St. Gabriels Nursery

St. Gabriels Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 319303 Inspection date 12/07/2010 Inspector Janet Fairhurst

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Setting address Chillingham Road, Heaton, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE6 5SH Telephone number 01912 765 909 Email st.gabriels@nursery2002.fsnet.co.uk 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

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

St Gabriel's Nursery has been registered since 1996. It is owned by Kid 'n' Play Nurseries Limited and operates from a two storey building in Heaton, an urban area of Newcastle. Children are grouped according to their age and use three rooms on the ground floor and three rooms on the first floor. The babies and toddlers are cared for on the ground floor. Older children are cared for on the first floor accessed via a flight of stairs. All children access a secure outdoor play area. The nursery serves families within the local community and surrounding areas. It is open from 7.45am until 6pm Monday to Friday all year round.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 101 children from birth to five years of age may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 164 children on roll, some in part time places. There are 30 members of staff employed to work with the children of whom, all hold recognised qualifications in childcare and education. The nursery receives qualified teacher support through the local authority.

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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 nursery provides a warm and inclusive environment where children are secure and happy. Staff give equal attention and reassurance to help children feel a sense of belonging. The staff's good understanding of how children learn and develop is translated into their positive practice. As a consequence, children are making good progress. A key strength of the nursery is in the strong partnerships they have developed with parents. Staff and management are highly motivated in their effort to make continuous improvements in the nursery and outcomes for children.

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further?

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

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further?

 provide time and daily opportunities for very young children to enjoy being outdoors.

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the early years provision

The nursery's approach to safeguarding, safe recruitment and child protection is robust. There is a designated person responsible for child protection issues and all staff undertake regular training to update their knowledge. Staff are also aware of their responsibility at protecting children from people who have not been vetted. Therefore, children's welfare is effectively safeguarded. Security at the nursery is excellent and underpinned by effective risk assessments that minimise the risks to children. Children's health is promoted well, because there are comprehensive This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 systems in place to record the administration of any medication and prior written parental permission has been sought to administer medication and for emergency medical advice/treatment. All accidents are also recorded thoroughly and parent's sign each entry to confirm that they have been informed of the accident. Staff also

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the early years provision

monitor the occurrence and area of accidents and risk assess them thoroughly to minimise further accidents.

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the early years provision

Children are able to independently access a good range of clean and well maintained toys, resources and equipment. They use the toys safely and are learning to take responsibility for tidying up after they have finished playing. There is plenty of space for the children to move around and play freely, and independently within safe boundaries. Good levels of supervision are in place at all times and staff are well deployed in both the inside and outdoor areas. Children are supported to develop a respect and understanding for others through discussions and activities to mark a range of festivals and special days. Staff are working hard to establish links with other providers and with other professionals to ensure that children's needs are met and their is continuity in their learning.

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the early years provision

A notable strength of the nursery is its commitment to develop the relationships with parents. Staff clearly recognise the importance of working closely with parents to ensure that children's needs are well met. This contributes greatly to their care and well-being. The staff team are very friendly and approachable, they clearly enhance and value good partnerships with parents. Parents are welcomed into the nursery and can talk to staff when they bring or collect their child. Effective systems are in place to share information with parents and these include regular open days, parents evenings, family days and daily feedback. Parents have access to their child's records, which include detailed information about their developmental progress. They contribute well to assessments and staff truly value parents’ views as this information helps staff to get to know children in different situations. Excellent photographs of children at play decorate the walls helping to

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the early years provision

create the homely environment, giving parents and visitors a fantastic insight into how children spend their time at the nursery. Parents are highly appreciative of the nursery's strengths. Comments, such as 'an admirable facility', 'excellent care and fantastic staff', 'my child has thrived here', are representative of the views of parents. A reoccurring theme is the approachability of the staff. The manager and staff team are continually monitoring and evaluating the quality of care and education that they offer. Demonstrating their total commitment to the continuous improvement they have addressed the previous recommendations and have accurately identified further areas for improvement. A high priority is given to staff's personal development. As a result, children benefit from their commitment in developing and enhancing their expertise in childcare through their ongoing training programme.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very happy, content and settle quickly into the daily routine of the nursery supported by a consistent, familiar staff team. There is a friendly, relaxed atmosphere within the nursery and staff are on hand to support the children’s This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 learning and progress through the good range of daily activities available. Children benefit from the way that the nursery session is planned, for example they spend the majority of their time initiating play opportunities and freely exploring the range of different activities available. Staff know the children extremely well and are aware of their individual needs and characters, supporting those who need it and providing reassurance and cuddles where required. As a result children's emotional well-being is fostered. Excellent interactions between staff the and children is evident with staff encouraging children to learn through play while

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and outcomes for children

supporting, enhancing and developing their learning. Staff demonstrate a clear understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and this is shown through their thorough and effective planning and assessment systems.

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and outcomes for children

Staff are well motivated and have a secure knowledge of childcare and development. This has a positive impact on children's learning and achievements and children are confident, with high self-esteem. Babies settle well with their key persons and good systems are in place to find out about their individual needs and routines. Staff work very closely with parents to build excellent relationships and to help parents feel reassured when leaving their young children in the nursery. Daily diaries clearly detail information about activities, progress, feeding and sleeping. Babies enjoy stimulating activities, such as exploring natural and sensory resources, which can include such delights as body painting, jelly and gloop. Babies and toddlers develop curiosity as they engage in heuristic play and are absorbed in their play with fibre optic and rope lights.

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and outcomes for children

Staff work and play alongside children making learning fun. They teach children many new skills, such as using scissors and mixing ingredients to create gloop. Children have opportunities to bake and through this are introduced to some more complex concepts, such as weight and measure. Consequently, children are challenged as they play. Numbers are displayed in most areas to make counting more meaningful. Children's counting skills are encouraged through their play, for example, when they play games, such as 'What time is it Mr Wolf'. Older children clearly understand the language associated with early problem solving and have good opportunities to develop early handwriting skills. This was clearly demonstrated by their detective work to find the 'pen burglar'. The children created wanted posters and having discovered a map with several clues set about solving the crime. Staff encourage worthwhile discussion to help children

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and outcomes for children

understand and learn the meanings of many new words, such as the word 'complicated' and 'antenna'. People in the local community enhance children's learning through their visits. For example, the road safety officer and the dentist talk about their jobs and how they help children to stay safe and well. Photographs on the wall display show children enjoying these visits. Children benefit from the staff's positive attitude towards equal opportunities and respecting individual and differing needs, as they lead by example using appropriate role modelling as a tool to help children celebrate diversity and develop a positive view of the wider world. There are opportunities for children to learn about the world around them through a number of planned activities and play materials. For example, children have been learning about other countries as part of a recent topic celebrating the world cup events. Children have daily opportunities to participate in outdoor activities

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and outcomes for children

incorporating fresh air, exercise and physical skills, for example running, climbing, jumping, skipping, digging in the sand and balancing on logs. However, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 opportunities for the very young children to enjoy fresh air and outdoor play are not always taken advantage of.

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and outcomes for children

Children's health is well promoted by staff. They are effectively protected from the risk of infection, because the nursery does not accept children when they are unwell and this is clearly outlined in their written sickness policy. Staff promote healthy eating habits by encouraging children to try a variety of foods and snacks on offer. The children are encouraged to sit together during meal time, providing an excellent opportunity for them to gain good social and learning opportunities. Children are successfully encouraged to make choices and take decisions in their work and play. As a result children's independence is developing well and their behaviour is very good. Children relate well to one another and adults provide excellent role models. Children's safety is given high priority. Children become aware of their own safety as they are involved in regular fire drills, and understand that they must hold the banister when using the stairs.

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and outcomes for children

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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