Educare Nursery & Out of School Club

Educare Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY296958 Inspection date 28/09/2009 Inspector Elizabeth Patricia Edmond

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Setting address Badeling Pond, Mill Lane, Beverley, North Humberside, HU17 9DH Telephone number 01482 873344 Email educarenursery@educarenursery.kavoo.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 .

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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

Educare Day Nursery was registered in 2004. The premises are a purpose built two story building located centrally in the town of Beverley. The first floor currently houses the kitchen, office and other staff areas. All areas used by the children are easily accessible being at ground level. Children are cared for in separate areas according to their ages or stage of development. There are two enclosed outdoor play areas, for the two age-groups of children, to the rear of the premises. Opening hours are from Monday to Friday all year, and it is open from 7.15am to 6.00pm. The nursery is a member of the National Day Nursery Association.

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Description of the setting

The owner employs a total of 21 full and part time staff who work with the children in various roles. The overwhelming majority have relevant childcare qualifications, at various levels, according to their level of responsibility. There are also three support staff for cleaning and maintenance duties.

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Description of the setting

Educare Day Nursery is a privately owned early years facility offering full day care to a maximum of 70 children from birth to five years old. It is registered on the Early Years Register, and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register although the relevance of this is currently under review. There are currently 81 children on roll in the early years age group who attend for a variety of full and part time sessions both, and no older children. The group is registered with the local authority to provide funded nursery education to those children of eligible age, and they receive support from their advisory service.

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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

Staff work closely with parents and other agencies, to ensure that all children’s individual care and developmental needs are fully promoted. Clear, motivated leadership and an increasingly knowledgeable team of staff ensure that the nursery continues to make highly relevant improvements in outcomes for children. The effectiveness of indoor and outdoor learning environment and how it is accessed by the children is continually reviewed and revised to benefit children's learning and development. Similarly, systems to monitor children's learning and development are continually revised, to ensure that children make good progress in relation to their starting points.

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further?

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

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further?

 continue to develop systems for monitoring children's learning and development, to ensure that all areas of learning are covered with equal focus and further encourage parents' participation in the assessment process continue to develop systems for self evaluation involving all parties. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Clear policies and procedures and highly effective links with other agencies, ensure that children are safeguarded and their welfare protected. Robust recruitment, induction and training processes further create an environment where children are happy and safe. All documentation necessary for the safe management of the provision is well organised and professionally maintained. For example, records of attendance, fire drills, accidents and risk assessment are vigilantly kept up to date. There is a very professional approach to all administrative duties.

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the early years provision

Although there had recently been a period of temporary change at management level, at the time of the inspection the recently reformed management team demonstrated a clear vision for the provision, and were clearly beginning to put highly effective plans in place to ensure continuous improvement. Highly relevant development plans had been initiated, and successful liaison with the local authority’s advisor also logged and their suggestions acted on where practical. For example, a recent review of the key person system was providing children with a good level of consistency in their care and learning. A rolling programme for staff training and study further promotes children’s wellbeing and their development. Staff talk with great enthusiasm and professionalism about how their continuing study influences their practice and the development of the nursery provision. Even support staff, such as the cook and the administrator have recognised early years

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the early years provision

qualifications, so that the support they offer is highly appropriate. Effective use of academic study, successfully cascaded to all staff, is an important part of the continually improving provision. For example, research into gender issues improved aspects of equality of access to areas of the curriculum.

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the early years provision

There is good, clear general information for parents in the form of policies, procedures, notices and newsletters. There is also a very successful two-way flow of information about individual children, and their continually changing care needs both during the setting in process and through ongoing conversations. Younger children's daily sheets provide parents with the necessary info should they not have time for detailed discussions. Effective three-way relationships with parents are given high priority. Because children are used to seeing their key person and their parent chatting in a friendly way about their care needs, they are relaxed and happy at handover times. Transitions, for the older children, moving on from nursery into their new primary schools, are also successfully managed by staff. Parents are very pleased with their children's happiness in attending the nursery, and they are keen to contribute positively to the inspection process.

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and outcomes for children

The very pleasant, relaxed atmosphere and positive relationships at all levels are a key factor in the success of the setting and in children's learning and development. Babies soothed by the warm, caring support of the staff and the calm music are This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 relaxed and cheerful; babies and toddlers sleep soundly as they snuggle with their key person, and they concentrate at their play studiously. This level of support nurtures children, according to their individual level of development, as they move through the nursery. Consequently, children are extremely confident in developing their independence, becoming enthusiastic self-motivated learners. Children's confidence is also seen in their enthusiasm to take part in the inspection process, for example, explaining about their nice dinners and what they like about their nursery. The necessary daily routines further support older children’s independent

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and outcomes for children

skills and their learning. For example, they easily find their name cards for self- registration, they count how many places they need to set for lunch and capably serve their own food and drinks.

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and outcomes for children

Due to the inviting, accessible presentation of the broad range of resources, children learn to make some excellent choices in their play and learning. Babies and toddlers investigate the various interesting resources using all their senses. Babies enjoy making sounds with the instruments, feeling the soft brushes with their fingers or the cold colander with their mouths. Toddlers develop their skills and strength as they pour the water, squash the play dough or play on the small slide. Whilst the areas used by the two younger groups provide a good range of play opportunities, the indoor and outdoor learning environment, for the two groups of older children is particularly rich and stimulating. They often use the good quality equipment with great exuberance, yet also pause study the resources with calm, studious consideration. The older children’s environment, whilst promoting all areas of learning very well, is exceptionally successful in promoting

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and outcomes for children

their development in their knowledge and understanding of the world. They use the broad range of construction materials with great imagination and skill, sometimes to shape their own environment, for example, they use the crates to build a football pitch in the garden or arrange the blocks to create a performance stage. This also promotes their very good physical skills and their strength. They often studiously examine items closely, such as a sunflower, with magnifying glasses as they dissect it in the ‘discovery’ area, they knowledgeably point out various countries and features of the map of the world and they support each other very kindly as they work at the computer together. They are also encouraged to record their findings in various ways, for example, by drawing what they have seen, creating their own maps or taking photographs to make an instruction manual on how to use the large blocks.

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and outcomes for children

Staff use highly intuitive observations of children at play to establish their level of development, this is then being used to form plans for each child’s continued progress. There is also an overview system in place which covers all six areas of learning and development, and is being developed further to include a regular summary for parents and others. However, this monitoring system is quite newly established, so is not yet fully operational to the same degree, across all areas of learning for all children. Parents and some other Early Years Foundation Stage settings that some children attend, are therefore also not yet fully involved in this assessment system.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop a clear understanding of how to keep themselves safe whilst on the premises and on outings. Due to the sensible use of risk assessment, interesting opportunities are opened up to the children. They learn a great deal for This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 their regular outings to the library or the post office and they learn to manage their own safety, according to their level of understanding. Children often demonstrate their increasing understanding of managing their own safety in their play. For example, the younger ones blow on the pretend drinks before giving them to the dolls. Older children, when explaining that they are pretending to use a crate as a cooker to bake their cake, go on to warn onlookers, very clearly, not to touch it because it will be hot. They also demonstrate their understanding of road safety as they play on the tricycles and scooters. Children confidently discuss their health

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and outcomes for children

and hygiene needs with staff which helps them to become more aware and capable in managing their own needs. They enjoy the healthy snacks and meals, which are cooked on the premises and they develop a good level of independence in this. For example, toddlers use spoons very well for their lunch and older children capably help themselves to ample portions of vegetables to go with their lentil shepherds’ pie. Drinking water is available throughout the day and staff are, on the whole, proactive in making sure that children drink regularly. Well nourished and effectively hydrated, children concentrate well at their play, enjoy being active in the fresh air and are good humoured. 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 2 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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