Advantage Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 14/02/2005 Inspector Name Sarah Street

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Advantage Day Nursery Setting Address 228 Red Lion Road Surbiton KT6 7RB

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Advantage Day Nursery Ltd Address 228 Red Lion Road Surbiton KT6 7RB

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ORGANISATION 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

Advantage Day Nursery is run by Advantage Day Nursery Ltd. It opened in September 2003. It operates from a large purpose built, detached premises on two floors. Children are cared for in separate rooms, according to their age, and have regular access to the fully enclosed garden, library, soft play and sensory rooms. Older children receive weekly French and dance lessons. The nursery is situated in an area of Tolworth close to local businesses, a school and sports centre. It is within easy reach of the A3 and Tolworth and Surbiton mainline stations. The group opens Monday to Friday for 50 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 08:00 until 18:00. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 195 children from 3 months to 5 years on roll. Of these 36 receive funding for nursery education. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special needs and who speak English as an additional language.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 51 staff. 33 of the staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications. 6 staff are working towards a qualification. The setting receives support from Kingston's EYDCP.

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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?

Advantage Day Nursery offers high quality education where children make very good progress towards the Early Learning Goals. Teaching is very good. The friendly, committed and qualified staff work effectively as a team. They provide well planned and resourced activities which enable children to learn through play. Staff have attended curriculum training. Planning relates to the stepping stones which children move through towards the early learning goals. This demonstrates staff's knowledge of the Foundation Stage. Activities are honestly evaluated and written observations are made on the children. These are used to plan for their next stage of learning. Leadership and management is very good. The room supervisor and nursery manager have a very clear vision that they wish to provide high quality education. They have carried out a self evaluation and review this regularly. This demonstrates their commitment to development. They have highlighted areas they wish to develop

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How effective is the nursery education?

and are able to seek support to do this. The manager ensures the staff have regular opportunities to attend training and gives staff time to discuss planning. All staff attend foundation stage training. Staff state that the room supervisor and manager are very approachable and supportive. Partnership with parents is very good. Planning is displayed and parents receive regular newsletters. This enables them to support topics and activities and to be involved in their child's learning. Parents have come into the nursery to share their experiences. Parents are invited to attend curriculum and parents evenings. Written information at activities informs parents of the aim of an area or activity. Parents state they are very happy that their children are learning in a stimulating play environment. Observations on the children are used by the staff to write a factual report on each child. This is shared with their parents who state the reports are

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What is being done well?

• Children are very happy. They have very good relationships with staff and each other. Children are often seen offering support to younger or less confident children. At the puzzle table a child came and asked 'Can I help anyone?' Several children responded positively. • There is an excellent range of fiction and non-fiction books available. Children borrow books to take home on a weekly basis. They enjoy going to the nursery library to do this. Children have helped make their own books. Following the decision to buy a pet the children helped make a book describing the event. The book includes the children's own writing, pictures and photographs.

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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 • Many opportunities are planned and provided for the children to explore their senses. They have regular taste activities and are provided with daily opportunities to use touch to investigate malleable and natural materials such as play dough, jelly, ice and soil. Regular sound games are played and staff discuss the smell of some of the activities and meals. Children regularly explore colour, sound and light in the sensory room. • Staff are very friendly, committed and knowledgeable about their role. They work very well as a team. The activities are well planned and prepared before the children arrive. The staff are very clear what they hope to achieve. Activities are honestly evaluated with staff able to recognise and adapt when they have not gone well. • Parents receive daily written feedback about their child's day. They also have

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What is being done well?

access to the planning and receive newsletters which discuss topics. Parents find the staff caring and approachable. Parents consistently state that the staff give honest and accurate information about their child.

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What needs to be improved?

• regular opportunities for more able children to be able to add groups of objects together • children to be able to observe the effect activity has on their bodies.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

This was the first inspection since registration

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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 Happy children become engrossed and absorbed in their play. Concentration is very good. Staff involve themselves in the children's play. Children are confident to select and initiate activities or participate in adult led tasks. Children are very well behaved. They respond to appropriate boundaries and are able to wait and take turns. Staff manage behaviour very calmly and do not shout. Children are very independent and are able to manage their coats, bathroom and meal time needs.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Enthusiastic conversations regularly take place. Children often use language to develop their imaginative games. They hold detailed conversations with staff, who regularly extend discussions and introduce new vocabulary. There are lots of opportunities for children to practice writing with pencils, chalks and malleable materials. Many of the children write recognisable letters. Children are very confident when linking sounds to letters and do this daily. They enjoy looking at books.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident and accurate when counting. They recognise numerals 1 - 10. They are able to correspond objects to a number. Some children write recognisable numerals. A minor weakness for more able children is that they are not provided with opportunities to combine two groups together and count them all. Children are able to confidently match, sort and create patterns. They explore measure, weight and volume during cookery, growth, sand and water activities.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Constructing with glue, sellotape, boxes, paper and construction toys takes place on a daily basis. The children are very confident in their designing skills. They have access to computers and explore everyday technology including tape recorders and cameras. Visitors into the nursery help children learn about their community. Festivals are acknowledged and celebrated. Parents share their cultural experiences. In the garden planting activities help the children explore living things.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Confident children participate in activities which encourage their gross motor skills to develop. They are able to ride and pedal bikes, dance, run, balance, throw and catch items. Children can do all this without regularly bumping into each other. They have good fine motor skills and use zips, poppers, pencils, scissors and cutlery with control. Children are aware of the importance of being healthy but have too few opportunities to observe the effect activity has on their body.

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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 Colour, shape and form are explored enthusiastically during paint, malleable and modelling activities. Art is the children's own work and is creatively displayed. Children carry out detailed imaginative play using props to enhance their game. They join in happily with singing and participate in circle games. There are regular opportunities to explore the sounds instruments make. There are many well planned activities which help children to explore with their senses.

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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 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 improve the following: • provide more able children with regular opportunities to find the total number in two groups when they are combined together. • improve children's awareness of the effect of activity on their bodies 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 Section 122 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998

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