Good as Gold Child Care Centre

Good as Gold Child Care Centre Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 309630 Inspection date 21/05/2010 Inspector Susan Elaine Heap

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Setting address Gaghills House, Gaghills Road, Rossendale, Lancashire, BB4 9BB Telephone number 01706 216763 Email 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 . 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: 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

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

Good as Gold Childcare Centre is run by a partnership and opened in 1996. It operates from six rooms in a converted building and is situated in Waterfoot, Rossendale. A maximum of 49 children may attend the nursery at any one time. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm and is closed for one week at Christmas and all bank holidays.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 49 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 64 children, aged from birth to under five years, on roll. The nursery provides funded early education for three and four-year-olds.

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Description of the setting

There are 12 members of staff, 11 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications, with a National Vocational Qualification at level 2 or above. The manager has a BA Honours degree in Early Childhood Studies and has Early Years Practitioner Status. There are three support staff.

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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

The staff have a strong level of understanding of each child's individual needs, routines and abilities, which enables them to effectively promote children's learning and welfare. Children are safe and secure and, in the main, access a good range of resources, toys and equipment which offer challenge and interest. Most aspects of partnership working are good and strong links are developed with parents, schools and other professionals to ensure children receive any additional support they require. The manager and the staff have begun the process of self-evaluation to ensure priorities for development and improvement are successfully identified, many of these have already been successfully completed.

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further?

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

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further?

 implement a system to monitor and evaluate the successful delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage  develop ways of encouraging parents to share their observations of their children's activities and interests to help inform future planning for their individual needs  improve opportunities for younger children to explore and learn in a challenging outdoor environment. 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 well safeguarded because the staff have a secure understanding of their role in child protection procedures and these are shared with parents. Robust measures are taken to ensure all staff undergo the necessary vetting procedures and there are well-organised systems in place to promote the role of the key person. These successfully promote children's sense of safety and security. Induction processes ensure that all the staff have a secure understanding of the setting's policies and procedures, particularly with regard to safeguarding and first aid. Staff are deployed well throughout the setting, enabling children to benefit from good levels of care and support, from staff who interact warmly with them and have a secure understanding of their individual needs.

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the early years provision

Most aspects of partnership working with parents are very successful, such as identifying children's starting points and sharing information about children's activities verbally on a daily basis. Parents comment positively on the quality of care and learning and the way information about their children's progress is shared. Photographic evidence is displayed of children engaged in their play and show how the activities link to the six areas of learning and successfully bring children's learning experiences to life. Newsletters are sent home at the beginning of each new topic and staff formally share their written observations and planned activities for individual children at regular intervals. Systems, to fully involve parents in sharing their children's progress and contributing to their learning and development, are not yet in fully developed. Staff work effectively with parents and external agencies to ensure children's individual needs are met, which means that

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the early years provision

inclusion is fully reflected in practice. Close liaison with the local schools ensures that children are given opportunities to meet their new teachers in the nursery setting. This enables children to feel safe and confident and build new relationships in a safe and comfortable environment, in preparation for the time of transition.

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the early years provision

The manager has recently completed a BA (Honours) degree in Early Childhood Studies and achieved Early Years Practitioner Status. As a result of her studies, she has been proactive in identifying areas for improvement along with the staff and with support from the local authority development worker. As a result, the setting is currently working towards Lancashire County Council's quality assurance award. Positive steps have been taken to enhance children's learning opportunities. This has been achieved through the reorganisation of all the children's rooms and the outdoor area for preschool children, the purchase of additional resources to support continuous play provision and natural materials for the younger children. Plans for the future are well targeted to improve outcomes for children. Resources are of a good standard and are readily available, with the exception of a lack of opportunities for the younger children to enjoy challenging and interesting

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the early years provision

activities in the outdoor area. Recommendations from the last inspection have been successfully acted upon and have improved children's safety and the organisation of documentation. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy their time at the setting and benefit from positive learning opportunities. Effective use of the key person system ensures that individual children's progress is purposefully monitored, ensuring the next steps in their learning are identified and addressed; for example, staff are conscious of ways to develop children's concentration by offering experiences which challenge and interest them, such as setting out musical toys or stacking bricks and beakers. The observation, planning and assessment systems are robust and successfully link children's individual interests to the six areas of learning and show a good balance of adult and child-initiated activities. All the staff demonstrate a secure understanding of these systems. As a result, children are making good progress in their learning. However, systems to monitor and evaluate the successful delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage, through ensuring that all staff thoroughly

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and outcomes for children

engage with children in their activities, are in the early stages of development

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and outcomes for children

Children learn about healthy lifestyles through the consistent daily routines which encourage good practice, such as cleaning their teeth before and after meals. They learn self-help skills, portion control and to recognise their own needs, as they serve themselves at meal times or refresh themselves with fresh drinking water when playing in the outdoor environment. All children relish the home-cooked food that is served, which results in clean plates and many children asking for second helpings. Children have their own terraced vegetable garden where they grow their own strawberries, lettuce, potatoes and carrots. Through this, they learn to care for living things and the food chain. They water them each day, pick them when they are ready, and then wash and prepare them for lunch or tea. All children have access to fresh air and exercise on a daily basis, using a variety of physical equipment. Pre-school children move with balance and control, stopping and

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and outcomes for children

starting or going in reverse as they race each other on bikes around the gazebo, while the youngest children enjoy the slide or sit-and-ride toys.

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and outcomes for children

Children show that they feel safe and move around confidently and with ease in their surroundings. They follow simple instructions to keep themselves safe as they help to tidy up and know they have to wear a sun hat ' because of the sunshine, to keep my head cool'. The learning environment is welcoming, colourful and attractive to the children, with colourful displays of their artwork and photographs throughout the setting. Children are engrossed in their activities as they play with rolling pins, cutters and play dough, or concentrate as they measure and pour water using a variety of tools and equipment. They play cooperatively together with members of staff, sharing and taking turns as they play a card game. Younger children display interest and curiosity as they hide play dough in a visitors book, revisiting it to check it is still there and correctly naming the colour of the book, pen and play dough. Pre-school children demonstrate a very good knowledge of

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and outcomes for children

number and colour recognition as they listen to a story and take great delight in having the story read to them again and again, joining in with repeated phrases.

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and outcomes for children

Children are learning about their community and the wider world because the staff plan activities to help children to become aware of festivals, such as Saint George's This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Day and Eid, and key phrases are displayed in other languages, such as Urdu, Punjabi or Bengali. Children recently took part in the May Day celebrations in the local community by dancing around the maypole. They take great delight in pointing to the photographs which are on display in the hallway, recognising themselves, their friends or their brothers and sisters. Children become aware of the needs of others by being given clear, straightforward explanations about why certain behaviour is not acceptable. As a result, children are very well behaved and receive lots of positive encouragement through verbal praise, clapping of hands and smiles for their achievements, such as when children fit pieces correctly into a

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and outcomes for children

shape sorter. Babies and toddlers are given lots of reassurance and cuddles when visitors are present or when they are tired, which develops their sense of security and well being. 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 2 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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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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