Tudor Manor Day Nursery

Tudor Manor

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Tudor Manor

Unique Reference Number EY292312 Inspection date 31 October 2005 Inspector Sarah Harrison

p.1

Tudor Manor

Setting Address 15 Berrywood Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN5 6JU

p.1

E-mail

Registered person Tudor Manor Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

p.1

E-mail

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

p.1

ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

p.2

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Tudor Manor opened in 2004 and is situated in Duston, Northampton. The nursery is open each weekday from 08:00 until 18:00, for 50 weeks of the year. The premises consists of two large rooms on the ground floor with a baby unit situated at the rear of the house. There are toilet facilities situated off the main room and a kitchen and office area too. There is a fully enclosed outside area for play. The setting is monitored with the use of CCTV cameras in each of the key areas of care.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 A maximum of 67 children may attend the nursery at any one time and there are 49 children currently on roll. Of these, 8 children receive funding for nursery education. There are currently 11 members of staff including the manager, all of whom hold an appropriate early years qualification.

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children gain a good understanding of a healthy diet. They benefit from topics that reinforce the principles of healthy eating. They take an active part in food preparation which is often linked into themes such as Halloween or Harvest. In this way, children become excited about the food they are eating and they enjoy opportunities for tasting different seasonal fruits and vegetables. Children have access to fresh drinking water throughout the day as they independently visit well organised 'drinking stations' set-up throughout the setting. Babies needs are well met as staff discuss their routines with parents and display each child's individual dietary needs in the kitchen so that all staff know, understand and cater for the particular needs of the children in their care. Children learn about the importance of good hygiene. They wash their hands after using the toilet and before snack time. The staff follow effective procedures and

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

practices to meet children's needs, keeping detailed records of any accidents that occur and implementing a clear policy with regard to sick children. Children benefit from a variety of opportunities for physical play and learn about the importance of physical exercise. They have access to a large outside area which has different surface textures for the children to manage. They use this area regularly and it contains a variety of large apparatus for them to explore. Babies enjoy regular outside activity too. They either go for walks or move around the outside area in their baby walkers which helps them to extend control of their muscles and gain control of the apparatus.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children use a good range of toys appropriate to their age and stage of development. Many toys are stored in clearly labelled containers at low level. Children are able to self-select toys and also help staff to get them out and put them away afterwards. All toys are clean and in good condition. The premises are clean and warm and decorated with many educational posters and attractive, clearly-labelled displays of children's work. Risks of accidents to children are minimised because staff are generally vigilant. However, good use of regular risk assessments to reduce potential hazards do not occur. Children learn to keep themselves safe by following the example of the staff and through stories that reinforce messages such as stranger danger. The setting

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 has a detailed emergency evacuation procedure that is made known to all staff on their first day of employment. Staff and children practise the procedures regularly so that children remain calm in the event of an emergency. Children sleep in cots or on sleep mats and are safe when asleep because staff remain with the children and check them regularly. Children's welfare and safety is further protected as the setting has a comprehensive child protection policy. The manager discusses child protection issues with new staff as part of their induction programme and all staff are clear of their roles and responsibilities with regards to children's welfare.

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children throughout the nursery thrive in the warm, caring family environment. They relate very well to the staff and to each other. Babies play with brightly coloured sensory toys and benefit from good support from the staff in the baby room. They respond well to simple songs and rhymes and the older babies enjoy planned activities such as recognising themselves in the mirror. The range and planning of activities is linked to the framework 'Birth to three matters' and offers babies well thought through activities and experiences which are age and developmentally appropriate for them. Children between the ages of eighteen months and two years spend time in their own area but also benefit from time spent with the older children. They also enjoy a good range of planned activities linked to the 'Birth to three matters' framework, however, observations of their progress do not always help to

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

inform the next stage of planning and this means that for some, developmental issues are not addressed appropriately. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are eager to learn because they are inspired by a broad range of stimulating activities that are related to their needs. They are developing sustained levels of concentration and are making excellent progress towards the early learning goals because the room supervisor has a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum and a very good understanding of how children learn. She has developed a varied programme of topics and has produced clear plans that show how activities are related to the six areas of learning and ensure that children access a balanced curriculum. Children have their individual needs met because staff know children very well and adapt activities to meet the needs of each child. Children learn to work together as they share toys and activities. They take turns to

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

share their news at circle time and enjoy listening to stories in small groups. They begin to recognise their names as they find their coat pegs. They learn to recognise letters and initial sounds as they colour pictures and relate their learning to practical activities such as 'e' for 'eggs' when cooking. They explore maths in many practical ways. They calculate simple mathematical problems when counting out their snacks and when being guided in their play. Children take part in a mixture of adult and child-led activities during each session. Staff are aware of children's interests and needs and are skilled at asking effective

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 questions that challenge children's thinking and language skills as they play. They use effective systems to observe, monitor and record children's achievements and to plan experiences to help them take the next steps in learning.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are welcomed in the nursery. They behave well because staff have high expectations for their behaviour and always set a good example. Older children learn to negotiate with each other to share and take turns with toys. Staff praise good behaviour and reward older children with stars. Children are valued and respected as individuals. Their positive relationships with staff promotes their confidence and self-esteem. Children have some opportunities to learn about themselves, each other and the world around them through planned activities, the celebration of different festivals such as Chinese New Year and some toys and resources. Such positive approaches foster children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Children with special needs have their needs met well. Staff discuss their needs with their parents and where appropriate seek help from outside agencies to help them

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

provide better care. If staff have concerns about a child's development they will discuss their concerns with parents and agree appropriate monitoring or action. The partnership with parents is good. Parents supply information about their child at the point of entry and for babies they give detailed information about their routines and development. As well as receiving daily written reports, staff and parents have an ongoing verbal daily dialogue about each child's development and well-being. This ensures continuity of care between the home and the setting and also indicates to parents that the needs of their children are met. In addition to this, parents of children in the Foundation Stage are informed of current themes and learning intentions which contributes to children's development and learning.

p.5

Organisation

The organisation is good. The leadership and management of the setting is good. The manager has a clear vision for the nursery that she has communicated clearly to her staff. She sets high standards and a good example and involves all staff in decision making so that they function well as a team. She has developed effective induction procedures for new staff and is establishing a good appraisal system where new staff have a review after their first three months and all staff will have an annual review. Children benefit from well qualified staff who all have regular opportunities to attend relevant courses to update their knowledge. All legally required policies are in place to ensure children's health, safety and well-being are promoted. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the children who attend.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 This is the first inspection since registration.

p.5

Complaints since the last inspection

Ofsted has received two complaints against the setting. The first, related to National Standard 2: Organisation. The complaint related to the deployment of staff at key points in the day. We carried out an investigation on the 6th October 2005 and raised an action with the setting to improve its system for registering children and staff on a daily basis clearly showing their hours of attendance. The system is to include the names of all members of staff working at the setting. This has now been addressed by the setting. The second complaint related to National Standard 6: Safety. The complaint referred to the supervision of children in the outside play area and the process for recording accidents. An investigation was carried out on the 20th October 2005. As a result, an action was raised requiring the setting to ensure that a record of all accidents occurring is maintained and signed by the parent of the child involved. The setting

p.6

Complaints since the last inspection

has now addressed this issue and remains qualified for registration. The provider has made a record of both complaints in their complaint record.

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

p.6

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.6

The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure that regular risk assessments are performed in order to maintain children's safety • ensure that staff continue to observe and record what children do and use their observations to help plan the next steps for the children's play, learning and development • increase the number of resources which reflect positive images of culture, ethnicity, gender and disability

p.6

The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure children have opportunities to begin to use technological equipment in order to support their understanding of ICT in every day life.

p.6

The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.7

The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

p.7