Busy Bees Day Nursery at Derby Oakwood

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 18/10/2004 Inspector Name Ann Keen

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Leapfrog Day Nursery (Oakwood) Setting Address Smalley Drive Oakwood Derby Derbyshire DE21 2SF

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Leapfrog Day Nurseries (Trading) Ltd 3229362

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Leapfrog Day Nurseries (Trading) Ltd Address Central Office Second Avenue Centrum One Hundred Burton-on-Trent Staffordshire DE14 2WF

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of 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 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

Leapfrog Day Nursery (Oakwood) opened in 1999 and is part of a national chain of childcare facilities. It operates from a purpose built, two storey building on Oakwood estate, in the suburbs of Derby. The three to five-year-olds are house on the first floor. There is access to outside play in age-defined areas. The nursery serves the local area. There are currently 28 nursery grant funded 19 3 year-old and 9 4year-olds. There are currently no funded children with special educational needs or English as an additional language. The nursery opens five days a week. from 07.00 until 19.00. Four suitably qualified staff work with the funded children. The setting receives support from the Derby City Council Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) and the company-training department.

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Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

The provision for nursery education at Leapfrog Day Nursery, Oakwood is of a good quality, and the children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals and very good progress in physical development. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff plan according to the early learning goals and they are aware of what they want the children to learn. Observations and assessments are made of children, which relate to the six areas of learning, however these are not always used effectively to plan the next steps in learning. Staff provide a wide variety of activities to interest and challenge the children, following national guidelines, however their teaching methods do not always match accurately the children's level of understanding. There is a good range of child-initiated and adult-directed activities so children have choice and their learning is also consolidated. Staff have high expectations of the children's achievements and

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How effective is the nursery education?

behaviour. As a result children behave well.

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How effective is the nursery education?

The leadership and management is generally good. Strong leadership ensures that the setting is moving forward in the right direction. Systems to monitor the provision are in place; plans, assessments and practice are evaluated regularly. Staff are appraised and their work is observed and discussed with management. The management system within the group of nurseries supports a commitment to improvement; staff meet regularly and attend courses and training when relevant. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents receive an information pack about the provision and the notice board displays details of the week's activities and learning, including the outside activities. Parents have good opportunities to discuss their children's progress and the observations of their children. They feel well informed and involved in their children's learning.

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What is being done well?

• The nursery provides a good variety of activities, they observe what the children are learning and record their findings extensively. • The nursery has created a very good partnership with the parents and carers; ensuring that they are kept well informed about their children's progress and what the children are doing during their time in the nursery. • Children are learning very good physical skills. They have good control of their movements, for both fine manipulative skills and in vigorous activities.

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What needs to be improved?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • assessments of children’s progress to ensure that these are used effectively to plan for children’s next stage of development • teaching methods, to ensure these are appropriate to children’s level of understanding

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Improvement since the last inspection is very good. Staff are now more aware of the requirements of the revised Special Educational Needs Code of Practice, which is reflected in the nursery policy.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are very happy; they come into the nursery confidently and enjoy the activities. They are very interested in the wide range of experiences available. Children have good relationships with adults and peers, which contribute to the their well-being. Children are generally very well behaved. However, sometimes in large group activities children lose concentration because the sessions are not sufficiently matched to their level of development.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children communicate well with adults. They are confident to speak in a group and in individual conversations. They are generally developing early reading and writing skills well. However, sometimes the activities are not well matched to the children's individual needs. Children's language for thinking is being developed effectively because staff discuss what is happening with the children. Children are interested in print and look enthusiastically for their own names.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good The younger children are effectively introduced to mathematics through art activities, for example. They make collages of numbers and patterns on shapes using string and sponges. Rhymes are used effectively to understand numbers at the early stages of addition and subtraction. Sometimes children are unable to reply to questions because they are too difficult. When activities are relevant to the children such as deciding how many pieces of toast they can have, they learn effectively.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are able to build and construct using a variety of materials and commercially produced toys. Children use technology effectively, they have made pictures using paint programs and a tape recorder is available for their use. They are encouraged to bring objects from home and explore natural objects like cones, conkers and autumn leaves. Children are developing an idea of different cultures by listening to French and celebrating festivals like Jewish New Year.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are learning to control their movements effectively. They move with control on the climbing frame and are learning to catch balls. Through using a wide range of equipment, they learn to travel in different directions; going over, round and through apparatus. Children enjoy balancing on balance beams; developing their co-ordination well. Their manipulative skills are developing successfully through learning to control writing materials, construction toys and puzzles.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children use colour and texture in a variety of ways: they print with potatoes, make chalk pictures and play with sand. They develop their imagination well through role-play. Most children express their ideas imaginatively and respond to experiences with enthusiasm. They are able to feel natural materials like stones, pebbles and logs to learn about their properties. Children learn songs and explore the sounds that musical instruments make effectively for themselves.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of 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

• ensure that assessments are used effectively to plan for children’s learning and their stage of development • ensure that teaching methods, including staff’s questioning and grouping of children, are appropriate to children’s level of understanding.

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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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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