St Mary's College

Honeycroft Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 130746 Inspection date 26/05/2010 Inspector Chris Mackinnon

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Setting address St. Barnabas Hall, Sackville Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 3WF Telephone number 01273 220323 Email marion.silsby@googlemail.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 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as 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

Children only attend this setting before and/or after the school day and/or during the school holidays. The judgements in this report reflect the quality of early years provision offered to children during those periods.

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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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

Honeycroft opened in 1993 and is located in a community centre in the Sackville Road area of Brighton and Hove. The setting provides full day care, with before and after school childcare facilities, including a summer play scheme. Children use a large hall with a separate sensory room and indoor soft-play area. Children also have access to a safe and secure outdoor play area. The day care provision is open five days a week from 8:00am to 6.00pm for 50 weeks a year.

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Description of the setting

A maximum of 59 children may attend, aged under eight years, with no more than 12 aged under two years. Up to 59 children may attend in the early years age group. The setting currently has 97 children on roll, with 63 in the early years age group. The setting is in receipt of funding for nursery education.

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Description of the setting

The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children with English as an additional language. There is a staff team of 12 and nearly all have early years qualifications, and one staff member has completed Early Years Professional Status training.

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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

The setting is highly successful in its organisation of childcare, with qualified and experienced staff, providing excellent support for children's welfare and development. A highly stimulating play environment is provided, offering many challenging play opportunities, including access to a wide range of resources and materials. Children enjoy a planned learning programme, and excellent staff teaching, successfully supports children's progress and achievement. The setting has established close partnerships with other carers, and parents are effectively included in their children's progress and development. The setting has established the use of self-evaluation, and staff demonstrate a strong commitment to improvement and maintaining high standards.

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further?

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

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further?

 developing the organisation of self-evaluation to more fully reflect the setting's support for improvement

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the early years provision

The setting is highly consistent in its organisation of leadership and management, and shows a strong commitment to providing good quality child care. The staff This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 team are experienced and well trained. Nearly all the practitioners hold level three childcare qualifications, and one leading staff member has completed early years professional status. The organisation of the childcare and learning programme is outstanding and well maintained. As demonstrated by the management's successful engagement with a range of learning initiatives and quality assurance programmes, to ensure the continued support for children's welfare and development. The organisation of safeguarding within the setting, is highly effective. Staff are vigilant and well organised in their safety procedures. Consistent record keeping and comprehensive risk assessment, also ensures

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the early years provision

The setting has many strengths, and the most notable is the provision of a highly stimulating and well prepared play environment. Children are encouraged to explore, and are given many opportunities to create, and invent their own games and activities. The setting takes full advantage of its spacious indoor hall to promote free-flow learning. The setting has another significant strength in its highly skilled staff team, and regular support from a trained early years teacher, to ensure the play programme meets all the children's learning needs. The nursery also takes particular care in providing a wide and attractive range of play items and learning resources, which are highly successful in engaging children's interest and challenging their skills and abilities.

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the early years provision

The setting staff show a high level of consistency and confidence in their promotion of equality and diversity. Children are frequently provided with activities and play themes based on other countries. Children have music and featured play sessions involving food and dressing-up, to help them learn about other cultures. The setting's play environment also provides a rich selection of cultural and diversity based play resources, including many visual materials. Specifically planned and inclusive play activities supports children's awareness of other cultural backgrounds, and successfully introduces children to peoples differences. The staff team are also highly effectively in their support diversity learning, and are able to provide teaching and guidance for children in Polish and Arabic.

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the early years provision

The setting management and staff show confidence and dedication with their use and application of reflective practice. A strong commitment to improvement is evident within the nursery, with the maintenance of a well established programme of further training, and clear management goals in place to support future play provision. The setting has several in-built evaluation mechanisms within its organisation, particularly through its key person working and quality reviews. However, the Ofsted self-evaluation document that has been produced, does not fully reflect the depth and consistency of the setting's support for improvement, and is noted as an area for further development.

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the early years provision

The setting is highly effective in working within its local care community and takes a close interest in all carers who have contact with the children attending. The setting's partnership with parents is also highly organised, with a member of staff in place to oversee parental contact and consultation. Parents have frequent access to their children's key staff to review progress and learn about the play programme. Parents also have access to clear and detailed information on their This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children's learning and development. Staff are strong in their support for parents and families needs, and welcome their contributions to the learning programme.

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and outcomes for children

The promotion of children's enjoying and achieving is highly effective within the setting and is judged as outstanding. All elements of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework are fully explored. Staff maintain an excellently planned and stimulating programme of activities that is based on periodical learning themes, and well presented play initiatives. The planning also successfully supports and includes individual children's interests, and takes into consideration children's home and family experiences.

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and outcomes for children

The inclusion of all the six areas of learning within the play programme is thorough, and staff are highly consistent with their teaching and support for children's individual development. The setting staff also show significant strengths, with their own skills and areas of expertise, such the promotion of problem solving, computer based learning and expressive role play and story making. Staff also maintain a well established key person system that ensures individual children's learning is thoroughly monitored and promoted. A highly organised and comprehensive system is in place to observe and assess children's achievement. Input from a trained early years teacher, and an early years professions status practitioner, ensures the tracking of children's achievements is a strong and consistent element within the setting's programme. Clear and detailed written records, photos and learning journals are also in place, that are highly effective in

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and outcomes for children

helping staff and parents identify children's next steps in their learning.

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and outcomes for children

The nursery pays close attention to promoting children's healthy growth and development. Staff consistently support children's awareness of cleanliness and children's hygiene and personal care is well organised within the setting. The nursery is also highly successful in promoting children's awareness of healthy foods. Staff use snack and meal times to promote children's social skills, and children enjoy the challenge of tasting new and different foods. Children also engage in frequent physical activity and have many opportunities to develop confidence and skills in the setting's indoor climbing wall and scramble net. The nursery has a clear and highly organised range of procedures to maintain security and keep children safe, including a thumb print entry system. Key staff are allocated to oversee the welfare of individual children, and ensure they feel welcome and supported. The organisation of risk assessment is also highly

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and outcomes for children

organised and thorough, and staff are vigilant in ensuring children play safely, particularly when using larger play equipment.

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and outcomes for children

The setting's promotion of children's future learning is exemplary. Children benefit greatly from the staff's consistency in the use of questions and guidance to extend learning. This is particularly evident with language and literacy. Staff have recently initiated a speech development programme and children are encouraged to talk and communicate their ideas and wishes effectively. Children's use of language also benefits from frequent shared role play, and acting out stories with dolls and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 puppets. The setting's play programme is highly effective in supporting children's understanding of shapes, sizes and numbers. Staff provide many good problem solving challenges with scales, measuring activities complex puzzles. Children's creative development and imaginative skills are highly promoted, with many art craft projects encouraged in the setting's extensive 'making area'. Children are

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and outcomes for children

given wide scope to be expressive, with dressing up and children's experience of music and exploration of sounds is excellent. Children successfully build structures and organise their own games during a high level of child led play. Children also benefit greatly from many opportunities to adapt and combine play resources, which successfully develops their imaginative skills and use of materials. Children's knowledge and understanding of the world is also effectively included in the activities, with outdoor play, nature learning and projects that explore the children's local environment.

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and outcomes for children

Much excellent support is provided for children's personal and social development. Children develop a highly consistent awareness of the need to play cooperatively, which is evident during their role play and when using small world play materials. The staff take a close interest in ensuring children learn to share and cooperate. This is particularly strong during group learning sessions, where children are encouraged to listen, and take turns. Staff also provide specific learning activities using puppets and story books, to develop children's understanding of feelings and their awareness of others. 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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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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