Markfield Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 16/02/2004 Inspector Name Kerry Durkin

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Markfield Day Nursery Setting Address 220 Leicester Road Markfield Leicestershire LE67 9RF

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Markfield Day Nursery Limited 3628171

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Markfield Day Nursery Limited Address 220 Leicester Road Markfield Leicestershire LE67 9RF

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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

Markfield Day Nursery first opened in 1998. It operates from a converted house on the main Leicester Road in the village of Markfield. The nursery serves the local area and other surrounding villages. It is open 08:00 until 18:00, Monday to Friday, all year round. The accommodation consists of a baby room, three toddler rooms and a room for pre-school children. There is a fully enclosed outdoor area with a large playhouse and climbing apparatus. There are three guinea pigs housed in the garden. There are currently 118 children on roll. This includes 20 funded three-year-olds and 12 funded four-year-olds. The setting supports children who speak English as an additional language, although none attend at present. The setting also supports children who have special educational needs, of whom two children currently attend. There are 24 staff who work with the children. Of these, eight have an NVQ level 3

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Information about the setting

qualification and one member is working towards a level 4 qualification. Two have NVQ level 2 qualification and are working towards a level 3 and seven staff are working towards a NVQ level 2. The setting receives support from a teacher/mentor from the Leicestershire Early Years' Development and Childcare Partnership.

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How good is the Day Care?

Markfield Day Nursery provides satisfactory care for children. Staff work well as a team and take part in a comprehensive induction scheme. The operational plan works well in practice; procedures for deputising are effective and good use is made of staff and resources overall. There is a good key-worker system in place, which enables staff to develop good relationships with children and parents. Staff are vigilant about children's safety and there are policies in place. However, the procedures for fire safety are not written down. The planned activities mostly provide a good level of stimulation for the 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 Children are usually interested and involved in their play. Staff listen to and value children's contributions; they praise and encourage them. Staff spend time talking to children, although they do not always question them to extend their thinking and understanding. Staff promote good behaviour and there are good methods in place to manage children's behaviour. Children know how to share and take turns and they are kind and considerate of others. Staff have a good awareness of the importance of working in partnership with parents and carers, and for ensuring children are looked after according to parents' wishes. Information is shared at the registration process and staff encourage parents to be active in their children's learning. However, there are no effective

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How good is the Day Care?

arrangements in place for sharing records. All the polices and procedures are in place, although there are some procedures which lack necessary details.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection, there were a number of actions the nursery agreed to address. Drinking water is now available in all group rooms and children have free access to help themselves. The written complaints procedure now has details of the address and telephone number of Ofsted and is available to parents. The bathroom area is free from any hazards stored and a risk assessment is now in place, improving the safety of the nursery environment for children. A health and safety officer has been appointed to ensure all regulations are met. A visitors record has now been introduced ensuring all details of visitors are kept. The group have now acquired some soft cushions and chairs for the baby room, however there is still insufficient furniture to meet the needs of the younger children.

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What is being done well?

• Staff work together to ensure consistency in approach to managing children's behaviour. Good behaviour is valued and encouraged and children are treated with respect and kindness. • Staff plan a stimulating and interesting environment where children become confident learners.

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What needs to be improved?

• the child protection procedures for staff • procedures in relation to administering medication • the written procedures for fire safety • the furniture for babies and younger children.

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Outcome of the 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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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 5 Ensure that suitable furniture is available to meet the needs of babies and younger children, to ensure children are comfortable and can play together. 6 Ensure there are written procedures in place for staff to follow in the event of a fire. 7 Ensure any non-prescription medication is administered to children by the child’s parent. 13 Ensure the child protection statement includes procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff.

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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?

Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals overall, although their progress is significantly weak in creative development. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have a reasonable knowledge of the early learning goals in all six areas of learning. Staff use their observations to plan the next steps in children's learning and to assist in the overall assessment process. However, the daily activity plans do not make clear what children are expected to learn, nor are they effectively assessed. Staff interact well with the children and give clear instructions. However, there is a lack of appropriate questioning to encourage and extend children's thinking. Staff know the children well and are aware of their individual needs, however there is often insufficient challenge for older and more able children to develop their independence and creative skills. The use of resources

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How effective is the nursery education?

is generally good overall, but they are not always used effectively to support children's learning in all areas. The leadership and management of the nursery is generally good. Staff are committed to the care and education of children, demonstrating this through ongoing staff training and development. Staff are beginning to assess and monitor the educational programme, but this has yet to be wholly effective or indicate what children have actually learnt. The partnership with parents and carers is generally good. Parents receive some information about the group and the use of letter boxes and phonic books encourages them to be involved in their children's learning. However, they receive limited information about the early learning goals and their children's progress towards these.

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What is being done well?

• The effective management of children's behaviour. • The leadership at the group and the commitment of staff. • The development of children's understanding about shapes and their knowledge of mathematical language. • The opportunities for children to extend their knowledge of letters and sounds.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for mark-making in role-play and for child-initiated creative activities

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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 opportunities for children to be independent at snack time and with their creative work • the information given to parents and carers regarding the curriculum •• the questioning techniques of staff to encourage children to think • the organisation of the session to ensure children can play with a purpose in mind • the planning of the curriculum to ensure the learning objective is clear.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The nursery has made generally good progress since the last inspection. Many additional resources have been acquired to enable children to investigate and explore and there are many planned opportunities for children to discover and use their investigation skills. Children have regular opportunities to express their ideas through creative independent activities. Both have had a positive impact on children's learning. However, weaknesses remain in creative development, as some art and craft activities are still too adult-directed. Staff have improved their questioning techniques, but these are not yet totally effective in encouraging children to think, and therefore the impact has yet to be fully appreciated.

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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: Generally Good Children are confident and are interested in their activities. They are learning to be considerate of others and respond appropriately to experiences, contributing well at group times. They are developing their personal independence, although the older children do not always work to their full independent potential. Children are developing their understanding of right from wrong and are aware of boundaries and expectations.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children listen well and are confident communicators. They have a wide vocabulary which helps them to express themselves effectively. Many children are able to recognise letters of the alphabet. The effective use of letter boxes helps children to link letters to sounds. Children enjoy stories and looking at books. Some children competently write their own names, however this is not always practised, and children rarely practice their mark-making in role-play.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children count confidently in many situations. They are beginning to understand the concept of addition and subtraction, although sometimes activities to support this are ineffective. Children are able to recognise shapes and numbers and they are developing a wide mathematical vocabulary. They enjoy making patterns and understand size and position through planned practical activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are developing an understanding of similarities and differences; they notice change in materials and ingredients. They construct and make models and develop their design and making skills. Children have a good sense of time and place and make regular visits in the locality. They are developing an understanding of today, yesterday and tomorrow. They know how to operate technological equipment, although older children are not sufficiently challenged when operating the computer.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children demonstrate a good sense of space and move safely with increasing control. They regularly practice their climbing skills. Children are developing their understanding of the importance of staying healthy by regular hygiene routines. However, they have less opportunities to understand about the effects of exercise on their bodies. They use a wide variety of wheeled equipment with confidence. Children handle small equipment with increasing dexterity and in safety.

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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: Significant Weaknesses Children recognise colours. There is a range of creative activities for children to choose from, although these are not always presented well to encourage children's participation. Some art activities are not sufficiently challenging for children to use their own ideas and imagination. Children regularly learn new songs, but seldom listen to different types of music. Children regularly enjoy role-play, however this is not always organised effectively.

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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 good quality overall. Children are making generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The next inspection will take place in three to four years time.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT: THE KEY ISSUES

• improve the organisation of daily activities to ensure that children have a greater understanding of the purpose of their play • provide opportunities for mark-making in role-play and other practical activities • develop staff's questioning skills in order to effectively question children and extend their thinking • improve the information given to parents and carers in relation to the full breadth of the curriculum • use practical opportunities more effectively to promote greater independence for children • improve the planning to ensure the learning objectives are clear and understood by staff.

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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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