Alphabet House

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 14/10/2004 Inspector Name Ann Doreen Burford

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Alphabet House Setting Address Mayfair Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1JJ

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The partnership of Helen Nightingale and Tracey Godbold

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Helen Nightingale and Tracey Godbold Address Mayfair Evesham Worcestershire WR11 1JJ

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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

Alphabet House opened in 2002. It operates from a large room in St. Richards Church Hall in Mayfair, within the Fairfield district of Evesham. A maximum of 26 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open school term times on Monday from 08:30 until 11:30 and Tuesday to Friday from 08:30 until 15:00 years. Within these times it operates morning sessions from 08:30 to 11.30 and afternoon sessions from 12.30 to 15:00. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 39 children aged from 2 years 6 months to under 5 years on roll. Of these, 22 children receive funding for nursery education. Children come from the local area. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs, and have procedures to support children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs six staff in addition to the two managers. Of these, four hold

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Information about the setting

appropriate early years qualifications. Currently, two staff are working towards a qualification. The group has completed a Quality Assurance Bronze Award through the Worcestershire Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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How good is the Day Care?

Alphabet House provides good care for children. This group is exceptionally well organised. Staff have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities and work effectively together as a team. The premises are maintained to a good standard. The room is well organised into smaller sections to create a child-friendly environment. There is a very good range of resources that is constantly being expanded and improved. The procedures to protect children from unvetted persons are effective. All the required documentation and record keeping is very well organised. Safety is given priority. Staff have good knowledge and understanding of health and safety. Additional advice is taken, if necessary, to ensure high standards are

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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 maintained. Hygiene standards are very high. Children are able to help themselves to fresh drinking water at all times. Snack and mealtimes are well organised, although children's diet is not always fully monitored. A high proportion of staff have completed local child protection training. Children are able to select play activities easily and they receive encouragement and individual support from staff in all their play. Children are valued and respected by involving them in decisions when appropriate. Children are mostly well behaved. The staff ensure parents' wishes are met by building a strong relationship with them. They are kept well informed about the provision and their child's progress in a variety

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How good is the Day Care?

of ways, for example, regular newsletters and a parents' notice board.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection, the group agreed to review the procedure for nappy changing and to improve staff knowledge of food preparation. The provider asked the environmental health officer for advice and they have implemented all of the recommendations to improve the hygiene and care of the children.

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What is being done well?

• The policies and procedures included in the operational plan are simple to understand and practical. Common sense is used in the application of the procedures for the day-to-day running of the group. • A wide variety of play and interesting activities are offered to ensure that the children make very good progress in all areas of development. Staff find out what interests each child and what he or she knows, and can do. They build on this information to plan and provide a variety of activities and opportunities to help the child progress in all areas of learning. • There is a very good range of stimulating toys and supporting equipment available to provide a high standard of care and education. Good quality shelving and storage is available in which to display the play and learning resources. Children are able to independently select toys and equipment from the wide range available, and are encouraged and helped to do so.

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What is being done well?

• Care of children with special needs is a particular strength in this group. Staff have regular discussions with parents to give reassurance that they are able to adhere to the child's routine, and to provide the parents with information about any symptoms, improvements or deterioration. Staff work closely with parents of all children attending. All the children play well together, and they enjoy each other's company. • Emphasis is on good behaviour which is supported by the clear written policies and procedures. Staff are good role models and they expect high standards of behaviour. Children are fully supported in learning ways of expressing themselves to avoid conflict and to start co-operating with staff and each other.

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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?

• information for parents about healthy contents of lunch boxes to ensure all children have access to healthy diets.

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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 8 Ensure all children have access to a healthy diet.

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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?

Alphabet House provides good quality nursery education where children make very good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is very good. Excellent planning enables all staff to understand the learning objectives and the stepping stones to be covered by the activity and theme. Effective use of observations and assessment enables the needs of each individual child to be met. Staff use very good behaviour management strategies. They are good role-models and have high expectations for good behaviour. The very good range of resources supports children learning through their play for all areas of learning. Children with special educational needs are given very good support. The leadership and management of the group is very good. The management partnership is dynamic in their leadership and this has a positive impact on the children's progress. The setting fulfils it's vision to provide high-quality care and

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How effective is the nursery education?

education for all children. The management partners and staff have identified each other's strengths and weaknesses in teaching. They use this information effectively to build on the positives and continue to improve their practice. There is a strong commitment to quickly respond to any need, especially if it has a direct impact on the children, although this can sometimes lack focus so does not always have as big an impact as it could. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents receive clear detailed information about the provision. This includes details about the six areas of learning and the types of activities to promote children's learning. The planning is clearly displayed on the parents' notice board so they can continue with ideas at home if they wish. Parents can be involved in the initial assessment of their child and can access their child's information at any time.

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What is being done well?

• The organisation of the resources to enable children to self-select so they can develop their own ideas and lead their play. There is an excellent range of attractive storage units at children's height. • The use of pictures and signs to help children to express themselves and to understand instructions. This gives very good support to children's communication and language development • The excellent art area is popular with most children. They are able to self-select from the very good range of resources to develop their ideas and make their own creations. • The effective procedures for behaviour management enable children to find alternative ways to deal with their strong emotions and encourages them to

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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 become co-operative. Staff apply non-confrontational strategies that enable all children to improve their behaviour in a positive manner. Good behaviour is given praise at every opportunity. • The inclusive play for children with special needs enables children to fully participate and reach their full potential. There is good liaison with parents and other professionals so the child's individual needs can be met.

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What needs to be improved?

• the evaluation system so that it clearly identifies what needs to be done next • the use of resources to ensure children can see numerals in sequence.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. Staff create many opportunities for children to develop knowledge and understanding of numbers. This was raised as an area for improvement at the previous inspection. Children learn to compare numbers through a range of practical activities. There is also a good range of resources to support number identification. Children are able to access these for themselves.

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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's confidence and self-esteem are built up by staff who are sensitive to their needs and know them well. They enthusiastically try new experiences, choose between activities and select resources for themselves. Most children are well behaved. They are taught to share and take turns, and to be polite and considerate to others.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are keen to communicate with staff either through signs, gesture or talk. They listen to stories, enjoy sharing books with staff especially when they are using story props. They are encouraged to recognise some key words written under pictures, for example, when praising children, a picture of a thumbs up with the word good is shown as well as using the spoken word. Children use their mark-making with meaning; they have a table to sign in when they arrive, the same as their parents.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Some children can count accurately in sequence and with meaning. Children enjoy correcting staff when they deliberately count in the wrong order. Through practical activities many children demonstrate that they can add one more or take one away. They have limited opportunities to see numerals in sequence during practical activities. A few children are beginning to use language, such as more or less, to express their findings in their play. They can sort items by size and shape.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good The exciting, imaginative activities spark children's interest to discover, experiment and predict. For example, children learning about what is waterproof or not and then linking this to walking in the rain and what happened to their clothes. Children learn through their play about the diverse community. They learn to understand differences by looking at the weather and watching how it changes. They regularly walk and look around the local environment.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children enjoy a wealth of games and activities that encourage their physical movement. They play group games with the parachute, that all children readily participate in, with much laughter and gaiety. They use a variety of large and small apparatus as they balance and learn to move in a variety of ways. Children use a variety of bikes and cars as they learn to peddle and manoeuvre around the outdoor play area.

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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 use the resources to create wonderful items, for example, using corrugated card to make musical instruments with the staff. If a child does not readily choose to engage in this type of play, it is adapted in a way that catches the child's interest. Children enjoy joining in familiar songs and rhymes. They are developing a sense of rhythm. Children use their imaginations in their play as they express their emotions and re-live their own experiences.

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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: • develop systems for identifying what needs to be improved through evaluation •• provide opportunities for children to see numerals in sequence.

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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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