Summerfields Nursery

Summerfields Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Summerfields Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY293942 Inspection date 11 January 2006 Inspector Fran Fielder

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Summerfields Nursery

Setting Address Summerheath Hall, Summerheath Road, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 3DR Telephone number 01323 449057

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E-mail

Registered person Valerie Joy Elsbury 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?

Summerfields Nursery opened in 2001 and has been under the current ownership since 2004. It operates from a community hall in central Hailsham, East Sussex. Facilities include two rooms, a hall, a kitchen and toilets. There is a fully enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery serves the local area. There are currently 33 children aged from 2 to 4 years on roll. This includes 17 children who are in receipt of nursery education funding. Children attend for a variety

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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 of sessions. The setting supports a number of children with special needs and makes provision for those who speak English as an additional language. The nursery opens five days a week during term times. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday sessions are from 09.00 until 12.00. Wednesday and Friday the nursery is open from 09.00 until 15.30. There are five members of staff who work with the children. Three members of staff have an appropriate childcare qualification and two are on training programmes. The setting receives support from the Local Authority. The nursery is a member of the Pre-School Learning Alliance.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children play in a clean environment where they learn the importance of good personal hygiene. Effective daily routines and the staff’s own good practice prevent cross infection. Children wash their hands automatically after visiting the toilet and know they need to wash their hands before eating to prevent the spread of germs. Staff encourage children to wipe their noses and ensure tissues are always available for this purpose. Visits from the dentist encourage good practice. During role-play children learn about people who can support their good health. This helps children learn and think about their personal needs. Children receive a variety of snacks such as fruit, breadsticks and toast and have a choice of milk or water to drink. This ensures children develop healthy eating habits. Drinking water is always available and staff encourage children to drink more in warm weather and after physical play. Staff take into account all dietary needs to ensure

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Helping children to be healthy

children remain healthy. Staff act in the children's best interest if they are taken ill while at nursery. Children benefit from daily physical activities in a spacious hall as well as outdoor play when the weather is suitable. They enjoy a good range of well-planned activities that help keep them healthy and develop their physical skills. Children use large equipment where they can practise balancing, jumping and climbing. Regular music and movement sessions give children the opportunity to move creatively. They show good co-ordination when using bats and balls and manoeuvre wheeled toys well.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children arrive happily and settle well. Informative posters, labels and children's work make the rooms welcoming for all. Bean bags and carpet give good opportunities for children to relax or read in comfort. Children choose freely from a wide range of good quality toys and resources. These are stimulating and appropriate for the children’s age and stage of development. Staff check all items as they are used to ensure they

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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 are safe and cannot harm a child. Staff organise space well to allow children to move safely from one activity to another. Good staff interaction means children learn about safety procedures, such as remaining seated while eating and drinking. Regular risk assessments and daily checks enable staff to identify and minimise any potential hazards. Visitor's to the group, such as the lollipop person, the police and the fire officer, help children learn how to keep themselves safe. The premises are secure and regular fire drills ensure staff and children can evacuate the building quickly in the event of an emergency. There are good procedures for departure which ensures only known or named adults can collect the children. Staff have a very good understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse. They

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

have a basic understanding of the procedures to follow if they have any child protection concerns about a child in their care. They know where to get more information and support if needed. This promotes and safeguards children's welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy, confident and inquisitive. They enjoy a good range of stimulating activities that hold their interest and support their development. Staff are attentive and relationships are very good. Children approach staff for support but often just for a chat or cuddle. This shows children feel secure in the setting. Staff listen with interest and respond to children's ideas. This makes children feel valued and builds their self-esteem. Children enjoy taking responsibility and work well together to clear away toys. Staff use 'Birth to three matters' to plan activities for children under 3 years. This ensures activities are appropriate for the age of the children. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a very good understanding of how children develop and learn. They plan a range of practical activities that help children progress in all areas of learning. Staff create a stimulating environment

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

where children’s work is beautifully displayed and labelled. This shows children’s work is valued and gives them a sense of belonging. Staff interact well with children supporting their learning by asking questions. This helps children organise their thoughts and extend their ideas. Regular observations enable staff to assess children's stage of development. Evaluations of activities show how staff adapt their approach to cater for individual learning needs. Well planned topics give children good opportunities to find out about themselves and others. When learning 'All About Me' children compare hands, read 'Funnybones' and create collages of themselves. Children are confident and independent. They are very well motivated and enjoy new

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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 challenges. They spend a good length of time concentrating on self-chosen activities. Children behave very well and respond to requests for good behaviour. They understand the rules within the setting and abide by them. This ensures good relationships and harmony. Children enjoy books and handle them carefully. They spend time ‘reading’ and sharing books with friends and adults. The print rich environment helps children understand that written language conveys meaning. Children recognise their name and many are keen to practise writing. Children speak very confidently to peers and adults. They express their ideas and experiences well using good vocabulary. Children count confidently and recognise numbers that are important to them. Constant reinforcement of numbers on a daily basis helps children recognise and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

understand concepts of number. Children enjoy songs such as 'Five Little Monkeys' which helps develop an understanding of simple calculation. Children's understanding of space, shape and measure is developing well and they readily use mathematical language during free play. Children investigate using their senses. They enjoy guessing objects inside a 'feely bag'. They collect natural objects, such as leaves, and create autumn pictures. Children use telephones and calculators confidently during role-play and know their purpose. Children learn about their environment through topics such as 'Where I Live'. They look at maps giving them the opportunity of recognising local features, such as shops and parks. Children recognise themselves and friends in photographs. Food tasting and dressing up help children understand a range of cultures. Children enjoy music and respond enthusiastically to 'Sticky Kids'. They have the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

opportunity to play musical instruments and experiment with sound. Children express themselves creatively through a range of media. They paint, draw and make collages that represent their experiences.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Staff set a good example by showing respect for children and adults alike. Staff encourage children to enjoy all resources and activities. Topics such as 'Clothes' introduce children to different cultures and posters reflect positive images of all people in society. The role-play area is often used as a tool to help children learn about people in society. For example, children enjoy making optician's appointments and choosing frames for glasses. They also enjoy 'booking' holidays with the travel agent and trying foods from different parts of the world. As a result, children develop a positive attitude towards diversity. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. There are good systems in place to support children who have special needs and those who speak English as an additional language. Close liaison with parents and outside agencies ensures all children's needs are well planned for and met. Children

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Helping children make a positive contribution

behave well and staff are consistent in their approach. They offer explanation for requests so children easily understand right from wrong. Praise and encouragement

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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 make children feel good about themselves and help them learn self-control. The partnership with parents and carers is good and contributes well towards children’s achievements. Staff gather relevant information on the registration forms so they can give appropriate care. Parents and staff work together and share information about children’s individual progress and development. Staff involve parents in their children’s learning by giving valuable suggestions regarding activities that can extend learning at home. Parents do not complete an initial assessment about their child but they do contribute to their child’s assessment at parents’ consultations.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Staff organise space well to ensure children gain fully from all activities. Staff deployment is effective and ensures good supervision at all times. There are effective recruitment and induction procedures in place. This means that suitable, experienced and qualified persons look after children. Leadership and management are good. Staff work very well together. Clear communication and guidance allows them to provide a stimulating well-balanced programme. Regular meetings enable staff to create a stimulating curriculum. Clear aims reflect a commitment to improving the quality of care and education. Regular appraisals identify training needs and staff have access to relevant courses. This supports staff in their role and ensures they have the latest and most relevant information available. All mandatory records are well maintained to ensure the safe and effective management of the setting in order to promote children's welfare. Some policies and

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Organisation

procedures do not fully reflect practice in the nursery, but staff have a sound awareness of procedures within the setting. Overall, the nursery meets the needs of the children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

A complaint was received regarding Standard 11: Behaviour Management, Standard: 8 Food and Drink and Standard 14: Documentation. Ofsted carried out an unannounced visit to the nursery to discuss the complaint. As a result of the discussion the provider was asked to maintain minimum qualified staffing levels at all times. The provider was also asked to ensure all documentation is accurately maintained. The provider took appropriate steps. Three members of staff are fully qualified and two are due to complete an appropriate qualification by Easter 2006. All

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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 staff have experience of caring for pre-school children. All documentation is well maintained and accident and incident records are accurate. 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): • review and amend policies and procedures to ensure they reflect practice in the nursery

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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): • involve parents in an initial assessment of their children's ability so individual needs can be met from the outset

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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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