Gwendolen House Nursery School

Gwendolen House Nursery School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY272177 Inspection date 24/08/2011 Inspector Justine George and Stephanie Graves

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Setting address 37 & 39, Gwendolen Avenue, Putney, London, SW15 6EP

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Telephone number 0208 7041107 Email info@gwendolenhouse.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

Gwendolen House Nursery School is situated in Putney, London. It is run by a private limited company. It opened in 2004 and operates from a converted house with two garden rooms at the rear of the property, one of which is in the adjoining garden. A maximum of 101 children aged under eight may attend the nursery at any one time and of these, no more than 57 may be under 2 years of age at any one time. It is open each weekday throughout the year apart from a week at Christmas and all Bank Holidays. It offers both full day care and sessional care within the core opening times of 7.30am to 7pm. All children have access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area and to the interconnecting, enclosed garden of the house adjoining. The nursery has pet chickens, rabbits and two goats. The nursery offers extracurricular activities such as ballet and football.

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Description of the setting

There are currently 111 children aged from three months to under eight years on roll who attend a variety of different sessions. The nursery receives nursery education funding for three- and four-year-olds. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and currently supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery employs 55 staff in total; 41 work directly with the children. The majority of the staff team hold relevant childcare qualifications and others are working towards a qualification.

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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 nursery provides children with some wonderful learning experiences. Activities overall are well planned and reflect the areas of learning, although the emphasis is currently on staff-led play rather than child-initiated. There are a lovely range of resources for children to explore and they make good progress in their learning and development overall. The setting has good self-evaluation systems in place to drive improvement. This ensures the smooth running of the nursery and that good outcomes for children are promoted.

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further?

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

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further?

 maintain a balance of adult-led and child-initiated learning by observing spontaneous play and planning experiences that extend children's interests which encompass the different areas of learning  talk to young children about things which interest them and listen and respond to their ideas and questions in order to use spontaneous instances to This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 introduce learning concepts  support children?s growing independence as they do things for themselves, such as serving themselves at mealtimes and undressing for nap times

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the early years provision

Leadership and management at the nursery is strong. Recruitment and vetting procedures are robust; and there are good induction systems in place for new staff. Staff have a clear and consistent knowledge of child protection and safeguarding issues. They fully understand the procedures to follow if they should have any concerns about the welfare of a child in their care. Ongoing staff suitability is monitored through observation and appraisals. The premises are safe and secure and hazards are identified and minimised to promote children?s safety well.

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the early years provision

Staff are keen to drive improvement and they seek the views of all those involved in the nursery. Children use tokens to indicate their preferences and views on the activities offered. As a result, staff now make better use of the local community to further children's sense of belonging. The nursery has developed effective partnerships with the local borough's childcare advisory team. Together, areas for improvement are identified to further promote good outcomes for children. For example, the nursery is developing the range of natural materials for younger children to play with. The deployment of resources is good. Staff are well deployed and there are good training opportunities available for staff which results in a knowledgeable and motivated staff team. The range of activities and resources for children to explore are exciting and well planned for. However, there is currently a high level of adult-initiated play and learning, meaning that children's interests are

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the early years provision

Equality and diversity is effectively promoted in the setting and the nursery is committed to providing an inclusive environment. Children learn about the diverse society in which they live through a range of resources, such as small world play, posters, books and the celebration of different cultural and religious festivals throughout the year. Children with English as an additional language are well supported in the nursery as staff take time to learn key words and phrases in their home language. This aids the children's communication and sense of belonging.

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the early years provision

The excellent partnerships with parents mean that staff are well informed of each child's individual needs and routines. Written policies and procedures are available which informs them of how the nursery operates. Parents receive a comprehensive welcome pack and regular newsletters which gives them details of the activities and learning opportunities that children are enjoying. As a result, parents feel actively involved in their child's learning and development, which is extending into the home environment.

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the early years provision

The nursery is also developing effective partnerships with local primary schools to ensure the smooth transition once children reach school age. Transitions are also This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 very effectively managed in the setting. Key persons provide good levels of support for children and parents both during and after room changes. Staff also recognise the importance of working with all agencies involved in the care of children in order to ensure consistency and continuity of care.

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and outcomes for children

Children's safety is well promoted. They are learning how to keep themselves safe as they climb stairs safely, holding onto the rail. Children negotiate space in the garden well. When running around or using wheeled toys, they show good spatial awareness and consideration of others. Very young children practise their new found skills of walking or use furniture to pull themselves up or hold onto, developing upper body strength. Adults are close by to ensure children's safety and to offer support, allowing children to take risks and develop confidence in using their bodies.

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and outcomes for children

Children have developed caring and warm relationship with the staff. They enjoy cuddles and seek emotional and practical support from staff when needed. Children know where their personal belongs are kept and photos of children involved in various activities are displayed at their level. As a result, children's sense of belonging is well fostered. Children have free access to the garden where they explore a range of experiences to cover all areas of learning. For example, they enjoy planting seeds and exploring different weather elements to learn about their natural environment. The garden is a truly wonderful feature for children as it is spacious and inviting. There are chickens, rabbits and two new additions to the nursery, the pet goats.

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and outcomes for children

Children's health is well fostered. Children wash their hands before eating and enjoy a range of healthy snacks and meals. All staff have a clear understanding of children's dietary requirements, and children make healthy choices as they are encouraged to try different foods. However, mealtimes are not used fully as an opportunity for staff to set a good example regarding table manners. The children are also not able to develop appropriate self-help skills. For example, children do not serve themselves food at meal times and very little encouragement is given as they attempt to undress themselves to get ready for nap time.

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and outcomes for children

Children make good progress in their learning and development at the nursery. Staff plan themes and relevant activities to provide children with a range of experiences to extend their learning. Overall, staff make regular formal observations of children's developmental progress and support these with photographs. Children's future learning needs are also identified and planned for, and in the main, such planning systems are effective. However, staff tend to plan activities which link to a specific area of learning. Staff provide for children's immediate interests, for example, striking up a game of football. However, child- based learning and their specific interests are not as well observed or planned for to ensure a balance of adult-led and child-initiated learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Children develop good skills for the future. They have access to a range of

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and outcomes for children

technology equipment such as computers and electronic keyboards. Children develop their language and communication skills through use of books and various media where they show good listening skills. Most staff engage with children well, listening and responding appropriately and asking open questions. However, this is not consistent throughout the staff team, and all staff do not yet effectively introduce different learning concepts through spontaneous opportunities. Children enjoy making marks on paper, developing their early writing skills. Children enjoy exploring sand, where they learn about capacity as they fill and empty pots. 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 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 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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