Inclusion Support Tutor

Horspath Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 134332 Inspection date 21/11/2011 Inspector Sandra Croker

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Setting address Horspath Primary School, Blenheim Road, Horspath, Oxfordshire, OX33 1RY Telephone number 01865 876 750 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

Horspath Nursery is a registered charity managed by a committee of elected parents. It opened in 1996. The nursery operates from a classroom in the grounds of Horspath Primary School The nursery has use of the school playing field, hall and playground. Children attend from the surrounding area and the city of Oxford. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 33 children from two and a half years to four years on roll. The nursery provides free early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. Children attend for a variety of sessions. Horspath Nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. It is open during school term time from Monday to Friday from 9am until 3.30pm. A lunch club operates each day from 12noon to 12.30pm. The nursery operates a breakfast club from Monday

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Description of the setting

to Friday between 8am and 9pm. It provides additional child care between 3.15pm and 6pm. There are 11 staff employed to work with the children; of these, one has early years qualifications at level 2 and six have early years qualifications at level 3. Horspath 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 are happy and make good progress towards the early learning goals because they play in an stimulating learning environment overall, that meets all children's needs. The manager and staff have an accurate understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the provision and take effective steps to improve it. Leaders and managers communicate ambition and drive and secure improvement well. There are effective arrangements to safeguard children and promote their health and safety, including links with other professional agencies. Strong links with parents/carers help to involve them in their children's care and education overall, and parents are kept well informed of their children's progress.

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further?

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

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further?

 enhance the partnership with parents by extending and monitoring ways of involving them in their children's continuous learning and development  enhance the use of visual signs, symbols, notices, numbers and words in the outdoor environment to support children to begin to read and write  develop further a two-way flow of information with parents with regard to appropriate food content for packed lunches. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Rigorous safeguarding procedures and appropriate recruitment strategies assess the suitability of staff working with the children. Staff fully understand their safeguarding responsibilities, so that children are secure and cared for in a safe and sheltered environment. Comprehensive risk assessments are carried out by staff who make sure effective actions are taken to minimise or remove hazards to children and a designated health and safety officer ensures these are continuous. Self-evaluation takes account the views of the staff and accurately identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the nursery. Constant reviews of the quality of the nursery take place through discussion with children and parents. The management are confident about what the nursery needs to do to improve further and have been effective in making and supporting developments. Staff plan well and have a good understanding of their roles and duties. A thorough range of policies and

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the early years provision

procedures guide staff practice and are used successfully overall to promote children's health and ensure their welfare. Resources and equipment are clearly labelled and allow children easy access. As a result, there are exciting opportunities for children to make choices and to take shared responsibility for their own learning and play.

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the early years provision

There is a strong partnership with parents, who remark very positively about the nursery. Staff work attentively with parents to settle children and make sure those specific needs of all children are met successfully. Parents are included in the life of the nursery through newsletters, daily discussions and notice boards, which display helpful information, such as the weekly planning of activities. Records of children's learning demonstrates the strong understanding that key workers have concerning individual children's needs and stages of development. However, some parents do not fully understand where their children are in relation to other children of the same age. Some parents do not know how to help their children make further progress with their learning. Staff show good attention and understanding of equality and diversity, allowing them to provide a service which is inclusive to all. Detailed information is acquired from parents initially, when

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the early years provision

children settle in, to ensure that staff are fully attentive of and can meet children's individual needs. The nursery has established strong links with the school and effective liaison with other agencies assisting children with specific needs.

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and outcomes for children

Children are happy and settled and understand the routines of the day. They demonstrate good levels of independence and a willingness to tackle self-chosen and adult-led play. The nursery is attractively presented and overall offers a stimulating environment for children. Staff use spontaneous and focused observations consistently to help in planning children's next steps, so that activities are appropriate to each child's stage of development. They record and track This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 children's progress systematically. Carefully planned activities take into consideration the individual interests of children and offer new and interesting challenges across all areas of learning. Children have daily opportunities for outdoor play. Children are constantly praised and their achievements valued, helping them develop an understanding of expected behaviour, like being kind,

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and outcomes for children

sharing toys and taking turns. Children are highly motivated and interested in the activities and resources available to them, showing good levels of concentration and playing purposefully. Children are consistently well behaved. There are good procedures in place to support those families who speak English as an additional language. Involvement from other professionals has allowed staff to develop effective programmes, when working with children with additional requirements.

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and outcomes for children

Children's language is good. Staff model language effectively, increasing children's vocabulary and encouraging the children to think critically. For example, children enjoy scooping sand into containers. Staff ask the children if they have ever seen anyone using a scoop. A child explains that you put scoops into a bottle and shake it up to make milk for babies. Children enjoy playing with a garage, cars and small world figures following staff's instructions to put items in different places and to find additional play pieces. Children become very involved as they play co- operatively together with toy foods. They make marks on paper as shopping lists, pretend to buy the foods on the list and create an imaginary birthday party. Children use language well to describe the fruit that they share at snack time. Staff ask questions that deepen children's understanding. For example 'where do raisins come from?' Children say that raisins come from a factory and staff tell them they

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and outcomes for children

come from grapes and explain how this happens.

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and outcomes for children

Staff thoughtfully make the most of diversity to help children understand the society they live in. Positive images in the daily environment promote children's awareness of difference and diversity. Children match shapes confidently into puzzles and use shape names accurately. Children show awareness of similarities of shapes around them in the environment as they describe the moon as a semi- circle. Children confidently recognise numerals and count during their independent play. They use developing mathematical ideas well when enjoying number songs and rhymes which enable them to learn, experiment and practise their skills. Children show delight as they talk about their colourful collage pictures displayed in the nursery. The nursery environment has resources that enhance the good development of children's skills for the future. Children are very involved as they play co-operatively together with dolls, prams and telephones in role play.

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and outcomes for children

Children's knowledge and understanding of the world around them is promoted through daily play resources and their involvement in a range of activities, which look at different celebrations and cultures from around the world.

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and outcomes for children

Children's independence is promoted well as they decide for themselves which fruit to eat and pour their own drink. Children confidently move around the setting choosing and directing their own play and learning because resources and activities are readily accessible to all. There are attractive quiet areas for children to sit and read books, which supports their literacy development. However, there are less opportunities outside to support children to begin to read and write through the use of visual signs, symbols, notices, numbers and words. Good hygiene practices are promoted. Snacks are well balanced and nutritious. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 However, the nursery's attempt to encourage healthy eating in partnership with parents has been less successful. Children are confidently learning about how to take risks within a safe environment. They have good opportunities for physical

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and outcomes for children

exercise outside. They use a good assortment of high quality play equipment where they can improve their balance, jumping, and climbing skills. 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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