Little Bears Day Nursery Ltd

INSPECTION DETAILS

Inspection Date 07/03/2005 Inspector Name Maxine Coulson

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SETTING DETAILS

Day Care Type Full Day Care Setting Name Little Bears Day Nursery Ltd Setting Address Hill Farm House, 44 Old Groveway Simpson Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire MK6 3AA

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REGISTERED PROVIDER DETAILS

Name Little Bears Day Nursery Ltd 04374797

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ORGANISATION DETAILS

Name Little Bears Day Nursery Ltd Address Hill Farm House, 44 Old Groveway Simpson Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire MK6 3AA

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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

Little Bears Day Nursery has been open since September 2002. The nursery operates from a detached house with a large garden in a residential area in Milton Keynes. The nursery is privately owned. It is open from 07:30 to 18:00, Monday to Friday, and offers full time and part time care to a maximum of 30 children aged from 3 months to 5 years. The nursery is registered to receive funding for three and four-years-olds. The nursery employes two managers and four nursery officers who have an early years qualification, and three nursery assistants.

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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?

Little Bears Day Nursery provides good-quality nursery education overall which enables children to make generally good progress towards the early learning goals. The quality of teaching is generally good. Staff understand the Foundation Stage and ensure the six areas of learning are covered by their plans. They provide interesting activities to develop children's understanding of the world, but do not always encourage use of computers. They do not provide regular opportunities for children to practise various skills for their large physical development. Staff miss opportunities to extend the children's learning in the areas of mathematics, and language and literacy. The plans show that a range of activities are on offer at each session. Staff offer a good range of creative activities. They have very good relations with the children, who are treated as individuals. Staff manage the children's behaviour well through support and encouragement. They have strategies in place

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How effective is the nursery education?

to support children with special needs. They make observations of the children and check their development against the stepping stones, but do not use these observations and assessments to plan the children's next steps of learning. Leadership and management are generally good. The management are supportive of the staff and offer regular training. Staff have regular team meetings and the management provide one to one opportunities. They work well as a team and assess their own strengths and weaknesses to ensure they are continuously improving their care and practices, although they do not have a rigorous system in place to ensure all areas of the curriculum are fully covered. Partnership with parents is generally good. Parents have clear up-to-date written information about the nursery and the curriculum. Staff provide books with children's work to inform parents about their child's progress, but there are insufficient

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How effective is the nursery education?

opportunities for parents and staff to discuss children's achievements.

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What is being done well?

• The environment is welcoming to the children and they are happy, secure and confident. They participate in activities with enthusiasm and concentrate well. They are learning independence through making their own choices. • Children have access to a good range of resources and play materials that supports their learning and understanding of the world. They have opportunities to practise and develop their creative skills. • Staff manage the children's behaviour well. The staff encourage good behaviour through support and ensuring the children are occupied during the day. • The nursery has a strong partnership with parents. They provide them with clear and concise information about the Foundation Stage and how the

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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 children progress towards the early learning goals. The nursery ensure parents are kept up to date with the topics and themes through regular newsletters.

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What needs to be improved?

• provision of structured activities with adult support that provide opportunities for the children to develop their awareness of linking sounds and letters and to practise their writing skills • provision of structured activities with adult support that provide opportunities for the children to calculate using addition and subtraction • use of observations and assessments in the planning of the next steps of children's individual progression towards the early learning goals • the monitoring and evaluation of the nursery education to ensure that all areas of the curriculum are fully covered and that parents are provided with sufficient opportunities to discuss their children's achievements.

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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 Children are keen and eager to learn and participate in their activities with enthusiasm. They come into the group and settle quickly at activities. They have good relations with the adults and other children; they seek friends out to play. Staff increase the children's confidence and self-esteem by being sensitive to their needs and knowing them well. The children are able to concentrate and sit quietly within a group when appropriate. They are learning to make choices and to be independent.

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COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children are becoming confident communicators and are beginning to develop their abilities to express their feelings and needs. They are able to communicate their own thoughts during activities and enjoy books and listening to stories. They are not sufficiently developing an awareness of the links between sounds and letters or their writing skills.

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MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Significant Weaknesses Children are beginning to confidently count in everyday routines and activities such as snack time. They use appropriate mathematical language to describe measure, size and quantity. Children occasionally use their knowledge of adding to solve mathematical problems. They are not increasing their ability to recreate simple patterns or use language to compare two numbers. Children are not sufficiently developing an understanding of addition and subtraction through activities and discussion.

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KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Judgement: Generally Good Children are beginning to develop a sense of time and place as they talk about family and the surrounding environment. They explore natural materials and talk about why things happen and change. They are able to select appropriate tools that allow them to build, construct and assemble materials. They have access to resources that actively increase children's understanding of diversity and differing lifestyles. Technical equipment is provided, but children are not always encouraged to use it.

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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 are beginning to use small equipment with confidence, skill and increasing control. They are beginning to develop a good understanding of space and move with confidence and with control. They are beginning to be aware of changes within their own bodies after eating and being in a changing environment such as coming in from outside and have cold hands. Children do not have regular opportunities to develop large motor skills such as riding bikes and using a climbing frame.

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CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Judgement: Very Good Children have access to a range of materials that encourage them to explore colour, shape and texture through a variety of practical activities. They are beginning to develop recognition of how to match movements with music and sing simple songs from memory. Through role play, art, stories and other various experiences children are beginning to use their imagination in different forms of play and plans show they have opportunities to use musical instruments and dance to express their own ideas.

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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

• provide structured activities with adult support that provide opportunities for the children to develop their awareness of linking sounds and letters and to practise their writing skills • provide structured activities with adult support that provide opportunities for the children to calculate using addition and subtraction • develop and use observations and assessments in the planning of the next steps of children's individual progression towards the early learning goals.

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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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