Poppies Nursery

Poppies Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY417021 Inspection date 20/07/2011 Inspector Sheila Harrison

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Setting address Beechwood Children's Centre Nursery, Beechwood Primary School, Linden Road, Luton, LU4 9QX Telephone number 01582 518400 Email 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

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

Poppies Nursery registered in 2010 and is operated by the Pre-school Learning Alliance. The setting is located within the purpose-built children's centre in the grounds of Beechwood Primary School. The setting has the use of a main playroom, baby room and creche room, together with a sleep room, office, toilets, kitchen, milk kitchen and staff facilities. There is a fully-enclosed garden area for outdoor play.

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Description of the setting

The setting is open from 8am until 6pm on weekdays, all year round. The setting is registered on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of 70 children in this age range. Of these, no more than 30 children may be aged under three years and, of these, not more than nine may be aged under two years.

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Description of the setting

The setting employs 13 members of childcare staff. Of these, one holds an appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, seven at level 3, two at level 5 and two at level 6. The manager has Early Years Professional Status. There are two members of staff working towards level 3 and one member of staff is working towards a BA honours in Early Years. The setting 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 outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children clearly benefit and thrive as a result of the setting they are in. Staff provide exemplary support for individual children's welfare and development and their protection is assured. Children make excellent progress with their learning. There are outstanding partnerships with parents and others which provide excellent support for the children. The setting is very effectively led and consistently well organised. The impressive teamwork of all the staff ensure that they are closely focused on monitoring and evaluation. All staff are resolute on making the provision the best it can be and the setting has an outstanding capacity to continue to improve.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 enhancing the organisation of the premises to ensure children's modesty when being changed. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded effectively because the entire staff team have a good understanding of child protection procedures through recent and relevant training. They know to protect the children in their care and have the relevant policies and procedures and the high expectations of the management team. The staff are experienced and well established and their ongoing suitability is monitored through regular meetings and training opportunities. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures ensure that everyone working with the children are suitable to do so. The thorough induction procedure is part of this process. Comprehensive policies and procedures are in place, including rigorous risk assessments. The risk assessments are reviewed regularly, including the health needs of the children. Consistent staff vigilance ensures children are extremely safe and secure at all times.

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the early years provision

Children are making exceptional achievements as the setting is extremely successful in working together as a team. They set ambitious targets for improvement and have high expectations which are embedded across all areas of practice. Morale is very high and belief in the setting's success runs through all levels of staff. Rigorous and extensive monitoring and analysis enable the setting to devise exceptionally well-targeted plans for the future. Staff observed that the role play area was not fully utilised as a dentist surgery and changed to a home corner and interest table. This enables children to develop their thoughts and feelings in situations that are familiar to them.

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the early years provision

The environment is conducive to learning and safe. It is managed very well and carefully looked after. The accommodation is well suited to its purpose, giving children the opportunity to freely choose to play indoors or outside. Furniture, equipment and resources are of high quality and suitable for the ages of children to support their learning and development. The highly-effective deployment of staff ensures that children are very well supported in their learning. A member of staff helps the children to develop their imaginative game of 'going to the cinema' by asking appropriate open-ended questions about the things they might have at the cinema. Children are very well supported as they get to know all the members of staff and form close attachments to their key worker.

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the early years provision

Staff are highly skilled in ensuring that all children are well integrated and they are highly successful in taking steps to close identified gaps in children's achievements. Staff have an exceptional knowledge of each child's backgrounds and needs. They use their skills in the children's home language to ensure children settle well and progress in their learning. Excellent partnership working takes place to ensure every child receives high levels of support at an early stage. The setting has exceptional working relationships and well-established channels of communication with other professionals involved in the families. This successfully promotes children's learning, development and welfare. The children's transition to their next setting is sensitively handled. There are close relationships with the schools, and staff support the children's visits to their new teacher and classroom. Developmental records are passed to their next teacher and the children enjoy

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the early years provision

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 trying on the school uniforms in the role play area.

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the early years provision

Parents are very well informed about the work of the setting and the progress their children make. They are actively involved in decision-making for the setting through well-established and highly-inclusive procedures, such as the parent's forum and the termly questionnaires. The setting provides tailored guidance and information about precise ways parents and carers can support their children's learning across different areas. They receive frequent newsletters and are invited to regular consultation meetings. Parents commented on how much the children and fathers enjoyed the recent 'fathers come and play day'. Parents and children are looking forward to the graduation ceremonies for children leaving to go to school. This results in strong levels of engagement with the settings working with the families.

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and outcomes for children

Children are eager to attend and their progress is exceptionally good, especially as the majority of the children have English as an additional language. The educational programme reflects rich, varied and imaginative experiences that meets the needs of all children exceedingly well. Staff have embraced the Early Years Foundation Stage with enthusiasm and have a very good understanding of the learning requirements. Their assessments are made through high quality observations and the information gained is used very effectively to guide planning. They keep comprehensive records, including notes, samples of work and photographs. Children greatly enjoy the computer games and change programmes with very little adult support. They understand the technical terms and they save their artwork to be printed by staff at a later date. Children playing outside, underneath the canopy in the rain, have much fun collecting the water in buckets.

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and outcomes for children

Children play a dynamic role in their learning and, wherever possible, offer their ideas and respond to challenges with great enthusiasm. They show high levels of independence, curiosity, imagination and concentration. Children work together to build a highly complex building with wooden blocks. They use rectangular blocks for the pillars and make a patterned top piece with the triangular shapes. Children are using a measuring tape and use the small world figures to populate their building. Staff are diligent in supporting learning through conversation and questioning that helps to develop and extend communication skills. Children have many valuable chances to see and recognise their names and writing for a purpose. They are beginning to explore the sounds of the letters through their play.

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and outcomes for children

Children respond well to adults and to each other. They are developing a positive sense of themselves and a respect for others. They are forming friendships and a sense of belonging. Older children support the younger children at snack time to put the plate and cup away. Staff skilfully and sensitively support children's growing skills in negotiation. There are plenty of resources to help children share successfully. The key worker keeps careful records of children's development and progress and responds sensitively to their feelings and behaviour. Babies are very This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 sensitively handled. They snuggle into an adult, allowing them to develop confidence and resilience with warm and secure relationships. They are developing their curiosity, with access to natural materials inside a treasure basket, and they enjoy exploring their own outdoor area. The older, more mobile, toddlers extend

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and outcomes for children

their experiences and grow in confidence by joining with the older children for short periods of time.

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and outcomes for children

Staff effectively help children to learn about and understand the society in which they live. Children plant and care for living things as they observe the tadpoles becoming froglets. They grow grass seed and, in the progress of over-watering, observe the roots growing. Staff are planning to contact a similar group in Hong Kong and share toys and photographs to help the children learn more about the lives of others.

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and outcomes for children

Children show a strong understanding of healthy living. They learn about healthy eating and the setting provides a wide range of tasty nutritious well-balanced meals and snacks. Children independently use the water-cooler for access to drinking water. The setting has worked closely with families and the children's centre to encourage children to visit the dentist and they reward them with a new toothbrush and tube of toothpaste. Older children can independently use the toilets and wash their hands without being prompted by staff. Staff ensure that children's modesty is maintained during personal care routines through their practice of changing young children in a cubicle. They shield babies bodies even though the changing station is near to a door facing into the playroom. Staff have several ideas of how to improve this situation to ensure children's dignity is fully maintained.

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and outcomes for children

Children learn how to keep themselves safe through discussion, activities and routines to promote their own awareness of potential risks. They move assuredly around the premises inside and are reminded to walk. Outside, they confidently use the climbing frame using the steps. There is a small mound of earth that children use to practice riding their wheeled toys up and down. This enables them to play creatively, ensuring their safety without stopping reasonable risk-taking. 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 1 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 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 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 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 1

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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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