Tiny Turners Day Nursery

Tiny Turners Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Tiny Turners Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number 508554 Inspection date 08 June 2006 Inspector Ann Coggin

p.1

Tiny Turners Day Nursery

Setting Address The Grove, Marton, Middlesbrough, Cleveland, TS7 8AB

p.1

E-mail

Registered person Mrs Helen Dey and Mrs Karen Clark Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

p.1

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

p.1

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.

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Tiny Turners (Marton) is one of four nurseries run by Tiny Turners Private day Nursery Group It opened in August 2000 and operates from five rooms in a listed building situated in the Marton area of Middlesbrough. A maximum of 78 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.30 to 18.00 all the year round apart from the week between Christmas and New Year. A before and after school club and holiday scheme is operated within the

p.2

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 nursery. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 107 children aged from six weeks to 14 years on roll. Of these, six receive funding for early education. Children come from a wide catchment area, as most parents travel to work in the Middlesbrough area. The nursery currently supports children with disabilities. The nursery employs 17 members of staff. Of these, 13 hold appropriately early years qualifications and two are working towards a qualification.

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy physical activities each day and use the outdoor play area with delight. They ride bikes and cars and play in the ball pool, and they learn to control their bodies as they balance carefully on the rocking horses and climb up the climbing frame. Toddlers have sturdy toys to push along to support their developing mobility. Babies clamber over soft play mats to look at themselves in the mirrors. Staff provide well balanced and varied opportunities for them to explore and extend all children's physical skills. Children are well nourished and enjoy a varied menu of freshly cooked, healthy food. Snack times are relaxed and social occasions, with staff talking to children about healthy eating. Children make choices and become independent in feeding themselves, however, the organisation of the pre school self service system is not yet fully developed. Children are offered drinks frequently and older children freely

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

access the water dispenser independently. Children's dietary requirements and preferences are taken into account and alternatives are provided. There is always fruit available for children in the out of school care provision and at breakfast club, the children choose from a range of cereals. The children are cared for in a warm, clean and well maintained environment. Health and hygiene procedures are in place, however they are not strictly adhered to. For example, children do not always wash their hands before snack, although they know why they have to wash their hands, to get the germs off. Staff set a good example as they use different coloured disposable gloves and aprons during nappy change and food preparation duties, this prevents the spread of cross infection. Arrangements for first aid and the recording of accidents are well organised and fully protect children. All parental consents are in place and a record is maintained for all

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

medication administered, although times of administration are not recorded.

p.3

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 secure and welcoming premises by staff who clearly understand their role in keeping children safe. Health and safety procedures are implemented effectively and clear risk assessments are completed in order to reduce potential hazards. Security of the premises is good and there are clear policies and procedures in place. Staff explain simple rules and safe practices to children such as, why children should walk inside the nursery and the importance of using seat belts when travelling in cars. For example, the children attending before and after school automatically strap themselves in without any prompting from staff. This helps children learn the importance of safety in their daily routines. Fire evacuation procedures are displayed and emergency evacuations are practised with the children

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

so that they know how to get out of the building in an emergency and where to go to keep themselves safe. Children have access to sufficient safe space to allow them to enjoy a wide range of activities. Their risk of accidental injury is minimised in the setting due to the well organised space and equipment. Children move around freely while using a good range of safe, good quality, well maintained, developmentally appropriate furniture and equipment. Staff have a good understanding of their roles and responsibility regarding child protection and give high priority to protecting children. Child protection responsibilities and recording requirements are shared well with parents, they sign to acknowledge the nursery's procedure.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The children arrive happily at the nursery, they settle quickly and enjoy their time there. This is due to the staff's emphasis on providing a happy, relaxed environment for all children. Babies settle well, they have good bonds with all staff and this has a positive impact on their sense of security. Staff use their good understanding of the Birth to three matters framework and the foundation stage to provide interesting activities and opportunities for the children resulting in them being motivated and interested. When children are occasionally undecided about where to play, staff skilfully interest children in activities. Younger children are making good progress and activities are adapted to meet their individual needs, for example when playing with the cornflour. Close and caring relationships increase the children's sense of trust. Communication skills with children are well supported through good adult to child

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

interactions. The babies beam with pride as they are praised for making their own sounds and they have great fun repeating themselves. The children enjoy exploring the range of natural materials and household items. The babies gurgle purposefully as they investigate the wooden spoons and look at their reflection in the mirror. Babies and toddlers join in with their favourite songs, such as "wind the bobbin". Musical tapes are played as background music in the rooms for the younger children and children join eagerly in with the songs. Exploratory and creative play, such as sand, crafts and painting is part of their everyday environment, allowing children to experiment and develop their own ideas.

p.4

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 For example, staff and children making hand and foot prints in the sand and the delight shown when children wiped them away. After school children are able to relax or be active as they choose. Some children spend their time socially chatting and enjoy talking about what they have done at school. Children's art work is displayed around the out of school room. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children are interested and motivated to learn and make consistent progress towards the early learning goals. Children enjoy their time at the nursery and achieve well, due to the room leader's recent training and her knowledge and understanding of the foundation stage. An interesting programme of activities planned across the six areas of learning meets individual

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

interests and learning needs, although they sometimes lack challenge for the older more able children, for example the self registration system. Assessment records are completed and staff have a good knowledge of where children are at, in relation to the steeping stones. However this information is not clearly shown to be used in the planning of future activities, although systems are being implemented to further develop this area. There is a high level of focus on the children's personal, social and emotional development. Consequently the children are confident and motivated. They are very confident communicators, and happily share their own ideas and experiences and hold a conversation for extending periods of time. They use language well to describe, recall and explain. They form strong friendships and confidently initiate games with others as they play. Children are well behaved and are learning to share

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and take turns, for example, on the swing, in the ball pool and forming a line at Gym World. Children love stories, they listen attentively and contribute enthusiastically and talk about authors and illustrators. Children are developing good writing skills. They hold pencils correctly and many children form recognisable letters as they attempt to write their own names and use writing in different activity areas, for example clip boards in the home corner. Children have good access to books, handle them well and eagerly select them. Children count and use numbers in everyday activities, for example, how many children are present. They use size language well and understand the concept of big and small. However children do not have sufficient opportunities to use problem solving in everyday routines and activities. Older children are recognising numerals well, and can match the number to objects, for example, when completing number

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

jigsaws. Children use a range of programmable toys and have regular access to the computer. They have good mouse control and can complete a simple programme. Children show interest in the world around them. They learn about the seasons and the weather and explore creatures in the garden by using a magnifying glass. They can describe a simple journey and can compare routes, for example my school is the other way. The children are able to design and construct in three dimension, using a range of equipment. Children use their imagination well in play, they construct with a purpose

p.5

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 mind. They enjoy music and song and playing with musical instruments and enthusiastically join in with a good repertoire of songs and rhymes, for examples head, shoulders, knees and toes. Children extend their large physical skills through a variety of experiences including weekly visits to Gym World and regular use of the large outdoor equipment in the garden area. They develop good levels of hand eye coordination through the use of scissors, threading beads and peg boards.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's contributions are valued, and they receive regular praise and encouragement because staff have children's best interests at heart. The children feel at ease due to the staff's understanding of each child's needs. Children feel good about themselves and confidently talk about themselves, their experiences and their home lives. For example, "my mammy and daddy are beautiful". After school children positively contribute towards planning activities and outings and accept responsibility for their own actions. For example, children discuss and agree rules and boundaries and have displayed a list of these for all children to see. A range of resources are available reflecting other cultures and races and this helps raise children's awareness of diversity and develop a positive attitude to others. Children are well behaved and polite and respond well to the expectations of staff.

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

They take turns and show developing concern for others. Children's understanding of right and wrong is increased through the prompts from staff and this fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The nursery has good procedures in place to support children with disabilities. Partnerships with parents is good. Children benefit from the two way sharing of information. Parents receive regular newsletters, information regarding the foundation stage and have access to their child's development records. They receive a written report about their child's progress and formal parents evenings are arranged yearly where they meet with their child's key worker and share their child's progress. Parents report positively about staff, their approachability, the progress their children have made and the activities provided. The nursery encourages parents to comment formally on their child's care through the regular distribution of questionnaires.

p.6

Organisation

The organisation is good. The nursery and out of school environments are well organised to ensure children's welfare and safety. Daily routines are clearly planned and flexibly implemented to respond to children's varying needs and interests. Staff are deployed effectively and work well as a team. There are recruitment and vetting procedures in place for staff to ensure children remain safe. Space is organised so children can make good choices in their play and in their relaxation. For example, resources are available for the after school children to relax quietly after a busy day at school.

p.6

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 Leadership and management of the nursery is good and promotes the children's learning. The manager remains calm in the most stressful situations. On the day of the inspection the cook resigned, the fire alarm was activated and there was a burst water mains in the area so the nursery had no water. Contingency plans were put in place and the children's health, welfare and safety was paramount. Most of the staff have early years qualifications and the children are well supported through the effective key person system. This is because the management and staff have a secure understanding of the principles of the Birth to three matters framework and the foundation stage and of how these can be implemented in practice. Formal staff meetings are held monthly and systems are in place for regular supervision sessions

p.6

Organisation

and appraisals. Required documents are available together with policies and procedures which are shared well with parents and staff in order to promote the welfare, care and learning of the children There are effective systems in place for the sharing of information with parents about the service and their child's activities. A register is maintained and children's arrival and departure times are recorded, however staff's times of arrival and departure are not recorded in the room registers. Overall the provision meets the needs of the children who attend.

p.7

Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the nursery was asked to record children's attendance daily, obtain parental consents for administering creams or lotions and receive parental signatures acknowledging the record of administering medication. Trailing wires were to be made safe or inaccessible to children. Documentation has been improved and children's times of arrival and departure are recorded, all parental consents are in place and parents are made aware of the complaints procedure, ensuring children's health and welfare. Trailing wires are inaccessible to children promoting children's safety. The nursery was asked to develop children's experiences in mark making and extend the range of programmes available for children when using the computer. Mark making experiences have been extended to the home corner and children regularly have opportunities to use writing for a purpose. A selection of interesting computer

p.7

Improvements since the last inspection

programmes have been introduced and these has enhanced children's development.

p.7

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.

p.7

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 On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.7

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.

p.8

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

p.8

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): • ensure consistent hygiene routines are implemented • improve documentation to accurately show the deployment of staff and times of medication administered.

p.8

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): • continue to develop the use of assessment to inform planning in order to extend activities for the older and more able children • extend the opportunities for children to develop calculating skills through practical everyday activities.

p.8

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

p.8

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

p.8