Kids Planet Monkseaton

Children's Choice Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Children's Choice Nursery

Unique Reference Number 310206 Inspection date 07 July 2005 Inspector Jean Wilson

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Children's Choice Nursery

Setting Address Norham Road, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear, NE26 3NR

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E-mail

Registered person Alexandra Thompson Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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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

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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.

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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.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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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.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Children's Choice Nursery is privately owned and managed. It was registered in 2000 and operates from a single storey, purposely adapted, open plan building. It is situated in the residential area of Monkseaton in Whitley Bay. A maximum of 46 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08.00 to 18.00 for 51weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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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 There are currently 65 children aged from 3 months to under 5 years on roll. Of these 18 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery employs 16 staff, including three domestic staff. Nine of the staff, including the manager, hold Level 3 early years qualifications or above. Four staff hold Level 2 qualifications and of these staff, three are working towards Level 3 qualifications. The nursery receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. It is a Neighbourhood Nursery and part of a Children's Centre Initiative.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. All children enter the nursery confidently and are greeted very warmly by the staff. Supportive relationships are formed with the adults and each other as the staff create an environment which fosters children’s physical and emotional health. Emphasis is placed on knowing about the child’s individual needs and they settle very well. Babies and toddlers’ transition from home to nursery is handled sensitively. For example, staff ensure that all children have a place for their own belongings and a photograph album of their family and friends is kept close by. Children’s good health is promoted well because staff follow effective procedures and practices which meet children’s physical and nutritional needs. They are kept safe from cross infection as staff are active in promoting good hygiene practice and all areas and resources are clean and well maintained. The importance of personal

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Helping children to be healthy

hygiene is emphasised through consistent daily routines. Older children know that cleaning their teeth after meals helps keep their teeth strong and hand washing kills germs. Their dietary needs are well met as good account is taken of information from parents about individual requirements and preferences. A healthy eating programme is promoted and a weekly menu displayed. Mealtimes for older children are valued as social occasions and they develop independence as they make choices and serve themselves. However, the organisation at lunchtime for younger children is not as geared to meeting the children's needs, as staff focus too greatly on domestic routines. All children enjoy a good range of planned, age-appropriate, indoor and outdoor activities to develop their physical skills. They enjoy regular opportunities to play outside. Babies and toddlers have space to become skilful in moving, using both

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Helping children to be healthy

large and fine motor control. Dancing, climbing apparatus, yoga and music and movement sessions help older children to develop good control and strength in their bodies. All children take regular drinks and there are comfortable areas to rest when tired.

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Helping children to be healthy

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

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are kept safe from harm because staff are vigilant with regard to security and they are closely supervised at all times. The risks of injury are minimised because risk assessments are used effectively to reduce potential hazards. Toys and equipment are suitably stored to allow children to move around safely. Staff help to avoid accidents by involving the children in keeping safe. Older children understand and accept safety rules, for instance not to run inside the nursery. Staff adhere closely to the clear outings policy on visits and opportunities are taken to teach both personal and road safety. Fire drills are carried out on a regular basis and staff ensure children are very familiar with the evacuation procedures. Children’s learning in this area is reinforced through the fire service and community police officer regularly visiting the nursery to talk to the children. Child protection procedures

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

are well understood and followed consistently by all staff. Visitors to the nursery are fully monitored.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. All children arrive happy and eager to participate. Those who are new to the nursery are helped to settle by an appointed key worker who is sensitive towards their individual needs. Close and caring relationships increase children’s sense of security and well being. Children achieve well because staff are skilled and recognise the uniqueness of each child. All children enjoy a wide range of interesting, tactile activities. They are inquisitive, very interested in the resources provided and their communication skills are progressing well. Staff have begun to incorporate the early years guidance, Birth to three matters, into their practice, to enhance the provision for children under three. Aspects of this are working very well and children under two receive lots of support and encouragement. They are content, as staff are mindful of their individual routines. Children aged two and three years are beginning to show

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

emerging confidence and independence, some are able to select their own play things. However, opportunities to support the children's learning are sometimes missed, as staff do not always organise their time or resources sufficiently well for this age group. Nursery Education Children receiving Nursery Education have their own base in the large open plan nursery. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals in all six areas of learning. They plan a broad range of developmentally appropriate indoor and outdoor activities which provide good levels of challenge. Children show high levels of curiosity, imagination and ability to concentrate and persevere at chosen tasks. Staff link assessment to planning well, using their knowledge of children’s previous learning suitably when planning future activities. The environment is organised to provide access to a wide

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

range of activities. However, in the sand and water and imaginative play areas, clear

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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 labelling and improvement in the organisation of resources is needed to enable children to make choices and find and replace resources independently. Children gain an enjoyment of reading and can follow the sequences of stories well. They enthusiastically recount favourites such as Going on a Bear Hunt; they take pride in their creative work, based on the story, which is attractively displayed on the playroom wall. Children learn to recognise their names on coat pegs and place mats and are beginning to recognise familiar words and captions displayed around the room. Opportunities to draw are plentiful and children make marks to represent their ideas, older children are adept at writing their names and some letters. There are many examples of children’s detailed drawings on display. Children gain confidence

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

in recognising and using numbers in their play. They are developing all mathematical skills and concepts suitably in practical activities and daily routines. Interesting and stimulating challenges are presented to the children and they respond well. For example, they learn how to alter the speed of toy vehicles by raising and lowering ramps and to make and fly simple kites. Children develop skill in using the computer and show awareness of how programmes work. They develop a good sense of place through projects, visits and celebrating world festivals. Their knowledge and understanding of the world is further enhanced by weekly French lessons in which the children learn to comprehend, talk, count and sing in another language. Children make very good progress in creative development. They explore colour, texture, line and shape with a variety of materials and use what they have learnt to represent objects and experiences. Staff vary the role play activities throughout the year and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children learn to play imaginatively in the home corner or shop. A good balance between adult and child-led activities allows children to learn at their own pace. Overall children make good progress towards the early learning goals.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are nurtured and form warm, close relationships with the staff. Their behaviour is very good. They learn very well from the good role models provided by the adults, who value what children say and recognise their achievements with smiles and encouraging praise. Staff support all children to work together and emphasise the importance of cooperating and sharing. These warm relationships underpin the good provision for spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They listen attentively and willingly help the staff and each other. Babies and toddlers soon adjust to nursery environment and manage well without the direct support of their parents. Older children are gaining good awareness of self discipline and starting to show initiative, for example, waiting their turn at lunch time and assisting younger children without being asked to help. They consider the importance of caring for living

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Helping children make a positive contribution

things by growing plants and raising butterflies from larvae. The nursery adheres to a strong equal opportunities policy. At all times children are encouraged to ask questions and develop an understanding and respect for all people who make up society. The children know right from wrong and take good account of the classroom rules that they have devised. They are polite and

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 welcoming to visitors. An outstanding partnership with parents contributes significantly to children’s well being and has a beneficial impact on their learning. Staff actively seek parents’ views about their children’s needs and interests before the child starts nursery and throughout their time there. Parents have plenty of opportunities, both formal and informal, to discuss how well their child is progressing. The nursery has a very successful Nursery Buddy scheme introduced to welcome new parents and to help the nursery management gain a parent’s perspective on issues relating to nursery life. Buddies mentor new and prospective parents answering any concerns or queries as they arise. Parents are kept informed of developments in nursery through a lively newsletter to which they are invited to contribute. Parents are extremely supportive of

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Helping children make a positive contribution

all aspects of the care and education the nursery provides.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The leadership and management of the nursery is good. The manager and provider have a clear vision for care and nursery education with a strong focus on personal development, creativity and achievement for all children. They are fully aware of developments in the early years sector and have high expectations for the development of the nursery. All documentation is up to date, well organised and confidentially stored. Policies and procedures are clear and the majority are appropriately and consistently applied. Procedures for monitoring staff performance are well established and effective in identifying areas for professional development. Well thought out induction procedures for new staff aim to ensure that they are familiar with all procedures across the age ranges. The building is well maintained and the indoor and outdoor space is attractively developed to clearly define play areas and provide maximum space. Children have

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Organisation

fun as they look through low level portholes to watch and communicate with each other and this nurtures their social and emotional development. The nursery is well resourced throughout with appropriate toys and equipment for each age group. Resources are mostly organised to enhance play, however, in some areas they are not suitably presented to enable children to access and replace them independently. This is particularly the case for children under three and in some areas for the older children. All staff work well as a team and generally organise their time efficiently to meet the needs of all the children. However, occasionally time management for the care of children under three requires improvement in order to ensure that domestic routines do not detract staff from fully attending to the children' needs. All staff have access to relevant training and appropriate support, morale is very good. They regularly review and improve the care and education as part of an

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Organisation

accredited quality assurance scheme. Overall the good quality of the provision means that the nursery meets the needs of the children who attend well.

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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 Not Applicable.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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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.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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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 staff are effectively and purposefully deployed to meet children’s individual needs. • further develop the organisation of resources to encourage children’s independence and maximise play opportunities. This is applicable to care and education.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • make improvements as indicated in the care section above.

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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

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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

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