Karetakers Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 14/01/2005 Inspector Name Ann Winifred Harrison

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Karetakers Day Nursery Setting Address Drayton Road Longton Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire ST3 1EQ

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of 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 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

Karetakers Day Nursery opened in 1994. It operates from a single storey detached property situated near the town of Longton and serves the local community and the surrounding areas. A maximum of 104 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 07.30 to 17.30. Children have access to two secure enclosed outdoor play areas. There are currently 65 children aged from 0 to 11 years on roll. Of these, 11 children receive funding for nursery education. The nursery employs 14 staff. Thirteen of the staff hold appropriate early years qualifications and one member of staff is working towards a qualification.

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Information about the setting

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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How effective is the nursery education?

Karetakers Day Nursery offers good quality provision overall which helps children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. Children are making very good progress in personal, social and emotional development and creative development. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have good knowledge of the foundation stage which enables them to plan a range of activities which helps children learn in all areas. They engage and support children's play and conversations very well, although there are limited opportunities for children to write and to link sounds with letters or to see and use numbers. Planning shows clear learning intentions for activities. Staff record observations and assessments which show how children will make progress through the stepping stones, these are used to plan children's next steps in learning. Staff manage children's behaviour well and encourage their independence. They provide a good range of equipment and

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How effective is the nursery education?

resources, although there are few opportunities for children to find out how things work and to take part in planned physical activities. Leadership and management are generally good. Staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities and are encouraged to work as part of a team. Good relationships between staff ensure a well-organised setting. Professional development is supported and staff are encouraged to develop their skills and knowledge through attendance at training courses. There are systems in place to monitor the quality of the educational provision although the monitoring of plans is not always effective. Partnership with parents is very good. Parents are kept well informed about the Foundation Stage, activities and routines. Parents talk to staff on a regular basis and are kept informed about their child's developmental progress. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their children's learning through regular discussion.

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What is being done well?

• Staff provide a welcoming environment for children and allow them free choice of activities, they plan a good variety of adult led and child initiated activities. Staff encourage children's independence when pouring their own drinks and going to the bathroom. • Activities provided are interesting, varied and challenging. Staff provide children with appropriate resources that they use competently and appropriately. • Children have good relationships with each other and with adults. They initiate interactions with each other and co-operate well. • Staff provide a variety of creative activities to enable children to explore

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What is being done well?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 materials and to develop their own creativity. • Staff work collectively as a team and plan activities to ensure that the needs of all children are met. • Partnerships with parents are very good and they are well informed about their children's progress and learning. They are encouraged to share what they know about their child and to talk to staff on a regular basis.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for children to write and make marks in everyday situations • the opportunities for children to link sounds with letters • the opportunities for children to see and use numbers • the opportunities for children to find out how things work • planned activities for large muscle movements • the system to monitor the quality of the planning to ensure all areas of learning are addressed.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Very good progress has been made since the last inspection. The setting has introduced a number of effective measures to address the key issues raised at the previous inspection. The key issues related to making assessment more effective in giving a comprehensive picture of children's overall attainment and to record clearly children's progress and needs in all of the learning outcomes to underpin assessment securely. The setting have changed the assessment system to enable staff to observe and record the progress children are making through the stepping stones and towards the Early Learning Goals in the Foundation Stage curriculum. Assessments are then used to inform future plans.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children separate readily from their carer, are familiar with the routine and engage quickly in play. Children are developing a sense of independence when selecting resources and a level of confidence with their personal skills, for example pouring their own drinks and going to the bathroom. They behave well and are making good relationships with adults and peers. Children are interested in activities provided and concentrate for long periods. They are learning to share and take turns fairly.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children interact well with others and are able to initiate and continue conversations with staff, peers and visitors. They join in familiar rhymes and songs with enjoyment. Children demonstrate good book handling skills and are beginning to understand that print carries meaning. Children are beginning to write their names on their work but there are limited opportunities for children to make marks and write in everyday situations or to begin to link sounds with letters.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children are beginning to count up to five and some children count beyond. They count in everyday situations although there are limited opportunities for children to see and use numbers to consolidate their learning. Good questioning by staff helps children to develop problem solving skills, such as estimating, matching and sorting. Children are beginning to use simple addition and subtraction through number rhymes and practical activities. Children understand and can name basic shapes.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are knowledgeable and interested in their environment. They are beginning to find out about and identify living things such as collecting leaves and insects and looking at life cycle of frogs. Children develop their design and making skills through art and construction activities, but there are few opportunities for children to find out how things work. They use ICT equipment with confidence. Children are learning about their own and other cultures through planned topic work.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children show an awareness of space and have some opportunities for climbing and balancing. However, children do not have regular access to planned large muscle movement activities. Children use a range of small equipment competently, they use scissors and build with construction. They explore malleable materials and handle tools well. Children are beginning to realise the importance of staying healthy and the changes that happen to their body when they are active through planned topics.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children explore texture in sand, water, play dough and cooking activities. They have good opportunities to explore colour and shape through well planned art and craft activities. They explore form and shape in two and three dimensions. Children respond well to music and are able to move to sounds and sing familiar songs. Children use musical instruments on a regular basis. Children play imaginatively in a variety of role play settings and are able to talk about their feelings.

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Children's spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development is fostered

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of 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

• develop the opportunities for children to write and make marks in everyday situations and to link sounds with letters • develop the opportunities for children to see and use numbers and to find out how things work • develop planned activities for large muscle movements • further develop the system to monitor the quality of the planning to ensure all areas of learning are addressed.

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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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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