Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 19/07/2004 Inspector Name Lesley Theresa Watts

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Mother Goose Nursery School Setting Address 16-18 Bellevue Road Ramsgate Kent CT11 8LB

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Nursery School Limited Address Mother Goose Nursery 10 Victoria Avenue Westgate-on-Sea Kent CT8 8BL

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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

Mother Goose Nursery School opened in 1994. It operates from a terraced property in Ramsgate, Kent. Children have access to four areas for work and play. The space is organised over two levels. The setting serves the local area. There are currently 79 children from 2 to under 5 years on roll. This includes 25 funded 3-year-olds and 22 funded 4-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports a number of children with special needs. The group opens five days a week throughout the year. Sessions are from 08.00 until 18.00. There are nine staff who work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications. There are two members of staff currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP).

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How good is the Day Care?

Mother Goose Nursery School provides satisfactory care for children. Staff provide a caring and welcoming environment for children. The manager is committed to improving the quality of care and education within the nursery; however, the current systems for monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of the policies and procedures are ineffective. Staff are insecure in their knowledge of child protection and health and safety issues. The procedures for ensuring good health and hygiene within the setting are not consistently applied; as a result, not all areas of the nursery are clean. Procedures for ensuring unvetted adults are not left unattended with children are inadequate. However, arrangements for the safe arrival and departure of children and staff’s knowledge of fire safety procedures are good. Staff are developing relationships and work well together as a team. However, the

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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 organisation and structure of the routine does not always ensure the children receive a balanced range of activities to support their learning. As a result, children become restless and bored. Staff are interested in what the children do and say; they praise and encourage them. Children are happy and settle quickly. The current system for the planning and assessment of children's progress has recently been revised. Staff working with the younger children are insecure in their knowledge and understanding of ‘Birth to Three Matters’. Consequently they are not making effective use of the planning and assessment systems to identify children's next steps in development and learning. Parents are generally happy with their child's care at the setting. The current

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How good is the Day Care?

procedure for sharing information with parents about their children's progress is mainly verbal exchange. Some parents are unfamiliar with the group's policies and procedures.

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What is being done well?

• Children arrive happily and settle quickly. • Staff are caring, supportive and interested in what the children say and do. • Staff give high regard to safety and procedures for the safe collection of children is good. • Staff's knowledge and understanding of fire safety procedures is good. • The manager is committed to improving the quality of care and education for all children.

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What needs to be improved?

• the standard of cleanliness throughout the setting and the implementation of good hygiene practices for both adults and children • the organisation and structure of the routine to ensure all children receive a balanced range of opportunities to support their learning • procedures for ensuring unvetted adults are not left unattended with children • systems for reviewing and evaluating the current practice throughout the setting • staff's knowledge and understanding of the policies and procedures, in particular health and safety, and child protection issues • staff's knowledge and understanding of ‘Birth to Three Matters’ and the use of assessments to inform the planning • information given to parents.

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What needs to be improved?

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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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 3 Develop staff's knowledge and understanding of 'Birth to Three Matters' and implement a system of assessment to inform the planning of activities to support children's learning. 1 Ensure that unvetted people are never left alone with children. 2 Develop and implement a system for monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the effectiveness of the group's policies, procedures and current practice throughout the setting. 3 Make sure that the organisation and structure of the routine ensures all children receive a balanced range of opportunties to support their learning. 7 Ensure that all areas of the nursery are maintained to a high standard of cleanliness and good hygiene procedures for both adults and children are consistently applied. 13 Develop staff's knowledge and understanding of child protection issues.

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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?

Mother Goose Nursery School provision is acceptable but has some significant areas for improvement. Children's progress towards the early learning goals is limited by some significant weaknesses. The overall quality of teaching has significant weaknesses. Staff provide worthwhile activities and work positively with children, encouraging them to be confident and promoting their self-esteem through praise. However the organisation, pace and routine of the setting lacks structure. Children move around the setting in groups to areas chosen by the majority, if another group is not already using the area. Staff do not prepare the rooms in advance within the setting. Consequently children spend unnecessary time waiting for staff to set out activities, resulting in some unwanted behaviour. Child initiated and adult initiated activities lack balance. Staff plan using the six areas of learning based on a topic. However the planned activities do not

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How effective is the nursery education?

always take place, as the staff cannot pre-empt where their group of children will play. The system for assessment of children's progress is evolving. Staff record observations of children's involvement in activities but are not yet using them to identify what children need to learn next and to inform the planning. The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator is new to the role and is working with the Area Special Needs Advisor to develop Individual Educational Plans. The overall quality of leadership and management has significant weaknesses. Staff work positively together as a strong team and are beginning to identify strengths and weaknesses such as the lack of structure and routine. Procedures to evaluate and review the effectiveness of the nursery education are not yet fully developed. The partnership with parents is generally good. Staff provide parents with information about the setting and its provision and greet parents warmly.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Opportunities are provided to find out about children's progress.

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What is being done well?

• Staff are encouraging in their interactions with children. Children are happy and well settled. • Children speak clearly and confidently as they engage both adults and their friends in conversation. • Counting is a regular feature of the session, consequently children count confidently.

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What needs to be improved?

• the pace, routine and organisation of the setting

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What needs to be improved?

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 balance between child initiated and adult initated activities • the use of assessment • systems to monitor, review and evaluate the nursery practice • the preparation of areas within the setting •• opportunities for independent self-selection, and for labelling their own work.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection, the setting were asked to develop the programme for language and literacy to include planned opportunities for children to learn the sounds that letters make, to build up an awareness of rhyming sounds, patterns and syllables and for children to have more opportunities to develop writing skills through free writing and mark marking. They were also asked to include practical opportunities in the programme for mathematics where children can solve meaningful mathematical problems and record numbers; create practical, everyday situations where chidren can develop their skill in working out, for example how many altogether, how many are left and how many there would be if one more was added. The final key issue was to ensure the planning is based on assessments of chidren's progress and clearly states what the children are expected to learn and the focus for activities. Staff provide some opportunities during the session. Children are split according to

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What has improved since the last inspection?

their age to ensure that the activity meets their needs. However, the organisation and routine of the session lacks structure consequently it is difficult for staff to plan effectively. Staff continue to develop planning of the six areas of learning. They do not yet make use of the assessments to identify children's next steps in learning and use the information to inform the planning.

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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: Significant Weaknesses Many positive relationships have developed. Children are happy and settled and generally work well together, displaying good levels of confidence. Children learn to share, take turns and persist for appropriate periods of time. The environment within all areas is not carefully prepared to enable the children to independently self-select resources. Children are generally well behaved, however lack of structure to the routine results in children waiting too long and becoming disruptive at times.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children speak confidently in groups, communicating their ideas during free-play sessions. Opportunities for mark making are available. However, staff do not consistently encourage children to transfer these skills as part of their play. Consequently opportunities for children to consolidate their learning are lost. Children receive some opportunities to sing and listen to stories, but the circle time is long and children do not regularly select books independently.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children receive opportunities to count during the session. Staff provide opportunities for children to practice naming shapes and numbers. A range of mathematical equipment is available within the nursery. However, staff do not consistently encourage children to solve simple problems during practical activities, such as stories, songs, games and play. They miss opportunities to talk 'mathematically' as children play or take part in normal daily activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children clearly enjoy the 'experiments' that take place such as what happens when they place the boats that they have made in the water tray. Children receive opportunities to find out about their environment for example visits to the park. Opportunities to use information technology are provided. Photographs show that children have explored the life cycle of a frog and cared for an African Land snail. However children's experiences depend on the area that they choose being available.

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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: Significant Weaknesses Children receive daily opportunities to move safely and freely in the outside play area. This provides them with opportunities to show an awareness of themselves and others. Opportunities are missed for children to learn about health and bodily awareness. Opportunities for children to develop their small manipulative skills take place if children choose this area. Lack of planning for the outside area results in children not always receiving challenging activities in their physical programme.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children receive opportunities to respond to a variety of experiences that allow them to access a range of materials such as the graphics and role-play area. However, these are provided as part of group choice and staff do not always prepare areas effectively to support, manage and challenge the children during their creativity. As a result, children are not always well supported to develop their imaginations through art, design, music and role-play.

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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 but has some significant areas for improvement. Children's progress towards the early learning goals is limited by some significant weaknesses. The next inspection will take place in one to two years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• improve the pace, routine and organisation of the setting to effectively manage, challenge and support children in the activities that they complete • improve the balance of adult initiated and child initated activities to ensure that children are provided with a range of purposeful activities within the six areas of learning • develop the use of assessment in order to identify children's next steps and inform the planning • develop rigorous systems to monitor, review and evaluate the nursery practice to support staff in the care and education that they provide • prepare areas within the setting to enable children to make effective use of the resources available.

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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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