Busy Bees Day Nursery at Darlington

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 17/09/2003 Inspector Name Pauline Pinnegar

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Just Learning Ltd Setting Address 19 Newton Lane Darlington County Durham DL3 9EX

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Just Learning Ltd Address 45 High Street West Malling Kent ME19 6QH

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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

Just Learning Ltd Nursery opened in September 1996. It operates from six activity rooms in large purpose built unit in the Cockerton area of Darlington. The nursery serves the local and surrounding areas. There are currently 125 children on roll attending the nursery form six weeks to eight years old. This includes 33 funded three year olds and 14 funded four year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting supports children who speak English as an additional language and procedures are in place to support children with special needs. The nursery opens five days a week all year round excluding bank holidays. Sessions are from 08:00 until 18:00. Nine part time staff and 13 full time staff work with the children. Most staff have either level 2 or 3 qualifications and two staff members are attending training courses. The setting receives support from the Early Years and Childcare Partnership (

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How good is the Day Care?

Just Learning Ltd Nursery provides good quality care for children. Management and staff work well together as a team to provide a warm and welcoming environment for children and their parents. Clear policies and procedures which are understood and followed by all staff ensure that children are cared for in a safe and stimulating environment. Most staff have early years qualifications or are working towards achieving this. There is a commitment by management to further development and monitoring of the quality of the service. Regular comprehensive risk assessments are undertaken to ensure children's safety at all times. However the procedure for escorting children to and from school needs

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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 to be reviewed. Staff promote the good health of the children by taking positive steps to prevent the spread of infection. They raise children's awareness of good hygiene practices. Appropriate measures are taken if a child becomes ill. Children are provided with nutritious meals but routines at meal times could be improved to provide opportunities to promote independence for pre school children. Children's routines for hygiene, sleeping and feeding are respected. Staff have a good understanding of child protection issues. A wide range of stimulating activities and play opportunities are provided which promote children's global development. Children are interested in their play. Resources are used effectively, however toys for younger children should be more

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How good is the Day Care?

accessible including resources which reflect diversity. The outdoor area is used well. Effective monitoring of children's progress ensures that staff plan well for children's individual needs. Very good relationships have been established between staff and children. Children are confident and very well behaved. Parents are welcomed into the nursery. There are many opportunities for parents to be informed about the setting and policies. Parents are kept fully informed of their child's progress and care.

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What is being done well?

• Good relationships have been developed with parents and carers. They are kept fully informed and involved in their child's care, progress and development. Effective procedures are in place for the exchange of information. • Children's behaviour is managed well by staff throughout the nursery. Positive behaviour is encouraged and valued and children respond well to consistent handling. • A wide range of interesting, well planned activities and play opportunities meet the needs of all the children and helps them to make progress in all areas of their development. • There are comprehensive policies and procedures in place to ensure children's safety at all times. Staff recognise that the safety of the children is paramount. • Excellent provision is made for outdoor play.

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What needs to be improved?

• documentation to include written parental consent regarding escorting children to and from school • the accessibility of toys and resources for children aged 18 months to two

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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 years including resources which reflect diversity • routines at meal times to promote independence for pre school children.

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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 5 ensure all toys and resources are easily accessible for children aged 18 months to two years; 6 review the procedure for escorting children to and from school including written parental consent; 8 provide additional opportunites to promote indepence at meal times for pre school children; 9 ensure all children have access to resources which reflect diversity.

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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?

Just Learning Ltd. provides a warm and friendly environment where children make very good progress towards the early learning goals. Children make very good progress in personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical and creative development. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff provide good role models and use their knowledge and understanding of the foundation stage and early learning goals well to plan a variety of interesting and fun activities. They provide a good balance of adult led and child initiated activities. However, some activities result in missed opportunities to develop children's independence and to learn why things happen and how things work. They give clear expectations, praise and encouragement and as a result behaviour is very good. There are good assessment and evaluation systems in place to allow staff to plan effectively for individual children's

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How effective is the nursery education?

development and to inform future planning. Procedures are in place should a child with special needs or with English as an additional language attend the setting. Leadership and management of the nursery are very good. Staff are forward thinking and keen to develop the provision. Good leadership enables staff to work very well together as a team. Through annual appraisals, regular supervision sessions and staff meetings training needs and requests are identified and ongoing training is positively encouraged. Partnership with parents is very good. Staff are friendly and welcoming towards parents. They provide helpful information about topic work and opportunities to talk formally and informally about their child. Parents receive good information on what children are learning and how they can be involved.

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What is being done well?

• Children have good relationships with staff who they approach confidently and they are developing good relationships with their peers. • Counting and number activities are integrated well into many of the daily routines. Children are developing mathematical language in the correct context, they recognise shapes, colours and most can count to ten and beyond. • Children receive a wide variety of purposeful activities which encourage learning across all areas of the curriculum. • Staff work well as a team and attend regular training to develop their knowledge and skillls. They positively encourage children to learn and develop.

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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 • Staff have good relationships with parents, with good systems in place for sharing information about their child's progress and achievements. • Children's behaviour is very good.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for children to develop independence at meal times. • the opportunities for children to further understand why things happen and how things work.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

There were two areas for development from the last inspection which took place four years ago. Extend the partnership with parents further by encouraging them to share their observations about their child's learning in the home when they initially start at the nursery, to help to plan appropriate activities. Extra time has been given for the key worker to consult with parents on their first and subsequent visits to assess a child's stage of development as well as their interests at home. Activities are evaluated to track each child's development. Planning now includes appropriate activities to meet children's individual developing needs. Extend the programme for mathematics through incidental opportunities which occur throughout the day to encourage positional language. The use of positional language has now become a natural part of the nursery day, staff automatically use positional language.

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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's progress in personal, social and emotional development is very good. They are happy and have established very good relationships with peers and staff and are keen to learn. Behaviour is very good. They are interested, enthusiastic and confident as they engage in activities. They access a wide range of resources by themselves and aspects of self care are well developed, however, there are missed opportunities to further develop their independence at meal times.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children's progress in communication, language and literacy is very good. They receive good opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills and to engage in conversation. They can express themselves imaginatively and are able to represent their feelings in small and large groups. They listen well to instructions and requests. They practise writing their name and are beginning to link letters and sounds. Books are displayed in a way which encourages independent use.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's progress in mathematical development is very good. They receive regular opportunities to practise counting skills and recreate patterns. They are beginning to develop skills in problem solving and calculating through fun activities and daily routines and enjoy participating in number songs and rhymes. Children are able to name and recognise some shapes and are beginning to use mathematical language in the right context.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children's progress in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good. They receive opportunities to investigate and explore their environment through interesting topics. They happily talk about themselves and events in their lives. They use the computer with confidence and can complete simple programmes. Children enjoy constructing and are able to select resources, however, there are insufficient opportunities for children to further develop how things happen and why things work.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's progress in physical development is very good. They receive regular opportunities to engage in fun activities and develop physical skills as they learn to use a wide range of large and small equipment and tools, safely and with control. They move around with confidence and have a good awareness of space. They are developing an awareness of their own bodies and changes that occur as they exercise.

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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's progress in creative development is very good. They engage in an interesting range of planned activities and are encouraged to experiment with a wide range of colours and textures. Good opportunities occur for children to develop their imagination through well planned role play situations. They have enjoyed the journey of a letter, writing a letter and going through the process needed for it to arrive at the end of the journey.

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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: • provide opportunities to further children's independence at meal times. • provide more opportunities for children to further develop their understanding of why things happen and how things work.

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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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