Buxton Nursery

Buxton Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Buxton Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY302318 Inspection date 07 November 2005 Inspector Karen Ann Byfleet

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Buxton Nursery

Setting Address Buxton County Infant School, Hardwick Square South, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6QB Telephone number 07976 977559

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E-mail

Registered person Jane Marie Wallis 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 outstanding. 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 outstanding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Buxton Nursery was registered in 2005 and is located within the grounds of Buxton Primary School. It is registered to provide full day care for 30 children aged 3 years to 5 years. There are currently 25 children on register and of these 24 are in receipt if funded education. The nursery is open Monday to Friday 08:00 to 18:00 during term time only. Seven staff work with the children and 6 hold relevant childcare qualifications. The

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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 setting receives support from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children's health is well maintained. They have an excellent awareness and understanding of their own personal hygiene and how to stay healthy through exercise. They follow procedures independently, washing their hands before snacks and meals and after using the bathroom. Through both indoor and outdoor pursuits the children enjoy a full range of physical activities and have an excellent understanding of the effect of exercise on their bodies. This greatly enhances their physical development, for example, they use large equipment for climbing and balancing and they enjoy movement and dance to music. They join in with delight and excitement when they do a firework dance using streamers, twisting round, jumping up and down. They talk about and understand the value of exercise, how it makes them stronger and have more energy. A well written sickness policy and procedures, which staff actively share with parents, ensures children are well cared

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Helping children to be healthy

for and that they are protected from illness and infection. Children enjoy an extensive range of healthy foods through a variety of snacks and lunches. They are provided with a balanced diet which contributes to their health. They have access to regular drinks throughout the session and are able to help themselves to fresh drinking water. Staff are very well informed of children's dietary needs and requirements and are pro-active in ensuring these needs are met. For example, a list of children who have special dietary needs is kept where staff are able to quickly refer to it. Children enjoy their snacks and meals that are attractively presented, encouraging them to try new and different foods.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children show an excellent understanding of safety issues and willingness to keep themselves safe. They move around the bright, welcoming environment in safety and comfort, picking toys off the floor to prevent accidents and tucking their chairs under table. Through the very effective procedures which are in place children understand, and are able to describe well, the setting's emergency evacuation plan. For example, they know when the bell sounds they stand still and wait for instructions from the staff. Children's safety is well maintained within the building. The main doors into the school are kept locked with an intercom system into the main office. All visitors are required to sign in and out of the building and are escorted to the appropriate person by the office staff. Some of the children attend weekly swimming lessons at the local swimming pool. The staff ensure children's safety on these outings by using a

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

minibus fitted with appropriate seat belts and by maintaining ratios. All staff who take

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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 the children swimming have been suitably checked and cleared. Parents are required to give prior written permission for children to attend the swimming lessons. Children's welfare is further enhanced by the staff's excellent knowledge and understanding of the setting's well-written and comprehensive child protection policy. They are all fully aware of the local Area Child Protection Committee procedures and have attended training in this area.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children relish their time in the setting. They are happy and settled and have an excellent attitude to learning, purposefully engaging in an extensive range of activities throughout the sessions. They seek out their friends and engage in stimulating conversations with their peers and the adults caring for them. Children move freely around the room and self-select activities and resources and approach adults with confidence to seek help with tasks. Nursery Education. Children are making excellent progress towards the early learning goals. They are fully engrossed in an exciting range of developmentally appropriate activities both indoors and outdoors which provide them with optimal challenge. They offer their ideas and respond to challenges with enthusiasm and they show high levels of independence, imagination and concentration. Children access and enjoy a full range of mark-making resources. For example, they make patterns and form the letters of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

their names using their fingers and a good range of tools in a tray of salt. They trace and cut out the letters of their names and stick them in order onto paper. In the role play area they have constant access to writing materials for making lists, writing appointments and filling order books. Children use reference books to locate information which increases their knowledge and they use them effectively as part of their play. They enjoy story books and are able to re-tell familiar, favourite stories, turning pages appropriately and reading left to right. Children have excellent mathematical knowledge. They use mathematical language very well, for example, they talk about floating and sinking and they can recognise and name numbers up to and beyond 10. They are able to count and calculate and through activities such as baking, children use weighing and measuring skills. Visits to local shops increases

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children's knowledge of the local community and extend their knowledge of numbers and the context in which numbers are used. For example they see pricing labels and till receipts. Through different themes, topics and visitors to the setting, children's awareness and understanding of the wider world and different cultures has been greatly enhanced. They explore different types of music, dress and traditions, such as Diwali and they have an excellent understanding of the 'Festival of Light'. Visitors to the setting give children information and knowledge. For example, the police talk to the children about the dangers of fireworks and a visit by 'Zoo Lab' enables children to have first hand experiences of handling exotic animals such as spiders and snakes. The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. It is consistently exciting and

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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 challenging for all children. Staff's excellent knowledge and understanding of the Foundation Stage and the stepping stones enables them to plan effective activities and experiences that are well matched to children's needs and interests. Relationships are very good. Staff know the children well and their teaching motivates the children so they are keen to learn and make very good progress. Written observations made by the staff means they are able to plan effectively and ensure children are appropriately challenged according to their stage of development. All staff are included in the planning process, putting their ideas and suggestions forward. They make excellent use of time and resources and use their monitoring procedures well to evaluate the quality of their teaching. They have an

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

excellent understanding of behaviour management using a quiet, calm and sensitive approach in which they use reasoning and explanation.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. All children have equal access to the extensive range of resources and activities. They are treated as individuals by all staff, who ensure activities are suited to children's specific levels of understanding and that they are appropriately challenged. Positive relationships are formed and children work extremely well together, sharing and taking turns. They are exceptionally well behaved, listen to others with interest and welcome visitors into the setting in a confident and polite manner. Through the well-planned topics, children have many opportunities to engage in activities which enhance their learning and understanding of the wider community and the world around them. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural needs are fostered. Partnership with parents and carers is outstanding. They are kept informed of their child's progress and development through daily exchange of information and by

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Helping children make a positive contribution

invitation to more formal meetings with staff to discuss their child's progress through the stepping stones. Newsletters are provided for parents and carers each term and give detailed information about forthcoming events, staff training and themes for the next term. Staff provide parents with suggestions for activities to do at home to enhance their children's understanding and learning. A parent pack is made available to all parents and includes a philosophy statement, policy statements and Ofsted details. Each month parents and carers are provided with a copy of the term's plans, enabling them to see what children will be learning. Parents are very happy with the provision, they highlight their delight with the friendly, professional, approachable staff and how the liaison with both themselves and the school ensure continuity of care and a smooth transition to school for their children.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. Children are very relaxed and self-motivated in a well-organised and inspiring environment. They are extremely confident to initiate and progress their own play, relishing their time in the group. The setting has meticulous systems in place to support their working practices and promote the children’s care and well-being. Very

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 comprehensive policies support consistent and professional practice. Staff share and receive information with parents regularly, maintaining excellent records in a professional and systematic manner to ensure they are up to date. All relevant documentation is in place and supports the very high quality practice. Leadership and management of the provision is outstanding. The manager is very pro-active in her approach. She works alongside the established staff team who are deployed very well to ensure children are well supported. Comprehensive and flexible planning systems allow children to make extensive choices. Staff are highly skilled at adapting plans to effectively support and guide children to extend their play and learning. Annual appraisals for all staff ensure they maintain and update their

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Organisation

professional skills and attitudes through training. Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the provision was registered. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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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 outstanding. 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 outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the care

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of care are outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of nursery education are outstanding.

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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 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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