Club V Islington Angel

Kidsville - Islington

Inspection report for early years provision

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Kidsville - Islington

Unique Reference Number EY233665 Inspection date 21 February 2006 Inspector Chris Banks

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Kidsville - Islington

Setting Address 333 Goswell Road, London, EC1V 7DG

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E-mail

Registered person Virgin Active Limited (3448441) Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Crèche

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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

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

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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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Kidsville Crèche was registered in 2004 and is located in the N1 area of Islington. It is one of a number of crèches operated by Virgin Active Health Clubs and is for the exclusive use of club members. It operates from a ground floor room of the premises and has a separate designated space for children aged under 2 years. The crèche operates from 09:00 to 17:00 Monday to Friday. Weekend opening times are from 10:00 to 16:00 on Saturday and 10:00 to 15:00 on Sundays. Places for the crèche must be booked in advance and children may stay no more than two hours.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 The crèche may care for a maximum of 18 children aged from 3 months to under 5 years at any one time. Four staff work with children and over half hold recognised qualifications in early years childcare.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a bright, very clean and well maintained environment. They benefit from the good hygiene practice of staff and learn from an early age about the importance of hand washing and other aspects of personal care. Arrangements for changing children are very well managed. Children are also protected from the risk of infection because written company guidelines on health and hygiene are stringently followed by staff but the sickness policy is not shared with parents in a consistent way. All staff hold up to date First Aid certificates which means they are well prepared in the event of an accident or emergency. Children enjoy snacks brought in by parents and are well protected because staff take good precautions to avoid food sharing when children with food allergies or intolerances attend. Children enjoy some physical exercise in the crèche and the well designed and

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Helping children to be healthy

managed space helps children gain confidence in their ability to crawl, climb and stretch.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children enjoy the comfortable and welcoming surroundings of the crèche. Different age group benefit from having separate rest areas and a soft play corner is well used by all the children. They explore their surroundings in comfort and safety because staff take good practical safety precautions to protect them. Daily safety checks are carried out and recorded by staff who are vigilant about identifying possible risks and hazards. The arrival and departure of children is closely monitored and the good practice of asking parents to sign out children helps further promote their safety. Children enjoy playing with a wide range of good quality early learning toys and equipment which are checked regularly and also replaced when necessary. They are made easily accessible to children and offers a variety of choice. The overall safety of children is positively protected because staff are now better

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

informed about their role and responsibility in safeguarding their welfare. All staff are trained in Child protection and clear up to date written procedures helps ensure they

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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 know what steps to take if there are concerns about a child.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children benefit from being cared for by staff who are warm and attentive. Although attendance patterns of children vary from between one and eight hours a week, staff have developed some good relationships with children. The normal high staff to child ratio helps ensure they receive individual attention and older children learn to play co operatively and make new friends. Children enjoy a range of suitable early learning play and learning activities during their short time at the crèche. There is a reasonably well equipped home play and dressing up area for imaginative play and music tapes are used to help create a calm atmosphere. Babies benefit from having a well equipped separate area which they can fully explore and experience an appropriate range of sensory toys and equipment. Staff are still not familiar enough with the Birth to Three Matters Framework. This should now be made a priority to ensure children aged under three are provided with

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

a range of activities that fully supports their all round development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children respond well to the very warm and caring approach of the core staff team who have developed good short term relationships with parents and children. Parents receive a warm welcome and on a day to day basis are kept well informed about how children have spent their time. Clear records are kept about children's individual needs and parents are encouraged to update information if they have not attended for some while. Written information about the service is clear and concise and prominently displayed in the crèche foyer. Children behave well because staff promote positive behaviour in a way that is age appropriate and sensitive to individual children's circumstances. They receive lots of praise and encouragement and are treated with respect. A satisfactory range of anti discriminatory toys and equipment helps children acknowledge difference and learn more about the world around them.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The suitably qualified core staff team work effectively to provide children with consistency of care and are involved and interested in the children. Children benefit from the involvement of the Manager who works face to face with

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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 children each day. In this way staff practice is monitored and effective advance booking arrangements also helps ensure there are high staff to child ratios. The crèche room is well organised and used flexibly to ensure space is maximised for the benefit of all children. Rest and sleep areas are cosy and comfortable and the soft play area is enjoyed by children of all ages. Clear procedures relating to children's health and safety are effectively put into practice by staff who are vigilant in their supervision of children. The setting meets the needs of children for whom it provides care.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Following recommendations made at the last inspection, improvements have been made to the process of accident recording. They are now entered separately to protect confidentiality. The provider now also has a system in place to ensure Ofsted are notified of any staff changes and checks. At the last inspection it was recommended staff become more familiar with the Birth to Three Matters Framework. Some progress has been made but staff still need to develop a better understanding. This is to ensure children under three are provided with a range of activities that fully supports their all round development. Management of Child Protection has improved and the provider is now clear about the requirement to inform Ofsted if any allegations are made against a staff member.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been two complaints made to Ofsted since April 2004. In January 2005 and May 2005 concerns were raised in connection to National Standard 1 Suitable Person and National Standard 13 Child Protection. Ofsted visited the provision in both cases and carried out investigations. On each occasion, no evidence was found that National Standards had been breached. The provider has subsequently improved their management of Child Protection and 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.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the

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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 National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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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): • ensure the written sickness policy is shared with parents • further develop staff's knowledge and understanding about the Birth to Three Matters Framework to ensure babies and children under three are provided with activities that support their all round development.

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The quality and standards of the care

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 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

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