Tigers at Theale Day Nursery

Brightstart Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Brightstart Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number 511193 Inspection date 17 January 2006 Inspector Lynne Elizabeth Lewington

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Brightstart Day Nursery

Setting Address 16-18 Church Street, Theale, Reading, Berkshire, RG7 5BZ

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Brightstart Day Nursery

Telephone number 0118 9303000 E-mail dcs@yesmate.com Registered person David Clifford Shepherd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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Brightstart 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 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?

Brightstart Day Nursery opened in 1994. It operates from a converted property in the village of Theale, near Reading and serves a wide catchment area. The nursery has access to 7 playrooms with 2 fully enclosed outdoor play areas. A maximum of 64 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.30 to 18.00 hours for 51 weeks of the year. There are currently 65 children aged from 3 months to 5 years on roll. Of these 14

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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 receive funding for nursery education. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children with special needs and those who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 15 qualified child care staff and a cook. All qualified staff hold a first aid qualification. The nursery provides placements for 7 childcare students studying national vocational qualifications. The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. The nursery is taking part in the Investors in People award.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children learn about the importance of food as they share snacks, meals and undertake activities that increase their awareness of where food comes from. Staff interact knowledgeably with the children at mealtimes and discuss what the children have to eat. Children know that food makes you strong and gives you energy. Access to regular drinks effectively ensures the children do not become dehydrated. A good quality balanced and varied diet is offered to the children, of food which is cooked freshly on the premises. Appropriate care is taken to ensure special dietary needs are met. Efficient provision is made for the storage and use of baby bottles, taking into account very young children's individual feeding requirements. Effective health measures throughout the nursery promote the children's general good health. The clean attractive premises provide an inviting environment for

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Helping children to be healthy

children. Removing outdoor shoes before entering the baby room ensures the floors are clean for the babies to roll and crawl. Good hygienic nappy changing routines promote the children's comfort and good health. Staff encourage children to use tissues and wash their hands independently at appropriate times. However, children do not use the soap properly and leave it covered in sand or paint and unsuitable for use by others. Information regarding children's individual special health or dietary needs is clearly displayed, enabling all staff to be fully aware of any specific allergies or requirements. Suitable provision is made for children to rest and sleep safely as required. Children take part in regular effective daily physical activity both indoors and out. They negotiate stairs extremely well, negotiate skilfully around furniture and people indoors, and climb and balance and use wheeled toys as they play in the garden.

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Helping children to be healthy

Finer skills are developed well through opportunities to use tools, balls, pencils and brushes. The youngest children develop their first sitting and walking skills safely, in the spacious play rooms. An outdoor toddler play area provides a soft safe play space where they can develop skills without the hazards of older faster children around them. The well organised daily routines of the nursery successfully ensure that children have opportunities for adequate nourishment, rest, stimulation and physical activity both indoors and out.

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Helping children to be healthy

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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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are well protected from possible abuse or neglect. Staff and the manager show a good competent understanding of the actions they would take if they were concerned about a child in their care. Clear policies regarding child protection provide staff and parents with appropriate information. The nursery environment is warm, welcoming and clean. The good organisation of the setting, its equipment and toys enables the children to move safely around the nursery, independently selecting toys and resources they wish to use. Children are very secure and well supervised within the setting, as excellent measures are taken to ensure they cannot wander out of the building or strangers wander in. Safety gates, socket covers, and regular risk assessments of the play areas ensure the children can play safely. Monthly fire practices enable the staff to effectively learn how to safely evacuate the premises in the event of an emergency.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children competently learn to be aware of their own safety as they take care on the stairs and move safely around the nursery without running. Good adult child ratio's at all times enable the children to always have close supervision.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very happy and settled in the warm and caring homely environment. Good routines are followed and individual children's needs are met very well. For example, in the baby room parents provide information on a daily basis regarding naps and feeds, which is used to provide appropriate care. Staff are interested and motivated in their work, they sit with the children, make eye contact and interact well with them, contributing to the children's sense of security. Children know the routine, the rooms they play in and their carers enabling them to feel secure, relaxed and confident in the environment. Children are interested in what activities are on offer and join in enthusiastically. They confidently participate, explore their environment and interact well with the adults. They are learning to take turns and show co-operation relevant to their stages of development. NURSERY EDUCATION

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff provide a broad range of activities that promote children's learning and allow them to progress through the stepping stones. They use play and formal learning programmes to build on children's skills. Children are developing their independence skills through varied and interesting activities. Children sit, listen and concentrate during story and group activity times. Staff encourage the children to join in conversations add their observations and thoughts. They ask what the children think will happen next in the story and what they can see in the pictures. Children respond with ideas and are able to express their feelings, describing their likes and dislikes.

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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 Whilst children in the Caterpillar room can easily access books at all times children in the Butterfly room cannot. This limits their opportunities to use books independently. Children enjoy the good quality books available to them, and will independently choose a book and sit looking at the pictures and turning the pages in the correct manner. Some children recognise letters and many are aware that print carries meaning. Children play imaginatively in the home corner, in the playground and in the music and movement (Bo-Jingles) lesson. Children's creative abilities are encouraged well as they participate in action songs and dance opportunities, increasing their ability to use instruments, make different sounds and keep pace with the music. Children are developing their understanding of shapes, size and position as they

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

undertake activities and the names are used in their everyday play. However, some staff miss opportunities to encourage the children's recognition and knowledge of numbers in everyday routine activities, for example when laying the table. There are no numeral displays in the Butterfly room to encourage children's recognition. Children learn effectively about the world around them through topics, activities, visitors and walks in their local community. These opportunities enable the children to develop their awareness of the wider world, cultures and traditions other than their own. Children enjoy a good range of physical activities, which promote their physical movements very well. Children use the computer confidently, moving the mouse and responding enthusiastically to the simple programme. Staff have a good knowledge of the stepping stones and use this along with other early years materials to provide children with a varied and interesting curriculum.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Planning covers all areas of learning. Staff use ongoing observations and assessments to plan children's next steps in learning, this enables them to meet the needs of all the children including those with special needs. Children's achievement is linked to the stepping stones.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children behave well. They effectively learn to show consideration for others because the staff act as good role models. They begin to understand right from wrong through consistent boundaries and the praise and encouragement they receive throughout the day. Children have access to a good range of toys and resources to reflect the society they live in; they visit their local community and take an interest in their environment, enabling them to develop a positive attitude to other people and the wider community. Staff work closely with other agencies to ensure the learning opportunities for children with special needs are suitably met. The staff recognise the importance of adapting activities and the environment to enable all children to participate. The nursery fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The partnership with parents between staff is good. All parents receive good quality

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Helping children make a positive contribution

information about the setting and its policies and procedures. They have regular

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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 newsletters, two parents evenings a year provide opportunity for in depth discussion regarding their child's progress, in addition to daily informal opportunities to discuss concerns with staff. Currently little information is easily available for parents of funded children regarding the six areas of learning or information on how they can consolidate and encourage their child's learning. However excellent information is provided for the parents of children under three years regarding development and early feeding through imaginative use of posters, books and the notice boards. Parents speak positively of the service offered, the approachability of the staff and the happy environment.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Staff use the available space both indoors and out extremely well to provide children with a safe, interesting, spacious and pleasant environment for their play and learning. Adults all have a clear sense of purpose, they listen attentively to the children, offer cuddles and nurturing care naturally, and they allow the children to explore and develop self confidence well. In all areas of the nursery staff sit with the children, show interest and appear happy in their role. Weekly plans enable the children to experience a variety of activities which encourage their all round development. They have good opportunities for rest, nourishment, physical activity and intellectual stimulation to enable them to develop and be happy in the environment. The manager and her deputy demonstrate a clear understanding of the national

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Organisation

standards. Staff hold relevant child care qualifications and legally required documentation, which contributes to children's well being. Health and safety is in place. Leadership and management are good. The proactive management have implemented an appraisal system and a focus plan for the nursery enabling staff to constructively look at how they can improve their skills and the service they provide. Regular staff meetings provide positive opportunities for team building and planning. The manager is aware of weaknesses and along with her staff team actively addresses them. New staff undergo an induction and receive mentoring to enable them to fully understand their role within the setting.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The following improvements have been made since the last inspection. Parents have provided consent for the children's information to be displayed clearly in the nursery enabling all staff to be aware of the children's allergies and needs. Children have a variety of snacks including fruit and vegetables, which encourages a healthy diet. Children are encouraged to independently use the toilet facilities to promote privacy. Staff caring for the under three year olds are using the Birth to three matters framework and keep detailed records of the children's progress, enabling a clear record of development to be maintained.

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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

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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 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 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): • improve children's hand washing skills to promote good hygiene

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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): • improve the older children's access to books and numbers enabling them to develop their interest and understanding • improve opportunities for parents of children receiving nursery funding to be involved in their child's learning.

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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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