Toad Hall Nursery

Toad Hall Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 148628 Inspection date 01/06/2011 Inspector Lynne Lewington

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Setting address Edney's Hill, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 4DS

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Telephone number 0118 9776200 Email toadhall_70@hotmail.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

Toad Hall Nursery is privately owned and opened in January 1995. It operates from two buildings within one site and is located in a rural setting. It serves the local and surrounding areas.

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Description of the setting

There are currently 134 children on roll. This includes 40 funded children. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register to care for 96 children under 8 at any one time, of these not more than 45 may be aged under 2. The setting supports children with special needs and who speak English as an additional language. The setting has many pets including donkeys, goats, chickens, guinea pigs and a rabbit.

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Description of the setting

The group opens five days a week all year round, with the exception of bank holidays and the Christmas period. The nursery is open from 8:00am until 6:00pm.

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Description of the setting

There are currently 28 staff who work with the children. Of these 24 hold relevant early years qualifications and three are working towards recognised early years qualifications. The setting receives support from teacher/mentor from the Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership.

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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

Overall the quality of the provision is good. Staff develop excellent partnerships with parents and others involved in children's lives. All children are acknowledged and supported to enable them to achieve, however, staff do not always make best use of the resources available to encourage children's development. The enthusiastic and knowledgeable manager is successfully striving to continuously improve the provision. Staff and management meet regularly to discuss and evaluate the provision; they identify areas needed for improvement, create action plans and make positive changes for the benefit of the children.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve opportunities for independent mark making in the outside environment  improve awareness of children's progress in relation to their starting points. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

All staff undertake safeguarding training ensuring they understand their role in recognising and reporting concerns. A clear safeguarding policy is easily available to staff and parents ensuring everyone is aware of the settings role in safeguarding children. Robust systems are in place to ensure staff are suitable for their roles , this includes a comprehensive recruitment, vetting and induction process. Children display an increasing awareness of safety awareness and how they can help to keep themselves safe. Comprehensive effective risk assessments are maintained in addition to daily safety checks ensuring potential risks are managed appropriately or eliminated. The attractive, well maintained environment is very well equipped with good quality age-appropriate resources which children access independently. Each group within the nursery have their own outdoor spacious attractive canopied areas which they use effectively. The rural

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the early years provision

environment enables the children to see the goats, and donkeys and help to care for the chickens, rabbit and guinea pigs the setting owns.

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the early years provision

Excellent communication with parents ensures the setting meets the needs of those who use it. The setting seeks parental opinion through questionnaires and discussion and takes on board ideas for further development. Opportunities to develop knowledge and skills are shared with parents, for example, many parents accepted the opportunity to undertake first aid training with the staff. Parents speak highly of the setting and particularly the skills of the manager. Excellent informative and interesting child development and childcare information is displayed on the parents' information board with hand outs that parents can take home. Strong partnerships with the local schools ensure information is shared easing transition to school. Staff attend local cluster meetings and develop strong working relationships with others involved in children's care. This all helps to successfully promote children's learning development and welfare.

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the early years provision

Excellent steps are taken to self-evaluate and drive improvements within the setting. Staff and parents all contribute to the settings self-evaluation enabling the setting to identify clearly priorities for further development. This participation enables everyone to feel involved and important in the settings success. A low turnover of staff indicates staff enjoy the setting and morale is high. The well targeted action plan identifies time and resources required and is a continuous developmental process for the setting ensuring they continuously build on the quality of the provision they offer.

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the early years provision

Good care is taken to promote equality and diversity, and tackle unfair discrimination. Staff have a good awareness of children's backgrounds and needs through discussion with parents enabling them to effectively care for them. Staff sensitively seek further and advice and support for individuals when required. Books and resources around the setting present positive images of a diverse community and the children meet various visitors to the setting increasing their awareness of peoples roles within their community. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

All children are confident, inquisitive and curious in this nurturing environment indicating they feel very safe and secure. Children very confidently relate to the staff seeking and receiving their attention at times and also working independently at their various activities. Pre-school children demonstrate and excellent awareness of safe behaviours and some remind others. For example, a child reminds a playmate not to run indoors because you bump into people. They use scissors with care and knives with developing skill at meal times. Regular fire drills are undertaken ensuring the premises can be evacuated swiftly in an emergency. Excellent systems are in place to ensure sleeping babies are comfortable and safe. Children confidently relate to the staff seeking their participation at times and also working independently at their various activities. Children undertake many activities in the fresh air developing their skills and interests. Staff take good care

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and outcomes for children

to ensure they wear sun hats and sun cream and some older children demonstrate an awareness of why this is needed. Children demonstrate an awareness of good hygiene routines and wash their hands independently at appropriate times. Sometimes hand wipes are used as an alternative and children miss out on this simple learning experience. Dietary needs are met effectively as fresh food is prepared each day on the premises by the chef. Drinks of water are easily and readily available throughout the day preventing dehydration.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop excellent relationships with those around them. The babies and toddlers enjoy cuddles from the staff and respond with smiles and vocalisation. Children demonstrate increasing social skills as they undertake activities together. For example two children sit together on the floor to complete a puzzle, they talk about the picture and together look for the pieces they need. Staff set an excellent example to the children through their own behaviour, they talk calmly and patiently to each other and the children and consequently the children behave in a similar way. Children learn to share, take turns and negotiate as they play with consistent encouragement from the staff. They demonstrate care and consideration for the animals as they help to feed them regularly. Children benefit positively from opportunities for lots of outdoor play where they develop their physical skills well and develop a sense of well-being in the natural environment.

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and outcomes for children

They use wheeled toys, low level climbing frames and kick balls with increasing skill and confidence. The outdoor environment has many high quality resources and attractive paint and mark making areas have been developed, however, the staff do not check that these areas are stocked for example with paint, chalk, water and crayons to enable the children to use them effectively. Consequently whilst the children have opportunities to undertake activities encouraging most aspects of their learning outside they do not do mark making. Good quality attractive books are available throughout the setting both indoors and out. Children enjoy sitting in the playhouse with an adult to listen to a story. They anticipate and join in with respective rhymes developing their language and memory skills. Staff talk and listen to the children attentively encouraging language development well as the children participate in the activities around them. Children

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and outcomes for children

demonstrate increasing awareness of the natural world around them as they are growing many vegetables. Some confidently explain what they have to do to care This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 for them and name the various pots of plants looking at the labels for clues. With great concentration and fine control they fill pots with soil and plant seedling tomatoes and water them . Children recall how they ate the strawberries and know that when this years crop arrives they will make soup with the vegetables. Opportunities to develop awareness of quantity, size, shape and position arise as children use containers in the sand and others independently build with construction toys.

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and outcomes for children

Observations of the children's learning and development cover all areas of learning and provide some indication of progress. However the records are not always dated and there is often no clear record of what the children could do when the records were started. Consequently this makes it difficult to clearly identify the progress that is being made. This is an aspect of the settings action plan which they are currently developing. 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 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 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 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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