Orchard Nursery School

Orchard Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY399869 Inspection date 28/09/2010 Inspector Lindsey Cullum

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Setting address Orchard Nursery School, Ketteringham Hall, Church Road, Ketteringham, WYMONDHAM, Norfolk, NR18 9RS Telephone number 01603 813240 Email charlotte.beevor@btconnect.com 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.

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as 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

Orchard Nursery School is one of two nurseries run by the same proprietor. It was registered in September 2001 and re-registered in 2010 as a limited company. The provision operates from converted buildings, situated in the grounds of Ketteringham Hall, in Norfolk. The children are divided into four group rooms which have access to enclosed outdoor play areas. Children are regularly taken on outings within the Hall grounds.

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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 50 children between the ages of three months and school age, may attend at any one time. There are currently 99 children within the Early Years Foundation Stage on roll and the nursery is in receipt of government funding for nursery education. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am until 6.00pm throughout the year. Overnight care is not provided. Children and families who attend travel from the village and surrounding rural area. Children attend for a variety of sessions each week.

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Description of the setting

There are 14 members of staff who work with the children. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications, one has Qualified Teacher Status, one holds a BA (Hons) degree in Early Years and two have achieved Early Years Professional Status. Other members of the staff team are currently studying for appropriate 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

Children are well provided for within the Early Years Foundation Stage and are making good progress in their learning and development. They benefit from a welcoming and child-centred environment where they are well supported by enthusiastic and caring staff. Excellent partnerships are developed with parents, other settings and professional services to ensure that children's individual needs are actively met. Most records and documents to support children's well-being are in place. The setting is positively led by the owner and management team who have established effective systems for monitoring and evaluating the provision to enable the setting to identify and action areas for continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further the risk assessment for every type of outing to take account of the nature and type of the outing This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  ensure that information is available for each child about who has legal contact with the child and who has parental responsibility for the child.

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the early years provision

Children are effectively safeguarded from the risk of abuse or neglect as the owner, manager and staff have a secure understanding of safeguarding issues and are confident of how to refer any concerns. All staff receive regular safeguarding training and information on safeguarding is easily accessible. There are rigorous systems in place to ensure that all staff who work with children are qualified and suitable. Risk assessments are used to reduce the potential risks for children whilst within the setting. However, whilst staff are aware of the potential dangers when taking children on outings, a risk assessment is not completed for each type of outing to identify and minimise any risks. To ensure they are well prepared for future independence, the setting actively supports children in developing their own awareness regarding safety matters. Children practise fire evacuation routines, clear away resources which may present a hazard for others and know how to use

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the early years provision

tools, such as scissors, safely. All documentation is clear and accessible. However, some children's records do not contain information on who has legal contact with the child and who has parental responsibility for the child, which may compromise children's welfare.

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the early years provision

The indoor and outdoor environment is well designed to support children's independence, with resources stored in low-level units, which allow children from an early age to select items for themselves. Displays of children's artwork and photographs create a welcoming atmosphere and promote children's sense of belonging. Routines are flexible and geared to children's individual needs. The setting succeeds in providing an inclusive facility where all children, regardless of age or ability, are actively encouraged to take part in the rich experiences on offer to them at the nursery.

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the early years provision

Partnerships with parents and others are excellent. The setting strives to engage all those connected with the children in making sure children's needs are met and securing their ongoing learning and development. Daily conversations, written 'home day' books for younger children and accessible 'learning stories' containing contributions from parents ensure children's learning and development is consistently promoted. Parents receive clear information about the setting's policies and procedures and receive ongoing information about events at the nursery which reassures parents that their child's welfare and learning is given high priority. Parents speak very positively about their children's experience at the setting, stating that their children are 'extremely happy' and 'progressing brilliantly', nursery staff are 'professional, understanding and knowledgeable' and children take part in 'well thought out activities'.

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the early years provision

The setting is led by well qualified, committed and enthusiastic leaders who, alongside supportive staff, have high aspirations for the children. Ongoing training helps management and staff to keep up-to-date with current thinking in the field of children's care and education and they utilise this information effectively to make This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 ongoing improvements to the service children receive. For example, training initiatives which staff attended have led to them rearranging areas and purchasing additional resources to create 'communication friendly spaces' and the outside play area is being transformed to include sensory, digging and gardening areas. Effective evaluation systems help to ensure improvements are implemented effectively and are beneficial to the children.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy, secure and settled within the nursery. They make good progress in their learning and development as staff have a secure understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and use this to effectively plan a diverse range of activities that are derived from children's interests and are well matched to their abilities. Children have freedom to make their own choices and a high proportion of activities are child initiated with sensitive adult support. Information about what the children know and can do when they start attending the nursery is gathered from parents which, along with early observations, provides a basis for future learning. Regular observations and evaluations of each child's progress are maintained and are used to identify and plan for the next steps required in their learning. Tracking documents help staff to identify gaps and plan effectively to cover all areas of learning.

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and outcomes for children

Staff are caring, affectionate and responsive to children's needs, building trusting relationships and encouraging children from an early age to be confident, curious and explore their environment. Effective use of open ended questions by staff such as 'what happens when you turn the net upside down?' encourages children to think and work things out for themselves. Children thrive in the well-organised, stimulating learning environment, which actively encourages their independence as they choose activities and undertake self-care routines. A good proportion of the day is spent outdoors where children delight in exploring a variety of natural materials, problem solve as they fit together cogs and wheels or use their imagination as they play together with the ride-on toys. Children's knowledge of the natural world is very well promoted. They frequently explore the Hall grounds, learning about the changes to their environment throughout the seasons,

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and outcomes for children

observing the wildlife and vegetation or collecting materials for activities. They are learning how things grow as they plant, tend and harvest fruit and vegetables in the nursery garden.

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and outcomes for children

Children's communication and language skills are exceptionally well supported with babies being quick to vocalise and younger children's vocabulary extended through the use of sounds, puppets, gestures, stories and songs. Older children communicate with confidence, asking questions, sharing their thoughts and joining in conversations. Children's interest in books is actively fostered. They frequently select a book to look through alone or seek an adult to share the book with. Children are encouraged to count through songs and activities and more complex maths problems are built in to their everyday play. A computer and programmable toys are accessible for older children whilst activity toys for babies encourage all This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children to develop confidence with technology. Children eagerly join in music sessions and create patterns of sounds with a range of musical instruments. Messy

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and outcomes for children

play activities are enthusiastically enjoyed by the children and provide opportunities for creativity and exploration.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop and excellent understanding of keeping healthy and good personal hygiene routines. They are provided with healthy meals and snacks and fresh drinking water is accessible to the children at all times. Children have access to the garden throughout the day where they delight in physically activities such as energetically riding wheeled toys, playing games with balls, climbing, sliding and balancing. Young babies have a safe area outside in which they are able to crawl or toddle and babies enjoy the fresh air as they are taken out in buggies. Children know when they need to rest or sleep and seek comfortable cushions for a quiet rest or settle quickly to sleep on small beds or in cots. Babies are sensitively cuddled whilst being fed their bottle, with eye contact and smiles from the adult to help them feel secure. All children are actively included in events and the setting ensures children are surrounded by positive imagery of wider society and celebrate

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and outcomes for children

world festivals. Children's social skills are well developed from a young age and they are very well behaved. They share and co-operate effectively with friends and are treated with respect by staff who are good role models. Clear boundaries around acceptable behaviour help children to feel secure and develop a sense of right and wrong. 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 1 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 1 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 1 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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