Treetops Alton Manor

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 20/05/2003 Inspector Name Julie Mason

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Alton Manor PDN Setting Address Gregory's Way Belper Derbyshire DE56 0HS

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Dunmar Nurseries Ltd Address 69 Ashbourne Road Derby Derbyshire DE22 3FS

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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

Alton Manor Day Nursery opened in 1992 and operates from a detached purpose built property in Belper. The nursery serves the local and surrounding area. The nursery is registered to care for 47 children aged 3 months to 8 years and includes a maximum of 6 children under 1 year. There are currently 108 children from three months to eight years on roll. This includes 24 funded three year olds and 20 funded four year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Staff have experience of caring for children with special needs.

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Information about the setting

The group opens five days a week all year round. Sessions are from 07:30 until 18:00. Fifteen part/full time staff work with the children. Eleven staff have early years qualifications. The setting receives support from a mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership and from a Child Care Director employed by the company.

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How good is the Day Care?

Alton Manor Private Day Nursery provides good quality Day Care. The nursery provides a warm and welcoming environment where the children are happy, relaxed and well cared for. Staff provide a balanced range of resources, which are stimulating and promote children's learning in all areas. Children are involved and interested in the activities provided in all rooms. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour, and provide a calm and relaxed atmosphere in all rooms. Inappropriate behaviour is dealt with sensitively, but consistently. Staff have a good understanding of the children's individual needs, and promote equality of opportunity within the provision. Staff have experience of caring for

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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 children with special needs. The special educational needs co-ordinator has worked in partnership with health professionals. The staff work well as a team and have a good working knowledge of the policies and procedures of the provision. A key worker system is in place, and staff have a good understanding of the children's individual needs. Children are grouped in ages, with the flexibility to move between rooms according to their development. Each room has a senior nursery nurse. The staff have a good awareness of providing a safe and secure environment for the children. However the movement of food between rooms requires reviewing. They promote good hygiene practices and all accident/medication records are maintained

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How good is the Day Care?

to a high standard. Staff are aware of the provision's child protection policy, which follow the Area Child Protection Committee procedures. Working in partnership with parents and carers is a particular strength of the nursery. Information is shared on a daily basis, in either written or verbal form. Parents are kept well informed of what is happening in the nursery, and the comprehensive policies and procedures are readily available. Policies and procedures are thorough and all records are kept to a high standard.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

There were no actions at the previous inspection.

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What is being done well?

• Dunmar Nurseries Ltd has a very strong commitment to providing training. All staff attend First Aid training, basic food hygiene, and child protection training is provided yearly. The company provides NVQ training to level III for its staff (Standard 2). • The staff throughout the nursery have very good relationships with the children. They extend the children's skills and development through being involved in their play, and have a good understanding of each child's individual needs and development (Standard 3). • A good range of well planned, worth while activities are provided for the children. Planning is in place for all ages of children, although in a more formal way for funded three and four year olds. Children are interested and involved in the activities provided. The staff's interaction with the children has a positive impact on the children's learning (Standard 3). • There is a wide range of resources readily available for the children, which

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What is being done well?

are shared between the rooms to provide developmentally appropriate toys for each child (Standard 5). • Documentation within the nursery is maintained to a high standard (Standard 14).

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An aspect of outstanding practice:

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 staff have very good relationships with parents, where there is a two way exchange of information. Parents are provided with comprehensive information about the setting in a variety of ways, in particular information relating to funded three and four year olds. Two evenings have been provided for parents of funded children. The first to give parents information about the early learning goals, and the second a practical session to demonstrate how and what children learn from the activities the nursery provides (Standard 12).

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What needs to be improved?

• the procedures for moving hot food between the kitchen and 3-4 year olds room (Standard 6).

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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 6 ensure the movement of food between the kitchen and the 3-4 year room does not pose a hazard to the children.

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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?

Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals and are making very good progress in personal, social and emotional development and physical development. Teaching is generally good. Staff have good relationships with the children, supporting their learning and providing appropriate challenges for individual children. Staff provide positive role models for the children and their interaction has a positive impact on the children's learning. Long, medium and short term planning is clear, related to the stepping stones within them. However there are insufficient opportunities to enable children to link letters to sounds. The planning includes staff deployment, although this needs to be developed to ensure children gain the most from the activities provided. The staff make good use of the accommodation and resources. Children's records relate to the early learning goals and are used

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How effective is the nursery education?

effectively. Leadership and management is very good. There is clear leadership from the manager and the company as a whole. Clear processes are in place for evaluating and monitoring the provision of care in the nursery. Staff are effectively managed and importance is given to personal development and training. A Child Care Director is employed by the company who has overall responsibility for the child care programme. Working in partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents are provided with comprehensive written information about the setting and early learning goals. Parents are actively encouraged to become involved within the nursery in a variety of ways. Staff provide parents with information about their child's development through regular discussion, access to their child's files and through parents evenings.

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What is being done well?

• Children are developing independence through child initiated activities and resources, taking part in daily routines, and managing their own personal hygiene. It is particularly developed well through snack time where children pour their own drinks. • Children access a wide variety of planned opportunities for physical and energetic play at every session. They are developing good small and large muscle skills through a very good range of resources and activities. • The staff have very good relationships with parents,where there is a two way exchange of information. Parents are provided with comprehensive information about the setting in a variety of ways,in particular information relating to funded three and four year olds. Two evenings have been

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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 provided for parents of funded children. The first to give parents information about the early learning goals, and the second a practical session to demonstrate how and what children learn from the activities the nursery provides. • Effective planning is in place which provides a good range of worthwhile activities. A variety of activities are provided that focus on the same clusters to allow children to practice and consolidate knowledge. • Children have good opportunities to express themselves creatively and their own work is valued by the staff. • Children speak clearly and fluently, with increasing vocabulary as a result of the staff's engagement in their activities. • Children use mathematical language in everyday situations. Staff develop

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What is being done well?

this through questioning and discussing the activities children are involved in.

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What needs to be improved?

• Children's opportunities to link letters to sounds and begin to hear and say the initial sounds in words. • The deployment of staff to ensure the children make the best possible progress to extend childrens learning.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Progress in improving the provision has been very good. Staff have effectively addressed the key issues from the last inspection. All staff were involved in developing the daily timetable to ensure it promotes a balance between adult-led and child initiated activities and sufficient time available for planned activities. Planning provides focused activities as well as free choice for the children and works well in practice. Children now have good opportunities to make things using their own choice of materials and a range of resources have been put in place to support the children's learning. Storage of the resources has been developed to ensure children have easy access to them. The staff reviewed the progress they had made,and put further action plans into place to continue the improvements.

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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 have very good relationships with the children, and are involved and interested in the children's play. Children have very good self confidence as a result of the staff's constant praise and support. Children access activities freely and take an active role in everyday routines. Children are independent and verbalise their needs with confidence. They are motivated to learn and are interested in the activities provided.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children speak with confidence to peers and adults in large groups and can verbalise their needs. Children co-operate in their activities and negotiate to attain common goals. They access books freely to look at on their own, and request staff to read to them. Children are developing good hand eye co ordination through opportunities for mark making with a variety of resources. Opportunities for children to link letters to sounds needs to be developed further.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use mathematical language freely in everyday situations such as 'behind', 'in front', 'small' and 'large'. Children count freely with the majority counting beyond 10. Older children are beginning to recognise numbers and are developing an understanding of the concept of numbers through well planned activities. Staff provide children with good opportunities to begin simple adding and subtracting.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children demonstrate curiosity and interest at activities. Children are developing a sense of time and place, and are able to talk about significant events and people in their life. They have good opportunities to respond to experiences and talk about changes. Children are learning about different cultures and beliefs from a variety of well planned activities involving different areas of learning. Their design and making skills are developed through a good range of construction activities.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing good fine manipulative skills through using a range of writing implements and tools. They have access to a good range of malleable materials such as play dough and corn flour. Children have opportunities to develop physical skills through a wide range of resources both inside and out. Children are learning about their bodies through a variety of physical activities.

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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 Children are familiar with songs and rhymes and join in with enthusiasm. They enjoy a variety of musical activities. Staff provide a themed role play area for the children and are involved in their play. Children have free access to a good range of creative materials which they use with confidence. Children's work is valued by the staff and displayed well. Through activities provided children are learning about shape, texture and form.

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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

• Increase children's opportunities to link letters to sounds. • Review the deployment of staff to ensure children gain the most from activities provided.

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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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