Oranges & Lemons Nursery School

Oranges & Lemons Nursery

Inspection report for early years provision

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Oranges & Lemons Nursery

Unique Reference Number EY313846 Inspection date 28 April 2006 Inspector Christine Stimson

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Oranges & Lemons Nursery

Setting Address Forward House, Park Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, KT2 5LY Telephone number 0208 942 2104

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E-mail

Registered person Gail McCreanor & Jane McCreanor Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Sessional 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 outstanding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Oranges and Lemons Nursery has been open since September 2005 and operates from a hall in Forward house, which is located in Park Road in the Royal borough of Kingston upon Thames. The premises are within easy reach of local bus and train routes, parks and schools. Children have access to a large hall and an upstairs room. There is a grassed area where children can access outdoor play. There are currently 17 children from 2 to 5 years on roll. This includes 14 funded 3

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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 and 4 year olds. Children may attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports 4 children who speak English as an additional language and are able to support children with special needs. The group opens 5 days a week, from 09:15 to 12:15 term time only. Two full time and three part time staff work with the children. Three have early years qualifications and a further two staff are currently working toward early years qualifications. The setting receives support from the local early years development and childcare partnership.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. Children thrive because staff follow very effective procedures and practices which meet the children's physical, nutritional and health needs. The excellent adult support and guidance helps children gain an understanding of hygiene and helps them to become independent in their personal care. Staff are vigilant about washing their hands before preparing food and teach children the importance of good hygiene practice. Consequently children know, when asked, that germs cause tummy upsets and must be washed off of hands. Children help themselves to easily accessible drinking water throughout the session and enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables for snack time. Children help to cut up the softer fruits and serve this to their peers. Staff talk to children about healthy eating, discussing what vitamins are in fruits and what benefits these have on their growth. Children explore, test and develop physical control in stimulating daily indoor and

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Helping children to be healthy

outdoor experiences. Staff have a good knowledge of the birth to three matters framework. Their understanding of each child's stage of development means the youngest children are confident to try out new skills, ask for help when needed and set their own limits within the safe environment. For example, children have opportunities to ride on tri-cycles, scooters and small bikes and some children have gained enough confidence to ride two wheeled bicycles without any stabilisers. All children develop a positive attitude to physical exercise. They delight in the challenges of a versatile range of activities such as obstacle courses, which they tackle enthusiastically.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children play in a large hall that is secure, clean and well maintained. Risks of accidental injury to children are minimised because staff are vigilant and use risk assessments to reduce potential hazards. Staff have an understanding of how to achieve a balance between freedom and setting safe limits. This allows children to

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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 learn some sense of danger and knowledge about how to protect themselves from harm. Children use high quality equipment appropriate to their age and stage of development. These are maintained in very good condition by staff who are vigilant about checking for breakages and soiled items when putting things away. Children are able to choose toys for themselves as they are kept at child height; they are encouraged to help staff tidy up at various times during the session. This teaches children to respect the toys, become independent and it boosts their self-esteem as staff praise them for helping. Children are very well protected by staff who have a clear understanding of child protection procedures, knowing how to proceed if they have concerns. All staff give priority to children's welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. Children enjoy their time at pre-school. They achieve because staff are highly skilled and use their understanding of early years guidance, such as the birth to three matters framework and the curriculum guidance for the foundation stage, to provide high quality care and education. All children arrive at the setting happy and eager to participate. Those new to the setting are helped to settle by staff who are sensitive towards their individual needs, gently reminding them that Mummy will be back soon and guiding them towards activities that hold their interest. Staff have developed close and caring relationships with the children who are confident within the setting and have a strong sense of self. Early communications skills are extremely well supported through high quality adult/child interactions. Children are confident to express their ideas to staff as they take part in a range of exploratory and sensory experiences. For example, touching,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

cutting, tasting and smelling fruits and vegetables and then using them to dip in paint to make pictures. Children tell staff what they like and relate home experiences to them as they take part in activities. NURSERY EDUCATION The quality of teaching and learning is outstanding. Children are captivated and often inspired by an extensive range of stimulating, relevant activities related to their needs. They have access to an extensive range of well chosen resources which support their learning. All children are eager to learn, self assured in their play and confident to try out new experiences. They listen intently to stories and can anticipate what comes next when asked. All children use marks readily to represent their ideas and older children are adept at writing their own names. All children can recognise their own names with staff emphasising the first letter phonetically so younger children to find their name card. Children with English as an additional language are

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

well supported to participate fully in activities with bi-lingual staff on hand to help children make excellent progress.

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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 Children are very imaginative and relish designing and making objects from the extensive art and craft materials available. They make sense of the world around them in the stimulating outdoor area where they search for mini beasts using magnifying glasses and practise physical skills on the equipment provided. Children are inquisitive, asking how things work and exploring for themselves. For example, a child finds a large magnet, he picks up some small metal balls and then tries to pick up plastic items. He soon learns what the magnet will pick up and what it won't. Children work well together. They develop friendship's with each other and seek others out to join in their games. For example, children rolling others in the tunnel outside in the garden, taking turns to do the rolling and to be rolled. Children learn

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

how to operate computer equipment as the manager regularly brings in her laptop for children to use and explore. Children gain confidence with numbers in their play and respond enthusiastically to challenges to extend their mathematical skills in activities. For example, a group of older children were cutting fruit into halves and quarters and using wooden items to show thirds, fifths and eighths, returning the pieces back together again make a whole one. Children's physical skills develop and improve through a wide variety of experiences, including dance. Right from the start, staff find out about children's skills, interests and needs and build on this information effectively to help children achieve as much as they can. A flexible approach to planning and an excellent balance between adult and child-led activities, allows children to learn at their own pace. Staff are perceptive to children's interests during self-initiated play and use questions very successfully to challenge

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children's thinking and language skills. They use highly effective systems to observe, monitor and record children's achievements and plan experiences that help children to their next step of learning.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are welcomed and play a full part in the pre-school because staff value and respect their individuality and the family context of each child. Children's behaviour is exemplary. Staff support younger children in sharing and taking turns. They have high expectations and set boundaries for three to five year olds which helps them learn to negotiate with others and take responsibility for their own behaviour. Children's understanding of right and wrong is increased as they respond to gentle reminders to care for their environment, the pre-school resources and each other. Children have extensive opportunities to learn about themselves, each other and the world around them through planned activities and visitors to the pre-school. Outings are planned for later in the year which will further develop their interest. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural needs are fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is outstanding and contributes to children's well being in the pre-school. Parent's views about their child's needs and interests are actively sought before a child starts at the setting. The setting provides parents with regular newsletters, keeping them informed of events at the pre-school and the parents

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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 notice board keeps them abreast of current events and the policies and procedures relating to the group. Parents receive written information about the foundation stage of learning when their children are eligible for funding. They are invited to open mornings where their children's progress can be discussed with key staff and their work looked at.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's care is enhanced by the quality of the organisation. Minor weaknesses relating to the documentation of the setting, which the manger addressed, does not effect the leadership and management of the nursery education, which was outstanding. The premises are well organised both indoors and outdoors with space used to maximise play opportunities for children. All the legally required documentation which contributes to children's health, safety and well being is in place and is regularly reviewed. However, the children's attendance register was not updated with two children's late arrival times on the day of inspection and this compromises children's safety. Children benefit from being cared for by qualified and skilled staff who are committed to continuous improvement and development. This means the children are taught by staff who are up to date with the latest childcare practice.

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Organisation

The manager reviews her policies and procedures regularly ensuring staff are made aware of any changes so that they can be consistently applied. Overall the pre-school meets the needs of the range of children for whom they provide.

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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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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

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 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 outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • ensure the children's attendance register is updated as soon as children arrive at the setting

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of nursery education are outstanding.

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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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