The Lanes Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 07/04/2004 Inspector Name Georgina Walker

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Lanes (The) PDN Setting Address 155 High Lane Central West Hallam Ilkeston Derbyshire DE7 6HU

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Stuart Mold + Angela Mold Address 155 High Lane Central West Hallam Ilkeston Derbyshire DE7 6HU

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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

The Lanes Private Day Nursery opened in 1994. It is owned by a family who work daily in the setting, one of whom holds an early years qualification. It operates from two floors of a converted commercial property in West Hallam, a village on the outskirts of the town of Ilkeston. The older children are accommodated on the ground floor and a self contained baby unit is on first floor. The older children have direct access to the toilet facilities and a safely enclosed rear outdoor play area is available. The day nursery serves the local area and surrounding villages. There are currently 60 children from 3 months to 4 and a 1/2 years on roll. This includes 12 funded 3-year-olds and 6 funded 4-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions, many full time. The setting currently supports children with special needs and none who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week all year round except Bank Holidays. Sessions

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Information about the setting

are from 07:45 until 18:00. Thirteen full/part time staff work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level 3. Four staff are currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. There is also an administrator and cook. The setting receives support from Derbyshire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) and are members of the Private Day Nursery Association.

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How good is the Day Care?

The Lanes Private Day Nursery provides good quality care for children. Staff attend ongoing training or assessment programmes. They work very well as a team and meet regularly to discuss planning, future activities and training information. There are comprehensive policies and procedures, in the form of an operational plan, to ensure requirements generally meet the children's needs. Some documents require updating regarding current legislation and information shared with and by parents. There is an awareness of safety especially during the routine movement between

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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 the play rooms on the ground floor and the outdoor play area. Good health and hygiene practices are promoted and all older children have direct access to jugs of water to meet their individual needs. Few accidents occur as the children are well supervised and potential hazardous situations well monitored. Children with special needs have been successfully integrated into the setting and those for whom English is an additional language could be accommodated. Children's safety is further promoted by staff who have sound knowledge of child protection procedures. Children have opportunities to access a range of activities to promote their welfare and develop their emotional, physical, social and intellectual capabilities. Children

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How good is the Day Care?

enjoy the activities in the playrooms and outdoor facilities. The small group sizes are purposefully maintained to enable children to have plenty of adult care and support and meet individual needs. Resources are well maintained and presented attractively to encourage children's learning and development. Behaviour management expectations are high and staff consistently follow policy and procedures to ensure the children respond appropriately. Partnerships with parents are satisfactory. Parents are provided with comprehensive written information about the services in the welcome booklets and on displays in the setting. Ongoing verbal information is shared.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the previous inspection the setting agreed to write a number of policies and procedures, obtain proof members of staff were vetted and ensure a record of visitors was maintained. All have been written, obtained and implemented and parents can be assured their children are cared for by suitable persons, in premises which are more secure and registration requirements are now met.

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What is being done well?

• Children have a good awareness of personal safety as staff implement the effective safety policy and procedures which cover all aspects within the setting and when on outings. This is further demonstrated in the relatively few accidents incurred in all age group rooms and recorded in documentation. • Children have well developed social skills and a good understanding of what is right and wrong as they are cared for by staff who consistently implement the setting's behaviour management policy and use appropriate praise and encouragement. • Children are cared for in small, age appropriate groups. The babies are accommodated in two brightly decorated and well resourced rooms in a self contained unit. All children develop a good relationship with the staff, many of whom have been employed on the premises since it opened in 1994. • All children, including babies, have access to a wide variety of craft and

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What is being done well?

messy activities to develop their sensory, two and three dimensional experiences. • Staff attend ongoing training to ensure their practice is current and the needs

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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 of the children are met.

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What needs to be improved?

• the policies and procedures, with particular reference to current legislation • the information provided by parents regarding their child, to enable appropriate care to be given • the evidence that parents have received all information regarding their child.

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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 9 Ensure children’s records contain information which enables appropriate care to be given. 10 Ensure all documentation refers to current legislation. 12 Ensure there is consistent sharing of documentation with parents and relevant records are signed.

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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?

The Lanes Private Day Nursery provides good quality provision where children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. In both physical and creative development they are making very good progress. They are inconsistently encouraged to develop and use language and write letters correctly. The quality of teaching is generally good. The staff have a very good understanding of the curriculum and planning is generally successful in providing a wide range of themes and topics to encourage children to learn. An observation and assessment system has been developed but lack of evaluation of activities has resulted in not all teaching extending and challenging children consistently. An excellent range of resources and equipment are available to support the children's progress, but there is a lack of objects to investigate or programme. A consistently calm atmosphere is maintained and the staff have a good rapport with the children, whose behaviour is

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How effective is the nursery education?

good. There are very good systems in place for supporting children with special educational needs. Leadership and management is generally good. The owners ensure all staff are involved in decision making and planning activities. Staff meetings regularly occur and staff are committed to the improvement of children's care and education. Staff work very well as a team to create a warm and welcoming environment in which children learn. They recognise the continuing requirement to develop planning and evaluation to ensure it includes all aspects of learning and children's individual learning needs are incorporated. Partnerships with parents are generally good. Written information is provided on an ongoing basis and children's developmental progress is discussed and documents shared on request. Parents are invited to be involved with their child's learning.

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What is being done well?

• Children's craft work is valued and effectively displayed. They have daily opportunities to explore colour, texture, shape, form and space and create both two and three dimensionally. They develop the themes, draw, write and competently use scissors, glue and sticky tape to create seasonal displays and extend their experiences following outings to the local area. • Children's physical development is very good from having access to a wide range of small and large equipment. They competently copy patterns using pins and tap hammers. They demonstrate good throwing and catching skills and confidently negotiate the steps to the outdoor play area. • Children are confident, interested in the wide range of activities presented and able to work on their own.

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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 • Members of staff work well as a team and engage the children in a wide range of activities over the period of a year to include all of the early learning goals and utilise an extensive range of resources.

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What needs to be improved?

• Planning and evaluation of activities. •• Resources for children to investigate and programme. • Links to sound and letters and the correct use of written text during all aspects of play. • Mathematical language which is to be consistently used to extend children's knowledge.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting has made generally good progress following the previous inspection. They have responded comprehensively to all three inter-linked actions with new planning which is constantly being adapted and changed. Focus activities now ensure language is developed in the role play, book areas, during discussions and group times when songs and rhymes are encouraged. However a recent topic on the use of sound and letters has not been continued in everyday use to extend children's learning and is to be carried forward as an action. The extension and challenges set for children have been incorporated into the plans with notes to assist members of staff. No written record is made of individual children's developmental needs but the small group of children, who are well known by staff, have their needs met through the regular discussion between staff and activities are planned accordingly. Musical activities have been increased and children's experiences are now very

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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: Generally Good Children are interested, excited and motivated to learn. They respond to new experiences, confidently. They make positive relationships with each other and are well behaved. They share role play equipment and other resources, taking turns appropriately at the snack table. Children make choices about their own play and are developing some personal independence,except at meal times. They recognise the needs of others, including younger children.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children interact well, regularly questioning and sharing ideas as they play. They use a wide vocabulary. They listen well to instructions and at story time. Children are acquiring some knowledge of letters and their sounds through topics but this learning is not continued. There are examples of text around the room to enable them to link letters to words and a good range of books are available. Children use mark making equipment and their writing is used to label displays.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children say and use numbers spontaneously but are inconsistently encouraged by staff. They count confidently to ten using the visual aids displayed. Children can identify a quantity of objects and link these to numerals. Children compare shapes and quantities as they use resources. They competently create and copy patterns using playing cards. Children are beginning to solve mathematical problems and understand the concept of volume and shape during baking and snow melting activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children explore and investigate a range of materials using all their senses, but have limited access to investigate objects and ask how they work. They observe change in shape when constructing freely and building with sand. They understand texture. Children competently use computers. A range of outings, visitors and reference to their own families enhance their sense of time and place. Topics which include festivals from other cultures and beliefs develops their awareness of others.

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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

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move confidently and safely around the rooms and equipment. They have a good sense of space and recognise bodily change particularly when going out to play. They further develop balancing, climbing and movement skills during outdoor play. Small equipment such as hoops and bean bags support their throwing and catching skills. Children have good manipulative skills which they demonstrate when using a wide range of resources including scissors and creative materials.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy painting and experimenting with colour. They create from their own imagination in two and three dimensions. Children recognise rhythm and repeated sound patterns in varying styles of music and tape their own voices. Their imagination is extended during role play as they dress up and during stories when they use artefacts and suggest ideas to enhance their enjoyment. The children enjoy the sensory experiences offered, regularly expressing their thoughts and feelings.

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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 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

• Continue to develop the resources, planning and evaluation of activities. • Ensure children's knowledge and experiences are not limited to the planned topic and members of staff consistently encourage the use of links to sound and letters and the correct use of written text. • Ensure children are consistently encouraged to use and develop mathematical language.

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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 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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