Freebrough Academy

Gan Kinneret

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Gan Kinneret

Unique Reference Number 147541 Inspection date 23 November 2005 Inspector Kay Williams / Malini Parmar

p.1

Gan Kinneret

Setting Address Edgware United Synagogue, Parnell Close, Edgware, Middlesex, HA8 8YE Telephone number 07774 636934

p.1

E-mail

Registered person Dina Samson 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Gan Kinneret Nursery opened in 1989. It operates from three rooms within the Edgware United Synagogue, located in Edgware, London. A maximum of 50 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery it operates each week day during term time only. The nursery opens between 09.30 to 14.30 Monday to Thursday and 09.30 to 12.15 on Fridays. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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 There are currently 45 children aged 2 to under 5 years on roll. Of these, 9 receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 13 staff. Four of the staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications. Four staff are working towards a qualification.

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's health is generally well promoted by the procedures implemented to support this. For example, children who become unwell are made comfortable while they wait for their parents to arrive. Children are provided with some useful chances to gain some understanding about how to prevent the spread of infections as they learn to cover their mouths when they cough. Occasional lapses in the organisation, however, mean children experience inconsistent chances to promote their personal hygiene. For example, they do not always wash their hands before eating snack. Children's health and well being is promoted through the safe administration of medication and reporting of accidents. Children are further protected in the event of an emergency because there are sufficient numbers of staff appropriately qualified in emergency first aid. Children enjoy a healthy mid morning snack consisting of a variety of fresh fruit and a

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

choice of drink. These are supplied by parents and therefore meet children's dietary needs. Healthy eating is effectively promoted as staff offer parents guidance on what to provide for the children's snacks. Children staying for lunch select freely from bread, butter and cheese spread and clearly enjoy assembling their own sandwiches. Children enjoy opportunities to engage in outdoor physical activities. They strengthen their gross motor skills as they energetically pedal bikes and learn how to cross safely at the zebra crossing. They develop their coordination as they carefully match their hands and feet to the corresponding prints on the floor. Children's opportunities to develop a sense of space are hampered by the lack of organisation and effective planning of the outdoor area. As a result children sometimes collide into one another. They do not receive sufficient opportunities to practice newly learnt physical skills

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

because the outdoor play is restricted to short periods of time only.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children benefit from the warm and welcoming way in which the staff greet them as they arrive. Children's art work and photographs are displayed in a bid to make the environment brighter, this contributes to their sense of self worth and a feeling of being valued. Children's safety is given appropriate priority. All visitors are monitored on and off of the premises by exterior CCTV cameras. Visitors are also required to

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 sign the visitors record book. Children are safe guarded through a variety of practical measures. These include, covering electrical sockets and maintaining risk assessment records. These monitor the safety of any potential hazards, such as loose paving slabs. Children are able to access many of the resources for themselves as they are displayed on low level storage shelves. Resources are grouped into learning areas and the comfortable book corners provide children with opportunities to use books independently. However, some of the toys are soiled, this does not reflect the policy for regular cleansing of toys and equipment. Children are protected as staff have a good understanding of child protection issues and their policy clearly states their responsibility to protect children. Recruitment

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

processes seek to employ only those adults who have been fully vetted and are deemed suitable to work with young children.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. All children enjoy their time spent at the nursery. They are well settled into the daily routine. This is especially significant as many of the children have only recently joined the setting. Although yet to implement the Birth to Three Matters Framework, staff generally plan an effective range of activities which meet the needs of the children overall. The two to three-year-olds are developing their confidence and self esteem well. They are learning to become independent as they do things for themselves, such as putting on their own coats when going to play outside. There is a good sense of fun within their group rooms and the children are well behaved. Children are learning to play co-operatively as staff support them to take turns during a popular activity at the sand tray. Staff are calm and gently spoken and as a result, relationships between the staff and children are very positive. Children participate happily during a group

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

singing session and know the words to a variety of songs. Children are learning to identify different colours as they name the colours of toys during a small group activity. However, children are not offered enough opportunity to explore natural resources as most of the play materials are plastic. Nursery Education The overall quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory, and in the main, children are successfully engaged in a range of interesting practical activities. They are making satisfactory progress through the stepping stones towards the Early Learning Goals. Children benefit from the developing knowledge, planning and assessment systems to promote their progress. Children are mostly supported in their enquiry by the use of open ended questions. They, do not yet, however, benefit from an established system in place to identify their learning priorities to ensure consistently suitable

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 challenges. Children are confident; they develop sound levels of concentration and persevere in their chosen tasks. They, for example, complete puzzles and wind and unwind measuring tape. Firm friendships are beginning to establish as children learn to share and take turns and build positive relationships with staff. Children’s learning is, however, not always extended by a lack of independence and regular chances to strengthen self help skills. Children do not consistently pour their own drinks or label their work. This means that they receive few chances to, for example, learn to recognise their names systematically. Children speak confidently as they engage adults in conversation, expressing their ideas and experiences. They regularly absorb themselves in books. Children engage in a variety of creative opportunities and enjoy

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

making marks but this is not always linked to play to establish writing for many purposes. They delight as they successfully link sounds to letters whilst playing matching games, but a lack of sufficient organisation means some challenges are inappropriate for all the children participating. As a result, children do not fully sustain their interest and abandon some opportunities prematurely. Children delight as they successfully repeat the mathematical language they consistently hear to identify, size, shape and quantities. For example, they clearly enjoy mixing sand and water to compare the weight of dry and wet sand and proceed to use language for comparing. They succeed in identifing “light lighter, heavy and heavier”. Opportunities to problem solve through the routine, however, such as at snack time are missed. Children frequently use calculators and telephones and control the computer mouse well. They clearly enjoy using tape to join recycled

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

materials to make “robots” and “homes”. Children eagerly, paint, dribble glue and stick freely, to communicate their thoughts, ideas and feelings. They delight as they examine their faces in a mirror and learn to identify their features as they assemble “self portraits”. They strengthen their fine motor movements as they successfully snip paper and learn to control scissors. Children frequently engage in imaginative play to mimic their observations of the world around them. The quality of their play, however, varies with the amount of support they receive and children are not always supported effectively to extend their imaginations by exploring their experiences further.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are positively valued as individuals as staff seek information from parents regarding their child's individual needs. The key worker systems effectively support the settling in of new children and promotes their sense of security and belonging well. Children increase their levels of confidence effectively and enjoy putting on an end of year show,on stage in front of their parents. The curriculum is steeped in the affirmation of the children's own culture and they are developing a strong personal identity. They sing traditional Jewish songs and plan activities and events around the Jewish calendar. They are also learning to appreciate the cultural differences of others as they celebrate other festivals such as Chinese New Year and Divali. Children are well behaved and they play cooperatively with their peers. However,

p.5

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 older children's behaviour is not consistently managed and they are not always offered explanations in order to help them understand why their actions are inappropriate. The behaviour management policy is well written but not always consistently applied by all members of the staff team. Partnerships with parents is satisfactory. They speak highly of the setting and are very satisfied with the way their children are cared for. Relationships between the staff and parent's are friendly. Staff regularly give verbal feedback to the parent's of any concerns or achievements they have noted, regarding their children. News letters and a notice board offer parent's some information about the setting although guidance on the curriculum that the children follow is limited. Overall children's spiritual, moral social and cultural development is effectively

p.5

Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The leadership and management of the setting is satisfactory. Children benefit from a commitment to improvement and a clear management structure. Both manager's take responsibility for the planning and delivery of the programme for children over three years. They are aware of the settings strengths and some weaknesses, but children do not benefit from a clear assessment of how their needs are met within the program. This is because systems to monitor and evaluate the quality of the provision and that of the educational programme are not yet rigorous. The setting has some well organised systems and policies and procedures in place. However, the weaknesses lie within the way staff consistently apply these policies. The management system is not always effective in ensuring that staff are confident in their knowledge of the settings ethos, and the curriculum that they follow.

p.6

Organisation

The well established staff team have worked together for many years and are committed and enthusiastic in their work. They regularly attend seminars and training courses, although the minimum qualification level of the team falls short of the required level. Overall, the setting meets the needs of the children for whom it provides.

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the setting agreed to improve the record keeping and ensure that the role of the key worker is more effectively implemented. They also agreed to improve the cleanliness and safety of the premises. Record keeping now appropriately meets the requirements of the National Standards. The key worker system is effective in settling new children into the setting and as the key worker moves group rooms with their key children, continuity of care is well

p.6

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 supported. Some improvements to the cleanliness of the setting have been made, such as the laying of a new carpet and acting upon the advice given by the Environmental Health Officer. Nursery Education. The group have made some progress in addressing the two key issues arising from their last inspection. Children now have daily access to and clearly enjoy using, a range of tools and resources such as, scissors, rulers and hole punches to promote their creativity. The planning and assessment system has now developed and identifies what children can learn from activities. The system to identify how children are progressing and what the next steps in their learning might be, is developing. As a result, this continues to remain an aspect for improvement.

p.6

Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the last inspection. 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

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

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

p.7

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

p.7

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): • provide children with a wider variety of activities which allow them to explore, investigate and handle natural materials. • ensure that staff complete their training in order to meet the minimum level of qualified staff. • make sure that all staff are secure in their understanding of the settings policies and procedures and implement them consistently.

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 To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • continue to develop the planning and assessment systems in order to identify children's individual learning priorities and use these to inform future plans, ensure these are shared with parents. • develop a rigorous system to monitor and review the groups' strengths and weaknesses and that of the educational programme. • provide children with greater opportunities to develop their self help skills and increase their independence.

p.7

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.8

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.8