Busy Bees Day Nursery at Newcastle

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 14/03/2005 Inspector Name Lynne Pope

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Just Learning Nursery Setting Address Just Learning Nursery Silver Fox Way, Cobalt Business Park Newcastle upon Tyne Tyne and Wear NE27 0QJ

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Just Learning Ltd Address 45, High Street West Maling Kent ME19 6QP

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of 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 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

Just Learning Nursery is part of a national childcare company. It opened in 2003 and operates from ten rooms within purpose built premises at Cobalt business park in North Tyneside. A maximum of 110 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each week day from 07.30 until 18.15 all year round. There are currently 120 children aged from five months to four years on roll. Of these 24 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a large catchment area. The nursery supports children with special needs and who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 25 staff. Seventeen of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualification. Six staff are working towards a recognised early years qualification.

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Information about the setting

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

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How effective is the nursery education?

Just learning Nursery provides a very welcoming atmosphere and offers high quality education. Children settle really well. Effective teaching helps them make very good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is very good. Staff work well as a team enthusiastically. They use good strategies with children to manage behaviour, setting clear and concise limits. Resources and accommodation are used effectively to promote children's learning. In particular the role play area and craft area are well resourced. Children's independence is fostered through being given a choice about what they would like to do with the result that they use equipment with increasing independence and control. Staff have recently reviewed their own practises and have developed an action plan identifying future improvements. Written plans are in place however plans for outdoor and free play activities do not identify specific stepping stones.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Differentiation for adult led activities has been recently introduced which needs further development. Leadership and management is very good. Management has a positive impact on children's learning. Leadership is strong which ensures staff are able to contribute, as well as receive ideas on how to develop practise. There is a strong commitment to improvement and staff development through professional development plans and training. Effective regular visits and input are made from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership enabling continuing improvement to be assessed. Partnership with parents is very good. They are provided with detailed information about the early learning goals. They are kept well informed about their child's progress through six monthly parental evenings and daily verbal feedback. They receive regular newsletters informing them about forthcoming topics and involving them in their child's development at home. Feedback from parents is very positive.

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What is being done well?

• Personal, social and emotional development is excellent. Children are confident, interested and able to work in small groups and on their own. They show curiosity and a growing independence by selecting their own toys and activities. Behaviour is very good. • Management have high expectations of staff. This is reflected in the support they receive and the enthusiasm of all staff for the job that they do. Staff are keen and committed to ongoing professional development through regular training. • The resources and accommodation are used very effectively to promote children's learning. Staff develop very good relationships with children in their

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 key groups. Children's independence is promoted by the encouragement of making decisions for themselves. • Parents are kept well informed and given good opportunities to be involved and to build on their child's learning.

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What needs to be improved?

• children's access to musical instruments • written plans for adult led activities, outdoor play and free play.

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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

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children settle confidently into the daily routine and are clearly enthusiastic during activities. They behave well and respond positively to guidance from staff. All children show developing independence, for example they take off and put on their own coats and serve themselves at mealtimes. Most children work independently and co-operatively, relating well to adults and peers.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are developing good language and communication skills. Most speak confidently in small or large group activities, for example show and tell time. They enjoy listening to group stories. They predict what might happen from the pictures. They enjoy books independently handling them well. They enthusiastically experiment with early writing skills, attempting to write their name on their work. Some children are beginning to link sounds to first letters of words.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children confidently use number in every day contexts. They count how many children there are in the line. They solve simple problems, for example sorting shapes into groups, they identify when one does not match the group. They recognise and can name some shapes and are encouraged to use shape names in their play. They spontaneously use size language describing when something is big, small, full or heavy.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children confidently explore technology, operating simple computer programmes, using a calculator and the cassette and compact disc player when they want to listen to a story . They imaginatively construct using a wide variety of materials for example junk models and using construction sets. They recall experiences they have had at home for example showing a snap card game they have brought in and recalling that Santa brought it. They show curiosity by investigating a wide range of materials.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move confidently and have good spatial awarness.Most control their bodies well for example running, stopping, turning and climbing. They practise fitting their bodies through confined spaces for example hoops. They improve their skills by throwing or kicking a ball. They enjoy moving to action songs and in time with music. All children manage their personal needs well.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children explore colour in various ways. They identify colours when painting, colouring or in the environment. They freely choose materials to make junk models and the methods for joining pieces together. They know a good repertoire of songs and join in enthusiastically in a group or some times on their own. They use their imagination well in their play both indoors and outdoors, for example having road works so you don't fall into the deep hole. Access to musical instruments is limited.

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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

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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: • There are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be given to improving the following: • review children's access to musical instruments to enable them to explore further different sounds and give opportunities to tap out simple rhythms and make some up. • Further develop written plans for outdoor play and free play so that they identify specific stepping stones. Develop further differentiation in written plans for adult led activities to link directly to appropriate stepping stones.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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