The Wishing Tree Children's Nursery

The Wishing Tree Children's Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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The Wishing Tree Children's Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY283126 Inspection date 29 November 2005 Inspector Christine McInally

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The Wishing Tree Children's Nursery

Setting Address 14 Carden Avenue, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 8NA

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The Wishing Tree Children's Nursery

Telephone number 01273 551515 E-mail office@wishingtreenursery.com Registered person Lewis Wood and Jayne Knights Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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The Wishing Tree Children's 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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. 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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The Wishing Tree Children's Nursery opened in 2004. It operates from 6 rooms in a converted house in a residential area of Brighton, East Sussex. A maximum of 60 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08:00 to 18:00 for 51 weeks of the year with exception of Bank holidays. All children have access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 127 children on roll and of these 26 receive funded nursery

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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 education. Children come from a wide catchments area. The nursery is able support children with special educational needs, and is currently supporting two children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 22 staff, of these 18 hold appropriate child care qualifications with 16 being qualified to level 3 or above.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy a worthwhile range of activities which help to promote their good health. They learn about the importance of good personal hygiene and understand why they need to wash their hands after visiting the toilet and before eating food. Children know to drink more water when the weather is hot and to wrap up warm when playing outside in the winter. Children enjoy regular physical play both indoors and out and extend their physical skills on a daily basis. A stimulating variety of activities help children gain increasing control of their bodies, for example, as they pour their own drinks or as they play on the sit and ride toys. Staff have an understanding of Birth to three matters; they use the guidance well to provide a range of physical play experiences for young children. All children are able to rest and be active according to their needs. Meal and snack times are sociable; children sit at the table with their friends and

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Helping children to be healthy

staff. Children are provided with a range of healthy snacks such as, a variety of fruit encouraging them to develop healthy eating practices. Children enjoy varied and nutritious meals which comply with all special dietary requirements to ensure they remain healthy.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children enjoy their play in an extremely safe environment where staff are vigilant and use risk assessments extremely well to reduce potential hazards. Space within the well-designed nursery is effectively organised, allowing children to move around safely, freely and independently. Children are enthusiastic explorers when playing outside with a variety of challenging physical play equipment. Children use a wide range of good quality toys and resources appropriate to their age and stage of development. Children begin to learn to take responsibility for keeping themselves safe as they practise fire evacuation procedures. They learn about safety through staff's clear and simple explanations as to why a rule is in place. For example, they know not to run inside the nursery as they might fall and hurt themselves. Children are well protected by staff that have a clear understanding of child

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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 protection policies and procedures. All of these measures contribute to the safety and welfare of the children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children arrive happy and eager to participate and enjoy their time at the nursery. Staff are accomplished in extending children's learning and they are extremely well motivated by the challenges set throughout the day. They achieve well because staff are skilled and use their understanding of early years guidance, such as Birth to three matters and the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage, to provide good quality care and education. Staff are beginning to use children's assessment records to help inform the planning. Children show considerable independence and make choices about the toys and resources they want to play with. A wide range of appropriate resources and activities effectively promotes children’s development. Staff encourage children to play together and share. Lots of praise and encouragement develops children's self-esteem. All children enjoy plenty of opportunities to develop their social skills. For example, they sit together and chat at

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

meal times, negotiate and co-operate during role-play and learn to share while playing team games. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. A worthwhile range of relevant activities related to their needs motivates children. They access a wide range of well-chosen resources, which support their progress across all areas of learning. Children are developing an awareness of others needs and have good self-esteem because staff listen to them and value their ideas and contributions. Children develop a healthy interest in books, they enjoy sharing stories with adults and peers and delight in predictable endings. They are confident speakers and understand they can use writing for a variety of purposes and are beginning to write for themselves. Children skilfully use and recognise numbers in everyday activities. Children count confidently and recognise numbers that are important to them. They choose number activities

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

during free play and enjoy number rhymes and songs. Topic work and practical activities arouses children's natural curiosity and develops their exploration and investigation skills. Children use their own ideas to make things by building and joining. They have access to a computer and use everyday technology in their play. Children move confidently showing a good awareness of space and others in both the indoor and outdoor space. Children express themselves creatively using all of their senses to actively explore a stimulating range of new experiences. When children begin in the nursery, staff find out about their skills, interests and needs and build on this information to help them achieve and progress. Children flourish as the balance between adult and child-led activities allows them to learn at their own pace. Staff observe the children during free play and focussed activities using their notes to assess children’s achievements. This information is beginning to

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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 be used to plan the next steps in each child’s learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children are treated with respect helping them to feel good about themselves. Staff have very positive attitudes towards diversity. Children are developing an awareness of their own and other cultures through an extensive range of resources, planned activities and as they celebrate a variety of festivals. All children are highly valued as individuals; their needs are effectively met using the information gathered from the parents, and children themselves, when they first start at the nursery. Good use of visual symbols and dual language labelling enables children learning English as an additional language to participate fully in the activities and make good progress. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered well. Children behave exceedingly well, they are extremely enthusiastic and well motivated. They benefit from the consistent praise and encouragement offered. Staff

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Helping children make a positive contribution

support younger children in sharing and turn taking. Children learn about themselves and their own capabilities. Staff set consistent boundaries for older children which helps them learn to negotiate with others and take responsibility for their own behaviour. Excellent displays of children's work adorn the walls helping to develop their self-esteem. Children gain confidence as staff acknowledge them as important individuals. Partnership with parents and carers is good and this contributes considerably to children's well-being while at the nursery. Parents receive good information about Birth to three matters and the Foundation Stage. Staff are friendly and approachable they ensure that all parents know how their children are progressing and developing. Children’s learning is enhanced from this sharing of information between staff and parents.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. Children's care is greatly enhanced by the exceptional quality of organisation and the good leadership and management of nursery education. Staff work well together as a team and are committed to continual improvement. They recognise that self-evaluation is the key to continuous improvement and rigorously monitor and assess their provision, practice and children's progress. This means the setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Children feel at home and are at ease in the well-organised environment. All children receive good support from a staff group that enjoys their company and knows them well helping them feel secure and confident. Clear communication and guidance allows staff to provide a stimulating well-balanced programme. There are regular appraisals that identify training needs and staff are actively encouraged to enrol on relevant courses. This supports staff in their role and ensures they have the latest

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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 and most relevant information available. The management team work well together, they have a vision of where they are going with the nursery and have put in place systems to help them achieve their goals. Policies and procedures are used effectively to promote the welfare, care and learning of children. All aspects of the children's care and learning are discussed with the parents, who are kept well informed of their child's achievements.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the previous inspection, staff's knowledge and understanding of child protection issues has been further developed. Staff are aware of the signs and symptoms and correct procedures to be followed if they have any concerns. This helps to promote and safeguard children’s welfare within the setting.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints to report. 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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. 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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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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): • continue to develop the use of assessment records to help inform planning for the children's next stage of learning

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • make improvements as indicated in the care section above.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

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 nursery education

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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