Stonewell Cottage Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 23/08/2004 Inspector Name Mark Evans

p.1

SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Stonewell Cottage Day Nursery Setting Address 14 Church Hill Moulton Northampton Northamptonshire NN3 7SW

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

Stone Well Cottage Day Nursery was first established in 1993. The setting operates Monday to Friday, from 08:00 to 18:00. Children have access to three group rooms and toilet/wash facilities. There is an outdoor area to the front of the premises for children's physical play and activities. At present, the nursery has 48 children on roll, 22 of whom are funded three-year-olds and 14 are funded four-year-olds. There are no children attending who are identified as having special educational needs and no children who speak English as an additional language. The setting has seven core staff, of whom, five hold relevant level three child care qualifications, one has a level two qualification and is working towards a level three and one is working towards a level two qualification. The setting is a member of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, and the National Day Nursery Association, and is currently being assessed for accreditation with the latter. Support and guidance is

p.2

Information about the setting

received from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

p.2

How good is the Day Care?

Stone Well Cottage Day Nursery provides good care for children. The premises are welcoming to children and parents and is maintained to a high standard. Staffing ratios are well organised, with good levels of qualified staff. The setting has a full range of equipment to support children's care, play and learning opportunities. Most records and documents are up-to-date and orderly, with some minor exceptions. There are effective arrangements for maintaining a safe environment and any visitors to the nursery are vetted to ensure security of the building. Staff encourage children to adopt good personal hygiene practices within their routines to maintain their health. The presentation and quality of children's meals and snacks is very good, providing children with a varied and healthy diet. Staff are aware of any individual dietary needs of children and this is accounted for each day. The setting has a written policy for child protection and the staff have satisfactory knowledge of

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 procedures to follow. The children's curriculum is planned and provides good opportunities for their learning and play. The staff have positive relationships with the children which helps to foster co-operative attitudes. Children's behaviour is managed effectively, using praise and encouragement to promote good behaviour and self esteem. There are resources and events that promote positive images of diversity and staff make sure that children have equal access to all activities within the nursery. The setting has a positive and constructive attitude towards working in partnership with parents and has effective methods of communicating. There are opportunities for staff and parents to share and exchange information to help continuity of care

p.2

How good is the Day Care?

and to have involvement in assessment of children's progress. Confidential records are kept in order to have relevant contact details and to meet the individual care needs of children.

p.3

What is being done well?

• The organisation and deployment of staff is very good with effective staff to child ratios, giving children stable and secure adult support. • The premises are warm and welcoming and maintained to a high standard. There are good facilities, which provide children with an effective and comfortable care environment. • The setting provides meals and snacks that are healthy, balanced and of good quality. This encourages children to develop good eating habits and to ensure that they have nutritional foods for their growth and development.

p.3

What needs to be improved?

• written records of medicines given to children, with regard to obtaining the parent's signature to acknowledge the entry. • the written complaints procedure, so that it includes contact details of the regulator, Ofsted.

p.3

Outcome of the 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.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 7 Make sure that written records of medicines given to children are signed by the parent. 12 Ensure that the written complaints procedure includes the address and telephone number of the regulator, Ofsted.

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?

Stone Well Cottage Day Nursery provides good quality nursery education, which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Provision for their personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development is well organised and they make very good progress in these areas. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff manage the children well and have positive relationships with them, which helps to support their learning. Staff encourage cooperation and praise children for their efforts and good behaviour to develop their personal and social skills. The staff organise the rooms well and display children's creative work to present a warm, stimulating environment. The manager and staff member who work with the funded children have a satisfactory understanding of the Foundation Stage. The curriculum is planned,

p.5

How effective is the nursery education?

however, learning intentions for activities are not always clear. Staff have a system for observations and assessments, although this is sometimes vague, and does not give a clear indication of children's progress. Staff work hard to meet children's individual needs however they have limited knowledge with regard to the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice. The leadership and management of the pre-school is generally good. Managers have a lead role for the planning of the curriculum and to review its effectiveness. The setting is proactive in its development strategy and is undertaking a quality assurance scheme, which involves reviewing organisation and practice and devising an appraisal system. The partnership with parents is very good. Staff have positive relationships with parents. They receive written and verbal communications from the pre-school linked to the educational provision and have involvement in the assessment of their child's

p.5

What is being done well?

• Staff have very good relationships with parents built on effective levels of communication. They receive written information in the form of a prospectus, which includes information about the educational provision as well as regular correspondence to inform them of activities and planned events. Parents have regular verbal contact with the staff and a six monthly report and meeting on their child's progress and development. • Staff provide a welcoming and very stimulating learning environment. They work closely with the children, offering one to one attention to give direct support. They praise the children for their efforts and good behaviour to promote their personal and social development.

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 • The staff provide a very good range of resources and first-hand experiences that promote and support children's learning for communication language and literacy; knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development.

p.5

What needs to be improved?

• short term planning, so that staff have a clearer understanding of what children are intended to learn from activities • assessments of children's progress towards the early learning goals so that this information can be used to help plan for what children could usefully do next • staff knowledge with regard to the special educational needs code of practice.

p.6

What has improved since the last inspection?

Generally good progress has been made in tackling the points for consideration identified in the previous inspection report. These required the pre-school to further develop the planning and assessment procedures and to consider ways in which the children might be given free access to role play. Children now have very good access to role-play at all times which promotes their imaginative play. The setting has produced medium and short term plans, although these do not consistently identify learning intentions. Staff complete observations and assessments, however these are not always linked to the stepping stones and do not inform planning the next steps for children's learning.

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 generally show good levels of concentration and involvement in activities. They interact co-operatively within groups, share and take turns. Children's behaviour and consideration of others is good. They are keen to use opportunities to develop their independence, for example, pouring drinks at snack time. Children initiate interactions with others; have confidence to speak within groups and form positive relationships with adults and other children.

p.7

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children use books appropriately, from left to right, and enjoy stories. They are able to use language effectively, for expressing imaginative ideas within their play and for negotiating order. Children can recognise their name and are starting to associate meaning to print. They have opportunities for mark making, to attempt writing and form recognisable letters, with some children being able to write their name. Children are able to recognise some letters and are developing phonic knowledge.

p.7

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children recognise numbers and most can count up to nine. Children are developing the ability to recognise and follow simple patterns. They are using mathematical language, for example, full/empty, more/less. Children have limited practical opportunities to develop knowledge of space, three dimensional shapes and measurement. They use calculation to combine two sets of objects and use simple subtraction.

p.7

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children develop skills in the use of information technology, including programmable toys and a computer, which supports their learning in other areas. They select materials to design, join, and shape. Children have a sense of time and place within their local community and are developing awareness of other people, for example, through visits from the Fire Department and Police. Children explore and study living things and patterns of change.

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: Generally Good There are a variety of resources, which help children to develop physically. Children use different tools with good control to make changes to materials and to scribe, pour, form and construct. They engage in healthy practices, including good hygiene routines, healthy eating and physical exercise. However, there are limited opportunities for children to learn about health and bodily awareness. Children are able to move confidently around each other, showing good balance and spatial awareness.

p.8

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy singing; they can recall familiar songs and associated actions. They experience different types of music and rhythmic patterns, and use instruments to explore how sounds can be changed. Children are very aware of colour and explore it through a variety of media. They use a variety of role-play settings to enact imagined experiences and express their imagination through activities and resources which include painting, modelling, water and drawing.

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

• Key Issues: • improve planning of children's curriculum so that the learning intentions for activities are clearly identified • develop the process for the assessment of children's progress towards the early learning goals and use this information to help plan for what children could usefully do next • ensure that all staff have knowledge with regard to the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.

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