Brockenhurst College

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 22/01/2004 Inspector Name Susan McCourt

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Hillbury House Nursery Setting Address 81 Denmark Villas Hove East Sussex BN3 3TH

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Hillbury House Nursery Address 81 Denmark Villas Hove East Sussex BN3 3TH

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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

Hillbury House Nursery was first open in 1985. It operates from the rear of Ralli Hall, in Hove. It is a self-contained unit, consisting of three separate play areas, a large indoor physical play area, and small, enclosed outdoor play space. The baby unit is self-contained, with adjacent sleep area. The nursery is open to the local community. The nursery is registered for 30 children, under five years. No children have a special educational need, and none have English as an additional language. There are currently forty-three children on the roll, including eleven funded three year olds, and five funded four year olds. It is open for five days a week from 8:00 to 6:00 fifty weeks of the year. The nursery receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership. Eight members of staff are full time and the manager is supernumerary. Five of the staff have Early Years qualifications, one member of staff is at present training for

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Information about the setting

the NVQ level 3 in Childcare and Education. The staff team regularly attend short training courses.

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How good is the Day Care?

The nursery provides satisfactory quality care for children. The staff are suitably qualified and experienced. The rooms are bright and stimulating with a variety of activities for small and large groups of children. The restriction of the outdoor play area does not limit the amount of physical play the children can enjoy. There is a good variety of play equipment available for children to choose from, though there are limited natural materials available to the babies. The policies are well-organised and record-keeping is accurate and well-maintained. However, there is no written record of medications signed by parents available. Staff are very careful of the children's safety, though this is not reflected in the written risk assessment. There are good hygiene routines in place. Sleeping children are closely monitored but the rest-time for older children could be improved. Children are given a range of healthy snacks and staff are fully informed of any special

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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 dietary needs. Staff know the children very well and individual needs are fully supported. In the baby room, staff follow the individual routines of the babies and choose activities that are well-suited to their stage of development. Older children are put into small groups and move between three playrooms to enjoy a wide variety of well-planned activities. The two- to five-year-olds come together for snacks, meals, stories and songs. This ensures that the children are familiar with all the staff and are therefore very settled and confident in their care. The play materials reflect the diversity of the community and the activities introduce children to different cultures in meaningful ways. Staff use lots of praise and encouragement.

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How good is the Day Care?

Parents can see the policies and procedures at any time and receive newsletters. The records of children's progress are very informative and are always available. A daily written feedback format is currently under review.

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What is being done well?

• Staff work closely with each other to provide consistent care for children. • Children are very settled and confident and have high self-esteem. They are active learners and have fun. • Activities introduce children to a variety of cultures in meaningful ways. • Staff have a number of positive strategies to encourage good behaviour. • Records of children's work give a very full picture of the child's progress.

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What needs to be improved?

• The amount of equipment made from natural materials that is available to the babies • The risk assessment • The arrangments for older children to rest • The medication records.

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Outcome of the 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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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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The Registered Person must take the following actions by the date shown

Std Action Date 7 keep a written record, signed by parents, of medicines given to children 22/01/2004

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by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 5 Provide more play equipment made from natural materials in the baby room. 6 Expand risk assessment to cover children’s activities. 7 To make the older children’s rest time more comfortable.

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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?

The provision for nursery education at Hillbury House Nursery is acceptable and is of high quality. It enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals in all six areas of the curriculum. The quality of the teaching is very good. Staff understand the Foundation Stage well and the curriculum is planned efficiently to ensure that all children have frequent opportunities to develop their learning. Staff plan a stimulating range of activities centred on themes which engage the children's interests. The observations that staff make about the children's learning are noted in two folders that give an excellent picture of the child's progress. These observations are then used to inform future planning and ensure that children develop well in all areas. Staff are also very observant of the children's moods and individual needs. They show insight and adapt activities to ensure the interest of the child.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Staff are skilled communicators and pick up on children's expressions, gestures and speech to maintain positive interaction. Children are therefore keen to talk and are confident to take part in group activities. Staff give very clear consistent guidelines as to their expectations and give children lots of praise and encouragement. This enables children to feel at home in the nursery and increases their self-esteem. The leadership and management of the nursery is very good. The manager and supervisor work alongside staff in all areas of the setting and lead by example. Staff have development meetings and appraisals once or twice a year and attend training regularly. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. The manager listens to suggestions and regularly reviews the feedback process. Parents have access to the full set of policies, receive newsletters and have an informative notice board.

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What is being done well?

• The planning and evaluation process is efficiently managed to ensure that all areas of the curriculum are covered for both full- and part-time children. The records of children's learning give a very full picture of their achievements and also note the interests and dispositions of the child. This enables staff to plan activities thoughtfully and maximise children's interest and involvement. • All staff are interested in what the children say and do. Staff respond quickly and are warm and affectionate. Children are confident learners as a result. • The manager is committed to the training and development of all staff.

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What needs to be improved?

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 • the variety of activities available on the computer.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The nursery has made very good progress since the last inspection. At the last inspection, the provider agreed to involve parents in the observation and assessment of children, and to improve the opportunities for writing skills. Parents have access to all records and observations made about their child and are given the records when the child leaves. Staff are also consulted about the child's achievements at home. The nursery has been developing a workable method of giving parents daily written feedback and has listened carefully to what the parents want from the feedback. The opportunities for children to develop their writing skills have been expanded with a permanent writing table. Resources have been made available in the role play area so that children can write lists, leave notes and take menu orders.

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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: Very Good Staff give children excellent support to settle in to the nursery. Children can choose from a range of activities and are independent in their play. Children are confident to join in with small and large group activities such as singing and story times. Children behave well, share and co-operate in their play. Staff give clear, consistent guidelines and give lots of positive attention. Children are therefore thoughtful and considerate. Children are helped to look after themselves.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are keen communicators and staff respond immediately. Children have lots of opportunities to see print as they play and are encouraged to develop their writing skills in formal and informal ways. Staff develop children's vocabulary in a range of stimulating activities. Children enjoy looking at books with staff and when on their own. Children also see instructions, recipes and lists. Staff encourage children to link sounds and letters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have lots of opportunities to count to ten and beyond, recognise numerals and use number names during play. Children recognise shapes and learn about size and measurement in a variety of practical activities. Staff encourage children to persist when solving problems and give opportunities for adding and subtracting objects from a group. Staff consolidate children's mathematical learning in activities such as putting chairs out and counting window shapes on outings.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Staff make good use of outings to stimulate children's interest in the natural world and the local area. Children are very curious and make graphs and maps to record their observations. Children have access to a variety of information and communication technology but the activities available on the computer are limited. Children learn about their diverse community in meaningful ways. Children are given time to reflect and give opinions. Children learn about change and growth.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Staff plan frequent and varied physical activities using a range of balances, climbing frames, balls, bean bags and hoops. Staff teach children about health and ensure children have a warm-up and cool-down. Children use a variety of materials such as dough and sand and have lots of opportunities to develop skills with scissors and other tools. Staff teach skills well and have a good understanding of each child's abilities and confidence.

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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: Very Good Staff create a stimulating variety of art, craft and role play activities and children participate enthusiastically. Children's work is consistently valued by staff. Children have opportunities to play instruments and to make their own from a variety of materials. Staff use group story times to stimulate the children's imagination. Children can also use paint, dough, sand and other craft materials to make pictures and sculptures.

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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 high quality. Children are making very 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

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • Increase the variety of activities available on the computer. 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

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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