Fawn & Fern Woodland Nursery

Bracken Place Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Bracken Place Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number 511326 Inspection date 22 November 2005 Inspector Clare Moore / Penny Wood

p.1

Bracken Place Day Nursery

Setting Address 3 Bracken Place, Chilworth, Southampton, Hampshire, SO16 3NG Telephone number 023 80760700

p.1

E-mail

Registered person Nicole Clitheroe Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

p.1

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

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Bracken Place Day Nursery opened in 2000. It is located in Chilworth on the outskirts of Southampton with convenient access from the motorway. The nursery is privately owned and managed. It operates from 4 units in a converted house and a main room in a purpose built extension which opened in 2005. The nursery offers care to children under 5 years of age. It is open on Monday to Friday from 8.00 am until 6.00 pm for 51 weeks a year. All

p.2

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 children have access to secure outdoor play areas and woodlands in the grounds. The nursery is registered to provide places for 94 children and there currently 141 children on roll. Of these 16 children receive Nursery Education funding. The nursery supports a small number of children who have special needs and welcomes children who speak English as an additional language. There are 23 staff who work with the children. Of these 22 hold appropriate qualifications and 1 member of staff is working towards a qualification.

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children’s health is very effectively promoted. They are served with nutritious home cooked foods at meal times, fruit or a biscuit at snack times and water or milk to drink. Older babies are encouraged to develop skills and become independent at meal times through feeding themselves and being supported and encouraged by staff. Specific needs of children such as allergies and sensitivities are carefully recorded and very good systems are in place to ensure their needs are met. Children rest and sleep according to their needs. Those that need reassurance are sympathetically supported and soon respond to skilled efforts to calm them. Children enjoy fresh air, exercise and physical play in the grounds with a variety of activities which gives older children opportunities to climb, slide, balance, throw kick and catch balls, use ride on toys and play games. This helps children to develop

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

physical skills and to keep fit and active. Children are protected from the sun in the summer months because they wear sun protection creams and hats and avoid exposure at mid day. Younger children also have frequent opportunities to develop skills and enjoy the outdoor environment as they explore the sand, the slide and enjoy action songs and rhymes. Children are cared for in a comfortable clean environment and older children learn about the need for good personal hygiene. Children’s toys and equipment are clean and well maintained. Children become independent by managing their toilet needs and washing their hands as soon as they are able to with sensitive support from staff. Environmental and hygiene guidelines, policies and procedures are promoted. An effective sickness policy helps to prevent the spread of illness and cross infection.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Risks to children are minimised effectively because the setting has a high level of security. Risk assessments are carried out regularly both indoors and outside and all medicines and cleaning materials are stored safely. Children know about fire safety procedures are they are practised regularly. First aid kits are available throughout the nursery and staff are qualified in first aid so that action can be taken to treat children

p.3

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 in the event of an emergency. Children are carefully supervised during the time they spend in the care of the nursery. Babies are monitored and checked frequently when they have sleeps. Older children learn to become aware of safety issues such as walking rather than running indoors and using equipment safely which helps to prevent injury to themselves and others. Older babies who are ready for chairs are carefully secured with harnesses at meal times. Staff have a secure understanding of child protection procedures which helps to ensure that children's needs are met.

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are relaxed and happy at the nursery due to carefully considered settling in procedures and attention to individual needs. Children are confident and demonstrate a sense of belonging as they arrive, exchange greetings with staff, remove their shoes if they wish, and choose something to play with. Children spend their time purposefully in a variety of ways which helps them to enjoy their time at the nursery and maintain interest. They are sometimes active, sometimes restful, enjoy books, games, music and benefit from very good resources and a wide range of accessible toys and equipment. They have frequent opportunities to enjoy sensory experiences. Babies and toddlers explore sound and texture with toys such as shakers, activity centres and natural materials. All children are supported in developing language skills because staff talk, listen and play with them. They enjoy songs, rhymes books and stories. Children of different

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

ages and siblings have opportunities to interact when they have time together in the afternoons or to celebrate birthdays. Older children are encouraged to help younger ones, for example helping them to zip up their coats which helps children to consider the needs of others. The setting makes very good use of the Birth to three matters framework to plan activities and record children’s progress which supports children’s development very effectively. Daily notes and records about children are written by staff and shared with parents ensuring there is continuity of care so that children are content and happy. NURSERY EDUCATION The quality of the teaching and learning is good. Three and four year olds are making good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff have a sound working knowledge of the Foundation Stage of learning. They provide a broad range of activities and experiences , ask questions and offer praise and encouragement.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy their activities and can access many of the resources available to them and make free choices. They use their imagination when they explore paint, play with small worlds, role play and join in making music. They enjoy rhymes,

p.4

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 puzzles books and games which help them to practise number and language skills. Staff meet together and share their ideas to draw up activity plans. Children are motivated and interested in what they do, for example they manipulate plasticine, cut and shape it to pretend to prepare meals. They investigate magnets when they use magnetised plastic linking construction equipment, magnetic fishing, and change when they make bread and dissolve sugar. At circle time they share news about what they did at the weekend. They are absorbed in imaginative play as they bath their dolls in the water play tray. They enjoy painting, cooking, growing vegetables in in the garden and construction. Children are confident speakers and listeners. They practise and develop skills as they take part in conversations with staff and other children. Their vocabulary is

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

extended through talking about recent events and a range of topics at circle time. Children learn about numbers through rhymes, games and practical activities such as counting and working out how many plates are needed when they set the tables. They explore space and shape as they wriggle through tunnels, build with large blocks and small worlds with animals and an arc. They practise reading and writing skills when they identify their names, label their work, draw and share books and stories. They have some opportunities to enjoy stories as a group and a small selection of books is accessible to them in the book corner. Written assessments and records show children’s achievements and these are clearly linked to the areas of learning. Activities build on what individual children already know and helps them to progress through the stepping stones. Children are able to make use of the outdoor environment by spending time outside

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

where they play on wheeled toys. They take part in a varied outdoor programme to extend their learning experiences.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children behave very well, they enjoy playing together and older children develop a sense of responsibility by helping to tidy away enthusiastically before meal times. Younger children are supported with sharing and taking turns which helps them to work harmoniously with others. Children and staff use discussion to help children understand how others are affected which gives children responsibility and control. Children develop a positive attitude to difference when they celebrate festivals and explore cultures and disability using a variety of resources and discussion. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children are valued as individuals and are often independent in selecting their own resources from those set out and those in child accessible storage. They make choices about what activities they would like to engage in. Children are happy and settled in the homely environment. They play together well, enjoy each others

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

company and are supported at ease with the staff. Children with special needs are welcomed and are effectively supported as staff are qualified in this area. They also have established links with other agencies for support and further expertise.

p.5

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 The partnership with parents is good. Parents are warmly welcomed into the setting to help settle children and provide information about home routines, allergies, likes and dislikes. This is used to help children to feel comfortable, at ease and minimise disruption to routines. Children enjoy attending. Parents are given opportunities to contribute to children’s records and offered suggestions which helps them to take an active role in their children’s learning. They are given comprehensive information about how the setting runs, newsletters, separate information about each stage as their child moves through the nursery to different groups. There is a clear complaints system and parents are confident about how to report any concerns they may have.

p.5

Organisation

The organisation is good. The provision meets the needs of the children who attend. Space and resources are very well organised with different base rooms for different age groups, and a soft play and sensory room in the main nursery. Areas in the pre-school room have been thoughtfully planned so that activities can be easily accessed and space is used effectively. Policies and procedures are clearly set out, shared with all staff and made available to parents which contributes to children’s well being in the nursery. All the required documentation is in place. Most aspects of recruitment to ensure employees are suitable are included. There are effective induction and training procedures for new staff and ongoing training and appraisal for more experienced staff. Staff are clear about their responsibilities through written job descriptions and effective support. They are encouraged to share their ideas and take an active role in their development. There

p.6

Organisation

are measures to cover contingencies if staff are away so that ratios are maintained. Children can be treated in the event of an emergency because permissions have been obtained from parents to cover medical treatment or advice. The leadership and management are good. The management and staff teams work together and are committed to continuing to develop, reflect upon and improve education and care through training, working with the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership, local schools and the National Day Nurseries Association.

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

The setting was asked to ensure children are able to access toys and equipment easily and enable them to choose from a variety of activities. This has been achieved and children now have easy access to a broad range of activities which gives them more interest and choice. They were also asked to ensure sleeping children are monitored at regular intervals and to ensure the entrance is secure at all times. This is in place and has enhanced

p.6

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 the safety of the children. To improve the education they were asked to develop planning, increase opportunities for children to develop their writing skills, recognise numbers and to begin to solve simple number problems. There are now designated writing and maths areas and children make good progress in all the areas of learning.

p.6

Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints to report. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.7

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.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.7

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): • continue to develop the system to ensure staff working with children are suitable and ensure records retained comply with data protection.

p.7

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): • develop further opportunities for children to explore rhythm and respond to music with movement

p.7

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

p.7

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

p.7