First Chapter Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 17/11/2004 Inspector Name Denise Sixsmith

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name 1st Class Nursery Setting Address Toll Bar Cottage High Lane, Burscough Ormskirk Lancashire L40 7SN

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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

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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

1st Class Nursery expanded to this site in 2004. It operates from three rooms in a converted detached premises on the outskirts of Burscough. There is a fully enclosed outdoor play area and garden area. The nursery serves the local area. There are currently 68 children from 2 to 5 years on role. This includes 29 funded three year olds and 12 funded 4 year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery currently supports children with special needs. There are no children attending who speak English as an additional language. The nursery opens five days a week all year round. Sessions are from 08:00 until 17:45. Eight staff, including the owner/manager who holds an early years teaching qualification, work with the children and all hold an early years qualification. Six staff are qualified to level three and one to level two. The setting receives support from a teacher from the Early years development and Childcare Partnership.

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How good is the Day Care?

1st Class Nursery provides good care for children. The well established management team have a comprehensive operational plan in place ensuring the smooth running of the nursery. The qualified staff team follow clear procedures and the majority of records are completed effectively. Staff have a commitment to furthering their development through attending regular courses, keeping them up to date with current practice. Good team work and effective use of the key worker system, space and good quality resources ensures a relaxed, inviting environment is provided for the children. Staff adhere to the comprehensive health and safety procedures. Healthy fresh food is served at lunch and snack times providing a balanced diet for the children. Staff promote good hygiene, with children being encouraged to take responsibility for washing their hands at appropriate times.

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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 staff and children have positive relationships with good behaviour being valued and children's self esteem being fostered well through praise. Staff are patient, calm and caring towards the children. They plan a range of interesting activities to enable the children to use their imagination and develop their creativity and curiosity. Children are respected as individuals and staff meet their needs well. There are many opportunities for children to make choices with toys and activities being easily accessible. Children's achievements are acknowledged and celebrated ensuring children's confidence is developed effectively. Equal opportunities and child protection are promoted through clear policies, planning and adequate resources.

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How good is the Day Care?

Partnership with parents is good. Staff share information daily about activities and the children's care and development. Information about the activities and events are displayed on a large notice board in the entrance area and conveyed through monthly news letters. Staff take time to find out about children's needs from the outset.

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What is being done well?

• Good use is made of space and resources ensuring that children are grouped appropriately according to age and group size. The good use of the smaller room ensures that all children have the opportunity to work in small groups with a member of staff throughout the day and is particularly supportive for less confident children. • The extensive outdoor space enhances children's physical activity. Children are learning to practice and develop their climbing and balancing activities well on the equipment and the grassy mound. They enjoy digging in the large sand pit and painting the fence with a variety of large brushes and water. The orchard and sensory garden enhance children's experiences of nature and caring for growing things very well. • Staff provide well planned activities throughout the nursery that enable children to develop their creativity and curiosity. The two and three year old children enjoy their well planned experiences with paint, sand and natural

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What is being done well?

materials. • The relationship between staff and children is good. Staff are calm, gentle and caring towards the children. They take into account their individual needs well ensuring children's self esteem is fostered. • Toys, equipment and materials are of a very good quality. Staff use them well to provide a balanced range of activities which promote the children's development. They organise the stimulating resources effectively to ensure that children have choices and opportunity to develop their decision making skill.

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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

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What needs to be improved?

• resources that reflect disability • attention to nursery policy with regards to accident and medication dates of signing by parents on records.

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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 Develop resources that reflect disability. 14 Ensure that nursery policy is followed with regards to dating of accident book and medication records by parents.

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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?

1st Class Nursery is a high quality provision. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas. They learn through a range of stimulating, well planned activities. Teaching is very good. Topics are planned which cover all areas of learning and the early learning goals are clearly stated. Adequate assessment is in place and informs future planning. Outdoor sessions are planned very well to make full use of the opportunities offered by the good grounds and equipment available. Good quality equipment and resources are used well to stimulate children's interest in learning with children being encourage to select their own resources and work independently. Staff vary the grouping of children, questioning and level of support to cater for different stages of development. They challenge children very well through effective questioning and adapt their teaching well to cater for different needs. Due regard is

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How effective is the nursery education?

given to the Code of Practice for the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs and there is an effective system in place to provide good support for children. Leadership and management is very good. The management and staff are committed to improving the quality of the provision. Staff are encouraged and supported to attend training to enable them to keep up with current practice. A formal assessment system is in place to monitor the learning programme and assess staff, this is effective in sustaining and developing the good quality of teaching. Partnership with parents is very good. Information is shared daily about the activities and the children's development. Staff take time to find out parent's views and information about the children from the outset. The systems for parents to receive and provide information about their children's learning is less well developed. Parents speak highly of the provision and they value the friendly and welcoming

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What is being done well?

• The good use of space and resources ensuring that children are grouped appropriately enabling the children to work together cooperatively as well as individually with staff. • The many varied opportunities provided by staff for the children to learn to count well and practice and reinforce their number skills. Children are very aware of the number of children at the sand tray and refer to the number on the wall then count the children at the sand working out that there is one too many. • The well planned exciting activities which engage the children's interest, for

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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 example the outdoor hunt for green items which are collected or recorded on the camera by a small group and then viewed later on the computer with the rest of the children. • The staff are caring and patient in their interactions with the children. They support them well during play and encourage good behaviour and positive self esteem through praise and encouragement.

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What needs to be improved?

• assessment and recording system, to ensure that children's progress towards the early learning goals is effectively monitored • information sharing with parents about the Foundation Stage Curriculum and their children's ongoing development.

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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: Very Good Children are confident within the setting, they are interested and show their excitement in the activities, being well motivated to learn. Children take care of their personal needs very well, they go to the toilet, wash their hands and change into outdoor shoes and coats adeptly. Children are forming good relationships with adults and peers, they play in small groups and share their experiences. Children are very kind and helpful towards each other and help a new child to settle well.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children handle books carefully, independently select books and enjoying stories. They listening well and contribute to the rhyming in the Green Queen. Children are enthusiastic mark makers holding pencils and crayons with increasing confidence. They spontaneously make lists and use printed materials as part of their play in different areas of activity. Children's use new vocabulary very well. They confidently recognise letter sounds and their name on their name cards throughout the day.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count well, many varied opportunities are provided for them to practice and reinforce number skills. They readily hold up fingers to show the numbers in songs and know how many green bottles are left. Children use the language of colour, size and position confidently recognising big, medium and small different coloured bears in the bingo game correctly. Children produce patterns using shape and colour and solve practical problems competently.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children construct and build with a wide variety of materials. They confidently select resources and tools from the workshop to assemble and join materials. Children show curiosity, observe manipulate and investigate using all their sense. The feely box and green fruit and vegetable tasting sustain and develop the children's interest. Children confidently work on the computer with increasing skill and use the camera to record findings and support other areas of learning.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have a good awareness of space and consideration for others when moving around the room and outside. They are developing their confidence in climbing, balancing and coordinating skills on the outdoor large equipment and wheeled toys. They vigorously paint the fence with water climbing and balancing well to reach as high as they can. Children handle tools competently and safely, they have many opportunities to manipulate, push, pull and twist objects in activities.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

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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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy the sound area with it's sound toys and tape recorder. They enjoy singing, choosing their favourite instrument to play for the group and working with others to clap out a rhythm. Children express themselves very well through role play in the home corner and the green grocers shop, making shopping lists and ordering on the telephone. They paint freely throughout the day and experiment through mixing different shades of green that they have discovered in other activities.

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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 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.

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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, but consideration should be given to improving the following: • continue to review and develop the assessment and record keeping system, to ensure that children's progress towards the early learning goals in all six areas is effectively assessed • develop the variety of opportunity for the sharing of information with parents about the Foundation Stage Curriculum and their children's ongoing development.

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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.

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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

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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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