Barn Owls Nursery

Barn Owls Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY361933 Inspection date 06/12/2010 Inspector Mary Daniel

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Setting address Barnhayes Farm, Frome St. Quintin, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 0HG Telephone number 01935 83177 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

Barn Owls Nursery has been registered under this ownership since 2004. It operates from a first floor extension of a working dairy farm situated in the village of Frome St Quintin, Dorchester and the premises are accessed via an outside stairway. Children have use of three play rooms and toilet facilities indoors. There are three outdoor play areas, incorporating an enclosed garden, tennis court and grassed area and these are used to provide Forest School activities for children.

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Description of the setting

Ofsted have registered this privately owned nursery on the Early Years Register and both parts of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of 30 children aged under eight years at any one time. There are currently 29 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery is in receipt of Government funding to provide nursery education and there are currently three- and four-year- old funded children on roll. The nursery opens on Monday to Friday, from 8.00am to 6.00pm, for 51 weeks of the year.

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Description of the setting

The nursery owner/manager has completed a foundation degree in childcare and early years education and also holds the Montessori teaching qualification. She employs a supervisor who has a degree in early years education, and five members of staff, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications or are currently training in childcare. A nursery cook is also employed.

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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

Children are valued and welcomed at this friendly nursery and staff form strong relationships with their parents, which helps them get to know children's individual needs well and help them settle in happily. Children are provided with a range of interesting play experiences that promote their learning and development well overall and encourages their involvement during most parts of the session. Some systems of evaluation are in place and staff are keen to make ongoing improvements to the provision offered to promote positive outcomes for all children.

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further?

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

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further?

 make more use of the observation and assessment systems to consistently identify children's next steps of development in all areas of their learning, to fully support the planning of activities that build on their existing skills and abilities  review the organisation of some parts of the daily routine to ensure all This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children's needs are fully supported at all times, with particular regard to some of the larger group activities  extend the evaluation systems to ensure all aspects of the provision are fully monitored and reviewed to support aims for ongoing improvements

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the early years provision

Children's welfare is effectively promoted as suitable safeguarding procedures are in place. Senior staff have completed safeguarding training and written information is available to support the management of any concerns arising. Secure recruitment procedures are implemented to ensure the suitability of staff, which includes completion of relevant checks and references, a clearly detailed induction process and ongoing appraisal system. Staff continue to complete relevant training to update their own knowledge of childcare and development and all staff attend first aid training, which helps in the management of any emergency situation arising. Risk assessments are completed for the premises, outings are clearly assessed and any identified risks are reviewed. Parents say they are very happy with the care their child receives and speak highly of the friendly staff. Clear consideration is given to providing regular opportunities for their involvement. For

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the early years provision

instance, 'stay and play' sessions are provided, where parents can share in a variety of play activities with their children and see how they learn through these experiences at the nursery. A parents' panel has been established, which provides opportunities for parents to share their thoughts and views on the provision offered to their children.

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the early years provision

Overall, the session runs smoothly and staff know their areas of responsibility and give a kind and caring approach, which helps children feel at ease. However, at times, the organisation of some parts of the session does not consistently support the individual needs of all children, and as a result, although content in the nursery, they do not always benefit developmentally from some activities. Partnerships are being established with local schools, which help provide a smooth transition for children to their 'big' school. Overall, recommendations made at the last inspection have been addressed, which has led to improvements relating to planning and assessment systems, recruitment procedures, record keeping and monitoring systems. Parents' views are regularly sought, such as through use of questionnaires or evaluations of the open evenings provided. Staff are reflective of their practice and have a positive approach to making ongoing improvements. For

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the early years provision

instance, planned activities are evaluated for effectiveness. Action plans are formed, such as to make changes to the baby garden area, which will provide a range of outdoor play experiences for the younger children. Consequently, areas for improvement are identified, although evaluation systems are not yet sufficiently established to ensure all areas of the provision are consistently monitored. Children are eager to explore the wide range of colourful and well maintained toys and games. For example, they like to dress up as 'Snow White' or 'Sleeping Beauty' and act out their favourite stories. This effectively promotes their imagination and creativity. The outside play areas and locality are used very well to promote children's learning and development and they become involved in a range of Forest School activities, which are all assessed to ensure children's safety outside. For This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

instance, they hunt for footprints in the mud or snow and talk about the horseshoe print they see. Sometimes they visit a nearby farm to see the cows in the field and then see how they are milked. This effectively promotes children's knowledge and understanding of their local environment.

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and outcomes for children

Children respond easily to the gentle humour given by staff and they mix well with their peers. For example, they smile as their friends arrive and call out their names to greet them. Children develop a sense of belonging at the nursery as they find their name cards at snack time and see their pictures and photos displayed around the colourful, inviting play rooms. Children show interest as they examine flowers, leaves, sticks and soil and describe these, saying 'it's bumpy on the back of the leaf' or that 'the grass feels dry'. They learn that hedgehogs and owls come out at night and grasshoppers live in the grass and frogs eat slugs. These experiences actively encourage children in learning about their natural world. Planning and assessment systems are reviewed and staff use their observations of children's play to plan activities based on their interests. This helps them start to form children's next steps of development, although this process is not yet fully

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and outcomes for children

established to ensure every child is consistently supported to make progress in all areas of their learning. Children enjoy pushing their hands through the shaving foam mixture and younger ones like to roll marbles in paint to make colourful patterns. This all helps to encourage their early mark-making skills. Children have fun playing with conkers in a tray and spend time putting them in and taking them out of different containers. As a result, they start to develop an idea of mathematical concepts such as empty and full. Children develop independence skills as they attempt, and often manage to put on their coats and boots before going outside to play. Children are sometimes encouraged to pour their own drinks and help make their own sandwiches, but overall, sufficient use is not consistently made of some routine activities, such as snack or story time, to promote all areas of children's learning. Children have opportunities to learn French and are starting

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and outcomes for children

to recognize familiar phrases and words. For instance, they say 'bonjour' and 'merci' and start to recognize 'le chien' for dog and 'le chat' for cat. They discover how Christmas is celebrated in France and are keen to say 'Joyeux Noel' to their friends to wish them a 'Happy Christmas'.

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and outcomes for children

Children are kept healthy, safe and are supported well in making a positive contribution to their own care and learning. For example, they develop very good personal hygiene routines as they know to wash their hands before eating and after going to the toilet. The dental hygienist visits to talk to children about the importance of keeping their teeth strong and healthy and they are encouraged to brush their teeth after eating their lunch. Children are provided with nutritious snacks, such as fruit, rice cakes and raisins and tuck into healthy meals, such as fish pie, vegetable toad in the hole or tuna pasta bake for their lunch. The well balanced menu ensures children are provided with their 'five a day' of fruit and vegetables. Children wear reflective jackets on their walks, and talk about road safety as they cross roads. All children take part in frequent fire drills and they This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

meet the ambulance men and policemen who visit to tell them about how to keep safe from harm. Children help to risk assess their garden and use laminated picture cards to help them identify possible risks, such as thorns, stinging nettles or badge holes. As a consequence, they start to be aware of dangers around them and begin to develop a responsible attitude to keeping themselves safe. Children take turns to take the nursery's 'Oscar Owl' toy home and with their parents record what happens during his stay. This helps children to develop a caring, responsible approach. Staff act as good role models and support children effectively in managing their own feelings and relationships with others. Children receive lots of praise when they succeed in activities and this helps them develop a positive sense of achievement. 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 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 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 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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