Stanley's at Primrose

Primrose Children's Centre Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY305936 Inspection date 01/11/2011 Inspector Janet Fairhurst

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Setting address Primrose Village, Lambton Terrace, Jarrow, Tyne and Wear, NE32 5QY Telephone number 0191 424 9977 Email 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. 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

Primrose Children Centre is one of several centres run by South Tyneside Council. The childcare registered in 2005 and operates from four rooms in a purpose-built building. It is situated in the residential area of Primrose in Jarrow. The centre is open each weekday from 8am to 6pm, for 50 weeks of the year and provides nursery and creche facilities. All children share access to a fully enclosed outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 68 children may attend the centre at any one time. There are currently 84 children aged from six weeks to under five years on roll. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Description of the setting

There are 13 members of staff. All of the staff, including the manager hold appropriate early years qualifications with a number of them achieving degree level status. The nursery 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 at the nursery make good progress overall in their play and learning and their care and welfare is well promoted. Safeguarding systems are very thorough and partnerships with parents are well established and effective. Strong and effective partnerships with other agencies help to ensure that children's development is consistently supported. Reflective practice ensures that improvements are identified and implemented. This impacts positively on the children and demonstrates a capacity for continuous improvement.

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further?

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

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further?

 review the routines and structure of the day, with specific reference to the babies to allow greater emphasis on free natural flowing play.

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the early years provision

Robust safeguarding policies and procedures are in place and are highly effective in practice. All staff have attended safeguarding children training and all have a very secure understanding of safeguarding issues. Staff are diligent in child protection matters and are extremely confident in their roles and responsibilities in protecting the children in their care. Procedures for vetting and assessing the suitability, qualifications and experience of staff are effectively implemented. The This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 premises are welcoming and maintained to a high standard. In-depth risk assessments enhance all aspects of the children's safety, minimising potential risks and allowing children to move freely and safely in and around the setting. The professional development of all staff is given high priority, ensuring all staff are able to continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of all aspects of

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the early years provision

Children have access to a good range of resources and materials that are suitable for their age and stage of development. The equipment is stored so that children of all ages can access equipment independently, promoting their freedom of choice and decision-making skills extremely well. Diversity is promoted well within the setting. Children use a range of multicultural resources to learn about other cultures and beliefs and benefit from positive images of diversity displayed around the setting. They take part in special events, such as dancing with Zulu warriors, and take part in local charity events, which gives them a sense of their local community as well as offering wider learning experiences. Effective systems are in place to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities to ensure that they are fully included in all aspects of the setting.

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the early years provision

Good links with parents are forged which enable staff to meet children's individual needs and provide consistency for them. Good information is sought prior to admission, helping staff recognise and effectively support the uniqueness of each child. Effective systems, including daily diaries, message boards and newsletters, along with regular reviews of the children's progress, help to ensure that parents receive a clear account of their child's care and development. Comments from parents are extremely positive. They have confidence in the staff who they find friendly and approachable and they are extremely pleased with their children's overall care and excellent progress. The high quality working partnerships with the link school, children's centre and external agencies clearly place children at the heart of everything they do. This successfully promotes continuity for the children extremely well and aids smooth transitions into school.

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the early years provision

Strong commitment from management and effective team working results in a smoothly run setting. There are sound systems in place, such as a self-evaluation, staff appraisals, and team meetings, to identify strengths in practice and areas for development. Furthermore, the clear drive and enthusiasm of the management and staff team shows a good commitment to the setting's future.

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and outcomes for children

Caring and nurturing relationships with staff enables children to form close attachments and feel secure. Furthermore, the warm and welcoming atmosphere creates a positive climate for learning. Consequently, all children are happy, relaxed and settle well into the daily routines. The staff provide a wide range of interesting activities which engage the children's interest and enables them to make good progress. Staff have a very good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and they implement it very competently. Key persons are responsible for planning. This helps to ensure that plans are based on children's This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 individual needs and interests. Observations and assessment records clearly show the children's positive approach to learning and their achievements and progress. This is through written observations, photographs and samples of children's work.

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and outcomes for children

Staff promote early speech and language development, encouraging the youngest children to make sounds and copy words. Low-level mirrors and photographs of themselves and their friends help them to develop a positive sense of their own identity and to learn about others. All children show an enjoyment of books, using them freely for reference to share with their friends or at whole group time. Toddlers are particularly absorbed in the story of a 'Firefly', which generates a lot of discussion around fire safety. Number recognition is promoted well, as children monitor the passing days and record the date on their wall chart. Numerals are displayed prominently on the playroom walls and are used for reference to support children's learning. Songs and rhymes are also used regularly to introduce children to number and counting, as are everyday tasks, such as how many children are at the table and then asking 'how many plates do we need?'. This enables children to

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and outcomes for children

think about number and simple calculation. Pre-school children's learning experiences are enhanced though interesting and innovative activities. For example, before they begin apple bobbing they weigh each apple and compare which is heavy and which is light.

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and outcomes for children

There is a fundamental structure to the day for all children and this generally works well. However, in the baby room it is less successful. The formality of the structured circle time, during which staff lead children in nursery rhymes and action songs, was clearly enjoyable for some of the children but it meant that their natural instinct to explore, and their flow of play, was interrupted. Older children have access to computers and computer programmes which encourages them to use information and communication technology to support their learning. Whilst very young children access more interactive toys, pressing the buttons and dials that cause sound and light. Children's knowledge of living things is fostered well as they experience the thrill of releasing butterflies outside after they have carefully nurtured them through their lifecycle.

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and outcomes for children

Promoting children's creativity is a strength of the nursery as right from the start children are actively involved in exploring what they can do with paint and other creative materials. Staff provide babies with regular opportunities to explore using their senses, for example, through shaving foam, water play, gloop and jelly. Toddlers are fascinated as they use a salad spinner to create firework pictures. Staff manage children's behaviour well. They make sure that they understand the importance of considering others, for example, in sharing and taking turns, and reinforce positive behaviour effectively with praise.

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and outcomes for children

The nursery provides a good variety of healthy and nutritious meals and snacks, promoting children's understanding of healthy eating and encouraging them to try different foods. Children know to wash their hands before eating and after visiting the toilet and do this independently, with younger children receiving support from the staff. The staff adeptly support children's understanding of personal safety. The children learn about crossing the road while on outings and through stories and role play activities. Staff extend children's knowledge and understanding of safety issues through fun, interesting events, such as Child Safety Week and visits This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 from other members of the community, such as paramedics and police officers. The children are also involved in regular fire evacuation procedures of the setting which helps them to cope in the event of an emergency.

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and outcomes for children

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 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 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 2 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 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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