Lanterns Arts & Educational Nursery

Lanterns Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number EY372099 Inspection date 09/02/2010 Inspector Anahita Aderianwalla / Naomi Brown

p.1

Setting address Unit D,Great Eastern Enterprise Centre, 3 Millharbour, LONDON, E14 9XP Telephone number 02073 630951 Email lanterns-schools@lineone.net 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 .

p.1

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

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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).

p.3

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.

p.3

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

p.3

Description of the setting

Lanterns Nursery has been operating since 1995 and transferred to the ground floor of new premises in 2008. It is a privately run organisation, located in Docklands, around the Millharbour area. The nursery serves families from the local residential area and students from the local college, also children of working parents who commute into the area. The nursery is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is open from 08.00 to 18.15 for 50 weeks of the year. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. A total of 68 children may attend at any one time. There are currently 50 children on roll. There are 15 staff members who work directly with the children. Most of the staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications ranging from NVQ Level 2 to Level 3. The setting receives support from the Early Years Advisory Team.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is inadequate.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children’s emotional welfare needs are adequately fostered, as attention is given by caring staff. Relationships with parents are fostered to develop a consistent approach in meeting children's needs. The leadership and management team have failed to identify and rectify risks promptly, the setting's leadership and management and capacity to self evaluate and maintain on-going improvement is weak. Observation and assessments are not fully linked to planning, which means that practitioners do not always recognise children's next steps of learning. The rigid organisation that timetables children's daily activity does not promote the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) or meet the needs of the development requirements of the children whom attend. The setting's weaknesses in the planning means that activities do not sufficiently take into account children’s differing learning needs and abilities. As a result, children's individual needs are

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the early years provision requires significant improvement. The registered person is given a Notice to Improve that sets out actions to be carried out.

p.4

further?

To comply with the requirements of the EYFS the registered person must take the following action by the specified date:

p.4

further?

 ensure that there is a balance of adult-led and freely- chosen or child-initiated activities, delivered through indoor and outdoor play(Organisation) 04/02/2010

p.4

further?

 ensure that all records relating to childcare activities are readily accessible and available for inspection at all times (also applies to both parts of the Childcare 04/02/2010 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Register) (Documentation)  ensure effective systems are in place to meet needs of all individual children(Organisation) 04/02/2010

p.4

further?

 take necessary steps to prevent the spread of infection (in relation to hand washing procedures)(also applies to both parts of the Childcare Register) (Promoting good health) 04/02/2010

p.5

further?

 take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of children, staff and others on the premises in the case of fire, and must have a clearly defined procedure for the emergency evacuation of the premises. (also applies to both parts of the Childcare Register) (Safeguarding) 04/02/2010

p.5

further?

To improve the early years provision the registered person should:

p.5

further?

 further enhance children's learning opportunities by providing mark making resources in all areas of play, to increase broader experiences and encourage early writing skills  ensure next steps are consistently linked to planning to maximise learning for children's development through play

p.5

the early years provision

Appropriate safeguarding policies are in place and staff do have an understanding of their role and responsibilities and are clear of how to report concerns. There are suitable recruitment and vetting procedures in place. This supports the safety and wellbeing of children in this area. Most documentation is in place, however, the risk assessments were not available at inspection. This is a breach of the welfare requirements. Therefore, children's safety is potentially compromised should an emergency arise. In addition, inappropriate fire procedures are in place for the evacuation of babies. As a result, children are not always fully safeguarded. Children are not developing suitable hygiene practises as they wash their hands at appropriate times of the day. They are not always fully protected from the risk of cross infection as children use the same bowl of water and hand towel to wash and dry their hands before meal times. Consequently, this impacts on children's welfare

p.5

the early years provision

The setting does not always maintain appropriate deployment of staff to provide appropriate care and support for children. On the day of inspection, during some times of the day, all the older children and staff in the setting were grouped together in one room. The ineffective organisation of the premises impacted on children's learning and development requirements. The use of the rigid daily timetabling of children's activity has brought about weaknesses in the programme for learning and development. The organisation of the daily routine requires children to move from room to room, for play experiences. Children's learning and development are hindered due to the inflexibility of the daily routine. Children are not given enough opportunities to make choices and explore independent learning. As a result, children do not always receive an appropriate balance of adult led or This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.5

the early years provision

child initiated experiences. Although, planning is in place which covers all areas of learning, staff in the baby room, do not fully understand the importance of using observations or differentiation of the children, as the next steps in their development and learning are not always linked to the planning. As a result of this their individual needs are not always fully met.

p.6

the early years provision

Parents are welcomed into the setting and their suggestions and comments are acted upon. Information is passed to parents daily through a diary sheet and verbal feedback. This enhances the two way communication process with parents regarding their child. Detailed information is gained from parents about their children and all required written consents are in place. Information regarding children's needs such as their care, medical and dietary requirements are gathered from parents before the child starts. There is a key person system and information is provided for parents about their child's daily routine.

p.6

the early years provision

The manager and staff team have begun to engage in a self-evaluation process in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the provision. However, the manager does not always appear to monitor this practice to ensure that changes are effectively implemented. The manager welcomes support from outside agencies and has addressed the actions in the last inspection. Although, the full implementation of the actions have not taken place. As a result, outcomes for children are not effective in meeting their individual needs.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children are relaxed and comfortable in the care of the staff, and have warm relationships with the children. Staff are tentative to children's welfare and care needs. As a result, the children are generally happy in the setting. The setting has very large spacious rooms for different aged children which are filled with resources that children can easily access. The children have access to a large art and crafts room, 'the Gallery' where they are able to participate in creative activities, such as sand and water trays, painting, play dough and an assortment of mark making materials. For example, a group of older children paint pictures and explore with materials for cutting and gluing. In addition, they have a large 'Studio', which is a purpose built room for all ages to engage in physical activities. During the inspection, older children were riding on an assortment of trikes and bikes, some made tents, and some were spinning hoops. The staff who care for

p.6

and outcomes for children

older children provide support as children engage in different activities. However, due to the rigid timetable, this restricts children's experiences to be able to freely access resources and are not able to consolidate and revisit learning experiences at their own pace.

p.6

and outcomes for children

During the inspection, the room in which the babies play, was filled with a mound of resources that were poorly organised, to allow younger children to freely explore their environment. Staff sit on the floor with the children, however, there is little interaction between them. Staff do not use any open ended questions or attempt to stimulate the children. The environment is not sufficiently enabling for babies to gain skills that teach the children basic independence. Consequently, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children are not able to develop skills for the future. Younger children do not have access to mark making resources that they can access freely in the baby room. As a result there are missed opportunities to expand their creative learning and early writing skills. Older children are developing some independent skills. For example, in the dining room children are able to sit and feed themselves. They enjoy the

p.6

and outcomes for children

company of each other and staff ask a few open ended questions to promote critical thinking.

p.7

and outcomes for children

There are systems in place for recording child observations. However, in the baby room, they are not consistently used to inform the planning, and do not focus on their interests, likes and individual needs. The planning is more focused on the routine. Consequently, children are unable to make sufficient progress and make independent choices and do not have sufficient time to complete activities at their own pace. This impacts on their individual developmental requirements. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.7

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

p.8

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

p.8

children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

p.8

and managed?

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 4 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 4 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

p.8

Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 4

p.8

Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 4 The extent to which children feel safe 4 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 4 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 4

p.8

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

p.8

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The registered provider does not meet the requirements of the compulsory and or voluntary part/s of the Childcare Register.

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

 (take action as specified in the early years section of the report) 04/02/2010

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

 (take action as specified in the early years section of the report) 04/02/2010

p.9