King's Farm Junior School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 17/05/2004 Inspector Name Jane Mount

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Old Macdonald's Day Nursery Setting Address Darley Ash Farm, Chipperfield Road Bovingdon Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire HP3 0JW

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Old Macdonald's Day Nursery Ltd 4300363

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Old Macdonald's Day Nursery Ltd Address Darley Ash Farm Chipperfield Road, Bovingdon Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire HP3 0JW

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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

Old MacDonald's Day Nursery opened in February 1998. It operates from a large two storey detached property with a separate pre-school unit. It is situated close to Bovingdon village and surrounded by open farmland. Children that attend come from Bovingdon and the surrounding area. There are currently 163 children on roll. This includes 27 funded 3 year olds and 6 funded 4 year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports 2 children with special needs and 2 children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery opens 5 days a week all year round, except for public Bank Holidays. Sessions are from 07:30 to 19:00 and full time and sessional care is offered. There are 23 members of staff including the owners, Mandy and David Selwood.15 staff hold early years qualifications. The setting receives support from a qualified early years teacher.

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How good is the Day Care?

Old MacDonald's Day Nursery provides good care for children. A welcoming and secure environment is provided that allows young children to develop and learn through play. The children's care, learning and play are supported well by staff who monitor the children's progress through regular observations and planning. Documentation is comprehensive and there are clear procedures in place to ensure staff have a consistent approach to their work. They have a sound understanding of their roles and responsibilities and through staff appraisals and supervision, training needs are identified and addressed. The staff are keen to develop their skills through regular training and generally this works well. Areas for promoting children's health and safety are good. The staff understand the

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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 health and safety policy and implement it well. A balanced and healthy diet is provided taking account of the individual dietary needs of each child. All staff are aware of children with special dietary requirements and these are sensitively cared for. Mealtimes are organised with staff sitting with the children. Activities are planned and generally resources are organised to provide a balanced range of activities to promote children's learning. They are appropriate to the children's developmental stages and updated regularly. Good use is made of the outdoor environment. There is an effective keyworker system which enables staff to establish good relationships with children and parents. Information is shared regularly and parents

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How good is the Day Care?

are kept well informed of their child's progress. Staff positively reinforce acceptable behaviour.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection the nursery agreed to ensure information regarding vehicles, insurance and named drivers is recorded. The nursery have created a file containing photocopies of insurance and MOT details and a list of nominated named drivers who may transport children. The nursery also agreed to ensure any fire recommendations made by the fire safety officer were met with regard to the new pre-school building. All recommendations have been completed and includes smoke detectors, emergency lighting and fire doors.

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What is being done well?

• All staff carry out their roles and responsibilities well and know what is expected of them. They are deployed effectively so the children are well cared for and supported in their play. • A secure, child friendly environment is provided in which young children can develop and learn through play. The outdoor area is interesting and varied and used to it's full potential with regular walks to see the animals on the farm and explore the surrounding countryside. • Staff are well informed and carry out good hygiene practices through effective staff induction and training. There are clear procedures in place which all staff follow e.g. staff wear tabards when dealing with food, gloves and aprons are always worn for nappy changing, tissue bins are used, regular hand washing etc. • Staff work in close partnership with parents and information is shared regularly. Parent questionnaires reflect positive comments such as 'staff are

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What is being done well?

friendly, committed and supportive', 'staff always have time for discussion', 'caring, fun environment' and 'staff aware of children's progress'.

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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?

• the organisation of resources • knowledge of equal opportunities

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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 there are sufficient quantities of toys and play materials that are easily accessible to children to encourage their independence in choice. 9 To increase knowledge and understanding of equal opportunities.

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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?

The provision for nursery education at Old McDonalds Day Nursery is good. Children are making generally good progress in all areas of learning. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff have developed meaningful relationships with the children and are successful in supporting them through the key worker system. Children's confidence and sense of belonging is fostered. Staff provide a broad range of activities linked to the children's interests and the six areas of learning. They support the children, helping them to behave well. Resources are of good quality but not always in sufficient quantities and the organisation limits the children's choice. Staff have begun to develop the curriculum in the garden. Provision is made for children with special needs to ensure they are included in all activities and appropriate support is given. There are some strategies to support children with English as an additional language.

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How effective is the nursery education?

The planning and assessment scheme ensures the learning intentions of the activities are generally understood. Evaluation is linked to the management of the activity rather than the child's achievements. Assessment normally informs the planning with some areas of children's development highlighted. Staff are exploring ways to extend the learning experience with advice from the advisory teacher. They are building their knowledge of the Foundation Stage, although make little use of the curriculum guidance. Leadership and management are generally good. The proprietor and manager are supportive in staff's professional development. Information from observations, training courses and staff meetings are used to monitor and improve the quality of care and education. The setting has obtained accreditation from a quality assurance scheme. The partnership with parents is generally good. A worthwhile relationship has been

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How effective is the nursery education?

established. Some information about their child's development and the curriculum is shared.

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What is being done well?

• Parents are supplied with a range of information on the children's progress both in an informal manner each day and at parents evenings to view the children's records and examples of the children's work. Parents are encouraged to take an active role in their child's learning with ideas given by staff for extending activities at home. • Children are motivated to learn through practical activities that build on their

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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 interests. They have enjoyed the mini-beast topic including watching the caterpillars change to butterflies, as well as a visit from the local exotic pet shop. • Staff have become a consistent and strong team. They are committed to developing the provision through regular team meetings, planning and further training. This ensures the children are well supported and confident.

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What needs to be improved?

• the provision for children to choose accessible resources in sufficient quantities • knowledge of QCA's Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage.

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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 respond well to staff and form good relationships with their peers. They work as a group and take turns, sharing fairly. Children's confidence is promoted. However, children lack the choice to use and replace the resources. Some opportunities to expand the children's independence are limited. Children behave well and generally cooperate with each other. They spend time with their siblings during the nursery day, discuss family events and encourage good links with home.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children talk confidently to each other, with adults and in groups. They have opportunities to link letters with sounds and have some chances to recognise their names. They respond with enjoyment at story time and staff use props well. They handle books carefully and know that print carries meaning. However, there is limited use of non-fiction books. Staff are developing the writing area and children make some attempts writing for different purposes in the shop.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children benefit from strong staff support to count, recognise number, shape and capacity. Staff model simple subtraction within the number rhymes and they use positional language for everyday situations. Children discussed size and height whilst growing the beans, but did not use the opportunity to record the height or use numbers as labels. Children can compare weight during cookery sessions.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children begin to develop a sense of time, discussing the date, calendar and following a routine. They have use on the pre-schools computers but few chances to use other technology. Children enjoy making patterns, there is a limited construction equipment which is not freely available. Children are enjoying the mini beast topic and have explored the lifecycles of butterflies and frogs and have made a mini beasts section within the garden. They were confident to carefully handle the exotic pets

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children recalled recent discussions on nutrition and health. They are developing control over their bodies with a multi use climbing frame and a soft play area. They use small-scale equipment safely and with increasing control. Children can squeeze pegs onto the washing line, use appropriate gardening tools when planting the beans and have access to pencils and scissors on the writing table.

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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: Generally Good Children recognise colours and explore a range of materials, although craft activities are usually adult directed. The painting easel is set up although the children are reluctant to use it fully. Role play activities are varied and interesting and children enjoy playing in the multi beast shop using a variety of props. There are some worthwhile opportunities for children to explore their voices, sounds and experiment with musical instruments

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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

• expand the provision for children to choose accessible resources in sufficient quantities • develop the staff's knowledge and understanding of QCA's Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage.

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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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