Mary P's Ltd

Mary P's Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY412550 Inspection date 19/07/2011 Inspector Angela Cole

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Setting address Ashchurch Park Way, TEWKESBURY, Gloucestershire, GL20 8TU Telephone number 01684 291194 Email mail@marypsdaynursery.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.

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You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as 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

Mary P's opened in 2010 as a privately-run day nursery and is situated at Aschurch near Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. It operates from single-storey premises with three base rooms for children of different ages. There is a dining room, a conservatory/creative play area, a sensory room and an enclosed, outdoor space with garden areas for communal or group use. There is a club room for school- aged children and a designated room for parents' use. The setting offers a drop-off and collection service from local schools. The setting is open all year round, on weekdays from 7.30am to 6pm, excluding bank holidays and a week at Christmas. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The setting offers childcare before, during and after school and in school holidays. The setting may care for no more than 55 children under eight years; of these, not more than 55 may be in the early

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Description of the setting

years age group, and of these, not more than 18 may be under two years at any one time. There are currently 82 children on roll aged from three months to seven years, on a full and part-time basis. The nursery also caters for older children. The nursery currently supports a number of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are 11 contracted members of staff working with the children, seven of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications. Amongst the staff, two are working towards a qualification and three are gaining a further qualification, including two at Level 5. The owner/manager holds Early Years Professional Status. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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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 setting effectively meets the needs of all children through recognising their uniqueness, in order to provide an inclusive, welcoming and caring service. Overall, the staff are well organised so that children make good progress in their learning and development. They enjoy their time at the nursery and are eager to be actively engaged in the choice of interesting activities in the spacious play areas. Many systems to work in partnership with parents and carers are well developed, while outstanding links with agencies and other providers with whom children have contact, are highly significant in ensuring their individual needs are consistently met. Management and staff are highly committed to improving the nursery and they use in-depth reflection to prioritise improvements, which positively results in better outcomes for children.

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should: This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  extend the continuity of children's learning through the deployment of staff providing cover and their planning  strengthen partnership working in ways that benefit children's learning, by obtaining information from new parents in each area, sharing all written records with parents and inputting their comments about all children's learning away from the nursery.

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the early years provision

At the nursery, priority is given to keeping children safe and promoting their welfare. Staff have a good level of knowledge regarding how to recognise a child that may be at risk, and they know how to respond if any child needs protection and support. Employment procedures are robust, with systems in place to regularly review the suitability of staff throughout their employment. A robust training programme is in place so that staff are actively supported to improve their knowledge and skills for working with the children. The premises are secure and staff are vigilant to implement a detailed programme of risk assessment that keeps children safe. All necessary records and documentation are in place and are maintained to a high standard.

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the early years provision

Staff actively promote equality and diversity as they recognise children's individual needs and help them to value differences. Overall, good use is made of resources. Adults provide good support for children in small group and freely chosen activities. However, covering staff are not as robustly deployed to develop children's learning and challenge their thinking. Careful planning of the environment, such as a defined area for play and free access to the outdoor spaces, means that even the mobile babies make choices and can choose when to play outdoors. The nursery is well equipped, with a good range of quality equipment available indoors while facilities are being developed outdoors. Much equipment is imaginatively used to support children's learning and development, including recently developed baskets of objects providing sensory experiences for babies. The spacious areas for older children are well defined to reflect each area

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the early years provision

of learning. Well-presented displays of children's work and informative material help to create a bright, stimulating learning environment.

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the early years provision

The nursery establishes highly beneficial links with other professionals and provisions attended by children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Excellent links with all other early years settings attended by children ensure continuous and consistent support. Parents speak highly of the nursery and feel well involved in their child's care and learning. Overall, effective arrangements encourage a two-way flow of information through lengthy conversation, diaries and accessible collections of children's work that include some learning records. New parents share much general information about the children, although this does not include details regarding the six areas of learning. A system to encourage written input from parents into the assessment on children's learning at home is in its infancy. The management and leadership have high aspirations for the quality of the provision. This is reflected in the professional support given to staff and the

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the early years provision

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 strong emphasis on evaluation and ongoing improvement. The nursery employs successful methods of reflection in which all staff, parents, carers and children are encouraged to participate. These effectively help to identify the provision's considerable strengths and aspects for development so that plans for the future, including the enhancement of assessment and outdoor provision, are accurately targeted.

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and outcomes for children

Babies and children make good progress in their learning and development. This is because staff take care to identify individual needs and interests, and generally use these effectively to plan and foster experiences that interest, stimulate and equip babies and children with skills for the future. Children confidently use their initiative to solve problems, such as designing their own family cards. A strong key person and buddy system ensures that staff know the children and their families well. This, along with a solid programme of observation, means that children's activities are regularly recorded. Their achievements are accurately monitored to plan for their next steps, and planning is usually achieved weekly to include children's and parents' input, as well as some of the children's next stages in learning. Group activities are, occasionally, not sufficiently planned when cover staff are required, and children's learning is less focused.

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and outcomes for children

All children achieve well in their learning and development. Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive good individual support from caring staff, so that their achievements are recognised and valued. Children's progress is good in all areas of learning, but particularly good in creative development and communication language and literacy. This is because children are free for much of the sessions to use their initiative and become engrossed in their own ideas, using a wide range of creative media. Children benefit from frequent opportunities to talk with staff about their chosen play, and good use is made of indoor and outdoor spaces for varied mark-making, and of small groups for letter, sound and story activities.

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and outcomes for children

Children of all ages feel safe and secure as they develop strong attachments to the familiar people caring for them. They enjoy their time in the nursery and settle quickly to their chosen play. They learn to keep themselves safe as they handle tools correctly, for example learning to use a knife carefully at meal times. They have a good awareness of potential dangers and how to avoid them, including negotiating climbing equipment. They are familiar with emergency procedures as they frequently practise evacuation drills. Babies and nursery children readily adopt healthy lifestyles, choosing to spend time outdoors in the fresh air; older children are keen to join the pre-school and eagerly play energetic games of football. They adopt good hygiene practice, especially when handling or helping with the nursery's chickens. Toddlers and pre-schoolers help to grow vegetables and herbs, and make healthy food choices at snack and meal times.

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and outcomes for children

The children demonstrate caring attitudes towards others as they include them in This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 their play and are careful of the younger ones. They eagerly take responsibility as helpers and carefully tidy the play areas, when asked. They share the resources and willingly take turns, for example, with the technology equipment that includes push-button toys and a computer. The clear expectations of staff and the appropriate boundaries set, mean that children receive good support to behave and develop good manners. The children are confident, inquisitive and enthusiastic because the nursery provision effectively meets their needs and provides interest and enjoyment. 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 1 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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