Hall Cross Academy

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 21/10/2004 Inspector Name Zelda Fay Parker

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name St. Andrews Nursery Setting Address Church Lane Kingsbury London NW9 8SX

p.1

REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The partnership of The partnership of Maureen Hogan and Judith Macaul

p.1

ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name The partnership of Maureen Hogan and Judith Macaul Address St. Andrews Nursery St. Andrews Church Hall Church Lane London NW9 8SX

p.1

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

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

St Andrew's Nursery has been registered for fifteen years ago. It operates from an annexe at the rear of St Andrew's Church, Kingsbury. It is close to local amenities and London transport, with adequate parking available for the arrival and collection of children. The nursery is privately owned. The nursery has use of a large hall, a small room, an office room, a kitchen, toilets for the children and a separate toilet for the adults and an enclosed concreted outdoor play space. The nursery serves the local area. The children attending reflect the diversity in the local community. The setting has a total of 34 children on roll. This includes fourteen funded three-year-olds and one funded four year old. The setting aims to support children with special needs and who speak English as an additional language. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 08.30am to 17.30pm, 51 weeks per year. Children attend a variety of sessions each week. The nursery offers Horse Riding.

p.2

Information about the setting

Music, Yoga and Computer lessons are provided by visiting teachers. The Nursery is run by two qualified managers. There is a deputy and seven other members of staff who work with the children. All the staff have an early years qualification. These include; NVQ2, NVQ3, PLA Diploma in Pre-school Practice and N.N.E.B. The nursery employs one domestic staff. The nursery also offer places to child care students. The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

p.2

How good is the Day Care?

St Andrews Nursery School provides good care for children. Staff are well qualified and experienced, they spend their time actively involved with children encouraging them to make their own choices about play and learning. There is a clear operational plan and a good range of activities are organised that meet the

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 all round development needs of the children attending. There is a comprehensive range of policies and procedures in order to promote the smooth, efficient and effective running of the provision. Staff have a good understanding of ensuring children's safety in the nursery and procedures are in place for the safe conduct of outings and the evacuation of children in the event of an emergency. Appropriate hygiene procedures are in place to ensure that children's awareness of good practices are developed. However good hygiene practices need to be in place regarding hand washing before snacks. Staff have a clear respect and understanding of each child's needs and warm interactions were observed. Good organisation enables the staff to work closely with

p.2

How good is the Day Care?

the children and to offer good support and care. The range of activities provided offer an appropriate level of challenge to children and cover all aspects of development. Toys provided promote equality of opportunity. Staff manage children's behaviour well and children were well behaved and related appropriately to each other. Regular information is provided for parents about activities through wall displays, photographs and examples of children's artwork. All policies set out and available to parents to view. Partnership with parents is good and there is detailed exchange of information on all aspects of care and learning through home link books and daily verbal feedback.

p.3

What has improved since the last inspection?

All outstanding actions have been completed. Children's records now contain the required information to ensure appropriate care is given. Medication records are signed and dated as to are the accident records, this ensures entry is acknowledged. Records of arrival and departure times are in place, this shows children's hours of attendance. Staff handling food have obtained a food and hygiene certificate. Staff have knowledge of the local Area Child Protection Procedure, this help's staff's understanding of the procedures to follow if they have a concern about a child. An equal opportunities policy is in place and is shared with parents. There is evidence of gas and electrical appliance having been serviced.

p.3

What is being done well?

• Staff are deployed effectively and spend much of their time actively involved with children's play, they make good use of space and resources, so children are able to develop in all areas of learning. • Staff interact well with children and behaviour is managed in a positive manner, which encourages good self esteem. • There are a wide range of toys and equipment which meets the children's needs. It is accessible for the children so they are able to make choices and decisions in their play. • Positive steps are in place to ensure that children are safe both inside and outside the nursery.

p.3

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

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• regular reviewing of hygiene practices and putting this into practice.

p.4

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 7 Ensure good hygiene practices are in place regarding hand washing.

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?

St Andrews Nursery offers very good quality nursery education. Children are making very good progress in all six areas of learning. The nursery play room is arranged to help children to develop very good independent skills as they choose activities and select resources. Children have very good opportunities to explore and investigate their environment. The quality of teaching is very good. Staff clearly know and understand the stepping stones of the early learning goals and they plan an exciting well-balanced curriculum. Staff regularly observe children's involvement in activities. However, this requires further development to ensure that future planning identifies children's individual learning intentions. Effective teaching methods help the children to make very good progress for example, staff provide good role models: demonstrate new tasks; provide appropriate support and suitable challenges; and ask lots of

p.5

How effective is the nursery education?

open-ended questions to help children to develop their vocabulary. Staff make very good use of time and resources to provide a rich learning environment. They have very good relationships with the children and high expectations of children's behaviour. Leadership and management is very good. Effective communication systems and the monitoring of teaching methods are in place for example, planning meetings and staff appraisals. The setting is very well organised and staff are clear about their role and responsibilities. The staff have good opportunities to attend training courses to extend their knowledge and skills. The management team provide very good support and guidance to the staff team who work very effectively together. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are able to speak to staff about their children's progress at any time. They receive written reports about their children's progress throughout the year. The setting provides very good information about the

p.5

How effective is the nursery education?

nursery curriculum, policies and procedures.

p.5

What is being done well?

• Staff have a very good understanding of the early learning goals and they provide suitable resources and discussion times to extend children's learning. They are very committed to providing a rich learning environment for the children. • Children have excellent opportunities to extend and consolidate their learning through the good quality practical activities provided by staff in all six areas of learning. • Children have very good opportunities to develop their independent skills. They are very well behaved, interact positively with one another, share and take turns. All children display a high level of involvement and concentration

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 during activities. • Strong emphasis is given to literacy and numeracy. Children enjoy writing for a variety of purposes. They are beginning to count confidently and use a wide range of mathematical language during their play. • Children have very good opportunities to explore the world they live in and to observe living things. They use their senses whilst exploring their environment and use natural materials during practical activities. • Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are well informed about their child's progress towards the early learning goals and individual targets are set.

p.5

What needs to be improved?

• the assessment procedure to inform future planning of children's individual learning intentions • the opportunities for all staff to be involved in the planning process to share their own thoughts and ideas.

p.6

What has improved since the last inspection?

At the previous inspection the setting was required to plan more adult-led activities to provide mathematical problem solving and to ensure regular use of the book area. Staff have developed an exciting maths area and suitable, planned activities are now provided. The book corner is cosy and well-used by the children. Books are set out in the different areas of learning to capture the children's interest. Good quality information is now provided for parents regarding the early learning goals. The setting was also required to develop a manageable system of assessment. This has been partially met, staff record their observations of the children's progress. However, further development is required to inform future planning.

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: Very Good Children have very good relationships with adults and each other. They play cooperatively together, sharing and taking turns. Children are developing their independent skills as they choose activities and select resources for themselves. They are learning a sense of right and wrong and help each other during their play. Children are able to concentrate for lengthy periods of time, for example, story time. They are learning about other cultures and their own beliefs when celebrating festivals.

p.7

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children speak clearly and confidently, holding lengthy conversations with each other and adults. They enjoy chatting to one another sharing their real and imagined experiences. Children have very good opportunities to recognise their names, letters and words in the environment and to practise writing for a variety of purposes. They handle books appropriately: understand that print carries meaning; and locate books to find out information.

p.7

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are learning to count confidently and reliably and they are able to recognise some written numerals. There are very good opportunities for children to explore simple addition and subtraction through number rhymes and grouping objects. They are learning about shape and space as they fit puzzles together and use equipment in the water and sand play. Children use mathematical language and solve mathematical problems during their play.

p.7

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children are learning about their environment, for example, mini-beasts: autumn; and past and present events. They explore and investigate using a wide range of materials and they question why things happen and how they work. Children are using the computer and programmable toys with increasing confidence. They can build and design using a wide range of resources for example, construction toys and art and craft materials, which helps them to develop their own creative and imaginative ideas.

p.7

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use a range of small and large equipment, for example, hoops, balls and wheeled toys. They move confidently in and out doors, showing an awareness of space and others around them. Children are able to use a range of tools safely and with increasing control for example, scissors, staplers and hole punches. They have very good opportunities to find out about the importance of staying healthy, they have explored healthy eating and road safety.

p.8

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have very good opportunities to explore colour and texture using a wide range of collage and painting materials. They take part in a variety of activities, which encourage them to use their senses, for example, cooking. Children explore music, movement and yoga on a weekly basis. They are able to sing a range of songs from memory. Children are using their imagination when participating in a good variety of role-play for example, in the hairdressers and home corner.

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 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.

p.9

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, however consideration should be given to the following: • Continue to develop the assessment system to inform the future planning of children's individual learning intentions and ensure that all staff have the opportunity to be involved in the planning process.

p.9

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.

p.9

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

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