Kingsdown Secondary School

New River Green Childrens Centre Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 131721 Inspection date 28/02/2011 Inspector Judith Harris

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Setting address New River Green Childrens Centre, 23 Ramsey Walk, London, N1 2SX Telephone number 0207 527 4817 Email anita.mohindra@islington.gov.uk Type of setting Childcare - Non-Domestic 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

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

New River Green Early Years provision is a full day-care nursery directly managed by Islington Borough Council. It is led by the management team of the Children's Centre . A maximum of 75 children may attend the centre at any one time, and there are currently 56 children attending who are within the early years age range. Of those 51 children receive the nursery education grant and two children are receiving the nursery education grant for two year olds.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The provision operates each weekday between 07:45am and 5:45pm during school term times.

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Description of the setting

The provision employs 24 members of staff who hold appropriate early years qualifications. Three hold qualified teacher status, 10 have level 3 qualifications and six hold level 2 qualifications.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children's learning and welfare needs are sensitively supported and staff are developing a secure knowledge of each child as an individual. Procedures are in place to ensure children's safety and security is well maintained at all times. The provision is building positive partnerships with parents other settings to support children to settle well and to move on with confidence. Daily routines in the toddler and baby rooms are not consistently appropriate to meet the needs of the younger children.

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further?

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

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further?

 ensure that children's learning and development records are consistently well devloped and include detailed information from parents about children's starting points and on-going learning journeys  review the routines in the baby and toddler rooms to ensure all children's needs are met  develop staffs understanding of age appropriate routines for children in realtion to whole group activities  ensure all incident and accident records are appropriately completed with both staff members and parents signatures This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  develop policies and procedures that are specific to the nursery and can be shared with parents

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the early years provision

The early years provision have appropriate systems in place to carry out checks on all members of staff and to ensure the on-going suitability of adults who may have contact with the children. All the required policies and procedures are in place and the provision has appropriate children's records that provide a secure range of factual information. However, the policies and procedure are not effectively accessible for parents. Children play in a safe and secure environment and appropriate risk assessments are carried out on all indoor and outdoor areas. There are comprehensive systems for carrying out specific risk assessments for all outings with the children. Procedures are in place to monitor the safe arrival and collection of all children. The main gate has a buzzer system and parents must be identified at the main door which is opened by a member of staff. The provision's safeguarding children policy contains appropriate information that it is in line with

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the early years provision

local safeguarding children board procedures and ensures children are protected from harm.

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the early years provision

Children have easy and safe access to the activities provided allowing them independent choices about what they will play with. Staff are well deployed to provide appropriate levels of support for children of different ages and abilities and to ensure an appropriate adult child ratio is maintained. The provision makes use of local facilities for example regular outings to the local woods. This extends the activities and experiences children have opportunities be part of.

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the early years provision

The provision has developed appropriately in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage. Records of achievement and individual learning journey records for children in the nursery class have been well developed. However, the records for children under three years old have not been developed with the same consistency. The provisions policies and procedures meet the requirements of the framework and there are systems in place for self-evaluation. The provision has positive relationships with parents which allow them to provide information about children's learning and achievements. There are secure links with the local school and Children's Centre that support the children's transitions. Systems to gather learning and development information from parents and other settings are not currently extensive. Records of accidents and incidents in the setting are not always effectively shared with parents.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and well settled in the provision where they can move freely and make independent choices about activities. Children feel secure in this This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 environment where they have warm supportive relationships with the staff. A developing understanding of each child as an individual supports staff to ensure that they are working towards meeting children's on-going and diverse needs. The provision are developing systems to provide a range of observations and assessments that allow staff to gather information about individual needs and interests. However, the systems are not consistently well developed for all ages. Planning is being developed to support more child initiated play, and to link planning to the records staff have of gathered of children's learning and development.

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and outcomes for children

In the nursery class children play in a large open plan space set up to provide areas for different types of play. This space is lively and busy, and children free flow around the room and from the inside to the outside. The room is brightly decorated with the children's work and the staff have set up an enabling environment where children play freely. In the room the toys, equipment and resources are accessible and children can freely choose from the range around them. At the travel agents role play activity the children talk about where they will go on holiday and how they will travel. A member of staff extends the activity by encouraging children to look at the map and find out where different countries are. She supports the children to write the name of the place they are going to. The children have a group activity while the room is prepared for lunch. They enthusiastically join in the re-telling of the story they are clearly familiar with. In

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and outcomes for children

the toddler room children take part in a music session where they sing and play drums. This is a sharing game and the children know when to pass the drum onto the next person. After this they have a story and then sit for lunch. In the baby- room children have access to a wide range of appropriate toys, equipment and resources which they play freely with. When It is snack time and the children are asked to sit at the table to wait for snack. Although members of staff sing while the children are waiting not all the children are fully engaged in this activity. The routines used with the younger children are not always appropriate to meet individual needs of children in this age group.

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and outcomes for children

Children are carefully supported to learn good basic hygiene skills through the use of good hygiene routines. Children go to wash their hands before eating and use the toilet independently where possible. A good range of healthy and well balanced snacks and drinks are provided. The children have a good range of outdoor space to play in. Children are well behaved and the free-play time and well supported levels of independence support positive behaviour. 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 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 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 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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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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