Sparthfield Happy Day Nursery

Sparthfield Happy Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY339312 Inspection date 05/05/2010 Inspector Shazaad Arshad

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Setting address 419 Whalley Road, Clayton le Moors, Accrington, Lancashire, BB5 5RP Telephone number 01254 301524 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

Children only attend this setting before and/or after the school day and/or during the school holidays. The judgements in this report reflect the quality of early years provision offered to children during those periods.

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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

Sparthfield Happy Day Nursery opened in 2006. It operates from a converted detached Victorian property in Clayton le Moors, Accrington. The provision consists of a two ground floor areas for children birth to three years and a further ground floor and upper floor room for children three years to eight years. The nursery serves the local and surrounding areas. Access is disabled access. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

A maximum of 65 children under five years of age may attend the nursery at any one time. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am until 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. Currently there are 102 children on roll in the early years age range and of those 17 are under the age of two years.

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Description of the setting

The nursery employs 21 members of staff and a cook who work directly with the children. One of the staff members has qualified teaching status and she is working towards Early Years Professional Status. One staff member is working towards the Early Years Foundation degree and another staff member towards the early years degree. Another staff member is working towards the foundation certificate in professional development in working with young children. Currently four staff are working towards level three in childcare and a further eight members of staff hold an early years qualification at level 3 already.

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Description of the setting

The setting has close links with Lancashire Early Years Service and is part of Stepping into Quality scheme developed by Lancashire Early Years Service.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The setting is inspirational and exemplary in the delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The management team are highly motivated and staff work exceptionally well together. Partnerships with parents and the setting's approach to securing children's safety are exemplary. Children thrive and flourish in the nursery environment as each child is recognised and valued as a unique individual. The setting use very effective systems for monitoring and evaluating the provision, to enable the setting to identify and action areas for continuous improvement. The setting's commitment and ability to drive through ongoing improvements is phenomenal.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 continue to develop the process of self-evaluation. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The setting's leadership and management is highly successful and inspirational. The practitioners have a very secure understanding of the procedures to follow, to ensure children are safeguarded. Recruitment procedures are exceptionally robust and all staff have undertaken appropriate checks, ensuring that those working with children are suitable to do so. Children's safety is given excellent consideration. Robust risk assessments are used effectively to reduce potential hazards, and children play in a safe and secure environment. Children also contribute to the risk assessments. The commitment to developing staff is excellent. All staff are involved in further training to enhance their knowledge in the childcare field, thus benefiting the children as they contribute new and fresh ideas to the setting. Regular staff appraisals mean staff can monitor their own practices and review any training or development needs. The setting is continually looking to improving, and

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the early years provision

their commitment to continuous improvement has led to the development of an amazing outdoor area and additional resources around technology. The setting has developed initiatives with resource centres, health care professional staff work closely with the local authority support workers to continually improve the provision for children's care and learning. For example, the setting is currently awaiting verification for the Stepping Into Quality Award and is also working towards ICAN accreditation.

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the early years provision

An inclusive and welcoming service is provided by the setting, adults support children and provide an enabling learning environment. Signs, labelling, posters and photographs around the setting support children's understanding of the local community and the wider world. All children benefit from this fully inclusive environment with equal opportunities to make excellent progress in their learning and development. The nursery is bright and welcoming with displays of children's art creations and photographs at children's eye level promoting children's sense of belonging. The children are highly respected as individuals and the setting has very strong links within the wider community including inviting teachers from local schools, fire-fighters and the nursing profession into the nursery.

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the early years provision

Partnerships with parents are exemplary. Information is shared between staff and parents on a daily basis and parents have rich opportunities to become involved in their child's learning. Individual care and learning plans are agreed when children arrive, with parents' wishes regarding their children's routines being actively supported. Individual development journals are used as a method to record children's achievements with contributions from parents, key worker staff and children themselves. Parents are able to put forward ideas through excellent communication systems. This includes questionnaires, parent evenings, settling in procedures, regular evaluation and direct input into developing the outdoor play area. Documentation is well organised with a good range of policies and procedures in place, which effectively underpin excellent practice and reassure parents about their children's welfare. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Staff know the children and their families exceptionally well. The key person system allows extensive background information to be shared and discussed with parents and carers in order to build a clear picture of each child's needs and individual interests. Where additional needs are identified, staff explore various strategies to include every child. Children's individual Early Years Foundation Stage ‘learning journeys’ are used with great success to plan activities to enrich the child’s time spent at the nursery. Staff are innovative in their organisation of the day, resources and the environment. This results in children, who are self- motivated and very confident to test out their skills thorough challenging and purposeful activities. Children are very confident to extend activities and to initiate their own learning as they play harmoniously with their friends. For example, selecting their own educational programmes to develop their information

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and outcomes for children

technology skills on the nursery computer. Staff sit with a small group of children guiding and supporting them while using the nursery’s computer. They take great delight in drawing and painting their pictures on the computer showing good mouse control. Children have very good opportunities to develop their early writing skills through various mediums. Opportunities to write for different purposes and good access to a range of writing resources, which they select independently, enhance this activity. They thoroughly enjoy the idea of the interest table as they look at dinosaurs and start to understand mathematical concepts, such as large, heavy, big and small. Outdoors they explore the environment and look for spiders as part of the mini beast theme. Creativity is encouraged throughout the day as they create their own models using a variety of materials, such as wood, cardboard card materials and colours. Children are positively encouraged to learn about other

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and outcomes for children

cultures in an environment that depicts diversity very effectively and they have access to an extensive range of resources that promote this. The provision is extended through regular loans of equipment from the resource centre. Consequently, they learn to respect those, who may be different to themselves.

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and outcomes for children

In the areas used by the younger children, staff skilfully engage with the children by talking to them and encouraging independence. For example, young children are encouraged to self-feed with support, put on their own coats, access the toilet, remove their outdoor boots, and wash and dry their hands. They also understand the need to keep safe, and learn to assess dangers and personal risk. For example, the nursery has policies and procedures to ensure that staff build on the children’s individual knowledge and their ability to identify safety issues, and support them to behave in ways that are safe for themselves and others. Through music and dance sessions they understand about healthy bodies and stories are read that reinforce safety. Role play also incorporates raising their awareness of safety issues, dangers and basic rules for both indoors and outdoors to keep them safe. The use of the stairs to the pre-school room is clearly understood by the children, as they

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and outcomes for children

demonstrate their understanding of safely going up and down the stairs. As a further safety measure the outdoor area and rooms are equipped with close circuit television.

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and outcomes for children

Behaviour is managed effectively. Staff are consistent and fair when encouraging This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children to share, take turns and children work together cooperatively. Children’s independence and self-esteem is developed through staff consistently praising them and by being positive role models. Circle times are used to give children opportunities to talk and express themselves, and to discuss issues and feelings. Children's health and well-being is fully endorsed by the clear routines they follow with familiarity. They access a wide range of outdoor physical play activities and take fresh air every day. The recently developed outdoor area offers a superb learning environment for all children. Staff promote, inform and encourage healthy eating and they praise children, who all eat healthily. The children learn through a range of activities about healthy eating. The setting's commitment to healthy

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and outcomes for children

eating and living is exemplary. The menus are prepared by an employed cook and they are nutritionally analysed as part of the early years analysis program. In addition the nursery have been awarded the 'smile for life achievement' as part of the excellent systems to encourage children's oral hygiene.

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and outcomes for children

Overall, the setting is exemplary in meeting the needs of the children and is exceptionally well led and managed. 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 1 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 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 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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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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