Little Owls Nursery Shepherds Lane

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 08/12/2003 Inspector Name Elizabeth Welborn

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Shepherds Lane Early Years Centre Setting Address Shepherd Lane Chapeltown Leeds West Yorkshire LS8 5AN

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Shepherds Lane EYC Address Shepherds Lane EYC, Shepherds Lane Leeds West Yorkshire LS8 4LG

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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

Shepherd's Lane Early Years Centre Day Nursery opened in 1990. It operates from five playrooms in a purpose built unit in the Chapeltown area of Leeds. The centre serves the local area. There are currently 63 children from 12 months to 4 years on roll. This includes 26 funded 3 year olds and 4 funded 4 year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports a number of children with special needs and who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week all year round. Sessions are from 08.00 until 18.00. There are 20 staff work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level 2 or 3. The setting receives support from a teacher from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

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How good is the Day Care?

Shepherd's Lane Early Years Centre provides good care for children. The setting is safe, clean and very well organised. The nursery has clear daily routines to help the children feel secure. The staff give careful attention to children's individual dietary needs and good routines of personal hygiene are established from an early age. The staff are well deployed to supervise the children and they have a good awareness of potential hazards most of which are suitable attended to. The children enjoy a very wide range of well planned activities, designed for their enjoyment and stimulation in all areas of play and learning. The excellent selection of play and resources available to the children, are safe, clean and age appropriate. The experienced staff know the children very well and key workers ensure that their individual needs are met. The staff have clear and consistent procedures to manage

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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 the children's behaviour, which are shared with the parents and understood by the children, who respond by behaving well. Staff have very good relationships with the parents, who are warmly welcomed into the nursery and information about the children and the setting is shared on a regular basis. All documentation is very well organised and demonstrates a thorough understanding of the National Standards and good practice.

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What is being done well?

• The friendly staff, available activities and the well presented wall displays make this a warm and welcoming environment for children and their families. • The vast range of well organised and clean toys and equipment provide variety and excellent opportunities for enjoyment and stimulation in all areas. Children have independent access to all play and activity resources suitable to their stage of development. • Risk assessments are regularly carried out in the nursery, the outside play area and on outings. Children's safety is a high priority and safety issues are regularly reviewed at staff meetings. The intercom system at the main entrance, prevents access by unauthorised people and can only be operated from within the building. • Children are taught the importance of following good routines of personal hygiene from an early age and a rolling programme of training is in place to ensure that sufficient qualified staff are always available, to administer first

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What is being done well?

aid. • Staff are familiar with the nursery's positive behaviour management policy, which is applied consistently throughout the nursery. Specific plans are agreed by staff and parents, when required for individual children. The children enjoy the praise they receive from the staff, for their good behaviour. • Parents are valued and welcomed by the staff, who work in partnership with them to meet the children's needs. Daily feedback from the child's key worker keeps the parents well informed of their child's time at nursery and individual development profiles are shared with parents, who are invited to add their own comments and observations. The child's key worker will do a home visit to play and get to know the child better in their own environment, if required, to help a child settle at the nursery.

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An aspect of outstanding practice:

The staff know the children very well and have excellent relationships with them. The children are recognised and valued for their individuality, yet treated with equal concern. The diverse range of stimulating and enjoyable activities provide good opportunities for the children to learn and develop in all areas. The staff interact particularly well with the children, encouraging them to explore options and make

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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 decisions, with support when required.

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What needs to be improved?

• the storage arrangements for parents leaving children's buggies.

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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 Provide alternative storage for children’s own buggies.

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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?

Shepards Lane Early Years Centre provides overall, very good educational provision for children. The children make very good progress in personal, social and emotional development, in communication literacy and language, in mathematical, physical and creative development and in knowledge and understanding of the world. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals. They effectively support children with special needs and are guided well by special educational needs co-ordinator and the nursery policy. They continue to monitor and evaluate the record system used to assess the children attainment and progression. The leadership and management is very good. There is clear commitment to improving the care and education of children. This includes the welcoming and implementation of suggestions made by the advisory teacher from the partnership, and the development and updating of staff's knowledge and understanding of the

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How effective is the nursery education?

early learning goals through regular training opportunities. Partnership with parents is very good. Staff use a variety of methods to ensure parents are made aware and fully understand the provision that is provided, for example they have staff that speak dual languages and complete home visits as well as parent evenings. They show respect and understanding for parents and encourage them to be involved in their children's learning.

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What is being done well?

• Children's personal social and emotional development is very good. They are forming very good relationships with staff and with other children and are able to participate on their own or in small groups. • Children are able to successfully develop skills and understanding in the use of everyday technology, for example they are able to explore mobile and landlines telephones, through the interactive display provided and some three and four year olds are able to very confidently and effectively click on and drag objects around screens, when engaged in computer programmes. • Staff use the resources effectively. They introduce lots of additional resources to stimulate the children and promote sensory learning, for example children are given costumes and equipment and encouraged to enthusiastically act out favourite stories and staff made use of an impromptu opportunity and encouraged children to closely observe a digger as it was

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What is being done well?

working in the local environment. • The care and education of children with special needs is very good. The staff and special needs co-ordinator successfully evaluate and meet the children's needs through the implementation of individual educational plans, one to one

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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 workers and welcoming and working alongside other professional such as, Speech Therapists and an Educational Psychologist. • Staff use a variety of methods to ensure parents are made aware and fully understand the provision that is provided. They have staff that speak dual languages and complete home visits, as well as providing further opportunities for discussion at more formal parents meetings. Photographs are used, and some written information is available in other languages.

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What needs to be improved?

• the monitoring and evaluating of the record system used to record children's attainment and progression.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The action taken to address the previous key issues is very good.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

To encourage and improve ways in which parents can contribute their own observations on their children's learning to the assessment records. The staff have successfully introduced a profile/progression form, parents are now encouraged to discuss their children's learning, monitor and develop areas in partnership with staff and make a record of their observations. To offer more opportunities for children to become aware of rhyming sounds and for them to use their own symbols and letters to communicate meaning. The staff have successfully introduced more songs and rhymes throughout the nursery, i.e. through displays in most areas and verbally in large and small group activities. Staff have effectively introduced recording materials in several areas of the setting, for example, children are able to make bus tickets in the outside role-play area.

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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 Children are very enthusiastic and motivated, to learn, and demonstrate a high level of involvement in activities, i.e. story time. They form good very relationships and are developing awareness of behavioural expectations of the setting. They are developing skills in personal independence and more able children are able to concentrate for long periods of time.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children can interact, and negotiate very well with others. They speak clearly and listen and respond effectively with lots of enthusiasm especially to song and stories. They are developing understanding of the elements of stories, through acting them out and through the use of computer programmes. Children are beginning to understand that print carries meaning and attempt to write for a reason, for example they make bus tickets for use in their role play .

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Most three and four-year-olds can say and use numbers from one to five, in familiar context. They are beginning to recognise some numbers and develop understanding of addition and subtraction through songs and rhymes. They can use language confidently to describe shape position and size and are able to talk about simple patterns and are beginning to develop mathematical ideas to solve problems.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are able to successfully find out, observe and identify features in their environment. They are developing skills in constructing and joining materials and some three and four-year-olds are developing excellent skills in the use of every day technology, for example they confidently and effectively click and drag objects on a computer screen. Children are developing knowledge and understanding of cultures and beliefs through the use of a good range of multi-cultural resources.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are able to move confidently and safely on wheeled toys and are developing control and co-ordination in using the climbing frame, balancing equipment and small equipment such as footballs They negotiate space well and are successfully developing skills in handling tools and malleable materials through activities such as play-doh. Some more able children are able to recognise the importance of healthy practice.

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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: Very Good Children are able to confidently express their feelings and communicate ideas through imaginative play. They, very enthusiastically, sing simple songs from memory and are able to explore and match movement to sounds through use of a music area and instruments. They are developing knowledge and understanding of shape form and texture through the exploration of materials and shape in two and three dimensions. More able children can confidently distinguish colours.

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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 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 and evaluate the record keeping system used to record the children's attainment and progress.

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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 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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