Caterpillar Day Care

Caterpillar Day Care Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY219575 Inspection date 14/11/2011 Inspector Rebecca Mcgrath

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Setting address 32 Stansfield Road, Todmorden, Lancashire, OL14 5DL

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Telephone number 01706 817695 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 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

Caterpillar Day Care is one of two nurseries owned and managed privately. It registered in 2000 and operates from a semi-detached building near the town centre of Todmorden. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both parts of the Childcare Register. It is registered for 35 children under eight years, of which no more than 25 may be in the early years age group. There are currently 42 children on roll, some of whom attend part-time. The nursery also provides care to school-age children before and after school and during the school holidays.

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Description of the setting

The setting is open five days a week, from 7.30am until 6pm, for 51 weeks a year. All children share access to an enclosed outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language. There are five full-time staff and three part-time staff who work with the children. Of these, six hold a National Vocational Qualification at level three and one is working towards this. The setting provides funded early education for three- and four-year-olds and is supported by the local authority early years team.

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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 are happy and settled in the welcoming and inclusive environment provided at the nursery. Staff have a secure understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. Observation and assessment arrangements are in place and some information is used to help children make good progress in their learning. Children are mostly safe and secure, however, some records and documentation are not robust enough to ensure effective steps are taken to minimise risks. Partnerships with parents, local schools and other agencies further support children's welfare and learning. The setting is able to demonstrate a capacity to evaluate their practice and improve the service provided, although there is more to do to make self-evaluation fully effective.

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further?

To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 conduct a risk assessment and review it regularly. The risk assessment must identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis and a record maintained (Suitable premises, environment & equipment)(also applies to both parts of the Childcare register). 23/11/2011 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 use information from observations consistently to plan for individual children in order to help them further progress towards the early learning goals  develop self-evaluation further by identifying clear plans for future improvements that will impact on the outcomes for children  ensure that procedures for maintaining good hygiene practice is consistent, particularly in relation to nappy-changing.

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded because staff are qualified, vetted and have a good understanding about child protection procedures. They have attended recent training which ensures they have up-to-date information surrounding safeguarding issues. A thorough induction process and regular appraisals monitor staff's ongoing suitability and identify their future training needs. Policies and procedures are generally of a good standard and are fully shared with staff and parents. Documentation, information and records for all children are in place and implemented.

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the early years provision

The premises are mostly safe and secure, with procedures in place to support this. Some daily checks are undertaken and recorded to ensure the premises are safe. However, risk assessments have not been conducted for the nursery to identify potential hazards to children. As a result, aspects, such as sleeping babies and the outdoor area, have not been fully risk assessed by the nursery in order to robustly ensure that all hazards are kept to a minimum. Consequently, children's safety is potentially compromised and the welfare requirements are not fully met.

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the early years provision

Space and resources are organised well and staff are deployed effectively to enable them to respond promptly to children's needs. The manager leads the staff team through regular meetings and working closely alongside staff on a daily basis. Staff are assisted to access training to support their ongoing professional development. Procedures for self-evaluation are in place and progressing. The management team have identified aspects for future development and the targeting of these, to ensure continuous improvement, is in the early stages. Staff evaluate their working environment well and are able to identify aspects to improve outcomes for children. For example, the outdoor environment was recently enhanced to offer increased learning opportunities.

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the early years provision

The setting strives to provide an inclusive service for both children and their families. Parents are welcomed into the setting and are at ease talking to staff. They are involved in children's learning and development through daily chats and the sharing of children's learning journeys. They are well informed about current events through noticeboards and regular newsletters. Parents are happy with the care afforded to their children. Effective links with other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage that children attend, such as local schools, have been This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 established. In addition, the manager works well with other services within the local authority to ensure the setting is fully inclusive.

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and outcomes for children

Staff help children learn by consistently interacting with them and skilfully asking questions. They have a secure understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework and provide a rich learning environment. Colourful displays of numbers and letters, posters and pictures create a welcoming and inviting environment for children. Staff find out what children can do on entry to the setting through initial assessments. Ongoing observations identify next steps in their learning. However, this information is not consistently used to plan for individual children to ensure they further progress towards early learning goals. Children enjoy themselves in the setting and have great fun. They make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development and in their spoken language. Staff encourage them to do things for themselves, such as washing their hands and putting on their coats. Children begin to give meaning to their marks and drawings and feel pride in their

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and outcomes for children

achievements as they proudly write their names.

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and outcomes for children

Children's communication, language and literacy are fostered well. Babies communicate in a variety of ways as they babble happily and make sounds with their voices. Children frequently initiate conversation and use simple statements in social interaction with staff. Children's knowledge and understanding of the natural world is promoted as they plant and grow vegetables to eat. They learn about topics relevant to the seasons. For example, bonfire night in autumn and mini- beasts in the summer. Children show interest in toys, incorporating technology as babies press buttons to make sounds and children click the mouse and press the keyboard on the computer. Children develop an understanding of numeracy and problem-solving as they use number names and learn about capacity when playing in the sand. They use their imagination in creative activities as they make collages, paintings and drawings. Good opportunities are provided for babies to explore their

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and outcomes for children

environment as they are offered open baskets of resources to select the toys they want to play with. Resources, such as dolls, jigsaws and books, help promote children's awareness of the wider world and our diverse society. Children begin to understand about different cultures and lifestyles as they celebrate some festivals throughout the year. They are becoming aware of others and developing a caring attitude as they participate in charitable events, such as Children in Need.

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and outcomes for children

Children move confidently around the environment. They benefit from fresh air and exercise throughout the day. They move in a range of ways, using push bikes and scooters, and enjoy chasing games outside. There are good hand and face- washing routines in place, although the procedures for maintaining good hygiene during nappy-changing are not consistent. Children make healthy choices at meal and snack times. The older children independently serve themselves and enjoy discussing their choices. Fresh drinking water is available throughout the day for all children to access to ensure they are hydrated.

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and outcomes for children

Children's behaviour is very good. They respect their peers and fully support each This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 other in the learning process. For example, children effectively share resources and support their play, resulting in very positive relationships 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 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: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The registered provider does not meet the requirements of the compulsory and or voluntary part/s of the Childcare Register.

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 Take action as specified in the Early Years part of the report (suitability and safety of premises and equipment). 23/11/2011

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 Take action as specified in the Early Years part of the report (suitability and safety of premises and equipment). 23/11/2011

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