Brooklands Childcare Ltd

Brooklands Childcare

Inspection report for early years provision

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Brooklands Childcare

Unique Reference Number EY295852 Inspection date 17 January 2006 Inspector Victoria Gail Halliwell

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Brooklands Childcare

Setting Address 137b, Market Street, Hindley, Wigan, Lancashire, WN2 3AA

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E-mail

Registered person Brooklands Childcare Ltd Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Full day care, Out of School care, Crèche

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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

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Brooklands Nursery is one of five childcare facilities run by Brooklands Childcare Limited. It opened in 2003 and operates from a purpose-built two storey building in the Hindley area of Wigan. There are 4 playrooms on the ground floor; the 2 largest rooms are divided by low-level partitions to create smaller play areas for children from 12 months to 3-years-old. The first floor is used for training purposes and provides crèche facilities, holiday care, staff room and kitchen. A maximum of 134 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.30 until 18.00 throughout the year. 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 outdoor play area. There are currently 93 children under three years on-roll. The nursery employs 25 staff, 22 of whom, including the management team, hold appropriate early years qualifications, two other staff members are working towards a qualification. The setting receives support from Wigan Surestart.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's health is promoted by staff who adopt appropriate hygiene practices in relation to food handling and nappy changing. For example, wearing gloves whilst changing nappies and ensuring mats are cleaned between each child. Standards of cleanliness in the baby rooms for children under 12 months are good. Systems are in place to ensure that individual clean bedding is used, and toys and equipment, such as highchairs, are thoroughly cleaned. Such practices, and the exclusion of children who are unwell, help to prevent the spread of infection and maintain the children's good health. Standards of cleanliness are not as well maintained in other areas of the nursery. Staff use the Birth to three matters guidance satisfactorily to promote the aspects of a healthy child. They focus on key aspects of a child's day, for example meal and sleep times. When through natural interactions, babies develop close relationships which

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Helping children to be healthy

enable them to 'snuggle in' to a familiar carer for comfort. There are good systems in place to establish individual children's needs and routines. Babies are emotionally well supported through mostly consistent key-workers. Children are well nourished. In consultation with parents individual dietary needs are met. Staff provide a varied range of freshly prepared meals which are blended and served according to baby's stages of development. Baby jars are also available at parents request. Children enjoy healthy snacks, such as malt loaf or melon, which are offered at regular intervals throughout the day. Alternative menus are planned for younger babies, for example, homemade soup will be provided instead of sandwiches. Bottle feeding is a valued one-to-one experience; babies are held by staff who sit comfortably and feed babies according to their individual routine. Drinks are routinely offered to babies to ensure that they do not become thirsty. Over two's

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Helping children to be healthy

are encouraged to help themselves from low-level water dispensers. Children over two years enjoy regularly use of the outside play area. Younger babies have fewer opportunities to benefit from fresh air and sunlight, which would help to contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Planned activities and the provision of a range of outdoor toys encourage the children to acquire new physical skills and gain greater control of their bodies; as they learn to climb, balance and manoeuvre small toys. Under two's are well supported by staff as they practice and refine new skills, such as crawling, standing and walking.

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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 good. Children are individually welcomed into a bright and stimulating environment. Photographs of the children are prominently displayed throughout the building and help to create a sense of belonging. Mobile children confidently explore their surroundings and select toys independently from low-level storage units. Individual rooms are well organised. Children are able to relax in comfort within a quiet area, or engage in more energetic play in open spaces. All rooms are suitably equipped to meet the developmental needs of each age group. For example, comfortable adult seating in the baby room enables staff to sit comfortably and hold young babies whist bottle feeding. The large settee in the 'tiddler' room provides a solid structure for mobile babies to pull themselves into a standing position. Low-level partitions create

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

smaller base areas, and a variety of colourful partitions have been effectively hung from the ceiling to minimise the openness of the large rooms. Staff have a clear understanding of safety issues within the nursery and established systems are well implemented, ensuring that potential hazards are identified and appropriate action is taken so children can play and move around safely. Prior to use, the outdoor area is inspected for litter, waterlogged plant containers and damage to toys. Formal risk assessments are completed by a designated health and safety person who regularly reviews both the premises and staff practices to keep the children safe. Children are learning about the importance of staying safe through simple explanations, for example, not climbing on the low-level partitions, because they may hurt themselves. Older children understand that they must walk, and not run, to reduce the risk of falling indoors.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is safeguarded by staff, who have a clear understanding of their role and responsibility to implement the setting's child protection policy. A rolling programme of training and good internal practices, ensure that staff can identify possible causes for concern, record them and seek immediate advice from a member of the management team, or the designated child protection officer. The setting's child protection policy is shared with parents and clearly informs them of the nursery's duty to report any suspicions that they may have in order to protect children from possible harm.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children have formed secure attachments with key staff. They respond happily with smiles and spontaneously exchange affectionate hugs. Staff caring for the youngest babies take account of individuals routines established at home and ensure that bottle feeding and sleep times follow individual patterns. Staff caring for older children know them well. They adapt the basic nursery routine to allow for individual needs. For example, children who are not tired at 'sleep time' have the opportunity to rest later in the day. All children engage in a broad range of experiences which stimulate their curiosity and help them to learn new skills. Some staff are beginning to make good use of the Birth to three matters framework to plan an interesting range of activities. To increase

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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 children's awareness of their own individuality, staff encourage young babies to move and rock independently to music. Babies senses are stimulated as they explore a range of natural and textured resources, such as silk, play-dough, jelly and sand. Additional items, such as plastic figures or turtles, are added to textured substances to increase their sense of discovery. Children over two have fewer opportunities to explore their creativity, for example, through free painting, craft activities, water or play-dough. Staff interact with children, continually encouraging them to become skilful communicators. They value what children say, listening carefully as young babies babble before responding. Then, through tone and facial expression, they encourage the baby to 'speak' again. Toddler aged children are encouraged to express there

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

thoughts and feeling through individual discussions and small group activities. Children have the opportunity to take home the pet gerbil. With parental support they maintain a diary and take photographs of its activities over the weekend to share with staff and peers. Individual diaries are collated and are available in the toddler room for children to look at for their own pleasure.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued as individuals and treated with equal concern. Close communication with parents ensures that staff are well informed about children's experiences at home. So that they can provide individual support for a child who may, for example, be struggling to cope with the arrival of a new sibling. Children are encouraged to make choices and over two's are beginning to identify their own needs, such as helping themselves to water and seeking a quiet area to relax. Children are becoming increasingly aware of their local community and the natural environment through seasonal activities such as planting seeds. They have few opportunities to participate in activities which help them appreciate and value similarities and differences with others. Children are learning right from wrong as a result of consistent boundaries and positive behaviour management strategies. Distraction is effectively used with young

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Helping children make a positive contribution

babies who sometimes want to explore other area's of the baby room, for example, where others are sleeping. Staff attract their attention with a change of tone and entice them back, to explore within a more suitable environment. Children's good behaviour and achievements are recognised by staff. They routinely give praise and thank children for their help or use of good manners. Details of children's achievements and good behaviour are shared with parents, to further promote children's confidence and self-esteem. Partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents are warmly welcomed and mutually respectful relationships are evident. Parents speak freely and confidently to staff when they drop off and collect their child. These discussions supplement the children's daily written record. A detailed prospectus containing policies and procedures provides parents with essential information about the provision. To further

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Helping children make a positive contribution

increase parents awareness of individual policies, a policy of the week has been

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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 introduced. The policy is prominently displayed on the parents notice board, alongside details of the setting's current plans to improve their service.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The management of the provision is good. The current management structure is strong, well organised and well informed. They ensure that they continually seek to increase their knowledge in early years issues. Attention to staff training and qualifications is good and effective systems are in place to identify staff training needs. The setting's own training rooms facilitate internal staff training, and enable new information to be cascaded to others to enhance the quality of children's care. Recruitment procedures are strong and include clear measures to check the identity and suitability of potential childminders. Detailed induction processes are followed to ensure that staff are able to undertake their duties competently. Staff deployment is satisfactory and systems are in place to promote the key-worker system. There are effective systems in place to ensure that minimum required

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Organisation

staffing ratios are maintained throughout the day. Suitable contingency arrangements are in place to cover unexpected staff absence. An extensive range of documentation, policies and procedures are implemented to promote children's welfare and development. Information regarding the nurseries operation is well organised, known by staff and accessible to parents. Overall, the setting meets the needs of children who attend.

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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 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

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the

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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 National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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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 improve cleaning schedules to ensure all area's of the nursery are clean and well maintained at all times • improve creative play opportunities for children aged between two and three years • develop staff's knowledge and understanding of equal oppourtunities.

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The quality and standards of the care

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 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

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