Little Sneakers at Lodge Park

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 17/11/2004 Inspector Name Ann Doreen Burford

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Little Sneakers at Lodge Park Setting Address 15 Lodge Pool Drive Redditch Worcestershire B98 7LH

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Sneakers Childcare Ltd Address 68 Bromsgrove Road Redditch Worcestershire B97 4RN

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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

Little Sneakers at Lodge Park is one of four nurseries and eleven out of school clubs run by Sneakers Childcare Limited. It opened in 2002 and operates from five rooms in a converted house. It is situated on a residential estate on the outskirts of Redditch town centre. A maximum of 34 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 08:00 to 18:00 for 50 weeks of the year. They offer wraparound care for the local first school. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 48 children aged from 3 months to under 8 years on roll. Of these, seven children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery has procedures to support children with special educational needs, and also children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 12 staff. Nine of these, including the manager, hold

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Information about the setting

appropriate early years qualifications. One staff member is working towards a qualification. The nursery is part of the Neighbourhood Nursery Scheme and is supported by SureStart. The staff are currently working towards a quality assurance award.

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How good is the Day Care?

Little Sneakers at Lodge Park provides good care for children. The excellent organisation of this group ensures that high standards are maintained at all times. The detailed induction of all staff enables them to become familiar with all the policies and procedures. All the required documentation and record keeping is very well organised and is effective in the smooth running of this group. The premises are of a particularly high standard of maintenance and cleanliness. There is a very good range of toys and resources available for all age groups. Staff are very vigilant about safety at all times. All staff access training for child protection, food handling and first aid. Parents are provided with information about signs and symptoms of different infectious diseases. Children are provided with a

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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 choice of healthy drinks, snacks and meals. The recording of food allergies is not differentiated from food preferences. A good range of activities is provided throughout the nursery to support children's development. Children have the opportunity to learn about the diverse community through their play. A very good range of resources promote equal opportunities. The management are pro-active in ensuring anyone with special or additional needs are fully included and their abilities acknowledged. Children are mostly well behaved, but occasionally the mix of age groups in the pre-school room can cause some behaviour challenges. When some children demand attention others sometimes become disruptive. Parents are provided with a wealth of information about the setting and local

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How good is the Day Care?

facilities. There are many attractive posters displayed providing information on many relevant child care issues and parents are kept well informed. Parents of babies are given written daily diaries. Parents of pre-school children have daily verbal feedback and are invited to a formal annual parents evening.

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What is being done well?

• The induction of new staff is particular strength of this group. The procedures for the appointment of staff and their induction are very detailed and ensure new members of staff quickly become aware of the day-to-day running of the group and an effective team member. • The premises and its surroundings enhance the children's aesthetic experiences. The rooms are decorated and organised to create a stimulating, child-friendly environment. The premises are set in a beautiful area. Children are able to appreciate the panoramic views through the large windows and are taken on visits to the park and lake. The imaginative use of the sensory room enables the group to meet the needs of children with special needs. It is also used to stimulate all children and as a room for relaxation. • The range of activities for the babies and toddlers is planned around Birth to Three Matters. This has enabled staff to plan an excellent range of activities

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What is being done well?

based on the child's interest. Children are given choice and many activities in the baby unit are child-led. • The procedures for safety and security are very good. CCTV is used to monitor the outdoor area for security. The manager monitors the quality of safety by regularly completing spot checks on the premises and equipment. • The good settling in procedures underpins staff knowledge of the child's individual needs and how to best meet them.

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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 recording of food allergies and food preferences so the difference is clear • behaviour management strategies to reduce disruptive behaviour, especially in the pre-school room • the written daily information for parents of babies, so it reflects the setting's framework used for children under three years.

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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 8 Differentiate between the recording of food allergies and food preferences. 11 Continue to develop the behaviour management strategies, especially in the pre-school room, to ensure all children learn appropriate strategies for dealing with their emotions and reducing disruptive behaviour.

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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?

Little Sneakers at Lodge Park offers good quality education where children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. There are some very good aspects in mathematical and physical development. Teaching is generally good. Plans ensure all six areas of learning are covered. However, plans for the outdoor area only show its use for physical play. Detailed observations and assessments are used to provide activities that support children's development. Staff work together as a team to provide good role-models and an interesting environment that enriches children's experience. Most children are well behaved. However, occasionally the challenges set for some older children do not fully occupy them, and they can become disruptive. Although there are no children attending at the moment with special educational needs or who have English as an additional language, there are procedures in place to provide good support. The

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How effective is the nursery education?

organisation of the room and resources sometimes limits the frequency that some activities can be provided and children's opportunities to lead the play. Leadership and management is generally good. Students and volunteers receive very good support from the staff. The in-depth induction of all staff and the monitoring of their progress keeps staff motivated. Training needs are identified and suitable workshops are arranged. Roles and responsibilities of staff, students and volunteers are clear and understood by all. The staff use comments from the mentor teacher to continually improve their practice. The evaluation of the education does not always identify the next step to improve nursery education. Partnership with parents is generally good. Parents are given good information about the setting. Parents can request to see their child's assessment and are invited to a formal parents evening once a year. Staff encourage parents to share

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How effective is the nursery education?

their knowledge and experience by getting involved in the planned topic work and activities.

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What is being done well?

• Children confidently express themselves verbally about present events, the past and the future. They also confidently talk about their families and themselves. • Children regularly use the mathematics table and can access the wide range of resources to support mathematical development. • Every opportunity is used by staff to use mathematical number and language. This has been effective as children spontaneously use mathematical terminology during their play. • The sensory room is an excellent resource within the provision. Children really enjoy the climb up and down the stairs to the sensory room and

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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 become very excited and animated as they enjoy using the ball pool and the sensation of the sensory equipment. • The strong commitment by the management and staff to access relevant training for staff development and to support the continuing improvement of the setting enables the group to make progress in its quality of education and care.

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What needs to be improved?

• children's opportunities to make choice and regular access to resources so they can lead play • the planning for use of the outdoor environment to expand learning across all areas of learning • evaluations to be clearer to identify what needs to be done next to improve the nursery education and how to provide sufficient challenges for all children.

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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: Generally Good Children get excited and are enthusiastic to join in. Most children confidently separate from their carer. They are able to share and take turns. Sometimes the older children can lose concentration as the youngest ones require the staff's attention. Children have limited opportunities to self-select, make decisions, and lead the play opportunities.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy using the book corner independently, or listening to a story being told by adults. They actively join in familiar stories. Some children are starting to correctly form letters as part of writing their own name. Most children recognise their own names when written on name cards. Children are able to give meaning to their mark making. There is a writing table set out, however children are not able to access the resources required for writing, unless set out by staff.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children can count in sequence and with meaning. Often children use number for themselves during their play. They then find the correct numeral. They have the opportunity to write the numeral for themselves. Children enjoy solving problems, for example, working out how girls and how many boys. They make height charts to compare size. Children recognise simple shapes and can identify these shapes in their surroundings. They use positional and size language in their play.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are excited to investigate as they predict what may happen during focus activities. Their natural curiosity is harnessed through spontaneous activities, for example, the children went to see the RSPCA rescue an injured swan. There is a wonderful outdoor environment, however children do not fully experience as many activities as they might. Children are able to learn about the diverse community in which they live, through their play. They use the computer with confidence.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move well and safely most of the time. They can run and stop, manoeuvre around furniture and each other. They go for walks in the local area. They use a range of resources in the nursery to climb, push, pull and peddle. Children use the slide and climbing frame with confidence and regularly use the more challenging equipment available in the adjacent park. Additional resources are available for left-handed children.

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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 can match colours and are starting to correctly use the names of colours. They mix colours in a variety of formats to see what happens. Some of their drawings are displayed in the art gallery set at children's height. Many art activities are adult led. Children thoroughly enjoy music and movement and readily join in the ring games. They enjoy playing the range of musical instruments as part of a band at group time.

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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

• improve children's opportunities to make choices and access to resources so they can lead play • develop systems for identifying what needs to be done to improve the nursery education through evaluation including differentiation in activities to provide more challenges for all children • expand the planned use of the outdoor environment to include all areas of learning.

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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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