Brambles Childcare Centre

Brambles Childcare Centre Ltd Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY283199 Inspection date 24/02/2011 Inspector Julie Larner

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Setting address Coquet Enterprise Park, Amble, Morpeth, Northumberland, NE65 0PE Telephone number 01665 710453 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

Brambles Childcare Centre opened in 2004 and is run by a management committee which consists of parents, carers and staff. It operates from a purpose built unit located in Coquet Enterprise Park and has access to an enclosed outdoor play area. It is situated in the Amble area of Northumberland. The premises are easily accessible for those with disabilities with ramps at the front and side of the building. The day care is open Monday to Thursday from 8am to 6pm and Friday from 7.30am to 4.00pm for 51 weeks of the year, closing for a week over the Christmas period. They are registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register, and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Registers to care for a maximum of 65 children at any one time, with no more than 6 children aged under two years. There are currently 70 children on roll, who attend a variety of sessions. The setting is able to support children with learning difficulties/disabilities and

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Description of the setting

children who have English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The daycare employs 16 full-time staff, which includes the managers and a cook and four bank staff. Most of the full-time staff working with the children, except for one, hold an appropriate childcare qualification. Of these, two staff hold foundation degrees in Early Years Practice, 12 staff hold an Level 3 National Vocational Qualification, one is studying towards this level of qualification and one holds a Level 2 National Vocational Qualification. The provision is registered to accept government funding for three and four-year-olds and receives support from the local authority.

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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 are cared for by enthusiastic and knowledgeable practitioners who know them very well. They are able to successfully extend and promote children's development and provide an inclusive service where all children are equally valued. Resources and space are used mainly effectively in the setting and children's independence is mostly promoted well. The setting shows a good capacity to improve through effectively evaluating the provision and continually looking at how to further enhance the outcomes for children. The setting works highly effectively both with other professionals and parents, to provide a good service for the children attending.

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further?

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

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further?

 provide opportunities for older children to independently access the toilets  ensure that all children have consistent opportunities to be outdoors. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Comprehensive written procedures are followed by staff to ensure that children's welfare is successfully promoted in the setting. The staff team place a very high emphasis on safety to ensure children constantly remain safe. Good procedures are in place to manage access to the premises. The staff team follow effective daily procedures to ensure that toys and equipment are maintained to a high standard and to ensure that the areas children use are safe, and also meet their individual needs. Regular training in safeguarding ensures that children are cared for by competent and knowledgeable staff who are secure in their understanding of what they must do if they have a concern about a child. This ensures that children's welfare is fully safeguarded in the setting. The setting follows a good equal opportunities policy. Good systems are employed to ensure that all of the children and parents are included in the setting. For example, some information

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the early years provision

has been translated into Chinese to ensure that this can be easily understood by all of the parents.

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the early years provision

The managers of the setting show a strong commitment to ensuring staff have the necessary skills, ability and knowledge to enable them to provide a good service for the children attending. Regular staff meetings and training provides good opportunities for the staff team to share practice and plan to provide experiences and opportunities that can help children make good progress in their learning and development. Securely robust recruitment and selection procedures ensure that staff caring for the children have completed the necessary checks and hold appropriate qualifications in childcare. The setting uses successful systems to evaluate the care and learning that is provided for the children and from this they produce good action plans to show their aims for the future. These focus on areas that will bring about the most improvements for the children. For example, through continued staff training, and good plans to develop the outdoors with an area to

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the early years provision

plant and grow vegetables, and a stream. The team leaders in the rooms successfully evaluate how they will set up space and equipment to meet the needs of the individual children in their care. They make children's favourite areas, such as, space for the role play, larger and move the quiet area to encourage children to use this more.

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the early years provision

A high emphasis is placed on parents being successfully included in the setting. A wealth of information is made easily accessible in the lobby area to ensure they know how the group operates. Regular newsletters and parents evenings provide good systems to ensure parents are well informed both about how the setting operates, and the care and development of their child. Parents' opinions and views are regularly collected. General and specifically targeted questionnaires gain their opinions to see how the group can make further improvement. Parents provided valuable input into what they felt was needed from the renovated outdoor area. The setting has established good links with the schools that children will move on to, after nursery. At the end of the term the staff team take children on outings to the school. The teachers are also invited down to the setting to see children in their own environment. This ensures there are good procedures to help

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the early years provision

children settle into school, and also several opportunities for practitioners to share This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 information about the children.

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and outcomes for children

Children thoroughly enjoy their time in the setting. They confidently move around all of the areas and make decisions about what they want to play with. The staff team have developed very good relationships with the children who attend. Children confidently approach them for cuddles and reassurance during the day. The staff know each child very well. This is due to them collecting comprehensive and highly detailed information about children from their parents and carers when they first start to attend. This results in staff providing a good range of activities and experiences that meet the child's individual interests and needs. Children make good progress in their learning and development. Comprehensive planning ensures that the staff team provide a wide range of activities and resources that encourage children to make progress in all areas of learning. This is regularly monitored to ensure that a balanced range of activities is freely available and that adult led

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and outcomes for children

activities focus equally on all areas of learning. Planning for children's next steps is good. The staff team make regular observations on what children do and consistently think of how they can extend children's learning and development throughout the sessions. Planning is very child centred and focused on what the individual child needs. Practitioners working with the youngest children are highly skilled in this area. They are very responsive to the children's needs and development. Younger children are good communicators, they can easily make their needs and wishes known to the adults that care for them, for example, when they need the toilet or want to go outside. Adults respond to these requests quickly and consistently which results in children developing a very strong sense of belonging. They lavish praise and recognition for children's achievements, for example, when children use the toilet for the first time at the setting, staff become

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and outcomes for children

very emotional and keen to share these milestones with the child's older siblings who attend.

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and outcomes for children

Children are confident communicators they ask questions, enjoy conversations and are keen to talk about experiences and events in their life. They have plenty of opportunities to develop their mark-making skills, with lots of easily accessible drawing equipment in the setting which they access independently. The staff provide equipment outdoors, such as, buckets of water and brushes to provide continued opportunities to develop these skills. They value children's emerging writing as they encourage them to write their own names on stickers. Equipment and toys are stored in low level shelves and drawers with picture labels. This encourages children to become independent and make their own choices about what they want to do in the setting. Children are regularly encouraged to count in their every day play and do so confidently. They are highly keen to explore their exciting environment as they confidently play in all of the different areas. The staff

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and outcomes for children

team make the most of opportunities for spontaneous outings, for example, children are taken for a walk into the town centre to look at the clock and in the afternoon children enjoy a trip to the beach with a packed tea. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children's good health is promoted successfully in the setting. Consistent routines during the day ensure that children begin to learn about how to take care of their own personal hygiene. Children brush their teeth after meals and some older children know that they must wash their hands after touching the hamster and before eating. Whilst staff encourage independence effectively by asking children to put their own coats on to go outdoors, and getting them to think about what else they need to wear when it is cold outside, older children are not able to access the toilet by themselves. A lock on the top of the door results in children

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and outcomes for children

having to tell the staff they need the toilet. All staff in the setting have completed first aid training which results in them being able to deal with emergencies effectively. The staff team are very aware of what they should do in the event a child becomes ill in the setting and realise the importance of protecting children from cross-infection.

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and outcomes for children

Children benefit from nutritious homemade meals. Good systems ensure that children's dietary needs are met and that children are included, for example, the cook uses vegetarian options to make sure the children all have the same type of meals. Children have good opportunities in the sessions to benefit from fresh air and physical play outdoors, although on some occasions routines for some children are not consistently followed to ensure they have opportunities for this in the morning and afternoon sessions. Children are reminded of how to stay safe in the setting. Staff vigilance and good supervision ensures that children remain free from harm, but are able to take appropriate risks. For example, staff supervise children very carefully when they are using scissors and remind them of how they should use these safely. Visits to the setting by the police and fire fighters contribute towards children developing an understanding of safety in fun and exciting ways.

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and outcomes for children

Children behave very well in the setting. Older children readily share equipment and resources with those younger than themselves. The staff team are all familiar with the written behaviour policy. They place a high emphasis on encouraging good behaviour with praise and encouragement, in a manner that is appropriate to the children's individual stages of development. Diversity is promoted well in the setting to ensure all of the children feel valued. A range of activities are planned to help children begin to learn about people who hold different beliefs to their own and posters around the setting promotes children's own home languages. 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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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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