Handsworth Community Nursery

Handsworth Community Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Handsworth Community Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY257456 Inspection date 11 October 2005 Inspector Trudy Scott

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Handsworth Community Nursery

Setting Address Richmond Park Drive, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S13 8HH

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E-mail

Registered person Handsworth Community Nursery Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care, Out of School 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Handsworth Community Nursery opened on its present site in January 2003. It is owned and run by voluntary management committee and has charitable status. The nursery operates from a single story building with a fully enclosed outdoor play area. Children are accommodated in three playrooms. Other facilities within the building include a dining room, kitchen, laundry and toilets. Children attend from the local community and a wider area. Full day care, sessional and out of school care are

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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 provided. The nursery is registered to provide full day care for a maximum of 66 children, from 0 to under 8 years, at any one time. There are currently 148 children on roll. Of these 79 are children aged from 4 to 12 years, who use the out of school provision. Nursery education funding is received for 37 children. The nursery supports a number of children with special educational needs and children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery is open each weekday from 08.00 - 18.00 all year round with the exception of public holidays. The out of school club runs from 08.00 to 09.00 and from 15.00 to 18.00. The building has three play rooms, a dining room, office and other facilities including toilets, kitchen, laundry and storage space. There is a secure outdoor play space.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are 20 staff employed to work with the children. Of these, 11 staff have recognised early years qualifications and 1 is working towards a qualification. The nursery receives support from an early years teacher from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are well protected from illness and infection as they are cared for in a clean environment where staff follow effective hygiene routines. For example, they consistently wear disposable gloves and aprons when changing children and minimise cross infection by storing personal items, such as dummies, in individual containers. Children receive support and guidance from staff in understanding the importance of good hygiene practice and are moving towards independence in attending to their personal care. They wash their hands before meals and after using the toilet and even 2 year olds wipe their noses with tissues placed within easy reach. Children enjoy well-balanced meals and snacks, which include a good variety of fruit and vegetables. They are learning about healthy eating through play activities, such as a topic about teeth, and because staff talk to them about healthy foods. Staff

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Helping children to be healthy

consult parents to find out about children's dietary needs and sleep patterns. They make good use of the information to develop routines in line with the children's needs. This ensures children are well-rested and alert and so enjoy their play. Regular access to outdoor experiences contribute to children's overall good health. Babies and toddlers have daily outings around the local area, weather permitting, while older children enjoy physical activity in the outdoor play area. Children from 3 years are learning to share space and negotiate obstacles when playing together. They are developing co-ordination an control of their bodies as they use large climbing equipment and participate actively in physical games and music and movement sessions.

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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 satisfactory. Children are cared for in secure, welcoming premises by staff who generally understand their role in keeping children safe. For example, staff vigilantly monitor the controlled entry system to prevent unauthorised access to the premises and take particular care when moving children between inside and outside. Children are appropriately supervised as staff are deployed to make sure there are sufficient numbers looking after them throughout the day. Good staffing levels in the baby room, over and above minimum requirements, mean babies benefit from a ratio of one adult to two children. Staff carry out daily checks around the building, to make sure the premises are safe. However, they do not conduct thorough risk assessments on all areas of provision, such as the pond in the outdoor area, and so do not ensure all potential hazards are identified and minimised. Children try out new challenges in a safe environment, supported by staff who watch

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

what they are doing and talk to them about safe practice. For example, children as young as 2 years go up the steps on the large climbing frame confidently. Children are learning to avoid accidental injury as staff remind them of dangers, such as walking around with their shoelaces unfastened. Clear evacuation procedures are displayed around the nursery, which means adults know how to get the children out of the building in the event of an emergency. However, this is not regularly practiced with the children, so that they can learn what to do. Children's welfare is safeguarded as staff hold current first aid certificates and have sound understanding of child protection procedures. Toys and play materials are organised so that children can reach them easily. Non-mobile babies are encouraged to stretch and move as staff place stimulating resources close by, while older children access a good range of resources

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

independently. Children just becoming mobile are well-supported as staff arrange furniture so that children can pull themselves up and are on hand to put out their arms and offer encouragement.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and secure due to the sensitive care and positive interactions they enjoy with the staff who look after them. They arrive enthusiastically at the start of the session and are warmly welcomed by friendly adults. Babies and toddlers receive lots of cuddles from staff who know them well. These relationships with key persons promote feelings of well-being in younger children. They develop the confidence to move around and explore the environment, re-assured by staff who stay physically and emotionally close. For example, children under 18 months enjoy making sounds as they clap their hands or tap toys on the floor to the rhythm of the music, making eye-contact and engaging playfully with staff. Children form good relationships with other children and enjoy being part of a group. Staff help children to socialise by creating opportunities for children to be together. For example,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children aged 3 and 4 years play co-operatively in the well-resourced role-play area,

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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 talking animatedly together about what they are doing. The younger children make good progress because staff plan varied and interesting activities and experiences, which children enjoy. Babies early communication skills are well-supported by staff who respond to their non-verbal communication with gestures, facial expressions and words, often echoing babies sounds. All children enjoy a balanced range of developmentally appropriate activities, which help them acquire new knowledge and skills. For example, two year old children learn about the weather as they talk with staff when playing outside. Children using the after school club have a good time as staff consult them about the activities and encourage them to contribute their ideas. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children make steady progress

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

towards the early learning goals due to staff's sound understanding of the Foundation Stage Curriculum. They use a reasonable range of teaching methods, including adult-led and child-initiated activities, which keep children generally interested and help them enjoy their learning. Staff monitor children's progress by completing assessment records which relate to the stepping stones and early learning goals. This gives them some understand of each child's stage of development and provides information for parents. However, they do not make enough use of observations of children's interests and achievements when planning the curriculum. This means they do not consistently tune in to their preferred ways of learning. For example, they miss a child's interest in the natural world when they are concentrating on teaching computer skills. Children are sufficiently confident and assured to work independently or in groups.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Much of the indoor environment is organised to support their independent learning and provide good access to a range of interesting resources. Children's imaginative development is particularly well-supported as children are allowed long periods of time to develop their ideas. Most children have good language skills and use language confidently to ask questions, initiate conversation and to make their needs known. They enjoy talking about previous experiences and are learning to listen when other share their news at group time. However, a small number of children do not engage effectively as the groups are not totally suitable for all children's individual stage of learning. Their early writing skills are fostered as they engage in activities to develop hand-eye co-ordination and use writing materials appropriately for drawing pictures and making marks. They are successfully introduced to the different

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

purposes of writing as they see signs around the nursery, watch staff mark the register and use clip boards, notebooks and pencils in role play. Children are developing good counting skills, many count beyond 10 when helping the teacher count the number of children in the group. However, their awareness of simple number problems and letter sounds is not very well promoted by staff in daily routines and freely chosen activities. Children's creativity is valued by staff, who produce attractive displays of children's freely expressed paintings and art work. Behaviour of the children is good and contributes to a calm environment where learning takes place. Children share and take turns, showing consideration for others. For example, a child wants to join a

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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 game and asks the other children "Can I put my people in the crane seat?" One child replies "No, but they can come and watch", to which the first child replies "Thank you".

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are comfortable in the setting and have a sense of belonging as familiar staff greet them by name and show interest in what they have to say. The way the environment is organised helps children feel at home as they know where to find toys and play materials and see their pictures displayed on the nursery walls. Parents are asked for information about their children's care needs and use the information to develop familiar routines, which supports babies and toddlers in settling in. However, they are not consistently asked about their children's interests or what their children can do to make sure all children are fully included in the life of the setting. Children's relationships, with other children and with staff, are good . Staff help children understand boundaries and expectations so that they are learning to manage their own behaviour. Children sometime share responsibility for decisions

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Helping children make a positive contribution

which helps them develop confidence and self-esteem. For example, children make some choices about what they want to play with and children in the out of school club help establish club 'rules'. Children are helped to become aware of their own community and of wider society through planned topics, outings around the local area and informal discussions. This approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Parents find staff approachable and speak with them informally on a daily basis. A variety of information, such as staff roles and qualification certificates, is displayed for parents and all policies are readily available for them to access independently. There is limited information about how children learn through the stepping stones, which means parents do not share fully in their children's learning. However, there are other meaningful ways in which

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Helping children make a positive contribution

parents are involved, for example children take home books to look at with parents and carers, as part of a shared reading scheme.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children's care and learning needs are met through generally effective organisation of the nursery. Recruitment and vetting procedures that are in place ensure children are protected and cared for by staff who are suitable to do so. Clear induction procedures help staff and students understand their role in children's care and highlight responsibilities for health and safety, although some procedures lack detail. Polices and procedures that underpin the day to day running of the setting are available to parents, so that they can share, to some extent, in their children's experiences.

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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 Staff use their generally good knowledge and understanding of child development to create an environment which supports children's care, learning and play and helps them feel at ease in the setting. Children are grouped appropriately, according to age and stage of development, which enables staff to provide a balanced range of suitable activities and experiences. Transition between the groups is managed sensitively in consultation with parents. Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend. Leadership and management of the educational provision is satisfactory. Clear aims for children's care and learning are shared with staff and work generally well in practice. Staff are appropriately supported with regular staff meeting and good access to training. However, there is no effective system in place to monitor and

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Organisation

evaluate the quality of teaching and identify training needs. This means that some areas for improvement, such as the use of observation and assessment to inform planning and teaching, are missed. There is a commitment to continual improvement in the nursery, reflected in the co-operative working with other professionals, such as the early years teacher.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the previous inspection the levels of qualified staff have improved and are in line with requirements. Over half the staff are qualified, with managers and room leaders in the nursery holding recognised levels three qualifications. This contributes to the satisfactory care provided for children in all areas. Staff have developed the planning system to ensure activities are suitable for children across the nursery. They make use of Birth to three matters and Foundation Stage Guidance to provide a varied range of activities that children enjoy. There are good plans in place to continue this development with training in the Birth to three matters framework for all staff. Use of time, space and resources in the nursery have improved. The premises are organised so that children have time to rest and to engage in active play according to their needs. Children can reach toys and play materials easily which

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Improvements since the last inspection

supports their independence and helps them develop confidence.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the last inspection. 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 satisfactory. 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

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 quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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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): • develop and implement a system for assessing risks and minimising potential hazards to children, in particular to consider the pond in the outdoor area and to review emergency evacuation procedures • request further information from parents about their children's interests and abilities when they first attend and provide more information for parents about how their children learn (also applies to education)

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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): • make more use of observation and assessment to find out about children's interests and identify the next steps in their learning and use the information to guide planning and teaching • plan to use daily routines and freely chosen activities to pose simple number simple number to children and to raise their awareness of sounds in letters and words • develop and implement a rigorous system to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching.

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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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