Burmantofts Community Nursery

Burmantofts Community Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Burmantofts Community Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY102829 Inspection date 06 March 2006 Inspector Ingrid Pine

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Burmantofts Community Nursery

Setting Address Rigton Drive, Leeds, LS9 7PY

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Burmantofts Community Nursery

Telephone number 0113 2408654 E-mail info@bcn1.freeserve.co.uk Registered person Judith Sarah Robinson Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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Burmantofts Community Nursery

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 satisfactory. 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 satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Burmantofts Community Nursery has been registered since December 2001. It operates from 4 playrooms. The nursery is in a single storey, purpose built unit situated in an inner city area of Leeds. It serves parents of the local area who are working or undergoing training. There are currently 46 children on-roll. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery currently supports children who speak English as an additional language and caters for children with special needs. The

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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 nursery receives nursery education funding for 9 children. The nursery is open 5 days per week all year round, apart from Bank Holidays. It is open from 8.00 until 18.00. There are 12 members of staff working with the children, 9 of whom have NVQ level 3 early years qualifications. 2 members of staff are currently working towards NVQ qualifications. The nursery receives support from the Local Authority and is working towards accreditation with Leeds Quality Assurance Scheme.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. There are good policies and procedures in place that support a sound standard of hygiene within the setting. Risk of the spread of infection is mostly minimised as children routinely wash their hands before meals and after going to the toilet. Signs, posters and pictures of 'Alfie' in the bathroom area encourage children to understand the importance of washing their hands and cleaning their teeth. However, children do not routinely wash their hands before eating snack. Nor do some members of staff always stick rigorously to procedures for cleaning children's faces after lunch or during nappy change routines. There is a comprehensive written sickness policy, which is shared and understood by parents. This helps to prevent the spread of infectious diseases within the setting. There are good arrangements in place to care for children who are ill or distressed. The staff ensure that they are comfortable and

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Helping children to be healthy

cared for sensitively whilst waiting to be collected by parents. Staff are knowledgeable regarding food allergies and intolerances and have appropriate procedures in place to deal with children's problems and requirements. Children are provided with a varied diet that includes fresh fruit and vegetables. A whole new menu has been introduced which is proving unpopular with children, particularly in the pre-five room where there is much waste. The manager is aware of the teething problems and is re-looking at the menu to assess how it can be made more successful. Children have access to regular physical exercise. They use an interesting outdoor area where there are opportunities to develop control of their bodies. They confidently use a variety of large and small equipment, such as bikes and climbing steps. They use a variety of paint brushes and manipulate play dough and other soft materials. Older children know how their bodies work and confidently state that they

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Helping children to be healthy

need to wrap up warm when going out to play because it is cold outside. There are missed opportunities to provide indoor physical play. This has arisen through a misunderstanding regarding the use of an extra room within the nursery, which is ideal for dance, music and movement. Young babies have space to crawl and roll about. They are provided with child-sized furniture, which older babies use for good support whilst learning to walk. There is good emotional support for babies. There is a key person system in place which ensures that babies' individual routines and needs are well catered for.

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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

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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 secure, safe and caring environment. Parents and children are made to feel at ease and welcome in a clean, well maintained building. Ongoing risk assessments ensure that a high level of safety and security is maintained. Adults are aware of their responsibilities to keep children safe. There are clear and comprehensive policies and practices in place to ensure children's safety and welfare. Children cannot leave the premises unsupervised and there can be no unauthorised access to children as there are effective measures in place, such as an intercom, security keypads, viewing panels and a visitors book. There are clear procedures to ensure that children are collected only by authorised people. The premises are in a good state of repair and a fully enclosed outdoor play area has been equipped with safe, sturdy outdoor apparatus suitable for children to use all

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

year round. Children use a variety range of toys and equipment that is of good quality and safe. They are able to easily access most equipment safely and independently. Children learn about what is dangerous and how to keep themselves safe. Staff talk to them and encourage them to use equipment safely. For example, they are reminded to use umbrellas sensibly and to steer bikes carefully so that they do not hurt themselves or others. They learn about fire safety and know the procedure for evacuation in an emergency. Appropriate fire equipment is provided and regularly checked to ensure that it is in good working order. Staff have a good understanding of how to protect children. Members of staff are well trained and aware of the procedures to follow should they have concerns about a child. There is a clear child protection statement which is shared with parents. There is a named person responsible for ensuring that all child protection concerns are

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

dealt with appropriately and sensitively.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children enjoy their time in the setting. They are clearly happy to be there and separate from their main carer with ease. They form warm relationships with adults and develop firm friendships with their peers. Children are interested in the range of resources and activities provided for them by the staff and mostly play with purpose. Equipment and resources are mostly stored at children's level, making it easy for them to make independent choices. The quality of play offered to children varies slightly from room to room. In the baby room the Birth to three matters framework is being used very well to provide many learning opportunities. The staff in the baby room show a particular aptitude in providing a stimulating, interactive environment that encourages young children to develop their skills. They are offered an interesting variety of resources, such as treasure baskets, activity centres and tactile experiences. Their individual needs are

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

well provided for. Toddlers are offered a loving, caring, interesting environment 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 staff spend time reading stories, interacting with them in the home corner and encouraging them to use their creative skills. However, opportunities are sometimes missed to encourage them to use what they know and to learn more. During the afternoon, when the majority of children have a rest or sleep, there are few activities set up for those who wish to play. Nursery Education. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff have a sound understanding of the Foundation Stage and how children learn. Children enjoy themselves and interact well with staff and each other. They are involved in a broad range of activities that mostly support their development and overall learning. Detailed individual records of children's strengths and weaknesses are not sufficiently clear and this

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

makes it more difficult to assess children's progress. Staff are not happy with the current system of planning and are taking steps to address this situation. There is a strong emphasis on personal and social development. Staff concentrate on helping children to behave appropriately and feel confident in themselves. Children separate easily from their main carers on arrival at nursery and are clearly happy to be there. Children are independent and attend very well to their own personal needs. They build up strong friendships and develop relationships with both their peers and adults. Children work well together for extended periods of time and initiate their own play, for example organising pretend story time. They mostly have good awareness of behavioural boundaries and know that toys and equipment should be shared. For instance, they share out their dough at the craft table. On the whole, children play well together in small and large groups, apart from adult-led

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

sessions, such as story time, when younger children become bored and disrupt the activity. Some children have a wide vocabulary and use this to describe past and present events. For example, they confidently talk about their own family situations and experiences, such as going to the beach. Some children, mostly girls, competently write their names and correctly form letters in the right order, whilst others do not appear to be interested or able to attempt simple mark-making. There are missed opportunities to make the mark-making area inviting or to encourage disinterested children to write for purpose in play situations, such as the home corner. Also, although children have name cards, they are not encouraged to use them at any other time apart from group time. A satisfactory selection of books is provided and some children enjoy 'reading' them independently. However, children have to ask staff to reach them as they are stored on a high shelf above the book corner.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Older children are knowledgeable about shape, size and colour. They confidently identify triangles, squares and circles whilst playing with the dough and are competent at completing large floor jigsaws. Older children confidently identify numbers and compare each other's ages, but there are missed opportunities to use numbers in a practical sense. For example, by allowing them to set the table or find out how many children are staying for lunch. Children are knowledgeable about the weather and the world about them. They all enjoy playing out in the rain, keeping themselves dry under their umbrellas. They

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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 know that the stars come out in the sky when the moon is out and it is dark. Their awareness of other cultures is developed well as there is a varied ethnic mix within the setting. They also complete topics on family make-up and celebrate a range of festivals. However, they rarely go out on visits within the local community or have visitors into the setting. Children have opportunities to develop their individual creativity when painting, playing with gloop, play dough and foam, and making models in the construction area. They enjoy singing and making music, and some older children use their own experiences in meaningful role play situations. There are some opportunities to discover how things work, such as watching a bubble machine, and how to join different materials during box craft and modelling.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The setting is committed to inclusion and aware of the support needed by the children and parents who use it. Management and staff understand policies on equal opportunities and work within them. Children learn about diversity from firsthand experiences with their own peers and take part in topics that re-enforce this. They have access to a varied range of resources which reflect diversity and acknowledge cultural differences. The setting provides support for children with special needs and there is space and equipment provided within the building for support personnel to work with them. Children are mostly well mannered, share and learn to take turns. Staff use positive praise frequently to encourage children to behave in an appropriate manner. They explain reasons well and children respond to the clear guidelines and rules that are in place. Partnership with parents is satisfactory. Strong relationships are fostered and this

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Helping children make a positive contribution

helps to ensure that children are settled and secure. Parents are satisfied with the support given and praise the setting for the time staff spend with them in order to share details of their children's day. The setting provides a range of verbal and written communication for parents. Procedures for feedback and written contributions from parents in relation to developmental profiles are satisfactory, although the manager has tried several strategies to improve this. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Leadership and management are good. The person in charge holds relevant qualifications and is suitably experienced. The majority of staff hold early years qualifications and have relevant experience. Staffing ratios are maintained well and members of staff work individually with some children with special needs. The setting

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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 has a clear management structure and all senior members of staff are clear of their responsibilities. Team members talk of the good support received, sense of cooperation and of the opportunities to participate in decision making. They feel valued and have their individual training needs met. Staff are keen to develop their skills through attending short courses on a whole range of early years subjects. They use these experiences to provide a range of suitable opportunities for children. There are effective systems are in place to evaluate and monitor staff performance and development through regular assessments and appraisals. The manager and staff team are totally committed to a programme of continual improvement within the nursery. They work closely with the nursery's management

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Organisation

board to provide a very supportive environment for working parents and those on training courses. The setting is part of the local authority quality assurance scheme. This is used alongside regular management discussions and staff meetings to provide a medium for appraising the nursery's strengths and weaknesses. Space is well organised and children develop their independence as they can easily access a varied range of resources and choose their own activities. Furniture is used to create individual learning bays and to create areas for sleep times and provide a calm and quiet environment for children. All required documentation for the safe management and care of the children is in place. There are comprehensive policies and procedures in place and these are shared with parents wherever possible. Overall the setting meets the needs of all the children who attend.

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Improvements since the last inspection

More positive images and resources have been provided ensuring that equality of opportunity is promoted at an early age within the baby room.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints to report. 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

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. 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

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 nursery education are satisfactory.

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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): • monitor staff to ensure that they all follow the setting's rigorous written health and hygiene procedures • further improve quality of learning in line with Birth to three matters framework for children in the toddler area.

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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): • ensure children's learning is evaluated well and appropriate planning used to encourage all children to use what they know and to develop their skills further • ensure there is a system in place to include parental contributions in the process which evaluates children's learning and development • ensure grouping of children is always appropriate, particularly at story time.

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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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