Micky Star Community Children's Centre

Micky Star Community Children's Centre Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number EY312270 Inspection date 23/11/2010 Inspector Catherine Green

p.1

Setting address 58-61 St. Michaels Street, London, W2 1QR

p.1

Telephone number 0207 262 5590 Email mickystar@wcs.org.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

p.1

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

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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).

p.3

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.

p.3

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

p.3

Description of the setting

Mickey Star Children's Centre has been registered since 2005 and is managed by the London Early Years Foundation (LEYF). The setting operates from a purpose built nursery within a Children's Centre in the Edgware Road area of Westminster. The premises consists of an under two's room on the upper floor reached by a lift and the two to five year group room which is on the ground floor with free flow play into the garden, there is also milk kitchens a main kitchen, an office and toilet facilities.

p.4

Description of the setting

The setting is open from 8am until 6pm daily and children attend for various sessions full tim eand part time 9am-1pm for mornings and 1pm-6pm for the afternoon.. There are currently 37 children aged from six months to under five years on roll. The setting supports children with disabilities and/or learning difficulties and those who speak English as an additional language.

p.4

Description of the setting

Mickey Star employs 10 staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications.

p.4

Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Staff at this setting have very good knowledge of each child as an individual which enables them to meet their needs and ensure that children learn and develop very well. Children's safety and security is promoted at all times and they independently access a good range of activities including regular visits within their community. The high quality of the provision is supported by a very good partnership with parents and highly effective processes of self-evaluation which allows continuous improvement. Partnerships with other professionals and parents contribute significantly towards ensuring that the unique needs of every child are met. The setting's capacity for maintaining ongoing improvement is excellent. The entire staff team, parents and children have been involved in identifying the strengths of the provision and priorities for future development in order to promote outcomes for each child.

p.4

further?

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

p.4

further?

 continuing to involve parents in their children?s learning and development, for example, through making regular contributions to their progress records. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  further continue the development of the outdoor play area and safe storage of children?s buggy's.

p.4

the early years provision

The setting is managed very effectively with safety given top priority. Staff are able to meet children's needs as all required policies and procedures are well known and followed carefully. All adults including students are vetted for suitability before they can start to work with children. A wide range of guidance is available and visible and all staff including students know exactly what to do in the event of a concern. Risk assessment and safety checks are thorough in all areas. The required records and comprehensive policy documents are in place and are recently reviewed in light of recent renovations and changes to group room locations. These measures all ensure that children's safety and welfare remains the setting's priority. Staff with responsibility for safety at the setting are confident and knowledgeable about their role. They clearly explain their procedure for keeping children safe during fire evacuation, including systems for risk assessing and

p.5

the early years provision

planning a safe route and collection point. The deployment of staff at the setting further protects children's safety and provides significant support for each child.

p.5

the early years provision

The senior management team and all staff demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement and the recommendations set at the last inspection have been met. Staff have worked very hard to embrace change and make the transition to using different group rooms smoothly with minimal disruption for the children and families using the centre. The setting is very well supported by the community and a management body that fully supports the work of the established and newer staff members enabling very effective team work. All staff demonstrate committment to continuous improvement and development as this setting continually evolves.

p.5

the early years provision

Children explore the spacious group rooms independently accessing resources with very good levels of supervision at all times. Staff undertake regular and effective risk assessments to ensure that children's safety is paramount, for example, all resources are checked before use and drop off and collection routines are secure. The manager has recently reviewed the security of the main entrance and doors into all levels which has resulted in a new security system being implemented.

p.5

the early years provision

Staff's professional development is made a priority here which means that children are able to make rapid progress under their expert guidance. The organisation prioritses quality through ongoing development and a commitment to training and qualification for all staff. The manager although still relatively new at this setting has made good impact supporting the staff team in order to maintain high standards and continuous improvement.

p.5

the early years provision

Equality and diversity is well promoted. Children's individual preferences and needs are respected and fostered by the staff who have a secure knowledge of their families and home routines. Staff understand and skilfully support the needs of individual children as they play together, all children are included and treated fairly This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and the staff get to know their personalities and interests very well. The views and wishes of parents are fully respected and a very good range of information is shared.

p.5

the early years provision

Staff are all first aid trained; they promote children's good health and well-being in their understanding of effective practice, for example, if children are ill or have accidents. Children are also given a sense of understanding about their own health and safety as they learn about personal hygiene, healthy eating and how their behaviour may impact upon others in the setting.

p.6

the early years provision

Staff are qualified and have a comprehensive understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result they provide children with an imaginative and rich curriculum which covers the areas of learning extremely well. The curriculum is delivered using imagination and creativity and staff provide a highly stimulating and welcoming environment for children. Individual planning is provided for each child following careful observation and assessment of their abilities and interests. Children are 'listened to' and their learning experiences are extended, when children enthusiastically talked about Halloween, from this they wrote and made their own recipie for a magic potion using ingredients such as 'eyeballs' and 'smelly feet'. Consequently children thoroughly enjoy learning as activities are really fun and tailored to their individual interests.

p.6

the early years provision

The manager who is relatively new to the post has made very good use of self- evaluation and works very hard to ensure that her level of provision is continuously improving and that children's needs are promoted constantly. Staff are supported to obtain relevant information about their plans from the responses made by children as they carefully observe them to ensure that the entire range of their needs are understood and met. Staff have a very good and accurate understanding of children's starting points and their interests and from this plan suitable activities to promote children's learning in an enjoyable and interesting way. They consistently maintain good written records to demonstrate the progress that is made by individual children. The manager maintains an inclusive setting where the uniqueness of each child is reflected throughout all aspects of the provision.

p.6

the early years provision

Staff have a very good partnership with parents. They provide written information for them which is informative and from which they can gain a complete understanding of their children's day to day well being. Parents comment that they have excellent access to development information about their children and are able to meet with key persons both informally and on specially arranged occasions. Key staff ensure that they have a complete understanding of the children in their key groups from information derived from parents and ensure that this process is ongoing at all times. Designated staff have experience of liaising with external agencies and have given considerable thought to methods of providing accurate development information about the children attending when this is appropriate. Parents greatly value the work of the staff; they trust their judgements and appreciate the progress that their children make.

p.6

the early years provision

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.7

and outcomes for children

The manager and her staff team rigorously evaluate children's learning and development to ensure they make as much progress as possible. Future areas for consideration include further sharing practice with parents and continuing to develop the outdoor play area as a learning resource, also to include development of a shed to store children's buggys.

p.7

and outcomes for children

Children make good progress in a child-friendly play and learning environment. Their independence is very well promoted as they decide what they want to do and select resources freely. The storage of play equipment promotes children's independence and they have ample space in which to move, explore and play. Staff facilitate this very effectively and make skilful interventions to enhance children's learning, add incentive and offer support. As children arrive and quickly settle into their routines they select activities such as books, role play equipment and puzzles which are all readily available.

p.7

and outcomes for children

The staff's good observation skills and the carefully collated portfolios of children's work and experiences allows there to be a very good understanding of the progress that children make. Staff work from children's interests and development needs to plan their next steps in learning and broaden their experiences through play. This gives children challenging and interesting opportunities to learn as they take part in messy play, use numbers and learn about words, letters and writing. The experiences that the children have are greatly enhanced by the well planned visits that they enjoy, for example, the babies recently enjoyed their trip along the canal looking at the ducks as they had their picnic snack and the older children are really looking forward to a trip to the winter wonderland theme park in Hyde Park.

p.7

and outcomes for children

Children in the setting show very good standards of behaviour and positive relationships with each other and the staff. All children share resources and will take turns, the older children also support the younger children playing outdoors showing a good understanding of their needs and abilities. The staff's behaviour management is very good, they use praise and encouragements at all times and fully understand that children's self-esteem is an important consideration. They also use appropriate language when they talk to children of different ages which greatly aids their understanding about their own behaviour. Children respond well to their learning opportunities and to the staff as they play together and share conversations. The staff make children feel secure and through asking questions, explaining things and encouraging children to respond verbally are promoting children's language development very well.

p.7

and outcomes for children

Staff plan for individual children exceptionally well. This includes spontaneous planning as children develop their own ideas through play. They clearly record the next steps needed in learning to ensure that children are provided with experiences that are meaningful and that they are offered new challenges. Comprehensive use of observational assessment clearly shows the rapid progress children make. Tracking their individual key children enables the staff to chart children's progress and identify any gaps in learning. Regular assessments include This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 specific plans in each area of learning for every child. These are highly relevant and incorporated into the every day activities that children enjoy and clearly build on their existing abilities and interests. The staff team work cohesively together taking responsibility as a community and supporting each other.

p.7

and outcomes for children

Children have access to a range of purposeful activities that cover all areas of learning and which they can undertake with or without adult support. Children's physical and creative development is promoted very well and they have a growing understanding of their world and community. Staff use many useful opportunities in the activities that children undertake to give them a good sense of the diversity that they may experience in their lives. Staff have a very good understanding of the Early years foundation stage and ensure that children progress very well towards the early learning goals. In order to ensure that children continue to make progress all staff are using self-evaluation to develop the educational programmes that children will experience, they have identified including parents contributions in the learning records as an area for future development.

p.8

and outcomes for children

Children are safe, happy and progressing in all areas as they access appropriate and well planned activities. Staff develop caring and supportive relationships with the children and are committed to them achieving the best that they can. Children enjoy what they do and achieve very positive outcomes. They enjoy sharing stories and their emerging language skills are very well promoted. Children have every opportunity to share books and explore initial sounds. They are learning to build relationships as they share stories and sit really well during circle time, listening intently. They are fully engaged as the staff member reads to them due to her skilled approach. She includes boys and girls equally, so that they can fully participate and enjoy the imaginative and engaging way she reads to them.

p.8

and outcomes for children

Children enjoy activities that involve problem solving. These include shape sorting, matching and counting. They use computers, cameras and interactive toys and resources that help them to discover how things work with confidence and creativity. They have very good opportunities to learn about the natural world. They talk about their fish and the African snails and know that they are growing well by eating 'really good food'. They take their responsibility for the pets very seriously and really benefit form taking care of them. Children have access to a range of purposeful activities that cover all areas of learning and which they can undertake with or without adult support. Children's physical and creative development is promoted very well and they have a growing understanding of their world and community. Staff use many useful opportunities in the activities that children undertake to give them a good sense of the diversity that they may

p.8

and outcomes for children

experience in their lives. Staff have a very good understanding of the Early years foundation stage and ensure that children progress very well towards the early learning goals. In order to ensure that children continue to make progress all staff are using self-evaluation to develop the educational programmes that children will experience, they have identified including parents contributions in the learning records as an area for future improvement. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.8

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

p.9

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

p.9

children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

p.9

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 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

p.9

Stage

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

p.9

Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 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

p.9

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

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

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

p.10

Annex B: the Childcare Register

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

p.10