Lavenders Day Nursery

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 18/12/2003 Inspector Name Ann Hilary Guy

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Lavenders Day Nursery Setting Address 19 Bushmead Avenue Bedford Bedfordshire MK40 3QJ

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Child Base Ltd Address Kingston House Northampton Road Newport Pagnell Buckinghamshire MK16 8NJ

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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

Lavenders Day Nursery opened in 1990. It provides full daycare for children from birth to five years. At the time of inspection 97 children attend the nursery throughout the week. They come from Bedford and the surrounding area. Their hours of attendance vary to suit the working hours of the parents. There are no children currently attending with special educational needs and six who have English as a second language. At the time of inspection 23 children are in receipt of nursery funding, of whom, 20 are three-year-olds and 3 are four-year-olds. The nursery is situated in a large Victorian house within walking distance of Bedford town centre. It is on three floors and has a fully enclosed rear garden for outside play. There are 16 staff working with the children on a regular basis, plus other holiday cover staff. Over 75% of the staff are suitably qualified. Staff attend regular courses to extend their knowledge and qualifications. The nursery follows the Sound

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Information about the setting

Foundations approach to education, which has been developed by Childbase. Staff receive support from a development worker from the Early Years development and Childcare Partnership, together with support, when required, from other professional bodies in relation to children with special needs.

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How good is the Day Care?

Lavenders Day Nursery provides a good standard of care for children. The provision is well organised and effective use is made of staff, space and resources to ensure all the children are well cared for. A sound set of polices and procedures underpin the work of the nursery and staff understand and consistently implement these. The safety of the children is given high priority, both inside and outside the building.

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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 Sleeping children are regularly monitored and any special dietary requirements can be met. Children with special needs and English as a second language are well supported and fully included in activities. The nursery operates a keyworker system, which enables staff to establish good relationships with the children and their parents. Throughout the nursery, children benefit from consistent routines for eating sleeping and playing. A stimulating variety of practical experiences is planned in all rooms to develop the children's skills and abilities. Staff develop and extend the children's language and encourage them to be independent learners. Occasional instances of challenging behaviour are dealt with appropriately, in line with the policy.

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How good is the Day Care?

There is a good partnership with parents and carers. They know what is going on through regular newsletters, notice boards and informal contact with the staff. The home contact diaries are used well with the younger children to share information daily with parents.

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What has improved since the last inspection?

At the last inspection, the nursery were asked to find a way of promoting dignity and privacy when children are using the toilet facilities. They have met this by installing curtains across the doorways of the toilet cubicles.

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What is being done well?

• Staff make sure all the children who attend the nursery are safe and well cared for at all times. • Good use is made of specialist teachers to provide a wide and varied curriculum for the older children. • The standard of care for all children is very good. Staff give excellent attention to meeting the children's individual needs and plan activities which stimulate their interest.

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What needs to be improved?

• the accuracy of information in all registers.

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Outcome of the 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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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 Ensure accurate registers are maintained throughout the nursery at all times.

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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 Lavenders Day Nursery is of high quality. Children are making very good progress towards the early learning goals in all six areas of learning. A significant feature of this nursery is the way in which staff weave early literacy and numeracy throughout the sessions. Children are becoming independent, self motivated learners. Teaching is very good. The staff have a thorough knowledge and understanding of how children learn. Staff achieve high standards of interaction with children. In this language rich environment, children learn good skills for speaking, listening, reading and writing. Staff ask questions to make children think and respond sensitively to their individual needs. Staff skilfully plan a wide range of interesting and stimulating play based activities which provide an appropriate level of challenge for children. Happy children learn to concentrate well and they develop confidence and self

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How effective is the nursery education?

esteem in this well organised group. The assessment of children's learning is manageable, effective and tracks children's progress against the stepping stones. The nursery has a good range of equipment to cover all areas of learning and staff thoughtfully organise resources and furniture to provide a learning environment of good quality. Leadership and management of the setting is very good. Much of the success of the setting is due to the clear guidance of the company and the effective management systems. A new educational programme called "Sound Foundations" is currently being introduced. The manager supervises the daily routines closely. The staff team are committed to improvement through on-going training and have developed effective strategies to continually monitor, evaluate and review their practice. The partnership with parents and carers is very good. Parents are well informed about the work of the nursery and receive suggestions for "Things to do at Home".

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What is being done well?

• The well organised staff team provide a suitably planned and well prepared learning environment. Qualified and experienced staff are able to interact with children to extend and integrate learning across all six areas. • The effective use of photograph books provide discussion prompts and reminders of significant events at home and at nursery. • Children feel valued and gain a sense of belonging so that they develop confidence and independence. Children know and understand the daily routine; for example, staff give a warning that the bell is going to ring for tidying up time. • Staff are developing resources such as "finding out" boxes, where children are encouraged to explore and discuss properties of such articles as different

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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 shaped soaps, textures and 'things that go together.' These sessions encourage children to learn new vocabulary and enable them to develop the confidence to speak in a small group. • Children develop exceptionally good concentration skills, learn to listen carefully and have fun. • Parents value the additional activities provided by peripetetic teachers - French lessons, Sign Language and Dance.

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What needs to be improved?

• No obvious targets for improvement were highlighted during the inspection, but the setting might consider how the high standards identified will be sustained throughout the forthcoming transition to new planning systems.

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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 Children are happy and confidently express their needs and ideas. They relate well to each other and adults. They become interested and involved in their play, which underpins their learning in many areas. Children develop good concentration skills, sit quietly and cope well with distractions caused by current building work. Children respond positively to the consistent expectations of staff and behaviour is very good. They become independent learners and develop respect for other cultures.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Very Good Children are confident speakers and engage easily in conversations such as "My dad is a carpenter….does he work with bricks or wood? Children make marks and practise writing for a variety of purposes. There are plentiful opportunities to handle books and to develop language for thinking. Literacy activities are strongly linked to other areas of learning. Staff deployment ensures very good support for children through discussion activities and interaction in role play.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Learning is woven throughout the nursery day, such as 'laying the tables for lunch' and practical problem solving activities such as finding out whether fir cones or conkers weigh heavier. Many children count to ten and enjoy using their counting skills in practical contexts relating their calculation to the numeral on the wall. They learn about size and shape through modelling and painting and compare the sizes of wrapped presents in the role play Christmas Grotto.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Very Good Children learn about the natural world and features of their environment using exploratory skills, direct observation and investigation. The children build and construct using a wide range of objects, materials and tools. They enjoy walks and visits to the nearby home for the elderly and explore past and present events in their own lives and those of others. Children learn about information technology through toys in play and the computer is used to support learning in other areas.

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PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children's progress in physical development is very good due to the balance of directed sessions and the quality of interaction with children during freely chosen activities. Opportunities for movement, climbing and balancing are provided indoors and out and staff ensure that the tasks are age appropriate for children of differing abilities. Children develop an awareness of space and enjoy using a wide range of resources, tools and equipment. Children learn the importance of staying healthy.

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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 Opportunities for children to enjoy music based activities are given appropriate priority and children are familiar with a wide variety of musical songs and rhymes. Children use their imaginations and express their ideas through art, dance, stories and a well planned range of activities in two and three dimensions. Creative work effectively reinforces learning in other areas and children are given balanced opportunities for free expression and individuality.

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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: • Point for consideration:- • During the forthcoming period of transition, whilst new planning systems are introduced by the company, ensure continued rigorous monitoring and evaluation of the educational provision to maintain the high standards identified at this inspection.

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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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