Wells House Kindergarten

Wells House Kindergarten

Inspection report for early years provision

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Wells House Kindergarten

Unique Reference Number 316028 Inspection date 05 June 2006 Inspector Susan Janet Lee

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Wells House Kindergarten

Setting Address Ringley Road, Stoneclough, Radcliffe, Manchester, M26 1FS

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E-mail

Registered person Mrs. Tina Jane Knight 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?

Wells House Kindergarten and Out of School Club opened in 1996. It operates from a detached property on Ringley Road in Stoneclough, Radcliffe. The setting is run by a limited company and the director of the company is the registered person. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 07.30 until 18.00 for 51 weeks of the year. The provision is registered to provide care for a maximum of 54 children at any one time. There are currently 87 children on roll. Of these, 35 children receive

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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 funding for nursery education. The after school club is open Monday to Friday from 15.30 until 18.00, during term time. The holiday club is open Monday to Friday from 08.30 until 18.00 during school holidays. The out of school provision is registered to provide care for a maximum of nine children at any one time. There are currently 24 children on roll. Children attending the nursery have access to five playrooms located on the ground and first floor, bathroom facilities and an outdoor play area. Children attending the out of school facility have access to a portakabin in the grounds of the property, bathroom facilities and an outdoor play area. The setting is able to support children with learning difficulties and disabilities, and also children who speak English as an additional language.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The provision employs 20 staff, of these, 16 staff hold appropriate early years qualifications and there are two staff working towards a qualification; five staff who hold a level 2 qualification are working towards a level 3 qualification. The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and has been awarded the Investors in People Award and they have completed the Quality Counts assurance scheme.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a very well maintained environment. Staff exercise good hygiene practices to minimise the risk of cross infection. For example, they use antibacterial spray to wipe tables before meals, cloths and mops are colour coded for separate usage and staff follow good nappy changing routines to help protect very young children. Staff ensure that nappy changing is a happy experience for children, as they give lots of eye contact to the children and interact with them. Children learn about personal care routines, as they wash their hands at appropriate times of the day and brush their teeth after lunch. A clear sick children's policy is in place and staff have a good understanding of childhood illnesses, and exclusion periods ensuring that appropriate measures are in place when children are ill. Staff gather information regarding children's specific dietary needs and take this

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Helping children to be healthy

information into account when planning snacks and meals. Menus are well balanced, offer lots of different tastes and textures and include fresh fruit and vegetables to aid children's growth and development. The children are able to quench their thirst independently, as drinks are readily accessible to them. Babies are able to move around freely and practice their gross motor skills, such as sitting, crawling, pulling themselves up to the standing position and walking. They also benefit from sleeping in prams under a veranda in the fresh air, weather permitting. Children have lots of opportunities to enjoy and develop their physical skills, as they play outdoors on a daily basis and also go swimming. They benefit

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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 from having access to two play areas, one with safety surface and fixed equipment and a lower lawn area, which has established trees that provide shade. The children learn about good practices in relation to wearing hats and the application of sun cream, when they go out to play and having a drink after physical activity. They know that they wear sun cream to stop their skin burning in the sun. Children develop good control of their bodies as they climb, swing, slide, play with baths and balls and ride bikes. They negotiate space well and show respect for other children's personal space. They develop good hand eye co-ordination and have fine manipulative skills, as they use one handed tools and equipment. For example, a child is adept in using a dust pan and brush to sweep sand from the floor.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a homely environment which is warm and welcoming. They are grouped in playrooms according to their age and stage of development. The setting provides a good selection of furniture and equipment to meet the needs of very young children and to allow all other children to play, rest and eat in comfort. A wide range of resources are available to help children progress in all areas of their development. Staff check equipment and resources on a daily basis and record their findings to minimise risks to children. All items of furniture, equipment and resources are safe, clean and of suitable design. Staff have a good awareness of safety. All reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that the environment, in which children are cared for, is safe and secure. Thorough risk assessments are in place and the manager conducts a monthly accident overview to minimise risks and prevent accidents. Emergency evacuation

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

procedures are practiced with the children on a regular basis. These drills are follows so that they develop an awareness of what to do in the event of an emergency, such as a fire. Staff supervise the children well, allowing them to play safely and independently. All children develop an awareness of keeping themselves safe as staff use age appropriate distraction techniques and explanation. All appropriate policies and procedures are in place, and staff have a secure understanding of child protection matters and procedures to safeguard children's welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Five staff working with younger children have attended training in relation to the Birth to three matters frame work. They have a good awareness of the Birth to three matters frame work, and use their knowledge well in planning activities for children under three years of age. Staff observe the children at play and use this information to chart children's progress. This practice is also used to inform planning. All playrooms are well organised, with staff setting up activities to look interesting 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 inviting. Children have access to a range of age appropriate activities. As a result, they are actively engaged and occupied. They also benefit from activities outside the setting to help widen their experiences. Staff deploy themselves well to enable them to provide good care and support to the children. Individual group rooms allow staff and children to get to know each other well and children receive consistent care from familiar adults. Staff share warm relationships with the children, who are happy and settled in their care. They interact with the children to extend language, encourage imaginative play and to introduce new concepts and ideas. Babies make connections with actions and responses, as they explore and investigate interactive toys. A child presses buttons on a toy and waits to see what

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

will happen. They explore sounds as they play with a variety different rattles. Very young children have access to a range of natural materials, as well as resources that are colourful, tactile and that make sounds to help develop their sensory awareness. Staff indicate that they will continue to develop sensory experiences for this age group. Staff nurture very young children's early communication skills. listening to babies babble, maintain eye contact and respond to their attempts to communicate, thus reinforcing early speech patterns. For example, a child initiates a game of peek a boo with a member of staff, who joins in his game taking turns to hide and peek. Staff offer lots of positive physical contact by means of hugs and cuddles, children openly seek reassurance from staff when they become upset. The staff use different tones of voice to engage the children and to make a story interesting. The member of staff introduces new concepts. For example, the children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

know that the zebra in the story is black and white, staff ask the children if the zebra has a spotty pattern or a stripy pattern. The children know the story well and enjoy anticipating what will happen next. Children attending the out of school provision clearly enjoy their time at the setting. They talk about their favourite activities, advise that they enjoy trips out in the holidays and comment that the staff take good care of them. Nursery education. The quality of teaching and learning is good. There are five members of staff who have attended training in relation to the Foundation Stage. These members use their understanding of the foundation stage effectively to provide a wide range of activities to ensure children make good progress towards the early learning goals. Established systems are in place to gather information about children's starting points. Staff have a good awareness of the learning intentions of focussed activities; they prepare well

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

for these activities and evaluate them afterwards. They successfully engage children's interest and ask open ended questions to extend language and challenge children's thinking. They also guide the children well to help them succeed. Planning documents incorporate all areas of the Foundation Stage. The staff observe the children as they play and use this information to chart their progress, and to inform planning in relation to the next steps of learning.

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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 Staff dedicate lots of time in relation to children's personal, social and emotional development. Children display high levels of involvement at their chosen activities. They make connections between different parts of their life and talk freely about what they did at the weekend during circle time. The children are confident to make their needs known. For example, a child says he is tired after playing outside; staff gather cushions so he can have a rest. The children develop very good self help skills, as they put on aprons, buckle their shoes and help to set the table for lunch. Children use language well to express feelings, recall past experiences and to express to others what they are doing. The children ascribe meaning to marks and learn that we write for a purpose, as they

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

use mark making in imaginative play situations. They also communicate messages as they write on father's day cards. A writing area is available but the children did not access this area frequently during the visit. The children learn about letters as they concentrate on one letter for a period of time. They learn to distinguish which sound represents a letter, as they work on the letter 'T' and name words that begin with this letter. The children have lots of opportunities to form recognisable letters, as they write their names on their pictures. Children copy statements they have said, when drawing pictures which are then displayed. Children learn about mathematical concepts, such as number, shape and measure through daily routines and a full range of activities. Older children recognise numerals from one to nine and are able to position number cards in the correct order. They have lots of opportunities to develop an awareness of calculation and are confident to

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

use their own methods to try to solve a problem. The children develop an awareness of mathematical names of three dimensional shapes. A child makes a box with staff support, she says it is like a dice; staff advise the child it is also known as a cube. The children use positional language well during play activities and story time. They develop an understanding of weight and capacity, as they participate in baking activities and help to weigh the ingredients. The children have lots of opportunities to explore and investigate materials, such as paint, sand, water, glue, leaves and shaving foam. They develop an awareness of change, as they explore water melting and freezing and take a walk in the garden to look at plants which have new leaves and buds. The children use a range of construction materials and join the pieces together to make models and towers. They persist for long periods of time making complex models. Children learn about

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

information and communication technology, as they have access to a computer and are confident in using the apparatus and completing simple programmes. Children develop a sense of time as they follow the settings daily routine. A child knows that after they have eaten their lunch, it is time to play outside. Children are able to express their thoughts and ideas in a variety of ways, as they have access to a range of creative materials. They enter into dialogue with staff about their creations. The children build up a repertoire of songs, and join in singing and action rhymes with enthusiasm. They benefit from weekly music sessions with an outside agency. The children investigate different musical instruments and create movement in response to music. Children are able to develop their understanding of the world in which they live and re-enact real life experiences, as staff provide a variety of role play situations.

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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. Staff gather very detailed information from parents about their children's individual needs to enable them to be in a position to best meet these needs. Trips out to local amenities and visits from other services, such as paramedics and the fire service help children to develop an awareness of their local community. The setting provides a good range of play materials that reflect diversity which helps the children to learn about the wider world. The children celebrate their own and other festivals, helping them to value each other's similarities and differences and begin to appreciate their own culture and the cultural traditions of others. Older children have opportunities to learn French, as a lady visits once a week to teach them. A child begins to sing in French as she plays. The setting is currently involved in a pilot scheme for inclusion. Staff are committed to promoting an environment where every child matters.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The staff are consistent in their approach to managing children's behaviour, which promotes children's welfare and development. Staff set good role models to the children. They treat the children with sensitivity and respect, use 'please' and 'thank you' and encourage them to share and take turns, with the children are polite and behave well, as a result of this practice. Staff offer consistent praise to the children for their efforts and achievements; as a result, children take pride in their achievements and develop confidence and self-esteem. The children develop a good sense of belonging. On arrival to the setting, the children enter with ease and confidence. They are happy to see staff and go happily to play with their friends. Staff work well with parents to settle very young children, who are settled at their own pace to help them feel safe and secure. Children are encouraged to take responsibility, as

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Helping children make a positive contribution

the staff encourage them to help to tidy up and to help set the tables for lunch. Staff listen to children intently when they speak and their ideas and contributions are valued. For example, the children attending the out of school provision are involved in planning play activities. The setting fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Parents are provided with a very comprehensive handbook, which includes all policies and procedures. They sign to say they have read and understood the information helping to forge good working relationships and a shared understanding from an early stage. Staff share good working relationships with parents. They greet them warmly on arrival and chat to them about their child's weekend. Effective systems are in place to keep parents informed about the setting and their child's activities. Regular newsletters keep parents informed about forth coming events.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Staff complete daily diaries for younger children and verbal information is exchanged with parents on a daily basis. Parents receive monthly reports regarding their children's development, and the setting also holds a parents evening once a year. The partnership with parents of children in receipt of nursery education is good. They are provided with comprehensive information in relation to the Foundation Stage. Parents are fully involved in their children's learning. They receive regular reports about their children's progress and are asked to support their child's learning at home. They are aware of the theme, which the setting is working on and help by contributing items for display. Parents help with trips and supplying information, and on occasions traditional costumes when the children celebrate other festivals.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The manager keeps herself well informed of current legislation. A robust vetting procedure is in place and helps to protect children. Fifteen staff have valid first aid certificates ensuring a good quota of staff have up to date knowledge of what to do in the event of an accident or minor injury. The record of children's attendance shows that staff to child ratios are maintained, and the setting also employs extra staff to cover for staff breaks and absences to promote children's care. Staff work well together as a team and organise space, time and resources well to meet children's needs. The manager conducts weekly observations of staff in relation to a chosen National Standard to monitor the service provided for children. All policies and procedures are in place and work very well in practice to positively promote children's health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and ability to make a

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Organisation

positive contribution. These are reviewed on a regular basis. All required documentation is in place. It is well organised and stored securely. Staff maintain individual children's records to ensure confidentiality. The leadership and management of nursery education is good. The manager has a clear vision for the setting and a secure overview of the provision of nursery education. A rigorous induction procedure ensures staff have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. The manager supports the staff well in the delivery of the curriculum and good opportunities for staff to access training promotes their professional development. Effective systems are in place to monitor the effectiveness of the provision of nursery education. The manager is committed to promoting the integration of care and nursery education to enhance children's learning. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children who attend.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, a recommendation was agreed in relation to continued staff training. The staff team continue to attend training to further develop their childcare practice.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Ofsted received concerns in August 2005 in relation to National Standard 6; Safety. The Complaints, Investigation and Enforcement Team contacted the provision and asked the provider to investigate these concerns. The manager provided an investigation response regarding the concerns raised. 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

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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 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): • continue to develop sensory experiences for very young children.

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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): • further develop the writing area to encourage the children to use it more frequently.

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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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