Bright Horizons Hendon Day Nursery and Preschool

Asquith Nursery - Hendon

Inspection report for early years provision

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Asquith Nursery - Hendon

Unique Reference Number EY286575 Inspection date 18 November 2005 Inspector Pauline Nazarkardeh

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Asquith Nursery - Hendon

Setting Address 46 Allington Road, Hendon, London, NW4 3DE

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Asquith Nursery - Hendon

Telephone number 0208 203 9020 E-mail Hendon@Asquithcourt.co.uk Registered person Asquith Court Nurseries Limited Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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Asquith Nursery - Hendon

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?

Asquith Court, Hendon was registered in 2004 as an existing nursery. It is one of the chain of nurseries operated by Asquith Court Nurseries Limited. The nursery operates from a converted semi-detached premises and has 4 groups organised by children's age. It is situated in a residential area in the London Borough of Barnet. The group operates 5 days per week for 51 weeks of the year between the hours of 08.00 to 18.00.

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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 Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 102 children on roll. Of these, 19 children receive funding for nursery education. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and a number of children who speak English as an additional language. There are currently 24 staff employed to work at the Nursery. The manager and over half of the staff hold appropriate early years qualifications. A further 4 staff are in process of gaining a qualification. The nursery also employs a cook who holds a Food and Hygiene certificate. The setting receives support from an advisory worker from the Early Years Childcare Partnership.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children enjoy healthy meals and snacks and are given opportunities to have a variety of fruit and vegetables in their diet. Staff are aware of the children's individual dietary requirements which are displayed in the play rooms and in the kitchen. Children are able to independently help themselves to drinks when they are thirsty. Children’s wellbeing is positively promoted and supported by the very clear and comprehensive written policies and procedures. There are 10 members of staff who hold current first aid certificates and comprehensive arrangements are in place for accidents and administering medication. Children are protected from unnecessary illness as they do not attend when they are infectious. Children are learning good hygiene practices as staff maintain good levels of hygiene throughout the nursery. For example, hand washing before meals and after using the

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Helping children to be healthy

toilet. There are good procedures in place for nappy changing in order to prevent cross-infection. Children have some opportunities to enjoy fresh air and exercise in the small outdoor play area. However, there is little planning for this and not all of the space is utilized fully in order to develop children's physical skills. Arrangements have been put in place for walking babies to access the outdoor area, however younger babies' access to the outdoor play area is limited. Children are developing their physical skills when participating in indoor activities, for example action songs. Children are developing good fine manipulative skills as they cut out, draw and sort objects. They are learning about healthy living during various activities and themes. Children's wellbeing is protected and supported by the clear and comprehensive written policies and procedures which are in place.

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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 The provision is good. Children are made to feel welcome in this very child-friendly environment. Staff greet children on arrival and they provide a range of interesting and stimulating activities. There is a good range of clean, well maintained furniture and equipment to meet the children's individual needs such as, child-size furniture and shelving. Children are very safe and secure on the premises because staff place a strong emphasis on their wellbeing. For example, good risk assessments and thorough safety policies and procedures are in place. Children are well supervised as staff are deployed effectively. Children's welfare is safeguarded as the staff keep up-to-date on their knowledge and understanding of child protection. Good policies and procedures are in place in

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

the event of suspected abuse or an allegation against staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and content during their time spent at the nursery. They play either by themselves or alongside their peers. Relationships are established, children are very caring of each other and have good trusting relationships with the staff. Children's learning is enhanced due to effective staff interaction at times such as small group discussions. Children are familiar with the staff and the routines that are in place. They are confident to approach staff for support and are able to express their needs or concerns without any hesitation. This helps them to feel secure and confident. Children are able to make decisions about what they would like to do next and the playrooms and resources are organised to ensure this. Children's art work is valued. There are many displays throughout the nursery, this contributes to their sense of belonging and a feeling of self-worth. Nursery Education

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children have very good opportunities to experience a wide range of interesting topics. They independently select their own resources which contributes to them being confident learners. They communicate very well and share their ideas and experiences, for example talking about their home life. Children try to find their name when the come into the room at the beginning of the session and this results in many children recognising their own names and those of other children. Children confidently attempt to write and sound letters during their play. Meal times are a social occasion were children and staff sit together. The children are relaxed and pour their drinks. However there are no opportunities for children to be involved in the organisation of this time of day or to serve their food. As a result

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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 children do not develop their self-help skills and show less independence during lunch time. Children are given opportunity to express themselves creatively, for example they have recently been involved in creating an apartment in the role play area. Children's mathematical knowledge is very good. Within practical activities they can problem solve and identify mistakes. There are extensive activities which develop and extend their learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are confident and have opportunities to develop independence in their play. They are able to make informed choices such as selecting resources for themselves. Children receive good individual care because their needs and circumstances are well known to the staff. Children are encouraged and supported well to participate in all activities through the warm and positive language used by staff. Children have an awareness of the wider community through planned topics, positive role models and the use of resources. This contributes to children developing a positive image of others and experiencing a welcoming environment. Children with special needs are welcome. The ethos of the setting emphasises the importance of providing an environment in which all children are supported to reach their full potential. Children are happy and are learning to co-operative in the care of the staff. They

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Helping children make a positive contribution

respond well when they receive praise and recognition which reinforces their good behaviour. Children have a growing awareness of themselves and generally staff value their thoughts, feelings and contributions. This enables children to relay their fears or express their needs to staff without any hesitation. Partnership with parents is good. Children's sense of security and belonging is fostered through the working partnership between staff and parents. This results in children forming a close and trusting relationship with the staff team. Children benefit from the regular exchange of information between staff and their parents. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered appropriately.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are familiar with the routines that are in place to help them settle quickly and feel secure. They initiate their own learning as they are able to access resources and activities that are well organised. Consequently, there are many opportunities for children to be engaged in purposeful play.

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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 management of care enables children to understand the importance of how to keep themselves safe and healthy. The setting has a commitment to ongoing training and staff are encouraged to continue developing their professional knowledge and expertise. The person in charge has been able to identify areas of weaknesses within the provision and has an action plan in place for many of these. Children benefit from the systems in place which ensures that staff and parents are kept up-to-date with the required policies and procedures. Leadership and Management of the setting is good. The staff team are very clear about their roles and responsibilities and work closely to meet the individual needs of children. Systems for observing and planning of activities are in the process of being changed. Staff show a commitment to this

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Organisation

change which means that all planning is a result of direct observations of the children. However these observations are not dated and the system for assessment and reporting on children's development are not linked to the Foundation Stage Curriculum. Staff use their initiative and there is a strong commitment to professional development. The children benefit immensely from the good team work. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since 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.

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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 MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

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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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): • provide children with more opportunities in order to promote their physical development

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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): • extend on the opportunities provided to develop and extend on children's independence and self help skills • strengthen the system for reporting on children's progress by ensuring that all observations are dated and that assessments and reports are linked to the Foundation Stage Curriculum's areas of learning.

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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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