Kingswood Day Nurseries Limited

Kingswood Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Kingswood Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY280673 Inspection date 08 December 2005 Inspector Pamela Woodhouse

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Kingswood Day Nursery

Setting Address The Old School, Daggons Road, Alderholt, Fordingbridge, Hampshire, SP6 3DN Telephone number 01425 656451

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E-mail

Registered person Michelle Ann Wood Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care, Out of School 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?

Kingswood Day Nursery opened in 2004 and is privately owned. The nursery is registered to care for 62 children aged from birth to under 8 years and operates from the premises of a former school on the edge of the village of Alderholt. The towns of Verwood and Fordingbridge are close by. The premises consist of four playrooms, a sleep/sensory room and associated facilities. In addition, during school summer holidays, a marquee is erected in the

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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 adjoining playing field to provide holiday care for children aged from 5 to under 8 years. There is a secure, enclosed garden to the rear and side of the premises for outside play and the nursery serves the local and surrounding areas. There are currently 54 children aged from 3 months to under 5 years on roll. This includes 11 funded children. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery opens 5 days per week for 50 weeks per year from 08:00 until 18:00 and 6 full time and 4 part time staff work directly with the children. Of these, 8, including the owner, have early years qualifications to NVQ level 3 and 2 are currently working towards a recognised qualification. In addition another member of staff is increasing the level of her current qualification. The setting receives support from Dorset Sure Start Unit.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's health and well-being is promoted through appropriate procedures and routines. There are systems in place to ensure that the children's environment is clean, healthy and hygienic. For example, through cleaning rota's and the daily maintenance of the kitchen. There are good nappy change procedures and an appropriate policy in relation to sickness which means that their risk to cross-infection is minimised. Children learn about personal health and hygiene through regular routines such as hand washing and cleaning their teeth after lunch. They have a varied and healthy diet. Fresh ingredients are used to prepare a variety of different foods which also gives children the opportunity to widen their tastes. They have access to regular drinks throughout the day and the older children learn through topics and discussion about keeping their body healthy. Babies home feeding

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Helping children to be healthy

routines are followed as closely as possible to provide continuity. Children have regular opportunities to exercise and to develop their co-ordination skills using large and small scale equipment. They competently pedal bikes, some can manoeuvre a two wheeled bicycle very proficiently around obstacles and are able to stop and start, for example, when running and chasing a ball. During the winter months there are less opportunities for the pre-school children to climb and use larger equipment, however, they play outside everyday and are able to use resources such as the parachute to make large movements. Babies have few opportunities to enjoy fresh air and outside exercise in the colder months, however, they thoroughly enjoy playing in the ball pool indoors. Children use a range of tools to encourage the development of their finer skills such as using cutlery, scissors and drawing materials. Some two year olds are able to use scissors properly and older

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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 The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a safe, secure environment where sensible steps are taken to ensure their well-being. Staff understand and implement the safety policy, for example, making sure that entry and exit points are secure, however, this is not always consistent. There are clear emergency evacuation procedures which are practised with the children so that they become familiar with the routine and equipment is regularly serviced. Fire drills, however, have not been undertaken this term. Appropriate measures are taken to ensure that children are safe when unexpected emergencies arise, for example, during a power cut parents were asked to collect their children early, before it became dark and too cold. There is a good system in place to check on sleeping babies every five minutes and a member of

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

staff remains in the rest room when toddlers are sleeping. This means that children are constantly monitored and supervised. Enclosed and secure outside play areas means that children are safe when playing outside. Younger children play in a separate area to the pre-school children so that they are not overwhelmed and can play safely on equipment suitable to their age and stage of development such as ride-on and push-a-long toys. Children use a range of equipment and resources which are appropriate to their ages and stages of development. These are stored appropriately and most are within their reach which means that they can access the toys easily. Children learn how to use equipment safely, for example, when carrying scissors and moving chairs. Children's welfare is safeguarded due to the clear policy and procedures in place. Staff understand their role in the protection of children and there are appropriate

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

reporting and recording procedures in place.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are confident and settled in their surroundings. There is a friendly rapport and a warm, relaxed relationship between them and the staff who show interest and provide plenty of praise and encouragement. This helps the children to feel good about themselves and to build up their self esteem. Children have opportunities to be involved in a wide range of activities which support their learning and development. These are planned around the Birth to Three Matters Framework for the under 3-year-olds and the Foundation Stage of learning for the pre-school children. Activities and resources offer some challenges and stimulation, for example, the 3-year-old children enjoy playing with sensory toys such as those that make sounds and light up or which they can work themselves by turning dials. They also attempt puzzles and enjoy constructing with, for example, popoids and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

duplo. All children enjoy creative play and have daily opportunities to use, for example, paint or glue, however, many of these activities are adult led which means that children have fewer opportunities to freely experiment with different media. Children's progress is noted, however, these notes are not used effectively. This means that their value in planning for the next stage in children's individual learning and development is lessened.

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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 satisfactory and children benefit from the staff's understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum. Staff plan a broad range of activities which offers some stimulation, however, these are not evaluated. This means that there is no check on their effectiveness in supporting children's learning. Generally there are suitable levels of challenge. Children are encouraged to use their own ideas, for example, making a reindeer suit to wrap around their body and staff use effective questioning to encourage them to think for themselves. However, this is not always consistent which results in some activities not being extended enough for some children. The children are confident, eager to learn and involved in their activities. They are

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

beginning to concentrate for short periods and enjoy contributing to discussions. Children have some opportunities to develop their independence, for example, putting on and fastening their coats and helping their less able peers to dress when preparing to play outside. They are developing sound relationships with adults and the other children and behave well. They listen to what is being said and can follow simple instructions such as tidying away their toys. There is a balance between adult led activities and those that children can choose for themselves, this is a recent change in structure and children are beginning to learn about making appropriate choices. Children are articulate and confidently initiate conversations with adults and their peers, trying out new words and phrases. They enjoy listening to, and telling their own stories, often looking at books on their own or with another child. Children have

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

a good repertoire of songs and rhymes, confidently singing these as a group and also on their own to others. There are many activities to promote children's hand-eye coordination skills, for example, using scissors, brushes, pens and pencils. They have regular opportunities to develop their writing skills and most children are beginning to form recognisable letters, some can write their own names. Children are beginning to recognise simple sounds which make up their names and often know the sounds that make up their peers names as well. They show some interest in number and can confidently count and recognise numerals. Children are developing problem solving skills such as working out how long a piece of string needs to be to tie around their body and comparing different lengths required. They are developing their understanding of calculation such as adding one more and taking one away. Children have opportunities to learn about their local community and the wider world

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

through a range of activities. They show great interest in nature, for example, inspecting a dragon fly, discussing it's habitat and learning about it's life cycle. Children particularly enjoyed making their own building site recently, using real tools and materials to build, mixing their own 'cement' and using trowels to apply the mixture to join house bricks together. This gave them the opportunity to learn from a real experience. They have some opportunities to use programmable toys and ICT resources, however, the computer is not used to it's full capacity. Children take part in many creative activities using a wide range of art and craft materials. They enjoy making collages and free painting but many art activities are adult led which limits the opportunity to use their own ideas. Children explore and compare different textures, for example, adding water and glitter to flour, watching the change when the water is

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

added. This activity gives them the opportunity to predict what will happen to the flour

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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 when mixed with water and instigates discussion and problem solving skills.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children arrive happily at the nursery and soon settle down to their various activities. They benefit from the staff's knowledge of their care needs and from the appropriate and sympathetic small family groups which are organised according to the children's stage of development. Consequently when children transfer to the next age group they are ready and confident to do so. The special needs co-ordinator and staff work closely with parents and others to provide support for children with special needs and adapt activities and resources to promote inclusion. Children learn about acceptable behaviour through the positive attitude and role modelling of staff. They are calm, polite and speak quietly to the children, giving explanations and reminding them of the simple boundaries, for example, not running indoors. Children are beginning to understand the concept of right and wrong and are

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Helping children make a positive contribution

developing good manners, using please and thank you at appropriate times. They usually concentrate and remain focussed on activities which capture their interest, however, there are times when this is not the case. This occurs mainly during the free play session and results in some children running around aimlessly for short periods. Children enjoy being helpful and undertaking small tasks such as helping to tidy away their toys. This encourages them to develop a sense of community and to learn to work amiably together. Children have many opportunities to learn about diversity using suitable resources and through activities which increases awareness of their local community and the wider world. They learn about and enjoy celebrating their own and other cultures through role play and celebrating festivals such as Christmas and Hanukah. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents is satisfactory. Children benefit from the friendly, informal contact and relationship between parents and staff. There is information about the nursery provision and the Foundation Stage Curriculum but some of this is out of date or incomplete. Policies and procedures are on display and readily accessible to parents but they are not explicitly informed about these. This means that some parents are not aware about how policies and procedures influence the care their children receive. Parents receive information about topics and activities to enable them to help their child at home. The notice board is very informative, keeping parents up to date with current events, for example, illnesses circulating, daily menu, daily activities. In addition to the informal contact, parents have the opportunity to discuss their children's progress formally at the end of the school year.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The provision meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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 The owner ensures that staff are suitable to work with children by following appropriate recruitment and induction procedures. Staff have suitable child care qualifications and children benefit from the additional training that they undertake. Required records and documentation are in place, however, some of these are not up to date and do not fully reflect the nursery's current working practice. Children are cared for in a very well presented environment where there is a cheerful, welcoming atmosphere. Space is organised to enable them to move about easily and safely and for the younger children to have undisturbed rest and sleep. Babies have space to crawl about and early walkers to practice their new found skills, this encourages them to explore their environment. Leadership and management is satisfactory. The owner has a clear vision for the

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Organisation

future and staff are motivated to try new ideas and implement change. There is a strong team spirit and staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities. They do not, however, monitor the children's progress or evaluate the activities and quality of teaching effectively. This impacts on planning for children's individual progress.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the setting agreed to ensure that staff are deployed effectively. This has been addressed by the employment of additional staff and the registered person being supernumerary.

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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.

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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

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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 take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure that the effectiveness of activities are evaluated and offer appropriate challenges for the children [Also applies to nursery education] • make sure that the operational plan is regularly reviewed to ensure that it reflects current practice and that details of nursery policies and procedures are shared with parents • ensure that children's development records are used to effectively identify and plan for their future learning needs [Also applies to nursery education].

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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 that procedures for monitoring the quality of teaching and children's progress are implemented effectively

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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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