Playhouse Day Nursery

Playhouse Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY420840 Inspection date 26/05/2011 Inspector Angela Cole

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Setting address 287 Hatherley Road, CHELTENHAM, Gloucestershire, GL51 6HT Telephone number 01242 253212 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

Playhouse Day Nursery opened in 1994 and was re-registered under the present ownership in 2010. This is situated in the Up Hatherley area of Cheltenham in Gloucestershire. The nursery is owned by a limited company and operates from the two floors of a converted, detached house. The children have use of three playrooms with the baby unit on the first floor. There are enclosed outdoor areas with patio and safety surfaces and a separate, covered area for all-weather, outdoor play. A newly-formed garden with artificial grass is used by the under twos and also by pre-school children at quiet times. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm all year round except for bank holidays, and provides before, after school and holiday care for reception and older children.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 25 children in the early years age range may attend the nursery at any one time, including 12 under two years. There are currently 45 children on roll, aged from birth to under eight years with some in part-time places that include the school day. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and a number of children learning English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The owner-manager has an early years degree and holds Early Years Professional Status. There are seven members of staff working regularly with the children, four of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. There are three staff working towards a Level 2, 3 or 4 qualification. The nursery provides funded early years education for three and four-year-olds. The nursery is working towards the Bristol Standards Quality Assurance Award.

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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

The nursery has made an impressive start under its new management. Staff are embracing many aspects of the Early Years Foundation Stage so that children effectively learn. The organisation of the nursery is good and most documentation is well completed so that children are included, feel safe and thrive in the homely atmosphere. The staff implement policies and procedures that safeguard children's welfare effectively and their practice successfully ensures positive outcomes for the children. The many aspects of good partnership that the nursery has with parents further supports children's well-being. The management and senior staff have an ambitious vision for the nursery and conscientiously identify relevant aspects for development to ensure ongoing improvement.

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further?

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 obtain prior written permission from parents before any medication is given. (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare) 03/06/2011

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further?

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

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further?

 review the use of planning and assessment that includes parents' comments to further plan for children's learning based on their individual interests.

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the early years provision

A high priority is given to keeping children safe and promoting their welfare. Overall, staff members are well trained so they know how to respond if there are concerns about a child. Employment systems are robust with established procedures in place to ensure the suitability of staff is regularly reviewed. Staff members are actively supported to improve their knowledge and skills so they may be well equipped for their roles working with the children. Staff are vigilant and implement a comprehensive programme of risk assessment on the secure, safe premises and for outings to keep children safe from harm. Most necessary documentation is in place and maintained to a high standard, though written consent is not obtained for all administering of non-prescribed medication to protect the children's health. Information, such as the certificate of registration and record of children's attendance, is clearly displayed.

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the early years provision

The newly-refurbished nursery environment is bright and stimulating as toys and equipment are well maintained by staff who clearly take a pride in their setting. Good use is made of available equipment, though planning is not fully developed to give children free access to the full range of resources, in and out of doors. The deployment of staff is carefully considered to ensure that children are well supported and develop strong attachments to key people. Effective implementation of positive strategies means that equality and diversity are well promoted so that differences are recognised and valued. For example, babies and older children see positive images around the nursery and explore other cultures through a variety of media, including posters, books and photographs of themselves and their families. Strategies, such as labelling in different languages and the babies' use of choosing pictures, support all children to develop their knowledge and skills.

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the early years provision

The nursery fully liaises with health and education professionals and has devised ways to contact other early years provisions to share children's individual needs, interests and progress. Partnership with parents and carers is good and families speak highly of the nursery. They feel well involved and there are some effective arrangements, including daily handover and regular meetings, to encourage a two- way flow of information. Parents' input is not systematically included in children's records to enable them to play a key role in the assessment of each child's This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 progress. The management and leadership of the nursery have high aspirations for the quality of the provision. This is reflected through enthusiastic implementation of significant refurbishing, individual support given to staff and strong emphasis on self-evaluation and ongoing improvement. The views of staff, parents and children

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the early years provision

are effectively sought and valued in order to identify further areas for development and ensure improved outcomes for children.

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and outcomes for children

Babies and children make good, and sometimes very good, progress in their learning and development. This is because children are cared for in small groups where the attentive adults are aware of their individual needs to offer appropriate challenges. The key persons use this knowledge to plan effectively for their next steps, including extending children's interests at the nursery. For example, babies enjoy a story about a caterpillar after finding one in the garden and older children's learning is enhanced by repeated use of equipment, such as a light box. However, planning is often in terms of activities rather than learning so that the range of activities where children's progress may be assessed is not clear. Well-established programmes of observation and monitoring are used to accurately map children's progress towards the early learning goals.

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and outcomes for children

Children enjoy a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activity, both in and out of doors so they actively develop skills for the future. Personal, social and emotional development is evident through developing friendships and cooperative play. Children enjoy choosing and 'reading' books, listening to stories and speaking confidently in front of others. They make marks with crayons and paint and recognise their name labels at snack time. Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy skills are well developed. In routines, children count confidently to higher numbers and discuss 'one more' or 'one less'; they use mathematical language correctly in their play, for example, as they make sequenced patterns using printing sponges. Children enjoy learning about the wider world, spotting interesting vehicles on the road outside and making use of multicultural resources, including books. Daily opportunities for outdoor play and activities, such as

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and outcomes for children

throwing, climbing and balancing, mean that physical development is well promoted. Babies explore exciting sensory materials and pretend with safe kitchen equipment; frequent access to resources for crafts and imaginative play successfully enhances older children's creativity.

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and outcomes for children

Children feel very safe and secure in the nursery as they have strong bonds with staff, including their key persons. They learn to keep themselves safe through hearing explanations and by using tools carefully, such as scissors and a hammer. They are familiar with emergency procedures practised in frequent evacuation drills. Children adopt healthy lifestyles as they value exercise and talk about their changes of body temperature. They have free access to drinking water, make healthy choices at caf-style, snack times and enjoy the home-cooked, tasty meals so much that some come back for thirds. Children behave well as they are clear about the ground rules and respond well to the gentle encouragement of staff. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 They relish opportunities to take on responsibility, readily volunteering to help with routine tasks, such as tidying away their toys. They show concern and

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and outcomes for children

consideration for each other and benefit from 'family' times when they are caring towards the youngest children. 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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