Rock Cottage Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 22/09/2004 Inspector Name Valerie Thomas

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Out of School Day Care, Full Day Care Setting Name Rock Cottage Day Nursery Setting Address Breach Road Brown Edge Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire ST6 8TR

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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

Rock Cottage Day Nursery opened in 1991. It is situated within the grounds of Rock Cottage Nursing Home in the village of Brown Edge. The nursery operates from two buildings within the grounds. Children under three years are accommodated in a two-storey detached building with four rooms available for children's use. Children aged 3 to 11 years are accommodated in 6 rooms, in an annexe within the nursing home. There is access to an enclosed outdoor garden area. The nursery serves the local and surrounding areas. There are currently 90 children from 0 to 11 years on roll. This includes 21 funded 3-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery opens five days a week all year round. Sessions are from 07.30 until 18.00. The nursery provides out of school care and takes and collects children from St. Luke's, St. Anne's and Endon Hall Primary schools. There are 17 staff who work with the children. Sixteen staff have early years

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Information about the setting

qualifications to NVQ level 2 or 3. There is one staff member who is working towards a recognised early years qualification. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP). The nursery has achieved a Quality Counts award from the National Day Nurseries Association.

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How good is the Day Care?

Rock Cottage Day Nursery provides good quality care for children. The provision has good procedures in place to ensure staff have a consistent approach to their work. Regular staff meetings are held and annual appraisals are completed. There is a high level of qualified staff and current training is attended to ensure required levels are met for all supervisors. There are well-documented policies and procedures in place. The nursery is very well-maintained and offers a welcoming environment for parents and children.

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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 There are detailed safety policies for indoors and outdoors, giving clear guidelines to staff. Children are always supervised and staff monitor access to the group at all times. Risk assessments are completed and daily safety checks are made. All areas are safe. Staff implement good health and hygiene procedures which help reduce the spread of infection. Staff work in partnership with parents to meet children's dietary and individual needs. They implement child protection procedures which are fully understood by staff. Staff plan a varied range of interesting and exciting activities for children in the nursery and fun club. There is a good range of toys and equipment to help children progress in all areas and raise their awareness of different cultures, gender and

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How good is the Day Care?

disability. Staff constantly talk to the children, encouraging them to play and learn through activities and routines. Children behave well and respond positively to staff. There is a suitable support system for children with special needs, although staff knowledge of the relevant documentation is limited. There is an effective partnership with parents and carers. Parents are fully informed of how the setting operates through newsletters, policies, displays of activities and discussion. Exchange of information on children's individual needs and their progress with parents is good. This ensures children settle quickly and parents are reassured.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The nursery has made good progress in all areas that were identified at the last inspection. It was agreed that an action plan would be implemented to show how the supervisor for the fun club would achieve the required level of qualification, the Health and Safety Department would be contacted to assess the suitability of the changing facilities, the outdoor area would be made secure and low chairs used by babies would be safe. A training plan has been implemented and the supervisor will complete a level 3 in Playwork by December 2004. This knowledge of good quality practices gained will benefit the children. The nappy changing facilities have been assessed by the Health and Safety Department and are deemed as suitable. The lock on the gate has been fixed and this ensures the area is fully secure and children cannot leave unsupervised. Safety harnesses have been fitted to all low chairs. This ensures

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What is being done well?

• There is a varied range of interesting activities provided for all children. There are good opportunities for children to develop their sensory skills on a daily basis. Children explore how the sand feels, listen to sounds made by the sensory bottles in the treasure basket and use their hands and brushes in the paint. Children are interested and enjoy their play. • The nursery is very well-maintained and is set in pleasant surroundings. There is good organisation of rooms and displays of children's work and

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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 parents information areas make it inviting and welcoming to children and parents. There is a well-planned outdoor area which offers good opportunities for children to develop their physical skills safely. • Interaction between staff and children is positive. Staff spend a lot of time talking and listening to children and joining in with their play. Children's individual needs are met well and they are happy and settled. • There is a strong partnership with parents evident at the nursery. There is a good exchange of information on the provision and good procedures in place to ensure parents are fully informed of their child's progress.

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What needs to be improved?

• the continuation of training for the supervisor of the fun club to meet the required qualification level and staff's knowledge of the Special Needs Code of Practice.

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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 10 Develop staff knowledge of the Special Needs Code of Practice. 2 Provide Ofsted with proof of qualification for Out of School supervisor, when obtained.

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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?

Rock Cottage Day Nursery offers high quality provision overall which helps children to make very good progress towards the early learning goals, in all areas of learning. Teaching is very good in all areas. Staff have a good knowledge of the Foundation Stage. They plan an interesting and exciting range of practical activities which helps children to learn. Management of behaviour is effective and staff have high expectations and set clear boundaries. Activities are well managed and staff constantly encourage children to take part, although opportunities for children to make their own decisions could be extended. There is a good range of equipment to support children's learning in all areas. Staff use assessment records well to identify the progress children are making towards the early learning goals. Although there are currently no children with special educational needs attending the setting, there is a suitable system in place to

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How effective is the nursery education?

provide appropriate support. The key strengths in personal, social and emotional development and communication skills are due to the skilful interactions of the staff in engaging children in conversations and high importance is given to fostering their self esteem. Leadership and management is very good. The nursery benefits from strong leadership with clear guidance and detailed procedures in place. Constantly evaluation of practice takes place through appraisals, monitoring and staff meetings. Good opportunities are provided for staff development and the nursery has achieved a Quality Counts award. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents are well informed about the nursery ethos and curriculum and are encouraged to be involved in their child's learning. The children's progress is shared daily with parents and open evenings are provided for parents to view their child's assessment records.

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What is being done well?

• Strong emphasis is given by staff to building very good relationships with children. They continually engage in their play and conversations and ask questions to make them think. Children are settled and respond positively to staff. • High importance is placed on developing children's self esteem and independence. Staff praise children regularly and children are chosen as a helper for the day, setting the tables for lunch and giving out snacks. Their self-help skills are well developed, they enjoy tidying the toys away and sweeping up the sand. • The development of children's language is very good. They are very

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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 confident and fluent speakers, holding conversations with staff and each other about their home experiences. • Consistent encouragement and mathematical language introduced by staff during everyday activities helps children to make very good progress in this area. Children use positional language well and demonstrate that they understand the differences between big and little and heavy and light. • There are good opportunities for children to develop their knowledge of the world they live in. They go for regular walks in the woods and learn about the different countries around the world. Older children know they live in England and they are able to tell others of how they travelled to their holiday destination.

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What needs to be improved?

• children's opportunities to make their own decisions about their play, including developing their writing skills when they choose.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. There were two areas for improvement raised at the last inspection. These were to provide more opportunities for children to explore and investigate features of made and natural objects and to provide more information for parents on the educational provision. The staff and management have implemented effective measures to develop these areas. Staff take children out on regular walks within the grounds of the setting to look at natural objects such as different woods, conkers, trees and leaves. They have a treasure basket where they can explore made objects such as watches, pegs and different shapes and sizes of spoons. Staff help to develop children's knowledge through discussion and exploring by touch and sight. Exchange of information on the educational provision with parents is very good. They have written details of topics which will be covered during the forthcoming year

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What has improved since the last inspection?

and each week they are informed of what letter their child is learning. Details of the six areas of learning and activities linked to these areas are now part of the parents information pack. This ensures they are fully informed and can talk to their children about the activities they are doing.

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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 actively involved in their learning. They concentrate very well in adult-focussed and self-initiated activities. Children's self-esteem is developed well and relationships with adults and their peers are positive. They share and take turns and help each other when tidying away. They work together well when building with stickle bricks. Children's independence is encouraged through routines, although decision making during play is not fully developed by staff.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident and fluent speakers and engage easily in conversations with each other and adults. Children enjoy reading books and listening to stories and demonstrate good book handling skills. Children link sounds to letters very well and are learning the letters of the alphabet. Most children recognise their name at registration. Writing skills are being developed with worksheets and note pads in the role-play areas, although this is not always extended during free-choice sessions.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children use and understand numbers for counting well. They count confidently up to 10 and can match number to object well. Older children recognise numbers up to 10. Good use is made of mathematical language by staff for size, quantity, measure and position. Children demonstrate that they understand size and quantity well when grouping the shells and weighing each other. They recognise and name the basic shapes well and can match them to shapes in the environment.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good There are good opportunities for children to learn about the world in which they live. They go for local walks, have visits from the police, fire and ambulance services and talk about different countries. They learn about living things, helping to care for rabbits and looking and talking about insects. Children learn about time when they find out what day it is, most children know that Wednesday comes after Tuesday and know the difference between yesterday and today.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children move confidently and safely. They run and jump well when playing outside and taking part in action songs. Opportunities for children to develop all of their physical skills are very good. Children balance well on swings and see-saws and are confident climbing up and down slides. There are weekly dance sessions where children are encouraged to express themselves freely and they regularly take part in 'fun fit' sessions. Children learn about keeping healthy as part of their topics.

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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 express their ideas and imagination freely through a good range of activities such as role play, painting, singing and dance. They enjoy taking part in stories and re-enacting the scenes. Good use is made of varied role-play to extend children's imagination with dentists, doctors and a fire station. They explore texture and colour through a varied range of media such as paint, sand, water and gloop. Children are able to name a wide range of colours confidently.

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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: • the extension of opportunities for children to make their own decisions about their play, allowing more flexibility within the routine.

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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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