Little Tigers Day Nursery

Little Tigers Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY392716 Inspection date 25/09/2009 Inspector Anna Davies

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Setting address Little Tigers Day Nursery, Ravensthorpe Primary School, Brigstock Court, PETERBOROUGH, PE3 7NB Telephone number 01733 330 630 Email 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

Little Tigers Day Nursery was registered in 2009 as a limited company. It operates from its own self-contained building situated within Ravensthorpe Primary School, near Peterborough. The setting has its own separate entrance and children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery opens between 8.00am and 6.00pm each weekday, with the exception of Bank Holidays. The out of school club operates from within the nursery building. Sessions are between 7.50am until 8.50am and 3.00pm until 6pm each weekday and then 8.00am until 6.00pm during school holidays. Access into and out of the nursery building is at ground level and there are disabled toilet facilities.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early years Register as well as the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 66 children under eight years may attend the nursery at any one time, including the out of school provision. There are currently 65 children on roll, 51 of which are within the early years age range. The nursery supports children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

There are 16 members of staff working directly with the children, 13 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Level 2. One member of staff is working towards a recognised qualification. Four staff, including the manager and owner are working towards a Level 5 qualification and five staff are working towards Level 3 qualifications. The setting provides funded early education for two, three and four-year-olds.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children make suitable progress in their learning and development as the setting provides an appropriate range of activities, although assessment procedures are not yet fully effective in ensuring that children's learning potential is fulfilled. The environment promotes children's welfare and all of the essential documentation is in place to promote their health and safety. The environment is reflective of the different backgrounds of the children and families using the nursery and staff have formed positive partnerships with parents to ensure that children's individual needs are suitably met. The new manager has had a positive impact on the setting and is working to establish systems of self-evaluation to ensure that priorities for improvement are clearly identified and actioned.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure that contingency arrangements for staff absences promote a consistent experience for the children This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  enhance assessment procedures, this relates to ensuring that the next steps in children's learning are consistently identified across all areas of learning and that this information is used to inform planning to ensure activities challenge and extend children's learning on an individual level  improve the planning for the outdoor area to ensure that it consistently promotes all areas of learning  develop systems of self-evaluation to include how the quality of teaching and learning including assessment and planning arrangements, will be monitored and evaluated.

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the early years provision

Robust recruitment procedures ensure that staff working directly with the children are suitable to do so. Induction arrangements are secure for new staff members and regular 'supervision' sessions with all staff ensures that training needs and areas to develop, are identified and actioned. Staff have a sound understanding of child protection procedures which ensures that children's welfare is safeguarded appropriately. The child protection policy has just been updated to ensure that it is clear. Risk assessments are of good quality and generally effective which promotes children's safety.

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the early years provision

Staff deployment is generally adequate and children are well supervised. However, contingency arrangements due to staff absences do not always ensure a consistent experience for the children. For example, on occasion, children arrive into a room where they do not recognise covering staff when key staff are absent which leaves them reluctant to leave their parents. This does not promote feelings of security. Staff are committed to training and a large proportion are working towards higher qualifications as well as using other training initiatives to bring ideas back to the setting. The setting is satisfactorily decorated with plans afoot to redecorate throughout. Rooms are spacious and appropriately organised so that a suitable range of resources for all age ranges are independently accessible to children as they make their own choices about their play. The setting values the backgrounds of the children and families it serves. For example, lots of positive images of

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the early years provision

different cultures and languages are displayed throughout the setting as well as suitable resources such as bilingual books. Children in the Out of School Club enjoy making 'All about me' scrapbooks to display. Staff talk to parents about the children's home language to ensure they are aware of key words the child may be communicating. This ensures an inclusive environment.

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the early years provision

Partnerships with parents are good. They receive good information about the setting through monthly newsletters, a good quality prospectus, and a wealth of information displayed on notice boards. They get regular feedback about their children's day, achievements and progress through daily chats with staff and twice yearly parents evenings. Parents have good opportunities to become involved in their child's learning and to feedback their views. For example, they can note down observations they have made on their child to include in their assessment records or make comments on the 'feedback tree' in the hallway. The setting are just beginning to establish partnerships with other providers to ensure that those This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children in the EYFS age range who attend more than one setting such as the children who go to school and also attend the settings Out of School Club, benefit.

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the early years provision

This will ensure staff are able to compliment the range of activities and promote individual learning opportunities.

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the early years provision

Systems of self-evaluation are generally effective. For example, the new manager has shared her vision for the setting with staff and has some ideas and action plans in place relating to areas for further development such as providing newsletters in e-mail format for parents and more regular room meetings to further enhance communication between staff. However, these systems are not yet secure enough to show how the quality of teaching and learning including assessment and planning arrangements, will be monitored and evaluated to ensure that sufficient progress is made in this area.

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and outcomes for children

Staff interact satisfactorily with children as they take the children's lead when they freely choose from the range of activities put out or access toys and resources for themselves. For example, they walk with children around the outdoor area looking at the plants and flowers or talk with them as they collect leaves and pieces of shrubbery to 'plant' in their digging pit. Planning is based on a suitable range of activities covering all areas of learning. However, planning of the outdoor area is not sufficient to ensure that all areas of learning are covered. Children each have a Record of Achievement where staff record observations which are tracked to ensure they are being completed, and review children's progress on a regular basis. There are some systems for recording some next steps for children. However, these are not consistent across all areas of learning and are not used to inform planning in a secure way to ensure that all activities promote highly

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and outcomes for children

individualised learning opportunities. As a result, some activities lack sufficient challenge and do not extend individual children's learning sufficiently to ensure they make as much progress as possible.

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and outcomes for children

Children are generally settled in the nursery and most are meaningfully engaged in the activities provided. Babies feel safe and secure as they have their physical and emotional needs met, following their individual routines. Staff take time to listen to children when they initiate discussion about things important to them and older school aged children confidently describe what they enjoy doing at the out of school club. Children are offered suitable mark-making opportunities such as chalking on boards and practising writing their names using their name cards as prompts. Babies make suitable progress in their language development through activities such as singing, reading and sharing books and repetition of key words. Children are generally encourage to solve problems such as grouping and sorting objects and some confidently use size language in their play such as describing their 'big' flowers that will get 'taller' and 'taller'. However, sometimes staff miss

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and outcomes for children

opportunities to extend or further develop this aspect of learning. The older children have free access to a computer where displays show they have used this successfully to create pictures. Staff focus on celebrating the festivals of those children and staff attending which increases all children's knowledge and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 understanding of the diverse society in which they live. Children enjoy lots of opportunities to develop physical skills. All ages have regular opportunities to play in the outdoor area where they co-ordinate their movements to roll hoops across the ground and negotiate pathways when riding tricycles. Babies have plenty of space within their room to pull up on furniture or balance on soft cushioned play shapes. Usually, older children make use of the school hall to take part in weekly physical education sessions which encourages regular exercise. Younger children

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and outcomes for children

enjoy sensory activities such as exploring the texture of sand with their feet and play with beans, spaghetti or angel delight. Older children have free access to a range of creative materials.

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and outcomes for children

Children are offered a healthy, balanced diet. The school cooks and provides a hot two course meal for children and the setting provides a range of healthy snacks and a suitable tea. Drinks are freely accessible to all aged children which ensures they remain hydrated. The setting is generally clean and appropriately maintained and children follow good hygiene routines. For example, they use individual flannels for washing their faces after meals and all brush their teeth after lunch. They are learning how to keep themselves safe as they practise regular fire drills and enjoy visits from lollipop ladies, the police and teachers during a topic on 'people who help you'. Children behave generally well and staff demonstrate an appropriate understanding of behaviour management strategies. Some have been on training in this area and are keen to implement ideas gained from this course in order to further promote positive behaviour.

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and outcomes for children

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 3 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 3 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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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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