Busy Bees Day Nursery at Dorking Westcott Road

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 08/03/2005 Inspector Name Carol Newman

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Caring Daycare Setting Address Nutcombe House, Westcott Road Dorking Surrey RH4 3DP

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Caring Daycare Limited Address Pitfold House, Woolmer Hill Road Haslemere Surrey GU27 1QA

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.1

ABOUT THE INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public 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.

p.2

Information about the setting

Caring Daycare (Dorking) opened in September 2001 and is one of a family of seven nurseries. It operates from a large house on the edge of Dorking town centre. The nursery serves a wide geographical area. A maximum of 52 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 71 children from 0 to 5 years on roll. This includes seventeen children in receipt of funding for nursery education. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Provision is made to support children with special needs and those who speak English as an additional language. The nursery opens five days a week all year round, excluding bank holidays. Sessions are from 08:00 until 18:00. The nursery employs eleven members of staff. Eight members of staff hold an appropriate early years qualification. Three members of staff are currently on a training programme. Nine members of staff hold a current first aid certificate. The

p.2

Information about the setting

setting receives support from the Early Years Childcare Service. Caring Daycare offers a combination of traditional early learning methods and a Montessori approach.

p.2

Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.2

How effective is the nursery education?

The educational provision at Caring Daycare (Dorking) is acceptable and is of good quality. Children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Children's progress in personal, social and emotional development and mathematical development is very good. Progress in physical development, creative development, knowledge and understanding of the world and communication, language and literacy is generally good overall. Quality of teaching is generally good. Staff understand that children learn through first hand experiences. They plan a range of activities that help children progress in all areas of learning. Staff demonstrate a positive attitude towards learning by presenting activities in an enthusiastic manner. However, some activities do not challenge more able children and some staff do not give the children sufficient guidance and support regarding the activities. Staff make observations when they evaluate lesson plans and these are used to

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

complete children's records. However, some observations are not evaluative or informative and the child educational profile is not entirely effective in identifying the children's progress through the stepping stones towards the early learning goals.

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

Leadership and management are generally good. The managers are committed to improving the quality of care and education. Staff are encouraged to enrol on relevant courses and they work well as a team. However, the use of the premises and the structure of the timetable does not encourage children to explore and investigate to develop their learning. The partnership with parents is generally good. Parents are well informed about the children's activities through the daily activity sheet, noticeboards and the regular newsletters. Staff make themselves available at the beginning and end of the day for informal exchange of information. However, no formal opportunities are available for parents to share the observations of their children at home.

p.3

What is being done well?

• Children show curiosity and excitement when exploring materials in the messy room. They concentrate well at self chosen activities such as operating the computer and using stamps at the writing table. Children listen well to stories and they talk freely about home and other experiences. • Children negotiate space well when pushing pushchairs in the Panda room, manoeuvring round obstacles. Children learn about healthy practices through activities such as food tasting, Montessori "care of self" activities and the visit from the hygienist. Children competently use stamps, pegs, scissors and a range of malleable materials, using one or two hands, as appropriate.

p.3

What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • Parents are well informed about the children's activities through the daily activity sheet. • The group devise their own action plans to identify and address areas for development.

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for children to develop their own play, to use their imagination and to make choices • the staff's knowledge of how young children learn, so that children are given clear explanations of the aims of the activity and spontaneous learning opportunities are identified and utilised • the observation, planning and record keeping systems, so that the links to the stepping stones are clearly identified and the next steps in children's individual learning are accurately tracked and included in future planning • the formal opportunities for parents to share their observations of their children at home.

p.4

What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.4

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children show curiosity and excitement when playing with the soap flakes and digging in the soil. They concentrate well at the computer and writing table. Children listen well to the "Owl Babies" story and they talk freely about home and other experiences. The Montessori "grace and courtesy" exercises encourage children's self control. Children proudly show their work to adults. Children celebrate a range of festivals throughout the year that encourage an understanding of cultural differences.

p.5

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children listen to each other and take turns to speak during circle time. They ask questions and talk through their experiences. Children recognise many initial sounds. They enjoy story time and choose and handle books carefully. They practice writing letters in the sand trays and they are beginning to write their names competently. Staff do not extend vocabulary by explaining new words and the daily routine does not allow time for children to develop writing for a purpose.

p.5

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children confidently count by rote to ten and beyond. They join in rhymes such as "Three Little Firemen" and use fingers to represent numbers. Children can say what is one more and the number after, when using the "Compare Bears". Children can say how many objects in each column on the eye chart and then add them together. Children recognise simple 2D shapes when they sort the geometric shapes. The daily routine is not sufficiently utilised to develop children's calculation skills.

p.5

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children notice change when observing pasta dry and wet and mixing soap flakes and water. However, they have a limited time to explore these and other materials. They know flowers need soil and water to make them grow and they care for Douglas the goldfish. They show good mouse control when playing games on the computer. Children visit Bocketts Farm and bug hunt outdoors. They construct a family tree in the Montessori room and the police and fire fighters visit the group.

p.5

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.5

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have some access to outdoors where they can practice climbing and balancing skills. They negotiate space well when pushing pushchairs in the Panda room, manoeuvring round obstacles. Children use two hands to whisk soap flakes. They run races for Sports Day. Children learn about healthy practices through activities such as food tasting, Montessori "care of self" activities and the visiting hygienist. Children competently use stamps, pegs, scissors and a range of malleable materials.

p.6

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore and describe texture when making red nose collages. They make patterns using various rollers and they paint freely. Children sing with enjoyment along with the computer program and sing individually at circle time. Children enjoy acting out a variety of scenarios but do not have enough time to develop their play and to use materials constructively. Children use their senses to explore soap flakes, foam, fruit, spaghetti and cornflour and they describe their experiences.

p.6

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

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.6

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.

p.7

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• improve the opportunities for children to develop their own play, to use their imagination and to make choices • improve the staff's knowledge of how young children learn, so that children are given clear explanations of the aims of the activity and spontaneous learning opportunities are identified and utilised • continue to develop the observation, planning and record keeping systems, so that the links to the stepping stones are clearly identified and the next steps in children's individual learning are accurately tracked and included in future planning.

p.7

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.

p.7

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

p.7