Scarcroft Green Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 10/09/2004 Inspector Name Diane Lynn Turner

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Scarcroft Green Setting Address Moss Street York North Yorkshire YO23 1BS

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name York Child Care Ltd 2476480 1008566

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name York Child Care Ltd Address York Childcare Ltd 54a Nunthorpe Road York North Yorkshire YO23 1BP

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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

Scarcroft Green Nursery opened in September 2003 and is run by the charity York Childcare. It is situated in the Scarcroft area of York on the primary school site and operates from a two storey detached building that has been extended. Children are cared for in two play rooms on the ground floor and the first floor is used as offices for the charity. Children aged under two are cared for in the extension which has integral toilet and nappy change facilities and a fridge for food storage. There is an area with cots within the room which provides for children's sleep requirements. Children aged over two are cared for in the second play room which also has integral toilet and nappy change facilities. There is an enclosed area at the rear of the premises for outdoor play with both hard and safety surfaces and equipment for outdoor use. Kitchen, office and staff facilities are also available. The nursery serves the local area and commuters from outside the city. It is

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Information about the setting

registered to provide full day care for 35 children aged from birth to five years, nine of whom may be under two years. There are currently 68 children on roll including 14 funded three-year-olds. The nursery opens from 08.00 to 18.00 Monday to Friday all year round with the exception of Bank Holidays and the week between Christmas and the new year. The nursery welcomes and supports children who have special needs and those who speak English as an additional language. The manager has a level three childcare qualification and has a supernumerary role. Nine members of staff work directly with the children. Eight have an early years qualification to level three and one has a level two. In addition there are five domestic members of staff including a teatime assistant, breakfast assistant, cook and two part time cleaners. The nursery receives support from the development workers at the Early Years and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) and is a member of

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Information about the setting

the National Day Nursery Association (NDNA) and the Pre School Learning Alliance (PLA).

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How good is the Day Care?

Scarcroft Green Nursery provides good quality care for children. The environment is

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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 warm, welcoming and well maintained with a good range of toys and play equipment. The staff are well lead and managed and have a clear understanding of their role and responsibilities. There are effective procedures to monitor their performance and they show a commitment to updating their knowledge and developing their practice through training. They are enthusiastic and work very well together as a team which ensures the nursery operates smoothly and effectively in all areas All staff have a high level of awareness of the risks to children's health and safety. There are effective procedures to identify and minimise hazards in most areas, ensure good hygiene practices in all areas and protect children from possible abuse.

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How good is the Day Care?

Children are provided with meals, including a cooked lunch, that are varied and nutritious and take into account their dietary needs and preferences. The children's individual needs are known, understood and met by staff who have a commitment to ensuring that all children have equal opportunities and access to activities. An excellent range of interesting and very well planned practical activities are provided in all areas. Staff support children well and effectively extend their development and learning. Clear boundaries for behaviour are maintained in age appropriate ways and a caring, supportive and consistent manner is evident. Parents are made very welcome. Information they receive is clear, of good quality and well presented. There are effective systems in place to share information on a daily basis and they are kept well informed about their child's progress. Staff actively encourage them to be involved in their child's learning. All documentation is in place

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How good is the Day Care?

and used consistently. It is well organised, stored securely and updated regularly.

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What is being done well?

• A very colourful and stimulating environment is provided. Displays throughout the nursery are well presented, extended to all areas and include the children's work which shows this is valued. • The baby room is light and airy and the full length windows provide good opportunities for the children to observe activities in the outside area. • Staff pay very good attention to fire safety. There are clear evacuation procedures displayed in all areas which detail the role and responsibilities of all staff in the event of a fire. • There are effective procedures that are rigorously followed to ensure the premises are kept secure. • Children are offered a very good range of activities in all areas. These are well planned and provide good practical experiences. • Good behaviour is valued and encouraged which results in children interacting well with one another. There is a positive atmosphere throughout

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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 the nursery and staff's polite and calm manner sets a very good example for the children to follow. • Parents are made very welcome and staff give excellent attention to involving them in their child's learning.

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What needs to be improved?

• the safety in relation to the portable fans.

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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 6 Ensure that the portable electric fans are safe or inaccessible to the children.

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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?

Scarcroft Green Nursery provides good-quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Teaching is generally good. Staff demonstrate a secure knowledge and understanding of the foundation stage curriculum and how children learn. They plan and deliver a varied and stimulating curriculum that covers most aspects. Effective questioning is used during activities to develop children's understanding, encourage their thinking and help them achieve the intended learning outcome. A good range of resources is available but these are not always used effectively to support children's learning. Staff know the children well and clearly enjoy their company. Careful assessments are made of the children's responses to activities which are used to inform their records of progress. Behaviour is managed very well. The staff's polite and calm manner sets a very good example for the children to follow.

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How effective is the nursery education?

Leadership and management is generally good. There are good policies and procedures in place with effective systems to monitor staff's development. The manager shows a commitment to ensuring the children's safety and well being, leads the staff effectively and values their individual skills. They all work very well together as a team and have a very clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. However, the system to monitor the nursery curriculum is not effective in some areas. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents and staff have a friendly relationship and they are kept well informed about forthcoming events and activities through newsletters, displays and one to one contact with staff as key workers. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their child's learning and ideas to support this at home are regularly shared. Parents speak highly of the activities and experiences that are provided and are confident that their children are making good

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What is being done well?

• Children have very good opportunities to develop their physical skills in the well equipped outdoor area. • Good opportunities are presented for the children to be involved in imaginative activities, particularly role play, when they confidently express themselves and recreate both real and imagined experiences. • Staff pay good attention to helping the children learn about the components of books and how to handle these correctly. • Children's behaviour is managed very well by the staff whose polite and calm manner provides a very good example for the children to follow.

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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 and carers are encouraged to play an active part in their child's learning through ideas such as taking the nursery bear on holiday and activity sheets linked to the current topic. • The staff work very well together as a team. They are supportive, motivated and have very good relationships with each other and the children.

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What needs to be improved?

• the use of the opportunities that are presented for the children to make choices and independently access their own resources • the opportunities for the children to access and use the nursery computer, use mark making to support their play in other areas, develop their spontaneous creativity and use resources other than construction to develop their design and making skills • the opportunities for children to see number in the environment.

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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 happy, confident and settled. They have very good relationships with the staff and each other and are very keen and motivated learn. They eagerly take part in activities and show good levels of concentration in both large and small groups. They confidently choose between activities and take care of their personal needs such as washing their hands. Their behaviour is very good. They are learning to negotiate, be polite and considerate to others and follow the codes for the group.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children demonstrate good speaking and listening skills. They initiate conversation, enjoy listening to stories and know that print carries meaning. They are learning to identify letters and their associated sounds through the letter of the week and are successful at finding their name card at meal times. There are good resources to encourage mark making and some children can write their own name. However insufficient opportunities are provided to use this to support their play in other areas.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good All children can count reliably to 5 and many beyond. They are encouraged to do so in meaningful way during everyday routines such as registration. They demonstrate an understanding of positional language when lining up and are developing an understanding of shape and space when completing jigsaws. They learn about simple calculation during number rhymes and about capacity during sand and water play. However, the opportunities for them to see number in the nursery environment are insufficient.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children show a good awareness of different types of weather and can confidently name the days of the week. They explore the local environment by visiting the nearby park and are encouraged to share their wider travel experiences by taking the nursery bear on holiday. Postcards which they send are then used to chart his adventures. However they have insufficient opportunities to use the nursery computer or use a full range of resources to join materials to develop their design and making skills.

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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: Very Good All children move confidently around the premises demonstrating good body control and co-ordination. They demonstrate an awareness of each other's personal space during group activities and can successfully negotiate a pathway when running and chasing each other. They show good control when using both wheeled toys and climbing and balancing equipment. Their fine motor skills are developing very well. They use equipment such as cutlery, pencils and paint brushes effectively and with good control.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children have opportunities to use a variety of resources and learn different techniques during focused craft activities. They have opportunities to listen to music and show an enjoyment of singing when they join in enthusiastically with a good range of songs. During imaginative play they express themselves well and use resources effectively to help create both real and imagined experiences. There are however, insufficient opportunities for them to develop their spontaneous creativity.

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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

• actively encourage the children to make choices and independently access the resources that are available in the areas of learning • plan and provide regular opportunities for the children to access and use the nursery computer, use mark making to support their play in other areas, develop their spontaneous creativity and use resources other than construction to develop their design and making skills • provide more opportunities for the children to see number being displayed and used in the nursery environment.

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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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