Parks Primary School

Ladybird Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Ladybird Nursery

Unique Reference Number 120088 Inspection date 02 December 2005 Inspector Louise, Caroline Bonney

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Ladybird Nursery

Setting Address Fern Road, Farncombe, Godalming, Surrey, GU7 3ER

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Ladybird Nursery

Telephone number 01483 426717 E-mail Pamela @Ladybird Day Nursery.co.uk Registered person Gary Twocock and Pamela Twocock Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care, Out of School care

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Ladybird Nursery

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?

Ladybird Nursery opened as a sessional group in 1996 and transferred to full day care in 1999. It operates from a purpose built building in the village of Farncombe on the outskirts of Godalming in Surrey. The nursery serves the local area and caters for children from the age of 3 months to 8 years. Children are accommodated in four rooms in age related groups, and there is a secure outside area. The nursery is currently registered for 33 children under 8 years, which allows

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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 children who have recently left the nursery to attend after school. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 43 children on roll. Of these, 15 receive nursery education funding. The nursery supports five children with special needs and one who speaks English as an additional language. The nursery operates for 5 days a week for 51 weeks of the year, and is open from 08:00 until 18:00, Monday to Friday. There are currently 10 full-time staff working with the children. Of these, six have early years qualifications at levels two, three and four. There are two members of staff currently attending level two training programmes. The nursery receives support from an advisor from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Staff implement effective procedures to protect children from illness and infection. Parents are aware of the sickness policy, and of recent illnesses at the nursery, such as chicken pox. Young children are kept free of infection through the appropriate nappy changing arrangements in place. Children benefit from the introduction of new cleaning routines for the premises and equipment, most of which are effectively implemented. Children learn how to maintain their personal hygiene through the routines in place. They wash their hands appropriately and older children look after their personal care independently. Children enjoy frequent drinks and sociable mealtimes. They enjoy the nutritious meals the cook prepares, and have their likes and dislikes taken into consideration as well as any special dietary requirements. This helps them develop good appetites, and an awareness of how to eat healthily.

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Helping children to be healthy

Babies and young children cope well with their day through having their individual routines taken into account around sleeps and feeds. Staff are aware of children’s allergies and the medication they require. However, there is a breach of regulations as staff do not always obtain written permission from parents before administering medication to children. Children have inconsistent opportunities for physical exercise. They have some opportunities for indoor exercise, and enjoy the use of the garden regularly in warm weather. However, in winter this is insufficiently frequent to support their developing awareness of keeping fit through exercise and fresh air.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children play in a warm, welcoming, secure and safe environment. They use a

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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 suitable range of equipment which is well-maintained and appropriate for their stages of development. Children learn how to be safe during their activities. For instance, staff tell the children about fire safety as they light an advent candle, or remind them to sit still when close to friends as otherwise they might bump heads. Children participate in regular fire drills, although staff do not sufficiently evaluate these to further develop their practice. Most staff are able to protect children through their understanding of the child protection procedures in place.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children settle well and develop trusting relationships with staff. They access a suitable range of activities, most of which reflect their stages of development, and provide them with sufficiently interesting and varied opportunities for learning. Staff are aware of the guidance Birth to Three Matters, but are not yet using this to further develop their provision for young children. Babies happily engage in their activities, and warm and caring staff interact well them while they play. For instance, together with staff they enjoy building with blocks in various ways, have a cuddle while looking at books, and play peek-a-boo. They occasionally go for walks to the local pond to see the ducks, but overall do not have sufficient opportunities to be outside. Babies have their care needs met well through the sharing of information with parents, and they feel secure through the reflection of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

their home routines within the setting. Toddlers participate in activities which adequately promote their development. They explore various materials as they play with shaving foam or bubbly water. They enjoy painting in various ways and listening to stories. They develop imagination as they role play family life with dolls. They participate in a good range of art and craft, although their creativity and experimentation is sometimes limited through their being too adult-led. They exercise their independence as they choose their activities from those set out by staff, and as they feed themselves at meal times. Nursery education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff have adequate understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum. They develop daily plans to support all areas of learning, although these lack sufficient detail to ensure the effective delivery of the early learning goals. This leads to some areas of learning not

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

being sufficiently developed, such as physical development. Children find the activities interesting and stimulating, and staff interact well with them to extend their understanding. Staff occasionally observe the children to help assess their development and plan their next steps in learning. However, these observations

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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 are not used to monitor children’s progress through the stepping stones towards the early learning goals. This means that staff do not develop a sufficiently clear picture of the children’s progress to share with parents, or to inform planning. Staff identify children requiring additional support promptly. They work closely with the Area Special Needs Co-ordinator to plan and provide appropriate activities. Children with special needs participate fully in the activities and make steady progress. Children settle well, and develop friendly relationships with each other and staff. They are able to ask for their needs confidently, and are familiar with the routines and rules in place which make them feel secure. Children show good levels of curiosity. For instance, while playing with dinosaurs in the sand they ask questions about them as

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

a member of staff looks up information in a reference book. They show a sense of belonging as they collect resources from around the nursery to support their play, and show pride in their work on display. Children spontaneously count, and make shapes and letters with raisins during snack time. They develop good independence as they pour their drinks and look after their own care needs. They have good opportunities to share their news or remember recent activities during sociable snack times. Children notice shapes and patterns as they play, such as the shapes of instruments, or the pattern on a bird. They experiment with shape as they climb into large boxes, placing circular cushions inside them. Children excitedly find numbers to match the spots on cards as they sit for snack time, and some count up to 10 accurately. However, there are fewer opportunities for children to problem solve or do simple calculation.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have good opportunities to experiment with colour and texture during a wide range of art and craft activities, as they model with clay and glass paint. They develop their imagination through planned and spontaneous role play which staff support well. They develop language through the good interaction of staff, who encourage them to extend their vocabularies as they introduce new words, such as terrain. They enjoy looking at books with staff and independently, and use them as sources of reference. Children recognise their names, and know writing carries meaning. However, opportunities to write for a purpose are limited as they do not label their own work, or write freely during their activities such as role-play. Children show curiosity about the natural world. For instance, they handle fossils and ask about how they were formed, and make their own out of clay. They watch the hamster closely while he eats and notice his cheeks bulge, and enjoy looking in the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

log-pile outside for insects. Children construct models with kits and recycled materials. Staff extend children’s understanding as they experiment with making sounds using various percussion instruments. Children develop good hand-eye co-ordination, but poor use of the outdoor area and planning that lacks detail restricts the development of children’s large physical skills.

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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 Children benefit from the friendly relationships staff establish with parents, and parents find the staff very accessible and easy to approach. Babies settle well because staff share information with parents about their care and follow their home routines. Parents receive sufficient information about the setting through the initial information pack and the notice board in the nursery, or through the excellent web site. Children who have special needs receive good support. Staff liaise with outside agencies and with most parents effectively. They put in place individual education plans for the children to support their progress, which they share with parents. Partnership with parents is satisfactory. Staff welcome parents into the children’s rooms, where they see examples of their work on display. They receive occasional

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Helping children make a positive contribution

newsletters containing information about the topic plans, which children support by bringing in items from home. Parents do not have opportunities to learn about their children’s development at formal meetings currently, although staff are always readily available at handover or by appointment. However, this means that some parents do not know how their children are progressing, and are not sure how to support their children’s learning at home. Children develop awareness of their own and other cultures through planned topics, and playing with resources that reflect diversity. For instance, older children use Chinese food and utensils during their role play, and children come together to talk about Christmas as they light the Advent candle. Children behave very well, and have clear and consistent rules which help them feel secure and understand the boundaries in place. Staff praise and encourage the children to reinforce appropriate behaviour. This helps the children to develop

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Helping children make a positive contribution

self-esteem and confidence. Older children show care and concern as they help look after the pet hamster and rabbits. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Staff organise the space and resources adequately to provide a welcoming environment for the children to play in. During the summer the children have good access to the outdoor play area and walks, but have insufficient opportunities to be outside at other times of year. Children settle well and feel secure through the familiar routines which give a rhythm to their day. Children receive protection through the suitable recruitment and induction procedures in place. Staff are keen to attend additional training, such as Birth to Three Matters, and to develop their practice to the children’s benefit. Staff maintain most records and documentation, and new policies and procedures are under development to reflect the latest revisions to the National Standards. This supports the children’s safety and welfare. The leadership and management are satisfactory. The owner provides good support

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Organisation

for her staff’s professional development through the provision of appropriate training. Children benefit from the effective deployment of staff, which provides continuity of

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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 care and supports their learning. Together with staff she monitors the provision of nursery education, although this is difficult to do effectively with the planning and assessment systems currently in place. She is aware of some areas which require improvement, and seeks and acts upon external advice to improve practice. However, follow-up on new initiatives to ensure their effective implementation is insufficient, and leads to some weaknesses continuing and impacting on how effectively children learn. The setting meets the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous combined inspection a number of recommendations were raised relating to the use of space, resources, the activities provided for children, the use of children’s achievement records, and the cleanliness of the setting. Additional key issues were raised for funded nursery education relating to staff training, recording and assessing children’s progress, monitoring of the quality of teaching, and the use of the outside area. The provider has made satisfactory progress in improving the provision since her last inspection 11 months ago.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Children now play outside in a redesigned garden, which has a new surface suitable for all weather use. They are able to access resources more easily in their playrooms since staff re-assessed their use of space. Children participate in activities which are developmentally appropriate through the owner more closely monitoring the planning. This has led to a reduction of adult-led activities in most rooms. Children play in a cleaner environment due to the mostly effective implementation of new cleaning rotas. They now use a wider range of resources to reflect social diversity due to the purchase of additional equipment.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Staff delivering nursery education have attended various courses linking to the Foundation Stage curriculum. This has begun to have a positive impact on the children’s learning. Staff have begun to observe the children and identify their next steps in learning. The owner regularly monitors the quality of teaching, and she and her staff are working closely with external agencies to develop their practice. Children now use the outside area to explore and investigate as well as for physical play, and enjoy looking for insects in the newly created woodpile.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1st April 2005, Ofsted has received six complaints.

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Complaints since the last inspection

• Four complaints related to Standard 11: Behaviour, in that inappropriate behaviour management was used; Standard 6: Safety, in that the premises were not secure, and that children were not sufficiently protected from accidents; and Standard 8: Food and Drink, in that children were not allowed sufficient drinks.

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Complaints 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 • One complaint related to Standard 1: Suitable Person, in that a child came home with a red mark around their neck. • One complaint related to Standard 7: Health, in that the setting was deemed unclean. Ofsted initially investigated these concerns by carrying out an unannounced inspection on 24 June 2005. We asked the provider to investigate and report back to Ofsted within 7 working days. The provider produced a detailed report and was found not to have breached Standards 1, 8 and 11. However, as a result of the investigation, actions were raised against the following standards: • Standard 6, requiring the setting to ensure that children are safe and secure at all times; • Standard 7, requiring the setting to provide an action plan showing how staff are made aware of the procedures to follow when administering medication; and

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Complaints since the last inspection

• Standard 4, requiring the provider to ensure that premises and equipment are clean and suitable for their purpose. Ofsted is satisfied that the registered person has taken appropriate steps to address these actions, and the provider remains qualified for registration. The provider has made a record of the complaints in their complaints record. 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 by Ofsted.

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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):

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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 • obtain written permission from parents before administering medication to children • develop provision for younger children by using guidance such as Birth to Three Matters • develop procedures to fully reflect the October 2005 revisions to the National Standards.

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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): • develop planning to support the effective delivery of the Foundation Stage curriculum’s early learning goals • maintain children’s achievement records to monitor their progress towards the early learning goals, and share their identified next steps in learning with parents • effectively monitor and evaluate the implementation of development plans (also applies to care).

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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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