St. Joseph's CofE Junior School

St Jude's Church Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 143553 Inspection date 30/11/2010 Inspector Marilyn Joy

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Setting address Silver Street, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO5 3BW

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Telephone number 02392 821726 Email 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

St Jude?s Church Nursery was registered in 1992. The nursery serves families living in the city of Portsmouth and the surrounding areas. It is situated in its own premises in Southsea, Portsmouth and has an enclosed area for outside play. Children move around a number of rooms throughout the day.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered for a maximum of 60 children under eight years at any one time. It is open Monday to Friday from 8.00am until 6.00pm, term time only. It also operates a play scheme, which is open 8am until 6pm Monday - Friday, during some holidays. Children can attend on a full-time or part-time basis. There are currently 130 children on roll. The setting receives education funding for children aged two, three and four years. The nursery supports a number of children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and who use English as an additional language. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the setting

The setting employs a qualified manager who is responsible for the day to day running of the nursery school. In addition, a further 30 members of staff work directly with the children, 23 of whom are qualified and three are working towards a relevant early years qualification. There is one member of staff who has Early Years Professional Status. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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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 vibrant and welcoming environment where their health and welfare are extremely well supported. They benefit from the commitment and dedication of an effective team of staff who know them well and adapt the provision to cater for their individual needs. Effective partnerships with parents and others provide secure foundations from which children gain confidence and thrive. Most documentation is well-organised and underpins the smooth operation of the pre-school. Rigorous monitoring and evaluation processes in most areas enable the nursery to maintain good standards overall and continuously develop.

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further?

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

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further?

 update the record of risk assessment to include any assessments of risks for outings and trips and the records of such events for appropriate timescales  review the arrangements for recording medication to ensure information is only accessible to those who have a right or professional need to see it. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children's welfare is safeguarded because clear management responsibilities are established and staff have a clear understanding of what to do if they have concerns about a child in their care. Robust recruitment and employment procedures ensure that staff are appropriately qualified and understand their roles and responsibilities. Comprehensive risk assessments are conducted and appropriate measures implemented to ensure the safety and security of the premises. Arrangements are in place for keeping children safe on outings, however, the nursery does not maintain written records of the risk assessments conducted or retain full details of the trip once they have returned to the nursery. The fire drill is practised each term which ensures staff are fully aware of how to evacuate the premises quickly in an emergency, however, as it is only completed on one day this does mean that not all children are involved. All the required

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the early years provision

records are in place to provide staff with the information they need to assist them in meeting children's individual health and welfare needs. Prior written consent is obtained from parents before medication is administered to children and parents are verbally informed when it has been given, however, as several entries are on the same page it does mean that children's information is not kept confidential.

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the early years provision

Management have introduced a wide range of methods for reviewing and successfully evaluating practice in most areas. Following consultations with parents they adjust and develop their practice in order to accommodate parental requests, for example, by providing additional information about children's activities and sharing the arrangements when children change groups within the nursery. Recommendations raised at the last inspection have been addressed and, as a result, parents are better informed about the complaints procedure and the progress their children make. A clear emphasis is given to the professional development of staff which helps the nursery to keep up-to-date with current childcare practices, raises the quality of the staff team and improves outcomes for children.

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the early years provision

The nursery is extremely well-resourced and provides children with exciting areas to play and learn. Displays of children's work, posters and labels in different languages create an attractive and welcoming environment for children and parents. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children with English as an additional language are supported extremely well. Effective liaison with other agencies, professionals and support networks assists the nursery in successfully catering for their individual needs.

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the early years provision

Effective partnerships are established with parents and contribute towards how confident and settled children are in the nursery. The multi-cultural and multi- lingual make-up of the staff team reflects the backgrounds and languages of many children who attend and facilitates effective channels of communication. Parents are well-informed about all aspects of the care their child receives and the progress they make. They value the approachability of staff, supportive settling-in arrangements and opportunities for regular discussions with their child's This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 keyperson.

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and outcomes for children

Children are extremely happy and comfortable in the nursery. Most arrive confidently and after finding their names and hanging up their coats they join their peers in their age-related base room. The consistent and experienced staff team are well-organised and prepared for their arrival. Throughout the day children move around the different play rooms which ensures they have plenty of variety and choice. Each room is carefully presented with easily accessible resources so that children of all ages develop increasing independence. The large creative area offers excellent opportunities to investigate and experiment with different media and materials helps children develop their skills in using different tools and equipment. The largest play room provides ample space for indoor physical play and lots of resources to promote imagination and pretend play. However, this does mean that unless there is a high ratio of staff present opportunities are sometimes

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and outcomes for children

missed to fully support children's learning, particularly when they need to focus on supervising physical play. Staff make good use of spontaneous opportunities to offer exciting and relevant activities that extend children's learning. For example, impromptu craft activities follow changes in the weather, while a younger child's interest in the play phone prompts number recognition and counting. Older children count, predict and solve simple problems at circle time when they work out whether there are more boys than girls.

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and outcomes for children

Effective rotation of resources and daily planning ensures a broad range of challenging activities are offered enabling children to make good progress in all areas of their learning and development. Outings, visits from community figures and a variety of festivals and celebrations broaden their awareness of the world around them. Children benefit from the diverse make-up of the nursery and the wealth of knowledge shared. Comprehensive systems for planning and assessment are consistently implemented throughout the nursery which helps ensure smooth transitions as children move from one group to another and consistent information for parents. Clear and measurable observations record achievements and are used to track progression against the expectations of the early learning goals. Staff know children extremely well and how they are supporting their progress, although next steps in each area of learning are not always clear in the written records.

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and outcomes for children

Makaton, visual timetables and picture cards are successfully used to help children with English as an additional language and special educational needs in order to develop their communication skills and understand what is expected of them. As a result, children develop extremely positively relationships with staff and each other even though they may not speak the same language. Careful consideration is given to tailoring children's care and learning according to their individual needs.

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and outcomes for children

Children's good health is promoted extremely well through the provision of healthy and nutritious snacks and good hygiene routines. Daily play in the well-resourced garden ensures they have plenty of fresh air and exercise. Secure systems are in place to ensure health and dietary requirements are complied with. Children This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 attending the after-school club have time to refresh themselves with a rest and snack or expel their energy in the garden before exploring activities indoors. Staff are vigilant in supervising children. They encourage them to become aware of keeping themselves and their environment safe. For example, children work cooperatively to sweep up sand from the floor so they do not slip and others are reminded about being careful with each other when squeezing into the play house. Some have are involved in practising the fire drill which helps them to become

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and outcomes for children

familiar with what to do in an emergency. Children learn about road safety when collected from school or walking to the park. However, some records relating to children's safety are not maintained effectively or in a manner to safeguard personal information. Overall, children flourish and achieve well in the nursery because they are cared for by an enthusiastic and dedicated team of staff. 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 3 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 3 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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