Dimples Day Nursery Limited

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 02/12/2004 Inspector Name Claire, Alexandra Parnell

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Dimples Day Nursery Setting Address Green Street Green Road Darenth Kent DA2 7HT

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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

Dimples Day Nursery is privately owned and opened in 2002. The nursery operates from a purpose built building in a residential area of Darenth within easy access of the motorway and local facilities. The nursery group has access to four rooms, an enclosed outdoor area, and a garden for all the children's use. A new building is due to open in February 2005 for additional pre-school places and a holiday club for school aged children, including an enclosed outside area. Children attending, come from the wider community. Children attend a variety of sessions each week and this includes funded three and four year olds. The nursery opens five days a week during the year from 07.30 to 18.30. There are currently 116 children attending the nursery. Of these, seven children are funded four year olds and sixteen are funded three year olds. At present there are no children attending with special educational needs or children who speak English

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Information about the setting

as an additional language. There are twenty four full and part time staff who work with the children. Eighteen of these hold Early Years qualifications. The setting receives support from a teacher from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) and the area SENCO. They are currently working towards the Kent Kite Mark accreditation and have recently been awarded the Heartbeat award for Healthy Food.

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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?

Dimples Day Nursery is an acceptable provision and of good quality overall. The children are making generally good progress towards the Early Learning Goals and very good progress in mathematical development. The teaching is generally good. The staff use clear and effective planning to show learning intentions, which are linked to the Early Learning Goals. The plans are evaluated to show their effectiveness and used to inform future planning. All the staff use effective and extended questioning, particularly for the more able children, making them think about their learning. Children's records are regularly updated with evaluative observations within all areas of learning. The staff have implemented different strategies regarding the development of children's behaviour. However, this still needs to be extended particularly towards the planning and organisation of large mixed ability groups. The more able children need to be supported further without

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How effective is the nursery education?

less able children's demands and challenging behaviour diminishing this. There are clear systems in place to support children with Special Educational Needs. The leadership and management is generally good. The provision is aware of its strengths and weaknesses and strive to improve, using different strategies. A good internal system is in place to provide support for staff within the educational provision. All staff have input into planning and development of the educational programme. However, the provision needs to extend the support system to include professionals from external bodies on a more regular basis, for specific issues. The partnership with parents is generally good. Parents receive plentiful information regarding the Foundation Stage, areas of learning, the importance of play and how children learn. They receive thorough individual information about their child's development twice a year. However, informal information is needed regarding their

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What is being done well?

• The children are progressing very well in mathematical development. Through out the whole day children are encouraged and introduced to many different ways of using mathematical strategies and language. The children naturally include problem solving in their play, thinking carefully before taking action or giving the answer. Staff constantly discuss mathematical concepts through free play, structured and practical activities, including outside play. •• Children are given opportunities to express their feeling to adults and other children. The children install confidence in others to express their opinions openly, through a variety of differing situations. • The children understand the need for care of living things and are aware of what is needed for that care. They are given regular opportunities 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 and understand the similarities and differences in people's beliefs, particularly within cultural experiences. • The parents are given a wealth of information regarding the importance of play and how the Foundation Stage is implemented within the setting. • Children can freely represent and experiment with pre-writing skills through mark making, in structured planned activities. The children are developing their sense of communication through listening to stories, talking and discussing issues with one another and understanding that print has a meaning. • The nursery has a clear structure in place to assess and evaluate the educational programme, through internal systems. Once issues are identified, information is sought as to how to improve the system and changes implimented as soon as possible.

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What is being done well?

• The staff use an effective system for the planning, evaluation and recording of activities and children's achievements. These clearly inform future planning to progress the children further in all areas of development.

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What needs to be improved?

• the strategies and organisation of large group and mixed ability situations • the opportunities for children to learn to share, take turns, work in harmony and gain respect for one another • the opportunities for children to link rhyming words, label independantly and recognise their name through all activities • the encouragement for children to independently use and share books • the children's recognition for what they have been doing and what they have achieved • the children's understanding for safe movement and use of equipment with regard to themselves and other people • the accessibility of materials and media to freely represent at any time • information for parents regarding daily achievements and how they can support children's learning regarding the aim for the week • the use of external support towards improving the educational programme further.

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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: Generally Good Most children confidently speak of their opinions, with strong feelings. They play independently, choosing activities, directing their own play and showing self help skills in dressing, toileting and hand washing. They understand what they like and dislike, and why. However, they have limited understanding towards sharing, taking turns and working together in harmony. Most children loose interest in some large group activities due to less able children interrupting and distracting others.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Generally Good More able children listen intently to stories, and can predict the ending. Some can link sounds to letters, mainly through familiar words and objects. Some can form recognisable letters and have regular opportunities to make marks through creative, structured activities. However, children miss opportunities to link rhyming sounds and words through stories, have limited encouragement to independently look at books, independently label their work and to recognise their name more regularly.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children count confidently up to ten, more able children up to twenty, mostly in the correct order. Some can count back from five to one. More able children understand more and less than and can calculate the difference between the two amounts. They can sort and organise objects into categories and understand their differences. Children can name and use shapes to produce further irregular shapes or familiar objects. Children think through mathematical problems before confidently solving them.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children understand the importance of living things and how to care for them. They experience other people's beliefs and culture and understand their differences and similarities. They can recall past events relaying them back to adults with exciting, informative information. They are inquisitive and ask many questions to ensure they understand people's roles, what they are doing and why. However, there are limited opportunities for children to discuss what they have been doing and why.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

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

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children understand that exercise can have an effect on their bodies. They demonstrate great skills in fine motor and dexterity when fixing, winding, pincer pencil control, painting and rolling. Some use their own bodies to successfully move equipment particularly outside, manoeuvring, pushing and scootering. However, some children lack an understanding of the need for space when moving themselves or equipment, to ensure their own and other's safety.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Generally Good Children experiment with texture, colour and form through manipulative materials. Most children enjoy singing, either familiar or made up songs and associate songs with a beat. They act out fantasy roles independently and can associate roles of familiar people in adult lead play. They self represent, creating own version of themed topics through structured art activities. However, children have limited opportunities to access materials and media to extend their self representations.

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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

• extend opportunities for children to label their work independently and recognise their name, to recognise and use rhyming words and to encourage all children to independently select books and stories • extend the accessibility of materials and media to allow mark making and free representation at all times. • review and implement changes to the session to re-organise large groups and mixed ability situations, to enhance children's respect for each other and adults, to take turns, share and work in harmony with each other • extend children's understanding and awareness of other children's space during physical activities using large equipment.

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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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