Abbey Fields Day Nursery

Abbey Fields Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Abbey Fields Nursery

EY258075 Unique Reference Number 16 June 2006 Inspection date Dawn Lumb Inspector

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Abbey Fields Nursery

Unit 4c, Selby Business Park, Bawtry Road, Selby, YO8 8NB Setting Address

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Abbey Fields Nursery

day 01757 705222 night 01405 861376 Telephone number abbeynurseries@btinternet.com E-mail Abbey Nurseries Limited Registered person Integrated Type of inspection Full day care Type of care

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Abbey Fields 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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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?

Abbey Fields Nursery is a 'Neighbourhood Nursery', set up in September 2003 in partnership with North Yorkshire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. It is situated in a two storey building on Selby Business Park, close to Selby town centre, and serves the local community.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery has an entrance hall and a large open play room on the ground floor that is divided into separate areas. There is direct access from the play room to a fully enclosed outdoor play area. On the first floor, there is a separate playroom and sleep rooms for children under-two years. In addition, there are kitchenettes a staffroom and office facilities.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

It is registered to care for 54 children between four months and eight years, and currently has 78 children on roll. There are 16 funded children, nine are three-year-olds and seven are

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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 four-year-olds. The nursery is open throughout the year, Monday to Friday, 07.30 to 18.00. It closes for statutory bank holidays and one week at Christmas.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are twelve staff who work with the children, nine full-time and three part-time. All full-time staff have early year’s qualifications to N.V.Q level 3 and one member of staff is working towards a N.V.Q level 3. The nursery supports children with special educational needs. Support is received from the Early Years Development and Child Care Partnership. An Early Years consultant, Area Inclusion Officer and Special Educational Needs personnel visit the setting.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children develop a positive attitude towards physical exercise. They use the outdoor play area on a regular basis and they benefit from weekly dance and movement sessions. Children test their physical skills, through very well planned activities. They confidently use a wide variety of large and small equipment and develop good body control. Children manoeuvre and manipulate different consistencies of soft materials. For example, playing with sand and corn flour mix. Older children learn about healthy eating when they use a self service café for morning snack, which has fresh fruit. Young babies are well supported and have good opportunities to learn through exciting experiences, they are allowed time for movement and play. They find out about their surroundings and the people and children within this environment. They inquisitively learn to grasp and move toys and tools. For example, they are encouraged and

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Helping children to be healthy

supported in holding and manipulating their spoon at lunch times and to glue with a paste stick. They celebrate their fascinating play with facial expression, body movement, and vocalisation. Staff promote the importance of a healthy lifestyle and hygiene through well-planned topics and simple explanations. Adequate nappy changing procedures ensure babies and young children are comfortable. However, written parental permission for emergency medical advice and treatment is not available.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children participate in taster sessions which give them good opportunities to sample and learn about different foods, such as foods from Africa. Parents of young babies provide their child's main meals and preference of baby foods and high priority is given to the safe heating and appropriate storage of food. For example, food probes are used and findings are noted. Children are provided with drinks on a regular basis, and afternoon snacks provide children with opportunities to sample a variety of tastes. Babies and young children benefit from the staff's high levels of awareness of children's sleep and feed patterns. Staff work closely with parents, who are provided with daily diary sheets to ensure babies and children's individual needs are well met. Milk is provided for all aged children.

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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 very clean, warm and welcoming environment, which is safe and secure. Rooms are organised effectively to provide provision to meet the differing age ranges.

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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 Children move around safely and are provided with toys and equipment which are safe, suitable and well maintained. Children are developing very good awareness of their own personal safety, because practitioners encourage and help them to learn how to use toys and equipment safely. For example, taking turns on the slide and know to play within agreed boundaries. Babies and children have choices in an environment kept safe by knowledgeable adults, who know there is a balance between freedom and safe limits. For example, they help to develop rules, such as don't run in the nursery and discuss why, so that they know what may happen.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Babies and young children sleep safely and comfortably, because staff are consistent and regularly monitor their progress. For example, every ten minutes babies are checked, times and any comments are recorded. The sleep rooms have soft lighting and air conditioning and staff conduct regular temperature checks to ensure babies and young children do not become too warm or too cold.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Effective security systems and procedures ensure children are kept safe. For example, entrance doors are locked and parents ring the doorbells to gain entry, all visitors to the setting are recorded and CCTV monitors are used. Staff are able to protect children through vigilant, consistent monitoring and close observation. Children are unable to leave the premises unsupervised and unauthorised people are unable to enter freely. For example, there are clear procedures to ensure children are collected only by authorised people. Management are clear in their procedures, which enables them to employ staff who are appropriately vetted with relevant experience, knowledge and skills in caring for children. Staff have secure knowledge of what to do in the event of a child protection concern or allegation.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Good systems and high levels of awareness in outings and fire evacuation procedures ensure the child areas are kept safe. For example 'Albert' the toy snake is used to help keep the children close together. Babies and young children have choice in an environment kept safe by knowledgeable staff who understand there is a balance between freedom and safe limits.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy, enjoy going to the setting and are eager to participate. The setting makes effective use of the Birth to three matters framework, to plan and provide a very broad and balanced range of stimulating activities and resources for babies and young children. Babies explore and easily access activities; their curiosity is well fostered through staff's thoughtful support and interaction. They skilfully encourage babies and young children to develop their language. For example, staff talk to young children explaining what they are doing, which encourages children to link words with actions. Babies and young children have good opportunities to be involved in messy play, and enjoy using their senses to investigate. For example, they use glue and shapes to create collage pictures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are motivated and interested in a broad range of purposeful and developmentally appropriate indoor activities, which provide good levels of challenge appropriate to their age and stage of development. Children's care and learning is promoted, because of small group activities, which ensure individual needs are met. Children enjoy and begin to make sense of their knowledge, experience and events, through imaginative and creative activities. For example,

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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 when acting out imaginary situations with the wildlife animals from Africa. Staff sensitively support and encourage children to use their imagination when playing in the role play and other area. Children develop their thoughts and understanding, as they talk to others and because staff frequently introduce new words. For example, they use paper ice creams to talk about colour and flavour, such as pineapple, vanilla and chocolate.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Older children in the out of school and holiday clubs experience exciting activities and participate in interesting topics, which they enthusiastically enjoy. For example, they create space rockets from box construction and use them in their imaginary play. They are able to research information through reference books and computer programs. They explore the properties of printing and painting on fabric and are keen to participate in regular outdoor physical activities. Staff thoughtfully plan opportunities and activities to incorporate the nursery ethos of the varying levels of the curriculum.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff have a very secure knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum. They provide realistic challenge for all, which leads to children making good progress in their learning. Teaching is well organised to develop children's learning of basic skills. Children are highly motivated because they are interested and have good opportunities to make choice about their play and learning. Relationships between children and staff are very good, and as a result, children thrive and enjoy nursery. Children enjoy their play and learning as it is well matched to their interests and abilities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The planning is effective, shared and understood by all the staff in the setting. This practice provides opportunities for children to extend their learning, allowing children to practice and refine their skills. Staff are confident in identifying how continuous basic provision is used to promote broad learning objectives. Plans successfully include a range of activities and experiences both indoor and outdoor to help children progress towards the Early learning goals. Very strong emphasis on practical activities enriches and adds great enjoyment to the curriculum. Increasingly, children are gaining an understanding of a healthy lifestyle and keeping safe. Staff are very knowledgeable about children's achievements. Records of children's achievements and progress are well monitored and maintained. Well established systems are in place to identify and promote children's next steps of learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

All three and four-year-old children communicate confidently; they enthusiastically share their experiences with the staff and other children. Children recognise and name letters of the alphabet and know letter sounds, write their names with some letters correctly formed. For example, children confidently find and read their name cards when they self register. However, words and labelling within the environment are limited.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children confidently count up to five and beyond, recognise numbers and use number vocabulary in activities. For example, one child explains the ages of her siblings and knows what age she is next. They develop a good awareness and use vocabulary to describe time and events. For example, they are beginning to sequence the days of the week and months of the year. They confidently compare size, shape and position in planned topics and every day activities. For example, they grow flowers and plants in the garden, measure them and discuss their growing

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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 progress. Children talk about a plant which was very tall, how long it was and investigate its structure under a microscope.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enthusiastically explore and investigate sensory and stimulating activities and resources on a daily basis. For example, they find out about movement of water using various equipment, such as drain pipes and guttering, which they move around to alter the water flow. Children do not have easy access to select their own creative resources to promote self-chosen challenge. They match movement to music and action to rhymes and enjoy dance. For example, they use a colour coded May pole to dance round. They effectively identify different types of living creatures. For example, they bring in their hamsters and stick insects from home and learn about creatures' homes and habitats. Children learn about the wider world through topics, visits and outings. For example, people who help us, the fire engine and fire service visits. Children incorporated their learning into other areas. For example, they enthusiastically join together

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

to create an ambulance from box construction. Children use technological toys and equipment in topic work and every day play, such as the shop with a telephone and checkout till.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Babies and children of all ages, play an active part in the setting. Children's care is enhanced by effective and efficient organisation most of the time. Parents' views about their child's needs are actively sought before the child starts at the setting, and on a regular basis throughout their time there. Children are highly valued, respected and well cared for through an effective monitoring and assessment system, which allows the individual needs of each child to be well met. Staff are very aware of and support young children's development through planning, which is firmly linked to the Birth to three matters framework, alongside thoughtful interaction and nurturing skills. For example, babies are affectionately cuddled and gently spoken to whilst drinking their bottles of milk.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's independence is well promoted. For example, they independently access the toilets, manage their own cloths and remember to wash their hands. Older children make good use of the 'strawberry café' to promote their social interaction. They pour their own drinks, pass round snacks and cups, and develop an understanding of how to share and care for others. They are encouraged to develop their confidence to try new things because the staff effectively support them, by providing suitable and interesting play opportunities and experiences. Children are beginning to develop and learn many skills through good consideration of fun learning. The staff's high awareness of purposeful and coincidental opportunities which arise, and their ability to actively use everyday situations help to promote children's learning and development. Children actively contribute to decisions about the provision. For example, they help to develop

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Helping children make a positive contribution

rules for the nursery. The positive attitudes of staff, ensures children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered appropriately. Children's behaviour is very good and praise is given freely, ensuring that they develop confidence, self-esteem and understand when they have done well. Artistic displays provide a stimulating learning environment and celebrate children's efforts. Planned activities help to promote children's awareness and diversity, such as exploring different 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 Partnership with parents and carers is good. Children benefit from effective information sharing with parents, through a prospectus, newsletters, detailed notice boards, daily chats and diary sheets. Information on the Foundation Stage curriculum is available for parents. Parents are made aware of the various play areas, activities and their links to the Foundation Stage curriculum. The nursery and staff are proactive towards inclusion; they positively and sensitively support children with special needs. However, initial information and it's accessibility to parents, about the educational provision, and how it links to the progress that their children are making towards the early learning goals is limited.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Recruitment and vetting procedures are in place and clearly understood by management to ensure children are well protected. Contingency plans are in place to cover for staff absences; this ensures that staff ratios are well maintained.

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Organisation

High ratios and effective practice enables consistent interaction, sensitive support and encouragement. Staff know the babies and children well, they are closely monitored and daily diary sheets with routines and achievements assist their good progress.

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Organisation

Staff are fully committed to training and developing their skills and knowledge of childcare and education. Knowledge gleaned from training and other professionals are enthusiastically put into practice. Children are highly motivated, because they are interested and have good opportunities to make choice about their play and learning.

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Organisation

Leadership and management of the nursery education is good. The manager has a clear vision for the nursery education with a strong focus on the personal development and achievements of all the children and ensures all learners are valued equally. The owner and senior manager work closely together to give effective direction for the welfare, care and learning of the children. They enthusiastically seek and welcome other professionals for support and guidance to help monitor and evaluate the nursery education offered and to successfully promote inclusion.

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Organisation

The owner and manager are good role models; they motivate staff and they are very effective in building a committed team of staff. All staff are involved in the planning of the various age groups of children. They are adept in implementing the curriculum to help children achieve learning outcomes around the six areas of learning. The environment is well-organised into identified areas of learning; there is effective deployment of resources, equipment and space.

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Organisation

The nursery evaluates the provision it provides, through parents information and feedback from regular staff meetings. Staff are committed to providing a quality service for all children who attend.

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Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of all children who attend.

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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

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Improvements since the last inspection

The last care inspection raised recommendations in relation to improving, safety, documentation, and resources. Since the last inspection, the setting has taken very positive steps to improve children's safety. For example, the child protection policy has been reviewed and contains all the required details including procedures if an allegation is made against a staff member, which clearly enables staff to safeguard children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Detailed records of both staff and children's hours of attendance are recorded, using registers and signing in and out sheets for both parents and staff. This ensures the smooth running of the nursery and promotes the continuity of children's welfare.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Management and staff have been proactive in promoting resources and positive images of culture and diversity. Planning and activities have incorporated topics and themes, such as African culture and visitors to the setting. This develops children's knowledge and understanding of the wider world.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The nursery education, raised considerations to add information on the six areas of learning to the parent's brochure, the brochure has been systematically reviewed and a new brochure has been developed which contains this information. Therefore parents are fully informed of the six learning areas.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The nursery continues in developing the outdoor area and to meet the needs of the differing age groups, and has made significant progress. The outdoor area incorporates a soft play area, decking, a playhouse, cover for shade and growing area. This provides a stimulating and interesting area, which motivates and interests children to learn through play.

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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 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):

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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 • ensure written parental permission is available to seek emergency medical advice or treatment • improve the accessibility of policies for parents.

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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 and further develop children's word recognition and word association within the environment • improve children's choice and accessibility in selecting their own creative resources to promote self chosen challenges.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) 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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