Play Away Day Nurseries Ltd

Playaway Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 509572 Inspection date 25/01/2011 Inspector Loraine Wardlaw

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Setting address Nos 1,3 and 5 Chapel Road, West End, Southampton, Hampshire, SO30 3FE Telephone number 023 80466563 Email info@playaway.info 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

Children only attend this setting before and/or after the school day and/or during the school holidays. The judgements in this report reflect the quality of early years provision offered to children during those periods.

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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

Playaway Day Nursery is one of three privately owned nurseries. It opened in 1997 and operates from a large site, consisting of three houses, in the West End area of Southampton. It serves the local and wider area. The nursery is registered on the Early Years register. A maximum of 100 children may attend the nursery at any one time. The nursery is open each weekday from 7:30 am to 6:30 pm all year round. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

There are currently 180 children from three months to five years on roll. Three and four- year-old children receive funding for early education. Children come from a wide catchment area and are able to attend for a variety of sessions. The setting currently supports a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and also supports children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 28 members of staff, 23 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and above. The registered provider overseeing the nursery has achieved Early Years Professional Status.

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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

All children are warmly welcomed into the nurturing, vibrant and bright environment. Overall, staff are skilled and knowledgeable about how best to meet children's unique and changing, individual needs. The setting has successfully embraced the Early Years Foundation Stage which ensures that children make effective progress towards the early learning gaols. The extremely strong emphasis by management on safeguarding, partnerships with parents and providing a high quality, stimulating environment for children shines through. The good quality evaluations and many continuous improvements at this setting, is proving to have positive results for the children and parents alike.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve systems for children with special dietary needs ensuring they have the same opportunities to develop personal independence at lunch-time as their peers  develop staff skills and practice in the pre-school room to enable them to fully promote all aspects of problem solving reasoning and numeracy with emphasis on the aspect of calculating. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The nursery is very well managed and efficiently organised, with excellent safeguarding procedures in place. An extremely robust security system to the doors of the houses ensures that only parents, children and staff can access the playrooms. Management and staff are highly vigilant with regards to unusual incidences and carry out rigorous risk assessments and checks on a daily basis, six monthly and when there is a change, incident or an outing. The nursery engages the children in risk assessments and adapt procedures in line with their ideas. For example, older children devised the stair procedure which is an integral part of their day and keeps them safe. All staff hold a clear Criminal Records Bureau check and are confident in their role and responsibilities with regards to reporting any concerns, and what happens next. Tough recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that a high majority of adults who work with children are experienced and

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the early years provision

qualified in early years. Effective systems are in place to ensure that children with specific health and dietary needs are met. However, there is less emphasis during mealtimes on developing their independence, along with their peers.

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the early years provision

Although a large nursery, staff work very cohesively together in their separate houses, to maintain a cosy and intimate atmosphere for children. A light and highly appealing environment has been set up by staff and management which motivates and inspires children to play and learn. Coupled with the excellent deployment of staff and an effective key person system, this has an extremely positive impact on the outcomes for children; particularly the babies and under three-year-old's. Children's art work adorns the walls, with extremely good emphasis on the process of the art activity and not the product. Low level displays and attractive, colourful sensory areas which cultivate children's curiosity are evident throughout the nursery. Sectioned off outside areas, with sail awnings, have been fully developed to promote free-flow play indoors and outdoors in all weathers and includes an adventure playground and vegetable plot.

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the early years provision

The management and staff team work extremely well together and are continually reflecting and evaluating the practice that takes place at the nursery. Since the last inspection the setting have implemented many changes and improvements to the physical layout of the buildings and expanded. There is a strong emphasis on providing fun, quality care and learning. Evaluations of the rooms, of the children's developmental progress and the service offered, takes place at every level with all members of staff having their input. Parent's views are sought through questionnaires and any development points are swiftly implemented by management. Staff personal development is continuous with appraisals and reflective videos are used, alongside attendance at courses to ensure staff skills are monitored and expanded upon. For example, staff attend a Jabadao course which inspires them to set up areas in the houses for children to express

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the early years provision

A highly successful partnership exists between parents and staff and other agencies to ensure children's needs are successfully met. Parents view their child's learning journey, make contributions and receive tailored guidance and information This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 about precise ways they can support their child's learning and care. Innovative systems such as the 'home link tree' and pamphlets to take away with information on children's learning, enable parents to share and connect their learning to their home environment. Parents speak glowingly and knowingly about the staff, the environment, their child's developmental progress. Staff in the under three's unit quickly adapt to successfully meet young babies and children's ever changing needs, after talking with their parents . Feedback questionnaires from parents are outstandingly positive. Staff promote equality and diversity through good practices.

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the early years provision

Systems to support children learning English as an additional language are fully in place and the inclusive environment ensures that there are many visible images of culture and language. Older children with special educational needs are given very good support, through the effective use of individual educational plans and successful liaison with outside agencies. Staff working with the babies, adapt the environment to meet children's specific needs. For example, they increase the size of the photographic, labelled boxes to effectively support children with a visual impairment.

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and outcomes for children

Children delight in their time at the safe, rich and enabling nursery. Overall, the adults value and focus on each and every one of the children. This is particularly evident in the under three-year-old houses where staff place the babies and young children at the heart of all they say and do. Children participate eagerly and with great enjoyment at their child-initiated, play activities knowing that sympathetic and understanding support from the adults is always close by. For example, older babies explore the sand tray, digging and scooping as they develop coordination. Outside they pour rice through a colander and sieve. Young children laugh as they trample through the dry leaves. Staff talk about the noise they make using words such as 'scrunch' role modelling effective vocabulary. Younger babies benefit greatly from the skilled and knowledgeable practitioners with whom they build a strong bond. Staff provide very interesting resources to explore texture, such as

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and outcomes for children

bobble bath mats, long haired bath mats which are carefully placed on the floor . Babies eagerly explore and react with vocalisations to the feel of the mats as they crawl and walk over them. Fabrics with different effects such as transparent, silky, are draped over babies head for fun verbal interactions with staff. Young babies individual care routines are sympathetically adhered to by the very caring staff who know the individual needs of their key babies and young children extremely well.

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and outcomes for children

In the pre-school unit staff interact with children sympathetically and purposefully to effectively support their learning and progress towards the early learning goals. They ask open questions to develop critical thinking and thought processes which prompts children to enthusiastically engage in talk and conversations with the adults. Children happily go about their self-chosen play activities demonstrating good motivation and learning skills as they do so. For example, they climb and move their bodies in the Jabadao area , or sit with an adult and learn the letters and phonic sounds of their name, writing emergently at the mark making table. Children demonstrate good independent skills and confidence because they are This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 involved in routine tasks such as laying the table for dinner time. They work harmoniously together in these tasks and offer help to their peers. Although simple

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and outcomes for children

problem solving is encouraged slightly during this routine activity it is not consistently promoted by the staff in the second sitting and during the mornings other activities. More able children are not developing as well in this aspect of problem solving reasoning and numeracy. Children have opportunities to recognise numerals and to count facilitated by the good resources and understanding staff of support. Effective adult-led activities are planned by the adults with ideas sought from the children. For example, one key group is learning about bodies and bones, with the adult making good use of books to extend their knowledge and learning. The use of puppets at a spontaneous story time, such as the three billy goats gruff, inspires children to become involved in the story and take on the character of the troll, using a different voice, effectively developing their creativity. Overall, children's next learning steps are implemented well during child-initiated learning

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and outcomes for children

Children's nutritional needs are met well. They tuck into a healthy lunch of lamb mince with vegetables and mash, mostly serving themselves; even some of the young toddlers. Many of the children enjoy second helpings. Older children grow their own tomatoes, potatoes and runner beans which inspires them to eat the food. Babies are cuddled whilst bottled fed and their weaning needs are taken into account well by staff. Children learn good hygiene routines because staff continually talk to them about the benefits of hand washing. A 'stop the rot' campaign to promote teeth cleaning raises children?s awareness of the importance of brushing your teeth to keep them healthy. They have ample opportunity to play outside and develop their physical skills. All children show a strong sense of security and feel safe within the setting. They show an excellent understanding of what standards of behaviour are expected and apply these in order to keep

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and outcomes for children

themselves and others safe. For example, during small group, story time children spontaneously talk about safety matters when one child comments that the character on the bike should have a helmet on. Staff are skilled at weaving care and learning matters together. Children's awareness of diversity is sensitively promoted by staff who create fun, interactive displays both at low level and on the walls. For example, a wall display in the toddler's room depicts children from around the world showing their different clothes, foods and homes. Adhesive pictures of children can be moved to the areas showing what they would experience if they lived there. 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 1 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 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 1 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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