

confidence or independence. Although the quiet area contains some interesting resources, children are not able to use this area freely. They cannot always access the books or comfy seating available should they wish to do so, hindering their learning potential. Children enjoy dressing up and acting out simple roles such as 'mummy', but development in this area is limited due to the basic amount of imaginative equipment available. Staff are enthusiastic, give support when required and effectively question the children which contributes to their learning. They plan activities using the Birth to three matters framework which helps to ensure that children's developmental progress is encouraged and activities are planned according to the individual needs and ages of the children attending. This helps to ensure all children have the opportunity to enjoy and achieve.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are treated with respect and are made to feel good about themselves. Staff encourage all children to participate in the activities provided which ensures they all have an equal opportunity to maximise their enjoyment and potential. There are a basic range of resources and activities available to promote diversity, which help to increase the opportunities for children's to learn about the wider world. The designated special needs co-ordinator has a receptive attitude and a basic understanding of her role in helping to meet the needs of all children. Although the nursery accommodates children with special needs, there are no individual education plans in place and no specific observations are made by the co-ordinator of children identified as having special needs. This hinders the opportunities for developmental needs or progress to be highlighted. Children behave well and benefit from consistent and helpful explanations from staff

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Helping children make a positive contribution

enabling them to play within the boundaries set and learn right from wrong. Staff offer regular praise and encouragement to children to help increase confidence and self-esteem. Staff encourage a communicative relationship with parents, who are very happy with the care provided. Parents provide a wealth of appropriate and relevant information about their children to staff, which helps to ensure children receive individual care and attention. The nursery are working towards ensuring parents have easy access to policies and procedures to help increase their knowledge of how the nursery is run. Daily sheets for children aged under 2 years, verbal exchanges of information and home link books all help to encourage communication between parents and staff. This helps to ensure children's ever-changing care needs are met.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The vast majority of the required records are in place, are confidential and well maintained. This helps ensure the safe and effective management of the setting in order to promote children's welfare, although some parental consents for outings are missing. Staff have a limited understanding of a number of the policies and procedures. Some of the documentation does not contain the necessary information and requires updating in order to meet current guidance and legislation. There is a high ratio of qualified staff, helping to ensure children benefit appropriately from their skills and experience. However, there is no named deputy in place who is able to take charge in the absence of the manager. The organisation of the staff structure means there are no room supervisors and the manager is relied upon heavily to fulfil numerous roles and responsibilities, putting children at a slight

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Organisation

disadvantage. Children generally benefit from sufficient organisation, although the available space

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 in the toddler's room is not always used effectively, hindering children's learning potential. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since registration. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • increase the equipment on offer to allow for more imaginary play, and ensure there are enough tables to allow children to participate fully during their play in the toddler room. • create a designated quiet area with associated equipment for children to access freely. • continue to develop the role of the SENCO in order to further promote the welfare and development of the children identified as having special needs. • ensure there is a named deputy who is able to take charge in the absence of the manager. • increase staff awareness of, and update policies and procedures in line with current guidance and legislation. • re-organise the toddler room to ensure the available space is used to its full potential.

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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