Crumpsall Lane Infant School

Nivan Lodge Pre-school Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Nivan Lodge Pre-school Nursery

Unique Reference Number 127409 Inspection date 27 February 2006 Inspector Vanessa Wood

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Nivan Lodge Pre-school Nursery

Setting Address King Charles the Martyr Hall, Warwick Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN1 1YX Telephone number 01892 532675

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E-mail

Registered person Brenda Jill Palmer Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional 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 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?

Nivan Lodge Pre-school Nursery opened in 1991. It operates from two rooms of a church hall in the town of Tunbridge Wells, Kent. A maximum of 30 children may attend the pre-school at any one time. The pre-school is open each weekday from 09:00 to 12:00 during term time only. There are currently 42 children aged from 2 years to 5 years on roll. Of these, 24 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local area.

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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 The pre-school does not currently support any children with special educational needs, and no children attend who have English as an additional language. The pre-school employs nine part time staff; six of whom including the manager have an early years qualification. The setting receives support from a teacher from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The children are well protected from illness and infection because staff offer a clean, hygienic and well maintained environment. Children learn good personal hygiene routines and begin to understand the reason for them as staff explain the importance of washing hands before handling food. They learn about healthy eating and food from around the world through themed topics. Children are able to help themselves to drinking water at any time. Staff promote children's health by managing minor accidents appropriately and by having good systems for administering any necessary medication. Children develop their physical skills well as they participate enthusiastically in daily opportunities for vigorous activity indoors.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. Children's safety is promoted very well because they are cared for in a safe and welcoming setting. There is plenty of space for them to move around and play freely within secure surroundings. Children benefit form being able to use two separate rooms which are used for different planned activities during the morning. They use high quality equipment appropriate to their age and stage of development. Risks of accidental injury to children are minimised because staff are extremely vigilant and use thorough risk assessments to reduce potential hazards. Staff have an excellent understanding of how to achieve a balance between freedom and setting safe limits. This means that children learn to keep themselves safe. For example, staff teach the importance of making sure toys are picked up from the floor to prevent other children falling over them. Children are well cared for because effective procedures promote their welfare and

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

safety at all times. These include an emergency evacuation procedure, which is regularly practised with the children, as well as child protection procedures which demonstrate a good understanding of current requirements.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children develop and achieve well in the supportive and nurturing environment

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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 created by the staff. Staff build a close and trusting relationship with each child and family. They offer a great deal of individual care and attention to help children feel valued. Children feel relaxed and secure in the setting as they become familiar with pre-school routines. They are eager to engage adults in conversation, for example as they talk about things they like and things they don't like when discussing the toppings for pancakes. They learn to listen to each other because staff have realistic expectations and group children appropriately. Staff use everyday play resources well to encourage children to talk about what they are doing as they experiment with paint and glue, and use their imagination in the home corner. The Birth to three framework has been introduced and staff will develop this to enhance existing good

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

care practice for children under three years. Nursery Education: The quality of teaching and learning is good. The well qualified staff have a good knowledge of the Foundation Stage and how children learn. They plan interesting activities using the wide variety of resources available, which are planned to cover all areas of learning. Staff use their knowledge of individual children effectively to meet their differing needs. Good assessment records for each child clearly show children's approach to learning and their achievements. Staff use this information well when planning activities to support and extend children's learning. Children show a sense of belonging as they greet each other and staff on arrival. They are actively involved in play and activities throughout the sessions. They have a high level of independence, freely selecting equipment for themselves. Children enjoy books, accessing them independently and listening attentively to stories in small and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

large groups. They use their imagination well as they engage in enjoyable role play, for example in the kitchen making pancakes out of dough. Children communicate confidently and clearly, talking activities through and reflecting on what is happening. Children are extremely skilful in their use of number. They count well to 20 and are beginning to use number names accurately in their play and develop their calculation skills well through a variety of activities including singing, baking and group times. Children acquire knowledge of their environment through regular short outings, and visitors to the group expand on this further so children become aware of the local community. They show interest in the lives of people familiar to them and develop a good understanding of the natural world through topics such as growing bulbs for spring. Good opportunities are provided for children to enjoy using their senses to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

explore a wide range of different materials including water, dough, soil and through tasting, smelling and feeling activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are warmly welcomed into the pre-school and are cared for according to their individual needs. They arrive confidently and demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. They learn about the similarities and differences between themselves and others through toys and resources which promote positive images of diversity. Children's behaviour is excellent. Staff provide very good guidance to children as

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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 they explain clearly how and why they need to tidy up and what will happen next so that children understand what is expected of them. Staff are good role models; they support children according to their individual ages and stages of development and regularly praise their good behaviour. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered well. Children benefit from consistency of care, due to longstanding staff and parents working closely together to support their needs. The provider takes positive steps to ensure that parents are kept well informed about all relevant policies and procedures. Partnership with parents is good. Children benefit from effective communication through newsletters, daily conversations and the detailed notice board. Parents receive clear information about the aims of the pre-school and information about the

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Foundation Stage. They are encouraged to share information about their children's development before they attend the pre-school but there is no formal time set aside for individual parents to have consultations to discuss their children's progress. However, staff are available every day to talk to parents about any concerns.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The care of the children is very well supported by the enthusiastic owner who has a good understanding of her responsibilities. She recognises the importance of ensuring staff have the knowledge, skills and ability to do their jobs and are suitable to be in charge of children. Most staff hold childcare qualifications and work well together as a team to provide good quality care for the children. All the required policies and procedures are in place. Leadership and management are good. The effective planning and assessment procedures ensure children make appropriate progress towards the early learning goals. The qualified staff are deployed well to work directly with the children. They offer them very good support and help them to move on in their learning. Staff have a clear commitment to ongoing training to improve the quality of care and education they provide. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the pre-school was asked to update information on the complaints policy. Good progress has been made and amendments have been made, and staff are aware of the new legislation with regard to recording complaints. For Nursery Education the pre-school was asked to develop and build on existing organisation of group times to maximise opportunities for learning, particularly for physical play. Plans are in place to show how good resources are used to ensure children experience robust physical play. They were also asked to develop partnership with parents by creating a system to

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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 encourage parents to support and promote their children's learning at home. Steady progress has been made through information on the notice board about the theme for the week and general conversations with parents.

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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 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): • continue to develop the Birth to three matters framework to enhance the good care and learning already in place for children under three years

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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): • continue to extend the way information is shared with parents about their children's progress towards the stepping stones

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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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