Bright Horizons Clairmont Day Nursery and Preschool

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 22/07/2004 Inspector Name Susan, Helen Spencer

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Kidsunlimited nurseries Setting Address Clairmont House Nursery 126 Gravel Lane Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 6EG

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Kidsunlimited Nurseries Address Kids of Wilmslow Ltd, Westhead 10 West Street Alderley Edge Cheshire SK9 7EG

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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

Clairmont House, Kidsunlimited Day Nursery opened in 1983. It operates from six rooms in a two storey house and two separate single storey buildings on the same site in Wilmslow and serves the local area. There are currently 154 children from birth to five years on roll. This includes a number of funded three and four year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children with special needs and children who speak English as an additional language, but there are currently none on roll. The nursery opens five days and week all year round, except bank holidays. Sessions are from 07:30 to 18:00. Twenty five full time and part time staff work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level II or III. Four staff are currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. The setting receives support from an advisor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

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Information about the setting

Kidsunlimited employ an early years teacher full time on their staff and include in the core curriculum baby yoga, baby signing, soccer tots and French.

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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?

Clairmount House, Kidsunlimited Day Nursery provides good quality education which enables children to make very good progress towards the early learning gaols in all six learning areas. The curriculum is very well-planned and organised, imaginative and has many strengths in several areas. The quality of teaching is very good. The staff work very well as a team, and are friendly and approachable. They have very good communication skills. Dialogue, comments and questions are key features of the teaching and learning. Planning is detailed and effective, led by a pre-school teacher, and shows clearly what children are to learn. There are many interesting and challenging activities within the curriculum, such as French teaching, music Gardening Club and Cookery Club. Staff have high expectations of children's behaviour, and manage the group very well. The adults regularly observe and assess the children's learning against the stepping

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How effective is the nursery education?

stones and early learning goals. The well-organised records are clearly focused and are used to develop the curriculum and inform parents of their children's progress. The leadership and management of the nursery is very good. The management team work closely together and motivate the staff team. The whole team is committed to to providing good quality education. The staff have regular access to good quality staff development and share knowledge and understanding with each other. There are excellent systems for evaluating the provision, and the staff are keen to implement recommendations. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Staff are approachable, and the parents appreciate being able to speak to them informally each day. The parents are very well-informed with 'How's it Going' reports and receive good quality information about the setting. They are encouraged to support their children's

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How effective is the nursery education?

learning, both in the nursery and at home. Children's records are readily available.

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What is being done well?

• The staff provide a very good curriculum with challenging, stimulating and worthwhile activities. They follow children's interests, building on planned activities. The staff use observations and assessment of the children's learning effectively to develop the curriculum. • Communication, language and literacy is extremely well-fostered. Adults and children enjoy talking about a wide range of subjects. The staff value what the children have to say, and introduce them to interesting vocabulary. The children thoroughly enjoy books and stories. There is a very high standard of teaching and learning of writing skills. • Music is a strength in the curriculum. The children sing familiar songs with

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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 enjoyment and gusto. They are being taught a wide repetoire of songs, and are developing a good sense of rhthym using good quality musical instruments. • The programme for knowledge and understanding of the world is clearly well-promoted. Children are curious and interested, and are developing skills of investigation and exploration. The adults extend the children's interest by providing stimulating activities based on their own experiences. • There is a delightful, cheerful atmosphere in the nursery with a clear enthusiasm for learning. The staff and children have good relationships, and staff are sensitive to the children's needs. • Parents and staff have a strong partnership. There are extremely good opportunities for sharing information about the children's progress and what they are learning.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for all members of staff to take responsibilty for specific areas of planning.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The nursery has made very good progress. There were no key issues but the nursery has continued to develop opportunities for the staff to attend training events to help them to develop planning in order to maintain high standards. The team has made changes to planning, after attending training for Birth to Three Matters, and the Foundation Stage Currciculum. There has been valuable in-house training related specifically to the stepping stones. This is evident in the very clear knowledge and understanding demonstrated by the team in the specific learning intentions for planned activities. There is clear progress in learning for both three- and four-year olds. It is also reflected in the observations and check lists used in assessments. All members of staff are now involved in the process and are beginning to take responsibility for particular areas of the curriculum.

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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 Staff are sensitive to children's needs. There are excellent relationships between staff and children with many opportunities for cheerful interaction. The children are very enthusiastic and well-motivated. They concentrate and persevere extremely well, when writing in their news books and listening to stories. The staff have high expectations of the children's behaviour. They are very independent and able to manage their personal care well. They learn about and respect different cultures.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children and adults enjoy talking about a wide range of subjects, both planned and spontaneous. The children use stimulating vocabulary and have a good understanding of early phonics. Newsbook time gives them valuable opportunities for developing writing skills. Most children can write their own names and some have well-developed writing skills. Books and stories are clearly an important part of the curriculum, focusing on the Oxford reading Tree scheme. The children handle books well.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good The children are confident about counting up to ten and beyond, as they count numbers of bones in the skeleton of a foot. They count and match cutlery and crockery in the home area; and make shape sandwiches. Children thoroughly enjoy counting rhymes and songs. They observe and measure seeds which grow into tomatoes, and work out how long it takes for ice fish to melt. They compare sizes of footprints from a baby to an adult. They find a pet by learning to follow directions.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good The children investigate creatures such as tarantulas and snakes during the Zoo Lab visit. The nursery garden provides good opportunities for examining wood lice and dragon flies. The children grow tomatoes and plant a herb garden in the Gardening Club. They develop good construction skills when they make an attractive aquarium, and learn how to make moving models. The children regularly talk about events in their own lives such as holidays, and visits.

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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

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good The children climb and balance on the climbing frame and stacked tyres showing good coordination. They develop a good sense of space when they learn to push a wheelchair outdoors. Soccertots helps them to develop skills such as running and kicking. They learn about how their own bodies work in Me and My Body, and how to keep healthy. They use cutters and rollers with playdough with increasing control. They are learning to handle and control small objects when they 'pick up' seeds.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children participate enthusiastically in music sessions, singing favourite songs with gusto, in both English and French. They tap out rhythms, and explore different sounds with their voices and percussion instruments. They enjoy painting, draw freely and make models from clay. They use their imagination during role play in the hospital, pet shop or explorers hut. They learn about taste, texture and smell in Cookery Club when they make dim sum for Chinese New Year and truffles for Christmas.

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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: • continue to develop opportunities for all members of staff to take responsibility for specific areas of learning.

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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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