Newcastle College Day Nursery

Newcastle College Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY231780 Inspection date 09/12/2009 Inspector Cathryn Parry

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Setting address Rye Hill Campus, Scotswood Road, Newcastle, NE4 7SA

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Telephone number 0191 2004194 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

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

Newcastle College Day Nursery is run by The Governing Body of Newcastle College. It was registered in 2002 and operates from a purpose-built prefabricated building, located in the grounds of the college's Rye Hill Campus in Newcastle upon Tyne. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is open each weekday from 8.30am to 5.15pm during term time.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered to care for a maximum of 25 children in the early years age range. There are currently 40 children attending in this age group. The nursery currently supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. There are 10 members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications to at least National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) level 3. The manager is working towards Early Years Professional Status. The nursery does not provide funded early education for three and four-year-olds’.

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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

The staff offer a warm and friendly welcome to all children and their families. The wide range of experiences provided ensures that all children have the opportunity to make progress. Systems for planning activities and observing children are being developed, as are links with other practitioners. The manager and her team demonstrate a positive attitude to providing an inclusive environment. Staff attend a range of training and links with childcare professionals from the local authority have been forged, to ensure continuous improvement is effectively maintained.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further systems for planning activities and observing children  develop further systems to ensure continuity and coherence by sharing relevant information with other practitioners where a child receives education and care in more than one setting

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the early years provision

All staff have attended safeguarding training and demonstrate a sound understanding of associated issues, consequently, children are well protected. Regular risk assessments both indoors and out, minimise the chance of accidental injury effectively. A robust recruitment procedure is implemented to ensure suitably qualified, experienced and vetted staff are employed. This results in children's welfare being effectively promoted and safeguarded. The manager shows a commitment to the professional development of her team, encouraging This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 training in all areas. Attractively set out resources and activities encourage participation. The recently appointed manager clearly articulates how she evaluates the learning and development opportunities provided. She is enthusiastic and passionate about further developing the quality of the service offered.

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the early years provision

Feedback is gained from parents both verbally and with written questionnaires to give the manager a broader view of the setting. The recommendation raised at the previous inspection has been positively addressed, which impacts favourably on children's well-being.

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the early years provision

Good partnerships have been developed with parents, staff speak to them on a daily basis, in addition, younger children also have written diaries. Consequently, parents are well informed of the experiences their children have enjoyed, which enables them to continue their children's learning at home through highlighted activities. The nursery does not currently support any children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, the staff demonstrate a positive attitude to linking with other professionals to meet any specific requirements. Good procedures are in place to ensure children have a smooth transition from the nursery to other settings, for example, when they move onto nursery school. However, systems for identifying children who gain care and education in more than one setting are not fully effective and links with other practitioners where this occurs are not completely established. This has a negative impact on continuity

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and outcomes for children

The staff have all attended training on the Early Years Foundation Stage and have been implementing it since 2006. Consistent encouragement ensures children develop a good knowledge of what is right and wrong. The staff’s confident approach to equal opportunities actively contributes to children’s positive attitudes towards the wider community. This is complemented with access to a wide selection of resources and the celebration of different festivals. The majority of staff rarely miss an opportunity to extend children's learning through asking a range of open-ended questions. A key worker system is in place, this gives staff more opportunities to sensitively communicate with individual children and their parents, which is particularly important as many speak English as an additional language. There is some lovely interaction between the children and staff as they use facial expression, tone, intonation and Makaton sign language. Children start

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and outcomes for children

to recognise shapes and use their problem solving and reasoning skills as they enjoy a range of jigsaws. They are gaining a good understanding of the natural world as they hunt for mini beasts in the garden and explore the falling leaves. There are ample opportunities for children to participate in creative activities, for example, as they make pictures with glitter and paint with their hands. This enables them to express themselves freely whilst having fun. Staff know the children well and plan activities around children's interests. Each child has a learning journey, which includes observations and photographs linked to the areas of learning. However, every child's book does not cover all of the areas of learning, and achievements made are not clearly dated to easily show progress to inform future planning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children are safeguarded well, as the nursery is secure at all times. This is

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and outcomes for children

supplemented with effective procedures for adults collecting children. Regular checks and cleaning keep the broad range of toys and resources in good condition. This ensures that children handle items that are clean and safe. Children benefit from daily opportunities to access the large garden area, they nurture and test their physical skills through stimulating daily indoor and outdoor experiences. They are encouraged to develop their body awareness through planned and spontaneous music and movement activities. Children are active or restful through choice and babies sleep in-line with their individual needs and parent’s wishes. A varied and imaginative menu encourages children to be aware of healthy meal options and gives them the opportunity to try new foods. They have access to regular drinks of water, juice or milk, which quenches their thirst and benefits their health. Children do not attend if they are sick, which enables staff to protect others

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and outcomes for children

from illness. Children are learning about the importance of good personal hygiene and are becoming increasingly independent in their personal care, brushing teeth after lunch and hand washing, forms an integral part of their routine. All relevant documentation with regard to health, including specific dietary needs and consent forms are in place and up to date. These positively safeguard children’s well-being. 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 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 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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