Widmer End Community Combined School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number 110335 Inspection date 07 February 2006 Inspector Marilyn Joy

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Setting Address West Downs Student Village, Romsey Road, Winchester, Hampshire, SO22 5HT Telephone number 01962 827393 E-mail west.downs@childbase.com Registered person Child Base Limited Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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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?

West Downs Day Nursery is part of the Child Base chain of nurseries. Child Base Ltd is an independent company which was established in 1990. The nursery is situated within the grounds of West Downs student village in Winchester. The accommodation is purpose built and the children have access to a large enclosed garden. The nursery has several small pets. The nursery is registered for 60 children under 5 years. There are currently 93

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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 children on role, of these 29 receive funding for nursery education. The children are grouped in 4 different areas according to their age and stage of development. The nursery supports children with special needs and children for whom English is an additional language. The nursery is open from 07.30 until 18.15 every day for 52 weeks of the year. It provides full and part-time places for the children of staff and students at the university and also for working parents in the surrounding urban area.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are currently 18 staff who work with the children, of whom, 14 hold a relevant early years qualification. There are 2 members of staff working towards relevant qualifications. The nursery receives support from the local authority. It has completed the Quality Counts quality assurance scheme. This expires June 2006.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Excellent systems are in place to ensure children's good health is promoted well throughout the nursery. Staff consistently follow effective health and hygiene procedures during their daily practice. Children are encouraged to develop good routines for themselves, such as, washing their hands and learning to blow their noses. Particular care is taken to ensure the environment is clean and the spread of infection is prevented. Parents are notified about childhood illnesses and the periods when children should not attend the nursery. Equipment is thoroughly cleaned to prevent cross contamination. Children are offered an excellent range of well-balanced, healthy and nutritious meals that are freshly prepared on the premises. Children enjoy their food and are encouraged to develop good eating habits. Regular meal and snack times are planned throughout the day. Older children choose when they want their snack and

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Helping children to be healthy

serve themselves. There are outstanding procedures in place for ensuring children's health needs are met. Colour coded systems and pictorial displays are simple and effective. They ensure all staff and students are well-informed about children's individual dietary requirements and sleep routines. All documentation relating to children's health is well-organised and maintained accurately. A healthy lifestyle is encouraged. Children enjoy daily fresh air and exercise. They wrap up warmly and enjoy outdoor play all year round. Children learn to control their bodies and develop a range of movements. Younger children squeal with delight when staff help them on the slide. Older children become increasingly skilful as they manoeuvre bikes around each other and learn to dribble a ball. They practise simple warm-up exercises and co-ordinate different movements indoors. Children of all ages use a wide variety of small and large equipment as they develop their physical skills.

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Helping children to be healthy

They learn to feed themselves and manage their own personal care. They develop competence in dressing themselves and getting ready for outdoor play.

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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 good. Children are cared for in a warm and welcoming child oriented environment. The premises are clean and well-maintained. The layout is organised well so that children can be easily supervised. Children and parents are made to feel welcome because the rooms are attractively decorated with children's work. They are set up for their arrival and staff are ready to greet them. A good range of resources is available for all ages. They are regularly checked to ensure they are safe, clean and in good condition. A strong emphasis is given to promoting children's safety. Health and safety procedures are thorough and comprehensive. They are regularly reviewed and staff receive regular training to ensure they work in practice. Children are becoming aware of keeping themselves safe, for example, they know if they find something broken

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

they tell a member of staff who will remove it. Children learn to be careful of each other when riding bikes outside and throwing balls. However, during some periods of the day, staff are not deployed effectively to ensure children's safety when playing outside. Children's welfare is safeguarded because staff have attended training and are clear about child protection issues and their responsibilities. A high priority is given to maintaining security of the premises and ensuring children are protected from unknown persons. Evacuation procedures are practised and staff are aware of their particular duties to ensure children can be evacuated quickly. Children are taken on trips around the campus and there are clear arrangements for ensuring these outings are conducted safely.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are involved, motivated and engaged in activities that provide them with a stimulating range of experiences. A comprehensive and consistent system is used throughout the nursery to plan an appropriate range of activities. Staff monitor children's progress and plan their progression. The daily timetable effectively incorporates younger children's individual routines and ensures all children have a balance of indoor and outdoor activities. Children receive positive support from staff who generally know them well. Older children have opportunities for independent play as well as receiving individual support and participating in whole group activities. Sometimes activities organised around the lunch time period are not as effectively managed. Children receive enthusiastic support from staff as they enjoy active and energetic play outdoors. Younger children settle to sleep in a quiet and calm

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

atmosphere. Children are happy and settled. They receive good support from staff who are involved and interested in their play. Younger children have frequent opportunities to experience messy play. They enjoy painting with their hands and feet. They make designs on the table with foam and manipulate dough. Resources and facilities are easily accessible which enables children to develop independence in caring for themselves and choosing what they want to play with. Babies enjoy watching and

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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 playing with mobiles as they sit comfortably on the floor with staff. They have space to crawl and become confident with walking. Toddlers explore treasure baskets which contain exciting and colourful objects that stimulate their senses. Children make connections and acquire new skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff use their knowledge of the Foundation Stage to offer activities and experiences that contribute to children's progress. Planning ensures children experience activities that promote their development in all areas of learning and observations are used to monitor and assess their progress. Resources are rotated and children confidently choose from the pre-selected range. Children have time to explore resources at their own pace, however, they have few opportunities to make additional choices, for example, to extend their creative play. Children confidently use the 'plan and do' system to select what they want to do, decide if there is enough space for them and record what they have chosen. They then move their name card when they want to play with something else. Some children confidently tell others when they have not put their name on the board.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children form positive relationships with staff and each other. They play co-operatively together in the sand, learn to share and take turns when operating the computer. Children generally behave well, are familiar with the daily routines and know what is expected of them. Children are becoming confident communicators. They chat to others and willingly contribute at circle time. Staff are patient and encourage conversations well. Children enjoy listening to stories and looking at books. Many competently use writing tools as they draw and colour. Children recognise their name and many attempt to form recognisable letters, although the more able have few opportunities to extend this further. An interesting range of topics introduce children to the world around them. They look for mini beasts in the garden and learn about the life cycle of a butterfly. Children are encouraged to contribute their ideas and talk about their own experiences. They talk

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

about the weather and suggest jumping in puddles when it is raining or skiing in the snow. Children use a wide variety of media and materials during planned activities. However, they are less confident to help themselves to tools or materials at other times in order to create their own designs. Children enjoy investigating the sand and water trays. They explore floating and sinking in the water and become engrossed when watching the sand filter through the sand wheel. They offer to sweep up the sand when it is time to tidy up. Practical activities introduce children to problem solving. They work out how shapes fit together when building with construction kits and making puzzles. They begin to differentiate between same and different when sorting teddies. They count how many children are present and decide whether there are more boys than girls. Children enthusiastically join in with number rhymes and have a good repertoire of songs.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children particularly enjoy imaginative play. They create stories in the role-play area and develop their own props from the resources available.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children develop confidence and self-esteem in a relaxed and supportive environment. Clear systems are in place to help children settle when they first attend the nursery and to support them as they progress through the different age groups. The effectiveness of these arrangements contributes to both parents and children feeling happy and secure. Children demonstrate a clear sense of belonging and develop confidence in an environment where they are valued. They enjoy sitting cosily with staff to listen to a story and wave to each other as they look through the windows. All ages become engrossed in their play and develop their social skills through good support from staff. All children are welcomed into the nursery. Good relationships with parents means their individual needs and parent's wishes can be incorporated into the care provided. Clear arrangements are in place for liaising with other professionals and parents to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

ensure good support is provided for children with special needs. Children receive frequent praise and encouragement. They become aware of what is expected through consistent and repeated daily routines. Children generally behave well, although sometimes group activities for older children are not always organised well which results in some children losing interest and becoming distracted. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered. Children form positive relationships with adults and their peers. They talk about being kind to others at circle time and learn to show care and concern for others. Partnership with parents is good. Parents receive an excellent range of information about the nursery and have many opportunities to exchange information about the care of their child. Weekly plans are displayed on the notice board so parents are aware of the activities their child is going to be involved in. Parents of younger

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Helping children make a positive contribution

children received daily sheets with details of the care they have received, for example, what they have eaten and whether they have slept. Regular newsletters and the notice boards keep parents up-to-date with current issues, the daily operation of the nursery and ideas on how parents can support children's learning at home. Parents value the friendly and approachable staff and they are encouraged to raise any concerns they may have, although procedures have not been fully updated to reflect the recent changes in regulations.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's care and well-being is enhanced by effective and efficient organisation. There is a clear management structure which is supportive at all levels. Robust recruitment and employment procedures ensures children are cared for by qualified and experienced staff. Comprehensive systems, as well as effective support, ensures the smooth operation of the nursery. Policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and most are up-to-date. Children benefit from regular routines and sessions are usually well-organised, although sometimes deployment of staff does not always fully support children's learning or ensure their safety. Space is used well to provide clear

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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 and safe areas for children to play. Documentation is in good order and stored securely. Children's records are detailed and assist staff in responding to children's needs. Leadership and management are good. Effective induction and on-going professional development of staff ensures that children's care is managed by staff who have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. A strong emphasis is given to promoting high quality care for children. Staff work well together to promote positive outcomes for children and enable children to make good progress towards the early learning goals. The nursery meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection, the nursery was asked to provide a written policy regarding the complaints procedure and provide more resources reflecting positive images of disability. The complaints procedure was updated at the time so that should a parent have a concern about their child's care they know what to do. However, the procedure has not been updated to reflect the most recent changes in regulations. The nursery improved it's resources to ensure children have a variety of opportunities to become aware of the diversity of society, for example, through puzzles, posters, books and small world toys. At the last inspection of funded education, the nursery was asked to develop the use of assessments to inform planning and the next stages in children's learning, and provide access to a wide range of creative resources for children to extend their own ideas. Regular topics are planned and these include a period when children can

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Improvements since the last inspection

consolidate their learning and staff can identify areas for further development. These assessments are considered when organising the rotation of resources and additional activities to support individual children's progression. Craft activities are regularly planned and children experience a wide range of resources. Children enjoy creating their own pictures when drawing and develop their own ideas during role-play. However, many children are not confident to choose additional creative materials if not set out for them.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the last inspection. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

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 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): • update the complaints records and procedures to reflect current regulations • ensure staff are effectively deployed to support children's learning and to ensure their safety when playing outside

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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): • increase opportunities for children to experience a wider range of craft materials on a regular basis and to create and construct their own designs using a selection of tools and materials • provide opportunities for more able children to extend their skills in using writing tools, and in recognising familiar words and letters

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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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