Bright Horizons Hinckley Day Nursery and Preschool

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 02/09/2004 Inspector Name Alison Edwards

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Asquith Nursery - Hinckley Setting Address Wheatfield Way Hinckley Leicestershire LE10 1YG

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Asquith Court Nurseries Limited 3077271

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Asquith Court Nurseries Limited Address Orbital House Park View Road Berkhamsted Hertfordshire HP4 3EY

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality and standard of day care in accordance with the National Standards for Under Eights Day Care and Childminding; and that the nursery education for funded three and four year old children is of an acceptable quality. Inspection of nursery education also identifies strengths and weaknesses so that providers can improve the quality of educational provision and help children to achieve the early learning goals (elgs) by the end of the Foundation Stage. This inspection report must be made available to all parents. If the setting has been inspected previously, an action plan will have been drawn up to tackle issues identified. This inspection, therefore, must also assess what progress has been made in the implementation of this plan.

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Information about the setting

Asquith Court Day Nursery in Hinckley was re-registered under its current name in 2004 and is part of a national chain of day care establishments. It operates from a purpose-designed single-storey building on a business park on the northern outskirts of the south-west Leicestershire town and serves the local community. It provides full day care from 08:00 to 18:00 on Mondays to Fridays for 51 weeks of the year and offers nursery education to funded three and four year olds. There are seven childcare rooms within the nursery, two catering for children aged over three, two usually catering for two and younger three year olds, and three catering for children aged under two years. There are four main children's toileting and nappy changing areas. The building also includes office, kitchen, staff room and parents' rooms. There is an enclosed lawned, paved and safety-surfaced area for outdoor play. There are currently 129 children on role including 32 funded three year

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Information about the setting

olds and 15 funded four year olds. The nursery makes provision for children with English as an additional language and with identified special educational needs. Excluding the manager there are currently 23 regular childcare staff, of whom 17 hold qualifications at level 3. The nursery receives support from the Leicestershire Early Years Development and Childcare partnership.

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How good is the Day Care?

Asquith Court Day Nursery in Hinckley provides good quality daycare for children where effective management and comprehensive policies and records support a well-organised setting. The purpose-designed premises provide an orderly and stimulating environment with scope for active play and relaxation and regular access to outdoor play. Current toileting facilities offer children little privacy, though plans are already in place to address this. Furnishings and equipment are in good order and generally suitable for children's interests and needs. Safety and security issues receive high priority, with staff offering careful supervision to children. Good health and hygiene procedures are observed, including

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How good is the Day 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; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 arrangements for the provision of appetising meals. Comprehensive systems are in place to ensure information is available to ensure children's individual health, care and dietary needs can be met. Relevant child protection procedures are in place, though not fully in line with current guidance. Children are usually confident and relaxed in their dealings with adults and peers, responding well to staff's calm and affectionate approach and positive behaviour management. They show interest and enjoyment in a broad range of carefully planned activities helping to support their development and learning. Staff are usually directly involved with children, talking and listening to them and showing awareness of their individual characteristics and preferences. There are good

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How good is the Day Care?

arrangements in place to include children with identified special needs, though resources and activities are not always best used to reflect diversity. Parental responses comment favourably on the nursery, noting staff and management's professional and friendly approach. Useful information about the nursery's provision and children's activities is provided through displays, written information and informal discussion, with regular reviews of children's progress.

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What is being done well?

• A welcoming and relaxed environment helps children feel secure in their relationships and confident in their activities, helping them to develop their physical skills, language, thinking and imagination. Staff often spend time talking and listening to children and usually show a sensitive awareness of their individual care needs and preferences. Staff's consistent and positive approach helps children learn about the effects of their actions on others, and begin to show care and concern for each other. • Clear organisational structures and procedures are in place to underpin the management of the setting and to enable staff to have a clear understanding of their roles within the nursery, with opportunities to develop and extend their skills through additional training or through taking on additional responsibilities. • Staff and management pay careful heed to comprehensive health, safety and hygiene procedures and staff offer careful supervision to children.

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What is being done well?

Management monitoring of any accident records enables precautions and procedures to be reviewed to ensure that risks and hazards can be minimised. • The nursery provides a welcoming environment for parents, offering flexible settling-in arrangements and with attractive displays used effectively to provide a wide range of accessible information. Informal discussion with room staff and management enables parents and staff to update relevant information about children's activities, progress and care needs, and

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What is being done well?

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 supplements regular review meetings and written progress reports.

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What needs to be improved?

• suitability of children's toileting facilities with regard to issues of privacy and dignity • effective provision and use of resources and activities to reflect diversity and help promote awareness of equal opportunities • the child protection policy to reflect current national standards and local guidance with regard to procedures to be followed in the event of any child protection allegation against staff.

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CONDITIONS OF REGISTRATION

All registered persons must comply with all conditions of registration included on his/her certificate of registration. As a result of this inspection conditions of registration have been imposed / varied / removed and a new certificate of registration will be issued.

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 4 Review suitability of toileting facilities with regard to children’s dignity and privacy. 9 Develop effective provision and use of resources and activities to reflect diversity and promote awareness of equal opportunities. 13 Ensure the child protection policy reflects current national standards and local guidance with regard to procedures to be followed in the event of any child protection allegations against staff.

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by the time of the next 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; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

Asquith Court Day Nursery in Hinckley provides good quality nursery education where children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas of learning. Teaching and learning is generally good. A newly-introduced corporate approach to planning provides well thought-out coverage across the different aspects of learning. Nursery staff have an overall grasp of the foundation stage and understand how children learn through play. Systems to assess children's progress are being updated, but at present staff do not make full use of assessments to ensure activities and teaching strategies are adapted to match children's individual stage of development. Staff set clear expectations for children's behaviour, helping them understand the effects of their behaviour on others. However resources and daily routines are not always best organised to promote children's independence or sustained purposeful activity. There are sound arrangements in place to support

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How effective is the nursery education?

children with identified special educational needs. Leadership and management is generally good. Well-defined management structures and comprehensive policies help ensure staff understand their roles and that key values are reflected in practice. The nursery is establishing systems to monitor and assess the quality of its overall provision, but systems to evaluate the effectiveness of the recent changes within its nursery education provision are not yet embedded. The partnership with parents is generally good. Useful information about the nursery and the foundation stage are provided through a variety of methods. Parents are encouraged to share information regarding their child through informal discussion and regular review meetings, and also receive regular written reports on children's progress. They are encouraged to share reading scheme books with their children, but currently receive few other ideas to help them extend children's learning at

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What is being done well?

• A calm and affectionate environment helps children feel settled and relaxed, enabling them to develop secure relationships with staff and other children, and a confident and positive approach to their learning. Clear and consistent expectations for behaviour help children begin to understand the effect of their actions, and show care and concern for each other and their surroundings. • Children show confidence in their use of spoken language, readily talking with adults and other children about their experiences, wants and activities. They begin to listen to, and take account of other people's ideas and suggestions. They listen well to a good variety of stories, so developing their

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What is being done well?

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 understanding of language and new vocabulary. • Effective arrangements are in place to integrate children with identified special educational needs.

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What needs to be improved?

• establishment of effective use of assessments of children's progress in adapting planned activities and teaching strategies to match children's individual stages of development to provide more challenge and progression, particularly with regard to mathematical and physical development; establishment of effective systems to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of changes in nursery education provision • organisation of daily routines (such as snack time) and resources (such as role play areas) to promote and extend children's independence and opportunities for sustained and purposeful play • arrangements to share ideas with parents about practical ways to make links with children's planned learning in home-based day to day activities.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The nursery has made generally good progress since the last inspection when it was asked to address three issues. It has developed staff training and understanding in the area of special educational needs through attendance at in-house and external training courses, and use of staff meetings to cascade and discuss updated information. It has also worked closely with relevant professionals to ensure appropriate strategies, activities and resources are used to support children's additional needs. As identified, it has extended opportunities for children to write their names and record numbers through varied planned mark-making activities, including use of materials such as paint, sand, cornflour and clay. However, this inspection identified that resources and activities are not always used to best effect to encourage children's independent and purposeful writing and a separate key issue has been raised in relation to this aspect.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The nursery has recorded children's achievements by using pre-school profiles linked to the six areas of learning, and is continuing to develop the manageability of its system by the imminent introduction of a new tracking system making links between aspects of the Birth to Threes Matters approach for younger children and the stepping stones identified in the foundation stage programme for funded three and four year olds receiving nursery education. Effective use of such assessment systems in planning appropriate activities and teaching strategies to match children's individual needs has been identified as a continuing issue.

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What has improved 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; and Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are generally settled and secure in their relationships with adults and peers. They generally show interest and enjoyment in their activities, though organisation of resources and daily routines does not always promote independence or sustained purposeful involvement to best effect. Positive and consistent expectations for children's behaviour help them show care and concern for each other and their surroundings.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy listening to well-chosen stories and show an awareness of how print works when looking at their favourite books. They often talk confidently about their experiences in small groups, beginning to take account of each others' views. Although children often take part in a variety of planned mark-making activities, they too rarely incorporate purposeful independent writing in activities such as role play.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Many children confidently count and recognise numbers to ten and above in planned activities and daily routines. They develop their understanding of shape, pattern and measurement through a good range of adult-led and child-chosen activities such as construction. Although children take part in some activities involving simple calculation and problem solving, daily routines and activities are not always planned and organised effectively to help children consolidate and extend their knowledge.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children begin to learn about their environment, different cultures and aspects of the past through varied topic-based activities. They use simple computer programmes and items of everyday technology. They investigate materials and processes by handling substances like playdough and growing plants. They often build with commercial construction sets and found materials, but sometimes lack readily accessible resources to independently extend and explore their design techniques.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Topic-based activities and daily routines help children learn about health issues and how their bodies work. Children are often confident and competent when using the extensive outdoor play area for activities such as climbing and balancing although these activities do not always provide appropriate challenge and progression in their large movement skills. They use simple tools such as pencils and cutlery with increasing control although sometimes lack ready access to a wider range of resources.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Many planned activities introduce children to a good variety of materials, media and techniques, helping them learn about colour, texture, form and shape. They enjoy varied planned activities involving music and singing. Although children participate in simple pretend play, role play areas are not always organised effectively to promote sustained and co-operative narrative play.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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OUTCOME OF THE INSPECTION

The provision is acceptable and is of good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• develop effective use of assessments of children's progress in ensuring planned activities match children's individual stages of development so providing appropriate challenge and progression, particularly with regard to mathematical and physical development; develop effective systems to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of changes in nursery education provision • develop organisation of daily routines (such as snack time) and resources (such as role play areas) to promote and extend children's independence and opportunities for sustained and purposeful play • develop arrangements to share ideas with parents about practical ways to make links with children's planned learning in home-based activities.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

The provider must draw up an action plan within 40 working days of receipt of this report showing how the key issues detailed above will be addressed. The action plan must be made available to all parents and to the Local Authority if required. An evaluation of the action taken will form part of the next inspection of funded nursery education.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

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STANDARD 2 - ORGANISATION

The registered person meets required adult: child ratios, ensures that training and qualifications requirements are met and organises space and resources to meet the children's needs effectively.

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STANDARD 3 - CARE, LEARNING AND PLAY

The registered person meets children's individual needs and promotes their welfare. They plan and provide activities and play opportunities to develop children's emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities.

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STANDARD 4 - PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

The premises are safe, secure and suitable for their purpose. They provide adequate space in an appropriate location, are welcoming to children and offer access to the necessary facilities for a range of activities which promote their development.

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STANDARD 5 - EQUIPMENT

Furniture, equipment and toys are provided which are appropriate for their purpose and help to create an accessible and stimulating environment. They are of suitable design and condition, well maintained and conform to safety standards.

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STANDARD 6 - SAFETY

The registered person takes positive steps to promote safety within the setting and on outings and ensures proper precautions are taken to prevent accidents.

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STANDARD 7 - HEALTH

The registered person promotes the good health of children and takes positive steps to prevent the spread of infection and appropriate measures when they are ill.

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STANDARD 8 - FOOD AND DRINK

Children are provided with regular drinks and food in adequate quantities for their needs. Food and drink is properly prepared, nutritious and complies with dietary and religious requirements.

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STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is

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NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 proactive in ensuring that appropriate action can be taken when such a child is identified or admitted to the provision. Steps are taken to promote the welfare and development of the child within the setting in partnership with the parents and other relevant parties.

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STANDARD 11 - BEHAVIOUR

Adults caring for children in the provision are able to manage a wide range of children's behaviour in a way which promotes their welfare and development.

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STANDARD 12 - WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS AND CARERS

The registered person and staff work in partnership with parents and to meet the needs of the children, both individually and as a group. Information is shared.

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STANDARD 13 - CHILD PROTECTION

The registered person complies with local child protection procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

Records, policies and procedures which are required for the efficient and safe management of the provision, or to promote the welfare, care and learning of children are maintained. Records about individual children are shared with the child's parent.

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STANDARD 14 - DOCUMENTATION

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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