Edgbaston Grange Day Nursery

Edgbaston Grange Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Edgbaston Grange Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY284917 Inspection date 04 October 2005 Inspector Jennifer Turner

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Edgbaston Grange Day Nursery

Setting Address 227 Hagley Road, Birmingham, West Midlands, B16 9RP

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E-mail

Registered person Egbaston Grange Day Nursery Ltd (4735605) Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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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 good. 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 good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Edgbaston Grange Day Nursery opened in 2004. It operates from eight playrooms in a large detached property located on the Hagley Road in Edgbaston, Birmingham. The nursery serves the local community. There is a secure garden for outdoor play. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The group open 5 days a week all year round. Sessions are from 07:30 am until 18:30. The nursery is registered to care for 64 children from age birth to five years. There are currently 33 children on roll of

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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 whom 2 children receive nursery education funding. The nursery support children with special needs and children who speak English as an additional language. There are ten staff employed to work with the children. Over half the staff hold an appropriate early years qualifications. The setting receives support from a teacher mentor from the early years partnership.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children stay healthy because staff follow current and appropriate environmental health and hygiene guidelines, policies and procedures. They follow a very stringent cleaning routine to ensure standards of hygiene and cleanliness are maintained at all times. They ensure that disposable gloves and apron are worn when they change children's nappies. Details of children’s medical needs are generally well maintained and systems are in place to ensure that all staff are aware of individual needs. However, parents are not always asked to acknowledge when medication has been administered to their children. In addition, staff have a good working knowledge of the setting’s health and hygiene policies and all of this helps to foster and promote children’s health. Children learn the importance of good hygiene and personal care through example and discussion. Their clear understanding of why they must wash their hands before

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Helping children to be healthy

eating, and after using the toilet, helps reduce the risk of cross contamination. They know that if they wash their hands they will not get germs. Children are provided with healthy foods that appeal to them and meets their dietary needs. Parental wishes are listened to and acted upon, and staff keep written records of needs. This ensures they avoid certain foods because of allergies or preference and promote others to encourage healthy eating. The children enjoy a particularly good range of vegetables with their meals as well as fruits and other nutritious foods. Children pour their own drinks at snack time, and know that they can ask for a drink of water whenever they desire, because it is available to them in their rooms. This helps to maintain their fluid levels throughout the session. Children enjoy their physical play and are allowed to try new things and practice learned skills, through the encouragement and support of staff. This coupled with the

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Helping children to be healthy

staff’s good understanding of the Foundation Stage Curriculum, aids children’s growing confidence and physical co-ordination. Children have regular physical play both indoors and outside, taking part in activities, which help to develop their physical skills. These activities range from riding bikes and scooters playing ball games or using the climbing frames. A variety of planned activities aid children's physical development and staff encourage children to be independent in self-care skills. For example, children enjoy physical activities each day using a variety of large and small play equipment, which they can use unaided. All of this contributes to children’s developing understanding that exercise helps them to remain healthy.

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Helping children to be healthy

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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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are protected from harm and neglect because staff carry out daily risk assessments of rooms and areas used by the children. Their good knowledge of the health and safety policies and procedures enhances a mainly safe environment, for example stairgates are fitted to all rooms and stairways. The staff’s consistent vigilance reduces potential hazards for children, both within the setting and when they use the garden. By minimising risks, the staff enable children to move around and explore their environment with growing confidence and safety. The staff plan the children’s environment carefully and achieve a balance between freedom and setting safe limits, they involve children in boundary setting and teaches them about safety. This allows children to learn some sense of danger and knowledge of how to protect themselves and others from harm. Children have good access to a broad range of good resources that they can

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

self-select confidently. Staff use these appropriately to aid and assist children in all developmental areas. Children are aware of what to do in the event of a fire, because fire drills are practiced regularly with them and are in the process of completing a fire safety training session on how to use the extinguishers. Their welfare is safeguarded because staff maintain all the required procedures and documents. For example, staff hold current first aid certificates and each has a good knowledge of child protection procedures in line with the local Area Child Protection Committee procedures. The policy includes procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children clearly enjoy being at the setting, and eagerly take part in the varied stimulating and practical activities provided for their learning and enjoyment. There is a warm and caring atmosphere where children feel genuinely valued. They initiate their own play and develop this to include ideas and subjects they have learned about. Children achieve well because staff plan effective activities and have a good understanding of early years guidance, such as the Foundation stage curriculum and they use this to ensure they suitably challenge individual children, although their knowledge of the 'Birth to three matters' framework is limited. On arrival children are happy and eager to participate. Staff's sensitivity towards children's individuality and needs ensures that new or anxious children are skilfully settled and happy to remain. Also, the setting’s policy of encouraging parents to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

attend initial sessions with their children allows them to become accustomed to the environment and staff. The consistent, warm and caring relationships developed by staff foster the children's trust and sense of well being. These relationships result in good adult-child interactions, which in turn help to promote the development of early communication skills. The relaxed and child-friendly environment allows children to make confident choices and they are absorbed and very happy in their play.

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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 Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children enjoy and choose from a good range of appropriate resources and activities. They have the confidence and abilities to initiate their own play and do so with ease as they move around their play room selecting what they want to play with. All children are inquisitive and curious, clearly intrigued by the scent of herbs frozen in blocks of ice and the effect that melting ice has. Children begin to make sense of the world and express their ideas as they join in a wide range of exploratory and sensory experiences. For example, they enjoy the texture of cornflour when mixed with water and handling clay as they create models. All children are eager to learn because of the stimulating environment provided for

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

them. They sit patiently, listening intently to various stories, and confidently participate in group discussions and answering questions asked by the reader. They are able to recall events in their lives and details that interest them. Children play co-operatively in groups and are learning to speak in turn and listen to others. They enjoy imaginative play and have opportunities to role-play whilst acting out events from the story of 'Jack and the bean stalk'. Children enjoy creative play as they paint pictures of themselves, family members and the beans they had planted. Staff have a good understanding of the use of the Foundation Stage Curriculum. They gather evidence of children’s starting points from parents and use their written observation and assessments to assist in planning for the children’s next step. They ensure that activities are extended or adapted for the more or less able child to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

ensure they benefit from the full range of the curriculum. Children enjoy physical play which is available to them daily. They can ride bikes and scooters and operate smaller equipment such as hole punchers and scissors. Children access an extensive range of good resources, which support their learning across all of the six areas of learning. They are keen to be involved in the very good variety of activities that meet their needs. Children are self assured, eager to learn and enjoy the challenge of new experiences, for example, handling and observing melting ice and acknowledging changes in its size and shape as it melts. All three and four-year-olds use mark making to represent their ideas and older children are becoming confident in attempting to writing their own names. Pencil control is developing well with daily practise in a variety of ways, for example, they write letters in sand and attempt to write notes to each other.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children count and are learning to recognise numerals to five. Older children confidently use these skills with purpose in their play by counting objects and learning numerals towards ten. They talk about length and height and make comparisons when observing the growth of the bean they have planted. However, staff do not always take opportunities that arise during day-to-day activities, to extend children’s mathematical vocabulary and skills to calculate and solve simple number problems during practical activities. Staff ensure that admission information is thorough so that they are aware of children's skills, interests and needs. They plan themes for the year, a medium term plan then identifies learning objectives and these are then programmed into weekly activities. Staff continually record observations which are then transferred to

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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 assessment records and with information obtained from parents, inform future planning. Children learn at their own pace because staff organise a good balance of adult led, adult supported and child initiated play opportunities to ensure that all children are challenged effectively.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Staff ensure parents and children are warmly welcomed. They consider and act upon individual need, family background and parental wishes. In addition, in order to assist children to integrate, accept each other, and feel welcome in the setting, the staff plan and adapt resources and activities to take into account the children’s individuality and family context. Staff support children in sharing and turn taking. Children's understanding of right and wrong increases as they respond to gentle reminders to care for their environment, the resources, and each other. Staff set consistent boundaries and have developed warm, mutually respectful relationships with the children. Staff also have high expectations of the children which helps them to negotiate with others and take responsibility for their own behaviour. All of this results in excellent behaviour from the children. The children have good opportunities to learn about themselves, each other and the

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Helping children make a positive contribution

world around them through planned themes, activities, visitors to the setting as well as through the wide range of positive images resources available to them. All of these positive approaches ensure that children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered well. The partnership with parents and carers is good and this contributes greatly to the children's wellbeing in the setting. Staff actively seek parental views and opinions prior to admission, and on a regular basis whilst the child attends. These are valued, respected and acted upon. Staff ensure that parents are aware of how their children are progressing and developing through regular discussion. The involvement of parents in the setting and their good communication with staff benefit the children greatly. Although parents do not always have sufficient information related to the Foundation stage curriculum.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. A robust recruitment and selection procedure means that children are cared for by suitably qualified staff. The proprietor is committed to improving the service provided and this is addressed through regular staff monitoring and training opportunities. Staff give good regard to the well-being of the children they care for and communicate well to ensure they all understand any child related issues The quality of leadership and management is good. The very good induction

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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 programme and strong commitment from staff ensures that all adults work well together to promote children’s health achievement and enjoyment. This very good teamwork enhances children’s care and learning. The setting is very well organised with indoor and outdoor space being used to maximise play opportunities for children. All legally required documentation, which contributes to children’s health, safety and well-being, is in place and regularly reviewed. Along with the management team, skilled and qualified staff, who are highly motivated and committed, contribute to the day to day running of the nursery and its continued improvement and development. All of this ensures that the setting is able to meet the needs of the range of children who attend.

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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 good. 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 good.

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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 parents sign records to acknowledge medication administered to children • improve knowledge and understanding of the development of under three's; for example, through the use of 'Birth to three matters' framework.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered

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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 person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • improve the quality of information given to parents regarding the foundation stage curriculum • increase the opportunities for children to use mathematical vocabulary, calculate and solve simple number problems during practical activities.

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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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