Tiny Turners Nursery

Tiny Turners Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Tiny Turners Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY103781 Inspection date 10 November 2005 Inspector Pauline Pinnegar

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Tiny Turners Nursery

Setting Address 68 Darlington Road, Hartburn, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, TS18 5ER Telephone number 01642 581281

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E-mail

Registered person Karen Marie Clark 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve. The registered person does not meet 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Tiny Turners Day Nursery and Out of School Club was registered in January 2002. It operates from a converted Victorian house in the Hartburn area of Stockton-on-Tees. The Nursery serves the local community and surrounding areas of Stockton-on-Tees. A maximum of 100 children may attend at any one time. The nursery is open each

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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 weekday throughout the year from 07:30 until 18:00 all year round apart from 2 weeks at Christmas; children can attend a variety of sessions Children are cared for in seven rooms. A fully enclosed outside play area is available for outdoor play. There are currently 137 children on roll aged from 7 months to 11 years, of which 8 receive nursery education funding. The nursery supports children with special needs and for whom English is a second language. The nursery employs 22 staff, 20 of whom have appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery receives support from the Local Authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is inadequate. Children's health within the setting is not consistently or satisfactorily promoted by staff. Some children begin to learn about basic hygiene routines, such as washing hands before eating, however, this is inconsistently followed by some staff and children are not always encouraged to wash their hands following activities such as painting. Younger children can reach the sinks, soap and towels but pre school children are overly directed by adults at times which hinders their independence. Hygiene routines followed by practitioners are ineffective overall. Routines in place for cleaning the toilet areas are not followed rigorously with some toilets and hand washing areas dirty, which compromises children's health. The overall cleanliness of the activity rooms accessed by children is unacceptable, including floor areas. Children learn about their bodies and what they can do, for example as they play ring

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Helping children to be healthy

games together and run about outside. Babies have a selection of toys available to them which they show interest in and are taken outside for fresh air. Overall activities on offer for older children are limited and they do not engage in sufficient physical activity with the support of adults. Children are able to take regular drinks if they choose. A suitable variety of meals and healthy snacks of fruit are provided which are generally nutritious and meet individual dietary needs. Sleep and eating routines are in place for the babies. At lunch time appropriate adult interaction is not consistently sufficient. As a result, some children older children become unhappy and meal times are not always sociable occasions for all. The Birth to three matters framework has recently been introduced. As yet staff have a weak knowledge and understanding of how to implement it effectively.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children's risk of accidental injury is minimised, as staff conduct clear risk assessments to reduce potential hazards. Security precautions, ensuring all visitors

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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 to the nursery are monitored, and well defined collection arrangements, increase their safety. Procedures are implemented effectively to promote children's safety and staff roles and responsibilities within fire evacuation procedures are clearly defined. Staff have a clear awareness of how to achieve a balance between freedom and setting safe limits. They explain safe practices such holding the hand rail when going down stairs and some older children tidy away toys which encourages children to behave in responsible ways. Children use a range of resources, which are safely accessible for them to access independently. They move around freely and safely as they develop their own play activities. Children are cared for by staff who give high priority to protecting children and

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

keeping them safe; staff have an understanding of child protection procedures in line with the local authority child protection committee procedures and are aware of their roles and responsibilities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is inadequate. Young children are beginning to develop friendly relationships with their carers and take part in a range of activities during the day. They explore dough, paint and water and sand, for example as they print using sponges. Staff take time to read stories to children and at times give support as they help children to develop skills such as cutting. Children play together in groups and are able to complete activities on their own if they choose. One child for example, showed good concentration and perseverance as she painted a picture at the easel. Children are not enabled to build on their own play ideas because of a lack of equipment to support their games and the over direction of some adults. Children are beginning to show developing social skills as they learn to take turns and share equipment, though these skills are not consistently or effectively reinforced by staff to help children consider each others needs. At times children wander

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

aimlessly with little direction from staff. At other times, activities, such as singing and music and movement, do not provide appropriate challenge for some children and are organised ineffectively. Overall some children do not receive sufficient choice throughout the day because of the lack of a good range of toys and equipment, for example, missing jigsaw pieces. Not all resources, such as role play equipment, are well organised or sufficient and as a result, children's imaginative play ideas are limited.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff have begun to make plans and keep records since the introduction of the Birth to three matters framework. As yet these do not impact positively on the provision for the under three's because some staff do not have a good grasp of how young children learn and develop most effectively. Nursery education

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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 The quality of teaching and learning is inadequate. Staff do not set high enough expectations of what children can achieve and at times teaching is ineffective. As a result children's progress is limited. Staff do not have sufficient knowledge of the Foundation Stage or a sound understanding of how young children learn best. Staff have begun to develop plans to ensure all six areas of learning are included. However, learning intentions of activities are not clear. There is too little to capture children's interest and activities and experiences are not well enough matched to children's needs, including those with special educational needs, to provide a suitable level of challenge. As a result some practitioner effort is put into supervising rather than promoting learning through activities. This leads to an overly adult directed

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

environment, with limited opportunities for children to make choices of their own. Time and resources are not used effectively to support learning. Children have limited access to a range of role play resources for example, or equipment which they can use to develop their own ideas. The assessment system shows children's progress in relation to the stepping stones. However, information about children's achievements is not effectively used to plan what they need to learn next. Children occasionally engage in the activities on offer, but become bored easily as activities do not capture their interest. They enjoy listening to stories and show an interest in books when they are set out by staff. Some children recognise their name and are beginning to recognise letters and sounds through activities such a jolly phonics. Most children communicate confidently and are able to initiate conversations with both adults and their peers Some children are beginning to show early counting

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

skills, however they are not sufficiently encouraged to apply counting skills in purposeful and meaningful ways in practical contexts, such as daily routines. Nor are they supported to develop and use appropriate mathematical language or simple calculation. Children have opportunities to explore the sand and water and other media. However, they are not challenged to use their senses to investigate why things happen and how things work, or develop a full awareness of technology in every day life. Children have good opportunities to access the computer and are developing good mouse control and can complete simple programmes. Children have appropriate materials to explore different ways of cutting, joining and building for their own purposes. Children enjoy using the small equipment and wheeled toys during outdoor play. However, staff do not ensure that they build on existing skills or develop new ones through a range of challenging situations. Children have

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

infrequent opportunities to develop their own ideas by exploring music and movement. Children do not at times behave well. They do not always comply with staff requests due to their ineffective handling. Staff do not consistently set clear boundaries for children's behaviour.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is inadequate. Children are mostly are settled within the group and overall staff are attentive to most of their needs. They are developing a sense of their own needs, such as when they need a drink and are familiar the routine of the day. Most play alongside each other

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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 well with adult support. Schedules and routines for the babies follow individual needs. Overall adult support does not help children contribute effectively because staff do not sufficiently help them to know their capabilities and make choices and decisions. Consequently children's confidence and self-assurance is not encouraged well. Children within the group with special needs do not consistently receive appropriate support and learning opportunities because staff do not have the necessary procedures and systems for monitoring progress. Individual records are not systematic or routine. Staff value children and their contributions and give regular praise, as a result some younger children generally behave well. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is not fostered appropriately.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Relationships with parents are friendly and staff use the beginning and end of sessions to share information verbally. Staff have worked hard to develop relationships with parents. The partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. Staff keep parents informed on a daily basis about what children have done and the progress they are making. Newsletters and yearly parents evenings have been introduced to inform parents about children's achievements. However, parents have limited opportunities to contribute to children's development plans and follow up learning in the home.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The nursery is organised to accommodate children in different age groups and the manager endeavours to maintain staff ratios at all times. However, the organisation of care does not meet all children's individual needs. Staff working with the children in receipt of funded nursery education have not got sufficient knowledge of the curriculum to enable them to help all children achieve. Recording systems are not systematic enough in recording children's achievements and this has an effect on children's learning and in maintaining the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Group size of babies and young children supports their care. The manager has been in post for a relatively short time and is beginning to introduce some new initiatives to the operational plan. She is committed to ongoing professional development through training which staff attend. She identifies some areas for development and in the

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Organisation

main acts on them. Policies, procedures, planning and record keeping, though in place, are not followed rigorously throughout the nursery. Currently the provision does not meet the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. The Birth to three matters, framework has recently been introduced into the nursery. Staff's knowledge and understanding of the framework has yet to be consolidated in order for it to have a positive impact on the quality of care for the under three's. Leadership and management are inadequate. The manager sets high expectations for her staff, however systems for monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching and learning are not sufficiently rigorous. As a result children do not receive a curriculum which is of a satisfactory level.

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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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the provider was asked to: record clearly details of any medication administered; give attention to developing children's knowledge and understanding of different cultures and beliefs; evaluate activities to effectively plan to meet children's individual learning programmes. Clear medication records are now maintained ensuring children's safety. Some attention has been given to developing children's knowledge and understanding of different cultures and beliefs and is incorporated into the planning. Children celebrate different festivals such as Divali and Ramadan, but activities are not evaluated effectively to meet individual learning programmes for children.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Ofsted has received one complaint since the last inspection. The provision was contacted by the Complaints, Investigation and Enforcement Team regarding Standard 11 - Behaviour Management. The provision submitted a satisfactory provider investigation report and the case was concluded on 30/07/2004. The provision remained qualified for 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

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 inadequate - notice of action to improve. The registered person does not meet 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care, the registered person must take the following actions: • ensure rigorous cleaning procedures are in place and staff are informed and aware of the importance of good hygiene routines • improve the provision of suitable resources in each area; improve the staff's

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 knowledge and understanding of the needs of children under 3 years for example through the use of the Birth to three framework • ensure all children are provided with appropriate activities and play opportunities to promote their welfare and development These actions are set out in a notice of action to improve and must be completed by the date specified in the notice.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education, the registered person must take the following actions: • increase staff's knowledge and understanding of the curriculum guidance for the foundation stage to improve the quality of planning, teaching and children's learning • ensure all staff set high expectations of what children can do and that all areas of learning within the curriculum provide appropriate and sufficient challenge for individual's including those with special needs • ensure systems which monitor the quality of teaching and learning are rigorous and effective. These actions are set out in a notice of action to improve and must be completed by the date specified in the notice. The Department for Education and Skills and the local authority have been informed.

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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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