The Red House Day NurseryOfsted inspection, 8 Dec 2005

The Red House Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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The Red House Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number 221591 Inspection date 08 December 2005 Inspector Jean Goodrick

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The Red House Day Nursery

Setting Address 90 High Street, Burwell, Cambridge, Cambs, CB5 0HD

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The Red House Day Nursery

Telephone number 01638 741174 E-mail redhousenursery@aol.com Registered person Joanna Redfarn Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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The Red House Day 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 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?

The Red House Day Nursery was first opened in 1996 and operates from a detached property in the centre of the village of Burwell. It has 4 main playrooms to accommodate the different age groups. The nursery is registered to accept up to 58 children at any one time. Opening times are from 08.00 to 18.00 Monday to Friday all year round. All children share an enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 75 children from three months to four

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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 years on roll. Of these, 20 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the village and a wider catchment area. The nursery supports children who have special educational needs and children who have English as an additional language. Twenty full-time and part-time staff work with the children. Fifteen of these, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications. Three staff are currently on training courses. The setting receives support from a mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) and is accredited with the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Quality Counts quality assurance scheme.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy a good range of energetic physical activities that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. They develop self confidence in their physical skills as they use a wide range of toys and equipment both indoors and outside. All children learn to listen to their bodies and are able to rest and be active according to their needs. Babies and toddlers go outdoors for walks in the fresh air. They have space to crawl round safely and are well supported as they learn to walk. Children are soothed to sleep in quiet rooms away from the noise and bustle of the nursery. Children benefit from the staff's sound knowledge and understanding of childhood nutrition. Menus are available to parents and staff are scrupulous in ensuring any specific dietary requirements are met. Babies are cuddled as they have their bottles and children receive sensitive encouragement at meal times. Meals are generally a

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Helping children to be healthy

pleasant social occasion where children learn social skills and independence. Children learn the importance of good personal hygiene through regular daily routines. They wash their hands after using the toilet and before eating so that they 'don't get germs'. Staff act as good role models washing their own hands, cleaning tables before meals and sweeping up the floor. The nursery maintains high standards of cleanliness to prevent cross infection ensuring, for instance, that children's face cloths are kept separate and washed regularly. Children's health and welfare is given a high priority. Staff are very conscientious about following health and safety procedures and completing the necessary records to ensure good continuity of care for the children. All staff have current first aid certificates which are regularly updated. Parents are kept well informed about health matters.

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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 Children are cared for in a warm, safe environment. Staff identify and minimise risks for children in the well organised environment, for example by good use of safety gates, so that children are able to move around the premises safely, freely and independently. Children have access to a good range of quality toys and resources which are suitable for their ages and stages of development and which are regularly checked for safety and hygiene. Children's safety in an emergency is a high priority. Emergency evacuations are practised regularly and staff are clear about the procedures, for instance, for getting babies downstairs quickly. Children are kept safe on local walks outside the nursery. Staff carry mobile phones, use buggies and wrist straps and help children learn about

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

road safety. Children are very well protected because staff have all the required procedures and documents in place. Staff have attended child protection training and have a sound understanding of child protection procedures, which are in line with those set out by the local Area Child Protection Committee.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and settled at the nursery. They benefit from the positive interaction with the staff, which develops their confidence and self-esteem. Children enjoy warm and affectionate relationships with staff who are sensitive to their needs. Staff have a sound understanding of child development which has been enhanced by attending training in the 'Birth to three matters' framework which is used as a reference tool. Babies and toddlers receive tender personal care during daily routines. Early communication skills are developed through warm interaction with staff. Babies and young children have a satisfactory variety of sensory experiences. Children play happily together and develop positive relationships with one another. Children are interested and involved in the broad range of activities which are on offer and are excited by activities that challenge and stimulate them. They happily

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

join in action rhymes and snuggle in to listen to stories. Children benefit from an age appropriate range of resources which promote all areas of their development. They have some opportunities to select their own resources, follow their own interests and begin to direct their own play. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children make good progress in their individual learning because practitioners have a secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum and recognise how children learn most effectively. A variety of teaching methods helps to ensure children remain motivated and keen to learn. Children's continual progress is observed, assessments are thorough and practitioners use this information to guide their planning. This ensures activities are pitched at the appropriate level and children receive effective support and sufficient challenge, enabling them to achieve their full potential. Children's progress is linked

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

to the stepping stones, and assessment records show that children are making good

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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 progress towards the early learning goals. Children's records are shared with parents who are able to contribute to their child's assessment records so that this information can be used in planning the next steps in children's learning. Children are enthusiastic and interested in the activities provided. They concentrate well and persevere with tasks showing high levels of confidence and self-esteem. Children confidently communicate with adults and each other, for instance, contributing to discussions and listening to each other at 'show and tell' time. They demonstrate pride in their achievements, 'look what I did!'. Children's behaviour is excellent. They cooperate and negotiate roles, for example when acting out their imagined ideas in role play and they value one another's ideas, showing respect for

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

each other. Children bring items from home beginning with a particular sound and spontaneously link sounds to letters during other activities. They enjoy stories and rhymes and borrow books from the nursery. Children respond well to the effective questioning techniques of practitioners describing, for instance, how they know someone is 'grumpy'. They recognise their names during daily routines and develop and practise their writing skills in some everyday activities. Children gain confidence in using numbers in practical activities. They confidently use mathematical language, for example explaining that their brick tower is 'taller' than their friend's and describing the shapes of stencils. They use everyday technology competently, such as the computer and cassette recorder. Children enjoy visits to places in the local community, such as the library, and further a field talking excitedly about their visit to Santa at the farm.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Time and resources are used effectively to provide children with opportunities to engage in regular physical activities both indoors and outside. Children climb, balance, pedal and jump through hoops with great exuberance. They join in enthusiastically with dance sessions, for instance, moving like giraffes. Children have limited opportunities to select their own resources to develop their creative and imaginative play. They use their senses to explore a satisfactory range of media such as paint, play dough and sand.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are highly valued as individuals. Their needs are well met as the nursery gathers clear information from parents and this contributes to children's well-being. Children access a good range of suitable resources and activities, which promote a positive view of the wider world and help them to understand about their differences and similarities. Children with special needs are very well cared for. Children behave exceptionally well. Staff are consistent in their behaviour management strategies and children are given sensitive support in understanding expectations of behaviour. They receive plenty of praise and encouragement for their efforts and achievements.

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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 thoughtful procedures to help them in transitions from home to the nursery, within the nursery and from nursery to school. Staff know the children and families well, so that children feel secure and have a strong sense of belonging. Parents and carers receive comprehensive information about the nursery so that they know about activities and events and they have daily opportunities to discuss their children's progress. Very good use is made of daily records, newsletters and notice boards to keep parents well informed and staff are very accessible. Parents give glowing reports of the care their children receive and the attitudes of staff. Parents' views are regularly sought through questionnaires. The partnership with parents of children who receive nursery education is

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Helping children make a positive contribution

outstanding. Parents receive comprehensive information about the Foundation Stage curriculum and they receive regular reports about their children's progress towards the early learning goals. They also contribute to their children's assessment records. Weekly plans are displayed clearly with invitations for parents to contribute resources and join in with the rhymes and stories. Parents have access to an excellent range of photo albums showing the range of activities in which their children are involved. Parents are also invited to become actively involved in the pre-school when their experience is relevant to particular topics. The provision fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The nursery environment is well organised and activities are set out so that children can move around safely. The registered person uses exceptionally thorough recruitment procedures which ensure staff have suitable experience and qualifications to work with children. The induction programme and comprehensive files with up to date information for staff, ensure that all members of the team, including students, are secure in their knowledge of procedures for child protection and maintaining children's overall safety. All legally required documentation, which contribute to children's health, safety and well-being is in place and regularly reviewed. High adult to child ratios mean that children are very well supported both inside and outside the nursery. The leadership and management of nursery education is good. Regular staff and management meetings mean that everyone works very well together as a team

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Organisation

ensuring that the learning environment promotes positive outcomes for children. There is a strong commitment to continual improvement of the provision and some monitoring and evaluation of areas for development. Staff have regular appraisals where their training needs are identified. A protective ethos is fostered and the equal opportunities policy is implemented well. Overall, the provision meets the needs of all the children who attend.

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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 At the last nursery education inspection the key issues were; to improve assessment and planning so that children of different ages and abilities receive sufficient challenge; and to improve the programme for creativity so that children have more opportunities for free expression. Staff are successfully developing their skills in planning and assessment so that all children receive sufficient challenge. The storage of resources is now well organised and accessible to children, and staff have attended relevant training. However, this recommendation has been carried forward as creative activities are often adult led and there is limited opportunity for children to select from a variety of materials and make their own creations, including three dimensional design and construction.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection it was agreed that staff would ensure that adult led art and craft activities are meaningful to children and give them opportunities to use their imagination and creativity. Staff have attended relevant training in this area, including use of role play, and the 'Birth to three matters' framework. However this recommendation is being carried forward at this inspection so that staff continue to develop their skills in this area for the benefit of the children.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the 1 April 2004 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.

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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):

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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):

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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 • ensure that children have regular access to a variety of resources which they are encouraged to use independently to develop their ideas, their imaginative games and their creativity. (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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