Chiltern Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 01/02/2005 Inspector Name Sue Boylan

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Chiltern Nurseries Ltd Setting Address 3 Chiltern Road Sutton Surrey SM2 5QP

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Chiltern Nurseries Ltd Address 3 Chiltern Road Sutton Surrey SM2 5QP

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

Chiltern Day Nursery is run by Chiltern Nurseries Ltd. It opened in 2002 and operates from three rooms within a single storey residential building. The premises are located within close proximity of Sutton Town Centre and hospital. A maximum of 22 children may attend at any one time. The nursery is open each week day from 08:00 until 18:00 for 51 weeks of the year. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 39 children aged from three months to under five years on roll. Of these three children receive funding for nursery education. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 10 staff. Eight of the staff including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications and two staff are working towards a qualification.

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?

Chiltern Day Nursery provides good quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. They make very good progress in their mathematical and physical development. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff plan an interesting range of activities to extend children's learning and are enthusiastic and caring in their approach. Generally staff have knowledge of the early learning goals and an understanding of the foundation stage, however they do not always take advantage of training opportunities in these areas. The children are eager to learn, they cooperate well together and have very good concentration levels when listening to stories and taking part in activities. Opportunities to encourage the children to make full use of the resources, to select their own materials and be more independent are not fully exploited. Staff manage the children's behaviour in a positive manner.

p.3

How effective is the nursery education?

Staff know the children well and make good observations of their progress and development. However the observations are not used consistently to identify the next steps for learning. Opportunities to extend children's use of technology is limited. Children with special educational needs are well supported with good links with the local authority. Leadership and management is generally good. Staff have clear roles and responsibilities and work well as a team. The manager has a "hands on" approach and acts as a good role model. There is a strong committment to continual development in the care and education of the children. Partnership with parents is very good. They receive regular verbal and written feedback on their child's progress and are invited to an annual parents evening. Support for individual specific issues is offered to parents if required.

p.3

What is being done well?

• Children have access to a wide selection of activities to extend their physical development. The garden is well equipped and the children take part in "fit fun" on a weekly basis. This provides opportunities for children to learn about different games and increase their confidence and skill in a fun way. • The manager and staff team are highly motivated and committed to the nursery. There are plans to develop the provision and they clearly enjoy their work with the children. • Staff employ effective strategies to promote positive behaviour and consideration of others. They teach what is right and wrong and give the children clear and consistent boundaries. The children are familiar with the day to day routine and help tidy away.

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 kept well informed of their child's progress through written daily record books, informal discussion, reports and parent's meetings. There are opportunities to comment on the service provided.

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• the attention given to promoting children's independence, self help skills and providing opportunities for children to select resources, design and use their imagination independently • the system for assessment so staff can extend the next steps for individual learning • the provision of resources to enhance children's learning in technology • opportunities for staff to attend training

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: Generally Good Children are confident and relate well to staff and their friends. They are taught to share and take turns and have an understanding of right and wrong. Children know the routine of the nursery and help to tidy up when asked. Children are happy and respond well to the positive behaviour management strategies in place. There are limited opportunities for children to develop self help skills and independence

p.5

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident and fluent speakers and engage in conversations with each other and adults. They enjoy looking at books independently and listening to staff read stories. Children are beginning to understand that letters have sounds and they are starting to write recognisable letters of their names. Children have good pencil control but there are not always enough opportunities to mark make.

p.5

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good There is a good range of resources and activities to promote children's understanding of numbers and mathematical language for size and quantity. Children can count confidently up to 10 and some can recognise random numbers when asked. They learn about measurement during cooking activities and there are good opportunities to practice sequencing and pattern making.

p.5

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children talk about past and present events in their own lives and show an interest in the lives of others. Children are introduced to a range of cultures and traditions and can take part in weekly French lessons. There is very little opportunity for children to learn through use of information technology and not enough access to a range of tools and materials to design and make things.

p.5

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move freely with confidence and control. They use a wide range of equipment such as scissors, cutlery and glue spreaders with increasing skill. They can run, climb, swing, dribble balls with a hockey stick and peddle wheeled toys with confidence manoeuvring around obstacles. The children are starting to show awareness of how their body feels for instance when they are hot, tired and thirsty.

p.5

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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

p.5

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy singing familiar songs at circle time and join in with enthusiasm. There are good opportunities to explore texture, colour and collage using a variety of media such as baked beans, clay and cornflour. Provision for children to develop their imagination and their own ideas is not fully exploited.

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

• Enable children more opportunity to extend their learning and understanding about information technology. • Develop a system to ensure staff take into consideration the next steps in learning when making observations and assessments. • Ensure staff take advantage of training opportunities in relation to the foundation stage. • Provide more support and encouragement for children to be more independent in their play, design and make things and increase self help skills.

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