The Kentish Town Day Nursery & Pre-School

Kentish Town Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY232072 Inspection date 15/09/2010 Inspector Jill Nugent

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Setting address 37 Ryland Road, London, NW5 3EH

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Telephone number 020 7284 3600 Email kentishtown@bringingupbaby.co.uk Type of setting Childcare on non-domestic premises to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as

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you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the setting

Kentish Town Day Nursery registered in 2003. It operates from the ground floor of a converted building in Kentish Town in the London Borough of Camden. Access to the building is at ground level. Children have the use of five playrooms and a secure outdoor play area. The nursery is open every weekday from 8.00am until 6.15pm throughout the year.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 55 children in the early years age group may attend the setting at any one time and, of these, not more than 30 may be under two. Currently there are 53 children on roll. The nursery supports children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. The nursery currently employs 15 staff, all of whom hold relevant early years qualifications.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The nursery offers a welcoming and stimulating provision for children where they make good progress in their learning and development. Staff ensure that children keep healthy and safe in the setting through the implementation of appropriate procedures. A key strength of the nursery is its promotion of inclusion, enabling all children to benefit from the educational programme on offer. There is a close working partnership with parents and this contributes to children's needs being met effectively. The nursery's monitoring and evaluation procedures work successfully in motivating staff to continually improve the outcomes for all children.

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 develop the use of the outdoor area as an alternative learning environment  extend the information available to parents about the procedures for safeguarding children  ensure that risk assessments cover all aspects of the environment that children come into contact with during the day.

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the early years provision

All the required documentation is in place and provides a very good framework for staff's practice. There are good procedures in place to ensure that children are safeguarded at the nursery. Staff understand what to do if they have any concerns This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 relating to child protection. They are aware of children's individual medical needs and carry out a variety of daily checks in order to maintain a safe and healthy environment. The manager organises a system of risk assessments, noting any actions to be taken to minimize potential risks on the premises. However, the system is not fully effective in covering every aspect of the environment that children may come into contact with during their day.

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the early years provision

Since the previous inspection the manager has worked with staff to implement new systems and ideas in order to improve the provision for children. She has worked closely with other professionals to enthuse staff and promote teamwork. Staff have accessed training in various aspects of the Early Years Foundation Stage and in this way have noticeably improved their provision for children's learning and development. They are keen to take part in specific projects which move children on further in their learning, for example, in the areas of communication and movement. Their future plans are realistically planned and well targeted, for example, extending staff's role as key persons and developing the outdoor play area.

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the early years provision

Staff are deployed effectively and make good use of the available resources in the nursery to create an indoor play environment that is conducive to learning. They respond to children's needs when resourcing each play room, thereby offering a range of activities that are relevant and suitable for children's stages of development. In this way they are able to offer learning experiences that cover all six learning areas, and, in addition, offer extra activities for children who have particular or special individual needs. Children have opportunities each day to play outdoors, although this area is not yet used effectively as an alternative learning environment.

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the early years provision

The nursery has good relationships with parents and carers and provides useful information about the care and education on offer for children. The reception area is used well to welcome and inform visitors, although information about the nursery's safeguarding procedures is not readily available to parents and carers. Staff encourage parents to become involved in their children's learning through providing opportunities to find out how learning is promoted and to regularly exchange information about their children's progress. Parents' views on the overall provision are sought and taken into account when reviewing staff's practice. The nursery has well-established links with other professionals, resulting in excellent support being available for children with special educational needs.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy opportunities to access a wide range of play activities, both independently and as a group. They show much interest in the activities on offer and develop close relationships with staff as they play and explore together. For example, babies delight in the freedom to move around, trying out different experiences, such as sand play and string painting. In this way they learn to use their senses and make connections. Older children develop their use of language This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and problem solving skills as they share books, construct models and make pizzas.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very well supported by staff who enhance their play experiences through effective interaction. Staff are aware of children's developmental needs, knowing when to leave them to explore independently or when to engage them in conversation. They respond to children's interests and ask questions to encourage their thinking. In this way children are encouraged to become active and creative learners. They gain self-esteem as they are supported and praised for their achievements.

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and outcomes for children

Staff move children on effectively in their learning through the use of a comprehensive system of observations, reflections and planning. The system of daily planning works well in following up children's individual interests and next steps throughout the week. It is monitored effectively by the manager to ensure that all children are making progress towards the early learning goals. Extra time is allocated for staff to work with children with special educational needs and this is successful in promoting their individual learning.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop useful skills for the future, especially in the areas of literacy and numeracy, as they participate in group times or use computer games. Older children in particular benefit from well-organised circle times when they can join in discussion, use numbers and make decisions about their play. Children's behaviour is excellent, they learn to respect others and find out about different cultures and religions within a multicultural environment. Consequently they develop a real sense of belonging in the setting and make their own positive contribution.

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and outcomes for children

Children feel safe at nursery as staff follow set routines and ensure that children are supervised when moving around the premises. A calm and relaxed atmosphere helps children to feel secure and encourages their involvement in the activities. Children are offered a variety of healthy and nutritious meals, and have a wide selection of interesting foods from which to choose at snack times. They are able to rest according to their needs so that they do not become overtired. When playing outdoors they benefit from the opportunity to be physically active in the fresh air. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 2 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 2 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 2

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Stage

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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