Hollin Nursery

Hollin Early Years Centre

Inspection report for early years provision

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Hollin Early Years Centre

Unique Reference Number EY294443 Inspection date 20 October 2005 Inspector Gillian Patricia Bishop

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Hollin Early Years Centre

Setting Address Tintern Road, Hollin, Middleton, Manchester, M24 6JQ

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E-mail

Registered person Hollin Sure Start Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care, Crèche

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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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Hollin Neighbourhood Nursery opened in 2005. The nursery is managed by Hollin Sure Start Management Committee. It operates from purpose built premises in the Middleton area of Rochdale. Children are cared for in two separate rooms. One room is designated to children under two years and another larger room is occupied by children aged two years to under five years. Both areas have suitable toilets and baby changing areas. The building is well equipped with kitchen, laundry, office and

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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 storage space. Children share the secure outdoor play space. The nursery is registered to care for 26 children at any one time. There are currently 36 children aged four months to under five years on roll. Of these, five receive funding for nursery education. The nursery currently support children with special educational needs and children who speak English as an additional language. The setting provides both full and part time places between the hours of 08.00 and 17.45, fifty weeks of the year. A crèche facility which operates Monday - Saturday is also available within the building. The nursery employs 10 staff including a cook. Nine staff work with the children. Eight members of staff including the nursery manager hold level 3 child care qualifications. One member of staff currently holds a level 2 qualification but is

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children develop an understanding of good hygiene practices due to appropriate daily routines which they are familiar with. Children therefore wash their hands before eating and after using the bathroom. Their good health is promoted further since staff are knowledgeable about children's health and dietary needs. Where necessary specialist support and guidance is sought to ensure children's medical requirements are appropriately catered for. Hygiene procedures are less effective at sleep time when older children sleep on bean bags without covers. Children learn about healthy living due to a clear healthy eating policy within the setting. Daily menu's include lots of fresh fruit and vegetables for both snack and meal times. Children enjoy their food which they receive in plentiful supply. Babies and infants enjoy pleasant feeding and eating routines. However, meal times in the

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Helping children to be healthy

nursery room are not effectively organised to accommodate a much larger group. Drinks are provided at routine times although provision is not made for children to access drinking water independently in order to keep themselves refreshed. Children rest, sleep and eat according to their needs. Successful communication systems with parents ensures routines established at home for babies are respected. Children of all ages benefit from daily opportunities to play outdoors in the fresh air. Children make good use of the outdoor play equipment to practice and develop their physical skills. For example, climbing, balancing on stepping stones and pedalling bikes.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a welcoming and friendly environment which ensures they

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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 settle and feel secure. The new purpose built premises are brightly decorated and inviting to children and parents. The well organised play space in the baby unit ensures children have appropriate areas to play and sleep where they can be closely supervised. The nursery room is less well organised at this time. Which creates some difficulties for older and younger children sharing the same environment. Children are provided with a wide variety of good quality equipment and resources which promote, challenge and interest them. They have independent access to the equipment around the environment which they frequently help themselves to. Younger children display growing confidence and self assurance in their play. They too are familiar with where toys are stored as they can reach them in the low level

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

cupboards. Children are protected by risk assessment procedures and appropriate security measures which minimise potential risks and dangers both indoors and out. Children's welfare is further protected as staff have a good understanding of current child protection procedures. Newly mobile children in the baby room are beginning to learn boundaries which ensures they explore their surroundings in safety. Children in the nursery room are sometimes encouraged to take responsibility for their own safety, for example, when reminded not to climb on furniture and to move carefully when on the outdoor climbing frame and rope net. However, they do not always receive an explanation from staff to ensure their understanding of safety is re-enforced.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. The provision for babies and infants is generally good. The youngest children are cared for in a separate, well organised unit which is calm and tranquil. Babies are happy and content as their emotional and physical needs are well met by staff who understand the needs of young children. Staff give good consideration to the care and development of non mobile babies by providing low level baby mirrors which encourage young children to respond excitedly to the images and movements they can see. Children are quietly confident and playful. They benefit from a selection of planned activities which are stimulating and promote the use of their senses. Young children respond with interest to tactile activities when making bonfire pictures using glue and glitter. They touch the glue stuck to their fingers and they hold their hands up with great curiosity to show the adults. Children in the nursery room are well occupied in a suitable range of interesting

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

activities which they are eager to explore. They move freely around the activities making choices and decisions about what they want to do. Children confidently choose from the variety of resources available in areas such as mark making and water play which helps them be independent and initiate some of their own play ideas. However, not all areas of play are suitably organised to promote effective learning. Some routines and activities do not consistently take account of the needs

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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 of both older and younger children. Therefore, some children become restless and disruptive during large group activities and free play. Nursery Education. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff and children interact well together. Staff make positive attempts to sit with children which encourages them to speak, share their ideas and experiences. However the lack of structure within the nursery room prevents children from being effectively grouped during some activities. Staff are not confident in their role as they have a insecure knowledge of the Foundation Stage and planning systems. This prevents them from extending children's learning and thinking through purposeful questioning during the course of spontaneous and planned activities. Current planning systems lack detail but these

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

are currently being developed. Observational systems are in place and these are broadly used to consider children's development needs but staff are less clear about how these would influence plans in order to plan for their next steps. Children are making sound progress towards the early learning goals. Freedom to access a choice of resources encourages children to initiate some of their own learning and play. However, their independence is not promoted during routines such as snack time. They visit their local environment on trips and they learn about some aspects of culture due to the festivals they celebrate. Although, activities to explore diversity and the wider world are not sufficiently developed. Children particularly enjoy books which they read independently and they regularly mark make within the writing area and sometimes during role play. They have less opportunities to develop their speech during activities such as circle time or practice the correct formation of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

letters and link sounds. Children frequently count and they have some opportunities to sort, sequence to compare size and shape. However, their potential to promote early problem solving skills are not fully exploited. Children investigate why things happen and how things work during activities to freeze water and observe ice melting and they construct using a variety of equipment. They do not develop a sound knowledge of technology due to the lack of programmable toys. Children develop their imaginations when creating various role play scenes. They use a good variety of media such as water, sand and paint which they use creatively as they stick leaves to their autumn paintings. Children benefit from good outdoor play areas and resources which provide opportunities for them to run, climb and balance. They climb with agility and skill when using the rope net and they are sometimes able to avoid obstacles when riding

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

bikes. However, planning for outdoor play is weak as it does not focus on a clear learning experience which prevents children's physical abilities being consistently monitored or challenged.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children have their individual needs generally well met since staff obtain relevant

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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 information. Where language barriers exist with parents and children, staff endeavour to seek additional support from outside agencies. Children develop some understanding of the wider world when they explore festivals such as Divali and Chinese New Year. Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered as they make good use of the home area to express their knowledge and experiences of life styles. Children talk about going to work like mummy and they imitate familiar roles as they negotiate who will feed the baby and who will go shopping. Systems to support children with special educational needs are developing steadily. Staff adapt some routines and expectations to reflect the individual needs of children within the group. Staff are beginning to monitor and record information about

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Helping children make a positive contribution

children's progress. However, some staff are less confident in implementing programmes of work for individual children. Children are encouraged to take turns and show concern for others when they are upset. Some staff successfully manage behavioural incidents by distracting children away from potential conflict situations. However, children's behaviour in the nursery room is not effectively managed to ensure older and younger children work and play in harmony. Staff respond to incidents of un-wanted behaviour but frequently forget to explain boundaries and consequences to enable children to learn from the experience. The partnership with parents is satisfactory. Parents are happy with the care their children receive. They find staff to be approachable and they are confident their children are safe, happy and well settled. Parents value the daily verbal feedback about their child's welfare and they welcome the newsletters and the information they

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Helping children make a positive contribution

receive about activities and events. They have access to the settings policies and procedures as relevant information is displayed. Parents comments are invited; although, a system for recording complaints has not yet been established. Parents receive an information booklet but this does not include sufficient information about the Foundation Stage. Parents are aware that development files are kept but systems for sharing this information more formally are not fully developed.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Leadership and management within the setting is satisfactory. Children's welfare is protected due to suitable recruitment and vetting procedures. Management are aware of recent changes with regard to their responsibility for staff suitability. As a consequence, arrangements are in place to monitor performance and offer support. Management are committed to the development of the care and education provision within the setting through staff training programmes. Most children are well settled and developing in confidence. Children make good relationships with staff which encourages them to seek adult support and company, for example, they confidently ask for their comforters or for help with aprons. Appropriate staff ratio's ensure children are well cared for, however, staff in the nursery room do not work cohesively as a team as they are not clear about their roles

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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 responsibilities. This sometimes prevents staff from being effectively deployed to support on going activities. Due to a review of the operational plan, management have been able to identify areas within the provision for further development. Therefore, a suitable action plan has been devised which outlines acceptable changes to how children will be organised and supported in their learning. Overall, the standards of care and education provided meets the needs of children attending. Documentation systems within the setting meet with requirements. Children's records are sufficiently detailed and are kept and shared with regard to confidentiality.

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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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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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): • ensure fresh drinking water is available throughout the day and review the sleeping arrangements for older children to ensure good hygiene practices are maintained where bean bags are used • establish a system for recording parental complaints • continue to develop the planning and assessment systems to support the implementation of both Birth to three and Foundation Stage frameworks, ensuring children are provided with an appropriate and balanced curriculum (also applies to nursery education) • monitor the impact of current action plans within the nursery room to ensure

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 children's behaviour is managed consistently by all staff and to ensure children are appropriately grouped for their activities (also applies to nursery education) • ensure all staff are aware of designated roles and responsibilities to ensure familiarity with key worker groups, deployment and their role in supporting programmes of work for individual children.

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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): • improve staff's knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage and ability to challenge children's progress through effective and purposeful questioning • increase opportunities for parents to be more involved with their children's learning, for example, by providing them with more detailed information about the curriculum.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

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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