Portsway First School

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 03/12/2003 Inspector Name Silvia Richardson

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Bunny Hop Day Nursery Setting Address Evelyn Community Centre 1 King Fisher Square,Clyde Street Deptford London SE8 5TW

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name The partnership of Elaine Dampier & Natasha Louise Ricketts

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Elaine Dampier & Natasha Louise Ricketts Address Bunny Hop Day Nursery Evelyn Community Centre 1 King Fisher Square, Clyde Street Deptford, London SE8 5TW

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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

Bunny hop Day Nursery opened in 1996. It operates from rooms in a community centre located on a housing estate, serving the local area. There are currently 22 children from 2 to 5 years on roll. This includes 12 funded 3 year olds and 6 funded 4 year olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports a number of children with special needs and who speak English as an additional language. The group opens 5 days a week during school term times. Sessions are from 08:00 to 18:00. 3 full-time and 2 part-time staff work with the children. Over half the staff have early years qualifications to NVQ level 2 or 3. The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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How good is the Day Care?

Bunny hop nursery provides good care for children. The nursery environment is warm and welcoming and the premises are clean and tidy, well organised and attractively presented. The operational plan works effectively for most of the session with staff being well deployed, ensuring children have a good balance of indoor and outside activities. During lunch and times leading into a change of activity, however, staff tend to be deployed to tasks and the routine becomes less child centred. Staff and students fully support children’s play activities ensuring they receive time and attention both individually and in small groups, helping them to learn and make progress. A wide range of resources are available for children and much careful and thoughtful planning is given to the layout and set up activities. Toys and play materials are attractively presented and easily accessible to children. Children are

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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 happy, settled and purposefully occupied. Staff and students interact positively with the children and praise and encourage achievements. Staff support and encourage children to play safely and create an environment that helps children to behave in acceptable ways. Safety and hygiene in the nursery and outside play area are generally good although there are few minor weaknesses in these areas and recommendations are made. Menus show a reasonable range and balance of meals provided by outside caterers although choice is limited. The value of the lunchtime setting, in staff promoting social interaction and sitting with the children in small groups, could be developed and clearing left until all children have finished the meal.

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How good is the Day Care?

Positive relationships with parents are well established and opportunities are created to regularly share information pertaining to progress, achievements and welfare. Nursery staff act in the best interests of children, taking steps to protect children and ensure their needs are appropriately met.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

A good registration system is now in place enabling staff to accurately account for when children arrive at the nursery and when they leave the premises. A policy regarding the exclusion of sick children is now in place and this is made known to parents and clearly displayed on the premises. The Equal Opportunities policy has been reviewed and now includes admissions and employment procedures.

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What is being done well?

• Staff and students work well as a team, providing warm and consistent care for the children. • Staff and students play creatively and spontaneously with the children and build on the children's ideas for activities. • Good use is made of space so that activities are well set out to create an attractive and stimulating environment affording children variety and choice. • There is a good range of role-play resources reflecting diversity. • A wide range of resources are well presented both inside and outside affording children a balance of play and learning opportunities. • Good use is made of the outside play areas so that children have regular opportunities for fresh air and exercise. • The daily register is well set out, accurate and up-to-date, showing times of arrival and departure, clearly accounting for when children are in the care of the provider.

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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 the mid-day meal and provision of choices. • The management of transitional times that link different activitites. • Record keeping with regards to identified hazards and first aid details. • Hygiene practices and arrangements in the bathroom to mimimise the risk of spead of infection.

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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 2 develop and implement an action plan that sets out how staff will be deployed during the mid-day meal, to ensure children have opportunities to develop language and social skills; 6 ensure fractured glass to fire exit door overlooking children’s outside play area, does not pose a hazard to children and replace glass pane as soon as possible. Also ensure details of all reported and identified hazards are recorded and show action taken; 7 ensure good hygiene practices are in place regarding hand washing and that nappy changing arrangements are safe, with hygenic arrangements made for the disposal of used nappies; 7 ensure accident and incident records show full details including who administered first aid treatement; 8 ensure the mid-day meal is served to provide children with some options and choices;

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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?

Bunny Hop Day Nursery offers good quality nursery education where children enjoy learning through a varied range of activities. The teaching helps children make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The teaching is generally good and the staff demonstrate appropriate knowledge of how children learn and the early learning goals. They use their knowledge to plan and provide a broad-based curriculum that includes a generally good range of demanding and interesting practical activities and experiences. However, staff do not effectively use the lunch time session to help children extend their social skills and vocabulary. Children have access to books, which they freely choose and explore. However, the overall quality books available for children need improving. Children learn letter names but need more opportunities to learn the sounds of letters of the alphabet. Varied and creative planned activities are used to help children develop competent

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How effective is the nursery education?

mathematical skills. Children show very good physical development which is promoted through access to diverse activities and equipment. Children demonstrate immaginative and confident creative expression. The integration and inclusion of children with special needs is generally good and is promoted through working closely with parents and outside agencies. The nursery staff are developing their skills at supporting children with special needs. Funded children currently attending with English as an additional language are provided with support. Leadership and management are generally good. Effective policies and procedures are in place and there is an ongoing commitment to staff development and quality assurance. The assessment of children's learning, curriculum planning and individual record keeping systems have all improved. The partnership with parents and carers is very good and improvements have been

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How effective is the nursery education?

made regarding providing parents with written information about their children's development.

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What is being done well?

• Children are developing competent mathematical skills and staff use a range of interesting and practical activities to develop children's understanding and application of maths. • Children are provided with a very good range of opportunities to develop their creative sakills including through music, drama, dance, art, design, stories and songs.

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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 • Children demonstrate very good physical ability which is promoted through access to stimulating indoor and outdoor pursuits which promote the children's development. • The partnership with parents is strong and well established. Staff work hard to provide parents with a warm and welcoming environment. Parents report that staff are friendly and approachable and that they feel reassured that children are well cared for. Parents comments include that they like the way activities are organised and that children do lots of different things. Opportunities are created to regularly share information pertaining to children's progress, achievements and welfare.

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What needs to be improved?

• The use of lunch time to help extend children's social skills and vocabulary. • The quality of books available for children in the book corner. • The opportunities for children to learn sounds of letters of the alphabet.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

Since the last inspection generally good improvements have been made in the system of assessment and record keeping system. Currently a written keyworker target sheet is being used. The keyworker writes targets using the stepping stones. Written observations are then used to show when the target has been met and additional targets are then set by the keyworker. The nursery plan to introduce a new assessment and record keeping checklist in January 2004 which covers all six area of learning and stepping stones. The checklist will be used for each child and observation evidence gathered and maintained to show how each stepping stone was met. The overall planning system has been improved with support from Lewisham Early Years Childcare and Development Partnership (EYDCP). There is now more empasis on linking together the written plans such as long term, medium term and short term plans and writing them more indepth with clearer learning intentions. This

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What has improved since the last inspection?

is an area of ongoing development for the nursery staff. Formal developmental reviews with parents are now held termly. Parents are given a Personal Profile which includes written comments from the nursery about the children's progress under each area of learning under the foundation stage. There is space on the profile, under each area of learning, for parents' comments. The nursery plan to further develop how they provide parents with written material about children's development over the coming year.

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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 make generally good progress in personal, social and emotional development. They are independent and confident to try new activities which promote their learning. They clearly express their needs and are helped to relate well to each other and adults. However, staff do not effectively make use of lunch time to help extend children's social skills.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good Children are making generally good progress in communication language and literacy. They communicate well and are confident speakers. However, insufficient use is made of lunch time to extend their vocabulary. The children learn that print carries meaning, to recognise simple words and write their names. They enjoy exploring books. However, the quality of books available for children need improving and children's opportunities to learn the sounds of letter of the alphabet.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's progress in mathematical development is very good. A number of children can count to ten and beyond and some recognise numerals to nine and above. Children engage in a variety of activities including large, small and one to one to help children develop their mathematical skills including learning about addition and subtraction. They learn about size, counting, number recognition, shapes and measure in practical activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children's progress in knowledge and understanding of the world is generally good. They have a range of opportunities to explore and learn about cultures and learn about nature. The children have acces to technical equipment which they use competently. They design and make things using various art and craft and construction materials.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's progress in physical development is very good. They move confidently and show competent balance, spatial awareness and coordination. This is promoted though access to a diverse range of activities and equipment. They are confident and skilful using hand tools and construction equipment and materials.

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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's progress in creative development is very good. They show free imaginative expression through a diverse range of activities such as: art and craft, music, dance, singing, role-play, stories and dance.

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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

• Develop the use of lunch time to help extend children's social skills and vocabulary. • Improve the quality of books available for children in the book corner. • Extend the opportunities for children to learn sounds of letters of the alphabet.

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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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