Gooseberry Bush Day Nursery Kemble

Gooseberry Bush Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Gooseberry Bush Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY263053 Inspection date 13 September 2005 Inspector Miriam Sheila Brown

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Gooseberry Bush Day Nursery

Setting Address Kemble Airfield Enterprise Park, Kemble, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 6BQ Telephone number 07866 569506 01285 771456

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E-mail

Registered person Claire Louise Stringer Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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E-mail

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?

Gooseberry Bush Day Nursery opened in 2003. It operates from a single-storey, purpose-built unit on Kemble Airfield Enterprise Park on the borders of South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The nursery has sole use of five main playrooms, sleep room, dining area and facilities for nappy changing and bottle preparation. There is a fully enclosed outdoor play area to the rear of the premises. A maximum of 56 children may attend the nursery at any one time and there are

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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 currently 180 children on roll. Of these, 22 children receive funding for nursery education. Gooseberry Bush Day Nursery is open from Monday to Friday between 07:30 and 18:30 throughout the year. The nursery currently supports children with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. Children attend from across Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Swindon areas. Children are cared for by a team of 24 staff, all of whom have appropriate childcare qualifications and experience. The owner and joint manager has a Batchelor of Education Honours Degree in Primary Education and an Early Years Specialist Teaching certificate. She is working towards a Master of Arts in Early Years Research. The other manager has completed the National Vocational Qualification

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

(NVQ) in Child Care and Education at level 3 and an NVQ in Management at level 4. The deputy managers are working towards NVQ level 4 in Childcare and Education. All staff, with one exception, have attended child protection training courses and the majority have completed first aid training. The nursery is working towards an Early Years Quality Assurance Scheme and are accredited with a baby-signing organisation. Gooseberry Bush Day Nursery receives support from the Foundation Stage Consultants, Area Special Needs Co-ordinator and has close links with primary schools in the local and surrounding areas.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children learn the importance of good personal hygiene through effective group routines which are well supported by staff, for example, children understand they wash their hands to remove germs. Older children discuss the benefit of this in group times. Staff pay high attention to other aspects of hygiene, including cleaning tables prior to snacks and ensuring food is prepared safely, providing good role models for the children and reinforcing their awareness of basic hygiene. Effective nappy changing routines ensure that younger children's privacy is respected and assist in maintaining high levels of cleanliness within the nursery. Pre-school children enjoy well organised, sociable snack and meal times, sitting at tables with staff and chatting happily about their activities and news. They are learning to be considerate of others as they clear their own plates and put their aprons away. They are prompted by staff to remember to say please and thank you.

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Helping children to be healthy

Drinks are easily accessible to children throughout the day, encouraging them to be independent and to have a growing awareness of their own needs. Milk feeds are freshly prepared and children's individual dietary needs met effectively. Children practice and develop their physical skills, enjoying a variety of planned and free play activities, using a range of equipment throughout the week, for example, wheeled toys, balancing and climbing on the outdoor equipment and practising hopping and jumping. Staff are attentive to babies ensuring they are given regular opportunities to use and develop all their muscles, for example, moving those who are not yet mobile, from their backs to their tummies whilst lying on play mats.

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Helping children to be healthy

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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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children play safely in secure, light and airy, well maintained premises. Outside areas are completely enclosed and access to the building is continually monitored by vigilant staff. A password and authorisation card system ensures that only authorised people may enter the premises. Risk assessments are completed regularly and potential hazards to children effectively reduced, for example, hinge guards are installed on all internal doors. Babies and children sleep safely in quiet and well organised rooms and staff make frequent checks to ensure children's comfort and well-being. Toys and equipment in each room, are appropriate and meet the needs of the children effectively. They have easy access to many resources and older children assist in tidying-up prior to snack and meal times. Through this they are learning to take care of and keep their rooms safe. Regular group fire drills and evacuation

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

procedures are practised to ensure children are familiar with them and are able to respond safely in an emergency situation. This knowledge is effectively extended by staff organising topic work to reinforce children's awareness and includes a visit from the on-site fire service. Staff demonstrate a very good awareness of child protection issues and all new staff receive specific training in this area as part of their induction. This helps to ensure that should concerns arise, they will be dealt with in the best interests of the child. The policy document is clear and provides parents and staff with clear guidelines and contact points.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children come to nursery happily and are warmly greeted at the door by a senior member of staff. Children of all ages have many opportunities to choose their activities and do so confidently, moving independently from one area to another. They enjoy a wide range of activities throughout the week, which assist in their knowledge, understanding and continuing development. Younger children benefit from staff knowledge and understanding of the Birth to Three Matters curriculum, which is used effectively to plan and organise activities and record development. Occasionally, some aspects of activities are not appropriate to the age of the children concerned and in some areas wall displays provide limited visual stimulation for the children. All children have positive relationships with the staff, listen well to them and seek assistance from them when needed, helping them to grow in confidence and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

develop their sense of identity. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Children make good progress in all areas of learning. Their language is developing well and they use it effectively to organise role-play, for example, "bring a chair over here so we can sit and feed our

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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 babies". Children enjoy making marks and some attempt to write their names on work and at the 'writing' table. Wall displays currently provide limited print and pictures to enhance this area of learning. However, most children recognise their written names and proudly find these each morning to put on the peg line and enjoy finding their named place mats at meal times. Children's awareness of number, shape and size is developing and is well supported by everyday routines and adult-led activities. For example, children drawing round their feet and hands count the digits, compare the number and decide whose are the largest. Children explore and discover about the bark on trees, the smell of different flowers and how they grow from seeds and bulbs through regular local walks and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

planned activities. They use the playgroup commuter with dexterity and obvious enjoyment. Their hand and eye coordination is developing well and the programmes are used appropriately to support other areas of development. A comprehensive range of resources are used by the children to create a wide variety of art and craft work. They enjoy experimenting with many different painting techniques, use scissors and glue with dexterity and create their own models from imagination using construction sets and recycled materials. For example, one child busily made a card for her father who was in hospital having broken his leg. She used a variety of beads, feathers and stars to represent herself and her family. Teaching provides good challenges for children of all ages and staff understand them well. They provide a varied range of well planned activities, which are adapted to meet children's individual abilities and which positively assist in their development.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children with special needs are well supported in all aspects of their care and development. Regular observations and assessments of children enable staff to plan effectively for the next steps in children's learning and development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are highly valued as individuals, for example, they are encouraged to be thoughtful of each other, assisting in tidying-up and taking turns. They develop a positive attitude to others and gain a good understanding about the wider world and community, for example, staff and children use baby signing during group music times and activities, helping them to communicate with each other and to make their needs known. Children also enjoy celebrating a wide range of festivals throughout the year and celebrate each others birthdays and special occasions. Children's individual needs are well met and the setting uses effective procedures to care for children with special needs, working closely with parents and other professionals. Children behave well and the consistent approach of staff who use positive strategies to support appropriate behaviour, assists in developing their sense

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Helping children make a positive contribution

of right and wrong. In the pre-school group children's self-esteem is further developed by being a 'star helper' for the day and receiving stickers and certificates for particular areas of progress such as separating from parent or carer, happily. The partnership with parents is outstanding. Children benefit from parents knowledge

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 of their daily activities and they are encouraged to share their own areas of expertise with the group. For example, one parent brought in some chicks for the children to observe and then brought them for a return visit for the children to see their development. The introductory booklet for parents and regular newsletters offer parents a clear outline of the Foundation Stage of learning, helping staff and parents to work together in assisting children's progress. Nursery policies and procedures are all clearly documented and together with daily feedback, diary sheets for younger children and an effective key worker system, provide parents with excellent information about all aspects of children's care and development. Parents opinions are sought through detailed questionnaires. Regular social events organised by the

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Helping children make a positive contribution

nursery also offer parents informal opportunities to get to know each other and nursery staff. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The leadership and management provided by the nursery owner, her joint manager and dedicated staff team, is outstanding. Staff are very well qualified, extremely well supported in their ongoing training and development and are highly valued by the managers. The staff recruitment and induction programme is comprehensive and rigorous. It includes weekly appraisals for the first month of employment followed by quarterly appraisal. All new staff attend baby signing, first aid and child protection training, the latter reinforced through staff meetings and regular discussion with the staff member taking responsibility for this area. The managers have a clear view of their future and a commitment to continue the high level of care provided. They have addressed the points raised at the last inspection and have plans for the nursery's next stage of development. The premises are well organised, although some rooms provide limited visual

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Organisation

stimulation for children. All aspects of paperwork are well documented, for example, attendance records are clear and up-to-date, long, medium, short term plans and assessments are in place, and paperwork to record accidents and medication is shared with parents, demonstrating that children receive high levels of support to meet their needs. Staff have accurately identified their areas of weakness and have taken steps to address this. Clear procedures and policies support staff and parents, and together with staff knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum and Birth to Three Matters, they are enabled to help and support their children and each other, effectively. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the nursery agreed to address three recommendations. These were to extend the uncollected child policy, develop staff awareness of child protection procedures and to ensure that parents acknowledge administration of

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Improvements since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 medication records. The nursery have addressed each of these recommendations effectively. The policy document now provides staff and parents with clear details of the procedures to follow if a child is lost or uncollected and all medication records are routinely signed by parents. All staff receive child protection training. This is reinforced within the nursery at staff meetings and regular discussion with the staff member taking responsibility for this area of care. A flow chart is displayed on the staff room wall to remind them of the procedures to follow should concerns arise. The successful completion and ongoing reinforcement of these recommendations helps to ensure that children are well cared for throughout their time at nursery.

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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): • provide more visual stimulus in some of rooms used by younger children and ensure that group activities are appropriate to their age and stage of development.

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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): • further develop displays to support children's awareness of initial sounds and that print carries meaning.

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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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