St Joseph's Catholic Primary School

Field House Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 131112 Inspection date 16/03/2011 Inspector Jenny Read

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Setting address Tingewick Road, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire, MK18 1ST

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Telephone number 01280 812335 Email field.house@childbase.com 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

Field House Day Nursery has been registered since 1992 and is one of 40 nurseries which are part of Child Base Limited. The nursery is situated in Buckingham in Buckinghamshire and serves the local and surrounding areas. The nursery operates from a two-storey converted house. There are eight base rooms divided for children of different ages, sleep rooms, a kitchen, staff room and parent's meeting ro om. Children from birth to 15 months are situated on the first floor with a sleep room and nappy changing facilities. Children aged from 15 months to five years are situated on the ground floor. There is an enclosed outdoor area with grass, hard standing, bark and messy play areas for outdoor play. There is a decking area for babies and an impact absorbent surface with a fixed climbing frame and slide.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered to provide care for a maximum of 70 children under eight years; of these, not more than 46 may be under three years, and of these, not more than 31 may be under two years at any one time. There are currently 78 children from six weeks to five years on roll; of these, 19 three and four-year-old children receive funding for early education. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who use English as an additional language. The nursery is open each weekday from 8.00am to 6.00pm, all year round except for public and bank holidays. An additional service is available to open between 7.30am to 8.00am and 6.00pm to 6.30pm if pre-booked in advance. Children attend on a full and part-time basis.

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Description of the setting

The nursery employs 28 staff members; of these, 20 work directly with the children. 11 staff hold appropriate childcare qualifications to level 3. The manager holds the National Nursery Examination Board qualification and National Vocational Qualification Level 4 in Management. Three other staff members have completed management qualifications to level 2 and 3. One staff member is currently working towards the Foundation Degree in Early Childhood. Baby sign language is implemented throughout the nursery.

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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 nursery is highly effective, ensuring outcomes for children are exemplary. Children are thriving and making excellent progress in their learning because staff have an exceptional knowledge of each child's backgrounds and needs. They are highly effective in ensuring that all children are well integrated and are very successful in taking steps to close identified gaps in children's achievements. Partnerships with parents, carers, other providers, services and external agencies are exemplary to successfully enhance the learning, development and welfare of all children. Leadership and management, including the capacity for sustained improvement, are outstanding. They are exceptionally successful in inspiring the staff team; as a result, morale is very high and belief in the nursery's success runs This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 through all levels of staff.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 consider reviewing practice of the escape plan

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the early years provision

There is a comprehensive awareness of safeguarding issues among the staff at all levels. Comprehensive policies and procedures are extremely well known and these are implemented consistently and robustly to ensure any child welfare concerns are prioritised and dealt with effectively. Extensive recruitment, vetting and induction procedures ensure the suitability of staff. Processes for managing the performance of staff and for their professional development are used exceptionally well. Staff update their skills and knowledge through regular staff meetings and excellent access to frequent training. This results in a highly skilled management and staff team who are highly knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities. Extensive risk assessments and safety measures throughout the nursery ensures children are safe indoors and outdoors.

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the early years provision

Children's wellbeing is significantly enhanced by exceptional organisation and planning for continuous improvement. The senior management team have high aspirations for quality and communicate ambition and drive highly effectively. This has created an exceptional team of highly motivated and dedicated staff whose commitment to the children is outstanding. Rigorous and extensive monitoring, analysis and self-challenge enable the nursery to devise exceptionally well targeted plans. These are agreed and implemented with precision, and have had an outstanding impact on children's achievement and wellbeing.

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the early years provision

Outcomes are clearly attributable to the excellent use of high quality resources and very effective deployment of staff. The children thrive and are very happy because staff take great care to provide a welcoming, homely and exciting environment that is conducive to learning. Exceptional commitment is given to equality and diversity placing it at the heart of all its work. Staff effectively help children to learn about disability and their own and other cultures. Displays and photographs of children's holidays and family events, story books and displays in the various languages spoken at the nursery, the staff learning key words in children's home language, and using sign language, are all helping the children to understand the society in which they live.

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the early years provision

The nursery is highly committed to working in partnership with others and takes the lead role in establishing effective working relationships. Partnerships with This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 parents are exemplary. Parents are heavily involved in decision-making on key matters affecting the nursery and their children, through well-established and highly inclusive procedures including self-evaluation. As a result, parents are very passionate about the nursery and the excellent opportunities available to their children. Children are extremely heavily involved in self-evaluation by contributing their views and suggestions about their care, learning and environment confidently. The highly inclusive systems of communication with parents and children results in strong levels of engagement within the nursery. Parents are extremely well informed about all aspects of their own children's achievement,

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the early years provision

wellbeing and development. They receive tailored guidance and information about precise ways they can support their children's learning.

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and outcomes for children

Children are thriving and making outstanding progress in developing the skills that will help them in the future. They play a dynamic role in their learning by offering their ideas to staff, using the children's planning board, self-registering and actively choosing where they play. As a result, children are extremely independent, active learners who are highly motivated and respond enthusiastically to the excellent challenges and inspirational teaching. Assessment through high quality observations is rigorous and the information gained is used extremely well to guide the innovative planning. As a result, all children are making exceptional progress in their learning and development, benefiting from rich, varied and imaginative experiences. Staff know their key children extremely well and provide excellent support to meet identified targets.

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and outcomes for children

Exceptional organisation of the six areas of learning inside and outside, and the extensive range of high quality resources, provide a highly stimulating and vibrant environment. This is empowering the children to become very independent, autonomous learners who are driving their own learning. They show great curiosity and a strong desire to explore their surroundings. They investigate the mini beast, sensory and investigation areas and show care for their environment and living things. They plant and grow seeds, vegetables and various plants in the raised beds, and spend time in the caring area, helping to fill the bird feeders and provide areas for the birds and other wildlife to nest. Children work extremely well, independently using their own initiative as they splash in the water, skilfully use the computer and develop their own ideas with the paint. They are creative in the jungle area, developing their super hero play and have fun using wood, metal,

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and outcomes for children

bricks, crates and various other media in the building area.

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and outcomes for children

Children show an extremely strong sense of security and belonging and display very high levels of confidence and self-esteem because staff value their individual needs and backgrounds extremely well. Compiling family books with photographs of children's family members provides reassurance, comfort and helps the children to gain a very strong sense of who they are. As a result, the children settle well and relationships are very strong at all levels with staff and their peers. Children are extremely well supported in helping them learn to manage their own behaviour This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 because they contribute to devising and writing the rules and behaviours for acceptable behaviour. Photographs displayed alongside the rules are helping the younger children's understanding of what is expected. The children respect and tolerate each other's differences and demonstrate high levels of self-control

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and outcomes for children

because staff skilfully implement consistent methods to manage behaviour and use excellent questioning to help children think about their behaviour and its impact on others.

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and outcomes for children

The children from a young age show that they are developing a very good understanding of how to keep themselves safe and healthy. They help the staff to review risks inside and outside to increase their understanding of safety issues. They respond to skilful questioning, and frequent, consistent explanations of safe play is empowering the children to take responsibility for managing their own and other's safety. Termly practice of the escape plan is helping to raise many children's awareness of appropriate action to take in an emergency.

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and outcomes for children

Children show an exceptional understanding of the importance of following good hygiene routines. They have ownership of their health and wellbeing and demonstrate they are extremely well informed about healthy living. Children have innovative opportunities to engage in a wide range of physical activities, both indoors and out and gain a secure understanding about the importance of regular exercise as part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. They take part in weekly physical educational sessions with an outside teacher, warming up, cooling down and having lots of fun while exercising. They show an excellent understanding of healthy eating, helping to devise the healthy, nutritious menus. They make healthy choices at snack and meal times and readily talk about what they are eating each day. Self-serving dishes at lunch times is promoting children's independence extremely well from a young age. All children have easy access to their individual

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and outcomes for children

drinking bottle or cup when they are thirsty. Babies and very young children are extremely content and settled because their individual health, physical and dietary needs are met to an exceptional standard. 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 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 1

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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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