Laindon Neighbourhood Nursery

Laindon Neighbourhood Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Laindon Neighbourhood Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY284577 Inspection date 19 January 2006 Inspector Greg Wolff

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Laindon Neighbourhood Nursery

Setting Address The James Hornby High School, Leinster Road, Laindon, Basildon, Essex, SS15 5NX Telephone number 01268 411844

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E-mail

Registered person Pre-School Learning Alliance 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 outstanding. 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 outstanding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Laindon Neighbourhood Nursery is one of 28 nurseries run by the Pre-school Learning Alliance. It opened in 2004 and operates from two rooms in a purpose-built building situated within the grounds of The James Hornby High School in Laindon, Essex. A maximum of 50 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08.00 until 18.00 for 50 weeks a year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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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 There are currently 90 children aged from birth to under 5 years on roll. Of these, 34 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come mainly from the local area. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special needs and also a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs nine staff. Seven of the staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications. The setting receives support from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children's individual health requirements are extremely well met. The staff team's excellent knowledge and understanding of the setting's health policies and procedures ensure that children's wellbeing is robustly supported. Practitioners are knowledgeable about individual children's needs, and ensure that they are suitably trained to provide necessary intervention where there are risks, for example in case of resuscitation being required. Very clear, comprehensive, and well maintained routines are in place to ensure that children benefit from a clean and ordered environment. This is supported by the extensive information given to parents regarding children's health issues, such as exclusion times relating to childhood ailments, thus reducing the possible risk of cross infection for children. Children develop very good levels of personal independence, with even very young

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Helping children to be healthy

children being encouraged to develop responsibility. For example, toddlers who need help to use the toilet are encouraged to wash and dry their hands and dispose of paper towels with minimal help. Older children manage their personal care needs very well and are developing an understanding of things that may affect their health, such as germs and eating healthy foods. Snacks and meals provided are healthy and children enjoy a good balance of foods. Children use snack and meal times as an extension to their formal learning activities by discussing what they are eating and helping practitioners to set up and clear away equipment. Children of all ages take part in an excellent range of activities that promote physical development and co-ordination. Daily access to outdoor play and excellent resources ensure that children are developing movement skills and good spatial awareness. For example, they use hockey sticks to hit balls, use spades for digging, play with hoops

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Helping children to be healthy

and bricks, ride bicycles and access other assorted equipment as they negotiate their environment with co-ordination and control. They enjoy organising group games with both practitioners and peers such as 'Bear Hunt' where they can run, jump and use their imagination as they make good use of their physical environment.

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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 outstanding. Children learn to keep themselves safe in welcoming and stimulating facilities, where they are able to freely move around the learning environment across the session. Practitioners are vigilant about children’s safety and ensure this by the highly effective implementation of thorough daily risk assessments and exceptionally detailed health and safety policies and procedures across the provision. Children talk about safe practice, for example, they recognise that they must not throw sand as it can hurt their own or other children's eyes. Children are well protected because practitioners have an in-depth knowledge of child protection issues, recognise their role and responsibilities and know how to implement nursery and local child protection procedures. The recording of all staff,

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

children and visitors to and from the nursery, detailed policies for the collection and non-collection of children and arrangements for recording pre-existing injuries contribute to ensuring children are safeguarded from harm. Children benefit enormously from the exceptional, well-organised and vibrant learning environment and an extensive range of equipment and resources is available which is suitable for the ages of children attending. Excellent procedures are in place to ensure equipment is safe and well maintained. Children and babies access their own resources independently across the provision, which helps to develop and sustain extremely high levels of independence.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children are extremely happy and settled within the nursery. Staff are very aware of the individual children; they offer a high level of support and assistance to children who require help in leaving their main carer. Children thoroughly enjoy their time within the nursery. They achieve well due to the staff's excellent understanding and use of early years guidance such as the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage and 'Birth to three matters' framework. Staff use these expertly to plan an interesting and stimulating range of activities to provide high quality care and education. All children are able to select the toys and resources they wish to use within both of the rooms, for example, toys are displayed on shelving at appropriate heights within the baby room. Children are very comfortable within their environment and receive a high level and quality of support from the practitioners. Older children make friends

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

with their peers and all children develop good relationships with the stable staff team. All children play happily and older children initiate conversations and involve other children and adults in their play. Practitioners provide children with an extremely high level of interaction both in planned and free play activities. Children thrive in the relaxed and well-organised environment provided by the staff. Nursery Education. The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Children are extremely confident

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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 in their surroundings. They enthusiastically select the toys and resources they wish to use from the excellent variety available. Children develop their independence skills through a very good range of planned activities, toys and equipment. They are enthusiastic to assist in daily tasks, for example, tidying up and selecting books to be read to the whole group. Children sit and listen well at group times; practitioners encourage them to put forward their thoughts and feelings, which they do with confidence, such as ideas about what will happen next in stories that are not known to them. Practitioners encourage children's curiosity and reinforce their learning through questioning, repetition and well planned topics. Children are very well behaved and are very aware of the expectations and boundaries in place, for

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

example, using equipment appropriately and sharing the toys and resources. Children love books and stories and have many opportunities to look at them on their own or in small and large groups with and without staff members. Children confidently join in with stories and anticipate what may happen next. Practitioners provide children with many opportunities to mark-make and practise their emergent writing through everyday and fun activities. Children count up to 10, and many count beyond this. They are confident in their use of simple calculations and have opportunities to use these skills each day, for example, comparing the number of cups to the number of children. Children use mathematical language in their play, such as 'longer', 'shorter', 'above' and 'beside'. Children are keen to discover the world around them and have many opportunities to grow and care for living things, for example, planting seeds and caring for goldfish. Planned themes develop children's

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

awareness of different cultures and traditions. Children are very competent in their use of technology and have a multitude of opportunities to use a good range including tape recorders and a computer. Children enjoy and participate in a very good range of physical activities to assist them in their development. Practitioners find out about each child right from the beginning, through discussions with parents and staff from other areas of the nursery. They have a good awareness of the needs, interests and skills of the individual children in their care and use these to plan a stimulating and exciting range of activities. Planning is flexible and is adapted to meet the needs and interests of the children. Practitioners have developed highly effective systems for recording individual children's achievements and using these to inform planning for children's next steps in learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. Children show an excellent attitude towards one another and are extremely confident and self-assured. They flourish in the nursery because they are exceptionally well supported by practitioners who encourage them to become autonomous and competent learners. Children play extremely well together, learning to share and take turns, and they negotiate this with confidence. They show genuine concern for one another and benefit enormously from the example set to them by the excellent staff team. Children develop a secure sense of belonging and confidently take on responsibilities

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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 within the nursery, such as helping to clear up after themselves. Behaviour is exceptional and children show high levels of independence, confidence and self-esteem as practitioners continually praise and value their achievements. All children and their families, including those with special needs and English as an additional language, receive outstanding support from practitioners, enabling them to thrive and make excellent individual progress. Children gain an extremely well developed respect for themselves and others as they learn about their local community and the wider world and value and celebrate their differences and similarities. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Babies and young children enjoy cuddles from practitioners and are extremely self

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Helping children make a positive contribution

assured, developing high levels of independence and a sense of security and belonging. They benefit from a superb partnership with parents, ensuring their individual needs are fully met, and they make rapid progress in their development. Parents are fully involved in their children’s learning and how they can support this in the home because highly effective communication takes place between practitioners and themselves, for example through daily discussions. The partnerships with parents and carers is outstanding. Practitioners give high priority to establishing and securing the links between home and nursery, ensuring parents are actively involved in their child’s learning. Parents receive extremely detailed information and discuss the curriculum and the philosophy of the nursery, which helps them to understand how their child learns and develops through play. They receive extensive support in extending their child’s learning at home, for

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Helping children make a positive contribution

example through practical play experiences, and parents are fully involved in the planning for their child, which helps to ensure this is centred around individual interests. They work together with practitioners to assess their child’s ongoing achievements and progress and agree next steps for development. This helps to ensure all children make excellent progress and allows parents to play a full part in their children’s learning.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The setting meets the needs of the range of children attending. The well-qualified staff team use their knowledge exceptionally well to ensure that children make excellent progress in all areas. Practitioners demonstrate excellent knowledge of the setting's policies and procedures and implement these most effectively to ensure that children are kept safe and well. There is a very strong emphasis on training and development for practitioners and this ensures that children benefit from a staff team which is confident and up to date in it's knowledge. For example, staff have completed training in using the 'Birth to three matters' framework to monitor the progress of younger children. They have wholeheartedly embraced this and their implementation of the framework is excellent. There is an ethos of reflective practice throughout the setting with practitioners making excellent evaluations of what they do in order that children continue to

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Organisation

flourish. Children benefit from good staff ratios which ensures that they are

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 consistently well supported. The leadership and management of nursery education is outstanding. The manager, along with the relevant room leader, is passionate about early years education and has developed a skilled, enthusiastic and dynamic staff team. Practitioners show a strong commitment to children's achievement and development, which is demonstrated by the children's enthusiasm for, and involvement in, their learning. Processes for monitoring and evaluating children's progress are excellent and ensure that they consistently receive high quality care and that nursery education meets each child's individual needs. For example, staff meet regularly to assess planned activities and review their suitability in terms of enabling individual children to progress. There is excellent recognition of individual staff skills within the team,

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Organisation

resulting in confident practitioners who are proactive in ensuring an inclusive environment where every child matters.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since their last inspection, the staff team have made a number of excellent improvements. The setting was asked to develop skills in relation to observing and recording what children do and this is now done regularly during a number of activities each day. These notes are used effectively to help inform the next steps for planning. The setting was asked to ensure that sufficient suitable toys, play materials and books are available to children. There is a superb range in place at this time, all of which are easily accessible to the children. This ensures that they are able to increase their independence in the setting and can access many different and stimulating activities in all areas of play, development and learning. The staff team were required to review the nappy changing arrangements and facilities at their last inspection. These are both now excellent and practitioners are aware of good hygiene practices. This ensures that the risk of cross-infection is kept

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Improvements since the last inspection

to an absolute minimum and children's health is fully maintained.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since 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 outstanding. The registered person meets

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND 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 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 outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the care

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of care are outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of nursery education are outstanding.

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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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