Daisy Chain Childcare

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 10/11/2004 Inspector Name Valerie Craven

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care, Sessional Day Care, Out of School Day Care Setting Name Daisy Chain Childcare Ltd Setting Address High Ridge Park Rothwell Leeds LS26 0NL

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The partnership of Daisy Chain Day Care Ltd n/a n/a

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Daisy Chain Day Care Ltd Address High Ridge Park Rothwell LEEDS LS26 0NL

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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

Daisy Chain Nursery opened in 2002, and provides full day care for the local community. It forms one of two nurseries owned by a private company called 'Daisy Chain Childcare Limited'. The nursery is situated in Rothwell, on the outskirts of Leeds, in West Yorkshire. Care takes place in a purpose built nursery building located on the same site as Haigh Road Infants and Nursery School. Children are grouped according to their age, including the funded children, who spend most of their time in the 'over two's' group, often referred to as the 'Elves'. They have access to a spacious open plan room, an adjoining room for music lessons, suitable toilet facilities, and a secure and safe outdoor play area. The nursery provides 'wrap around care' in partnership with Haigh Road Infants and Nursery School. The nursery has 76 children currently on roll, consisting of 4 three-year-olds in receipt of funding. None of the funded children have been identified as having

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Information about the setting

special educational needs, or are learning English as an additional language. The setting is open from Monday to Friday throughout the year, closing only for Bank Holidays, and during the Christmas and New Year festivals. Daily sessions are from 08.00 to 18.00. There are six members of staff who work with the funded children. All of these staff hold recognised qualifications in childcare and early years education. They receive support from the local Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership, including visits from an advisory teacher. The nursery is a member of, the Leeds Nursery Network, and are working towards the Leeds Quality Assurance award and the Investor in Peoples award.

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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?

At Daisy Chain Nursery provision is of high quality and children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals. They are making very good progress in all areas of learning. Quality of teaching is very good. Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals, shown clearly in their detailed and comprehensive curriculum plans, including 'continuous provision' plans featured in each of the activity areas. They set a high level of challenge for all children, especially through questioning, such as the 'question of the day', and make effective use of good quality learning resources, ensuring these are accessible in all of the well organised activity areas. Leadership and management is very good. The setting is able to assess its own strengths and weaknesses on a regular basis, as reflected in a recent self-evaluation of the overall nursery education provision. There is a commitment to make

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How effective is the nursery education?

improvements in the care and education for all children, such as through working towards the achievement of various quality assurance awards, and effective measures are in place to monitor and evaluate the provision for nursery education, including completing regular staff appraisals and evaluating planning. Partnership with parents and carers is very good. They are provided with a wide range of good quality information about the nursery and its provision, including a detailed nursery prospectus and an informative parent handbook. Parents are well informed about their child's achievements and progress through an effective key worker system, can share what they know about their child, and are encouraged to be involved in their child's learning, such as helping their child to answer the 'question of the day'.

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What is being done well?

• Staff's secure knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals, shown clearly in their detailed and comprehensive curriculum plans, including 'continuous provision' plans featured in each of the activity areas. • The ability of the setting to assess its own strengths and weaknesses on a regular basis, as reflected in a recent self-evaluation of the overall nursery education provision. • Children's aptitude to select resources for themselves and to work independently, also their personal independence skills, illustrated well when choosing from accessible resources in each of the activity areas, and when serving their own vegetables during lunch times. • Children's ability to recognise their own names and to attempt writing for a variety of purposes, fostered well during the 'question of the day' routine, and

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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 when writing a letter, placing this in an envelope, then posting it in a box. • Children's ability to show an understanding of simple subtraction, promoted well through singing songs, such as 'five little ducks went swimming one day', when one is taken away at a time. • Parent's access to a wide range of good quality information about the nursery and its provision, including a detailed nursery prospectus and an informative parent handbook.

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What needs to be improved?

• their senses, for example through the continued development of the outdoor 'sensory garden' • the level of access staff have to sharing training, for example through the organisation of workshops to share good practice.

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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 have an aptitude to select resources for themselves and to work independently, and are developing their personal independence skills, illustrated well when choosing from accessible resources in each of the activity areas, and when serving their own vegetables during lunch times. They have formed good relationships with each other and the staff, take turns and share fairly during small group work, are excited and motivated to learn, and are developing a high level of self-confidence.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are able to recognise their own names and can attempt writing for a variety of purposes, fostered well during the 'question of the day' routine, and when writing a letter, placing this in an envelope, then posting it in a box. They are developing their early reading skills, such as when they spend time in the comfortable and well resourced 'book corner area' and when visiting the local library, can link sounds and letters, and their vocabulary is extending as they learn new words.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are able to show an understanding of simple subtraction, promoted well through singing songs, such as 'five little ducks went swimming one day', when one is taken away at a time. They can recognise numerals 1-9, are able to count reliably up to 10 everyday objects, such as during lunch times, including counting the amount of plates needed for children sat at a table so all can have one each, and are able to use mathematical language to describe and compare various shapes and position.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children can celebrate many festivals around the world, such as the Diwali festival of lights, often through singing, art and craft activities, including making lamps. They are skilful at designing and making, such as joining and building when handling accessible resources in the 'construction area' and 'design and technology area', are able to explore and investigate features of natural objects, and can operate technology items to help support their learning, including telephones and a camera.

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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 Children are able to show a sense of space and of others, such as during music activities, including handling shakers whilst moving about like a 'horse'. They are developing their balancing skills when working on challenging equipment, are able to recognise the importance of staying healthy when serving themselves fresh vegetables, and can handle a range of one handed tools skilfully, including mark-making and writing implements, art and craft tools, a knife, fork and spoon during meal times.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children can explore sound through handling musical instruments during popular music activities, including attempting to make the sounds of familiar fireworks, such as a 'rocket', 'banger' and 'Catherine wheel'. They are able to respond in a variety of ways using their senses, such as their sense of smell and taste, can explore colour and texture as part of many art and craft activities, are able to use their imagination through exciting role play activities, and can make up their own stories.

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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 enhance children's learning through encouraging them to respond in a variety of ways using their senses • continue to develop staff's knowledge and understanding of good practice through 'in-house' sharing.

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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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