Cornhill Kindergarten Limited

Cornhill Kindergarten

Inspection report for early years provision

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Cornhill Kindergarten

Unique Reference Number EY295846 Inspection date 18 January 2006 Inspector Nighat Ghani

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Cornhill Kindergarten

Setting Address 18 Cornhill Road, Urmston, Manchester, Lancashire, M41 5TJ

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E-mail

Registered person Cornhill Kindergarten Ltd 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Cornhill Kindergarten has been registered since 2005 and operates from a detached property in Davyhulme an area of Trafford. All the ground floor is used for the care of the children. A maximum of 46 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 07.45 to 18,00 for 51 weeks of the year. All children have access to a secure outdoor play area. There are currently 55 children on roll. Of these, 12 children receive funding for nursery education.

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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 The nursery employs 15 staff. Eight of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications and the rest are working towards gaining a recognised qualification. The setting receives support from early years development workers.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children benefit from the provision of excellent quality menus, which offer them a balanced and notorious diet. The menus are carefully devised, taking into account children's special dietary needs, allergies, likes, dislikes and feedback from the parent's questionnaires. Children are developing awareness of the importance of healthy eating through planned activities and health options provided at meal times. Meal times are unhurried and a social occasions. Older children serve themselves, which promote their self help skills. However, meal times in the baby room are not effectively organised to meet the needs of individual children. Children learn about simple hygiene practices as part of their daily routine, for example, washing their hands before and after meals and after using the toilet. However, paper towels are not easily accessible to young children, which inhibits

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Helping children to be healthy

their ability to develop personal independence skills. Children's health needs are at times compromised due to poor hygiene practices, such, as staff not washing their hand before feeding babies, serving food, after changing nappies and food left uncovered. The spread of cross infection between children is not sufficiently minimised. Children enjoy a wide range of activities, which contribute to their good health and physical development. They access physical play on regular basis, promoting a positive attitude to exercise. Babies sleep in accordance to their individual needs and parents' wishes. They are active, benefiting from plenty of space and good opportunities to develop their physical skills indoors. For example, they crawl around the room freely and practice their walking skills, with the aid of good quality push along toys.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in well maintained, spacious and clean premises. A wonderful reception area creates a welcoming, informative, warm and friendly atmosphere for children and parents. There is an abundance of quality information about the setting in this area, which is attractively displayed for easy reference. Children's work and their photographs are displayed around the nursery, which develop children's sense of belonging. Staff conduct regular risk assessments on the premises, to ensure that the children are safe. However, during outdoor play on the day of the inspection the staff did not

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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 carry out a risk assessment to ensure children's safety. An intercom system is in place to monitor safe access to the building. This contributes to children's safety on the premises. Children are learning how to keep themselves safe, as they help to tidy away equipment before they sit down for their meal. Staff give good safety reminders whilst children are playing, for example, to walk, not run, indoors or they might knock someone over. Children use a wide range of safe, good quality and developmentally appropriate resources. Resources are generally well organised, so that children can select them independently. Excellent child size furniture is available in each room, which allows staff to organise the rooms in a flexible way, for children to play and eat together. However, there is a lack of domestic style furniture in the baby room to assist children

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

in developing mobility and to continue normal life experiences. Children are well protected because the staff have a good knowledge and understanding of child protection issues. They are aware of their roles and understand the procedures they must follow if they suspect abuse or neglect. Most staff have attended child protection workshops or training and a nominated member of staff takes responsibility for liaison with child protection agencies.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy and settled in the welcoming environment. Children are involved in a good range of activities, which contribute to their all round development. Staff are beginning to make good use of the Birth to three matters framework to enhance their practice, which has a positive impact on the quality of the young children's learning. Children make choices of where they want to play, and are able to access resources independently to extend their own interests and learning. Children are valued and respected by staff, which boost their confidence and moral. Staff have established positive relationships with children resulting, in them being happy and settled. Staff listen carefully to children and get down onto their level when, for example, they build models together or play in the home corner. Young children are developing good concentration skills, whilst they persevere with tasks in

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

small group activities. They are encouraged to think and express themselves, as staff ask some challenging questions. Infants and babies have good opportunities to delight in sensory activities, using all their senses. They become aware of different textures, as they access treasure baskets, gloop, sand, pasta and water. Babies relish the feel of the gloop tickling on their feet and between their toes. Heuristic play is a daily part of the routine, where children get the opportunity to explore and discover with all their senses. They develop communication skills as staff respond to their gestures and babbling and talk to them as they play. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff provide a warm and caring

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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 environment, where children feel happy and secure. Children's confidence and self-esteem are well fostered and behaviour is consistently managed by staff, who know the children well. Staff have a sound understanding of how children learn and a reasonable range of teaching methods. Staff who are less experienced are not secure in their knowledge of the Foundation stage curriculum, however, they receive regular support from their manager and the early years consultant. Planning includes all six areas of learning. Staff are very clear about the learning intention of the focused activities provided. The assessment methods used, clearly identify progress children are making along the stepping stones, within the early learning areas. However, it is not clear, how the next steps in children's learning are used, for planning and inform teaching. Staff are

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

skilful at asking children open ended questions, which extends their thinking. Staff foster solid relationships with children and are skilled in caring for children with special needs. Children are happy and confident in their environment. They relate well with each other and have made close attachments with their peer group. Their independent skills, such, as washing hands and putting on their own coats before going out to play are well established. Children are confident speakers; they make good use of language to express ideas and re-tell interesting stories. However, children can not access books freely, to acknowledge that these can be used for enjoyment. Older children can recognise their names and are beginning to sound the letters of the alphabet, however, there is lack of print in the environment. Counting and number recognition is well promoted and children learn about simple problem solving through the use of imaginative play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have many opportunities to explore and compare mathematical patterns. Children's knowledge of early addition and subtraction is well promoted through activities, such as play dough and whilst singing number rhymes. Children learn about the natural world and their community during meaningful activities. They construct using a variety of objects and materials and use simple tools and techniques competently to achieve a desired affect. They access the computer confidently and generally use it well to support their learning. Children are curious, but their exploratory impulse is not sufficiently challenged, so they miss opportunities to be scientific and understand why things happen, and how things work. Children regularly take part in physical activities, such as parachute games, riding tricycles and pushing each other using large wheel toys, , which improve their muscular control and co-ordination. Children can manoeuvre small bikes around

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

others and they successfully follow instructions to create specific movements. Imagination is well fostered through role play. Children are creative in their thinking and love to re-tell stories and share their experiences. Children enjoy participating in messy and creative activities and will independently choose these activities, when asked what they wish to play at. They are not often given the opportunity to use paint freely, for example, to see what happens when the two colours are mixed together. Modelling material, such as play dough, is regularly available for children to

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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 experiment and create freely.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are warmly greeted on arrival making them feel welcome. They are treated with equal concern, helping them to settle and join in with the activities of their own choice. Rooms are well organised taking into consideration children's ages, abilities, and needs, however, the toilets are not suitable, to ensure that the dignity and privacy of children are respected. Children with special needs are respected and fully integrated within the setting and their needs, met through staff working in partnership with other agencies. Children develop self-esteem and respect for others as they, for example, listen to each other during singing time. They gain awareness of their local environment and wider world through visits to the local parks, library and inviting people in with different professions. Children celebrate different festivals and play with a variety of toys and

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Helping children make a positive contribution

materials, that reflect the wider world. This increases their awareness of diversity and understanding of others. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The children are generally well behaved and are beginning to learn and understand the difference between right and wrong. For example, a member of staff helps children to negotiate over a large wheel toy and understand they can share and take turns. Staff are consistent in the management of children’s behaviour, which has a positive effect on children's behaviour. They respect their environment by helping to tidy away the toys before snack time and at the end of the session. The partnership with the parents is satisfactory. They receive substantial, well written information about the care and nursery education. Consequently, they are well informed about how the setting operates, so that they can work together for the

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Helping children make a positive contribution

children's safety, welfare and learning. Regular parents evenings and feedback from the staff keeps them well informed about their children's day at the nursery. Parents freely access their children's assessment files to establish how their children are progressing, however, they are not encouraged to contribute towards their children's assessments.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Organisation of space, time and resources is generally good, promoting positive outcomes for children's safety, care and learning. An effective key worker system is in place. Very good policies and procedures are in place, which are updated regularly. These are implemented well in practice, contributing to the safety and well being of children. Leadership and management is good. Effective recruitment procedures and induction

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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 for new staff, help to ensure that children are safe and well cared for. Staff work well together as a team to ensure the setting runs smoothly. They are aware of their roles and responsibilities and are deployed effectively, to support children's learning. Appraisals, regular meetings and good access to training, ensures that staff are well supported in their professional development. The management team have a strong commitment to improvement, training and the professional development of staff to further raise the quality of care and education. Management monitor and evaluate the care and nursery education through regular meetings, support from the early years consultant and returned parent questionnaires. They are aware of their strengths and weaknesses and have action

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Organisation

plans in place to make improvements. They act as good role models for staff. They lead by example, which helps to motivate staff. Overall, the provision meets the needs of all 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 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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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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): • make sure that high standards of hygiene is maintained to prevent the spread of infection and paper towels are easily accessible to children

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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 • review meal times in the baby room • conduct risk assessment when planning outdoor activities and when stacking chairs in the rooms and provide domestic style furniture in the baby room • provide suitable toilets for children to ensure that their dignity and privacy is respected

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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): • ensure that children's assessments are used as a guide to teaching and future planning and areas within the curriculum are effectively developed and implemented • encourage parents to contribute towards their children's assessments.

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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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