Bridgewater Primary School

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number 105912 Inspection date 14/01/2008 Inspector Jacqueline Allen

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Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care

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Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This document may be freely reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided the source and date of publication are stated.

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage.

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The provider must give a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must give a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Day Care and Childminding (inspection) (England) Regulations 2005 No 2300 Regulations 5 and 6).

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Start Right Nursery School opened in June 1988. It operates from the owners' own home in the Countess Wear area of Exeter, Devon. The nursery operates from four main rooms with access to a variety of outdoor play areas and an art studio. Children also have access to the family dog. The nursery serves the local area and surrounding villages.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The nursery is registered to care for a maximum of 24 children under five years. There are currently 65 children aged from two to four years on roll. This includes 53 children in receipt of funded education. The group runs from 08:30 to 16:30 from Monday to Friday during school term times.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

There are nine staff of whom six are either teacher trained, hold a relevant early years degree or are working towards an NVQ early years qualification. The group are supported by the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's minor accidents and medication needs are appropriately dealt with and recorded and prior parental consent obtained to allow the staff to seek emergency medical treatment, as required. There are currently three members of staff who hold a valid first aid certificate with first aid boxes in a variety of areas which are all full and regularly checked, in order to meet children's needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from playing in premises which have a formal cleaning schedule and staff who follow the 'Safer Food - Better Business' pack to ensure fridge temperatures are monitored and cleaning records available. Children value the addition of the family dog in the nursery, who has his own clean bedding and is safely secured and supervised at all times.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children and staff routinely wash their hands using liquid soap and paper towels and effective systems are also in place for nappy changing. In addition, children are further protected from cross infection as there is a comprehensive sick child policy in place which ensures they do not attend or are promptly collected.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's healthy eating is effectively promoted through children's access to fruit at snack time and their own packed lunch, which includes sandwiches, yoghurts and fruit as well as treats, such as a chocolate biscuit or some crisps. Staff promote healthy eating by encouraging children to eat healthy, nutritious food first. Staff are aware of children's individual dietary needs and have collated this information for easy reference. However, children do not have free access to drinks other than set snack and lunch time periods.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have fantastic daily opportunities to enjoy physical activities. They greatly benefit from the vast and different outdoor areas which ensures they have free access to run, go through tunnels, climb trees, swing on rubber tyres as well as enjoying sand and water play at each and every session. Weekly plans also include dancing and football activities to further develop children's skills.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children play in a homely environment which is very well adapted to suit children's needs and offer them a variety of play space within four main areas both inside and outdoors. Children also greatly benefit from having their own camp fire area within the garden which is appropriately risk assessed and supervised. Children have good access to a wide range of interesting and varied resources which are suitable for their age and stage of development. Resources are well organised within the play space to ensure children access a range of resources to develop their learning and offer play opportunities. For example, one of the rooms has mainly maths resources, such as number cards, counters, shapes, dominoes and threading whereas another has resources to encourage children with their communication, language and literacy. For example, there are books, an electronic typewriter, paper and pens beside phones and a computer.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's safety is well considered as staff are aware of potential hazards and how to minimise these. For example, there are three smoke alarms on the ground floor and also wireless call points in each area, emergency evacuations are regularly practised and recorded and risk assessments are available for each area. However, these do not always record actions taken to minimise risks on an ongoing basis. Children's security is well considered as the outside gates to the premises are locked and visitors to the premises are routinely recorded. Children are well considered if someone different has been authorised to collect them, as information is recorded in the day book, the person's identify confirmed and parents phoned if unsure. Children have an awareness of safety issues as staff talk to them about road safety and encourage visits from the local police.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is safeguarded as staff are aware of the signs and symptoms of abuse and the procedures to follow if they have concerns about a child. There are clear policies and procedures in place which include the procedures to follow if allegations are made against staff.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are extremely well supported and reassured by attentive staff who skilfully group children by age/stage of development to encourage friendships and familiarity. They are encouraged to access all resources and activities of their choosing both inside and outdoors as they move to different areas of the nursery at each session.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Nursery Education Children relish their time at this homely nursery where they quickly become familiar with daily routines and spontaneously move into the one room for circle time. They listen attentively when staff speak and join in with familiar refrains, such as repeating the names of the seasons, before discussing the weather and identifying various recorded sounds enthusiastically. Children routinely ask questions and confidently express their feelings. They enjoy counting activities and are making excellent progress with recognising numerals, through good teaching practices which extend their skills. This means that already children are recognising and naming numbers, such as 2, 12, 22, 32, 42 etc and increasing their confidence and self-esteem with problem solving. Children are forming very good relationships with their peers and the staff, who encourage good communication through continual use of open ended

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

questioning to encourage children to think and respond.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children confidently select resources to extend their planned role play activities, working together in small groups and learning to negotiate with each other. This means that tents soon become pirate ships and sweeties are buried treasure as other children join in and add to the fun. Children giggle as they interact with staff, who enthusiastically join their creative play and encourage children's sense of fun. Children have daily opportunities to practise their independence, by putting on their waterproof trousers, fleeces and boots and taking them all off again as well as washing their hands regularly throughout the session. They use a computer and an electronic typewriter confidently, skilfully using the mouse or naming selected letters as they play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children benefit from good teaching practices which considers their needs. For example, staff read from large books and encourage children to sit where they can all see. They have a good understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and plan an interesting range of activities for children with a good balance of adult led and child initiated play. Weekly activities include dance, football, music, the introduction of French and Spanish activities, cooking and regular outdoor activities, such as visits to the local woods, as one member of staff has completed Forest School training. Children's learning environment is extremely well considered and organised to encourage their use and ensure variety throughout the day. Daily routines are well managed and staff know children very well and challenge them routinely in their play. However, assessment records do not clearly show their progress in all areas to ensure the next steps in their learning are identified.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are respected as individuals and their needs well known and met, through effective induction sessions. They are encouraged to make choices in their play but not made to join in with activities if they are not ready to do so. Children benefit from good settling in routines which ensures that parents are welcomed into the nursery to stay and play. They are also welcome to retreat to the kitchen sofa area for a hot drink where they can continue to observe their child, when the child is ready to be separated from them. Even when they have settled, if children start to feel insecure on returning after a break away, staff design a simple laminated sheet showing the routine of the day to reassure them, which they can follow and appreciate what's happening next. Children learn about diversity through planned activities, such as themed weeks on other countries cultures and festivals and their access to resources, such as world maps, dolls, dressing-up clothes, books and

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Helping children make a positive contribution

computer programmes. Children also enjoy French and Spanish activities to increase their awareness and understanding. Children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Although there are currently no children attending with learning difficulties or disabilities, the nursery has lots of experience in caring for such children, and value and support all children with additional needs. They attend regular training to update their knowledge and support children and families by attending meetings with professionals to ensure they are fully informed on children's individual needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well as staff are consistently calm and clear when explaining why some behaviour is inappropriate and what could happen. Children listen attentively to staff and are aware of the basic ground rules. Staff routinely expect good manners and remind them if they forget. Staff follow their behaviour policy which includes information on how they promote children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, staff encourage kindness, sharing, generosity, saying sorry, forgiveness, fairness and honesty and complete each session with a simple prayer. However, although behaviour incidents are generally recorded they do not always explain how incidents have been managed, to ensure parents are fully informed.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from effective sharing of information which contributes to consistency of care. They are invited to induction sessions where the exchange of information is encouraged and recorded and have an opportunity to go through the nursery's policies and procedures. The partnership with parents and carers for nursery education is good. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their child's learning and initially complete a child profile sheet to ensure staff are aware of their starting points. They receive regular newsletters and are aware of current topics to encourage their children to bring in items for show and tell. They are invited to share their knowledge and skills, invited to staff meetings and encouraged to attend on a parents' rota. Children bring books home on a weekly basis with clear information and explanations to parents to promote letter recognition, linking sounds with letters

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Helping children make a positive contribution

and the first stages of reading. They are invited to a parents' evening twice a year and those spoken to at inspection are very pleased with their children's progress.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom they provide care. Many of the staff are currently extending their knowledge through ongoing training, which shows the nursery's commitment to improving the outcomes for children. There are effective procedures to ensure staff are suitable to work with children and are monitored through induction and appraisal systems. The staff meet regularly as a team and are aware to protect children through supervising students and visitors at all times. They respond positively to recommendations relating to children's access to drinks and recording of behaviour incidents, talking immediately about how soon changes can be implemented.

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Organisation

Children benefit from good organisation of daily routines, staff deployment and clear registration systems. The operational plan is thorough and continually updated as a working document, which aids staff's understanding as they are given their own handbook. Staff have a good understanding of the National Standards and records required, which aids children's care.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of nursery education is good. The nursery have completed the Effective Early Learning Quality Assurance and are endorsed as Investors in People from Sure Start. One of the owners has applied for early years professional status, and has acquired good evidence to show that the nursery education is continually monitored. Both owners are currently completing a masters degree and are committed to improving the nursery education for children in their care.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last care inspection one recommendation was raised relating to detailing the procedure to follow if allegations are made against staff. This has been completed which improves children's welfare.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last nursery education inspection two key issues were raised relating to staff deployment and supporting child initiated activities and maximising opportunities for meaningful activities in communication, language and literacy and mathematical development. Staff deploy themselves effectively as they move throughout the nursery with small groups of children and have organised resources to encourage child initiated activities which encourage all areas of learning. This has improved children's learning.

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Complaints about the childcare provision

Since the last inspection there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards.

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Complaints about the childcare provision

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are good.

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WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

 ensure children have free access to fresh drinking water at all times  ensure behaviour incidents are routinely recorded and used as a monitoring tool with parents to promote positive behaviour management.

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WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

The quality and standards of nursery education

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WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

 develop children's assessment records to show clearly their progress towards the early learning goals and the next steps in their learning.

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WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

procedures set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted’s role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2473) which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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