Jolly Giraffes Day Nursery

Jolly Giraffes Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY298138 Inspection date 23/02/2011 Inspector Carol-Anne Shaw

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Setting address 16 Station Lane, Woodlesford, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS26 8RA Telephone number 0113 205 9449 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

Jolly Giraffes was registered in 2004. It is privately owned nursery that operates from eight rooms in a converted house. All children share access to a secure outdoor play area. It is situated opposite a railway station in Woodlesford, a village on the outskirts of Leeds.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of 61 children under eight years at any one time, of these 30 may be under 2 years of age. There are currently 107 children aged up to five years on roll, of these 32 children receive funding for nursery education. Children attend for sessions of variable lengths. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm. It is open throughout the year, except for public holidays and a week between Christmas and New Year. The nursery takes children from the local area and surrounding areas.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is also registered on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. At the time of the inspection, no services are provided for the older age group.

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Description of the setting

There are 26 staff including the owners. The majority of staff have level 3 early years qualifications, three have early years degrees, and two have Qualified Teacher Status and Early Years Professional Status. They have support from the local authority childcare support team. The nursery is a member of the National Day Nurseries Association and the Leeds Nursery Network.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The setting is highly motivated to deliver excellent care and learning, and children make outstanding progress in all areas of learning considering their differing starting points. The parents state that children are happy and enjoy coming to the nursery, there is a high standard of achievement and children are prepared effectively for school entry. The setting has an established training record that promotes the team's knowledge and understanding of using the Early Years Foundation Stage. They have implemented ongoing and significant improvements, so that children's individual needs are identified and met in all aspects of care and education. The staff team are highly skilled professionals and the setting has effective monitoring systems which are used to monitor all areas of the provision. Plans for ongoing development are embedded in the ethos of the nursery. The provision drives forward improvements that have a positive impact on outcomes

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 should consider:

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further?

 further developing the overall monitoring systems for the management of the welfare and learning to promote outcomes for children.

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the early years provision

The setting promotes children's welfare to an exceptionally high level through the rigorous maintenance of records, policies and procedures that cover all aspects of the setting. For example, staff are selected and recruited through excellent systems that include thorough induction programmes, ongoing appraisals and continuous training that is relevant and successful. Safeguarding children is given the highest priority, as all staff are trained in child protection and retain relevant and current first aid certificates. Risk assessments are comprehensive and robust. Staff receive regular practise in the use of emergency systems and safety equipment and they remain alert and vigilant about children's safety. Children display an excellent awareness of safety issues and learn how to recognise and understand how to keep safe. The steps taken to safeguard children are exemplary.

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the early years provision

The exemplary management skills help to retain highly skilled and qualified practitioners, who are extremely well motivated and whose dedication to the children they care for is evident in all areas of the setting. Furniture, equipment and resources are good quality and very suitable for the ages of children to support their learning and development. The wide range and quality of resources and the effectiveness of deployment throughout the setting has a significant impact on children's access to them and consequently, their enjoyment of their play. The excellent use of resources, including highly effective deployment of staff, ensures the environment is conducive to learning and safety.

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the early years provision

Staff work together extremely well to provide integrated care for all children in the setting. Liaison with parents, carers and external agencies is very good in all aspects and exceptional in some areas. From the start, parents are involved in all areas of their children's development. The effective exchange of information ensures that the unique capabilities of each child are recognised and promoted effectively. Parents express extremely positive opinions of the setting and praise the staff and the setting. They say that the setting is outstanding and operates as an extension of the family, and that it is warm and homely. Parents report that children settle into the nursery extremely well and want to come on days they are not normally at nursery. From their initial visit they have every confidence in the staff team. A significant aspect of the settling-in process, and one that parents particularly appreciate, is the information that includes photographs of children

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the early years provision

with their 'special people' engaged in activities that they enjoy doing at home. Children use these photographs effectively to show adults things about themselves and point and talk about the home photographs with staff and other children.

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the early years provision

Inclusive practice is well promoted, and children follow individual educational programmes developed in consultation with parents. Its delivery is monitored by This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 specialist staff within the setting to ensure that children make effective progress from their original starting points. The staff team work closely with parents, carers and other professionals effectively to identify, monitor and fully promote individual development. Staff work very closely with parents, carers and when required with other professionals to identify, monitor and promote the development of children with disabilities or specific learning needs.

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the early years provision

The nursery has an exceptionally high capacity for improvement, which is demonstrated through the ongoing improvement achieved since the last inspection. Parents and carers are heavily involved in decision making on key matters affecting the setting through well-established and highly inclusive procedures. Continuous staff development programmes have improved staff effectiveness in providing the learning curriculum to link with the Early Years Foundation Stage and raised the quality of teaching to a very high level. Monitoring systems for self-evaluation purposes are extremely effective and the setting takes into account the views of children, parents, staff and other professionals in its ongoing self-evaluation process.

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the early years provision

The setting has well-established links with specialists and other professionals to develop its practice. For example, they make excellent use of the local authority training programmes and local academic institutions for ongoing staff development. They also visit centres of excellence to see how they can adapt examples of good practice for the benefit of children in their nursery.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy their time in the setting and demonstrate strong relationships with the staff and with each other. This is promoted well through the effective organisation of high quality, exciting resources that invite children to play together. Young children's independence is fostered well through the use of well designed and constructed resources. For example, low chairs that support babies to sit comfortably are placed at low tables so that they learn to feed themselves alongside their peers. The setting provides a warm, welcoming environment with child-height photographs, displays and posters. There is a wealth of information, strategically placed around the setting for parents, such as information on the range of healthy meals and snacks provided for children overall. This also includes a daily menu, with alternatives, so that parents can see on arrival what their children will be eating each day.

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and outcomes for children

All staff are knowledgeable about child development and provide well planned, purposeful activities which allow children to explore and to make discoveries that stimulate their interest in learning. The activities provided help children to become active learners and promote critical thinking and creativity. Children of all ages receive appropriate challenges. Babies develop trusting relationships with staff who know how to provide the right challenges at each stage of development. For example, their awareness is promoted through various activities, such as staff hiding their faces behind a scarf so that babies pull the scarf away to show that the member of staff is still there, then laugh with reassurance at the familiar adult This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 presence. Children aged under three years use a computer mouse skilfully when engaged in interactive games such as, following a favourite programme to change

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and outcomes for children

There is a very good balance of highly effective adult-led and child-initiated activities. For example, an activity begins with a story about a bear hunt, then adults organise the children to go on a real bear hunt to the local station. There are activities for the younger children to support their understanding of light and dark in the sensory room, using torches to create light. The older children have opportunities to go outside in the dark with torches to see if there are any birds sleeping in the tree.

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and outcomes for children

Children's progress in communication, literacy and skills relating to information and communication technology is developing well. They play and work alongside their peers successfully, understanding the need to cooperate and resolve situations by themselves. Children play well independently, becoming active, curious and inquisitive learners. They develop a good understanding of the wider world and are very well equipped with the skills they need in order to secure future learning.

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and outcomes for children

Children's development is observed, assessed and monitored effectively in all instances. For example, all staff are involved in monitoring progress through observations and assessments supported by photographs. Children's profiles are maintained extremely well, with staff showing an excellent understanding of significant events and how to help children progress to the next stage in their development. 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 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 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 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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