Burley Gate CofE Primary School

Buffer Bear Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 116788 Inspection date 29/11/2010 Inspector Melissa Cox

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Setting address The Hospitium, 7 Valpy Street, READING, RG1 1AR

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Telephone number 0118 9560341 Email reading@bufferbear.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

Buffer Bears Nursery opened in 1996 and operates from converted premises in a listed building in central Reading in Berkshire and is part of the Buffer Bear chain of nurseries. The nursery provision is set over two floors of the building and the children share a small enclosed garden for outside play. The station is within walking distance of the nursery. The nursery is open from 7.30am to 6.30pm all year, excluding bank holidays.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both parts of the Childcare Register and receives funding for the provision of free early education to children aged three and four years. A maximum of 78 children may attend the setting at any one time; of these no more than 30 may be under two years. There are currently 82 children on roll in the early years range group. Children come from the local area. The nursery currently supports children with learning difficulties and also supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The nursery employs 28 staff of whom 15 hold qualifications above NVQ level 3 and 13 other staff hold appropriate early years qualifications. Of these staff, 5 are working towards an appropriate degree qualification in childcare.

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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 cared for in a welcoming, safe and inclusive environment where good attention is paid to meeting their individual needs. They are offered a good range of activities which are carefully planned to ensure their individual learning styles are catered for, and that they make good progress towards the early learning goals. The nursery meets each child's needs well through effective information sharing systems, partnerships and assessment arrangements. Systems for supporting children with English as an additional language are developing. The management team implements effective strategies and systems to ensure all staff engage in reflective practice and continuous professional development. This effectively drives and secures improvement, raising the overall quality of the provision and positively impacting on the outcomes for children.

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further?

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

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further?

 extend the range of resources in all rooms of the nursery to recognise and value children's cultural identities further  build on partnerships with parent's by sharing children's next steps more frequently with them so that they can be fully involved in their children's This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 learning

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the early years provision

Staff are proactive in safeguarding the children, and follow well documented procedures. All staff have a good awareness of safeguarding issues and attend child protection training. Risk assessments, covering all areas of the provision, along with daily check lists, ensure children remain safe and secure at all times. High priority is given to their safety which enables children to develop independence and new skills in a safe environment. Staff are well deployed in the rooms to meet the needs of the children, and the accommodation is organised effectively, to support children's overall development and welfare. Clear operational policies and procedures successfully guide the staff's practice in maintaining the children's well-being.

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the early years provision

The management team has high aspirations for the nursery. The whole staff team demonstrates a very positive attitude to continuous improvement in order to achieve the best outcomes for all children. Areas for development are clearly identified in order of priority and acted on accordingly, to ensure continuous improvement. The recommendations following the last inspection have been fully addressed, as a result outcomes for children are strengthened. The development plan and current practice and provision clearly demonstrates the positive impact improvements made to date have had on the outcomes for all children, and those for the future are well targeted to ensure further improvement. Staff seek the views of parents, children and other professionals and act on their suggestions.

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the early years provision

The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity is developing with well targeted plans to improve on the support given to those children with English as an additional language. Inclusive practice is promoted well by gathering important information from parents regarding children's individual needs, to help support their overall learning and development. The environment reflects users of the provision and range of people in the wider world through satisfactory but positive range of resources which reflect of diversity. The provider is taking appropriate steps to ensure resources and the environment are sustainable.

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the early years provision

Well planned, easily accessible play spaces and resources, both indoors and outdoors, ensure children fully enjoy their learning. Staff ensure activities follow children's current interests and other predictable events, for example, seasons and celebrations. Staff regularly observe children and communicate well to support each child through the next stages in their development. Parents are regularly informed of their child's progress and the provision through the good information sharing systems in place and are encouraged to be involved in their learning and development. However, the next steps in children's learning are not shared frequently enough, for parent's to be fully involved in supporting their child's progress at home. Established partnerships with other providers and external agencies effectively promote continuity of care and progression through very good transitional arrangements. Parents are always welcomed, receive good daily

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the early years provision

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 feedback on collection and are fully supportive of the staff. Feedback from parents is very positive and they speak highly of the care and education that their children receive.

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and outcomes for children

All staff have a good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage learning and development requirements. They work closely, using a key worker system, to meet each child's individual needs and the next stages in their development. Good quality planning and organisation ensures that every child is suitably challenged by the learning experiences provided across the six areas of learning and that they are personally meaningful and interesting to them. Staff carry out daily observations which are used along with information provided by parents and discussions with children to identify their interests, learning styles, stages of development and to plan the next steps in their learning and development accordingly.

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and outcomes for children

Staff successfully promote children's good health and well-being. Children adopt good hygiene practices to prevent the spread of infection. Staff ensure the nursery is kept clean throughout the day, to reduce risks of cross infection. A clear sick child policy is shared with parents. Staff support children independence in their personal care skills, such as using the toilet and washing their hands after play in the garden. Meal times are social occasions during which children sit in small groups, taking time to enjoy their meal and each other's company. The meals children receive are of very good quality and are freshly prepared on the premises. Children enjoy what is on offer and eagerly tuck into their meals, with many asking for seconds.

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and outcomes for children

Children's behaviour is managed sensitively and with consistency. Children know the rules and are able to follow them. They are forming friendships with their peers and play cooperatively, taking turns and sharing. Inappropriate behaviour is quickly and positively challenged by staff, who explain in a language appropriate to the development of the child encouraging them to be responsible for their own actions. The children are listened to, regularly praised and encouraged, rewarded when they have done something to help others and are given small responsibilities to carry out to promote their self esteem. Children's similarities and differences are recognised and staff know them well. They learn about other cultures and festivals, such as Eid, which helps them gain an understanding of the wider society.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and settled and participate eagerly and with enjoyment in a safe and stimulating environment. All children are learning to problem solve, work out how things fit together and can make models appropriate to their ages and stages of development. They have access to a wide range of mathematical resources to help them to learn to count and name numbers, and older children are beginning to understand the concept of number in various forms, for example, as they count out cups at dinner time. The children access a wide variety of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 activities promoting knowledge and understanding of the world and enjoy frequent trips out to the community to visit the library or feed the ducks. Outside, children enjoy the fresh air, ride wheeled vehicles, use balancing and climbing equipment, engage in fantasy play and explore sand and water play. They have worthwhile

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and outcomes for children

opportunities to learn skills for the future, by using everyday technology, for example, exploring the outdoor play area with torches when it gets dark outside.

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and outcomes for children

Children use paintbrushes, rollers and scissors with increasing control and enjoy their sensory play with paint, sand, water and play dough .Children of all ages access books and enjoy group story times. Effective labelling and displays of letters, numbers and shapes within the setting aids children's recognition. Staff support children's learning well. They use sensitive questioning techniques to great effect, to extend children's learning and promote their problem solving skills. Staff enable children to do as much as they can for themselves. For example, they are encouraged to put on their coats and footwear before playing outdoors and aprons before messy play. Younger children have a fully equipped sensory room, and babies play with natural objects, touchy feely materials and mirrors which supports their awareness of the world.

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and outcomes for children

Children are taught to behave in ways that are safe for themselves and others because they are treated with respect and follow good examples from staff. They develop an understanding of dangers by using equipment safely and through practising regular emergency evacuation drills. Successful grouping of younger children ensures they feel safe and secure within warm, caring relationships and children readily seek out staff for comfort and support. 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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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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