Little Angels

Little Angels

Inspection report for early years provision

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Little Angels

Unique Reference Number EY303602 Inspection date 10 November 2005 Inspector Heather Morgan

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Little Angels

Setting Address Myrtle Grove, Rackenford, Tiverton, Devon, EX16 8DU

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E-mail

Registered person Nicola Lisa Welsh 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?

Little Angels opened in 2004 and operates from a building adjoining the home of the owner, in the village of Rackenford, near Tiverton. A maximum of 12 children may attend the nursery at any one time. It is open from 0900 to 1530 on weekdays, during school term times only. The children use two rooms and have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 17 children aged from 4 months to under 8 years on roll. Four of

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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 these children are in receipt of nursery education funding. The nursery is staffed by the owner and two additional members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. They receive support from the Local Authority Foundation Stage Advisory Team. The nursery owner is also a registered childminder and provides extended care for some children attending the nursery.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. The children are developing an excellent awareness of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. They carefully wash their hands after using the toilet, or before eating, and know that this is important to protect them from germs. They are further protected from the risk of infection as staff diligently implement effective hygiene procedures such as cleaning the table mats before meals and ensuring that bed linen is washed regularly. If children become ill during the day, parents are contacted and asked to collect them early. There are clear guidelines in place, shared with parents, to ensure that children suffering from infectious illnesses are kept away from the nursery to limit the spread of infection. The children are well cared for in the event of an accident as staff keep their first aid training up to date and can easily access the first aid kit. Clear documentation is used

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Helping children to be healthy

very well to keep parents informed about accidents and administration of medication, in order to promote children's continuity of care. Babies and young children are supported very well in following their familiar routines of regular sleeping and eating patterns, in order to promote their growth and development. The children's good health and physical development is promoted very well through regular daily exercise and outdoor play. Older children know that healthy eating and regular exercise keeps them fit and keeps their hearts healthy. The children use indoor and outdoor equipment to develop their skills and can manoeuvre wheeled toys safely, crawl through tunnels and are learning to throw and catch balls. As they develop their confidence and agility, their physical skills are extended using a wider range of equipment; for example, climbing and balancing equipment in the local park. The children have excellent opportunities to make healthy choices at meal times.

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Helping children to be healthy

They choose from a range of fresh fruits at snack time and staff liaise closely with parents to encourage children to eat balanced and nutritious packed lunches. The children are encouraged to take regular drinks throughout the day and older children are able to manage this themselves, responding well to their own bodily needs when they are thirsty.

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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 outstanding. The children are kept safe and secure in premises that are in good condition and very well maintained. They are protected from potential hazards as staff have a good awareness of safety issues and undertake thorough risk assessments to maintain the safety of the play environment and resources. Effective steps have been taken to minimise risks to children. For example, the outer gate is locked to prevent children leaving the premises unsupervised and to enable staff to monitor visitors' access; electric sockets are covered and prompt action is taken to repair damage, such as a loose slab in the outdoor play area. The children are kept safe when on outings and walks as staff have identified and implemented effective procedures to support this. The children are learning to keep themselves safe through discussions about road safety and being reminded of the importance of keeping the play area tidy to reduce the risk of accidents.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Fire procedures are clearly displayed and children regularly practise fire drills to ensure that they can quickly and calmly evacuate the building in the event of an emergency. The children can safely access the excellent range of resources which are stored and organised effectively to ensure that children are using equipment that is suitable for their age and stage of development. Babies are kept safe, whilst being included in the activities of the group, as there is a range of equipment to enable them to be supported or seated both indoors and outdoors. The children's welfare is given very high priority and staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of child protection issues. There are clear procedures in place to ensure that concerns are dealt with appropriately and staff have confidence in their ability to record and refer information if necessary.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. All children in the nursery enjoy participating in a wide range of interesting and stimulating activities that promote their progress and development. The children respond well to the staff's involvement in their play and their sense of fun. They enthusiastically participate in new activities and are encouraged to explore and experiment with resources; for example, developing the confidence to indulge in messy play. The children are supported well in developing good communication skills as staff listen carefully to what they have to say and use exciting story and singing sessions to encourage children to experiment and use their voices. The children's achievements are well documented and staff use the Birth to Three Matters framework very effectively to guide their good practice. Regular exchange of information with parents provides a valuable partnership in helping children make

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

steady progress in achieving milestones and agreed targets.

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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 Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. The children are well motivated and enthusiastically participate in the wide range of planned activities offered. They are confident, independent and initiate exciting and interesting activities for themselves. They have excellent concentration levels and enjoy persevering with new and challenging activities; for example, wrapping Christmas presents to put around their tree. They co-operate well with one another, acknowledging suggestions to extend role-play and developing imaginative stories together. They count confidently and are able to identify and name two-and- three dimensional shapes within their environment. The children enjoy the familiar, everyday routines which encourage them to develop skills such as recognising their own name, singing songs and sharing books. They

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

adapt and extend activities when something takes their interest; for example, exploring the habitat of worms whilst weeding the garden. They are proud of their achievements and because staff have high expectations of them, they have good opportunities to work things out for themselves and solve simple problems. The children are making excellent progress towards the stepping stones in all six areas of learning because the staff offer them a wide range of stimulating activities and interact well with them to challenge and extend their learning. The children work towards achievable targets that build on what they already know and can do. This is supported well by staff who have an excellent knowledge of each child's individual stage of development, and of the Foundation Stage curriculum. The children's progress is regularly observed and evaluated; this information is used effectively by staff to plan activities that sustain their interest and extend their learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. The children are happy, confident and settle well at the nursery. They enjoy warm, friendly relationships with the staff, who know them very well. Excellent attention is paid to meeting the individual needs of all children and developing their confidence in becoming valued members of the nursery community. The children have great respect for each other and treat others with care and concern. They are learning about the wider community and many of its features through regular visits to the local school, shop and park and through welcoming visitors into the nursery. There are no children with special needs attending at present, but staff have good experience in identifying and supporting children with specific needs. The children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. The children's behaviour is very good. They respond well to regular praise and encouragement from staff and have learned from the adults' excellent role-modelling.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Consequently, they use good manners when talking to others and praise each other for good behaviour. They are supported well in adapting their behaviour for different social circumstances as staff use a range of effective techniques to manage unacceptable behaviour.

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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 The children's care, progress and development is promoted very effectively because the staff have developed excellent relationships with parents. There are many different methods of exchanging information and the parents are extremely well-informed about the activities of the group and their child's achievements. The partnership with parents is outstanding and has a very positive impact on children's learning. Children's progress is supported well as parents are involved with the assessment procedures and work closely with staff in identifying targets and helping children make significant progress along the stepping stones.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. Little Angels meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. The children are well cared for by staff who are well qualified, have appropriate experience and a strong commitment to improving and developing their practice. Sessions are well organised to ensure that all children receive good adult attention and are accessing a wide range of activities that promote their progress and development. A comprehensive range of policies and procedures is implemented effectively to help children develop a healthy lifestyle and to keep them safe. All regulatory documentation is in place, very well organised and used effectively to underpin the staff's outstanding practice. The children's continuity of care is promoted well as clear documentation is used very effectively to exchange information with parents. Leadership and management of delivery of the nursery education curriculum is

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Organisation

outstanding. The person in charge is an excellent role-model for staff and directs sessions effectively to ensure that all children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. Staff are enthusiastic, regularly evaluate their work to identify strengths and weaknesses and are pro-active in implementing changes to improve practice.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since registration. 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

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

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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