Little Angels

Little Angels Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY338333 Inspection date 08/11/2011 Inspector Christopher MacKinnon

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Setting address 18 Whitethorn Drive, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1 5LH

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Telephone number 01273 380067 Email info@littleangelssussex.co.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. 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

Little Angels Nursery opened in 2006. It operates from a converted house in the Withdean area of Brighton and Hove. Childcare is provided on two floors of the premises. Children have access to an enclosed garden area for outdoor activities. The nursery is open each weekday from 8.00am to 6.00pm throughout the year.

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Description of the setting

The setting is registered on the early years register and on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the childcare register. A maximum of 33 children under eight years may attend, with no more than 33 in the early years age group. There are currently 61 children on roll. The setting receives nursery education funding for children aged three years and older. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and also children who speak English as an additional language. There is a staff team of ten, and most have level 3 early years qualifications.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The nursery is consistently well organised. Staff are highly successful in promoting children's development. Children have a bright and stimulating play environment, and an exemplary programme of planned activities is provided. The high quality of staff teaching, and organisation of assessment, ensures children make excellent progress with their learning. Staff work effectively with other carers, and continue to develop close partnerships with parents. Self-evaluation is confidently used to manage improvement.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 consider the further development of partnerships with parents, and methods to involve parents in their children's learning.

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the early years provision

The nursery is successfully managed by a well qualified and experienced staff team. They provide children with a highly effective play and learning programme. Safeguarding is successfully supported within the provision. Staff training in child protection procedures is well maintained. A full range of policy guidance documents are in place, to maintain consistent safeguarding practice. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 Since the last inspection, the setting has successfully made a wide range of improvements. A well resourced and attractive sensory play garden has been established in the outdoor play area. There is an ongoing initiative to widen and reinforce staff support for children's personal and social development. The staff team are also confident in their use of reflective practice. They show a high level of consistency in their ability to adapt and vary the play activities and play

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the early years provision

environment. Staff make full use of self-evaluation and appraisal systems to manage improvement. A successful staff incentive scheme is also in place. This enables all staff members to suggest changes to the running of the play programme.

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the early years provision

The setting provides children with an attractive and highly organised play environment and excellent access to resources. A range of well prepared play rooms, offers children a stimulating and highly challenging variety of activities; with opportunities for role play, dressing-up and expressive games. The setting provides children with many excellent resources to support learning. There is access to books, mark making and well chosen problem solving play materials. In the younger children's section, there is a particularly plentiful supply of tactile and manipulative toys and soft play items. A significantly strong element of the play environment is the use of an excellent sensory and discovery play room; where specific resources are provided to support children's creative and adaptive thinking. The setting's well prepared outdoor play area also provides children with excellent learning opportunities. Children are able to free-flow from the main ground floor,

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the early years provision

and engage in active play on a soft safety surface. Children make good use of a wide range of larger play equipment, for climbing and developing balance. In addition, an excellent range of sensory and tactile learning elements are also provided outdoors.

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the early years provision

The nursery setting successfully promotes inclusion. Staff work confidently together to provide a key working system. This successfully supports individual children's achievement and learning. Staff also take care to promote each child's development, through well planned and focused learning; and frequent one-to-one play sessions. Diversity is positively promoted within the play environment, with well planned play projects and festivals, and use of resources. Staff also show a strong consistency in sharing information. This is to promote individual children's engagement in activities.

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the early years provision

Partnerships with other settings are well maintained. The nursery has close links with two local junior schools. Staff link well with the teachers, to help older children's transit to school. Staff also have close contact with several local home based childcarers. The nursery maintains effective and positive relationships with parents, principally through consistent daily contact with staff. Parents' evenings are organised for parents to review their children's learning journals and discuss progress. The setting also makes use of a computer based social networking site, to pass on information. This is proving popular with some parents. The setting is currently developing its partnership with parents, and how to engage parents more in the learning programme. This is an area where further improvement may be considered. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

The promotion of children's enjoying and achieving is excellent. Staff have established a highly organised and consistent planning system. This successfully combines play themes, plus the effective use of the play environment and resources. Staff key workers make particularly good use of detailed weekly plans. This is to fully include and promote individual children's learning; and consistent appraisals are made of these activities. The setting has an excellent assessment system. Each child has a highly detailed and well prepared observation folder that shows their achievement. Consistent use is made of photographs and written notes. This is to build a clear picture of children's day-to-day progress across all the six areas of learning. Full and detailed periodic assessments are also carried out to establish children's level of attainment, and next steps in their learning.

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and outcomes for children

A significantly strong aspect of the provision is the excellent nature of staff skills with teaching and extending children's learning. Staff show a high level of confidence during their work with children. They show a highly confident awareness of the need to encourage child-led activities, and provide one-to-one learning. For example, staff interact in a highly effective way with questions, to promote children's awareness of colours, shapes and numbers. Staff also successfully enrich children's learning by extending activities. They enable children to fully explore the expressive and creative elements within their play.

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and outcomes for children

Children's health and welfare is consistently well promoted within the play programme. Close guidance is given by staff to encourage children's hygiene and independence. Children benefit greatly from having healthy meals and snacks that are prepared on site. Children are successfully encouraged to engage in a wide range of play that promotes their physical development. For example, children have fun during expressive group games, and can move freely between different playrooms. Children show a confident ability with manipulative play items, and use a wide range of tools and materials. Many physical challenges are also effectively included in the nursery's outdoor play area.

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and outcomes for children

Children are successfully helped to feel safe within the setting. New children and those who are settling are closely supported. Children can see photographs of those they know at home, for reassurance. An extensive range of safety procedures and detailed risk assessments are also in place. This is to ensure all aspects of children's activities, have a full safety appraisal. Children benefit from the excellent use of circle times and group play, to promote their personal and social development. Children are encouraged to sit and listen, and learn each other's names. Staff are also confident and proactive in helping children to share and take turns during their play.

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and outcomes for children

The high quality of teaching and planned learning, ensures excellent outcomes for children. Consequently, their skills for future learning are fully supported. Children's communication, language and literacy are confidently promoted. Children are encouraged to learn difficult words like 'clock' and 'hippopotamus', This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 and the setting has some excellent early speakers. Children have a high level of verbal input from staff, and many opportunities to look at books and develop mark making. Problem solving and numeracy is also well explored. For example, children learn terms such as 'open and shut', when making houses with assembly systems. Children also enjoy inventing in the setting's excellent sensory and discovery playroom. Here, they use tubes, boxes and multiple items for sorting and building.

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and outcomes for children

Children's creative development is particularly well promoted. Children use a well stocked arts and crafts area, where they make pictures and explore colour and mix media. Children also greatly enjoy taking part in highly expressive role play games. Staff are skilled at facilitating children's imaginative play ideas. For example, being loud noisy tigers and then silent crawling snakes. Support for children's knowledge of the world, is well built into the play programme. Many transport and travel themes are explored during play, and children learn about time and distances. A recent learning project successfully introduced children to 'hot and cold' and how things change. Children also learn about Fire Safety and how there are 'people who help us' in the local community. 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 1 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 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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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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