Wendy House Day Nursery

Wendy House Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 321600 Inspection date 07/05/2010 Inspector Diane Lynn Turner

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Setting address 28 St Helens Road, Dringhouses, York, North Yorkshire, YO24 1HR Telephone number 01904 704468 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

The Wendy House Day Nursery is a privately owned provision which opened in 1990. It operates from a single-storey building and is situated in the Dringhouses area of York. Children are cared for in two main play rooms, with a separate sleep room, and there is an enclosed area for outdoor play to the rear of the premises. The nursery is open each weekday from 8.15am to 5.45pm and operates all year round, with the exception of all Bank Holidays and a week at Christmas.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of 20 children under eight, all of whom may be within the early years age group, with no more than five under two years. Before and after school care is also available for children who attend Dringhouses Primary School. There are currently 41 children on roll, all of whom are within the early years age group. There are seven members of staff who work with the children, either on a full or part-time basis. Of these, six have a relevant childcare qualification at level 3, and one has level 2 and is working towards level 3. The nursery is a member of the local Early Years Partnership and the National Day Nurseries Association.

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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

Children are cared for in a welcoming environment by staff who recognise and meet their individual needs well. A good range of activities are offered which are planned around children's interests, ensuring children are keen to take part and that they make good progress in their learning and development. Strong partnerships are established and maintained with both parents and providers of other settings in the local area. Good attention is paid to promoting children's health and safety, and to maintaining documentation in most areas. Systems are in place for self-evaluation and these are used effectively to identify areas for future improvement. Parents and children are fully involved in the self-evaluation process, resulting in a service that is receptive to the needs of all its users.

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further?

To fully meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 ensure a record of the risk assessment is kept, clearly stating when it was carried out, by whom, date of review and any action taken following a review or incident (Documentation). 28/05/2010

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should: This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  ensure effective hand-washing routines are promoted consistently with the children  improve the opportunities and resources for children to learn about information and communication technology.

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the early years provision

Good attention is given to safeguarding children. All staff undertake training in this area to ensure their knowledge of child-protection issues is up-to-date. Robust systems are in place for the recruitment, vetting and induction of any new staff, to ensure the continuing suitability of all members. Detailed policies and procedures, which are reviewed on an annual basis, underpin the safe and efficient management of the setting, with all staff signing to say they understand and agree to these. The premises are well-organised and resources are presented effectively to promote children's choice and independence. Fire fighting and electrical equipment is tested on an annual basis and checks are carried out both indoors and outdoors each day, to minimise any risks to the children's safety. However, a record has not been made of a formal risk assessment on all areas, which is a welfare requirement.

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the early years provision

The owner/manager has a clear vision of what it is she wants to achieve for the setting and is driven to improving the outcomes for children. This outlook is shared fully by the staff team who work very well together, many of whom have been at the setting for a number of years. New members confirm they feel welcome and well supported, and they all show a sustained commitment to improving their knowledge and developing their practice through training. Good attention is paid to self-evaluation as a means of identifying strengths and areas for development, thereby promoting continuous improvement. For example, plans are in place to develop and extend the premises, with staff, parents and children consulted as to what they would like to see included. Surveys are also carried out regularly to gauge parents' continuing satisfaction of the service. As a result of their responses, a buggy store has been provided, areas of new flooring installed, and the

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the early years provision

Good attention is paid to promoting equality and diversity. Important information about each child's individual needs is gathered from parents and new children are helped to settle very effectively, because staff empathise with how they may be feeling in the unfamiliar surroundings, and take time to reassure them. Staff work closely with any other professionals involved in the children's care, and confidently discuss how they would support a child who may speak English as an additional language. Good partnership working has been established with other providers in the area. For example, the nursery owner regularly attends the local childcare partnership meetings and works closely with staff at the local playgroup, which some of the children also attend, to ensure a shared approach to their care and learning. The older children regularly join in with activities at the local school, such as story time, and transition meetings are held prior to any child starting there.

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the early years provision

Good relationships are promoted with all parents. They receive good information when the placement begins and on an ongoing basis, and are kept fully informed This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 of their child's progress. For example, the children's learning journeys are sent home regularly for parents to view and add their comments to. Parents are keen to express their opinion of the nursery, stating they know their child is safe and happy and that they really appreciate the 'home from home' atmosphere that staff create.

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and outcomes for children

Staff develop good relationships with the children and fully understand that they will not learn successfully unless they feel safe and secure within their environment. They offer a good range of activities which are planned around their observations of the children's interests. Consequently, the outcomes for children's learning are very positive. For example, a topic on spring developed as a result of the children’s interest in the snowdrops they observed in their gardens. Staff then enabled children to plant seeds, learn about how birds build nests and observe blossom on the trees, all of which successfully promoted the children’s understanding of nature and the seasons. Detailed records are kept of the children's progress, and it is evident from the regular summative assessments staff make that the children are making good progress across the six areas of learning. Staff also use their assessments to identify any gaps in the children's learning. For

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and outcomes for children

example, they have identified that the resources to support their understanding of information and communication technology are limited. As a result, plans are in place to address this. Staff interact well with the children on all levels. They show a genuine interest in what they have to say, skilfully using questioning, and give the children, particularly the youngest ones, time to formulate their answers. This results in the children feeling valued, and developing good conversational skills and a wide range of vocabulary.

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and outcomes for children

Staff recognise and acknowledge children's achievements with lots of praise, and enable them to develop their independence. Consequently the children behave well, with the older ones demonstrating a caring approach towards the youngest ones, suggesting songs they might enjoying singing and finding toys for them to play with. They are keen to discuss the activities they enjoy, and state that the staff are nice and give them a cuddle to make them better if they fall over. This clearly demonstrates that they feel safe within their environment. Children are enthusiastic learners, make a positive contribution to the life of the nursery and develop good skills for the future. For example, they join in with gusto when singing songs such as 'tapping teddy', thoroughly enjoy listening to stories and they help to write the captions for the displays. During role play they learn about and confidently act out different roles. For example, they enthusiastically take on

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and outcomes for children

the role of waiter/waitress and customer in their café, writing down orders, serving 'meals' and taking payment for these. They successfully learn about the wider world as they celebrate festivals, such as the Chinese New Year. Furthermore, the nursery has adopted a donkey from a local sanctuary. They help to fund his care and receive regular updates about his progress.

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and outcomes for children

Overall, staff ensure the children successfully learn about adopting a healthy lifestyle. They offer daily opportunities for them to play outdoors in the fresh air, This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 where they are able to take part in activities such as running and chasing, ball games and 'painting' the fence with water. The children enjoy nutritious food at lunchtime, when they demonstrate good appetites, and staff remind them to cover their mouth when coughing. The children relate how washing their hands gets rid of 'nasty' germs, however, staff sometimes overlook ensuring the youngest children do so before snack, and that the children routinely use soap as part of the process before lunchtime. Staff successfully support the children in learning to keep themselves safe. They regularly practise the nursery's emergency evacuation procedures with them, explain about tidying away the toys after use to prevent

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and outcomes for children

trips and falls, and remind them to use oven gloves when pretending to cook the play food so they do not 'burn' themselves. Regular visits from the local police officer also help them learn about people who can help in an emergency, and about road safety. 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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