Budding Learners

Budding Learners

Inspection report for early years provision

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Budding Learners

Unique Reference Number EY300693 Inspection date 13 October 2005 Inspector Caren Carpenter

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Budding Learners

Setting Address Jennings Hall, Slough Lane, Kingsbury, NW9 8QG

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E-mail

Registered person Neera Jhunjhunwala 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?

The nursery was registered in January 2005. It is located within the London Borough of Brent, and operates from Kingsbury Free Church Jennings Hall. There are 2 main classrooms: 1 for children under 2 years and the other for children from 2 to 5 years. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The nursery opens each weekday from 8:00 to 18:00 hours.

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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 There are currently 36 children on role, of whom 2 receive funding. There are 5 children who speak English as an additional language. There are 7 childcare staff, including the manager and the provider. The manager and staff hold appropriate Early Years qualifications. The nursery also employs a cook, who holds a food and hygiene certificate.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The clear and comprehensive procedure policy, which has been written and is in place, protects and supports the children's well-being. The staff members understand the policy and know how to carry it out. Staff members maintain good levels of hygiene, thus teaching the children to do the same. The spread of infection is prevented because the children wash their hands before eating. They do this independently. Children confidently choose from a range of fruits and vegetables provided by staff members. This develops their understanding of healthy eating. Not only do they enjoy eating healthy and nutritious meals, but they also enjoy growing their own vegetables. They discuss food and talk about vegetables and fruits, thus recognising the importance of a healthy and balanced diet. Children participate in daily outdoor play, thus getting plenty of fresh air. They also make good progress in their physical development. However, further improvement,

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Helping children to be healthy

through climbing and balancing, is needed to promote the older children's large muscle skills.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Staff members greet the children and their parents as they arrive. The children, therefore, feel welcome in a child-friendly environment. Staff members pay a lot of attention to ensuring that risks and hazards are minimised and that the children’s safety is promoted. The children, therefore, can move around the indoor and outdoor learning environment freely, safely and confidently, and they are able to choose what they want to play. Space is organised well and used effectively to allow the children to be active, to engage in physical, table-top and floor activities, and to enjoy relaxing and sharing books. They do this in a comfortable environment, where they can sit on beanbags and cushions. Furniture, toys and equipment are maintained well. They are clean and suitable for the children. Their needs, therefore, are met effectively.

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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 Thorough risk assessments are carried out daily to protect the children from harm, and comprehensive and clear health and safety policies and procedures have been developed. However, more improvement is needed to ensure that all radiators are covered, in order to further promote the children's safety. The staff members have good knowledge and understanding of child protection issues. They know, for example, how to implement local child protection procedures and have the required policies and documents in place to safeguard the children. This ensures that the children are protected from harm, abuse and neglect.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. All the children enjoy their time at the nursery. The younger ones benefit from the staff's knowledge and understanding of the Birth to Three Matters framework. They develop very good communication skills through group discussions, and become competent learners through choosing their own activities. They increase their manipulative skills through puzzle solving and threading. Children involve themselves highly in their chosen activities. They build models, for example, and create pictures. Babies begin to communicate effectively in various ways. They respond to familiar adults, smiling, for instance, at their key worker. The staff members meet the children's care needs well by providing care, love and a lot of attention. Children who receive funds make good progress. Staff members plan effectively for the 6 areas of learning, in order to deliver a well-balanced curriculum. The key worker

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

system enables staff to monitor the children's progress effectively, thus helping the children towards the next steps of learning. All the children learn at their own pace and the staff members have high expectations. The children, therefore, are able to make good progress in all areas of their development. Children under 3 years develop confidence and self-esteem. They participate in activities, which are appropriate for their age and stage of development, actively. They also develop their imagination by pretending to be inside a supermarket and by dressing up as doctors and police officers. Children enjoy playing instruments and listen to different types of music. They also enjoy quieter activities such as listening to stories and looking at books. Staff members ask lots of open-ended questions to extend the children's thinking and language skills and children have good opportunities to join in discussions.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children practise their writing skills through painting and drawing. They develop hand-to-eye coordination by playing with toy bricks, handling books and turning pages. They enjoy mathematical tasks, solving puzzles, observing colours, noting the size of shapes and playing with numbers.

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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 The children initiate and lead their own learning, and are confident. The staff members know when to offer help and support in order to extend the children's learning. They are caring and respond extremely well to the children's individual needs. Nursery Education. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff members show pride in their thorough knowledge and understanding of early learning goals. They plan an interesting and well-balanced curriculum, which challenges the children. Their teaching methods are sound for they demonstrate new tasks, skilfully extend the children's vocabulary and offer a lot of praise and encouragement. Staff members also encourage the children to lead their own learning. This is achieved successfully through a well-developed routine, with a good balance of child

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and adult initiated activities. Staff make good use of time, space and resources. They present age-appropriate activities well, provide sufficient challenges for children who are more able, and capture their interest. The children make good progress and have fun learning, and the staff members are very enthusiastic and motivated. Children are highly motivated to learn and actively involved in exciting activities such as making corn pictures. They develop independence as they help to tidy up and as they choose activities they want to do. Children are kind and considerate towards each other, playing together well as they share and take turns. They learn about the world they live in as they celebrate festivals such as Diwali, Eid and Christmas. The children acquire vocabulary and enjoy practising their writing skills. Several of them are able to write legible letters and words before they leave the setting. They

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

also listen attentively to a range of stories and enjoy visiting the mobile library every week, where they choose books to bring to the setting. Children are eager to learn, concentrate well and are perseverant in their activities. They cooperate and negotiate roles like, for example, when they act out simple nursery songs during a puppet show. Children count confidently up to 10 and experiment with simple addition and subtraction through practical Montessori activities. They, for example, are able to recognise and name shapes. The staff members provide suitable activities for children who are more able. They teach them, for example, how to tell the time. They are also able to describe size and position, learn about shapes and solve various puzzles. Children explore how things work and why they do so. They play with programmable toys, portable computers and magnifying glasses. The staff members motivate them

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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 to learn about the world they live in. They learn, for example, about the different planets. They also enjoy growing and caring for plants. The staff members observe and monitor the children’s progress regularly and in a variety of different ways. They use this to identify targets for the children. Realistic expectations and good individual knowledge help the children to consolidate their learning before moving onto the next stage. The curriculum, therefore, is tailored to each child's needs and abilities. This ensures the provision of effective support and sufficient challenges, so that the children achieve their potential. Effective use of time and resources is made. This provides the children with opportunities to engage in physical activities during outdoor play. However, the older

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and more able children have limited opportunities to develop their large muscle skills through the use of balancing and climbing equipment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Staff members welcome the children into the setting and treat them as individuals. The children,, therefore, play a full part in the pre-school and are extremely confident. They respond well to praise and encouragement by showing self-esteem. They behave well, are polite and courteous to each other and know what is expected of them. They also learn to distinguish between right and wrong. Staff members teach the children about themselves and about the wider world. They do this through planned activities and discussions focussing upon a variety of cultural festivals. They, therefore, understand and value the similarities and differences between themselves and others. This positive approach fosters the children’s social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. The partnership with parents is good. The children's individual needs are met through the strong relationships between the staff and the parents. This prooves beneficial for

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Helping children make a positive contribution

the children. Parents receive daily feedback about the children's routine and the progress in development that they make. The setting will be providing opportunities for parents to regularly attend meetings in order to formally discuss the children's achievement-reports. Staff members keep the parents of children under 2 years informed of the children's daily routine by means of a effective communication. Children, therefore, are happy and content because their individual care needs are met extremely well. Staff place a strong emphasis on involving parents within the setting and they regularly issue communication letters, informing them about events, themes and focus activities.

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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 The organisation is good. The leadership and management of the setting is good. The setting is organised well and has very good communication systems in place such as staff meetings and planning sessions. The effective deployment of staff, and the good leadership and management of the nursery education, enhance the children's care and learning. Staff are knowledgeable about the Foundation Stage curriculum and experienced in working with pre-school children. This has an impact on the group's organisation and on the children's achievements. Detailed policies and procedures are implemented effectively to successfully promote the children’s care and well-being. These have been organised together to show how the setting promotes the children's outcomes. The children’s welfare and individual needs are well met and appropriate records,

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Organisation

policies and procedures are in place to support the understanding of each child. Staff members are consistent and work very effectively together in order to deliver an interesting and exciting curriculum. They have very high learning expectations. Children develop self-esteem as they progress at their own pace. They get a lot of positive encouragement from the staff members. Staff make good use of the available space, and the resources, toys and equipment are organised well, thus enabling the children to become independent. Staff work well as a team and have clear and defined roles and responsibilities in order to ensure that the operational plan works in practice. The manager and the provider regularly have discussions and meetings with staff to monitor the curriculum and the impact on the children’s individual progress. They recognises the strengths of the group and identify areas for improvement. They discuss how sessions contribute

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Organisation

to the children’s learning and progress. However, activities are not formally evaluated, to ensure that learning intentions are achieved, and the children's progress-reports do not show how the children progress towards the early learning goals. The provider and the manager, who are actively involved in the care and learning of the children, lead the staff members well.

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Organisation

The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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 There are no complaints to report. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The 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): • improve children's safety by ensuring that radiators are covered.

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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): • strengthen the programme for physical development, by ensuring that the more older and able children are able to participate in activities that promote their large muscles skills, for example climbing and balancing. • review the evaluation of activities, to ensure learning intentions are achieved and children's progress reports to show how they are making progress towards the early learning goals.

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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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