Holbourn House Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 26/02/2004 Inspector Name Ann Austen

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Holbourn House Day Nursery Setting Address Holbourn House Day Nursery The Old School Dodford,Northampton Northamptonshire NN7 4SX

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Bernadette Martin and Clifford Martin Address Holbourn House Day Nursery The Old School Dodford,Northampton Northamptonshire NN7 4SX

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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

Holbourn House opened in 1990. It operates from the old school in the village of Dodford, Northamptonshire. Children have access to one main classroom. There is a fully enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery serves the local community and beyond. The nursery is registered for 20 children. There are currently 46 children from two to under five years on the register. This includes 26 funded three year olds and 9 funded four year olds. Children attend a variety of sessions. Staff are able to support children who have special needs and children who speak English as an additional language. The group opens five days a week all year round. Sessions are from 08:30 until 17:30. Four full time and two part time staff work with the children. Three have early years qualifications. The setting receives support from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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How good is the Day Care?

Holbourn House Day Nursery provides good care for children. The setting offers a warm and welcoming childcare experience. The premises are clean, safe and secure with well organised space to promote children's development. Furniture, equipment and resources are provided which are appropriate for their purpose. Most records, policies and procedures are in place to support the safety, care and well being of the children. Staff promote safety and are aware of potential hazards. Good systems are in place to monitor access to the premises. Health and hygiene practices are maintained in order to prevent the spread of infection. Children are encouraged to learn about personal hygiene through daily routines. Meals and snacks are varied and nutritious promoting children's well being. Staff plan and provide a broard range of practical activities which develop children's

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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 knowledge and understanding in all areas. They recognise the children as individuals and meet their differing needs well. Staff interact with the children and support their learning, they use regular praise and encouragement which develops children's confidence and self esteem. Behaviour is consistently managed. Staff promote good behaviour, as a result the children are well behaved. The partnership with parents is very good. Parents receive a brochure about the setting and are able to read the policies and procedures. Regular information is exchanged to ensure that parents views are respected and the individual needs of children are met. Parents report very positively about the care and education provided.

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What is being done well?

• The environment is made warm and welcoming to children and their families by a range of wall displays, posters and evidence of the children's work. Good use is made of the space enabling children to develop their learning and play. Staff are effectively deployed to ensure the safety, welfare and development of the children. • Staff meet the children's individual needs and promote their welfare. They provide children with activities, play opportunities and first hand experiences which allow them to build on their natural curiosity as learners. Staff encourage the children to be confident, independent and develop their self esteem. They give reassurance and appropriate praise encouraging children to try new activities in a safe and supportive environment. • Positive steps have been taken to promote safety within the setting. Ongoing risk assessment helps to ensure a safe environment is maintained and that

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What is being done well?

potential risks are minimised. Effective systems for managing access to the premises are in place. This ensures the safety of the children and staff. • Children with special needs have access alongside their peers, to the facility, activities and play opportunities in order to promote their welfare and development. Staff work in partnership with parents and other agencies.

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What needs to be improved?

• documentation, by requesting written permission from parents for seeking emergency medical advice or treatment and that the accident book is signed by the parent to acknowledge the entry • the child protection policy, to ensure that it complies with local Area Child Protection Committee procedures and includes procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff or volunteer.

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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

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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 7 Request written permission from parents for seeking emergency medical advice or treatment. 7 Ensure that the accident book is signed by the parent to acknowledge the entry. 13 Ensure that the child protection procedure for the nursery complies with local Area Child Protection Committee procedures and includes a procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff or volunteer.

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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 nursery provides a warm, caring and stimulating environment where the children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals in all areas. The children enjoy coming to the nursery and eagerly participate in the purposeful and interesting activities. The quality of teaching is very good. The staff are secure in their knowledge and understanding of the early learning goals. This is evident in their detailed planning and reflected in their daily practice. They motivate the children to achieve and by skilful questioning they extend their thinking and learning. Support for those children who require special educational needs is of a high standard. Assessments and observations are comprehensive and used well to inform future plans and to report to parents and carers. The leadership and management of the setting are very good. There is a stable and committed staff team, who support each other very well. Good systems are in place

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How effective is the nursery education?

that ensures the nursery runs smoothly. Staff have clear roles and responsibilities. The owner works alongside the team and oversees the daily provision and the documentation. Through effective monitoring arrangements the team evaluates, reflects and continually improve the educational standards. They are currently undertaking a Quality Assurance scheme. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. A settling in procedure is in place for new children and their parents. They are given good information about the Early Learning Goals, the curriculum, the routines and the current topics. Parents are warmly welcomed in to the setting and have good opportunities to talk with staff about their children's progress. They are actively encouraged to be involved in their children's learning and they respond very well. They currently share information about their children's learning verbally, however there is no formal system for them

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What is being done well?

• The setting creates a warm, secure environment where children' efforts and achievements are respected. • The setting benefits from a strong stable team. Staff have developed effective planning that provides a stimulating, well-balanced programme. • The setting provides stimulating activities that engage and motivate the children and gives them opportunities to develop their potential. • Staff use effective teaching methods that promote children's independence and extends their thinking and learning. • Staff use effective observation and assessment systems to record children's

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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 progress and inform future planning.

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What needs to be improved?

• the opportunities for parents to share with the setting what they know about their childrens' learning.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

The setting has made significant improvement since the previous inspection so that the educational standard has been raised. The area of language and literacy of the Desirable Learning Outcomes, where there were weaknesses, is now very good. The improvements are evident in the daily practice and the way in which the children engage with writing, learning the sounds of letters and reading. The action plan has been fully implemented and the setting has maintained an evidence folder.

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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 The children are confident and have good personal independence. They display high levels of concentration whilst engaged in purposeful play. They are secure in their self-esteem and are forming firm friendships. They are sensitive to the needs of others and show care and concern. The children behave well and are able to use their initiative to select resources and develop their own ideas. They engage in interesting activities where they learn about other cultures and beliefs.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good The children confidently use language and interact with adults to extend their vocabulary. They listen attentively, speak clearly and ask questions that reinforce their understanding and learning. They are learning to link sounds to letters and many children are beginning to recognise their names and familiar words. The children enjoy stories and use books for pleasure and information. During role-play they confidently use writing to organise their ideas, solve problems and develop their play.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good The children enthusiastically take up the challenge to solve mathematical problems using toys and everyday objects. They learn to count accurately to ten and beyond; matching objects one-to-one and ordering numbers into a sequence. Using toy animals they combine two sets together and show an understanding of simple calculations. The children recreate patterns and learn to recognise and name basic shapes. They weigh and measure their toys and then arrange them according to size.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good The children are learning about the natural world when they grow plants in their garden and care for the pet rabbits. They enthusiastically investigate and experiment with a stimulating range of materials and objects. Using recycled materials they learn to reshape them by cutting, joining and folding to design for a wide variety of purposes. They operate technology with confidence. When they walk around the village they learn to be safe on the road by recognising signs and symbols.

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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 The children happily engage in physical activities whilst learning control and coordination. An obstacle course allows them to travel, over, under and around objects. They develop a sense of space when they dance to music or join in parachute games. They move safely around the nursery, both indoors and out. The children competently handle small tools and objects that require hand-eye coordination. They are learning to take care of their bodies, to clean their teeth and sleep when they are tired.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good The children are learning to experiment with colours, textures and recycled materials. Their work is colourful and expressive showing their own individuality. They combine materials to create 3-dimensional models. Using percussion instruments and tapes they sing songs and make music. The children develop their imagination through role-play and small toys. They wholeheartedly engage in pretend situations; and extend them by acting out their own ideas or familiar stories.

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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 high quality. Children are making very 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

There are no significant weaknesses to report, but considerations should be given to improving the following: • There are no significant weaknesses to report, but consideration should be given to the following point; • the development of more opportunities for parents to share what they know about their childrens' learning with the setting.

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WHAT THE SETTING NEEDS TO DO NEXT

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

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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