Bright Eyes Day Care Nursery Limited

Bright Eyes Day Care Nursery Limited

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Bright Eyes Day Care Nursery Limited

Unique Reference Number EY242761 Inspection date 26 October 2005 Inspector Sharon Waterfall

p.1

Bright Eyes Day Care Nursery Limited

Setting Address 584 Kingstanding Road, Kingstanding, Birmingham, B44 9SH

p.1

E-mail

Registered person Bright Eyes Day Care Nursery Ltd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

p.1

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

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Bright eyes Day Care Nursery Ltd opened in 2003. It operates from premises on Kingstanding Road in Birmingham. The nursery serves the local and neighbouring areas of Aldridge, Sutton Coldfield and Great Barr. There are currently 61 children from 6 weeks to 8 years on roll. This includes 10 funded 3-year-olds and 1 funded 4-year-old. The setting supports children with special needs and those for whom speak English is an additional language.

p.2

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 The group opens five days a week all year round, except for Bank Holidays. Sessions are from 07:30 until 18:00. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are fourteen full-time and part-time staff working with the children. Over two thirds of the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level 2 or 3, with a third currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. The setting receives support from a teacher mentor from the local authority.

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children stay healthy as staff follow current and appropriate environmental health and hygiene guidelines. Written policies and procedures are consistently implemented and support children's overall health and welfare, though an aspect of confidentiality needs addressing. The most effective procedures are the children's and staff's own personal hygiene. The children learn about the importance of personal hygiene through discussions and the daily routines. They understand that soap must be used when washing hands and teeth are cleaned after main meals. However these routines can be undermined by several minor elements within the setting in relation to storage and maintenance of equipment. Children are adequately nourished during the day and receive sufficient quantities of food for their needs. Individual children's preferences are adhered to and for younger babies their individual routines are carried out. The children enjoy well presented,

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

varied and nutritious meals and snacks throughout the day. They learn about healthy eating to support a healthy lifestyle as fresh fruit and vegetables are provided daily. Water is accessible to the pre-school children and drinks are offered regularly to younger children. Children are developing well within the aspect of physical play. Within the nursery education they have daily opportunities to use large equipment outdoors and engage in music and movement programmes that facilitate their abilities to move with purpose and direction. The children move with control and coordination, for example, a child bends down to fit his body inside a low tunnel and then unfurls and climbs some small steps before going down a smaller slide. The children enjoy moving around independently and have opportunities to climb, slide, jump and twist. They travel over, under, through; balance and climb well and are able to ask for staff

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

support when unsure or when they reach their limits. Younger children benefit from staff’s knowledge of sports programmes to develop their basic skills such as jumping, hopping and ball skills. They are developing confidence in their abilities as they grasp equipment such as hoops, balls and beanbags. These they use to throw, aim and balance. They jump, skip and hop along road ways and paths and are beginning to understand about spatial awareness as they follow others.

p.3

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 The provision is good. The children are cared for a in a bright, well maintained and welcoming environment. Each age group has a base room with consistent staff and gain a sense of belonging as their art work and photographs of themselves are displayed around the setting. Consideration has been given to how the available space is organised to support the younger children's play and learning. The outdoor area has been designed to enable the children to use it throughout the year and they benefit greatly from this outdoor play. The younger children are able to access a range of resources independently, whilst the pre-school children are involved in some decisions about which equipment to use. The children use a good range of safe, good quality, developmentally appropriate activities.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Older children's risk of accidental injury is minimised through excellent safety and security precautions, such as an intercom system on the front door and safety gates restricting access to the stairs. They are beginning to understand how to keep themselves safe, as staff explain safe practices and children are fully involved in fire evacuations and road safety discussions. This awareness is developed through topics such as Bonfire Night, when children discuss respecting fire works and talk about how they can pass on the safety message. Children's overall safety is supported by consistent risk assessments and staff's daily checks of rooms and the garden. Staff are fully informed and have a good knowledge of the policies and procedures for health and safety within the setting, which are consistently implemented. Children are protected from potential abuse and neglect as the person with responsibility for child protection issues shows a good understanding of the

p.4

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

procedures to follow if there are concerns regarding a child. Policies and procedures are clear and enable staff to report concerns immediately through correct channels.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. The babies receive lots of cuddles from caring staff, who respond well to their non-verbal communication and give positive responses to them. Their sense of well-being is supported as routines are consistent with their individual needs. They explore and experience sounds, colours and textures of manufactured toys which provide stimulation and interest. Children between the ages of one and three are developing relationships with their carers. They play happily with support from staff and enjoy using resources such as puzzles, games and small world toys, suitable to their age and stage of development. Staff are beginning to use the Birth to three matters framework to plan a range of activities for the young children. Exploration with paint, dough and sand enables the children to represent their feelings in a variety of ways, though these can be repetitively planned, as can creative activities where a lot of emphasis is on use of

p.4

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 Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. The children are making consistent progress towards the early learning goals as the pre-school leader has suitable knowledge of the Foundation Stage. Planning and assessment link into the appropriate stepping stones, though information gained from assessment is not evidenced to be used to support individual children's future learning. Planning does not show any differentiation between the 3 and 4 year old children's expectations of learning and how the teaching will be adapted. On occasions older and more confident children monopolise conversations and staff's attention and teaching can be adult-led as children sit around a large table for long periods. A strength in the teaching is the use of open questions which successfully challenge the children's

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

thinking and reasoning skills. Children have many opportunities to acknowledge that print has meaning. On a regular basis they look at local newspapers and discuss events in the locality of the nursery. They decide which story they like best, such as the firework display and stick this into their community book. From this the children also gain a good sense of belonging and understanding about the world around them. This is supported as they learn about different cultural festivals such as Diwali, try new foods and learn about traditional dress. Within the setting the children's sense of belonging is fostered as they identify their own names at the start of the session and make decisions about the activities during the day. Ben the bear links their learning to home and the children enjoy hearing about his adventures with their friends. The children regularly look at books and even young children know which way the

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

pages turn and that they read left to right. The children use picture clues to help tell the stories. They enjoy listening to stories read to them and join in by guessing what happens next, this supports their ability to think and reason for themselves. The older children are very confident in conversing in whole groups, they retell events that have happened to them including Ben the bear stories and answer questions posed. They make marks through a variety of mediums such as paint and sand. Many can write their names independently with recognisable letter formations. Many of the children know the initial letter sound of their name, with older children linking them to words such as I for igloo. The children use some mathematical language within play such as counting up to ten when playing hide and seek and when singing number rhymes. Their awareness of time is developed as they learn about the different seasons, months of the year, days

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

of the week and dates. They enjoy showing what they know as they shout out guesses as shapes are drawn. The children can recognise shapes within the environment, such as a heart-shaped leaf. Although staff enable children to lead conversations and discussions these skills are not fully developed through role play and craft activities. For example, Diwali cards decorated were templates which the children coloured in and they had specific materials to use for collage. This limits children's own imaginative and creative development. Role play is limited to a home corner setting in a separate room and does not enable the children to act out new learning, express themselves freely or initiate aspects of their own play.

p.5

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

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children and their families are welcomed into the setting. Children are valued and respected by caring staff who recognise their individual lifestyles and routines. The children gain a sense of belonging as their work is labelled and displayed and they have base rooms with consistent staff. For the children receiving nursery education their sense of belonging is extended well into the local community as they reflect upon issues in the locality through newspapers. Topics such as people who help us also give them an insight into the importance of roles and working together. The children's awareness of diversity within the wider society is positively promoted through a range of experiences planned in the education provision, such as celebrating a variety of festivals throughout the year. The children are generally well behaved and polite in response to the expectations of staff. Children's self-esteem and confidence are developed as staff show interest and

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

value in them. Younger children are supported in their social skills, such as sharing and taking turns. Children receiving nursery education have responsibilities and make decisions within the daily routines, which helps them to learn how to negotiate and reason. Children's understanding of right and wrong is increased as staff positively praise and encourage good behaviour. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The partnership with parents is good and ensures that children receive consistent care. The parents receive extensive information regarding the facilities on offer and time is made by the provider to meet and discuss any issues with parents. They are involved within the life of the setting as they are invited to open days and parents evenings with their views and opinions being sought on the service provided. They gain information regarding the children's achievements throughout their care as they

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

see children's development folders and receive daily activity sheets. Ben the bear goes home with pre-school children and provides an opportunity for the parents to link into aspects of their child's social development.

p.6

Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children's care is supported overall by the organisation and satisfactory leadership and management of the nursery education. The children benefit from qualified staff who show their commitment to improving practice through on-going training. Induction processes ensure that policies and procedures throughout the nursery are shared and staff implement most consistently. Recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that children are well protected and cared for by staff with knowledge and understanding of child development. Procedures ensure that staff have suitable qualifications and experience to undertake their roles. The nursery education and care provided are monitored and improvement sought through parental views, advice from appropriate agencies and through the completion of an accredited quality assurance scheme. The appraisal system

p.6

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 completed by staff aids in identifying areas for improvement within training needs and currently staff are booked onto relevant courses. Staff plan an appropriate range of activities for the children using their appropriate knowledge of the Foundation Stage and Birth to three matters curriculum. Children's achievements are sufficiently recorded throughout the nursery, though the knowledge gained from assessment is not effectively used to further plan individual children's future learning. The lack of an effective key worker system being implemented throughout the nursery impacts on the children's care as no one consistent person monitors their overall learning and development. The premises are organised to meet overall children's care within the relevant age groups. Sessions for the pre-school children however, can be disturbed as any visitor

p.6

Organisation

to the setting must pass through this area. Attendance systems do not reflect children's actual times of attendance and some staff records are incomplete. Staff are caring and generally support the children well in their play. There is a relaxed atmosphere throughout the nursery and the children have a sense of belonging within their groups. This means that, overall the needs of the range of children who attend are met.

p.7

Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection it was recommended that the setting improve practice by devising and implementing a lost and uncollected child procedure and that staff have appropriate hand drying facilities. Children's safety has been improved as the setting has put into place a written procedure for children who are lost or uncollected. Staff's hand drying facilities limit the spread of infection as paper hand towels are now used throughout the nursery.

p.7

Complaints since the last inspection

Since April 2004 there have been four complaints reported to Ofsted. These concerns relate to National Standard 2: Organisation, National Standard 7: Health, National Standard 11: Behaviour and National Standard 12: Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers. Ofsted required the registered provider to ensure all accidents were recorded. Ofsted is satisfied and the provider remains qualified for registration. 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.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.7

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 care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

p.8

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): • expand opportunities for children under 3 years to experience a wider variety of explorative and free creative experiences and child-led activities, which are supported by a cohesive planning and assessment procedure • introduce an effective key worker system • ensure staff and children' s attendance is accurately recorded

p.8

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): • ensure that activities are appropriate for the different ages and abilities of children attending, they are clearly planned in learning outcomes and implemented consistently • develop the assessment procedure to evidence children's ongoing achievements and link this within the planning for individual children ensuring that learning outcomes are clearly shown • extend children's individual learning by enabling them to initiate more aspects of their own learning, by accessing resources independently and encouraging more opportunities for free play and ensuring a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities, particularly within creative development.

p.8

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

p.8

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

p.8