Bright Horizons Finsbury Park Day Nursery and Preschool

Finsbury Park Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number EY288638 Inspection date 24/01/2011 Inspector Finsbury Park Day Nursery

p.1

Setting address Dulas Street, Finsbury Park, London, N4 3AF

p.1

Telephone number 020 7263 3090 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

p.1

you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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).

p.3

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.

p.3

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

p.3

Description of the setting

Finsbury Park Day Nursery is one of five nurseries run by Asquith Court Nurseries Limited. It opened in 2000 and operates from six rooms in a purpose-built building. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is situated in Finsbury Park in the London Borough of Islington. It is open each weekday from 8.00am to 6.00pm for 51 weeks of the year.

p.4

Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 103 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 76 children aged from birth to under five years on roll, some in part-time places. The nursery is also registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

p.4

Description of the setting

There are 27 members of child care staff, 26 of whom hold early years qualifications to at least level 2. Two members of staff at management level are qualified at level 4. The setting employs a further four staff including a full-time chef. The setting provides funded early education for three- and four-year-olds . The nursery has a number of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The nursery provides a welcoming and inclusive environment for children where they feel valued and enjoy a real sense of belonging. Children are generally well safeguarded although the requirement to risk assess outings has not been fully complied with. There are mostly good systems in place that effectively support children's welfare, learning and development. There are good systems in place for the setting to reflect on their practice, noting areas for improvement and future development so that children may continue to receive high quality care and education.

p.4

further?

To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

p.4

further?

 carry out a full risk assessment for each type of outing and journey, which takes account of the nature of the outing, and review this assessment before embarking on each specific outing (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare). 28/02/2011

p.4

further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should: This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  develop the systems so that observations and assessments consistently include next steps for children's learning and development  develop the systems so that information obtained from parents, about children's starting points, learning and interests, is included in the planning for children's learning and development.

p.4

the early years provision

The setting is led and managed efficiently and the associated documentation provides a good framework for staff's practice. There are good procedures in place to ensure that children are safeguarded while at the nursery. The manager ensures that all staff know what to do if they have any concerns relating to child protection or allegations. Annual risk assessments and regular safety checks throughout the day are carried out in order to minimise potential risks to children. Although risk assessments for outings are completed and documented, these are general in practice and do not include the detail required for each journey and location. This is a breach of requirement. A significant number of staff are well qualified in first aid and information from parents about children's health needs further ensures that the setting is able to cater for children's medical needs. Staff attend regular training events in order to increase their knowledge and

p.5

the early years provision

understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Since the previous inspection staff have focused particularly on improving the overall quality of their practice. The nursery has produced a good written self-evaluation of the overall provision, showing its many strengths and also areas requiring further improvement. The management team demonstrate enthusiastically the plans they have in place to continue to secure future improvement. For instance most staff are now fully qualified and members of the management team have obtained Early years Degree's.

p.5

the early years provision

Staff are attentive to individual children and promote an inclusive setting. They set out a variety of activities each day to stimulate children's interest and encourage them to explore. Staff make the most of the available space and resources to provide an enabling environment that offers a wide choice of activities, easily accessible to children of differing ages and abilities. The outdoor play area is well- equipped and children benefit effectively from frequent access to outdoor sessions throughout the day. Children have an increasing awareness of different cultures and religions. They learn about the different festivals and celebrations throughout the year and they engage in regular activities and experiences that reflect aspects of their own cultures and backgrounds. In this way children learn to respect the needs of others and make a positive contribution to their own and other communities.

p.5

the early years provision

The nursery has good working partnerships with parents and carers. Daily diaries and verbal feedback ensure a good exchange of information about children's care and welfare. Furthermore parents receive detailed information about the setting and are encouraged to be involved with their children's learning when talking with key workers and sharing children's learning journals. The nursery obtains This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 information about children's starting points and interests; at present this information is not firmly implemented into the systems to further support children's learning and development. The nursery is aware of the importance of establishing good links and exchanging information with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage and this contributes to children receiving effective support at times of transition. Parents are extremely pleased with the care and education

p.5

the early years provision

offered to their children and particularly comment on its effective integration within the community..

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children make good progress in their learning and development. Staff use a comprehensive system of observational assessment to move children on effectively in their learning. They record numerous observations on children and use these to plan individual learning programmes for each child. Occasionally the quality of records is not fully consistent, for instance when recording the next steps in children's learning. However this is an area identified by management for improvement. Planned activities incorporate the learning needs of individual and small groups of children. Children's overall development is monitored by charting their progress towards the early learning goals. In this way staff are able to support and extend children's learning in all areas of learning. Staff engage with children effectively to extend children's learning in each of the learning areas. They ask questions that encourage children to think and to respond either through

p.6

and outcomes for children

words or actions. For instance, children in the baby room learn how to make different sounds with their hands and musical instruments. Children enjoy sharing books and listening to stories, joining in with familiar phrases. Staff interact with children during their free-choice play to engage them in conversation and offer support. They encourage children to explore and become active learners. Children are keen to take part in activities and enjoy playing with other children, for example, when investigating a tray of jelly or gloop.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children are aware of their boundaries within the setting and are well behaved. They respond positively to staff's instructions, sharing fairly and taking turns. Children are learning to care for the environment, for instance they recycle cardboard packaging creatively during their play. Children are learning to use ICT equipment effectively and they have good access to keyboards and other electronic equipment helping to promote key aspects of their future development. They feel safe in the setting as staff supervise them closely and follow appropriate safety procedures. Children are encouraged to talk about ways to keep themselves safe in different situations, for instance during emergency evacuations. Children's health is promoted well through opportunities to learn about healthy eating when they enjoy a range of nutritious and well balanced menus. Hygiene is exceptionally well promoted at the setting with staff being particularly conscientious to avoid the

p.6

and outcomes for children

spread of infection and cross contamination. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.6

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

p.7

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

p.7

children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

p.7

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

p.7

Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

p.7

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

p.7

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

p.7

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

p.8

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

p.8