Imperial Day Nursery Ltd

Imperial Day Nursery Ltd Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY395484 Inspection date 04/07/2011 Inspector Tina Mason

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Setting address 43 Imperial Avenue, WESTCLIFF-ON-SEA, Essex, SS0 8NQ

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Telephone number 01702 343554 Email office@imperialnursery.plus.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

Imperial Day Nursery Ltd is privately owned and managed. It opened originally in 1989 and has been re-registered as a limited company in 2009. The nursery operates from rooms and additional buildings which are part of a domestic dwelling in Westcliff on Sea, Essex. A secure enclosed outdoor area is used for outdoor play activities.

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Description of the setting

The group is open five days a week from 7am to 7pm all year round. Children are able to attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 52 children may attend the setting at any one time, all of whom may be on the Early Years Register. There are currently 71 children attending who are within the Early Years Foundation Stage. The nursery also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-olds. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The nursery employs 14 members of childcare staff. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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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

Children enjoy their time in a welcoming and calm environment. They are happy, relaxed and used to the good routines in place. Children benefit from an inclusive environment where staff have good relationships with parents and other professionals involved in supporting individual children. Safeguarding procedures are exemplary so children feel safe and secure at all times and thoroughly enjoy learning. Children's learning progress is well supported by a range of stimulating and generally well-planned activities, with opportunities of free choice in their play for most children. The setting demonstrates a strong commitment for continuous improvement and recognises that their system for self-evaluation requires further development to bring about future improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 improve the use of observation and assessment using children's starting points to support the planning and provision of enjoyable and challenging learning and development experiences  consider methods of storage to further promote children's independence and provide children with the ability to make greater choices in their play  provide opportunities for children to practice their independence skills at meal This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 times.

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the early years provision

The provision for safeguarding is outstanding. Child protection procedures are fully understood so potential delay is avoided. Staff know what to record and who to report to should they have any concerns for children in their care. Training and procedures reflect current Local Safeguarding Children Board practice. Children benefit from well-managed resources, including ongoing training and appraisal programmes for all members of staff. Excellent recruitment procedures are in place to ensure only suitable staff are employed. Children's safety within the setting is promoted extremely well. Robust risk assessments are in place and daily safety checks are carried out throughout the setting to enhance the safety of children in all areas of the building and the outside area. Resources are regularly checked to ensure they are safe and suitable for children's needs. Welfare requirements are consistently applied, with constant and close supervision given so children's well-

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the early years provision

being is fully promoted. A fire drill procedure is displayed and practised on a regular basis, ensuring that all children are aware of what to do should an emergency arise.

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the early years provision

The layout of the rooms provides children and babies with a vibrant, stimulating environment where toys and play materials are arranged to plan, support individual enjoyment and strongly encourage independence. The range of resources and equipment provided for all children is wide ranging and of good quality. In addition, the equipment promotes all areas of children's learning and development. Most children are given opportunities to develop their independence as they are able to access additional toys and recourses from low-level storage units in place. However, not all children in the nursery are afforded these opportunities due to the lack of child-height storage in their rooms. Staff are committed to change, are always receptive to ideas for further improvements and have started to complete the self-evaluation process, although this requires further development to ensure plans for the future are well targeted to bring about further

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the early years provision

improvement to the provision and outcomes for children.

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the early years provision

Staff work well in partnership with parents to enable children's individual needs to be clearly identified and well supported. The parent notice board displays the required registration and insurance certificates, together with additional information, and this keeps parents well informed about how the setting operates. An open door policy allows parents to have access to their child's file at any time. Parents are well informed about their child's welfare and learning journeys through the use of daily diaries and discussions with their child's key worker. Parents are encouraged to contribute to their child's learning, for instance, through adding comments to their learning journeys. In addition, the nursery keeps the parents informed of ongoing events through the distribution of monthly newsletters. Staff work closely with parents and outside professionals to ensure each child is included and appropriate support is accessed. Partnerships with other early years

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the early years provision

practitioners are effective in supporting individual children. For example, they share information to ensure continuity in children's care, learning and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 development. There are currently no children who also attend other early years provision. However, the manager is clear about the importance of working in partnership with other settings when the need arises to support children's continuity of care.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and engaged in what is provided in the nursery and are busy throughout the day. The babies respond very well to staff with smiles and gestures. Staff acknowledge this well as they provide regular cuddles and effectively respond to their needs. Each child's key worker has a good knowledge of children's learning and development requirements and completes observations which are then transferred to each child's learning journey this information informs future planning for children's development. However, not all children's starting points are identified as part of the learning journey to ensure that their next steps are identified. Therefore, some of the children's progress is not maximised to its full potential.

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and outcomes for children

Children feel secure due to the positive relationships they have with their key worker, clear routines, appropriate grouping and caring staff. All ages are making good gains in their learning from the range of planned activities and access to child-initiated play. Babies explore their safe environment with confidence, accessing well laid-out resources at their level. They enjoy exploring the water and brightly coloured balls outside in the small paddling pool under close supervision from the staff team. They are given good opportunities to mark make when using crayons and paper. Toddlers enthusiastically participate in creative activities, using their imagination to create collage pictures using different types of materials to make blackbirds for a wall display. They practise mark making as they use different sized paintbrushes and buckets of water to paint fencing and different pieces of equipment in the garden. Pre-school children are enthusiastic and active learners

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and outcomes for children

who confidently make decisions about what they do and where they play. The environment is stimulating and happy, with children playing and cooperating as they take turns, share ideas and problem solve. For example, children delight in mixing red and white paint together to make pink. They also enjoy using their imagination to act out everyday situations in the role play area as they play doctors. In addition, children are able to express themselves through creative activities, including drama. Throughout each session there are many opportunities for children's language and communication skills to be developed. They enjoy singing favourite rhymes and enthusiastically participate in action songs, taking their lead from the member of staff organising the session.

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and outcomes for children

There are many signs and labels used around the nursery, which helps children recognise that print carries meaning. Children of all ages benefit greatly from daily outside play and free-flow play between the inside and outside. Children enjoy playing in the sun and show a good understanding of how to remain healthy in very hot weather. Very young children ensure they keep their hats on when outdoors and older children know they need sun cream re-applied after playing with water. Staff encourage children to take frequent drinks of water. Children of This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 all ages benefit from the variety of activities and resources that promote their awareness of their bodies. For example, babies use a range of push-along toys to gain confidence in walking, while the toddlers and pre-school children climb on the secure large climbing apparatus which promotes their physical skills. In addition,

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and outcomes for children

children are able to take part in activities with a football coach, which enables them to have lots of fun and learn about their bodies and move with control and coordination. The outdoor learning environment provides children with good opportunities to develop across all six areas of learning, not just physical development. Children have good opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world as they grow a large selection of fruits and vegetables in the garden. Children are also encouraged to care for and tend to this area.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop a good understanding of how to be healthy. Children enjoy a healthy range of snack and meal options that include fresh fruits and vegetables. However, staff occasionally miss opportunities to develop children's independence at these times. Children have an excellent understanding of how to keep themselves safe and they demonstrate a strong sense of self-reliance. Children's understanding of diversity, difference and similarities is reinforced by the full integration of all children in every activity and the celebration of a range of annual festivals and special events. They learn to respect and value their own culture, as well as those of other children they know, establishing a positive foundation for future relationships. 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 qua lity 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 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 1 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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