Little Ones - Budlake

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 25/01/2005 Inspector Name Samantha Powis

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Little Ones - Budlake Setting Address Budlake Hall Budlake Exeter Devon EX5 3JW

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Little Ones Childcare Ltd Address The Leas 22 High Street Cullompton Devon EX15 1AA

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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

Little Ones at Budlake is a privately owned nursery providing full day care. It serves the village of Budlake and other nearby villages, and is one of a small chain of nurseries operating in the Exeter area. The setting is registered to care for 25 children under 5 years, and funded nursery education is provided for three and four year olds. There are currently 54 children on roll, of these 9 are in receipt of 3 and 4 year old funding. There are eleven members of staff, and a minimum of seven staff are always on duty. Most of the staff team have Early Years qualifications, those who do not are working towards them. The nursery is open Monday to Friday 7.30 to 18.00 all year round. Overnight care is not provided.

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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?

Little Ones Day Nursery at Budmouth offers good quality provision, where children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Children are making very good progress in the areas of mathematics, physical development, creative development and in knowledge and understanding of the world. Teaching is generally good. Staff manage children's behaviour well and make effective use of positive encouragement. The nursery is bright and interesting, with excellent resources easily accessible to the children. Staff are effectively deployed and have a sound understanding of the foundation stage curriculum and the early learning goals. Planning is in place and ensures all areas of the curriculum are encompassed by the planned activities, however, this planning is not linked closely enough to children's assessment records to ensure that all activities offer appropriate challenge to some older and more able children.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Leadership and management is generally good. Good support and encouragement is offered to staff to enable them to attend training, and increase their knowledge, which then has a positive impact on their work with the children. The managers and staff have clear ideas about the provision they want to offer, and work well together as a team. Although there are effective systems in place to monitor individual members of staff, the procedure to monitor the effectiveness of the nursery education is less effective. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are given excellent information about the setting, teaching methods and planned activities. They have regular opportunities to share and receive information about their childs development with key staff. Through the individual learning plans, they have opportunities to take an active part in their childs education, giving them information that they can use to

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What is being done well?

• Children's interest in mathematics is encouraged through fun and practical activities throughout the session. Simple practical problems are posed at times such as snack time which encourage children to build up their knowledge of number order, value and position. • Staff use sensitive and effective strategies to manage children's behaviour, and children's behaviour is good. Staff are clear and consistent in their expectations, and children are secure within the familiar boundaries. A positive approach is taken, with lots of praise and encouragement offered. • Children are confident and settled within the setting. They appear relaxed with the familiar staff, and begin to build strong relationships with other children.

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 • Partnerships with parents are excellent. They are provided with very good quality information about the setting, and are seen as "partners" in the care and education that is offered to the children. • Good use is made of the local environment to enhance classroom based activities. Children observe the changes they see around them, and observe patterns on natural living objects such as cows, in relation to a planned maths activity.

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What needs to be improved?

• the use of assessment records in the planning process to ensure activities offer sufficient challenge to older and more able children • the organisation of planned activity sessions,to ensure the grouping of children is succesful in providing an environment where children can focus • the children's independent use of books.

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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 well behaved, and demonstrate a good awareness of the limitations and boundaries that are established and showing respect for others. Due to the ineffective grouping during some activities, some children find it difficult to concentrate fully. They are confident within the setting, and are building good relationships with staff and their peers. They appear relaxed and comfortable and demonstrate a good sense of identity in relation to the group and their families.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children enjoy having stories read to them, however, they are not regularly encouraged to handle books for themselves. Good use of text within the environment helps children to understand that print carries meaning. Children's spoken language is developing well, they initiate conversation to inform others of their own experiences using an increasingly wide range of vocabulary. Children learn about letters and the sounds they make, identifying those that are significant to them.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children regularly take part in activities to increase their confidence in number, counting forwards and backwards in nursery rhymes, and sorting and counting shapes and everyday objects. They regularly engage in simple, practical problem solving activities, and offer solutions based on their knowledge of number order and position. They recognise and name simple two dimensional shapes including circles, triangles and squares and can identify the properties of each.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children show a strong exploratory nature, and regularly engage in interesting and exciting activities to encourage this. Excellent use is made of the outside environment to increase children's experiences, they go on walks to observe evidence of the changes in weather and seasons, and take time to look closely at patterns. Children enjoy using recycled materials to build their own models, sometimes with an end product in mind, successfully selecting and using appropriate tools and equipment.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's small muscle control is developing very well, they regularly use small tools and equipment including tape, scissors and pencils and manipulate malleable materials such as playdough. They move their bodies with good control when playing outside and inside, negotiating space well, changing direction to avoid obstacles. They climb and jump and use equipment for catching and throwing. Through interesting projects about themselves, they become aware of their bodies and keeping healthy.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy singing and know some actions to accompany popular nursery rhymes. They regularly use musical instruments, learning about the sounds these make. They use the instruments alongside singing sessions, some children copying the rhythms that they hear. They explore their own experiences through role play, and at times introduce a narrative from a familiar story e.g. 3 little pigs. They use their senses to taste foods and feel textures, expressing their likes and dislikes,

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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

• review the system for planning and assessment to ensure children are provided with activities that are appropriate to their individual abilities. • increase children's independent access to books, to encourage them to develop their understanding of how books are used.

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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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