Sunshine NurseryOfsted inspection, 29 Sept 2011

Sunshine Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY273487 Inspection date 29/09/2011 Inspector Ruth Thrasher

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Setting address Rear Of 119 Liverpool Road, Longton, PRESTON, Lancashire, PR4 5AA Telephone number 01772 611 233 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

Sunshine Nursery is located in the village of Longton near Preston. It is one of a group of four privately owned nurseries situated in the Lancashire area. It opened in 2004 and operates from a purpose-built building with an enclosed outdoor play area. It is open each weekday from 7.45am to 5.45pm for 51 weeks of the year.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 27 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 37 children aged from birth to under five years on roll, some in part-time places. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Description of the setting

There are five members of staff who work directly with the children, plus a cook and relief cover. Four of the staff are qualified to at least level 3 and one has a level 2 qualification and is working towards level 3. One member of staff has achieved Early Years Professional Status and one has Qualified Teacher Status. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-olds. It has achieved the 'Step into Quality' quality assurance award.

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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 respond well to the care and support they are given and achieve well. Activities are interesting and imaginative and children's individual interests and development needs are comprehensively provided for. Overall, children have good opportunities to be active outdoors in all areas of learning. The good care is generally supported well by effective policies and procedures, but risk assessments are sometimes not sufficiently robust. Staff show great enthusiasm to continuously improve the quality of the provision and keep up-to-date with research and developments in childcare.

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further?

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

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further?

 review the effectiveness of risk assessments to make sure they cover anything with which a child may come into contact  develop further children's access to the outdoor area to enable all children, particularly babies, to have more opportunities to freely explore and be physically active across all areas of learning. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children's safety in the nursery is promoted by appropriate procedures to ensure that adults who care for children are suitable to do so, which include Criminal Record Bureau checks and references. Staff are clear about the procedures to follow should they have any concerns about a child. All staff have completed safeguarding training and three staff have completed advanced training. Annual risk assessments, monthly safety audits and opening and closing checks are completed and identify most safety issues. However, these are not always sufficiently robust to ensure that potential hazards, such as worn equipment, are remedied promptly.

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the early years provision

The manager and staff are very committed to improving the quality of the nursery. Staff meet once a month and put action plans in place to improve practice in specific areas, such as, the transition to school. They share ideas from training and put these into practice. For example, they recently provided an area with black, white and some red resources in response to research that young babies find it easier to focus on these colours. The nursery uses self-evaluation very effectively to reflect on practice and takes part in quality assurance schemes to ensure continuous improvement.

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the early years provision

Children's progress in the nursery is supported by an exceptionally strong partnership with parents and carers. Staff use innovative methods to engage parents and carers in their children's learning and development. These include information booklets, workshops and stay and play sessions. Home visits allow parents and carers to share information about their child when they first start nursery. Children's learning journey files are sent home on a regular basis to share and added to and progress reports are completed twice a year.

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the early years provision

Good partnerships with local schools and other agencies ensure that children receive effective support to meet their individual needs and for transition to school. Nursery staff complete 'shuttle books' to ensure continuity in children's learning and development when they attend more than one setting. Staff work closely with the local authority inclusion worker to ensure that any additional support is provided where needed to ensure every child makes good progress in relation to their starting points.

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the early years provision

The nursery has a wide range of good quality resources, which are regularly varied and enhanced to promote children's interests. These include a range of resources and displays to develop children's understanding of the wider world and help them value diversity, such as music from around the world. The outside area is particularly well resourced with wooden structures, raised beds, physical play equipment and a willow tunnel. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children have many opportunities to make choices and decisions as they choose from a wide range of exciting activities. Staff are skilled at using children's individual interests to promote learning. For example, the dressing up area was converted into a theatre dressing room and the writing area into a vet's surgery. Observations and assessments are used effectively to ensure that children make good progress in all areas. Key persons identify the next steps in children's learning and ensure they receive sufficient challenge.

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and outcomes for children

Children have great fun playing in the garden, which is well equipped to support learning in all areas. Staff join in their play with enthusiasm and provide additional resources to extend their ideas. For example, staff provided crates to help children build a speed boat. They helped children count how many people were sitting in the crates and how many more they would need for additional children. Children have lots of opportunities to develop their language and literacy skills, for example, they write their own stories on the white board in the book corner. They record their own comments, songs or rhymes on recorders and learn about technology as they press the buttons to play the recording.

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and outcomes for children

Children generally enjoy a good balance of activities indoors and outside as they choose, however, they are unable to access the large garden during some periods of the day when staff are unable to provide sufficient supervision. At these times they use a smaller decked area at the rear of the nursery. Babies have fewer opportunities to enjoy the garden as they do not have their own area. They benefit most from the outdoor area when the older children are inside and they can freely explore. Babies are taken for walks in the local area about once a month to visit a park or join in 'Bounce and Rhyme' sessions at the local library.

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and outcomes for children

Children learn about healthy lifestyles through opportunities to be physically active outdoors, for example, they run away from imaginary sharks when they play a pirate game. They discuss the foods they will have for lunch and which foods are good for them. Staff show children how to stay safe through real life and play, for example, children know they must wash their hands after they feed the guinea pigs and wear hard hats on the 'construction site'.

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and outcomes for children

Children learn to care for living things when they hang bird feeders from branches. They learn to respect each other as staff remind them to take turns and share. They develop their confidence and self-esteem as staff regularly praise them for their achievements and good behaviour. Children learn independence skills as they pour milk on their cereal and clear away dishes. They bring in photos of their families, which are displayed on walls and create sense of belonging. Displays of family groups from different cultures enjoying meal-times develop children's awareness of lifestyles different to their own. As a result, children are developing good skills for the future. 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 3 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 3 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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