Caldecote Day Nursery

Caldecote Day Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Caldecote Day Nursery

Unique Reference Number 200546 Inspection date 28 February 2006 Inspector Jan Burnet

p.1

Caldecote Day Nursery

Setting Address 2a Caldecote House, Lancaster Road, Rugby, Warks, CV21 2QN Telephone number 01788 542337

p.1

E-mail

Registered person Mariana Dixon 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 satisfactory. 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Caldecote Day Nursery was registered in 1995. It operates from 3 playrooms on the ground floor and 3 on the first floor in a converted building situated close to Rugby town centre. The nursery is open for 51 weeks of the year and operational times are Monday to Friday from 08:00 until 18:00. All children share access to small outdoor play area at the front of the building.

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 A maximum of 49 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 70 on roll and the average daily attendance is 38. Of these 10 are funded 3-year-olds and 5 are funded 4-year-olds. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and children who speak English as an additional language. A team of 8 full-time and 6 part-time staff care for the children and 9 hold early years qualifications. Of these 4 are working towards a qualification.

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's good health is assured because hygiene routines and the nutritional value of their food are satisfactorily addressed by staff. Children are aware of the need to wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet and do so using anti-bacterial liquid soap. The risk of cross infection is minimal because cleaning routines are adequate and because parents are aware that their child should not attend if he or she has a contagious illness or sickness and diarrhoea. Children's best interests are served by a staff team well informed on accident procedures and their emotional well-being is addressed with good support and encouragement. Children aged two years and under are developing physical skills and confidence with use of satisfactory sit and ride toys and climbing equipment, but older children are not challenged effectively. The risk to children from unsafe food is low because

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

food hygiene is addressed well. Children's individual dietary needs are appropriately met and meals and snacks are satisfactorily nutritious. However, lunchtime is not treated as a social occasion because conditions are cramped, staff do not sit with the children and children do not discuss their preferences and healthy eating.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children take part in activities in a welcoming environment. The nursery is light and bright and is decorated with children's art work. Children aged two years and over are cared for in three first floor playrooms and a dining area and children under two years play in a large carpeted room, creative play and dining room and a playroom used mainly by the older babies. Outdoor play space is small and is best suited to children aged two years and under. Children could not leave unsupervised because the area is surrounded by secure fencing, however, this is a low-level wooden fence and so close staff supervision is the only way children's safety from unwanted visitors is assured. Equipment is safe and risks of accidental injury to children are low because staff are vigilant and potential risks have been identified and satisfactorily addressed. However, risk assessments do not satisfactorily show known potential hazards and

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

measures taken to reduce the risk to children, for example in the outdoor play area. Children are aware of the evacuation procedure as it is practised regularly.

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's welfare is appropriately safeguarded by staff who have a working knowledge of the signs of abuse and neglect and are aware of local referral procedures.

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are settled and happy in the childcare environment created by staff. They enjoy and get involved in activities. Children are placed in rooms according to their age and children aged two years and under are well supported by staff and experience an appropriate variety of activities on a daily basis. They benefit from a well-balanced routine and satisfactory resources. Babies are cared for on the ground floor and the needs of children under and over one year are met in separate rooms. All are well supported in accessing a creative play room and enjoy painting, sand and water play and gluing and sticking. The routine for all children includes group times for songs and stories, construction, books and puzzles. The needs of toddlers and babies are adequately met in the small outdoor play area and physically they are also challenged appropriately in one of their playrooms.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

In practice children under three years experience a suitable range of activities and are provided with satisfactory resources but the outcomes for children from birth to three would be improved by using an approach in line with the 'Birth to three matters' framework. Information packs are available in the nursery for staff reference but staff have not yet attended training. Staff are not using their observations to plan the next steps for the children's play, learning and development. The nursery operates without a key worker system but relationships between the staff and children are good and children are happy and settled. Nursery Education. The quality of teaching and learning is inadequate. Funded children are happy and confident but they are not challenged effectively by staff. Access to resources that support their learning across all of the six areas of learning is limited as they are not encouraged to choose and select resources and most activities are adult-led.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy listening to stories but group times usually include 2-year-old children and so the concentration of older children is effected by younger ones. Children are able to select books but there is no cosy area set aside for them to look at them. A French teacher attends the nursery on Tuesday and Thursday and for the benefit of the 3 and 4-year-old children, she insists that her sessions are held with these children only. The small group enjoy taking part and are thoroughly engaged. In French, the 4-year-olds confidently name colours, count beyond 10, and understand body parts, 2 are able to say body parts also. Manipulative skills are developing with a satisfactory range of toys and materials and children practise pencil control on a daily basis. However, they do not write for a range of purposes, for example as a means of recording and communicating. They are not developing the link between

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

sounds and letters even though their environment is well labelled. Children's name cards have been made but are not regularly used to encourage letter recognition.

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 Children count and are learning to recognise numerals. They are developing an awareness of "more" and "take away". Children enjoy singing but music is on the weekly timetable for Wednesday mornings only and children do not practise moving in a range of ways and do not observe the effects of exercise on their bodies. Large equipment for physical development is not suitable for 3 and 4-year-old children and trips to the park are very occasional. Children are developing catching and throwing skills but opportunities to develop balancing skills and an awareness of their own space and that of others are limited. They are developing skills with small equipment but are not effectively challenged with the use of tools, for example at lunchtime children are given knives and forks but their food is already cut up for them and use

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

of scissors is limited because of the danger to 2-year-olds in the group. Children are very limited in opportunities to explore and investigate and develop their senses. Use of the computer is limited to two afternoons each week and role play resources are accessible to children on a Friday afternoon when drama is on the timetable. Three and four-year-old children do not experience an adequate variety of activities to promote learning and aid their development. Most staff do not demonstrate a sound knowledge of the stepping stones that lead children towards the early learning goals and they do not challenge individual children to lead them towards the next step. Topics are planned for the year and include religious and cultural celebrations and activities are planned weekly. However, learning objectives are not always identified and the weekly timetable shows Monday to Friday morning activities are restricted each day to one activity: mathematics on Monday and for the remainder of

p.5

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

the week; French, music, French, knowledge and understanding of the world. In the afternoon activities are: English, computer, mathematics, computer, drama. No account is taken of part-time children and staff set the play room out with a limited amount of other activities. The creative playroom is used daily but staff set out the room, select a small group of children at a time and activities generally link to the theme and so opportunities for children to choose and express themselves creatively are limited. Planning does not recognise more and less able children, observations are not regularly recorded and assessment records are drawn up mainly from memory. Staff do not use what they know about children to inform planning.

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are welcomed and their individual care needs are known and appropriately met by staff. They are encouraged to talk about home and their experiences in order to appreciate and value each others' similarities and differences and they also celebrate different religious and cultural festivals through the year. This positive approach fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They choose from a satisfactory range of resources that reflect diversity. Currently there are no children with special needs or children who speak English as an additional language attending the nursery but staff have past experience and ensure that they work with parents and other professionals to meet each child's needs. The staff team is multi-cultural and multi-lingual and older children are learning to speak French.

p.5

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 Children generally behave well and play cooperatively, although there are times when older children become bored through lack of variety and challenge and two-year-olds become restless, for example when grouped with older children at story times. Children are learning to share and they show consideration for others, for example, a two-year-old bumped into another child and immediately said "sorry". Children respond positively to staff who ensure that behaviour is managed with the use of praise and explanation. Children are aware of the nursery's "5 Golden Rules" which are; to say please and thank-you, to listen to each other, to walk when inside the nursery, to work together and to be kind. The partnership with parents is satisfactory. Consistency of care for children is

p.5

Helping children make a positive contribution

addressed with adequate written and verbal communication. Admission forms are thorough and all parents are given a "starter pack" which is a booklet containing information on the care of babies, toddlers and the Foundation stage curriculum. Detail on the 'Early learning goals' is also displayed in the entrance hall as is information on complaints and child protection. Parents are informed that their child's assessment records are available to them at any time on request and an annual open day is organised. However, information from parents is not included in records and so they are limited in being involved in their child's learning. All required policies and procedures have been drawn up and parents are informed that they are kept in a file in an office area off the entrance hall. However, staff cannot be sure that all parents have read them. Daily diaries are written for babies up to the age of 18

p.6

Helping children make a positive contribution

months and include detail on food and drinks, sleep, nappy changes, activities and any other relevant information on the child's day.

p.6

Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children in the nursery are cared for in a clean and welcoming environment and space is organised to enable them to experience a satisfactory range of play activities. The provider ensures that children's care is satisfactorily promoted by a high percentage of qualified staff. Staff to child ratios are currently good as numbers in the nursery are low. However, staff do not ensure that resources and activities are easily accessible to older children and three and four-year-old children are not encouraged by staff to become independent learners. The emotional benefit to young children of a key worker system was discussed at length with the owner who currently chooses not to operate in this recommended way. Leadership and management is inadequate. The owner and manager have not satisfactorily addressed key issues raised following the last education inspection and do not ensure that staff who work with children in receipt of funding for nursery

p.6

Organisation

education have sufficient knowledge of the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage to help children progress towards the early learning goals. Systems are not in place to ensure that the owner, manager and staff satisfactorily monitor the quality of education for three and four-year-old children. Children's welfare and care are generally supported with staff implementation of the setting's policies and procedures. All required policy statements are included in a file

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 that parents are invited to read, but staff cannot be sure that all have done so. Legally required documentation is in place and is kept up to date and in satisfactory order. However, accident records are not confidentially maintained as parents are able to read detail relating to children other than their own and risk assessments do not satisfactorily identify all potential hazards. Overall, the provision meets the care needs of the children who attend but does not adequately meet the educational needs of three and four-year-old children.

p.6

Improvements since the last inspection

At the time of the last care inspection the provider was asked to develop staff understanding of child protection issues and develop a procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation against a member of staff. Children's welfare is now better served because these actions have been satisfactorily addressed. The policy has been reviewed and staff have completed child protection training. The provider was asked to ensure that staff respond to children's interests, develop their independence, imagination and self-esteem and provide opportunities to build on their natural curiosity as learners. This is not being implemented satisfactorily for three and four-year-old children as they are not encouraged by staff to become independent learners. This is reflected in actions raised at this inspection. The provider was also asked to ensure that children are not restricted and are able to access toys and equipment easily. The organisation of resources has been changed

p.7

Improvements since the last inspection

so that children could select for themselves, but staff do not encourage them to do so. Two recommendations relating to documentation were made; to ensure that children's registers are well maintained showing actual numbers of children present and to use the visitors record at all times. These have been addressed satisfactorily. The provider was asked to ensure that the procedure for behaviour management is consistently applied and that all children are praised and rewarded for good behaviour. This has been addressed with a review of policy and staff team training. The provider was asked to provide opportunities for all parents to receive regular information on their child's progress and care. This has been addressed in part with verbal communication and daily diaries for young children but is limited for information on older children. At the time of the last education inspection key issues were; to improve the

p.7

Improvements since the last inspection

assessment system, improve planning and provision of activities and develop children's independence and to provide opportunities for children to use writing and numbers in daily activities. At the time of this inspection children were observed counting confidently and they are learning to recognise numerals but other key issues have not been satisfactorily addressed.

p.7

Complaints since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Ofsted was contacted with concerns relating to National Standards 10 (Special Needs) and 12 (Partnership with parents and carers) alleging that necessary care was not provided for a child with special needs, that a parent's right to privacy and confidentiality was not respected and that an individual at the nursery was sarcastic and rude. Ofsted wrote to the provider with the details of the concerns and required a response in writing. The provider's response detailed the care provided over the 2-week period that the child had attended and what actions had been taken to prepare for the child's special needs. The provider denied that anyone was rude or sarcastic to the parent. The provider's response, documentation and policies supplied, demonstrate an understanding of the need to communicate effectively with

p.7

Complaints since the last inspection

parents over the provision's policies and procedures and to maintain confidentiality. The provider has demonstrated an ability to meet the requirements of the National Standards and therefore Ofsted took no action. The provider remains qualified for registration. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

p.8

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.8

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.

p.8

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are inadequate - notice of action to improve.

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): • make sure that staff use their observations to plan the next steps for the children's play, learning and development • develop risk assessments to include risks and hazards indoors and out, including equipment, materials and procedures • ensure the confidentiality of all records.

p.8

The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education, the registered person must take the following actions:

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 • develop staff knowledge of the stepping stones and early learning goals within the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage and ensure that observation and assessment and information from parents are used effectively to inform planning for individual children • ensure that children practise moving in a range of ways, observe the effects of exercise on their bodies and have regular access to large equipment that will challenge them effectively • provide opportunities for children to learn the link between sounds and letters and use writing as a means of recording and communicating • develop opportunities for children to operate independently within their environment, to explore and investigate and engage in role play based on their own experiences. These actions are set out in a notice of action to improve and must be completed

p.8

The quality and standards of the nursery education

by the date specified in the notice. The Department for Education and Skills and the local authority have been informed.

p.9

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.9

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.9