The Cromwell Road Day Nursery and Pre-School

Footsteps Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY395529 Inspection date 15/01/2010 Inspector Christine McInally

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Setting address 44 Cromwell Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 3EU

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Telephone number 01273 779034 Email info@footstepsdaynursery.com 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

Footsteps Day Nursery opened in 2009. It is privately owned and is one of two nurseries operated by the same providers. It is situated in a semi detached property in Hove, East Sussex. Children have access to the basement, ground floor and first floor of the property. Areas are organised according to age. There is a secure garden for outside play. The nursery is open Monday to Friday 8.00am to 6.00pm for 52 weeks of the year.

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Description of the setting

There are currently 55 children aged from under one year to five years on roll. Of these, 14 receive funding for nursery education. The provision is on the Early Years Register only and is registered to care for a maximum of 65 children in the early years age range at any one time. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those for whom English is an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The nursery employs eight staff; of these six hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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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

Children are extremely well settled, happy and enjoy their time at the welcoming nursery, where they are valued and their uniqueness is recognised and respected. There is a lovely atmosphere at the nursery, with all staff working closely as a team and children actively engaged throughout the day. A good range of stimulating activities are provided, based on children's interests and individual levels of attainment. Children are confident and happy as they are treated with genuine respect and care. The setting works closely with parents and other providers, helping to support children's development and learning. The setting has a good capacity to maintain continuous improvement as they regularly evaluate and make positive improvements to the care that children receive.

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further?

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

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further?

 link the indoor and outdoor environments, where possible, so that children can move freely between them  continue to develop systems for encouraging parents to contribute to assessments of their children's achievements outside of the setting This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded because effective policies are in place to ensure children’s welfare. Safeguarding responsibilities are well understood. Staff are clear about the signs and symptoms that indicate abuse and are fully aware of the procedures to be followed should concerns arise. This protects children from potential future harm. A full set of policies and procedures are in place and followed vigilantly by the staff to ensure children's welfare is effectively safeguarded and promoted. The building and outdoor play area are secure to prevent uninvited visitors from entering and children are effectively supervised to ensure they play safely. Risk assessments, which are regularly reviewed, enable staff to identify and address potential dangers quickly. Careful recruitment and appraisal procedures ensure that all adults working with the children are both suitable and well prepared for their role.

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the early years provision

Detailed and informative information is given to parents before their child starts and this, combined with several settling-in sessions, enables both parent and child to become familiar with the nursery's routines. Systems to assess children's progress are effective and the emphasis is on sharing these regularly with parents, positively impacting on children's care, welfare, development and learning. Parents have opportunities to contribute to their child's record of achievement. However, the systems to do so are not yet firmly established. There are highly effective links with other providers, including visits to the settings, ensuring information regarding children's progress and development is regularly shared.

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the early years provision

The two owners work well together, they have a vision of where they are going with the nursery and have in place systems to help them achieve their goals. The staff team are effectively supported by them and all are committed to continually improving the setting. Staff meetings enable all staff to be involved in the nursery's development. They also effectively use reflective self-evaluation, discussion and questionnaires to ascertain views of staff and parents and to identify areas for improvement.

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the early years provision

Children use a range of good quality toys and resources; these are well maintained and appropriate to their age and stage of development. Staff deploy themselves well and organise space, time and resources effectively to meet children's needs. They are motivated and create an environment which successfully supports children's learning and development. They recognise when to intervene and join in and when to allow children to play on their own. Staff have a positive attitude towards equality and diversity; they regularly plan activities which help to develop an understanding of a range of cultural backgrounds. Children feel good about themselves as staff treat them with respect. They develop self-esteem and confidence as they voice their opinions and make choices and decisions. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

An extremely welcoming, stimulating and inclusive environment is created, where all children are acknowledged and respected as individuals. Daily activities are thoughtfully planned, taking into account children's individual interests and needs. Next steps in their learning and development are clearly identified and provided for, and their progress, interests and achievements are clearly recorded. These records show the good progress children are making towards the early learning goals. There is a balance of child-initiated and adult-led activities, which help children to be active learners. Children are well-behaved and good at sharing and taking turns. Babies and toddlers enjoy lots of physical contact with the staff, which enables them to feel extremely secure and play contentedly. Staff are exceptionally attentive towards the babies; they quickly comfort and pacify them and have a good knowledge of their personal needs. There is a good range of toys

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and outcomes for children

and play materials for babies to explore colour, shape and texture. Staff give very good support to young babies as they become more mobile. Staff and children laugh together and enjoy very good relationships, helping to support children's personal development. Children play both independently and with their friends and this helps them to develop the skills they need for their future learning. Children develop a healthy interest in books and they enjoy sharing stories with adults and peers. They are confident speakers, and understand they can use writing for a variety of purposes. Children use and recognise numbers in everyday activities. Children use paintbrushes, rollers and scissors with increasing control and enjoy their sensory play with paint, sand, water and jelly. A variety of small world resources, posters, dressing up and planned activities helps to raise children's awareness of diversity.

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and outcomes for children

Children's safety is given a high priority with areas checked on a daily basis to identify potential hazards and risks. They are encouraged to consider and recognise potential risks and dangers through role-play, topics and stories. Children are polite, well behaved and learn to consider the needs of other people. Good hygiene practices are actively promoted and incorporated into the daily routines to encourage children to care for themselves. They have access to liquid soap and paper towels minimising the risk of cross infection. Lunch and snack times are social occasions when children talk and laugh with their friends and staff. They enjoy a freshly prepared hot lunch, that includes fresh vegetables, as well as snacks that include fresh fruit. While children enjoy being outdoors on a daily basis, free flow between the indoor and outdoor areas is difficult due to the layout of the building. However, the nursery has identified that further improvements

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and outcomes for children

could be made. 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 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 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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