Glenhurst Nursery & Pre-School

Glenhurst Nursery & Pre-School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY233222 Inspection date 08/11/2010 Inspector Lisa Cupples

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Setting address Glenhurst School, 16 Beechworth Road, Havant, Hampshire, PO9 1AX Telephone number 02392 484054 Email office@glenhurstschool.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.

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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

Glenhurst Nursery and Pre-school is a privately owned setting and came under new ownership in 1999. It operates from a house in the centre of Havant, Hampshire. Children have access to a variety of play rooms and a secure outdoor play area. The setting also provides a breakfast and after school club for children attending local schools. The nursery and pre-school are open from 8.00am to 6.00pm for 50 weeks of the year. The breakfast club is open from 8.00am until 8.50am and the after school club is open from 3.15pm to 6.00pm, each weekday during term time only. The setting also provides a holiday club for older children when it is required.

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Description of the setting

The pre-school is registered to provide care for a maximum of 68 children aged under 8 years; of these, only 56 may be in the early years age group and of these, may provide care for 32 children aged under 3 years at any one time. There are currently 70 children in the early years age range on roll. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the setting

The provision employs ten members of staff to work directly with the children, including the owner. Of these, all ten staff hold relevant qualifications ranging from degree level to level 2. The setting also employs a full-time office manager and a cook.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

All children are happy and settled during their time at the setting. They are making sound progress towards the early learning goals in all six areas. The owner of the setting and the manager are working together to drive improvement. However, the self-evaluation process needs some improvement to ensure the setting's strengths and areas for improvement are accurately identified and addressed. All the required policies, procedures and documentation are in place and are reviewed regularly. However, monitoring systems need to be improved to ensure the children's individual learning needs are identified and shared regularly with parents. Safeguarding procedures are robust to ensure children are safe and secure at all times.

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further?

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

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further?

 continue to develop the observation system in place to clearly identify the next steps in children's learning and development to ensure each child is This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 sufficiently challenged, including evaluation for success or improvement  ensure the children's next steps are updated consistently in order for each child's learning journey to take a personal path based on their own interests, experiences and the curriculum on offer and ensure these are regularly shared with parents to enable learning to be continued at home  continue to develop systems of self-evaluation to effectively identify the setting's strengths and priorities for development and involve all members of staff in the evaluation process to improve the quality of provision for all children  develop monitoring systems to ensure the quality of staff interaction with the

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further?

children is consistent across all areas of the nursery.

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the early years provision

All children are safeguarded effectively because the staff team have a good understanding of the child protection procedures and know how to implement them to protect the children in their care. Full policies and procedures are in place and are shared with parents to ensure they are fully aware of the setting's safeguarding responsibilities. Children benefit from a safe and secure play and learning environment because staff are vigilant and immediately remove any potential risks to children, such as picking up resources if they fall on the floor to remove trip hazards. Full written risk assessments are completed and reviewed regularly and daily checks are carried out before the children arrive to ensure all areas are adequately prepared for the children. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to ensure all adults working with the children are suitable. In addition, all visitors are required to show identification on arrival and sign in and

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the early years provision

out of the visitors book, maintaining an accurate record of everyone coming into contact with the children. Staff ensure that all accidents, incidents and pre-existing injuries are recorded in detail to further protect the children. The setting also implements a password system to ensure only authorised adults can collect the children if their parents or regular carers are unable to.

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the early years provision

The setting has made some progress since the last inspection and has addressed most of the previous recommendations. For example, the lay out of the pre-school rooms and the nursery unit resources and equipment have been changed to enable all children to enjoy the experience of continuous provision. The owner and manager of the setting are beginning to identify the strengths and areas for improvement through self-evaluation and have devised action and development plans, making some progress towards improving the outcomes for children. The owner and the manager of the setting carry out the evaluation of the setting, including the review of policies and procedures. However, the evaluation procedures are not currently extended to the rest of the staff team, although staff are required to read and sign any updated policies. This limits the team members' opportunities to participate in bringing about improvement for the children and

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the early years provision

does not actively encourage them to take responsibility for their individual areas of work. As a result, the quality of care, play and learning for the children varies across the setting. For example, the interaction between some of the staff and children in the nursery unit is not of the same standard as that provided in the pre- This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 school building. Consequently, in the nursery unit some children wander around aimlessly for up to an hour before being actively engaged by the staff or involved in purposeful activities. Therefore, the system in place to monitor staff performance and to ensure the consistency and quality of staff interaction with children across the setting is not implemented effectively.

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the early years provision

All children have access to a range of age and stage appropriate resources that are easily accessible and stored at a low-level, promoting the children's independence and decision-making skills. However, the resources are not always used effectively to sufficiently challenge the children due to staff not always being aware of the children's next learning and development steps. As a result, some of the learning that takes place is incidental, rather than as a result of well-planned activities or sessions. Consequently, children's play and learning is often general and is not aimed at their individual needs. The deployment of staff is satisfactory and ratios are maintained at all times to ensure the children are fully supervised, safe and secure during their time at the setting. Children are beginning to learn about the world around them and have access to multicultural resources on a daily basis. The

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the early years provision

setting also celebrates a range of international festivals, such as Diwali and Saint Martin's Day to promote the children's awareness of diversity.

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the early years provision

Partnership with parents is sound and staff are available to talk to the parents at any time. Display boards are used to show the parents the type of activities and events their children can participate in, and a white board is used to remind the parents of any events that are coming up, such as cultural festivals or sports day. Parents receive a newsletter monthly to keep them informed about the setting and any changes that take place. Staff also record notes on daily diary sheets, informing the parents about their children's diet, sleep routines, general well-being and the activities that are available to them during the day. Parents are also required to complete a form during the registration process, sharing details about the children's individual requirements and their starting points in relation to their learning and development. The setting holds parents evenings to discuss the children's progress once a term. Parents also have access to their children's

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the early years provision

records at any time on request. However, the information shared through the records and discussion is limited because staff do not identify the children's next steps and some records are not kept up-to-date, for example, only one next step has been recorded for a child who has been attending for over a year. This prevents the parents from being able to extend their children's learning at home because they do not always know what the children are working towards during their time at the setting. Systems are in place to share information with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage to ensure care, play and learning is consistent for those children who attend more than one setting. Links are also developing well with local schools to ensure the children's transition into school runs smoothly. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

All staff have a clear understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and spend time observing and recording what the children can do. However, they do not currently use this information effectively to identify the children's next learning steps. Therefore, the planned curriculum is based on how the resources will be used to ensure all six areas of learning are covered and does not reflect the children's individual needs. However, children are making steady progress towards the early learning goals through a range of play and learning experiences and incidental learning opportunities. Children are able to follow simple instructions, such as lining up when the bell rings after lunch time play. They stand quietly while staff do a head count; children follow the rules and show an awareness of the daily routines. Children handle books correctly and enjoy listening to stories as staff use character voices to bring the stories to life. They have opportunities to

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and outcomes for children

mark-make, developing their emergent writing skills in a variety of ways. For example, they have access to writing materials throughout the day and use chalks outside. Older children are able to form clear, recognisable letters and some are able to write the own names. Children in the pre-school are beginning to link letters and sounds during phonics activities, developing an understanding that text has meaning. Staff in the pre-school are attentive and respond well to the children's needs. For example, they participate fully in the musical movement activities, praising the children as they confidently match actions to songs and rhymes. Staff facilitate the children's role play well, providing additional resources to extend the children's own ideas as they invent characters and negotiate roles. Interaction between the staff and children in the nursery unit varies greatly. For example, some staff ask open-ended questions as the children complete puzzles,

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and outcomes for children

helping the children to figure out how to make the pieces fit together. They suggest turning the pieces over or around, encouraging the children to persevere until they figure out how to complete the puzzles independently. Other staff sit with the children on the play mats and pass them toys and resources, with little interaction. Children recognise numbers during their play and count with ease during free-play. They have access to computers and their information technology skills are developing well. For example, children know how to use the mouse and how to select the programmes they want to use.

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and outcomes for children

Children of all ages are happy and settled and younger children often hold their arms up for a cuddle and all staff respond well, ensuring the children feel safe and secure during their time at the setting. Children are developing sound relationships with staff and are beginning to explore their surroundings. Children are beginning to learn how to keep themselves safe through daily routines and safety rules. For example, children are reminded of the rules when using scissors as staff tell them to remember to sit down during cutting activities. Children are also reminded not to run around or climb on the chairs in case they fall and hurt themselves or others. All children and staff practise regular fire drills to ensure they all know how to evacuate the premises safely and quickly in the event of an emergency. Children's behaviour is satisfactory and they understand the rules of the setting. Some children are frequently reminded by staff about the rules, such as asking

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and outcomes for children

them not to run inside the building and reminding them to share and take turns. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Staff respond well to issues over the resources, kneeling down and talking to the children about how important it is to share the equipment. Staff spend time talking to the children to resolve any situations fairly. For example, staff ask the children who had the electronic toy or the doll first and then encourage the children to return it or wait for their turn. Older children are beginning to show consideration for others, asking if they want to join in or looking at books together. Some staff are skilled at directing the children's play towards more purposeful activities, such as setting up racing games outside for those children who want to run around and need to burn off their excess energy.

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and outcomes for children

Children are beginning to learn the importance of healthy eating and staff sit with the children in all age groups during snack and meal times. They talk about the types of food that are good for them and will help them to 'grow big and strong'. Home-made meals are cooked on site by a qualified cook and the daily menus always include a range of fresh fruit and vegetables. All children wash their hands before snack and meal times and use disposable paper towels to dry their hands, helping to prevent the possible spread of infection. All children's health, dietary and physical needs are being met and staff use the records about the children's individual routines to ensure they are respecting the parents' wishes. All children have access to a secure outdoor play area and allocated times are organised to ensure all age groups reap the benefits of the fresh air daily. Children have many opportunities to develop their physical skills during both indoor and outdoor

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and outcomes for children

activities. They ride wheeled toys with precision, showing good spatial awareness and practise balancing on different sized tree stumps. Children talk about how running and jumping is good for them if they can make their hearts beat faster; they know when they are hot and help themselves to fresh drinking water following exercise. 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 3 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 3 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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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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Annex B: the Childcare Register

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

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