Children 1st @ Newark

Children 1st @ Newark Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number 253341 Inspection date 03/06/2011 Inspector Angela Hufton

p.1

Setting address Torridon House, Muskham Road, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG24 1DP Telephone number 01636 611 914 Email children1st@breedonhouse.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.

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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).

p.3

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.

p.3

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

p.3

Description of the setting

Children 1st @ Newark opened in 1998. It is one of a chain of Breedon House Children's Centres. It operates from Torridon House on the outskirts of Newark and children attend from both the local and surrounding areas. The nursery operates from various rooms and has the advantage of a large, well-planned outdoor play area. Although the nursery is not within walking distance of any schools, a car service is provided to both take and collect children from various schools in Newark and surrounding villages.

p.4

Description of the setting

The Nursery is open daily from 7.30am to 6.30pm throughout the year, closing only for Bank Holidays and for one week at Christmas. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulosry and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. They may care for 90 children under eight at any one time, all of whom may be in the early years age group and no more than 24 may be under 2 years. There are currently 72 children on roll and of these, six are in the compulsory are range and 64 are in the early years age group. The setting supports children who speak English as an additional language.

p.4

Description of the setting

There are 11 full-time and three part-time members of staff working with the children. Of these, nine hold childcare qualifications, including three who hold degree level qualifications in early years practice. The setting also employs a cook, housekeeper and maintenance staff.

p.4

Description of the setting

The nursery has achieved the Investors in People award and the National Day Nurseries Association Accreditation scheme 'Quality Counts' and is also an approved CACHE training centre. The setting also has a Chamber of Commerce award.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children enjoy a rich and varied learning environment at the nursery. They are happy and well cared for because staff have a very good understanding of their role and responsibilities within the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are committed to driving their continuous improvement, through training, using forms of reflective practice and highly effective partnership working with parents. The physical environment is stimulating and fun for the children but the outdoor area is not fully secure. Records are well maintained and most have good levels of detail.

p.4

further?

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

p.4

further?

 ensure regular and accurate analysis of observations and assessments of each child's needs, interests, learning styles and stage of development is This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 used to plan challenging and enjoyable experiences across all areas of learning and development  extend the risk assessments to identify anything with which a child may come into contact, with particular regard to the rear garden  continue to recognise the value of continuous improvement and further prioritise those areas which bring about the most significant impact on children's achievement.

p.4

the early years provision

Staff have a very good understanding of the signs of child abuse and referral procedures in order to protect a child in the event of a concern being raised. Robust recruitment, vetting and induction procedures complement their safeguarding procedures in helping keep children safe. The welfare of children is given due care and attention by staff who are skilled practitioners. They understand very clearly about the complex links between childrens welfare and their learning and development and how the two go hand-in-hand. They ensure mandatory documentation is accurately maintained, reviewed and updated to keep in line with current guidelines. Although detailed risk assessments are in place for in and outdoors and outings, they do not show details of all potential hazards, particularly in the rear garden. Whilst there are high levels of supervision to deal with the issues in practice, areas such as damaged fencing and the need for an

p.5

the early years provision

area used by younger children to be cleaned prior to use are not identified in the written record. Highly qualified and knowledgeable staff provide children with a very welcoming atmosphere, and a rich, purposeful learning environment, both inside and outdoors. The environment is spacious; furniture and equipment are of an excellent quality. Children access an extensive range of stimulating and exciting resources and have abundant space for free movement in the very inviting play rooms, veranda and new 'fort'.

p.5

the early years provision

Inclusive practice is promoted through an effective key person system, ensuring childrens individual care requirements are met and activities support their overall learning needs. Very good partnerships have been developed with parents, and staff speak to them on a daily basis. In addition, younger children also have written diary sheets. Children are relaxed and happy as they see their familiar adults chat about their care. Consequently, parents are well informed of the experiences their children have enjoyed, which enables them to continue their childrens learning at home. Parents state they are very satisfied with the service provided and their children are happy and settled and enjoy their time spent at nursery. The staff demonstrate a positive attitude to linking with other professionals to meet any specific individual requirements. Good procedures are in place to ensure children have a smooth transition from the nursery to other

p.5

the early years provision

settings, for example, when they move onto full-time education.

p.5

the early years provision

The management of the nursery shows a strong commitment to the professional development of the staff team, encouraging training in all areas. Self-evaluation is good overall and takes into account the views of parents, carers and children. The monitoring system used is effective in identifying strengths and action plans are This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 developed for areas of improvement, which means the nursery has a good capacity to sustain further improvement. The setting has numerous plans for continuous improvement; however these are not yet consistently prioritised to identify those which have the most significant positive impact on children. Key workers know their key children very well because they make regular and useful observations of what children can do and evaluate these against the six areas of learning to identify childrens next steps. However, the links between these evaluations and

p.5

the early years provision

the planning of activities are not yet fully effective in ensuring that individual children are consistently provided with an appropriate level of support or challenge. For example, where staff recognise that individual children need further assistance to fully participate in group time or self help skills this is not consistently included in plans.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children enjoy their time in the nursery and have a positive attitude towards learning. There is a good balance between activities that children choose for themselves and those which adults encourage them to try, both indoors and outside. The nurserys effective system for observation and tracking of the progress of children ensures that learning is tailored to their individual needs. Well presented learning journey development records are compiled, containing positive comments and photographs of childrens achievements, and these are regularly shared with both the parents and children.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children and babies are happy and very secure in their relationships with staff. They also clearly enjoy time with their friends and many of the younger children enjoy a cuddle with familiar adults. Staff in the baby room are very attentive to the needs of the children. They confer daily with parents regarding childrens care needs and actively implement strategies discussed. Some of the babies are delighted as they investigate the treasure baskets and explore both natural and man-made sensory materials. The babies are taken outside daily to experience a new environment, enjoy fresh air and observe their surroundings.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children have good opportunities to develop communication, language and literacy as they chat to staff, independently access books and enjoy story times. They see a range of written text and numerals around the setting. This positively supports their understanding that print has meaning. They learn to count as part of the daily routines and explore volume and capacity through sand and water play. Access to interactive and push-button toys provides children with opportunities to explore how things work and increase their understanding of technology, developing skills for the future. They enjoy frequent outings and children talk with excitement about what they did and saw at a nearby castle.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children are learning to play cooperatively with others, be kind and take turns. They respond well to boundaries and feel secure knowing what they can and cannot do because they are reminded of expected behaviour. Children frequently receive praise and encouragement from staff for their achievements and their work is displayed, which helps to build their self-esteem and confidence. Children learn This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 about other cultures and beliefs and a good range of resources are used to reflect wider society and help children understand their differences and similarities.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Childrens health is promoted through efficient routines that are documented and shared with parents. Meals are freshly prepared, appetising and nutritionally balanced. The older children take responsibility in serving their own meals, which promotes their independence and self-help skills. Regular cooking activities encourage children to discuss the food that is good for you and they help to grow vegetables in the garden. Babies food is prepared according to their stage of development and in discussion with parents. They confidently learn to feed themselves, with staff close at hand. The children become aware of the importance of personal hygiene as they wash their hands frequently or use tissues for noses. Children are actively involved in keeping themselves safe and staff regularly discuss potential dangers. They are encouraged to share toys, not to run indoors and to look after the toys and equipment. Regular evacuation drills are helping the

p.7

and outcomes for children

children to learn what to do in an emergency. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.7

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

p.8

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

p.8

children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

p.8

Early Years Foundation Stage

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 1 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 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

p.8

Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

p.8

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

p.8

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

p.8

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

p.9