Studfall Infant Academy

Seesaw Nursery 2

Inspection report for early years provision

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Seesaw Nursery 2

Unique Reference Number 145824 Inspection date 26 May 2006 Inspector Joyce Bowler

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Seesaw Nursery 2

Setting Address 1 Eastbourne Road, Trowbridge, Wiltshire, BA14 7HW

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E-mail

Registered person Catherine Bryant Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care, Out of School 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 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?

Seesaw Nursery 2 opened in 1993. It operates from an end terraced house in Trowbridge. A maximum of 26 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08:00 to 18:00 for 50 weeks of the year. The baby unit has its own play and sleep space on the first floor, whilst the older children have the use of 3 main playrooms downstairs. All children share access to a secure enclosed garden for outdoor play.

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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 61 children aged from birth to under five years on roll. Of these, 23 children receive funding for early education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and disabilities and also supports children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 8 members of staff. Of these, 6 hold appropriate early years qualifications and 2 are working towards a qualification. The nursery is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The whole nursery is geared towards protecting children and babies from health and hygiene hazards. There is a 'no shoes' policy throughout the building and staff use protective gloves when changing nappies. Checklists around the premises show that all staff are involved in well organised cleaning, food storage and preparation and good toileting routines and procedures. All children are well protected from cross-infection by means of the effective systems in place at the nursery. For example children know to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. They talk about the importance of doing this to lower the risk of spreading germs and feeling ill and are reminded to cover their mouths and noses when they sneeze and cough. This advice is incorporated into schemes of work on being healthy and supported by visits from health professionals. Children can revisit this topic by means of clear and attractive wall displays.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's minor accidents are dealt with effectively as a high ratio of the staff are trained in first aid. Children's individual health needs are met well as staff have undertaken extra training to cater for specific medical conditions. All accident and medication records and parental permissions are complete and up to date. Drinking water is available throughout the day for the older children. Babies have access to drinks in their own cups, beakers and bottles. Children make choices from a good selection of morning snacks and at afternoon tea time. Children may have a lunch cooked at the nursery or a packed lunch box from home. There is an emphasis on providing fresh organic produce at lunchtime. The nursery works closely with parents and as a result children are provided with nutritious lunch boxes which do not contain processed food. Individual dietary requirements are met. The needs of babies are met well as staff and parents communicate effectively to ensure that the

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Helping children to be healthy

correct quantities and variety of food and drink keeps pace with babies growth and progress. Staff keep useful records on a daily basis. Children are developing a healthy lifestyle which incorporates physical activities both

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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 indoors and out everyday. They have access to a wide range of resources to use to develop and practice their physical skills. These include construction toys, tools such as knives for spreading and larger play equipment in the garden area. They are learning to change for P.E and to put on their own coats and shoes. Children learn co-ordination when enjoying the 'Sticky Kids' tape and are learning to catch and throw balls and beanbags. The mini-beasts topic was well integrated into a movement activity when children hopped like a grasshopper and wriggled like a worm. Younger children have floor space to learn to crawl and walk with confidence and access to toys and equipment to encourage this.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children benefit from an environment which is kept safe by staff who carry out regular risk assessment procedures. This monitoring of potential hazards and risks is recorded in daily checklists on a rota system by all staff and is overseen by the manager. This is evident in the baby play and sleep rooms as equipment is clean and checked daily, cot linen is changed for each baby and a stair gate has been designed and fitted for the top of the stairs. The front door access has good security for visitors. However the rear entrance, which is in main use, is less secure. Children's safety on the premises is compromised by any unauthorised entry at the rear entrance. Staff observe the fire officers recommendations and all fire equipment and drill routines are up to date. Throughout the nursery dangerous substances are inaccessible to children. Space in the nursery is adequate and staff are aware of the need for all children to have

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

access to both the inside and outside areas everyday. The Tiny Tots and pre-school children benefit from the organisation and a rota of the use of all areas which allows access to the garden, messy room, sensory room and carpet room throughout the day. The outside play space is limited but staff utilise it well to provide a variety of activities and supplement this with local trips out. Children's safety is not compromised on outings as staff implement clear written safety procedures. Effective procedures for collection of children by nominated persons is in place. Babies and all children are able to access toys and materials easily. Resources are of good quality and cover all areas of learning. Children's individual needs and interests are met as staff are able to request toys and equipment to add to supplies available. Children's welfare is safeguarded by staff who are trained and well informed in child protection

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

issues. The flowchart for the up to date procedure in case of a child protection issue is displayed in the kitchen. This enables staff to refresh their knowledge on a every day basis and ensures that all staff are confident and knowledgeable in this area.

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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 At Seesaw 2 nursery all children benefit from a well planned curriculum which is tailored to their age and stage of development and records their progress across the Stepping Stones. Children are happy and occupied with meaningful and enjoyable activities. Resources are accessible and there is an emphasis on each child having choice, for example when selecting play activities and resources and choosing who to sit with at snack time. Babies have well observed routines and play is planned by staff who understand each baby's needs and personal likes and dislikes. Babies benefit from excellent care with priority given to one to one interaction from the staff who demonstrate that they enjoy their work and have very good relationships with the babies. Baby's needs are met as useful information is gathered on entry to the nursery. This is updated

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

constantly in written form via the daily diaries and verbally by feedback opportunities at drop off and collection time. Notes from parents pinned to the notice board show that changes in feeding and eating routines do not go unobserved. Babies receive a lot of cuddles and chat to enable them to settle in well and to be happy and to develop in a comforting and stimulating environment. Staff have devised a 0-2 guidelines document which shows how they are linking their care to the Birth to Threes Matters framework. This covers all aspects of the babies day from receiving and handing over routines to music, song times and meal times. The Tiny Tots are aged from eighteen months to three years on average. This group of children also benefits from planned activities which are aimed at helping them to progress. They have a core of everyday activities which include opportunities to express themselves creatively and to help them to learn to share, take turns and to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

work well in a group and on their own. The current group are learning to sit and listen to stories and simple instructions. They demonstrate that with careful staff guidance and lots of praise that they are able to do so. Staff are patient and listen well to the children who are just beginning to contribute to discussion at snack time and during play. Each baby and Tiny Tot has a file which is shared with parents on request and at parents evenings and shows how the routine and range of activities links to the Birth to Threes Matters framework. Key workers are recording observations which show how children are progressing and reflect the good care and attention for each child. The nursery offers after school care to a small number of children who have attended previously and have siblings still attending. This demonstrates the staff commitment to continuity of care and the flexible approach to meeting parents needs. These

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children attend for short periods during term times for a few days a week only. They are allowed to join in with the children in free choice play after tea time. They have produced self portraits for the foyer area and enjoy using the range of creative and imaginative play resources available. Staff are able to include the children in activities and the children fit in well with routines which are still familiar to them. Nursery Education. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Children benefit from a wide range of activities with a good balance between those which are adult initiated and those which are child led. Every day has a routine with which children readily become comfortable. Staff are able to adapt this routine according to the unexpected such as

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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 unusual weather or the children's interest. This was evident when staff got the visiting tarantula spider out for the children to look at twice in the day by request. The usual routine includes outdoor play in the mornings and afternoons in most weathers and a mix of planned activities by staff and the opportunity for free play. Children enjoy 'choosey time' when they make selections from four activities on the 'choosey' board. This is helping them to learn to take turns and to understand number, for example by understanding and remembering how many may use the computer at any one time. They are able to grow in confidence by accessing resources for themselves, being encouraged to join in with discussions at circle time, helping staff at snack time and by taking responsibility for jobs at tidy up time. Children's personal, social and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

emotional development is given high priority by staff who help them to work well in groups and as individuals promoting their independence. This is demonstrated well when children are getting ready to play outside and manage to put on their coats and shoes. Staff know when to stand back and when to help. This is also demonstrated when children are at play in the home corner. Staff contribute to discussion and ask questions to add to the dimensions of play. They do not steer the direction of the children's play and enable them to have control of their own imaginative play. Conversations are initiated by children who like to ask questions and to find out about the world about them. Staff build in time to allow for this enabling children to explore and share ideas and thoughts. The written word is evident throughout the nursery and children are learning to label their own work and to recognise their own names.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

They use books and enjoy stories. Children are learning to link sounds to letters and to use phonics. Staff asked children to think of words beginning with the letter g and after guinea pig and girl were suggested were able to help children to understand how egg didn't begin with g but had a g sound at the end. This was not part of the activity as planned on paper but illustrated how staff are able to teach with competence and according to the children's needs. Children are learning to count and to use numbers and these are displayed and illustrated throughout the nursery. Daily activities encourage children to solve simple problems such as how many cups are needed for drink time and staff incorporate use of the peg number line, comparing size and maths games into the curriculum. Children are learning about the world around them via planned topics and use of the local environment. They have visited the fire station and been behind the scenes at the Tesco bakery. Topics are

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

planned well but the mini-beasts theme is not prominent in the nursery. There is a tray of soil containing model insects and staff do refer to mini-beasts during play but books, resources and displays do not reflect the topic overall. Children were not able to revisit learning or explore the topic for themselves. Planning is good and shows a good balance across the areas of learning. Children's learning is extended by staff who understand the Foundation Stage curriculum and plan accordingly. All activities include simplification and extension exercises for staff to implement according to the differing needs of the children. Assessment systems are good as they build a clear picture of a child's time at the nursery and include ideas for their next steps. Key worker records show that staff are aware of each child's stage of development, their attitude to learning and how home events may have an effect their behaviour at

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

nursery. Staff evaluate their work and use this to inform future planning.

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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 The provision is outstanding. Children's needs are met very well and their interests are fostered effectively as staff collate a comprehensive set of information and records which relate to children's needs and stages of progress. This is supported by assessments which show each child's stage of development and rate of progress across the Stepping Stones. These include planning for the next steps and the next challenge for each child. Children benefit from the established daily routines. They settle in well and familiar procedures help them to feel at ease in the nursery. The nursery is very welcoming and brightly decorated with children's work. Displays show work covered in past topics. Posters and resources, including books and dressing up clothes, reflect the diversity of world culture.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents is outstanding. The nursery invites parents to take part in activities, to share their talents, such as making music, and to become involved in the nursery as far as is possible with a full understanding of parents work and life commitments. Good links are established via daily diaries, verbal feedback, open evenings and informal chats. Records are readily available. This is supplemented by friendly newsletters, a highly informative parents notice board which has spread to encompass the whole of the entrance foyer and feedback sheets. The nursery has acted on suggestions made by parents, for instance to supply a list of songs so that parents can help children to sing them at home. The nursery supplies information regarding infectious and childhood illnesses, local events of interest and healthy eating. This has reaped benefits for the children as they have very healthy and

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Helping children make a positive contribution

nutritious lunch boxes from home. Excellent information which shows how the nursery puts the Birth to Threes Matters framework and the Foundation Stage into practice is supplied for parents in the foyer and in individual planning. Children receive a very good continuity of care between nursery and home. Staff are available for parents whenever children are dropped off or collected and notes are made of relevant news and information. Children understand the rules for behaviour in the nursery and show that they understand what is acceptable. Children have drawn pictures to illustrate what is kind and unkind behaviour, for example biting is not nice but helping to tidy up is. They are able to share, take turns and tidy up together. Behaviour is of a very high standard and children play happily together. They respond to praise, use please and thank you readily and are helpful to staff and to each other. Spiritual, moral, social

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Helping children make a positive contribution

and cultural development is fostered. Staff have adopted a conflict resolution technique from the High/Scope approach to childcare and are trialling this. Children will benefit from this as it is consistent across the nursery and if challenging behaviour arises it will focus staff on resolving it in the best interests of all the children according to their age and ability. Children receive a positive welcome when they arrive at nursery and are involved and included quickly in the current activity. Children benefit from routines and a curriculum which gives them a high degree of choice in how they spend their day. They are encouraged to take responsibility for jobs and to grow in self esteem and to be a valued member of the nursery. For example at snack time when they help hand

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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 out crackers or bread and pour their own drinks. This is reinforced by placing their picture on the monitor board for all to see. Equal opportunities are maintained as staff use a rota. Strategies such as a picture book showing key elements of the day for a child with English as an additional language and written feedback for parents who are deaf are examples of how the nursery demonstrates that the needs of the children and their families is paramount to staff. The children have extensive opportunities to learn about themselves, each other and the world about them through planned activities, visitors to the nursery and outings.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The setting meets the needs of the children for whom it provides. Robust recruitment procedures and staff induction are in place. All staff have appropriate qualifications and checks which are held on record for inspection. Ratios are correct and very good staff deployment ensures that children are supervised at all times. Leadership and management is outstanding. It underpins the success of the nursery by creating a shared ethos of good early years practice and a shared commitment by all staff to improving the quality of the care and education offered. There is a strong leadership from the owner of the nursery who requires all staff to attend in-service training, to cascade knowledge to other staff members, to share good practice at staff meetings and to work together to plan and meet the requirements of the Bristol Standard quality assurance scheme. This is documented clearly in the staff training

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Organisation

and development handbook and in the staff appraisal system. The manager has a varied role with the emphasis on ensuring the smooth and successful day to day running of the nursery. She is a valuable supernumerary member of staff who can step in to cover staff breaks and absences to ensure that ratios are met at all times. She plays a lead role in rolling out the curriculum and working towards the quality assurance scheme. Both the owner and the manager demonstrate an enthusiasm for their work which is clearly evident in their very good knowledge and understanding of the Birth to Three Matters framework and the Foundation Stage. Effective, friendly and helpful monitoring of the provision by the manager on a day to day basis ensures high standards across all of the outcomes for children. Staff are responsive and work well together as a result. For example very good staff deployment ensures that shared use of rooms is successful and each

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Organisation

group has time to make best use of the space and activities for the children. The self evaluation form shows that staff are able to reflect on their practice to improve and raise standards. One example of this is in the way staff have produced guidance for parents on how their provision is informed by the Birth to Threes Matters framework and how this benefits the babies and Tiny Tots. Non-contact time allows staff to complete key worker records and plan activities. Documentation is very good. All required policies and procedures are in place. These

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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 are supplemented by the parents information folder and feedback sheets, up to date early years publications and documents produced as part of the Bristol Standard scheme requirements.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the nursery was asked to address issues relating to documentation, monitoring of sleeping babies and teaching of activities to provide appropriate challenges for children of all ages. These have been met in full. Sleeping babies are listened to on plug-in baby monitors and staff observe them at regular intervals which are recorded. Fire drills are practised each half term and recorded. Registers are completed in ink and Ofsted details are included in the complaints procedure. Written permission to seek emergency advice and treatment is obtained from parents and recorded in their contracts. Staff meet the developmental needs of all children as they include simplification and extension in each planned activity according to the individual child's ability and progress across the Stepping Stones.

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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 any complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain some 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):

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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 the security of the rear entrance to the nursery

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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): • consider making topic work more evident around the nursery in order to extend the enjoyment and learning opportunities for the children.

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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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