Little Jack Horner's Day NurseryOfsted inspection, 8 Dec 2005

Little Jack Horner's Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Little Jack Horner's Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY305986 Inspection date 08 December 2005 Inspector Michelle Smith

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Little Jack Horner's Day Nursery

Setting Address Egginton Road, Etwall, Derby, Derbyshire, DE65 6NQ

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E-mail

Registered person Dove View Ltd 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Little Jack Horner Day Nursery is run by Dove View Ltd. It opened in 2005 and operates from 2 units within the same grounds in Etwall, Derbyshire. It serves the local and surrounding communities. The nursery opens each week day all year round with the exception of Bank Holidays. It is open from 07:30 to 18:00. A maximum of 69 children may attend at any one time. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery supports children with special needs.

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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 72 children aged from 1 to 11 years on roll. Of these, 14 children receive funding for nursery education. There are 11 established members of staff, all hold appropriate early years qualifications.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children learn the importance of hygiene through well-planned routines. Younger children show familiarity with hand washing and put their paper towels consistently into an allocated bin. Staff are close by to offer support where needed, for example pulling up trousers after toileting. As a result children's self-care skills within the nursery are progressing well in relation to personal hygiene. Majority of the staff are first aid trained, consent is gained for emergency medical advice and treatment and a sick child policy is in place. Accident and medication systems are fully understood and all records are up to date. This ensures children's good health is protected on a daily basis and in emergency situations. Children have their health and dietary needs met because practitioners work well with parents. Meals are cooked fresh on the premises and include a very healthy range of

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Helping children to be healthy

snacks, for example raisins and banana. Children sit with their peers to eat and are provided with stage appropriate cutlery and plates. They have sufficient access to drinks through set snack and meal times which ensure they are well hydrated. Children enjoy regular access to fresh air and exercise. Both well-planned and spontaneous activities help them to make good progress with their physical skills. Children take regular walks, including babies and learn from the environment around them. This helps them to adopt a positive attitude towards a healthy lifestyle. Staff adopt a caring approach and ensure they are kept warm on winter walks.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a welcoming, secure and safe indoor and outdoor environment. Staff monitor access to the setting and ensure only staff that are suitably vetted work with children in an unsupervised capacity. Risk assessments, such as the regular checking of the outdoor area ensure hazards are minimised on an ongoing basis. Staff understand the procedures for emergency escape and practice them regularly with the children. As a result children remain safe. Children are beginning to understand how to keep themselves safe on outings. They know through the consistent application of boundaries that they need to hold hands on walks. Older children are able to explain why they hold hands and have a good understanding of their personal safety. Staff walk with them and model safe behaviour well. All children use equipment safely. Equipment is age and stage appropriate for the

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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 room base they attend. Children build on their natural curiosity as learners and use equipment imaginatively. Care and play resources are stored appropriately which gives them safe and easy access to what they wish to play with. A good balance is maintained between encouraging their independence and keeping children safe, for example younger children sit at the table for snacks with cloth chair restraints to prevent them falling. Children are well-protected by staff that have a clear understanding of child protection issues. Staff know likely signs of abuse and are aware of the need to share what they know or have seen with senior members of staff. A written child protection policy re-enforces the correct procedures to follow and a flow chart is displayed informing parents of the settings responsibility.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children develop confidence in the settings welcoming and caring environment. They experience warm relationships with staff and their peers. Staff sit with the children and play for the majority of the time, for example when playing with food in the home corner. They interact well, talk and listen to what children are saying. Children play happily. Young babies have easy access to low-level toys and equipment which they can self-access. They explore their environment with curiosity with staff offering comfort and support when needed. There is an adequate range of activities for children in the under three's unit. However, activities and resources are not well-planned to ensure all children have the opportunity to play with all toys. Although some staff have attended training on the 'Birth to three matters' framework it has not been implemented to offer a full range of sensory experiences. As a result,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children have little opportunity to touch, feel and experiment with a wide range of textures and objects. Children enjoy singing and music. They sit in a circle and repeat the words to familiar songs with enthusiasm. Actions are used well to reinforce their learning and communication skills. They have good access to fresh air and exercise through daily walks and outdoor activities. As they walk they are learning about their local environment, for example going to see the horse in the field or standing under a bridge to wave at the traffic. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children are making sound progress towards the early learning goals. The staff demonstrate good knowledge of how children learn. Activities are varied and incorporate many varied techniques including visual stimuli, for example using puppets within group singing time. Written short, medium and long term plans are in place which staff actively implement to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

guide children's activities for the day. The plans ensure a good range of activities and experiences are provided to extend children's learning. However, they do not consistently define learning intentions for focus activities and do not ensure afternoon

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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 children have full access to sensory play. This hinders children's overall development. Assessments are used well for the majority of the children, although more able children's learning is not effectively monitored to ensure they are continually challenged. Children are eager and keen to take part in activities. They show a strong sense of motivation and settle well into activities, for example building a house within role-play. They demonstrate high levels of concentration as they complete activities using scissors and play on the computer. Relationships between children and staff are well-formed. Children confidently request support when needed, for example when fastening dressing up clothes. They behave very well. Staff implement behavioural boundaries consistently through daily routines. As a result children have a strong

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

sense of right and wrong, for example they know they need share crayons as they colour. Older children ask others to pass crayons and wait for their turn, developing their negotiation skills. Staff implement behavioural boundaries consistently through daily routines. As a result children have a strong sense of right and wrong, for example they know they need share crayons as they colour. Older children ask others to pass crayons and wait for their turn, developing their negotiation skills. Children's communication skills are good. They are confident speakers and initiate conversations with others. Children enjoy talking about familiar experiences and share their ideas freely. Themes are set with the letter of the week helping children to understand phonics. Many children are able to say initial sounds in words with some older children able to write correctly formed letters of their name. However, plans do

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

not show how more able children's learning is being stretched to challenge their learning. A reading area promotes their interest in books. Children use books for pleasure and integrate them into their play, for example they carry books around as they play with their dolls. They are developing good writing skills as opportunities for children to practise their writing skills are many and varied. Children understand and use numbers well within music and action rhymes. They count up to and back from ten as they re-count familiar songs. Some older children are able to count up to twenty as they play, for example they count how many times they can jump in the sensory area. Some children are able to recognise numerals. Although opportunities for the recognition of numerals are mostly within focused activities and not free play where children can explore and begin to understand the written form. There are some opportunities for them to develop skills of calculation,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

for example within work sheets. However, more able children are not consistently challenged to solve calculative problems, such as, working out how many cups are needed at snack time. Children show an interest in shape and measure. They know familiar shapes such as triangle and self-initiate talk about shapes with their peers, for example the shape of their sandwiches. As they pour their drinks at snack time they are beginning to understand capacity with mathematical terms such as full and empty, heavy and light. Morning children are investigating a wide and varied range of materials. They explore and experiment with many textures and objects which helps them to progress their understanding of how and why things work, for example mixing paints and sand play. However, afternoon children do not have access to the sensory area. As a result the opportunities are more restrictive which hinders their exploration skills. Children

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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 develop an initial sense of time and place as they learn about the environment around them and the beliefs of others, for example American Independence day. A computer helps children to understand technology within their everyday lives. A good range of programmes prompts their control of the mouse and the keyboard. Children are developing good control of their bodies through a diverse range of indoor and outdoor activities. They jump and dance as they pretend to perform in a ballet. Group games, such as the parachute help to progress their coordination. Feeling their heart after exercise helps children to learn how their body works. Children use small tools well including scissors and pencils. Sensory play is integrated well with small tools which help them to make good progress, for example

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

using a paintbrush with thick textured mixtures. Children are very imaginative in their play. Within role-play they work well with their peers to build and adapt story lines, for example putting out a fire in a house. Most children have good opportunities for free expression of their art work through sensory play. Children enjoy mixing paint and experimenting with wool and water. Staff provide a good balance of free play and structured activities to enable children to follow their imaginative ideas.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are valued as individuals. Staff know the children well and work hard to ensure the needs of all children are met, including children with additional or specific needs. A Special Educational Needs Coordinator has been identified within the staff group and the setting have a pro-active approach to working with health professionals where needed to progress all children's learning. Children feel a sense of belonging through a consistent daily routine and through, for example having labelled coat pegs with their name on. They are learning about the wider world through posters and focused activities. However, resources to reflect culture, race, disability and ethnicity are not easily accessible to them through free play. As a result, a fully inclusive environment is not provided. Children understand responsible behaviour as clear and consistent behavioural boundaries are set and implemented by all staff. Children behave well. Younger

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Helping children make a positive contribution

children are developing a strong sense of right and wrong. Older children are beginning to manage their own behaviour in group and have a clear sense of acceptable behaviour, for example they tell staff when others are not sharing. They develop self-esteem and respect for others. Children use their manners well and are encouraged to help each other, for example they share a colouring picture. This positive approach fosters their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. All children benefit from the positive relationships staff have developed with parents and carers. Parents receive written information on how the setting operates, including newsletters. They have many opportunities to talk with staff as they drop off and collect their child. As a result staff have a fuller understanding of each child's needs and how to meet them. The partnership with parents and carers who receive nursery education funding is good. Wall displays and information sessions inform parents of

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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 educational programme. This promotes two way communication between parents and the staff to ensure all children's learning is valued. Parents are actively included in the life of the setting, for example through visiting the setting to look at 'All About Me' project books. This enables parents to be involved and enhance their own child's learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. There is a good level of qualified staff who work directly with the children. The nursery owner/ manager is supernumerary which adds a greater level of flexibility to ensure staff ratios are consistently met. Children receive a good level of individual attention for the majority of the time. However, staff are not always deployed effectively at meal times. As a result children receive less focus on their individual care needs. The procedures for recruiting new staff are effective and existing staff are offered sufficient opportunities for training and development of their skills. This helps to continually develop the quality of care offered to the children. The group sizes and staff deployment help children to establish some sense of belonging to the setting and to take an active part in all activities. There is a key person system; however it is not fully implemented to provide consistent and

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Organisation

continuous care for young children. There are separate units for children under three years and aged three to five years. Children aged three to five years, namely the 'pre-school children' work towards the Foundation Stage for Learning within their unit. At times, mostly at the start and end of the day all children come together in one unit. This helps children to have regard for others within the nursery and to care for others of a different age group. The effective organisation of most documents helps to maintain the smooth running of the setting. Documents are held in appropriate places to make sure, for example children's attendance is recorded accurately and parental signatures are gained where required. Staff are aware of what procedures they would follow if a child was lost. However, there is no written policy in place to reinforce expectations of good practice. The leadership and management of the setting are satisfactory. The management

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Organisation

team motivate staff and children. They use effective strategies to build committed teams and act as good role models. This leads to many improvements in the organisation of nursery education and the outcomes for children. Advice is sought from the Early Years Development and Childcare practice to develop the management teams own expertise. Appraisal systems are in place to support staff and their attendance at staff meetings is valued. Monitoring of the nursery education takes place. However, this has not been rigorous enough to identify where improvements are needed to assess more able children's learning and to identify gaps within the planning. Overall, the setting meets the needs of the range of children who attend.

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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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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 the 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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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): • improve the deployment of staff during snack times to further promote children's care and learning • improve the existing key worker system to ensure children are allocated to a consistent key person • develop a suitable range of activities for the younger children, by using birth to three matters • improve resources to reflect positive images which children can freely access within their play • devise a policy for 'lost children'.

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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): • increase children's opportunities to develop their calculation skills, problem solving ability and use numerals within their play

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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 • ensure the system for recording children's progress is more rigorous to demonstrate clearly how children are progressing in all areas • ensure all staff are aware of the daily learning intentions and plans provide all children with opportunities to explore and investigate a wide range of materials and objects.

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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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