Clive Vale Nursery School

Clive Vale Nursery School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Clive Vale Nursery School

Unique Reference Number EY314066 Inspection date 28 March 2006 Inspector Stacey Sangster

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Clive Vale Nursery School

Setting Address 29 Clive Avenue, Hastings, East Sussex, TN35 5LN

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Clive Vale Nursery School

Telephone number 01424 424544 E-mail clivevalenursery@aol.com Registered person Sian Nadine Hamilton Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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Clive Vale Nursery School

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Clive Vale Nursery opened in 1986 and was taken over by its present owners in 2005. It is a privately owned establishment which operates from the ground floor of a large detached house in Ore Vally on the outskirts of Hastings. The nursery serves the local area. There are currently 91 children from 2 to 8 years on roll. This includes 43 funded 3 year olds and 18 funded 4 year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. 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 setting supports children with special needs and for whom English is an additional language. The group opens 5 days a week for 49 weeks of the year. The nursery is open from 9.00 to 5.30 and offers an all day service, as well as morning and afternoon sessions. Nine staff work with the children and two staff are responsible for admin and domestic tasks. Eight of the childcare staff have an early years qualification, with five qualified to NVQ level 3. The setting receives support from a mentor from the Local Authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's health is promoted effectively by the routines within the nursery. Children know that they should wash their hands after visiting the toilet to protect them from the effects of germs and are reminded of how to dispose of tissues hygienically. As a result children learn the importance of good hygiene and older children are beginning to take responsibility for keeping themselves healthy. Younger children are not given as much opportunity to carry out personal hygiene tasks, for example staff wipe their noses for them and dispose of tissues and at times children would benefit from being encouraged to do this for themselves. All staff are qualified in paediatric first aid and this ensures that accidents can be dealt with appropriately. The setting have a clear policy of not admitting children who are suffering from infectious illnesses and this helps to protect children and minimise

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Helping children to be healthy

the risks of cross infection. The premises provide a clean and hygienic environment for children to explore and play in. Cleaning routines are well established and most cleaning takes place when children are not present enabling all areas of the building to be cleaned thoroughly. Children's dietary needs are met effectively. The nursery operate a healthy eating policy. Children are not permitted sweets or chocolate in their packed lunches and parents are encouraged to provide healthy lunchboxes. The staff provide parents with information about healthy eating for children and lists of suggested foods. Children have access to healthy snacks and learn about good diet from topic work and activities such as growing and tasting fruit and vegetables from the garden. The setting ensure that they have full details of any allergies, or forbidden foods and monitor children to ensure that they do not access these. This protects children from

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Helping children to be healthy

contact with foods which may be harmful to them and ensures that parental wishes and childrens cultural and religious dietary requirement are met. Children's emotional health is promoted well because staff work closely with young children and those new to the setting to settle them and help them to feel secure.

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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. The physical environment is organised to ensure that it provides a safe place for children to play in and explore. Security of the building and garden is good, ensuring that children cannot leave unsupervised and that uninvited persons cannot gain access. CCTV monitors the entrances and this provides additional protection. Risk assessments are carried out to maintain the level of safety and any problems identified are dealt with quickly and this helps to keep children very safe. The equipment is plentiful and of good quality and is well maintained. Staff discuss safety with children and teach them the potential consequences of unsafe behaviour, and as a result they are beginning to use their knowledge and apply it to different situations. Children remind each other to be careful not to get glitter in their eyes and move outdoor play equipment out of the path of children who are running.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The staff have a sound knowledge of child protection. The systems in place to record and report concerns ensure that the welfare of the children is promoted and staff are aware that when dealing with concerns the welfare of the child is paramount. The recording system requires minor amendment to make it easier to share with parents.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children settle well at the nursery. They come into the setting eagerly and are greeted warmly by staff. Good relationships are formed between the children and staff. Key workers get to know children well and provide them with a range of activities suited to their age and stage of development which are fun and help them to make progress in all areas. The children's individual needs are well met. They are encouraged and nurtured in a positive way, helping to promote their self esteem and help them to become confident and motivated learners. Nursery Education. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Staff are skilled at providing a fun and stimulating curriculum which helps children to make progress in all areas of their learning. The planning is carefully monitored to ensure that over the year the curriculum is balanced. The children are developing a positive disposition to learning as a result of the self

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

esteem built from being praised for their efforts by enthusiastic cheerful staff. They enjoy stories and use books carefully. They understand that print carries meaning and can be seen following the written word with their fingers as they make up their own story. The children enjoy counting and using simple mathematical concepts to solve problems, during free play, for example how many trains they will need to get out if they want two each. Children develop an understanding of their own and other

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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 cultures through topics about people and celebrations from around the world. They are encouraged to understand how this fits in with the multicultural society that they live in, by celebrating with friends who share different traditions to their own. Children have very good opportunities to take part in physical activities. They climb the pirate ship in the garden, work together to bounce toys on the silk parachute and enjoy participating in awards schemes run by the British Gymnastic association. They are aware that exercise helps to keep them healthy and enjoy competing to see how fast they can run or how high they can jump. Creativity is promoted positively within the setting and children develop creative skills through accessing a wide range of equipment and materials. Children enjoy dance,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

role play and music sessions. They access a wide and interesting range of art and craft materials which can be seen presented pleasingly on the walls of the setting. Children show pride in their work and the displays demonstrate that all children's work is equally valued. Assessment is rigorous and linked appropriately to the stepping-stones, giving a clear indication of where each child is in their learning journey. Each child has an individual record of their progress. This assessment is used to plan the focus of the activities, identifying what individual children need to do next. This ensures that children access activities, which are of sufficient challenge and enables all staff to see what additional help particular children may need. All children are included and planned for and staff receive additional guidance from the settings special educational needs co-ordinator. When planning activities for

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children with special needs this assists children to make very good progress given their starting points. The partnership with parents is good. Parents receive information about the Foundation Stage and stepping stones. Parents understand what the educational aims are for their children and how this relates to their play. Parents get details of projects and topics children are working on each term and this enables them to join staff in supporting their child’s education in a general manner. They do not however, receive specific information about their child’s targets which limits how much support they can provide to children at home. Parents are asked to provide regular observations of things the children have achieved at home, so that this can be used to support the assessment process.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. All children are cared for on an individual basis. Their care needs are discussed in detail with their parents and are well met by key workers who get to know the children well. The daily routines include enough flexibility to enable children to have time to follow their own interests as well as work together in small groups. Children with special needs are well cared for and given appropriate support.

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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 Children have good access to toys and play materials that promote positive images of a range of different cultures, religions and disabilities and enjoy topic work that looks at other cultures and festivals associated with them. Children's behaviour is good. Staff are consistent in their approach and as a result children understand the expectations of the adults and learn right from wrong in a supportive environment. Positive praise helps children to understand the benefits of good behaviour and motivates them to work co-operatively, for example sharing and taking turns. The partnership with parents is satisfactory. Parents are given good quality information about the setting, its aims and details of the routines their children will follow. Parents views are canvassed, for example in relation to how helpful the

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Helping children make a positive contribution

parents found the children's assessment profiles, and alterations were made as a result. Staff value parents input and maintain friendly, open lines of communication. Children benefit from staff who are kept well informed by their parents. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are cared for by qualified and experienced staff. The procedures in place to appoint and vet staff ensure that those working in the group are suitable to work with children. Good ratios of staff working in direct contact with the children support their care, learning and play. The written policies, organisation of staff, resources and accommodation contribute positively to children's good health, safety, enjoyment and achievement. All of the required documentation is in place and is of good quality, professionally kept and well maintained. The medication record needs a minor amendment to further safeguard children's welfare. The leadership and management within this setting is good. The provider and the staff have a commitment to ongoing improvement and monitor and evaluate what is being provided on a regular basis, using external bodies such as local authority early

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Organisation

years advisers and produce written development plans, of which all staff are aware. Staff have good opportunities to undertake training and appraisals to identify gaps in staff knowledge. The provider meets the needs of the range of children for whom they provide.

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Improvements 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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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

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): • ensure that parents sign the record of medication after it has been administered to ensure that they are clear about the does and time of the medicine that has been given. • increase children opportunities for developing their independence by encouraging them to attempt personal care tasks more often and providing them with access to fresh drinking water that they can help themselves to.

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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): • extend the information given to parents about the next steps in their childs individual learning.

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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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