Cheeky Monkeys Day NurseryOfsted inspection, 23 Nov 2010

Cheeky Monkeys Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY411117 Inspection date 23/11/2010 Inspector Alison Edwards

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Setting address Plough Hill Golf Centre, Plough Hill Road, NUNEATON, Warwickshire, CV10 9NZ Telephone number 02476 398192 Email gemmabrewster@hotmail.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

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

Cheeky Monkeys registered in 2010. It is a privately-run setting, whose proprietor is also a registered childminder. The nursery operates from purpose-adapted, self- contained, single-storey premises on the outskirts of Nuneaton in Warwickshire. It serves the local community. Children are cared for in open-plan play areas, with direct access to two enclosed outdoor play areas. The nursery opens each weekday from 8 am until 6 pm throughout the year. It is registered on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of 30 children from birth to the end of the early years age range at any one time. The nursery is validated to receive funding to provide early education to children aged three and four years. There are currently 14 children on roll, none of whom yet receive funded education. Including the proprietor, there are currently five regular childcare staff, who all hold recognised qualifications at level 3.

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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

Cheeky Monkeys has quickly established itself as a welcoming and caring environment, where children are able to feel secure and confident in their relationships. Available space and resources are generally used well to promote children's independent and purposeful play and learning. Consequently, children's care and learning needs are effectively met. Good partnerships are being established with parents to ensure that there is a good shared understanding of each child's individual needs. The proprietor has a clear commitment to ongoing improvement, and is starting to establish effective systems to involve all staff in continuing evaluation of the nursery's provision.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop planning and provision for outdoor play to more fully extend children's learning across each area of development  develop further systems to extend staff's involvement in reflective practice, self-evaluation and informed discussion to ensure a shared understanding of the setting's strengths and priorities for development.

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the early years provision

Arrangements to promote children's welfare and safeguard them from harm are good. Children are cared for in a bright, welcoming and secure building, where good quality resources are effectively deployed to promote safe and independent play from an early age. Initial risk assessments have been undertaken to underpin a range of practical safety precautions. They are subject to continuing review to This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 ensure that they accurately and fully reflect ongoing developments within the nursery, such as changes to the use of indoor and outdoor play spaces. Clear policies are in place to underpin systematic recruit procedures, designed to ensure that staff are suitably cleared and well qualified to work with children. Required records relating to individual children's personal, contact and care information are methodically and accessibly stored. Good systems have been established to

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the early years provision

manage any accidents and to administer any necessary medication. Policies based on national guidance and local procedures are in place to underpin the safe management of the setting. These are introduced to staff during their induction in order to ensure that they have a secure awareness of their roles and responsibilities. For example, staff have a good awareness of how to act in children's best interests in the event of potential emergencies, such as a fire. They know what child abuse and neglect are and understand what to do in the event of a concern about a child, or allegation of abuse. The nursery has established a systematic training plan taking account of each staff member's experience and training needs. Consequently, systems are already in place to ensure that all staff are regularly updated on issues such as first aid, food hygiene and safeguarding issues. The nursery is also actively seeking to make good use of additional locally-

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the early years provision

available training to build on its existing skills and practice, for example with regard to extending outdoor play provision, and promoting children's language and communication skills. The nursery has introduced systems to enable parents to contribute their own ideas and suggestions. It is starting to develop arrangements to involve staff in reviewing their own and the nursery's existing practice through regular supervision and staff meetings, although has not yet fully implemented this. The proprietor and staff give high priority to establishing good relationships with parents and carers. A well-presented welcome pack provides useful initial information about arrangements for children's care, to supplement introductory visits and discussion. The nursery has introduced the use of simple information sheets to seek initial details from parents about particular aspects of their children's experiences and interests. This helps staff to gain an early understanding

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the early years provision

of children's individuality and needs. The nursery provides useful information about the purpose of many aspects of its play provision through use of explanatory display panels. It is establishing good systems to share ongoing information with parents about children's changing abilities and interests. The proprietor and her staff have experience of working with other agencies to support the inclusion of children with identified special educational needs and/or disabilities. They are already beginning to work with prospective parents and relevant professionals to ensure that children's additional needs can be met.

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and outcomes for children

There are good arrangements to help children develop a healthy lifestyle. Staff encourage babies and younger toddlers to be actively involved in cleaning their own hands before meals from an early age. They promote children's growing understanding of good hygiene practices and of how their bodies work. For example, they talk with them about the reasons for cleaning their teeth, and about how active play outside makes them get warmer on a chilly day. Children benefit from nutritious and balanced menus including a varied range of fruits and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 vegetables to contribute to their five-a-day. Staff promote children's confident movement skills from an early age. For example, they encourage babies and young toddlers' pleasure and sustained interest in exploring how to crawl and clamber over soft-play cubes and wedges. They build on older children's spontaneous

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and outcomes for children

interest in the use of physical play equipment, such as plastic tennis rackets and foam balls. Children show good levels of confidence in independently exploring the stimulating indoor environment from an early age. For example, non-mobile babies enjoy stretching for and manipulating cause and effect toys to create sounds and lights. Well-organised and accessible low storage units and display units enable mobile children to easily find and use the items they want. For example, they readily investigate a range of untuned percussion instruments or operate simple technology toys such as toy music centres. The nursery includes features to help children safely develop growing independence in their self-care skills. For example, shower curtains are used to provide privacy in cloakroom cubicles, whilst minimising any risk of children trapping fingers or having difficulty with door latches. Children develop a growing awareness of how to act safely, for

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and outcomes for children

example as staff talk with older toddlers about the reasons for sitting down when using scissors. They readily take simple responsibility for their surroundings. For example, they spontaneously begin to tidy away crayons and scissors into appropriate containers when getting ready for lunch. Staff and children quickly establish secure relationships, with staff showing good awareness of each child's individual preferences and routines. For example, younger babies and toddlers confidently snuggle up with adults for a quiet time. Staff are prompt and responsive in recognising individual signs of tiredness, and provide comfort and reassurance with a favourite item from home. Children show growing understanding of their own and other children's feelings. They share stories and talk with staff about what makes them happy and sad, and how different facial expressions show their feelings. Staff are positive and consistent in their dealings

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and outcomes for children

with children, calmly helping children to resolve any minor disputes and establishing clear expectations for their behaviour. Children learn to recognise and respect aspects of diversity from an early age. For example, they freely use a range of readily accessible resources reflecting different cultures and lifestyles including dolls, books and posters. The nursery is quickly establishing effective arrangements to help children make good progress in their learning, and to establish a secure basis for their future skills. Staff make regular observations of children's changing interests and abilities. They use these to begin to assess their progress across each of the areas of learning and to plan and provide for their continued learning. For example, staff build on younger children's enjoyment of the textures of different fabrics by encouraging them to explore the feel of scooped out pumpkin flesh. Babies and younger toddlers show high levels of

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and outcomes for children

sustained interest in handling and stacking rings and beakers, which staff have made readily accessible, to build on previously observed interests. Older children begin to develop a good practical understanding of shape and position as staff encourage them to talk about trains going over bridges and along the straight track. Children show growing confidence in talking about their own ideas and experiences as they begin to spontaneously explain why they think it is winter. Staff help them to explore and extend their vocabulary as they talk with them about the difference between a snowflake and a cornflake. Children enjoy sharing books and stories with staff from an early age, and readily begin to purposefully handle and look at books themselves. Staff value children's own creative ideas by This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 displaying their independent paintings and drawings. Children across the age range

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and outcomes for children

show pleasure and delight when making sounds with a good variety of percussion instruments, and when clapping and moving rhythmically to music. They show growing confidence when spontaneously choosing and individually singing their own favourite songs to their peers. Children gain good practical awareness of everyday technology. For example, babies create sounds and lights using cause and effect toys, and older children use items such as working toy music centres in pretend play. They explore how substances change with different temperatures as they use melting chocolate to coat and decorate fruit. Children already make daily use of outdoor play areas for energetic play and to explore aspects of the natural world, for example when finding minibeasts. However, the proprietor recognises that planning and provision for outdoor play is not yet fully effective in ensuring it consistently promotes high levels of challenge and progression across all areas of

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and outcomes for children

development. 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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