Threemilestone School

Strode College Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 142807 Inspection date 02/03/2010 Inspector Samantha Powis

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Setting address Church Road, Street, Somerset, BA16 0AB

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Telephone number 01458 844412 Email gpace@strode_college.ac.uk 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 0300 123 1231, 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: 0300 123 1231 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

Strode College Day Nursery has been operating since 1994. It is situated in its own premises on the campus of Strode College, in Street, Somerset. The overall management of the nursery is the responsibility of the college. As well as the self- contained nursery unit, children have access to an enclosed outside area and also have use of other areas within the college, such as the gym, theatre and dance studio, to increase their range of experiences and opportunities. The children attending the nursery have parents who are employed by or are studying at the college, there are also places available for children from the local community. The nursery offers flexible opening hours from 8.00am until 6.00pm Monday to Friday during school term time only.

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Description of the setting

The setting is registered on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of 16 children from two years of age to the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage age range. Children may attend on a full or part-time basis. There are currently 22 children on roll. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those for whom English is an additional language. There are four members of staff who work regularly with the children, all have a level 3 qualification in childcare and some of whom are working towards higher qualifications, including Early Years Professional Status.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children are very happy, settle quickly and receive the best possible support in their care and learning due to the dedication of a highly skilled and motivated staff team. Meeting children's individual needs is a priority for staff and children's preferences and interests are fully taken into account as daily routines and activities are planned. This committed support means that children are making excellent progress in their learning and development. Staff constantly review practices and implement new and often innovative ideas to ensure continuous improvements are made to support all those attending.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 building on links with other settings providing care for the children.

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the early years provision

Priority is given to ensuring children's safety is protected. Highly effective systems are in place with regard to safeguarding. All staff have an excellent understanding This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and awareness of their individual roles and responsibilities with regard to child protection and are confident in the procedures to follow should they have a concern about a child. They complete training on a regular basis to ensure their knowledge is up to date and in line with current good practice. This means that children's welfare is always prioritised. There are comprehensive recruitment and vetting procedures in place, which help to ensure all those working with children are thoroughly checked to confirm their suitability. Staff supervise children very well in both indoor and outdoor areas and all areas are safe and secure. Regular risk assessments are carried out on all areas of the nursery and for outings to

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the early years provision

highlight any issues and ensure that all safety features are in place.

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the early years provision

Due to the exceptionally welcoming and stimulating environment, children settle well and quickly get involved in purposeful play. Space is organised well to allow for them to engage in many different activities and also allows quiet areas for them to rest or play by themselves. Children's creative work is displayed within the nursery, along with photographs of them engaged in play. This helps them all to feel valued and included. Full advantage is made of the outdoor play area and areas within the college and grounds. The nursery outdoor play area is well used throughout the session as children can choose to play indoors or out at any time. Staff provide a warm welcome to individual children; key workers ensure they are available to chat to parents as they arrive to ensure any important information is shared. Children benefit from having free access to a very wide choice of toys and equipment. Staff rotate all equipment to ensure variety, but also consider the

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the early years provision

individual preferences of children when setting out resources to encourage their interest and involvement. Children enjoy using the activity book, where they can identify additional equipment of their choice which is then made accessible to them.

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the early years provision

All children are highly valued and included well within the setting due to the staff's comprehensive understanding of their individual needs. Staff show a strong commitment to inclusion and consider the needs of all children when planning activities, events and routines. Children's individual languages and cultures are valued, helping them all to feel positive and successfully boost their confidence and self-esteem. The skills of family members are valued and used to increase children's awareness of the wilder world. For example, children benefit from learning about the role of a veterinary nurse and also about the Muslim festival of Eid from visitors to the setting who are willing to share their personal knowledge and experiences. Children learn to respect and value others as they frequently access and use toys, resources and are involved in activities that raise their awareness of diversity. They enjoy trying to eat their lunch using chopsticks as

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the early years provision

they take part in celebrating Chinese New Year and participate in an African drumming session. Children learn to become confident with others around them and are frequently involved with the wider college community. For example, they are planning to work cooperatively with a group of students from the college to design, create and manage their own vegetable garden.

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the early years provision

Comprehensive management systems which value the individual strengths of each member of staff mean that staff are highly motivated and committed to their individual roles. The staff team work closely together, valuing the part each of them plays in creating and maintaining the exceptionally high quality provision. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 There are excellent systems in place for monitoring and self-evaluation which clearly identify areas which are working well and areas which can be improved upon to benefit the children attending. The setting have a 'can do' attitude towards any barriers which they may come across and are forward thinking in their approach. Staff frequently monitor areas within the nursery to ensure all children are benefiting from the full range of opportunities on offer. Staff regularly attend training and return to the setting enthused by what they have learnt. This in turn

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the early years provision

leads to positive changes being implemented as they all become enthusiastically involved in making changes which benefit the children. Extensive improvements have been made since the nursery were last inspected which has had an exceedingly positive impact on the outcomes for children. All records and any documentation is now clear and comprehensive, which helps to ensure children's care and welfare needs are very well met. Staff are highly skilled and well qualified, and regularly attend training, such as first aid, to ensure children's ongoing health and safety are well supported. Clear management roles ensure that all are aware of the regulatory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage to ensure practices followed are consistent. The thoughts of parents are gained prior to any changes being made and their feedback is valued as to the success of any changes, ensuring they have a say in how the nursery is run. Children are also

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the early years provision

able to suggest ideas for change and express their likes and dislikes, which supports staff when planning for the future.

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the early years provision

Highly successful partnerships are established with parents and other professionals involved in children's care. Parents are very well informed about their child's time at the nursery as they speak daily with their child's key worker and also meet formally on a termly basis to share detailed information about children's progress and development. Regular informative newsletters keep them up to date with events and information ensuring parents and carers play a key role in their child's learning. Links have been made with some of the other settings children attend as well as the nursery, which helps to ensure a consistent approach for these children.

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and outcomes for children

Children make excellent progress in their learning due to the involvement of confident and highly skilled staff who dedicate their time to supporting children throughout the day. Children receive excellent support and are offered appropriate challenge which allows them to move on rapidly in all areas of their learning and development. Children thrive in the stimulating and fully inclusive environment. They become engrossed in activities of their choice, selecting from the wide range of high quality resources and materials which are set out imaginatively for them. They enjoy sensitive interaction from staff who know when to get involved and when to stand back to encourage children's increasing independence. For example, children are taught strategies to help them manage their own behaviour and are regularly reminded of the consistent expectations and boundaries of the nursery. This means that when they come across a dispute as they play independently, they

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and outcomes for children

are often able to use their prior learning to enable them to sort the situation out amicably by themselves. Staff are keen and enthusiastic which means children This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 approach their activities with excitement and interest.

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and outcomes for children

Children confidently use language to communicate, sharing ideas and thoughts with others. They are beginning to learn about letter sounds and shapes through activities and as they play. Some children identify all the children whose names start with a certain letter at 'welcome time' and join in with the song to welcome all the children into the setting. The song is accompanied by the use of simple sign language, enabling all children to be fully involved and included. They are encouraged to engage in mark making, particularly in role play areas where they are provided with a range of writing tools and note pads, forms and notices to use. Excellent use is made of text within the environment to promote children's awareness of print. Children recognise some numerals and often use numbers for counting throughout the day. As two children play together, one finds the number three displayed on the wall; 'That's how old I am, three', they exclaim, showing

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and outcomes for children

how effective the use of numbers are within the nursery environment. An innovative range of activities and freely accessible resources encourage children to explore and investigate. They closely examine the toy mini-beasts using the magnifying glasses and binoculars, noticing some of their features. They look closely at patterns on fabrics and talk about the patterns on animals, such as tigers and leopards. Children have many opportunities to use their imaginations and be creative. They enjoy using the playdough, sometimes using other resources, such as cardboard boxes and small tools with the dough to make their own, very individual, models.

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and outcomes for children

Children are taught about safety which helps them become aware of how to minimise hazards and prevent accidents. They learn how to use scissors and are taught how to move chairs safely as they use them to make a bus in their role play. They regularly go on outings within the college grounds where they learn about road safety and how to negotiate steps safely. They participate in practising the emergency evacuation procedures on a regular basis and are secure in the familiar boundaries and expectations which are reinforced by staff, beginning to understand that they are there to help to keep them safe. They talk about healthy eating with staff as they enjoy their freshly prepared cooked lunch and nutritious snacks during the day. They discuss how the food will make their muscles strong, starting to build an awareness of the benefits of a healthy diet. Children regularly use toys and equipment to promote their physical development. They benefit from

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and outcomes for children

being outside in the fresh air as they use bikes and trikes, climbing frames and slides. They also benefit from visiting the college gymnasium on a regular basis, providing them with extensive opportunities for physical activities.

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and outcomes for children

The systems in place for monitoring, assessments and planning are highly effective in ensuring children are consistently challenged and supported in making excellent progress. The records of assessment include written observations and photographs of children engaged in play. These observations are then used to record children's progress and help staff identify next steps for each individual. Plans are shared with parents to ensure they have an opportunity to contribute and share in their child's learning. Future plans and activities are adapted to suit children's learning styles, interests and preferences, ensuring children are motivated and inspired to learn. 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 1 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 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 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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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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