Pucklechurch CofE VC Primary School

Grassroots Nursery School Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 109171 Inspection date 05/09/2011 Inspector Jane Nelson

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Setting address The Studio, 24 Ashley Road, Hampton, Middlesex, TW12 2JA Telephone number 020 8783 1190 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. 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

Grassroots Nursery School was re-registered in 2001 and is run by Atime Childcare Ltd. It is situated in Hampton near Hampton train station in the Borough of Richmond Upon Thames. The nursery is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. The premises comprise of two separate base rooms, one on the ground for children under two years and the second on the first floor for children aged two to five years. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register, and on the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of 35 children aged under eight years, all of whom may be in the early years age range and of these 15 may be aged under two years. There are currently 26 children from six months to under five years old on roll, including two children aged three and four years, who receive educational funding. Children from the local community attend the nursery and can attend for a variety of sessions. Systems are in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The nursery employs a team of nine staff. Of these, seven staff, including the manager, hold appropriate early years qualifications and one member of staff is currently working towards a recognised early years qualification. 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 good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children are cared for in a happy, nurturing environment by a staff team who enjoys their work and create a welcoming atmosphere. Staff have a secure knowledge of children's individual needs. This is reflected in their affectionate and supportive interaction with children, who make good progress overall, through the range of learning and play experiences provided. Partnerships with other settings are generally good. Self-evaluation is used effectively to reflect on practice and focus future development. Most requirements are met.

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further?

To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 ensure the risk assessment identifies and includes all aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis review it regularly at least once a 21/09/2011 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 year or more frequently where the need arises.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop systems to extend the existing partnerships with other settings, such as, schools providing continuity in children's learning and support during times of transition such as when children start school  extend opportunities to develop children's independence, such as, encouraging children to explore real-life problems in all aspects of the daily routine.

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the early years provision

The staff team understand their own and the manager's responsibilities relating to safeguarding issues. They demonstrate a clear understanding of the procedures to follow if concerns regarding child protection arise. Information relating to child protection is displayed throughout the nursery reminding staff of the procedure. Secure recruitment procedures are implemented and used to establish staff's suitability to work with children. Any staff whose checks are not yet completed are supervised. Comprehensive risk assessments are used daily to monitor the premises and undertaken for all outings. The required records relating to risk assessment are maintained. Although these are detailed, they are not consistently reviewed and updated as all changes arise. For example, new displays at child- height, providing opportunities to explore tactile materials have not been fully risk assessed. This is a breach of requirements.

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the early years provision

The nursery manager and staff team share a commitment to providing a child- centred environment. This is to help children feel secure, enjoy themselves and to learn and develop to their full potential. A welcoming atmosphere is created and children's individual needs are known by all staff and used to focus the planning of activities. Extensive and creative use of photographs throughout the nursery, reflecting children and their families, encourages a sense of belonging and community. Meaningful resources and extensive pictorial evidence of diversity are reflected through the nursery helping children to develop positive attitudes to difference, The nursery is well-resourced with a good range of play materials and equipment, much is stored at child-height encouraging children to make choices and help themselves to equipment. The available space is well-planned and organised to encourage children's play and exploration, and effective use is made

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the early years provision

Good progress has been made since the nursery's last inspection, demonstrating their commitment to ongoing improvement. For example, recommendations have been addressed and improvements have been implemented effectively and creatively. The staff team regularly attend training to increase and update their knowledge, and the manager values and implements advice given by the local authority. Self-evaluation is used effectively to reflect on what has worked well and identifies most areas for development. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Good relationships with parents result in information being shared well both verbally and in written formats such as displays, monthly newsletters and the 'What have we done today' board. Parents say they are very happy with the nursery and feel information is shared well. Parents' views are sought through questionnaires. Suggestions about their child's favourite meal have been included

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the early years provision

in the nursery menus. Children's development is recorded and monitored through observations, which are shared formally and informally with parents. Relationships are effective with schools nearby that children move on to and information is shared with other early years settings children attend. This has not yet extended to schools children will be attending slightly further afield, or the nursery initiating systems such as inviting exchange visits.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy, secure and demonstrate that they feel safe and enjoy their time at nursery. They are developing skills they will use in the future as they play and through the well planned range of play experiences the nursery provides. Children behave well as they are busy and engaged in activities and the daily routine. Older children chat continually and are well supported by staff's gentle and consistent encouragement of their exploration and learning. Younger children and babies respond to staff's reassuring, calm and supportive interaction. They smile, giggle, vocalise and cuddle into staff, demonstrating that they feel secure and are developing confidence as they investigate and explore their environment. Effective settling in procedures help new children to feel secure and provide good opportunities for information to be exchanged between parents and staff. All children are closely supervised by staff and encouraged to explore and investigate

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and outcomes for children

safely, according to their age and stage of development.

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and outcomes for children

Children benefit from a balance of child-initiated and adult-led play experiences. For example, resources set out in the garden enable children to dress themselves in overalls and use a range of toy tools and equipment in their imaginative play. They use toy drills and other tools, and discuss mending 'the bridge' on the climbing frame. Children use a mobile phone, chatting as they work. They refer to the pipes underneath the bridge needing mending. Children dig in the sand pit, filling buckets with sand and smoothing the top. A member of staff helps them make space to upturn the sand castle, which they do successfully. Staff support and work with children very well during activities, initiating and promoting discussion about the imminent transfer to school as children play. Babies enjoy being outside on a windy day. They sit comfortably on a mat and concentrate on trying to reach a tambourine. They gradually extend their arms but are not quite

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and outcomes for children

able to reach it. A member of staff sees this and demonstrates how to use the tambourine by shaking and banging it, moving it a little closer, babies then copy her actions, banging the tambourine with their hand.

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and outcomes for children

Generally children's independence is encouraged well through practices in the daily routine. Older children help themselves to their own drinks, serve themselves at This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 lunch time and use the bathroom independently. However, this is not extended to all aspects of the nursery day, such as children helping to prepare the outdoor area or dry outdoor equipment before use after rain. Children's physical development is encouraged well through planned daily outdoor sessions and children move about safely on the equipment. They learn about their own safety through reinforcement by staff and they use tools carefully. Babies and toddlers have good opportunities to move around, pull themselves up on low furniture and gradually increase their climbing skills on the soft play cubes inside and using the lower sections of the climbing structure outside. Children's awareness of healthy

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and outcomes for children

eating is encouraged through planting and growing activities in the garden and meaningful experiences such as visiting a bakery to watch and participate in bread being made. They enjoy their healthy snack of fresh fruit and their lunch of pasta with tomato sauce. Children see the wider world, their own local community and themselves and their own families positively reflected in creative use of photographs throughout the nursery. These are linked to meaningful learning experiences such as, children being photographed and used in a counting display. They share experiences, such as, celebrating festivals and food tasting, recording which foods they liked best. 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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