College House Day Nursery

College House Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY403900 Inspection date 23/09/2010 Inspector Sandra Williams

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Setting address Howard Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 1NB

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Telephone number 07874900388 Email info@collegehousedaynursery.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. 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

College House Day Nursery has been registered since April 2010. It is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery is situated in the centre of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. The children have access to the preschool room, toddler room, baby room, sleep room, toilets and an enclosed outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

The facility is open from Mondays to Fridays from 8am until 5.30pm, for 50 weeks of the year. A maximum of 63 children under eight years may attend the facility at any one time, of which no more than 56 may be in the early years age range. There are currently 20 children in the early years age range on roll, of which two are in receipt of funding for early years education. The setting offers support to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who have English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

There are nine members of staff who work with the children, all of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications to a minimum of National Vocational Qualification Level 3. One member of staff holds the Early Years Professional Status and two others are working towards it. The nursery receives support from the local authority advisory and support teams.

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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's needs are well met as their unique qualities are recognised and respected. They are making good progress in most areas of their learning and development. Children are safeguarded well due to the robust safety procedures in place. Partnerships with parents are strong. Partnerships with other providers are being developed to ensure a consistent approach to the children's care and learning. The self-evaluation and monitoring systems ensure continuous improvement and the staff have a clear understanding of their strengths and areas for development.

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further?

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

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further?

 increase the opportunities for children to learn about diversity through the provision of more activities that promote positive images and attitudes towards diversity  build upon the positive partnerships with the other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage by liaising and sharing information to ensure coherence and continuity of learning for children who attend other settings. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded because the staff have undertaken safeguarding training and have a good understanding of their responsibilities for keeping children safe. Robust procedures are in place to ensure any concerns about the children are dealt with effectively. The clear recruitment procedures ensure that the staff are suitable and safe to work with children. They are kept safe due to the vigilance of the staff and the good levels of supervision provided. Risk assessments are thorough and minimise risks to children whilst in the setting and on outings.

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the early years provision

Strong partnerships between parents and staff exist and there are good systems in place for keeping parents well informed about their children's progress. Newsletters and wall displays are some of the methods used to keep parents updated, as well as informal daily exchanges of information. Staff encourage parents to be involved in their children's learning by sharing information about activities the children enjoy at home. The staff are establishing positive links with other providers offering the Early Years Foundation Stage, such as, the local school and nurseries. However, systems for developing a two-way flow of information about the children's progress are not yet fully established.

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the early years provision

The staff promote equality and diversity well as they have undertaken training and they follow their equal opportunities policy. The nursery is an inclusive and welcoming environment where children's different beliefs and religions are well respected. Children are beginning to learn about diversity by playing with the multicultural toys and books available at the nursery. However, opportunities to learn about the wider world are currently limited due to the lack of planned activities that promote the children's knowledge about different festivals and customs. The deployment of staff and resources is good and children are supported to make independent choices and move easily from one activity to another. The high level of commitment by staff clearly demonstrates how they strive to maintain their professional development and continuous improvement. They undertake a number of training courses and are able to demonstrate how

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the early years provision

they apply their knowledge to their practice. The clear, written policies and procedures in place ensure that all staff promote children's health, safety and well- being effectively.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and settled at this nursery and clearly enjoy the stimulating and friendly atmosphere. They feel safe in the care of the staff with whom they have developed close and trusting relationships. The staff teach the children about staying safe by setting simple rules. For example, they do not run in the nursery and they tidy up their toys so that they do not trip over them. When on outings, they learn about road safety. They have plenty of opportunities to adopt healthy lifestyles. The children follow good hygiene practices as they wash their hands at appropriate intervals. They learn about making healthy choices as they enjoy This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 nutritious and wholesome meals and snacks freshly prepared on the premises. Staff work hard to make sure that parents' wishes are adhered to regarding the choice of food provided. The children are praised and encouraged as they sit

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and outcomes for children

together at lunch time and eat their lunch. Daily outdoor play in the fresh air promotes the children's health and well-being. They enjoy developing their physical skills as they play on the slide, climbing frame and bicycles. The children also enjoy developing their coordination as they dance to music. The children are well- behaved and there are clear boundaries in place, which they understand and respect. They are encouraged to play nicely together and share the toys and take turns.

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and outcomes for children

Children are making good progress towards the early learning goals. They are well supported by enthusiastic and experienced staff who have a clear understanding of the learning, development and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Planning for activities is clearly based on children's individual needs and interests. The staff have an accurate knowledge of each child's stage of development in their learning and keep clear records of their progress. They effectively use this information to inform future plans for each individual child's next steps in their learning. The exciting and stimulating range of activities that are readily available to children of all ages fully promote their all round learning and enjoyment. The vibrant and colourful environment plays a key role in supporting and extending children's development. Babies have many opportunities to explore different textures such as artificial snow and various natural items in the treasure

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and outcomes for children

baskets, such as, feathers, wooden objects and different materials.

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and outcomes for children

The children enjoy choosing from a good range of books that are easily accessible to them in cosy reading corners. There are many opportunities for the children to make marks with paints and crayons, such as, making shopping lists in the home corner. Children also make marks as they manoeuvre toy cars around in the artificial snow. Children have a growing awareness of numeracy and problem solving as they play with jigsaw puzzles and weighing scales and sing number rhymes. They learn how to use everyday technology as they play on the computer and with other programmable toys. 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 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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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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