Bosworth Primary and Nursery School With Focus Provision for Children With ASD

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 08/12/2003 Inspector Name Linda Close

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Little Treasures Pre-School & Day Nursery Setting Address The Village Coulsdon Road Caterham Surrey CR3 5QX

p.1

REGISTERED PROVIDER 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

p.1

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.

p.2

Information about the setting

Little Treasures Nursery was established in the year 2000. It is located in a newly refurbished building in Caterham Village in Surrey. The building was formerly part of Caterham Barracks. The nursery is open to children from a wide geographical area. It is situated within walking distance of local shops and schools. The nursery is open every weekday from 08:00 to 18:00 throughout the year, closing only for Bank Holidays and for a week at Christmas. It is registered to care for fifty-six children under 5 years of age, twenty-four of whom may be under 2 years old. Sixteen members of staff work with the children following various shift patterns to ensure correct ratios of adults to children at all times. Although less than 50% of staff overall are appropriately qualified, the managers are qualified teachers and several members of staff are working towards, or have completed, relevant childcare qualifications. The nursery works with the Early Years Partnership and participates

p.2

Information about the setting

in an on-going training programme. There are 4 three-year-olds and 5 four-year-olds who are currently in receipt of funding. None of the funded children has identified special educational needs and there are no children learning English as an additional language.

p.2

How good is the Day Care?

Little Treasures Pre-school and Day Nursery provides a good standard of care for children. The owners of the setting have kept Ofsted informed about changes in staffing and premises. Staff are vetted and children are protected from non-vetted persons. The nursery is led by qualified teachers and effective strategies are in place to encourage staff to train for their own professional development. The nursery rooms are bright, warm and attractive. A wide range of good quality toys and equipment is available. Initial problems caused by the building refurbishment programme have been identified by the owners and steps have been taken to have these problems rectified. Documents pertaining to the running of the nursery are in place and stored securely to ensure confidentiality. Staff plan and provide a varied programme of activities and they warmly encourage all children to take part. The children enjoy their play and make generally good

p.2

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 progress. Staff inform parents about children's welfare each day. However, no developmental records are made for children under four years of age in relation to their emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities. There is a suitable policy and agreed procedures for any child who may have special needs. Staff are particularly effective in their approach to behaviour management. A risk assessment has been carried out to identify and avoid possible hazards to children. Access to the nursery is carefully monitored. Staff are active in promoting good health and hygiene. Individual dietary needs are met and children are given a varied selection of foods. Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of child

p.2

How good is the Day Care?

protection issues. Parents are given useful information about the care of their children through contact sheets, newsletters and notices. They are welcome to talk with staff each day and at more formal meetings once a year. Parents may not be fully informed about all aspects of their child's progress.

p.3

What has improved since the last inspection?

Staff have made good progress in improving the setting since the previous inspection. At that time it was agreed that a better range of toys and activities was needed for the older children. Three and four year olds are now provided with suitable resources and activities. The nursery managers have undertaken a risk assessment for the newly refurbished premises as agreed. This assessment is ongoing to enable possible risks in areas of the nursery that have not yet been completed to be identified and avoided. Staff were asked to maintain a record of any incidents and this is kept in a book set aside for this purpose. It was agreed that children should have access to drinks at all times. Staff ensure that frequent drinks are offered to the children and they may have drinks of water at any time.

p.3

What is being done well?

• Behaviour management strategies are good. Staff are patient and positive. They are pleasant in their manner of speaking to the children and they are good role models. The children are happy and confident. • Staff are careful to ensure that children's individual dietary needs are met. Children are given drinks regularly and their meals are varied and nutritious. • Close, affectionate relationships between staff and children help the children to settle into the nursery and gain confidence in their new surroundings. • Staff work together well as a team. They are encouraged to train for their own professional development and to meet the overall needs of the nursery.

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• Record keeping to enable staff to track developmental milestones for all children to inform planning and to keep parents fully informed about children's progress.

p.3

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

p.3

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.

p.4

by the time of the next inspection

Std Recommendation 3 Observe and record all children’s progress in all areas of development; share the records with parents and use the information gained to plan the next steps for the children’s play and learning.

p.4

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

p.4

How effective is the nursery education?

The provision for nursery education at Little Treasures Pre-School and Day Nursery is acceptable and of good quality. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Progress in personal, social and emotional development; physical development and knowledge and understanding of the world is generally good. Children's progress in communication, language and literacy; mathematical development and creative development is very good. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a thorough understanding of the Foundation Stage and incorporate the early learning goals into all their planning and daily activities. They organise a balanced range of practical learning opportunities with clearly focused objectives. Curriculum plans are in place, which relate to all areas of learning. Teaching methods for three year olds are very good and activities provide suitable challenge for older and more able children. Generally, children's

p.5

How effective is the nursery education?

behaviour is managed well and staff are calm and patient. The staff's use of time and resources is generally effective, although does have weaknesses when, at times, resources are not easily accessible or not readily prepared, resulting in children becoming restless and inattentive. The effectiveness of staff's assessment of children has significant weaknesses. The leadership and management of the nursery is very good. A clear management structure is in place and all staff are encouraged to undertake further training to improve their knowledge and skills and ensure their practice is kept up to date. All staff are dedicated to ensuring nursery practice is continually monitored and show a commitment to on-going improvement. The partnership with parents and carers is generally good. Staff provide parents with a good range of information regarding the nursery and the children's activities, although parents receive insufficient information regarding their children's learning

p.5

What is being done well?

• Children are confident, enthusiastic and motivated to learn. They are developing very good social skills and play co-operatively. • Children's language and communication skills are developing well. They speak fluently, respond to questions and use language effectively to communicate their needs. • Children have a very good understanding of mathematical concepts such as number, shape, size, volume and weight. • Children's creative development is encouraged through a wide range of activities incorporating art and craft, music, exploratory play and imaginative play. Children are encouraged to express themselves freely using different

p.5

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 media, materials and textures. • Children's physical development is promoted effectively through a balanced programme of activities. Children have access to a good selection of tools, equipment and resources to encourage both gross and fine motor development.

p.5

What needs to be improved?

• the assessment format in order to effectively record children's progress and plan for the next stage of learning • the organisation of the room, activities and resources to ensure children can access all areas easily and to ensure children's attention remains focused.

p.6

What has improved since the last inspection?

This is the first inspection since registration.

p.6

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

p.6

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are confident, enthusiastic and motivated to learn. They play co-operatively, take turns and share with their peers. They show concern and respect for one another and enjoy close interaction with staff and other children. Children are encouraged to develop their independence, although some opportunities for this within the daily routine are missed.

p.7

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children communicate their needs competently and develop their skills through conversation. They are confident speakers and use language effectively. Most children recognise their own names and some are able to write their names confidently. Children's writing skills are practised daily through structured activities and as part of imaginative play. Most staff extend children's language through effective questioning.

p.7

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have a sound understanding of number and value and are able to count confidently. An excellent range of resources enables children to experiment with various mathematical concepts, such as weight, size, shape and volume and staff encourage children to use appropriate mathematical language.

p.7

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Staff plan an effective range of topics and practical activities to enable children to broaden their understanding of the world and community around them. There are good opportunities for children to explore, investigate, observe and experiment with natural materials and a range of resources. They experience a range of diverse celebrations, customs and festivals, although their use of IT equipment is limited.

p.7

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are gaining good manipulative skills and co-ordination by using a range of tools and equipment. A well-planned activity timetable enables children to participate in large physical movement each day, both inside and outside. Children move confidently and with ease, negotiating obstacles well. They are developing an awareness of themselves and others and staff help children to understand the importance of good health.

p.7

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

p.7

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Staff provide children with opportunities to explore and experiment with different textures, materials and media. Children experiment with different musical instruments, learn simple songs and enjoy regular movement to music. Many activities are provided to stimulate children's senses and develop language and vocabulary.

p.8

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

p.8

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.

p.9

WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• develop the use of assessment in order to i) identify individual children's next steps in learning; ii) use any information gained from assessment to inform the planning of further activities; • review the organisation of the room to ensure all activities and areas are easily accessible and well-prepared.

p.9

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.

p.9

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

p.9

STANDARD 1 - SUITABLE PERSON

Adults providing day care, looking after children or having unsupervised access to them are suitable to do so.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.10

STANDARD 9 - EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

The registered person and staff actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children.

p.10

NEEDS AND DISABILITIES)

The registered person is aware that some children may have special needs and is

p.10

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.

p.10

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.

p.11

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.

p.11

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.

p.11

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.

p.11

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

p.11