Hill Top Tots Day Nursery Limited

Hill Top Tots Day Nursery Ltd Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number 206261 Inspection date 28/10/2009 Inspector Yvonne Layton

p.1

Setting address 51 Highfield Road, Dronfield, Derbyshire, S18 1UW

p.1

Telephone number 01246 290063 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 08456 404040, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as

p.1

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: 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

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

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

Hill Top Tots Day Nursery was registered in 1995 and is situated in Dronfield, on the outskirts of Sheffield and Chesterfield. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor area. There is level access to enter the building and stairs to reach the baby area. The nursery is registered to care for 56 children on the Early Years Register. There are currently 99 children from three months to five years on roll. The nursery serves the local and surrounding area and receives funding for nursery education. It is open Monday to Friday all year round from 8.00am until 6.00pm and supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

p.4

Description of the setting

There are 15 staff working with the children, of whom hold 14 relevant childcare qualifications. There is a cook.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children are cared for in a warm, inclusive environment where the adults are fully aware of their interests and capabilities. They are provided with a good range of resources and activities that interest them and meet their individual needs. Staff have a secure knowledge of how to support the children's learning and development in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Close working relationships with parents and strong liaisons with other settings help to fully support children's development and learning. Management have strong aspirations for developing the quality of the nursery and staff effectively share their ambitions to maintain continuous improvement.

p.4

further?

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

p.4

further?

 develop monitoring further in order to support a stimulating environment in which creativity, originality and expressiveness are valued with particular regard to the content of some wall displays  promote further children's self-awareness and independence by encouraging them to tidy away finished activities throughout the session, providing them with a suitable range of cutlery at meal times and make sure displays can be seen by babies at their level  review the written permission for the administration of non-prescribed medicine to include health reasons for doing so. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.4

the early years provision

Children are well-protected as there are clear safeguarding children procedures and staff have a very good understanding of their responsibility in protecting children. The security of the premises is excellent and procedures for arrival and departure ensure children are handed over safely to a known adult. Detailed risk assessments are carried out, including a review of all accidents. All areas, equipment and resources are in good condition, clean and safe. Required policies and procedures are in place and records are carefully maintained. However, medication records do not include the health reasons for administering non- prescribed medicines. Efficient systems are in place for recruiting and checking the ongoing suitability of staff, including all adults having enhanced Criminal Records Bureau disclosures. Children are protected in an emergency situation as staff undertake fire evacuation drills and are very clear about the procedures to

p.5

the early years provision

evacuate the children from all areas of the nursery. Their health and welfare is supported well as the staff complete and appropriately involve the children in established consistent hygiene and safety procedures.

p.5

the early years provision

Children's learning is successfully promoted as the staff are conversant in implementing all aspects of the learning and development elements and have secure knowledge of the welfare requirements of the EYFS. Planning of focussed, themed and child-initiated activities is used by staff to support children’s experience to enable them to visit all aspects of the areas of learning. Individual progress and children’s next steps are monitored by using spontaneous and planned observations which are used to inform assessments. This is enhanced as the manager regularly reads each child’s assessment files to ensure there are no gaps in their learning. Children's learning and welfare are supported very well as a result of the very effective ongoing self-evaluation by the management and staff. They reflect and evaluate all aspects of the nursery together and have an excellent view of priorities for improvement. The last inspection recommendations have

p.5

the early years provision

been addressed and the nursery has been involved in a number of quality assurance projects.

p.5

the early years provision

Inclusive practice, equality policies and procedures are carefully implemented throughout the group so that all children have their welfare needs met and achieve as well as they can. Partnerships with parents and carers are well-established and each child's individual needs and culture is recognised, supported and celebrated. To ensure their welfare and learning needs are met, staff gather valuable information as parents complete a personal profile for their child before they start the group and throughout their time at the nursery. Parents have access to the group's policies, procedures and a detailed nursery brochure. A daily diary is maintained until the children can tell the parents themselves about their day. Parents are provided with information about activities, early learning and care issues. Feedback forms, parents evening and open days are used to seek their views. Parents receive ongoing informal feedback regarding their children's

p.5

the early years provision

Links within the school, including liaisons with the head teacher and class teacher, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 local network meetings and other services promote secure integration of care, education and extended services.

p.5

and outcomes for children

Children are happy and settled at the nursery. Interactions are very good and all children benefit from caring, warm staff. Children are learning good social skills as they share and help each other. They concentrate well whether alone, in small groups or with an adult. Independence is encouraged as all age children help to tidy away at the end of the session and older children enjoy a café-style snack. However, this is not promoted consistently as generally children are not encouraged to tidy away activities they have self-selected during the session, lunch is already plated for them and younger children only have a fork to eat their lunch.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Play is purposeful as staff give encouragement and ideas about activities. All children respond well to staff. Staff effectively use encouragement and praise. Children's communication skills are extremely well-promoted as staff and children hold detailed conversations about their experiences, family and lives. Staff extend conversations by asking questions that challenge children to think.

p.6

and outcomes for children

The learning environment effectively supports children’s progress towards the early learning goals. Activities are extended or changed to stimulate children's interests. They have effective opportunities to self-select activities from specific areas in each room. For example, babies select toys from a range of boxes. Toddlers and older children have specific areas such as construction, small world and imaginative. All children are involved in focussed activities both within groups and individually. For example, they learn about nature as the nursery has a bird feeding station and nest boxes. The children keep a log with their own pictures of birds, insects and creatures they have seen in the garden.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Throughout the setting, children have the opportunity to undertake creative activities and enjoy many free expression activities such as printing and free- painting alongside planned projects including celebrating Halloween. However, some wall displays are overly adult-led, which potentially has an effect on children's creativity. In all areas children enjoy looking at a wide variety of photographs of themselves and of them undertaking activities. However in the baby area, an adult has to lift them to see the photographs. Babies enjoy a floor level mirror but other displays are generally too high to enable them to see them easily.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children are learning technology skills as they have access to laptops and a music station with earphones. Stories, rhymes and a wide range of different music are well-received resources enjoyed by the children, including during group times when all children enjoy selecting or identifying a rhyme from an object in the bag. For example, a small doll is selected and the children sing ‘Miss Polly’ and a small world figure is used for ‘Old MacDonald had a Farm’. Throughout, colour, letter, calculation and mark-making developments are supported within spontaneous, routine, child-led, planned and focussed activities. For example, toddlers enjoy This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 making lines and squiggles as they experiment with a brush and a coating of coloured glitter.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children learn about the world around them and caring for others as they celebrate a variety of activities that consider their own families and the world around them. Physical skills and outside experiences for all children are enhanced as the children enjoy access to a exciting secure outside area which, alongside large and small outdoor equipment, contains different areas to stimulate children’s learning. For example a large chalet is used for a variety of role play activities, including a hairdressers. There is a large well-equipped sand pit, an area with a chalking board and a pot-and-pan wind chime. Indoor activities are regularly taken outside and all children often go for walks in the local area.

p.7

and outcomes for children

Children's welfare and safety are robustly supported. They feel safe in the group and with the staff as they confidently approach adults and respond positively to the established, consistent, hygiene and safety routines. They learn about healthy eating through planting, caring for, harvesting and eating herbs and vegetables they have grown throughout the year. 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 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 2 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 2

p.8

Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 The extent to which children feel safe 2 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

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