Zig Zags

Zig Zags Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY307289 Inspection date 09/02/2010 Inspector Jill Nugent

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Setting address 38 Wellwood Road, Goodmayes, Ilford, Essex, IG3 8TU

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Telephone number 0208 597 0555 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 0300 123 1231, 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: 0300 123 1231 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

Zig Zags Nursery registered in 2005. It operates from a converted house in Goodmayes, Ilford. Access to the house is at ground level. Children have the use of three playrooms, two of which are on the ground floor. The baby room is situated on the first floor and is reached via an internal staircase. All children share access to a secure outdoor play area and a parental webcam service is provided. The nursery is open from 8.00am until 6.00pm every weekday throughout the year and extended hours are available on request.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 47 children under the age of eight may attend the nursery at any one time. Of these, not more than 15 children may be under the age of two. Currently there are 54 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. A total of 13 staff are employed to work with the children. All members of staff are suitably qualified.

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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

The nursery offers a bright, attractive play environment in which children enjoy a variety of play opportunities in a relaxed atmosphere. The management team work in a professional manner, making use of effective monitoring and evaluation to continually improve the outcomes for children. Staff promote inclusion through their practice and ensure that children's welfare is prioritised by following strict health and safety guidelines. There is a good working partnership with parents and this contributes to children's individual care needs being met effectively.

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further?

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

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further?

 increase the range of play opportunities available to pre-school children to encourage them to make choices and become more active and creative in their learning  develop the pre-school planning to include a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities which are appropriate to children's individual learning needs.

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the early years provision

The nursery is very well managed and its documentation provides an excellent framework for children's care and education. All records relating to health and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 safety are extremely well maintained, ensuring that children keep safe and healthy whilst at the nursery. Regular and thorough risk assessments are carried out on the premises, alongside daily safety checks, so that all potential risks continue to be minimised. The organised outings are also risk assessed in detail. There are good procedures in place regarding child protection and staff know what to do if they have any concerns about individual children.

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the early years provision

The nursery manager involves all staff in the evaluation of their practice and collates their views to enable the prioritising of areas for further development. Staff's day-to-day practice is regularly monitored and they are encouraged to attend training courses to develop their knowledge and understanding of childcare. Future targets for the nursery are well-thought out, being relevant to children's needs and intended to improve outcomes for all children. For example, the outdoor area is to be further developed to incorporate opportunities for learning and development in all six areas of learning. A pre-school coordinator has recently been appointed to oversee, and further improve, the provision for children in the two pre-school rooms.

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the early years provision

Staff are attentive to children's well-being and encourage children to feel valued as individuals. They are deployed effectively around the nursery and spend their time engaged with children, promoting their welfare and learning. Staff in the baby room know children's individual care needs well. They offer a wide range of interesting play opportunities which maintain children's interest during the day. Pre-school staff make good use of the available play space downstairs to offer a variety of resources and activities for children, although at times the provision of play opportunities for pre school children, both indoors and outdoors, is a little inflexible and limits children's choice.

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the early years provision

Parents receive clear information about the nursery's provision in a welcome pack and are able to view the nursery's policies and procedures. Staff give parents useful daily feedback, either in the form of individual diaries for younger children or a group diary sheet for older children. Parents are invited to consultations when they are able to exchange information about their children's progress. The nursery is planning open days when parents will be able to talk with key workers on a more informal basis. The nursery liaises closely with outside agencies to offer extra support for children with special needs. Parents are very satisfied with the care and education provided for their children.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop good relationships with staff and enjoy their company as they play and explore. For example, babies have much fun as they are encouraged to move to music whilst older children enjoy investigating technological toys with adults. Staff enhance children's play through offering them opportunities to use their senses as they explore different materials, such as coloured rice. Children become absorbed in independent exploration at times, for instance, stacking bobbins or looking at a book. They particularly enjoy group times, listening to stories or joining in songs, and like to take part in creative activities. Staff in the This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 pre-school rooms take opportunities during organised activities to extend children's learning, through encouraging communication or increasing children's awareness of letters and words. However, staff do not provide a wide variety of easily

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and outcomes for children

accessible play opportunities throughout the day which enable pre-school children to follow up their interests in active and creative learning situations.

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and outcomes for children

Staff make use of a comprehensive system of observational assessment to create attractive learning journeys for individual children that illustrate their progress across the six learning areas. Tracker books are used effectively to record children's development towards each of the early learning goals, although staff do not always use their observations of children's learning to plan adult-led activities that are focused and appropriate to individual children's stages of development. Consequently, some activities for younger pre school children are a little over- directed by adults. Children enjoy their play sessions outdoors, learning new physical skills and exploring sand, water and paints. They begin to make connections with the environment and understand different concepts when participating in hands-on activities, such as cooking. Older pre-school children make good progress in the key areas of literacy and numeracy with support from a

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and outcomes for children

qualified teacher, thereby gaining skills for the future.

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and outcomes for children

Children are cared for in a safe and secure environment. Staff are aware of safety issues and help children understand how to keep themselves safe. Babies develop a sense of belonging as staff give them individual attention when settling in. Older children talk with adults about keeping safe on outings. Staff promote health and hygiene well, encouraging children to adopt healthy lifestyles themselves. The cook provides a variety of healthy, nutritious meals which are very popular amongst children. All children have opportunities during the day for outdoor play, benefiting from exercise in the fresh air. They rest or sleep according to their needs. Children enjoy the social aspect of mealtimes, eating together in small groups. Their behaviour is generally good although the older pre school children tend to become bored and a little boisterous after lunch. Staff manage children's behaviour appropriately, encouraging children to negotiate calmly.

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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 2 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 1 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 1 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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