Knottingley St Botolphs C of E Academy

The Young Ones Ltd

Inspection report for early years provision

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The Young Ones Ltd

Unique Reference Number 139107 Inspection date 07 February 2006 Inspector Daphne Prescott

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The Young Ones Ltd

Setting Address Scout Association: 2nd Uxbridge Scout Group (St. Margarets), 2 Gatting Way, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 1ES Telephone number 01895 274206

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E-mail

Registered person Yvonne Turrell 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 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?

The Young Ones Limited nursery is run by Young Ones Limited. It opened in 1986 and operates from 2 rooms in a Scouts Hall in Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon. A maximum of 30 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08:00 to 17:45 for 48 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play 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 There are currently 25 children aged from 2 to under 5 years on roll. Of these 11 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local and wider community. 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 7 staff. Three of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications. Two staff are working towards a qualification. The nursery receives support from the Local Authority, Child Care Development Team.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a warm clean nursery. Children are learning about good self-care skills, as they are encouraged to wash their hands before lunch. In addition, the suitably equipped cloakroom allows children to maintain good hygiene practices after using the toilet. For example, liquid soap and disposable towels are available. Children's health and wellbeing is further protected as staff hold a current first aid qualification and know how to respond in an emergency situation. They know the correct procedure for administering and recording medication and recording accidents. Children enjoy nutritious and well-planned meals, for example, freshly made lasagne and lots of fresh vegetables. Children sit at the table for snack and meal times and eat in a relaxed and social atmosphere. Staff encourage the children to engage in conversation with their peers as a result older children are very competent in their

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Helping children to be healthy

social skills. Their individual dietary needs are clearly known and followed by the cook and staff. Staff discuss all dietary needs and food preferences with parents, which means that all children's individual needs are taken into account. Children are able to drink whenever they are thirsty. They use a small jug of water within the play room so they can pour drinks for themselves. Children are developing a positive attitude to exercise which is enjoyed on a daily basis. Children show great delight and excitement when playing outside as they are having fun running around freely in the garden playing ball games and riding their bikes with great confidence and skill.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children benefit from the welcoming surrounding as staff greet them and their parents warmly. This ensures they feel secure and content. Space is well organised and used effectively to allow children opportunities to be active, engage in table top and floor activities. They enjoy opportunities to relax and share books in a

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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 comfortable environment with child sized chairs and cushions. They have access to a wide range of good quality toys and equipment, which are appropriate for their age and stage of development. Toys are set up, inviting and enticing children to play. Toys are easily accessible which encourages children to make their own choices and develop their independence as they choose and move freely between activities. Younger children are able to sleep and eat in comfort and safety, as the nursery has a good range of suitable furniture and equipment, such as small beds and child-size tables and chairs. All the furniture and play equipment is clean and in good condition to ensure children are not harmed. The children are cared for in a safe and secure environment. There are effective

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

security systems in place to protect children, such as, staff monitor all visitors to the nursery. Children are kept safe as good systems for addressing safety issues are in place. They conduct regular checks to ensure that the children can enjoy an environment and equipment that is well maintained. In addition, children are effectively supervised as correct ratios are maintained and staff are effectively deployed. Children are learning to keep themselves safe too. They are taught not to run around in the nursery as they may fall over and hurt themselves. Children are well protected because staff have a good and clear understanding of their role with regard to child protection issues and know how to implement local procedures. Implementation of good systems, such as the collection of children and recording of visitors contribute to ensuring children’s safety.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy their time in the nursery. They arrive happy and confident and quickly settle into the nursery as they make choices about their play. Children have fun as they play enthusiastically with a good range of toys and resources that promote their learning. Children receive lots of attention and have a strong bond with staff which increases their sense of well being. Their confidence and self-esteem is reinforced because of the kindness and warmth shown to them. Staff offer very good support and encouragement to the younger children in order for them to try new activities and develop their skills. For example, children are given help when trying out a new skill, as they slide down the slide in the garden with great excitement. Their vocabulary is developed as staff ask questions to encourage them to think and talk. For example, "Is the water hot or cold?". Younger children's care and wellbeing is promoted as

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

staff have a good understanding of how to meet their needs. However, this could be further enhanced by introducing the Birth to Three Matters framework, which supports children in their earliest years. Nursery Education The quality of the teaching and learning is good. Children are progressing well because of the staff's sound knowledge of the stepping stones and how children learn. A new system is in place for the planning and evaluation of activities, and the recording of children's progress and achievements. Staff are very keen to develop

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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 their knowledge and understanding of the new system and are receiving support from the early years advisory teacher. Children are able to think for themselves as staff use effective questioning techniques to help children extend their learning. For example, staff encouraged the children's thinking about which objects are heavy or light when using the weighing scales. Staff listen intently to the children and respond appropriately, helping children to feel very good about their discussions. Warm relationships are evident between staff and children. Children demonstrate good social and emotional development by their happiness and their engagement in the activities. They are very confident, enthusiastic and persist at planned activities or in small group situations. Children's attitude to learning is positive as they have

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

opportunities to select what they wish to do. They concentrate well and are curious to explore different activities, such as, cooking and play dough. They laugh, have fun and enjoy each other’s company as they play cooperatively together. Children are confident and enthusiastic about communicating with staff and each other. They recognise their own names on cards. Some children are able to recognise and write letters of the alphabet. However, there are limited opportunities for children to write for a variety of purposes. This results in some children not being provided with opportunities to practice their early writing skills. They respond with interest at story times and are interested in looking at books independently. Children are confident in the use of numbers and are able to count to ten and beyond, they recognise numerals, shapes, are able to match, pattern, weigh and measure. Children delight in talking about weighing different objects, as they estimate

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

which objects are going to be heavy or lighter. Staff use everyday situations to help children learn mathematical language and understand more and less than, bigger and smaller. Children have good opportunities to build and construct with a wide range of objects. Staff encourage the children to think about long, straight, short and curved pieces as they put the train track together. They are able to explore colour, texture and shape, for example, they show great enjoyment in making play dough and cakes. However, children have limited opportunities to use information and technology or programmable toys to support their learning. They are developing good control over their bodies as they have access to a variety of physical activities. They have great fun in the garden skilfully using equipment to develop their balancing and climbing skills. The outdoor area is currently being developed to fully incorporate the six areas of learning to enhance children’s

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

learning. Children are developing their fine motor skills as they confidently manipulate paintbrushes and lacing cards. They are able to use small tools competently as they stir the cake mixture with the wooden spoon with very good control. They also enjoy group games designed to promote bodily control such as balancing and throwing. Children enjoy joining in with familiar songs and anticipating with excitement what song comes next. There are good and regular opportunities to explore music and movement, which children enjoy. Children show good imagination when acting out simple storylines and role-play together. For example, they have great fun as they negotiate their roles at being hairdressers.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The setting is very welcoming and children attend from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. Children who have recently joined the setting have settled well. They have developed positive relationships with the staff and are keen to talk with them and ask questions. Children learn about themselves and the wider world through planned activities and discussions, for example around a variety of cultural festivals, helping them to understand and value the similarities and differences between themselves and others. Children are caring towards one another and recognise that they each have different needs. This positive approach fosters children’s social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. Children with special needs are well supported, staff work closely with parents and other professionals. This ensures that children's individual needs are well met. Children are very happy in the relaxed, harmonious atmosphere. Their behaviour is

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Helping children make a positive contribution

good, they work well together on projects such as building a train track and are able to co-operate and share. This is helped by the clear rules, simple explanations, and the gentle encouragement of the staff. At snack and tidying up times children enjoy helping. Staff give children appropriate praise and encouragement to enhance their self esteem and confidence. Partnership with parents is good. Children benefit from the friendly interaction between staff and parents. Children’s individual progress and achievements are discussed and shared through regular reviews. Detailed information about the nursery and the service it provides is available for parents, this includes regular newsletters and they are well informed of the nursery's policies and procedures. Parent's review meetings are also held to enhance communication. Parents spoken to on the day of the inspection are very happy with the care, education and the

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The leadership and management of the setting is good. Recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to ensure children are well protected and cared for by staff with relevant qualifications and experience. Staff records are held, including qualifications and relevant checks. Staff are supported by management through regular meetings and appraisals. High importance is placed on training and the management provides good support to staff to attend training. This helps to promote positive outcomes for children. The manager is clear on her role and responsibility and clearly knows the strengths and weaknesses of the nursery. The manager and deputy are committed to providing good quality education for children, these aims are clearly understood by staff. Continuous improvements are made to the nursery, and there are clear systems in place to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of change. The staff team have complimentary skills, which enables

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Organisation

them to work well together and ensures the smooth running of the nursery. Children

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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 develop a secure sense of belonging because the nursery is well organised and staff work with parents to ensure they have a good knowledge of children’s individual needs. Children’s care and learning is enhanced by the effective deployment of staff because the manager maintains the child staff ratios which helps to ensure children's well being. All the required documentation which contributes to children's health, safety and well-being is in place and is regularly reviewed. Although, staff's daily attendance register lacks the necessary information to ensure children are safeguarded. Children's individual records are maintained and shared with parents, which ensures the appropriate care is provided. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom they provide.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last children act inspection the manager agreed to devise a system that ensures staff gain a greater understanding of the ways in which children learn and the purpose of equipment provided. Present activities to the children in a way in which encourages their participation and extends their learning opportunities. Ensure that all significant events are maintained and recorded and that children's health care requirements are adhered to at all times. At staff meetings staff discuss and share ideas on children's learning outcomes on the activities and new equipment provided. This means that children are provided with suitable activities to support and extend their learning and development. Staff have changed the lay out of the play room, and attractively set up a variety of activities to encouraged children's participation which helps to enhance their learning. The manager is aware of reporting and recording significant events and health care

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Improvements since the last inspection

requirements are discussed with parents, which helps to safe guard children. At the previous nursery education inspection the manager agreed to ensure that staff increase their knowledge of the early learning goals and how children learn. Provide more challenges to children through the teaching strategies and activities. Improve the opportunities for children to experience programmable toys and equipment and opportunities in physical play for children to balance and climb. Staff have attended foundation stage training, which has developed their understanding of the early learning goals and therefore provide more challenges through teaching strategies and activities for the children. Children are provided with opportunities to balance and climb which means their physical skills are well supported. They have some play opportunities of accessing programmable toys and equipment. However, this area still needs to be developed further.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints to report. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they

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Complaints 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 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): • enhance practice by working with the framework Birth to Three Matters for younger children in their earliest years • devise a system to record staff's daily attendance, showing hours of attendance.

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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 the opportunities for children to practice their writing skills • provide opportunities for children to use information and technology or programmable toys.

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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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