Eastfield Day Nursery

Eastfield Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 322376 Inspection date 09/06/2011 Inspector Frank William Kelly

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Setting address 7 Eastfield Drive, Aigburth, Liverpool, Merseyside, L17 4LH

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Telephone number 0151 727 3214 Email eastfielddaynursery@yahoo.co.uk 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

Eastfield Day Nursery has been registered since 1980 and is one of two settings operated by this provider. It is situated in the Aigbuth area of Liverpool. It is also located in very close proximity to the owners other setting. Children are cared for within three playrooms over two floors and there is an enclosed outdoor play area. The setting operates each week day from 8am to 5.45pm, 51 weeks of the year. It is closed for a week at Christmas and on bank holidays.

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Description of the setting

The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of 30 children under eight years at any one time. Of whom, no more than 30 may be in the early years age range. The setting currently has 33 children on roll, of whom 28 are in the early years age range. At present the setting operates in partnership with the owners other setting and is currently concentrating its provision for children aged three and over. Younger children are enrolled at the other setting and transfer to this setting when they reach three. The setting provides care for a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The setting is also registered to offer care to children aged over eight to 11 years and is registered by Ofsted on the voluntary part of the Childcare Register.

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Description of the setting

The setting currently employs six staff to work with the children, all of whom hold early years qualifications. One member of staff holds Early Years Practitioner Status, (EYPS), and an Early Years and Special Educational Needs degree. Another member of staff is currently working towards EYPS. The setting receives support from the Local Authority and provides funded places for the provision of early education for some of the three- and four-year-olds.

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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 attractive presentation of the play rooms and good day-to-day organisation means that children enter happily and demonstrate confidence and a sense of security whilst in this setting. This along with the staff's ability to enthusiastically engage children is helping them make good progress in their learning. Parents are actively welcomed and a sound framework to engage any other relevant professionals is in place; thus, children's unique needs are known and being met well. The management demonstrates a positive attitude towards driving improvement to enhance the overall quality of the provision. However, the self- evaluation and management monitoring systems are not yet sufficiently rigorous to ensure that all regulatory requirements are fully met and that changes and improvements are fully embedded into practice.

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further?

To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must: This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  ensure that information about who has legal contact with the child; and who has parental responsibility for the child, is obtained in advance of being admitted to the provision (Safeguarding and welfare). 09/06/2011

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further?

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

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further?

 refine the risk assessments to include more specific detail when on individual outings  develop the self-evaluation and quality improvement processes to include a robust internal system of review. Include secure management monitoring systems to ensure that changes implemented are fully imbedded into the practice  further extend staffs knowledge of the planning and assessment systems so as they continue to review progress regularly. Consider how parents may also be more actively involved in this.

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the early years provision

Children are suitably safeguarded through appropriate procedures. The setting has not recently recruited staff but has taken steps to revise the procedures for checking adult's suitability, to reflect the current guidance. The safeguarding children policy is reflective of the Local Safeguarding Children's Board requirements and an on-going programme to enable staff to attend relevant training is being implemented. Consequently staff have a secure understanding of who to report concerns to and any steps they should take to protect children. Formal risk assessment is completed annually. Those risks that require daily checks are completed each day before the children arrive. An outings procedure has been compiled and is reflective of the current guidance. However, the risk assessments are general and have not been formally recorded for each specific trip or outing. For example, when staff collect children from the local school or when they visit

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the early years provision

the library. That said, the children are well supervised and staff support the children well to learn about how they can keep themselves safe, for example, reminding them not to run indoors or to pass their knife across the table, gently.

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the early years provision

The management takes steps to ensure that the maintenance and servicing of fire and electrical equipment takes place as required. Checks of the fire detection equipment are undertaken but records of such checks are not maintained. Self- evaluation is undertaken and the setting is able to demonstrate actions taken to address the recommendations from the last inspection, such as, improving children's safety by ensuring that sufficient staff have completed up-to-date first aid training. Investment and support through local funding initiatives and the updating of staff's knowledge through attendance on vocational training has improved the quality of the outdoor play provision. However, the management monitoring systems are not sufficiently robust to ensure that any changes put in place are consistently implemented. For example, the setting has recently revised This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

the children's registration forms to ensure that information about who holds parental responsibility or has legal contact with the child is held. This is a regulatory requirement of which this information must be obtained before a child is cared for. However, it has failed to update the information and registration details for those children who started before the new forms were introduced. Therefore it is unable to demonstrate it holds all the required information for each and every child.

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the early years provision

That said, other aspects of organisation such as the toys and play rooms are very well organised and the staff team provide the children with good support. Children play and explore in a stimulating environment; enjoying play with toys and activities of their own choice. Books and comfy areas are accessible throughout the setting including outdoors. In some rooms there are dens, and an unusual raised role play platform. Complete with stairs and a fully enclosed balustrade. This provides places for children to play where they feel they are not being directly observed, allowing them a sense of independence. The toys, books and other visual imagery are culturally representative of the children within the setting; helping all children and families to feel fully included. The introduction of celebrations and customs from differing religions and cultures is providing some opportunities for children to learn about different ways of life and embrace

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the early years provision

The engagement of parents is valued and sound in practice. Various displays and printed information is made available to help parents understand how the setting operates. Regular verbal updates about the child's day and what they are doing is shared at collection times. Staff are friendly and approachable and parents are relaxed and at ease within the setting. Information about the child's individual needs and preferences is shared when children start and parents are regularly invited to look at their children's progress records as they wish. The setting is keen to engage parents to contribute to these records but at present the current documentation does not specifically include a parental comments section. The management is receptive to such ideas and has begun to consider how this could be incorporated into future practice. The provision and systems in place for supporting children who have special educational needs/and disabilities securely

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the early years provision

reflect the principles of interagency working. The setting engages local schools informally and a summary of children's achievements and any other records to assist with the transition to school, are made available to parents at a graduation ceremony.

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and outcomes for children

The setting securely promotes the five outcomes for children through the daily routines and a well-planned activity programme. In particular staff are very successful at helping children learn about adopting healthy lifestyles. Children eagerly and knowledgably explain to visitors the reasons why hand washing is so important. The children participate in regular energetic physical activity such as when they hop on the 'reindeer hoppers'. A regular visiting professional provides the children with exercise programmes that engage the children in games of chase This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and provide differing sports equipment such as plastic hockey sticks to try out. These experiences also contribute to the children's developing independence and early citizenship, as they learn about the rules of the games and turn taking. On most occasions children are well behaved and show a growing respect for each

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and outcomes for children

other, although on occasions, such as, when lunch time draws to a close, they can become giddy and boisterous. That said, the gentle reminders and positive role models presented by the staff team, and their effective use of distraction resolves this quickly. The children contribute to keeping their environment safe as they help to tidy away toys and activities, and staff take actions such as sweeping up spilt sand to prevent slip hazards.

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and outcomes for children

The staff have a good understanding of the principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage. The thoughtful organisation provides children with play experiences that span all six areas of learning and adult-led activities support, extend and consolidate children's knowledge. For example, children play a spider counting game, the staff encourage the children to count places on their board and identify numerals. Counting is threaded through the daily routines as the children line up to go out, or when singing songs such as 'Five men in a flying saucer'. Consequently children count well and hold up the correct number of fingers to demonstrate if they are three or four. Children's progress records are in place and include regular observations of the children, from which staff plan their next steps for learning. However, some are not always recorded, which makes it difficult to cross reference with the ongoing planning. That said, those that are completed

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and outcomes for children

fully demonstrate staff's good understanding of how and where the activities link within the learning framework. In addition staff plan activities that provide a range of learning. For example, when making a healthy snack, children use tools to cut and dice a range of fruit. Staff talk with the children about the names of the fruit, colours and ask children about their preferences. Mathematical language is used in context as children talk about little and large pieces, and staff praise the children when they make connections that the juice from the fruit is 'like the juice you drink'.

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and outcomes for children

All the children enjoy singing and action rhymes, and listening to stories and looking at books. They paint and mark-make frequently. Guessing games are gleefully joined in as staff use these to engage children's prediction and thinking skills. For example, children are quick to recognise that, large grey ears mean it is an elephant that the staff are describing. The children are very confident to instigate and direct their own play and experimentation. For instance, outdoors they search with purpose, for a particular piece of guttering which they then place at an angle against the wall. They then spend time pouring water down it, watching and plotting its route as it travels towards the gate. This lively and well resourced environment is helping the children to develop very positive attitudes towards their learning which helps promote their developing skills for the future. 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 2 The extent to which children feel safe 3 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 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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