Highnam Day Nursery

Highnam Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Highnam Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY276741 Inspection date 26 January 2006 Inspector Shirley Ann Jackson

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Highnam Day Nursery

Setting Address Lassington Lane, Highnam, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, GL2 8DH Telephone number 01452 416 000 E-mail info@highnamdaynursery.co.uk Registered person Highnam Day Nursery Ltd Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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Highnam 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Highnam Day Nursery opened in 2004 and operates from a purpose-built, two-storey building in the village of Highnam situated between Gloucester and Hereford. The nursery has 5 rooms, a kitchen, toilets, a milk room and a sleep room. An additional room and kitchenette are available for the before-and-after school club. There is an

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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 enclosed outdoor area with grassed and patio surfaces. The nursery is privately owned. The nursery is registered to care for 48 children under 8 years at any one time. There are currently 90 children aged 6 months to 4 years on roll. The nursery is in receipt of education funding and there are funded 3 and 4 year olds attending. The nursery is open from Monday to Friday between 07.30 and 18.30 all the year round. The nursery supports children with special needs and children who speak English as an additional language. Children attend from the village of Highnam and outlying areas. The children are cared for by a team of 17 members of staff, 11 of whom hold recognised childcare qualifications. A number of staff have completed first aid and child protection training. The nursery has access to a mobile library and has close

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

links with Highnam Primary School. The nursery receives support from the Local Authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children observe how staff help to prevent the spread of infection by cleaning the tables before and after meals. They begin to understand the importance of good hygiene through established daily routines, for example, hand washing. Children's health is supported as staff have clear procedures in place for dealing with accidents and administering medication. In addition a number of staff hold current first aid certificates. Children sleep according to their individual needs which contributes to their well-being. Nappy changing, although carried out appropriately, is done within the nursery routine and not according to the child's individual needs. Children are offered a healthy and nutritious choice of home cooked meals and snacks in adequate quantities for their needs. Staff take into account the wishes of parents and children's choices to provide nutritious meals that appeal to children and

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Helping children to be healthy

meet their dietary requirements. Babies feeding routines are consistent with those followed at home, ensuring consistency of care. However, older children are not involved in the preparation or serving of snack. Children develop their social skills through eating snacks and meals together at the table. All children have daily opportunities to play outside where they enjoy fresh air and physical activity. They learn balance and co-ordination as they climb on the fixed outdoor equipment and ride wheeled toys. Children take part in activities which develop their hand-eye co-ordination, such as, playing with peg boards. However, outdoor play for pre-school children is mostly recreational and does not challenge the more able children.

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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 Children are cared for in a well maintained setting which has good safety and security precautions. This helps to ensure that children cannot leave the premises unsupervised and helps to prevent unauthorised access. A fully enclosed garden area is available for children to use. Children are well settled within their surroundings and older children can safely access some suitable resources. Indoors and outdoors, a satisfactory range of good quality, safe, developmentally appropriate resources are offered. Children learn to take responsibility for keeping themselves safe as they listen to regular reminders about being careful, for example, when riding wheeled toys outdoors. Staff have a reasonable understanding of possible risks to children's safety. Although detailed risk assessments are in place, staff do not always implement these in

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

practise. This compromises children's safety. A number of staff are trained in child protection and are aware of how to put the correct procedures into practice.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children settle well and enjoy their time at the nursery. Most are content to take part in the activities offered. Babies cared for on the first floor are given opportunities to enjoy creative activities, such as, body painting and shaving foam. However, many of the resources for the younger children are plastic, with few natural materials. Babies respond positively to the frequent singing of staff by either bouncing or joining in. Babies benefit from routines which are consistent with their experiences at home, ensuring consistency of care. Staff working with the youngest children are caring and sensitive to the needs of the children. Those who are unsure or unsettled are well supported and given individual attention. Children cared for on the ground floor are confident in their relationships with staff. They begin to play happily together, for example, building with construction toys.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Staff model how to use resources and encourage interest in activities offered, such as, showing children how to use the cooking and eating utensils for the Chinese restaurant. Staff interact positively with the children and are skilful enough to know when to step back and let the children take the lead in their play. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is inadequate. Children do not make enough progress because staff have a limited knowledge of the Foundation Stage. Plans do not cover all areas of learning equally, so there are significant gaps in the children's learning. Plans allow few opportunities to follow children's interest or to build on what they already know. Children do not make enough progress because activities and experiences are not well enough matched to children's needs to provide a suitable level of challenge. Staff miss many opportunities to extend and develop the children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

through the practical routines of the day and during child-initiated comments. Children do not have free access to a wide range of resources which enables them to begin to learn independently. The use of observation and assessment is not yet being effectively used to plan the next step in the children's learning. The lack of

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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 evaluation of the provision means that staff are unable to recognise where they are successful and which areas require improvement. Many activities lack challenge and stimulation for older children. This can lead to the children becoming bored and unfocused. Many activities offered are adult-led and children have few opportunities to initiate and develop their own ideas. Children are generally engaged in their play as they carry out activities and assume responsibility for personal care. They are friendly and seek others out to share experiences, such as, completing puzzles together. They listen to stories with increasing attention and handle books carefully. Children have few chances to freely and regularly make marks due to a poorly resourced writing area. Staff do not

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

routinely encourage children to name their own work. Children are not encouraged to recognise rhythm in in spoken words. Children show an interest in numbers and counting, for example, boys pulling an imaginary cracker saying "1, 2, 3". Staff do not use everyday routines to encourage maths language and simple problem solving. Children gain some experiences that encourage them to show an interest in the world in which they live, such as planting bulbs. Staff provide opportunities for children to begin to operate simple equipment, such as the cash register in the role play area. However, the role play area is poorly resourced and cramped making it difficult for children to use their imagination creatively. There are few chances for children to spontaneously create using different materials. Most craft activities have an expected end product. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children settle well into the nursery with effective support from staff. Staff gather information from parents about children to gain knowledge of their individual needs. Children have positive relationships with staff and with each other. Staff have consistent expectations of behaviour and children are well behaved in response to this. Children's self esteem is promoted when staff praise their success and display their work on the wall. A reasonable range of resources which reflect positive images of the wider community are available. These begin to raise children's awareness of diversity. Although there are currently no children attending with special educational needs, there are staff who have training and experience in this area. Children's social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is fostered. Partnership with parents and carers for nursery education is inadequate. Parents are

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Helping children make a positive contribution

given a handbook which outlines the nursery's policies and procedures. It has no information on the Foundation Stage used with the pre-school children. Parents are not encouraged to become involved in their child's assessment or to become actively involved in their learning. This lack of two-way sharing of information prevents children making sound progress in their learning. Parents are comfortable to come in to the nursery and talk to staff or to raise any concerns which they may have.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is inadequate. Leadership and management of the nursery is inadequate. The nursery has had a number of changes over the last few months, for example, a new manager and leader in the pre-school room. The pre-school leader is inexperienced in this role and has limited knowledge of the Foundation Stage. The nursery is still in a transition period and is adjusting to these changes. There is no clear system in place for evaluating and monitoring the provision and the curriculum to identify strengths and areas for improvement. The lack of clear direction and systematic monitoring of teaching and learning means gaps in the children's learning goes unnoticed. Recording systems, although in place, following support visits, are in their infancy and are not yet linked to future plans. This hinders children's learning. Plans do not show how staff will help to move children on to the next stage in their learning.

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Organisation

Overall, the setting does not meet the needs of the range of children for whom it provides. Despite an action at the last inspection, the management team have failed to ensure that staff: child ratios are maintained at all times. This compromises children's well-being and safety. The nursery's documentation is well organised. All legally required records are well maintained and organised. Confidentiality is highly regarded concerning the personal details of children and adults. Policies and procedures are clearly written and mostly implemented in practise. All children receive satisfactory care. Children feel at home and at ease within the nursery environment. This means they are confident to initiate some of their own play and learning. The routine and structure of the sessions provide an appropriate balance of play opportunities both indoors and outdoors. The staff team work well together giving children the support and encouragement to play and learn. Staff

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Organisation

attend training for their own professional development.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the nursery was asked to; ensure that adult: child ratios are met at all times, review the organisation and availability of resources for babies and children of all ages, plan a broad, balanced, purposeful curriculum and make regular observations and evaluations of children and use these to inform future planning. The nursery has made limited progress on some of these issues. Although staffing levels have improved, the ratios are not being met at all times. Of random dates examined, ratios were not met on one occasion during lunchtime. This compromises children's well-being and safety. The organisation has been improved in rooms to give children some access to resources. New toys have been purchased to give sufficient quantity, but challenge is lacking in the pre-school group. This hinders children's ability to move to the next stage in their learning.

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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 Staff working with the pre-school children have amended planning to offer a broad and balanced curriculum. However, lack of training and experience of the staff in delivering the Foundation Stage prevents many planned activities from interesting or challenging the children. Staff have started to make regular observations and assessments of the children, but these are in their infancy and are not yet linked to future plans.

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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 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve.

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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 that adult:child ratios are maintained at all time 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, the registered person must take the following actions: • improve staff's knowledge of the Foundation Stage in order for them to offer stimulating activities based on the children's interests and levels of understanding • improve leadership and management to ensure that the setting and nursery

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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 eduaction is regularly monitored and evaluated • improve information given to parents on the Foundation Stage and how the nursery implement it and involve parents in their child's assessments These actions are set out in a notice of action to improve and must be completed by the date specified in the notice. The Department for Education and Skills and the local authority have been informed.

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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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