Noah's Nursery

Noah's Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 305214 Inspection date 01/06/2011 Inspector Sue Birkenhead

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Setting address 19 Crossfield Road, Handforth, Wilmslow, SK9 3LN

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Telephone number 01625 524623 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

Noah's Nursery has been registered since 1989 and is privately owned. It operates from a converted property in the centre of Handforth, Wilmslow. Children are cared for within three rooms on the ground floor. Children have access to enclosed outdoor play areas. The nursery operates Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm for 51 weeks a year, excluding Christmas and New Year.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 20 children under the age of eight years may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 29 children within the early years age group on roll of these 8 are in receipt of funding for nursery education. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are cared for. The setting is also registered on thcompulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the setting

There are six members of staff including the manger and registered person, five of whom hold early years qualifications to level three and two staff are in the process of working towards qualifications, such as, a level two and the early years degree. The setting receives support from the local Sure Start Advisor.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The nursery provides a welcoming and inclusive environment where children are happy, secure and settle well. Staff work well as a team to ensure the welfare, learning and development requirements of the individual children are generally met, consequently, they make steady progress towards the early learning goals. However, evidence to support the suitability of all staff is not accessible, which is a breach in the requirements. Effective procedures ensure good relationships between parents and carers, which positively contribute to the children's care and learning. Management are aware of the necessary procedures for establishing links with other settings, where appropriate in the future. Systems for self-evaluation are in the early stages and a suitable commitment to the continuous development is fostered.

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further?

To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 keep records of the information used to assess the suitability of staff to demonstrate to Ofsted that checks have been done. Such records must include the unique reference numbers of Criminal Records Bureau disclosures obtained and the date on which they were obtained (Suitable People). 15/06/2011 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 appoint a named practioner who takes responsibility for behaviour management issues  obtain children's developmental starting points on entry to the setting to ensure a baseline from which to monitor children's progress  extend the policy regarding safeguarding to reflect procedures followed in the event of allegation being made against a member of staff  document details of regular fire drills practised and any problems encountered and how they were resolved  develop further approaches to self-evaluation of the setting  develop further children's observations to reflect their next steps in learning and use this information to inform the planning of activities.

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the early years provision

Children are appropriately safeguarded because some staff have attended relevant training and have a sound understanding of the procedures for reporting concerns and recognising signs of abuse. In addition visitors are monitored to the setting. Tthe regularly reviewed risk assessments of outings and areas of the nursery as well as the use of safety equipment ensure risks to children are minimised. In addition regular emergency evacuations are practised to promote children's learning of staying safe, although the details are not recorded. Documentation to ensure children's welfare and safety is appropriately organised and in the main accurately maintained. However, there is a breach in the requirements because details of the Criminal Record Bureau checks that staff complete are not documented. Many written policies, which are suitably shared with parents, generally make them aware of the nursery practices. However, no reference is

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the early years provision

made in the safeguarding policy to the procedures followed should allegations be made against staff.

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the early years provision

Systems for reflecting on nursery practices are in the early stages of development. These include obtaining views from staff, parents and children and the Ofsted self- evaluation form is partly completed although, not accessible for the inspection. The registered person is able to demonstrate during discussion aspects that have been developed since the last inspection and plans for future development of the setting. For example, the recommendations previously raised at the last inspection have been addressed. As a result, improvements have been made to sharing information with parents, documentation, better organisation at meal times, and the provision of resources regarding creative play and promoting children's understanding of diversity. Parents outline their views, which are valued, through the completion of questionnaires they receive. They indicate they are happy with the service, describe the nursery as 'friendly' and 'homely', where 'attentive and

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the early years provision

approachable staff provide instant reassurance'. As a result of parents' comments additions have been made to the menu and communication systems such as the daily activity sheets to provide a two way flow of information, have been This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 introduced. Staff are committed to attending additional training. Consequently, a suitable approach to the continuous development of the setting and better outcomes for children is fostered.

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the early years provision

Good relationships are established with parents and carers through the systems in place for sharing information which contributes to the children's consistent care, learning and development. Parents complete the 'This is me' record initially, outlining children's likes, dislikes, routines and family members. However, opportunities to record their developmental starting points on entry to the setting are not fully explored to provide a baseline from which to monitor children's ongoing progress. Some information is on display in the main entrance, such as, the certificate of registration information regarding children's meals and the Ofsted parent poster. Parents have regular access to their child's developmental file and can contribute to their child's continuous learning through the developmental summaries introduced. Monthly newsletters make parents aware of nursery events and changes, and enables management to feedback views from the questionnaires

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the early years provision

they collate. The children currently cared for do not attend other settings. However, the manager is aware of the need to develop links in the future should this change, to complement the delivery of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy, secure and confident within the welcoming environment, where rooms are attractively decorated with photographs of children during activities and their art work. Through the good deployment of resources within the different group rooms children access many good quality resources. This promotes their independence and allows them to become active in their learning. Staff positively interact with children by involving themselves in play and activities, recognising the importance of allowing children to instigate their learning and enabling them to explore. They ask open-ended questions to promote children's thinking and use repetition of words to support the development of early language skills. The daily routine incorporates opportunities for them to engage in an appropriate balance of child-initiated and adult-led opportunities to support the sound progress they make. Suitable planning of activities incorporates themes and

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and outcomes for children

times of the year they plan to celebrate as well as taking into account their individual interests and some learning needs. However, records are not always linked to the areas of learning to ensure they are covered in sufficient depth over a period of time. Spontaneous and focused observations are documented in the children's individual development files, they are dated and some are linked to areas of learning although the children's next steps in learning are not always reflected to inform the future planning. In addition art work and photographs also provide evidence of their learning and a summary of their developmental progress is suitably reflected in the 'tracker' system in place.

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and outcomes for children

Children are provided with a positive balance of adult-led and child-initiated opportunities, which support the appropriate development of their future skills. Small group activities, sitting in smaller groups at meal times and the development This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 of positive relationships support the development of their social skills. Children are introduced to basic number language during play as staff encourage them to recognise written number during play and display number lines both indoors and outside. They confidently count spontaneously and indicate how old they are by holding up four fingers. They begin to recognise shapes as they sort and match using resources, such as the puzzles, dominoes and shape sorters. Children develop a positive interest in books from a young age to support the development of their early literacy skills and language. They regularly select books of their

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and outcomes for children

choice and sit with staff who read to them and enjoy stories such as 'The Enormous Turnip'. They are confident to explore the play environment and resources during free play and positively respond to the planned activities. For example, with sustained interest young children explore the coloured sand, empty and fill various receptacles and learn the colour purple. Good emphasis is given to the provision of mark-making resources and opportunities both indoors and outside, which support the development of their early hand writing skills. For example, they enjoy the writing belts outdoors which contain a pen and notepad.

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and outcomes for children

Older children attempt to write letters that make up their names and repeat letter sounds when asked. Children of all ages use various media to explore their creativity and texture, which include making models from discarded household items, introducing them to recycling. They explore the content of the treasure basket which contains natural items and develop their imagination as they play with the pretend foods and prepare meals to eat. Older children work together to create a den using various materials, they recognise it is dark in there and go in search of a lamp to 'make it light'. They plant and grow vegetables and flowers outdoors as well as use binoculars to explore their environment to promote their understanding of the natural world. They learn the value that physical exercise has on their overall well-being as they actively take part in the weekly 'Stretch and Grow' session, manoeuvre sit-and-ride resources around the outdoor play area and

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and outcomes for children

learn to hop on one leg with confidence. Many resources promote children's knowledge of technology and include interactive and programmable toys, pretend mobile phones and the computer and associated programmes.

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and outcomes for children

Young children indicate they feel safe and secure as they happily explore their environment with confidence, knowing the staff are close by and turn to staff for comfort when they are tired. Older children are confident to say they feel safe 'because there are loads of people to look after me'. They learn about staying safe as they are able to take risks outdoors, which supports the development of their physical skills and enables them to have fun. For example staff closely supervise an activity instigated by a child where they climb up and slide down a hose. Children behave well and appropriate methods for managing their behaviour are in place, which includes regular praise to promote the development of their confidence and self-esteem. However, a designated person for behaviour management issues is not appointed. Children benefit from the healthy diet, the independent access to drinks and daily exercise they receive. Aspects of the daily routine introduce

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and outcomes for children

children from a young age to personal hygiene to ensure the risk of cross-infection is appropriately minimised. Older children confidently explain they wash their hands 'to get rid of germs which can make you sick'. 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 3 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 3 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 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 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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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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