Paint Pots Preschool & NurseryOfsted inspection, 2 Dec 2005

Paintpots Nursery and Pre-School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Paintpots Nursery and Pre-School

Unique Reference Number 131605 Inspection date 02 December 2005 Inspector Doreen Forsyth

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Paintpots Nursery and Pre-School

Setting Address 20 Waterloo Road, Southampton, Hampshire, SO15 3AR

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Paintpots Nursery and Pre-School

Telephone number 023 8022 7931 E-mail dwright95@clara.co.uk Registered person Anna-Maria Wright Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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Paintpots Nursery and Pre-School

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 good. 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 good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Paintpots Nursery and Pre-School, which is one of two privately owned nurseries, opened in 1993, moving into its present building in 2000. The setting operates from a detached, converted house in Shirley, Southampton. There is a large attached garden for outside play. Most children attend from the local urban area. There are currently 120 children aged from 3 months to 5 years on roll. This includes 45 children that are in receipt of government funding for nursery education. Paintpots

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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 Nursery supports children with special needs and children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery opens throughout the year, from Monday to Friday. Children can attend from 08.00 until18.00, using full-time or part-time sessions, or attending for a school day. There are 15 members of staff who work with the children, 12 of these have relevant early years qualifications at level 2 or 3. The nursery is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance and has achieved National Day Nursery Association accreditation.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are learning well about how to keep themselves healthy and well. They are provided with nutritious and balanced meals and snacks that include plenty of fruit and vegetables, they discuss why fruit is good for you and learn about healthy lifestyles in topic work. Their individual dietary requirements are noted and observed appropriately. Children learn good health and hygiene routines. They understand the importance of washing their hands before eating and after using the toilet, and even the youngest children clean their teeth after lunch. All children are offered suitable drinks at regular intervals throughout the day, but older children cannot help themselves to drinking water at other times if they are thirsty. Children have very good opportunities to play outside and enjoy fresh air. The older children have free access to the garden for a large part of the day. They use a good

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Helping children to be healthy

range of resources for climbing and balancing, and use of wheeled toys with good co-ordination and control. They also freely use suitable equipment such as scissors or the computer mouse, to help develop their small muscle control. Toddlers use the outside play area each day, they can run and move freely and enjoy playing in the sand tray. Babies often play outside or go on local walks with their carers Staff follow suitable daily hygiene routines, and keep good records which help to ensure children's health and well being, some staff in each area have current first aid training. Children are able to rest and sleep according to their needs. Babies have individual cots in a sleep room, toddlers use sleeping mats. Children are regularly checked when they are sleeping. Older children use comfortable areas in the playrooms if they wish to rest.

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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 Children play in a safe, well maintained and very welcoming environment. Staff thoroughly risk assess the setting both indoors and outside so that any potential risks are identified and minimised. The premises are kept secure, and the setting has good procedures in place to ensure children are collected by appropriate adults. Children use a very wide range of safe and suitable toys and equipment. Most toys are organised to be easily accessible enabling children to select what they play with, encouraging their independence. Children are encouraged to learn about keeping themselves safe, staff explain why children should not run in the playroom, and they discussed safety when using matches when the owner lit a candle at circle time. Children are well protected because staff understand their roles in child protection

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

and are able to put appropriate procedures in place if necessary. However, parents are not informed about the setting's child protection procedures before children start at the nursery.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and content in the nursery, they leave their carers and settle to play well. All children take part in a good range of activities that help them learn and enjoy new experiences. Staff plan well, using the Birth to three's matters framework for younger children, and the stepping stones towards the early learning goals of the Foundation Stage of learning for 3 to 5 year olds. Staff monitor and record children's progress very well, helping children to progress appropriately. The setting is provides resources and activities that help children to learn in all areas of their development. All children's individual needs are recognised, children are valued and welcomed into the setting. Staff know the children very well, especially the children in their key groups. They are interested in what the children say and do, and question them appropriately to help their learning and language development. Throughout the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

nursery, staff and children enjoy singing together and making music and sounds, the babies love using shakers made for them by the staff. Nursery Education. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Senior staff have a very good understanding of the Foundation stage curriculum, and plan a good range of suitably challenging experiences and activities to help children to learn, but some staff do not always have a clear understanding of the learning intentions in some of the adult-led activities they provide. The planning used is very good. Staff use the good assessments they make on the children's progress, to ensure the planning meets children's individual learning needs, and helps children to move onto the next stage in their learning. Parents are asked to contribute to the assessment process, by informing the setting about what their children can do when they set out onto the foundation stage of learning. The

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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 setting helps children to organise their daily play activities by using a 'choose, do, and review' system. Children learn to behave well. Staff use a very good range of strategies to encourage children's positive behaviour, including rewards and constant encouragement. Children learn to take turns, to share and to consider others, they work well together, for example when tidying up at the end of the session. They learn personal independence, they put on their coats for outside play, wash their hands independently and serve themselves and others at snack and meal times. Children learn about their own community and the wider world, there are often visitors into the setting such as a local reception teacher. Children enjoy talking to the staff about their lives and families. Children celebrate their own and other's festivals;

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

at inspection they were busy with preparations for Christmas. They use and explore different equipment, for example, they enjoy using a metal detector in the garden, and are very confident when using the computer to support their learning. Children are beginning to link sounds to letter, they enjoy bringing items into nursery linked to the 'letter of the week' They mark make in their play, some children can confidently write their names, for example, on their letters to Santa. They are skilled at expressing their thoughts into words. The have many opportunities to count in the daily routines, such as helping to count the children present at registration time. Children have many opportunities to express their creativity and explore different materials and textures. They have free access to a selection of collage and craft materials. They often draw and use crayons, but do not have many regular opportunities to paint freely and explore colour. Children's imaginative development

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

is fostered very well, they enjoy role and small world play using a good range of resources such as dressing up clothes and domestic play props.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children are all respected as individuals at the nursery and their individual needs met. There is a suitably qualified Special Needs co-ordinator in place, who ensures children's individual learning needs are identified and catered for if necessary. Children learn to work harmoniously with each other, they are encouraged to remember table manners and say please and thank-you. They learn well about different cultures and backgrounds, often through topic work or displays. In 'celebrations' they have looked at weddings and Diwali. Well planned circle times are used to help children explore their own and other's feelings. The nursery's golden rules are displayed throughout the setting and often discussed with the children. Staff work hard to help build children's esteem and well being, children sometimes have their own 'special day'. Children are able to make their own choices, for

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Helping children make a positive contribution

example, which toys they wish to play with and should be set out for others, if they want 'extras' at mealtimes, and which activity they will take part in. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered well.

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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 setting's partnership with parents is outstanding. Children benefit from the close relationship the setting has built with parents, who are welcomed into the nursery. Parents feel comfortable about sharing information with the staff especially with their child's key workers. They receive very good information about the curriculum offered to their children at all stages through the nursery. There are displays for parents on the 'Birth to threes framework' and the Foundation Stage of learning and how the current activities that children take part in, link into these. Parents of babies have daily information diaries. There are regular parents' evenings and social events. Parents are welcomed into the setting on a regular basis to meet with key workers and discuss their children's progress and if relevant contribute to the assessment

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Helping children make a positive contribution

records. There are regular interesting and informative newsletters which often include ideas for activities that parents can do at home to assist their children's learning and development.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The nursery meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides. Children benefit from the extremely well organised provision. All required documentation, including records of attendance, policies and procedures and necessary records are in place and securely stored, most policies and procedures are shared with parents as required. All staff undergo suitable vetting, induction and recruitment procedures, any unvetted adults do not have unsupervised access to the children. Staff are mostly well trained and experienced. Required adult to child ratios are met so that children are well supported and supervised. The well organised daily programmes, the group sizes used and appropriate staff deployment, all help to contribute to children's well-being. The leadership and management of the nursery is good. The owner/ manager is enthusiastic and forward thinking, she is always seeking ways of improving and

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Organisation

evaluating the care and nursery education that is provided. She obtains regular evaluation from parents and staff, and has achieved a recognised accreditation scheme which was used to monitor and review the provision provided. Staff are valued, and well motivated by the manager. They are encouraged to develop and train, they have regular appraisals where their training and developmental needs are reviewed and discussed. Staff are encouraged to share their ideas and good practice within the nursery.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous inspection there were two recommendations set relating to the national standards, concerning child protection and children's hygiene. At this inspection children were seen following good hygiene practices including appropriate hand washing. Staff have good understanding and knowledge of child protection issues and are able to fully protect children if necessary.

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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 In regard to nursery education three recommendations were raised concerning children's independent access to creative and messy resources, the organisation of the session and children's access to tools. Children have very free access to collage and creative resources and tools such as scissors, which are stored where they can easily access them, this helps foster children's independence, creativity and develop their small muscle control. The daily session is well organised, providing children with a balance of whole group, small group and individual learning opportunities both indoors and outside.

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Complaints since the last inspection

In April 2005 Ofsted investigated a concern relating to Standard 2 of the National Standards, regarding staff ratios. The provider advised inspectors of improvements made to the morning busy period, the provider remains 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 good. 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 good.

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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): • ensure parents are informed of the setting's child protection procedures before admission into day care • provide children with independent access to drinking water

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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): • ensure all staff are suitably familiar with the stepping stones towards the early learning goals, so that they understand the learning intentions of all the activities they lead

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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 • further increase children's opportunities to develop their creativity by making free painting more regularly available.

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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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