Busy Bees Day Nursery at Southwell

Southwell Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Southwell Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY259506 Inspection date 23 January 2006 Inspector Ros Church

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Southwell Day Nursery

Setting Address 17 Allenby Road, Southwell, Nottinghamshire, NG25 0NL

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Southwell Day Nursery

Telephone number 01636 816606 E-mail southwell@justlearning.co.uk Registered person Just Learning Ltd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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Southwell Day Nursery

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 inadequate - notice of action to improve. The registered person does not meet 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?

Just Learning Southwell Day Nursery was taken over by the present owners in 2003. It operates from a purpose built building which opened as a day nursery in 1996. It is situated in the town of Southwell, Nottinghamshire. A maximum of 37 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07:30 to 18:00 for 52 weeks of the year, closing for bank holidays only. All children share

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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 access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 97 children from 16 weeks to 4 years on roll. Of these 14 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery employs 13 staff who work with the children. There are 8 staff, including the manager who hold recognised early years qualifications, and 3 staff working towards a qualification. The nursery is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance, and receives support from the Nottinghamshire Local Authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in clean and well-maintained premises. Their good health is promoted because staff follow generally good health and hygiene practices. For example, clear procedures are followed when changing nappies, staff use disposable gloves and aprons. Children begin to learn to keep themselves healthy by recognising the importance of personal hygiene through daily routines at the nursery. For example, older children wash their hands after using the toilet and before meals. However, many children choose to use shared towels for drying hands, these procedures are not fully effective in minimising risks of cross-infection. Children receive appropriate care and treatment in the event of an accident because sufficient staff are trained in first aid and have access to suitably stocked first aid kits. Children enjoy a generally good range of healthy meals. Meals are rotated to ensure

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Helping children to be healthy

children receive a varied diet. Children's individual dietary needs and routines are met because the staff work well with the parents. Mealtimes are social occasions when children sit within their own group rooms and enjoy each other's company. Older children help themselves to drinks as they require, whilst younger children are offered them regularly to ensure they do not become thirsty. Babies and children enjoy daily opportunities for physical play either indoors and outdoors, depending on the weather. They enjoy using wheeled toys, playing with balls and hoops and joining in with group circle games. Children are beginning to understand the positive benefits of exercise for their well-being.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a welcoming, secure and generally safe environment. Their risk of accidental injury is minimised as policies and procedures usually ensure that nursery rooms and outdoor areas are safe and suitable. However, children's safety is compromised as access to the kitchen is not always prevented. Children are supervised well to ensure their security during arrival and departure times. They are kept safe in the event of a fire because staff are familiar with procedures. Appropriate fire safety equipment is in place and practises are carried out on a regular basis to

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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 ensure children are familiar with the evacuation plan. Children's welfare is protected as staff have a sound knowledge of the current child protection policy and procedures. Children are grouped in rooms according to their age and ability, where space is used well to allow them to play, eat and rest depending on their needs. Children's art work is displayed around the nursery, which makes the environment attractive and helps children to feel valued and have a sense of belonging. Children have access to a generally good range of play materials which are clean, safe and suitable to their interests and age range. They develop their independence as they choose which activities to participate in.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are content and settled within the nursery. They make positive relationships with the staff and one another. Babies and young children have a clear bond with the staff who work with them, this increases their sense of well-being. Regular discussions with parents ensure that young children benefit from and experience familiar home routines for eating and sleeping, helping them to feel safe and secure. Young children and babies enjoy a range of activities and experiences because the staff use the 'Birth to three matters' framework to plan children's play. However, assessment and planning systems are in their early stages and do not yet link together. This means that while young children experience a variety and balance of activities these are not always planned according to their interests and what they need to do next. Babies and young children enjoy joining in with songs and rhymes,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

they explore the sounds made by musical instruments, or when hitting one object against another such as two bricks. They are beginning to explore their environment with their senses, such as when playing with the sand or dough. Older children enjoy playing imaginatively within the home corner, sharing their play and experiences with others. They use construction materials to build with purpose and enjoy listening to stories. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Children make sound progress towards the early learning goals as a broad range of activities are planned and provided, which link to the stepping stones across the six areas of learning. The room leader has a sound knowledge of the Foundation Stage and understands the different ways children learn. All planning, observations and assessments are carried out by the room leader. However, other staff have limited involvement in planning and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children's assessments and have a very limited understanding of the Foundation Stage, therefore children are not always supported effectively within all activities. Some staff use a variety of teaching methods, such as encouraging children to think and ask questions. Some outdoor play is planned so children receive some experiences. Children are learning to be independent and choose from a range of resources set out around the room, although there are limited materials for children to design and be creative for themselves. Children are interested in the activities and are motivated to learn. They enjoy

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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 learning about Chinese New Year, they listen intently to the story of the animal race, dress up in Chinese costumes and with the use of props carry out the dragon dance. Children make positive relationships with the staff and one another, older children have particular friends within the group, with whom they share play and experiences. Children communicate well with one another, they learn to listen to one another at group time, they express their feelings and use talk to organise their play. Children are learning to link sounds to letters, and are able to identify words beginning with the same sound. They have satisfactory opportunities to write their own names and use writing for different purposes, such as in role play. Children enjoy number rhymes and count well by rote, whilst children that are more

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

able recognise some numbers and count beyond 10. They use some mathematical language in play and know the names of many common shapes. They learn about different shapes and sizes of objects, such as children enjoy using their imagination to construct a zoo, where they use the bricks to create areas for different types of animals. Children explore various different textures, such as sand and dough, however, additional resources are not always accessible for children to extend their play. They enjoy creative play especially imaginative, and are involved in a variety of role play situations relating to themes which helps to consolidate their learning. They enjoy using musical instruments and learning about the different sounds they make.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children behave well within the nursery, they have clear and consistent boundaries and know what is expected of them. Children learn to work well together by sharing and taking turns with activities and equipment. Older children learn to show care and concern for one another, and during group times praise each other for individual achievements. Staff act as good role models to reinforce good behaviour, they use praise and encouragement which promotes children's self-esteem and confidence. Children participate in activities helping them to learn about their own and other cultures. For example, pre-school children engage in craft activities, dressing-up, and role plays to help them learn about particular festivals such as Chinese New Year. They access a satisfactory range of resources such as dolls, books and puzzles which include positive images of cultures, abilities and lifestyles, so helping them to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

recognise and respect diversity. However, younger children have limited opportunities to independently access these materials to raise their knowledge of the wider society. Staff have attended relevant training and developed suitable policies to help support children with identified special needs. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children are cared for by staff who work with the parents to ensure individual needs are met. Parents of babies and younger children are provided with daily written information about their child's day, and staff work closely with parents to ensure home routines are followed. Policies and procedures are available which ensures parents are fully included in the provision. The partnership with parents and carers of children who receive nursery education is satisfactory. Parents have access to an outline of areas of learning within the Foundation Stage, so providing some guidance

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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 on the focus of their children's activities. Opportunities are available for parents to discuss their child's development informally, to view their children's records on request, or through parents evenings.

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Organisation

The organisation is inadequate. Children's well-being is not assured because adult child ratios are not always met. For example, when collecting children from local schools at lunch time. Also as trainees under 17 years are counted in the ratios. Children move freely within the nursery and access sufficient resources because staff organise space appropriately. They are adequately protected from unvetted persons, because suitable procedures are in place to recruit staff and to monitor visitors. Records are kept in a confidential manner to ensure children's privacy. The quality of leadership and management of the nursery education is satisfactory. The pre-school staff work generally well together, although other staff have limited involvement in activity planning. The manager and staff are committed to improving the care and education for children. Some systems are in place to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the nursery. Staff attend a variety of training, although

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Organisation

some staff within the pre-school have not attended courses on the Foundation Stage and have very limited understanding within this area. However, 'in-house' training is planned. The provision does not meet 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 provider agreed to conduct a risk assessment on the outside play area identifying actions to be taken to minimize identified risks to ensure children are protected from hazards, this is now in place and increases children's safety. Staff have put into practice the 'Birth to three matters' framework to extend the range of provision for children under three, however this is in the early stages. The child protection statement now includes procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff or volunteer. Planning for children receiving nursery education now has clear learning intentions and is in line with the stepping stones of the early learning goals. New assessment systems are in place which take account of evaluations which further children's individual development.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since April 2004 there has been one complaint relating to National Standard 1: Suitable Person, the suitability of staff members. National Standard 2: Organisation, staff ratios not being met. National Standard 7: Health, health risk posed by a puppy. This was investigated by an unannounced visit. No breaches of the national standards were identified and Ofsted will be taking no further action. The provider remains qualified for registration.

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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 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve. The registered person does not meet 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, the registered person must take the following actions: • ensure the required adult child ratios are met at all times. These actions are set out in a notice of action to improve and must be completed by the date specified in the notice.

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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): • develop staff's knowledge and understanding of the 'Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage' • ensure all staff are involved in planning • ensure activities extend on what children already know and can do, and that staff working with children support them effectively • extend resources for children to self select with reference to sand play and designing and making materials.

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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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