Child's Play Day Nursery

Child's Play Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 254018 Inspection date 09/12/2009 Inspector Melanie Calway

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Setting address Sawyers Yard, Wolferton, KING'S LYNN, Norfolk, PE31 6HA

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Telephone number 01485 540 389 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

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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

Child's Play Nursery opened in 1998 and operates from three rooms in purposely converted premises in the village of Wolferton, near King's Lynn in Norfolk. Children come from surrounding villages and the local town. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor area. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 5.30pm all year round.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 41 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 41 children, aged from three months to under five years on roll. The nursery also offers occasional care for children from five to eight years. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. A small number of the children speak English as a second language. The nursery is in receipt of funding for early education.

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Description of the setting

There are eleven members of staff, ten of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. One has recently obtained a degree in childhood studies and another is currently working towards a degree. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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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

Children's individual needs are met because staff get to know the children well and make detailed observations of their play and learning in order to help them to progress. Children are involved in the life of the setting as they are encouraged to be independent and take on responsibilities in line with their stage of development. The setting communicates well with parents and encourages them to be to be involved in their children's learning. The managers and staff constantly review their practice and work hard to effect improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop the outdoor area to provide an attractive and stimulating learning environment  improve the risk assessment to cover anything with which a child may come into contact  use observation and assessment more consistently to plan focussed activities to help children progress. 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 effectively safeguarded from the risk of abuse or neglect as there are good systems in place for vetting staff. All staff have the required checks and new staff are monitored to ensure that they are suitable to work with children. Existing staff are monitored through appraisal and ongoing communication. Effective policies and procedures on safeguarding underpin the setting's practice, for example, there is a policy banning mobile phones from the premises. Staff have up-to-date training on safeguarding and have a good understanding of what to do if they were to have a concern about children's welfare. Information about the referral process is easily accessible to all staff. There are good security systems in place to protect children at arrival and departure time and photographic identification is required from all those collecting children to ensure that only authorised persons can collect. Safety checks are carried out on all areas of the

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the early years provision

nursery to ensure that the environment is safe for children. However, the system of daily checks for the outdoor area is not sufficiently robust. Risk assessment is undertaken for most activities, including walks around the village, but does not cover everything with which a child may come into contact with. The fire evacuation is practised regularly and additional drills are carried out when changes of staffing take place. Children develop a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe as they are involved in helping to form the rules and are given clear explanations by staff. Even young children know that they must put the toy away when playing on the bouncing equipment.

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the early years provision

The indoor environment is well organised with a good range of appropriate furniture and equipment, for example low level book shelves and table and chairs in the baby room allow babies who are able, to pull themselves up and select books. Resources are organised to promote children's choice and independence, allowing them to select items for themselves and put them away again. However, resources and equipment in the outdoor area are unattractive and not effectively organised to create a stimulating learning environment. The setting provides an inclusive service valuing all children as individuals and welcoming families from different backgrounds. Parents are valued as partners in their children's learning. They are provided with information about their children's day and are encouraged to contribute and be a part of their children's learning records, kept in their 'special books'. Several parents add comments and contributions about events in their

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the early years provision

children's lives and about achievements or milestones observed at home. New parents are able to settle children in and get to know the staff and setting. Key persons establish a bond with their children and good arrangements are in place to help children with transition from one room to another. Systems to communicate with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), when children attend more than one setting, are currently being established. The staff team is established and well qualified. The managers have completed a self-evaluation process identifying areas for development. Good progress has been made since the last inspection and the setting has worked hard to bring about improvement. They use action plans and work closely with an advisor from the local authority to develop and improve the service. Plans for improvement are realistic and well targeted to improve outcomes for children.

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the early years provision

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children make good progress in their learning and development because staff use observations to determine how to help children to progress in all the areas of learning. Children's special books contain observations of their play and the next steps to help them to progress. These are marked off when they are achieved so staff can then focus on the next stage for them. As a result key persons get to know children well and have a good knowledge of their stage of development. Staff consult with each other to ensure that activities are appropriate and in line with children's interests and achievements but the planning system is not fully effective in providing a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities. As a result most activities are very child-led, with key persons supporting their children on an individual basis. This can lead at times to a lack of focus in the planning with not all staff aware of how to support all children. Staff interact well with children, using

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and outcomes for children

appropriate open-ended questioning. They are supported in this by displays reminding them of the language to use to support different areas of learning. The indoor learning environment is bright and stimulating, particularly in the middle room and the baby room. Children enjoy plenty of active outdoor play and have opportunities to dig and explore outside. However the outdoor equipment is shabby and unattractive and staff do not always deploy resources effectively or set up the covered area so that it is well equipped with the resources needed to make it appealing to children.

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and outcomes for children

Children communicate confidently throughout the nursery and are able to express themselves and ask adults for support when necessary. Adults listen to children sensitively. Children enjoy stories in small and large groups and participate by asking questions. Babies and toddlers can select and look at board or textured books. Children confidently sing nursery rhymes and songs unprompted by adults. Children are beginning to recognise print as there are many printed displays on the wall and resources are labelled. Mark making materials are available for children to practise emergent writing. Opportunities are used within the routine to encourage children to count and calculate, for example, when children are being encouraged to eat their breakfast the staff say 'can you have three more mouthfuls' and hold up fingers to help children to count. Children recognise how many teeth they have pulled from the crocodile game and that there are three left. Children are able to

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and outcomes for children

express themselves using different media and all children, including babies, have opportunities for messy play, enabling them to explore different materials, such as glitter, shaving foam or corn flour. Babies enjoy the sensation of looking at lights in the dark tent. Children use their imaginations moving the foam blocks to make a house. Independence is promoted very well. Children put on aprons for messy play and are confident in calling on adults when they need support. Children help to prepare the tables for lunch and clear away their own cups and plates after meals, with even young children able to do this unaided. Children in the top room help to prepare the fruit for snack, peeling and chopping bananas. Children develop some physical skills. Toddlers can move around to explore their environment and babies are encouraged to roll over and reach for toys. Physical equipment such as large foam blocks and rubber stepping stones encourage children to develop balance

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and outcomes for children

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and coordination. Outside they can run or engage in parachute games, although there is a lack of large climbing equipment. Children learn about the world around them as they dig in the garden, explore different media and learn to use simple programmes on the computer.

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and outcomes for children

Children's health is promoted well. Children benefit from plenty of fresh air. Babies and toddlers go for regular walks and older children play outside for a good proportion of the day. The baby room is well equipped, with a separate sleeping room where babies can sleep in comfort, a changing area and a small kitchen for heating bottles and feeds. Comfortable chairs enable staff to hold babies while they feed them. Routines and requirements are checked with parents to ensure that children's needs are met. Snacks are healthy and displays remind families and children about healthy eating. Children are learning about how to live a healthy lifestyle as frequent explanations are given. They know that they must wash their hands because 'germs can make you sick'. Good hygiene is observed throughout the nursery. Children learn the safety rules and know that they must be careful when using scissors. Children's behaviour is managed in a positive way and

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and outcomes for children

pictorial rules help children to understand what is expected of them. They are involved in forming and discussing the rules and so know that 'we must share'. As a result children learn to develop respect for each other. They are learning skills for the future as they learn to be independent, form relationships and develop skills in numeracy, literacy and information technology. 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 3 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 3 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 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

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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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