Bright Start Nurseries Ltd.

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number EY279118 Inspection date 24 March 2006 Inspector Jane Plested / Josephine Rayner

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Setting Address Hampden Square, Fairford Leys, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP19 7HT Telephone number 01296 381479 E-mail enquiries@brightstart.fsnet.co.uk Registered person Bright Start Day Nurseries Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care, Out of School care

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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 inadequate - enforcement action. The registered person does not meet 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Bright Start Nursery is sited in the Fairford Leys area of Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire. The nursery has been registered since February 2004 and is part of a small chain of privately owned nurseries. The nursery operates from 8 rooms in a purpose built building. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play

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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 area. The nursery serves the local community and the surrounding areas. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.30 to 18.30. Children attend for a variety of sessions. They also provide before and after school care for children attending the local school. This was not inspected on this occasion. There are currently 99 children aged from 3 months to under 8 years on roll. Of these 34 children receive funding for nursery education. A number of children have English as an additional language. The nursery is supporting several children with special educational needs. There are 19 staff who work directly with the children. The manager holds an appropriate level 3 qualification; other staff have appropriate qualifications or are working towards them. The setting receives support from the Local Authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children regularly take part in a range of activities to support their physical health. Outside children of all ages enjoy using an adequate range of apparatus such as, hoops, wheeled toys and slides. Babies go for walks and have access to a small swing. This ensures children of all ages have exercise and fresh air. Practitioners continue not to plan the physical play, and this means that children still do not have the opportunity to play purposefully. Practitioners encourage babies to be mobile. They talk between themselves about individual baby’s mobility skills and show an understanding of where children are at in this area of their development.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children learn to follow appropriate personal hygiene routines, such as washing their hands after toileting. Practitioners support children’s good health by sterilizing equipment. They always follow good nappy changing routines. However, they are not sufficiently vigilant regarding wiping children’s runny noses. As a result, some infections may spread amongst children. Children’s meals are appetising and healthy. They enjoy turkey casserole or fish pie with fresh vegetables for lunch. This helps to promote children’s health and physical growth. There are effective systems in place to protect children with special dietary needs. Food and drinks brought in by parents are stored in the fridge. However, practitioners are slow to implement this good practice as a result, bottles are left in the warm baby-room for some time before being taken to the kitchen, posing a risk of contamination occurring. Children’s access to drinks remains mainly at practitioner’s

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Helping children to be healthy

discretion. Drinks are given to children routinely with meals and at other times on request, ensuring they have access to adequate fluids during the day.

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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 Insufficient attention is given to the systems for vetting staff. As a result, unvetted staff continue to have unsupervised access to children which poses a risk to their safety. Practitioners now have a much clearer understanding of the signs of abuse and of the reporting procedures they must follow, if they have a concern regarding a child’s well-being. The environment for children is light, well-decorated and provides sufficient play space. Areas such as the sensory room provide a stimulating environment with colourful designs and textures to entice children. Children’s artwork is on display in all areas of the nursery and they normally arrive to their base-room, which helps to develop a sense of belonging. Children have reasonable access to ample toys and resources that are of generally

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

of good quality, these are age and stage appropriate for them. Play resources are made from a range of different materials providing children with a variety of textures to explore. Some of the resources are stored with access for children in mind. The nursery has a satisfactory range of resources that reflect equal opportunities to help children understand the wider world. Children benefit from the practitioners satisfactory understanding of how to reduce the risk of accidents. They supervise children closely as they move around the nursery, reminding them to be careful on the stairs. Practitioners also monitor resting babies regularly, to ensure they remain safe. Most areas children use are safe but there are no systematic checking procedures. As a result, several electrical sockets do not have covers in place, posing a minor risk to children. Managers confirm that risk assessment procedures are under review to ensure children’s safety and

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

well-being. Fire safety equipment in place and regularly serviced. There is a clear evacuation plan displayed with which practitioners are familiar. Drills take place on a regular basis. This practice assures children’s safety in the event of an emergency.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is inadequate. All children are confident and settled. They happily converse with and question the adults they meet, showing self-assurance. The daily routine children experience is clear which contributes to them developing a sense of security. However, sometimes rigid implementation of this results in children not being allowed to complete their activities. Activities for younger children are planned in advance to offer variety but there are no clearly understood outcomes for individuals learning or progression. At times adult-to-child ratios are low for both toddlers and three to five year olds. During these periods some children are aimless and unoccupied. The management of some activities for younger children is poor. Consequently, they are expected to listen to stories for overly long periods or to sit and wait unoccupied for their turn to ice a biscuit. This practice results in periods of difficult behaviour from children and at best

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

inactivity. Children of all ages are involved in painting and sticking activities. Their artwork is on

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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 display in each room. However, a lack of understanding by practitioners results in children’s creativity being restricted, particularly during sticking activities when resources are very limited and projects adult directed. This results in limited opportunities for children to develop their own ideas. All children benefit from access to music or singing activities. Music is played by practitioners in the day rooms at appropriate times. Toddlers and older children join in with singing songs and simple rhymes. They have fun clapping their hands and following movements to songs such as, ‘Wind the Bobbin Up’. Babies enjoy making and listening to a variety of sounds as they bang on drums or xylophones and play with musical toys. These activities provide children with opportunities to explore

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

sound and rhythm, and to develop their vocabularies. Interaction with babies by practitioners is generally good. They play together on the floor with resources such as a baby gym, and talk about constructions being built with large bricks. Babies experience and have access to a good range of suitable play resources. Practitioners ensure this by placing ample toys within easy reach. Practitioners chat to babies and toddlers during nappy changes and maintain eye contact during bottle feeds. As a result, babies begin to develop language skills and secure relationships. Nursery Education. The quality of teaching and learning is inadequate. Children enjoy their time at the nursery; however, they do not reach their full potential, as practitioners do not have a secure understanding of the Foundation Stage Curriculum. Children’s individual development is difficult to track, as practitioners do not maintain developmental

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

records for the children. As a result, the individual learning needs of the children are not identified. Practitioners do not evaluate activities to ensure they are appropriate for the children involved, as a result, the more able children become bored and leave the activity. Consequently, the children’s activities lack appropriate challenge and there is insufficient differentiation for older and younger children. Children have limited opportunities to freely select resources and make their own choices. Some children concentrate on activities for long periods. However practitioners frequently cut these activities short, therefore children are unable to complete their work and lack interest in returning to the activity. There are very limited opportunities for children to develop an understanding that print carries meaning. Practitioners frequently fail to encourage children to label their own work or write spontaneously

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

and they are not encouraged to recognise their own names or to link sounds to letters. This results in children having a poor concept that letters form different sounds which join together to make words. Children are developing a sense of time and place as they talk about seasons and alter the calendar each day. However this is completed at the same time each day, as a result some children miss this experience. Children are confident to speak and sing in a large group. They talk about their own lives and experiences and enjoy hearing about others. Children have limited access to books and are unable to freely select reading materials; however, stories are read to the children daily in large groups. Children gain little experience in the use of books to enhance their enjoyment

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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 of stories and to match pictures to words. The children learn to count, for instance when taking part in rhymes and songs, adding and subtracting with the staff. However, opportunities are not always available for them to practise counting and to consolidate their learning during activities and the daily routine. Children do not have regular opportunities to develop their mathematical skills and to solve simple problems, for example, how many cups are needed at snack time or counting larger numbers. Children are confident to count up to 10 and beyond, however staff do not provide enough focus on maths activities to allow children to solve simple number problems or to replicate written numbers in everyday activities. Children have opportunities to be creative everyday. They paint, draw and make

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

collages. They use a range of different materials and media. However, resources are limited and children are unable to freely select craft items. In some cases the activities are too structured, they are pre-pared, adult led and prescriptive. For example, children are instructed to make animals out of cardboard boxes, practitioners select the materials children use and cut out the shapes. Children are therefore unable to use their imaginations and artistic talents. This hinders the children’s opportunities to be fully engaged in the activities. Children have insufficient opportunities to explore and investigate, using their senses, and to develop their skills in designing and building as activities are too structured and resources cannot always be accessed independently. Practitioners lack the skills to encourage children to try things for themselves for example using tools such as scissors and peeling off strips of sticky tape. Children have few opportunities to use

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

technology, for example, the computer is rarely used and practitioners are unable to demonstrate the use of this equipment. Therefore, the children are unable to develop the technical skills and practise with modern technology, which would enhance their learning experiences.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is inadequate. The standard of children’s behaviour overall is satisfactory. They respond to practitioners requests to tidy away resources, wait in line and they generally sit as a group well when expectations by practitioners are realistic. However, some group times are too long and this results children becoming restless and disruptive. Some practitioners have limited behavioural management skills. As a result, poorly managed ‘time out’ strategies may result in some children developing lower self-esteem and having negative experiences within the nursery. Children meet families and staff from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. They have access to a satisfactory range of resources depicting images of different groups and roles. Children go out for walks locally and as a result, are getting to know their local environment. Consequently they are beginning to learn about the wider world. Overall, the children’s spiritual, moral social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The majority of children with individual needs receive satisfactory support from the

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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 nursery. There are clear systems for gaining information about children and their routines on entry to the nursery. Practitioner’s know about their dietary and physical needs and are supporting these appropriately. However, systems for supporting some children’s special needs are less effective therefore the nursery is providing an inconsistent service. Children’s care is set out in a prospectus and within the policies and procedures which are available for parents. Ongoing information is available on the notice boards or via a newsletter. Parents receive information about the daily care their child receives through verbal feedback and for younger children in a daily diary format. The nursery has not met the requirement to provide parents with a copy of the last inspection. Consequently, six parents of children attending the nursery when spoken

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Helping children make a positive contribution

to confirm they have not read it. The partnership with parents of children receiving nursery education is inadequate. They receive little information about their child’s learning and development and have no opportunity to contribute to the progress records which the nursery keeps. Therefore, parents are unaware how to move their child’s learning forward. The complaints procedures do not clearly meet the changes in the latest amendments to the National Standards. A complaints policy is in place but is not up-to-date as it does not inform parents of the new procedures the nursery must follow or refer to the complaints log. Consequently, children’s parents will be unaware of what information they may have access to and how the nursery will manage any concerns.

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Organisation

The organisation is inadequate. The nursery continues to fail to put in place systematic and rigorous systems for vetting staff and their deployment is poor. As a result, staff without the proper checks care for children unsupervised posing a risk to their well-being. In some areas of the nursery the adult-to-child ratios are poor; this results in children being unoccupied. This area of weakness was reported on at the last inspection. Leadership and management of the nursery education are inadequate. Staff have a very limited knowledge of the Foundation Stage Curriculum. Systems for evaluation of the provision and of children’s progress are ineffective. Consequently, there is insufficient planning and the activities are without the proper focus. The systems for monitoring staff practice are ineffective resulting in poor management of minor incidents of disruptive behaviour. Children are familiar with the daily routine and generally receive a warm welcome.

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Organisation

Practitioners work well together to create a friendly and welcoming environment in which children can relax. However, insufficient time is give to planning for children to develop skills in areas such as personal care, use of tools and for access to some resources. This hinders children’s developing a sense of independence. Children’s care is set out within the required policies and procedures. Most recommended written parental agreements are in place. However, detail in the complaints policy is not up-to-date. All regulatory records such as, the register and accident book are in place and support children’s care and well-being. The

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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 complaints log is not being managed correctly, as a result access by parents is currently inappropriate. The nursery has not notified Ofsted of a change to the nominated contact person. The setting does not meet the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the nursery agreed to: develop and implement an action plan that sets out how staff qualification requirements will be met; maintain the correct adult to child ratios in all parts of the provision at all times; ensure that an uncollected child policy is in place and understood by staff; increase all their knowledge and understanding of child protection procedures. The nursery is supporting 6 staff to train to a level 2 or 3 in child care and education and it is expected that 50% requirement will be achieved by May 2006. Although, the setting maintains sufficient staff overall, there are areas within the nursery where ratios remain poor. This results in a lack of attention for toddlers and pre-school aged children, which can led to them being aimless and bored at times. A clear policy is now in place setting out how staff will care for a child that is uncollected and this has been discussed and shared with all staff at a recent team meeting. As a result, there

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Improvements since the last inspection

are appropriate procedures to deal with this event with which practitioners are familiar. The nursery’s child protection policy is now familiar to all practitioners, plus they have completed training on this area of their work. As a result, they are familiar with the signs that would cause concern and the procedures they must follow to protect children. At the last nursery education inspection the nursery agreed to: increase staff's awareness of the Foundation Stage Curriculum; implement an effective system of planning activities to support all children's learning and to evaluate the effectiveness of the nursery education. They also agreed to make regular observations of children's achievements and evaluate activities. Practitioner’s awareness of the Foundation Stage Curriculum remains very limited. Therefore they are to unable to devise and implement an effective system for planning the activities, supporting all children's learning or for the evaluation of the

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Improvements since the last inspection

effectiveness of their nursery education. Practitioner’s do not make regular observations of children's achievements or evaluate the activities clearly. In addition they fail to record children’s progress effectively. Therefore, they are unable plan for the next step in individual’s children's development.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the last inspection. 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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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

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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 inadequate - enforcement action. The registered person does not meet 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 inadequate - notice of action to improve.

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The quality and standards of the care

Ofsted is taking enforcement action to safeguard the welfare of children.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education, the registered person must take the following actions: • ensure observations of children's achievements are used to plan for the next steps in their individual learning including those children with special educational needs • increase the staffs knowledge and understanding of the curriculum guidance for the Foundation Stage to improve the quality of teaching and children's learning • improve systems to monitor and evaluate teaching the curriculum, children's progress and their achievements to ensure individual learning takes place. These actions are set out in a notice of action to improve and must be completed by the date specified in the notice. The Department for Education and Skills and the local authority have been informed.

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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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