Nippers Children's Day Nursery Ltd

Nippers Children's Day Nursery Ltd Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY320829 Inspection date 26/10/2009 Inspector Sandra Elizabeth Williams

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Setting address Lune Park Children's Centre, Ryelands Park, Lancaster, Lancashire, LA1 2LN Telephone number 01524 844441 Email lancaster@nippersnurseries.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

Nippers Day Nursery is privately owned and has been registered since 2006. It is registered on the Early Years Register and both parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated close to the centre of Lancaster and consists of a baby room and two play rooms for children aged from two years to under five years. The children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area and to an arts and therapy room in the adjoining children's centre. A maximum of 30 children in the early years age group may attend the nursery at any one time and there are currently 62 children on roll, 20 of whom are in receipt of funding for early years education.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is open from Mondays to Fridays from 7.30am until 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are currently no children attending who have English as an additional language. There are 10 members of staff who work with the children, nine of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications and one is working towards a qualification. The staff are also working towards the Lancashire Quality Assurance accreditation.

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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 have a thorough knowledge and understanding of each child’s individual needs and they make sure that they successfully promote all aspects of children’s welfare and learning very effectively. Children are making very good progress in their learning and development as they enjoy a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities. Effective risk assessments ensure that children are kept safe and secure at all times. Procedures for maintaining the premises are generally good, however, procedures in one area of the nursery are not consistently robust. Managers and staff have established an outstanding partnership with parents and other agencies to ensure excellent continuity of care for all of the children. Managers and staff are all involved in the self-evaluation process, however, this has not yet been fully completed in order to identify all of the nursery's strengths and areas for further development.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop the use of self-evaluation to reflect on practice in order to maintain continuous improvement  develop methods to ensure that children have increased access to information and communication technology (ICT) equipment  review the procedures for ensuring that staff are vigilant regarding the hygiene of the toilet area. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children are kept extremely safe at the nursery because there is a strong emphasis on safeguarding. Policies and procedures necessary to safeguard children’s welfare are well written and implemented effectively by all staff. They have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures through the child protection training attended and they keep up-to-date with current practice. Managers are extremely conscientious about safety and they implement new policies as and when required, for example, a policy regarding the use of mobile phones on the premises has recently been implemented. Also information regarding swine flu is readily available to staff and parents as a reference point and strict procedures are adhered to regarding these issues. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that all staff working with children are suitable to do so. Documentation relating to children's individual needs and care routines are well maintained and

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the early years provision

reflect a high level of confidentiality. Comprehensive written risk assessments are in place for the premises and for outings. There are procedures in place for ensuring the maintenance and cleanliness of the nursery. These are generally followed to a high standard and daily checks are recorded. However, the procedure for keeping the toilet area clean is not consistently applied at all times.

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the early years provision

Staff are well qualified and work very well together as a team. They are clear about their roles and responsibilities and have a commitment and enthusiasm to continual professional development. Managers have a good understanding of the setting’s strengths and areas for development and they fully involve staff in the decision making about the nursery. Regular staff meetings and staff supervision sessions provide good opportunities for staff to participate and feel included and valued. The self-evaluation process is in place, however, it has not as yet been fully completed. The staff make the most of the space they have available, particularly in the outdoor area. Resources are well deployed and this enables children to make good progress in their learning and development. A robust key person system ensures that all staff have a thorough understanding of children’s individual needs.

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the early years provision

Staff have outstanding partnerships with parents. Parents are fully valued as partners and staff use questionnaires effectively to identify parents' views and act upon the feedback received. Parents are confident in the ability of staff to meet the individual needs of their children and report a secure and loving relationship between children and the dedicated staff. Staff draw upon the skills and experience of parents and use this knowledge to contribute towards children’s learning and development effectively. Consistent and inclusive systems of communication with all parents, including those with communication or literacy difficulties, result in an excellent partnership and engagement. Staff provide parents with written policies and procedures and comprehensive information about children’s learning and development and about the nursery as a whole. The staff have also established excellent links with other childcare and education providers,

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the early years provision

such as health visitors, therapists and teachers to ensure that children's needs are well met and there is continuity in their care and learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Staff promote inclusion very effectively to give children and families a sense of belonging and of being valued. They actively promote equality of opportunity and are vigilant and proactive in ensuring that all children are fully included. For example, staff adapt activities and acquire suitable equipment to enable each child, regardless of their individual needs, to be able to fully participate and join in the various activities on offer.

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and outcomes for children

The nursery is a stimulating and lively place for children to learn and have fun. The staff have a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and they skilfully and imaginatively engage the children in activities that extend their learning. By using a key worker system, the staff get to know the individual children very well and know their interests and favourite activities, which they use when planning for their individual learning and development. Staff use regular observations to track children's progress and to plan for their next steps in their learning. Activities are adapted according to children's individual needs, so that everyone is valued and included. The staff work well together to ensure that children are supported in their transition between rooms as they progress through the nursery and eventually to school.

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and outcomes for children

Staff have loving and caring relationships with the children who form strong attachments to adults and other children within the nursery. All staff apply clear and consistent boundaries, so that children develop knowledge of what is expected and display positive behaviour. Staff know individual children well and provide them with a good level of sensitive and appropriate support. The babies and toddlers enjoy wonderful activities that encourage them to explore and learn through the wide variety of resources that stimulate their senses. The baby room is thoughtfully organised with homely touches, such as soft rugs, tactile materials and foils, creating cosy and comfortable corners for children to feel secure and safe. The different coloured lights, the treasure baskets, the water play and painting all provide wonderful sensory opportunities for the babies to explore and learn. They also enjoy baking activities, and are encouraged to mix the ingredients

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and outcomes for children

and taste the bread when it is baked. The babies all have individual learning journeys and are actively encouraged by the staff to make good progress in their development. For example, they are provided with furniture and equipment to help them sit, stand, crawl and walk, all in their own time and according to their stage of development. They are encouraged to develop skills, such as feeding and dressing themselves, and they squeal with delight at their achievements.

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and outcomes for children

All children learn to adopt healthy lifestyles as they follow good hygiene practices and are encouraged to eat healthy food and as they pour their own water. They freely access the outdoor play area where they enjoy the fresh air and exercise. They learn about living things as they enjoy planting and growing their own vegetables, such as tomatoes and herbs and feeding the birds. They develop their coordination as they balance on the little logs and jump off them at the end. They also enjoy manoeuvring their bicycles around the yard, skilfully weaving around their friends. Their fine motor skills are developed as they utilise the mark-making, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the creative and the malleable resources on offer. They enjoy designing and creating Halloween decorations by using coloured card, glitter and sequins. They excitedly talk to each other about how they are going to dress up in various

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and outcomes for children

costumes to celebrate Halloween. They draw pictures and attempt to write their names on them. The staff extend the children's literacy skills by using the 'I Can' approach to communication by asking them open-ended questions and by ensuring that all children, including the quieter ones, have opportunities to be heard.

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and outcomes for children

Children are making good progress in their numeracy skills, again, because the staff skilfully utilise everyday situations to get the children to think. For example, the children count up to 11 conkers outside. They also sing number rhymes, such as 'One, two, three, four, five' which familiarises them with numerals. The children have some opportunities to learn about everyday technology as they have access to programmable toys, such as cash tills, toy phones and remote control toys. There is a laptop which the children can use but this is currently not very accessible to the children, thus limiting their opportunities in this area. Children's understanding of diversity and difference is enhanced as they celebrate festivals and special events. This helps them to value aspects of their own lives and the diverse society in which they live. Most importantly, the children learn to behave appropriately, make friends, share the toys and respect each other, thus

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and outcomes for children

Children learn to keep safe by not running in the setting and by tidying up their toys. They develop confidence to explore their surroundings because they feel safe and secure in their relationships with the staff who provide comfort and reassurance when the children need it. 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 1 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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