Heathside Day Nursery

Heathside Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 303439 Inspection date 09/06/2010 Inspector Susan Patricia Birkenhead

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Setting address Heath Road South, Weston, Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 4QR

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Telephone number 01928 560243 Email network.nurseries@lineone.net 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

Heathside Day Nursery was registered in 1998. The nursery operates from purpose built premises situated in the village of Weston, Runcorn. It is one of six day care settings privately owned by Network Nurseries Limited. Children are cared for within five rooms located at ground floor level and share access to a large enclosed outdoor play area. A maximum of 42 children aged from birth to eight years may attend the setting at any one time. The setting is open five days a week from 7.45am to 6pm, 51 weeks of the year. Children attend from the local community and surrounding areas.

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Description of the setting

There are currently 38 children on roll aged from six months to five years, of whom 38 are within the early years age group and 11 receive funding for nursery education. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and on both parts of the Childcare Register. The setting employs seven members of staff including the manager. All staff are qualified to level 3 in early years and the manager is qualified to level 5. In addition, the setting employs a chef and a cleaner. The setting receives support from the local authority early years consultant.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The nursery provides a suitably welcoming and inclusive environment where children are happy, secure and settle well. Staff work effectively as a team to ensure the welfare, learning and development requirements of the individual children are appropriately met, consequently, they make steady progress towards the early learning goals. Effective procedures ensure good relationships between parents, carers and outside agencies are maintained, which significantly contributes to the children's care and learning. In addition, the effective systems developed with other settings that children attend complement the delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage and promote a consistent approach to their care. The management team demonstrates a positive commitment to the continuous development of the nursery practices through their effective approach to self- evaluation.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve the daily record of children's attendance to consistently reflect the children's key-workers  develop further the planning, observation and assessment records to clearly reflect differentiation in children's learning according to their ability, outline their next steps and make sure entries are linked to the areas of learning  extend opportunities outdoors to further develop children's learning during This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 outdoor play and increase experiences and resources for children to learn about diversity, with particular reference to disability  make safe the blinds in the baby room to ensure the cords do not present a hazard to babies in the cot.

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the early years provision

Children are positively safeguarded because the majority of staff attend basic safeguarding training and demonstrate a suitable understanding of the procedures to follow for reporting concerns. The necessary written policies underpin the appropriate practices and include safeguarding and complaints, which are shared with parents. Robust recruitment procedures ensure the suitability of all staff employed. Good systems to ensure children’s safety include the regularly reviewed, comprehensive risk assessments and the daily checks staff complete. In addition, risks to children are generally minimised using various safety equipment, such as finger shields to doors. However, the cord attached to the blinds in the baby sleep room hangs close to the cot. Staff recognise this poses a risk and explain the cot in question is not used. All staff hold early years qualifications and are committed to attending additional training to develop their skills and promote better outcomes

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the early years provision

The management team lead the completion of the informative self-evaluation form actively involving staff, parents and older children. Details recorded clearly outline current practice and reflect their effective approach and commitment to the continuous development of the nursery. All staff value the advice and guidance they receive from the early years consultant and the manager attends local cluster meetings, therefore providing additional opportunities for reflection. Further developments within the nursery have involved addressing all the recommendations raised at the previous inspection. Therefore, improvements to learning and development, safety, documentation, deployment of staff and equipment promote better outcomes for children. All required documentation that contributes to the safe and efficient operation of the nursery is well organised and overall consistently maintained. However, the children's daily attendance records

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the early years provision

kept in the group rooms do not always outline their key-workers.

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the early years provision

Good relationships develop with parents and various initiatives for them to become involved in the setting are developing well. The parents' forum recently introduced enables them to share their opinions and become involved in developing nursery practices. Many value the opportunity to become involved in their children's learning by attending regular parent evenings and completing the post meeting questionnaire which contributes to their child's learning journeys termly. They take part in fund raising events to raise money for various charities, such as, the Meningitis Trust, which are a feature of the open days arranged. The newsletters parents receive make them aware of changes and events within the setting. A wealth of information is on display in the entrance as well as the children's group rooms. Parents receive written and verbal feedback on their child's well-being daily. The implementation of the communication diaries, which go between the

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the early years provision

nursery and other provisions children attend provide a positive link to ensure This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 continuity of care and complement the delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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and outcomes for children

Children are positively welcomed into the setting on arrival as the staff and their friends within their group greet them. Their sense of belonging is effectively promoted and through the good level of displays, which reflect a strong emphasis on self-expression, children's achievements are recognised and shared. Staff are sensitive to children who may be upset on arrival or dependant on staff to meet their physical and emotional needs. They provide comfort, reassurance and recognise their needs for rest and sleep accordingly. The nursery staff positively support, challenge and extend the children's learning through the suitable balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities they provide. Consequently, children become active in their learning. They are confident in the consistent processes for planning, which is suitably linked to the children's individual interests and areas of learning. However, planning records do not clearly identify differentiation in

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and outcomes for children

learning for children of different abilities. Numerous observations, both spontaneous and more focused contribute to the children's learning journeys, which are supported by photographic evidence. However, not all entries are consistently linked to the areas of learning or clearly outline children's next steps. The all about me records incorporate an account of the children's starting points, therefore providing a baseline from which to monitor progress. Key-workers complete summative assessments, which provide an effective overview of individual children's developmental progress towards the early learning goals. Parents have access to their child's learning journey during parents' evenings and are encouraged to view them at any other time of their choice. Themes are also used to stimulate interest, such as, travel and sport.

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and outcomes for children

The children enjoy typical outdoor physical activities such as riding bikes, climbing, playing with bats and balls and observing insects with care. However, opportunities to maximise children's learning outdoors is not fully explored, which the manager recognises as an area for future development. Children have access to the good deployment of resources which enable them to select resources for themselves, therefore promoting some independence in their play. Children of all ages develop a keen interest in books, as they are accessible to them in the different group rooms. They select books independently as well as listen and interact with interest to stories the staff tell and some recognise stories they enjoy. Children begin to give meaning to the marks they make as the pictures they create are annotated by staff. Older children learn to recognise letters and sounds as they independently copy words or use dots staff draw to form words to label their creative work on

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and outcomes for children

display. They enjoy singing and have opportunities to talk with staff and each other in small and larger groups, which build their confidence and promote skills in communication. Children are making suitable progress in their understanding of number, shape and size and enjoy using their knowledge in a variety of activities. For example, a young child spontaneously refers to the 'two' bats she picks up outdoors, older children recognise the Giraffe in the story has four legs when asked and recognise they need one more cup when setting the table. Children This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 begin to develop an awareness of technology as the older children use the computer and young children learn how to operate interactive resources. Many activities using a wide range of different media enable children of all ages to explore their senses and develop their creativity and imagination. Young children

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and outcomes for children

enjoy the introduction of more natural materials through the treasure baskets and can explore their environment which contributes to the development of their mobility. All activities suitably contribute to the development of children's future skills.

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and outcomes for children

Young children indicate they feel safe by holding out their arms to familiar staff for comfort when they are tired or upset. Children learn to keep themselves safe as staff outline hazards to children and the consequences of their actions and they practise fire evacuation regularly. Older children confidently explain they feel safe at the nursery 'because my friends are here'. They develop a positive understanding of personal hygiene from a young age through the daily routines, which includes brushing their teeth. Older children recall 'we wash our hands before lunch and use soap to make them clean and get rid of the germs’. When asked they recall that 'germs can make you sick'. The rotating summer or winter menus reflect the provision of a healthy, balanced diet children receive, which includes fresh fruit and vegetables daily. Children have regular access to drinking water during their stay through the provision of labelled water bottles or drinking

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and outcomes for children

beakers appropriate for their age and stage of development. Meal times provide opportunities for the children to suitably develop some self-help skills and promote independence. For example, older children competently serve their own meals, whilst babies learn to feed themselves using a spoon. Children have access to some resources and activities to promote diversity and acknowledge cultural differences. However, the manager recognises this as an area of further development, with particular emphasis on disability awareness. Positive techniques for the effective management of children’s behaviour foster the development of their self-esteem and confidence. Children share resources and older children use sand timers for some activities to develop their understanding of turn taking. As a result, children behave well. 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 3 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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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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