The Grange Nursery

The Grange Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY336986 Inspection date 06/12/2010 Inspector June Rice

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Setting address The Grange, Doctors Lane, Castleford, West Yorkshire, WF10 2HJ Telephone number 01977 519682 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

The Grange Nursery opened in 2006 and is one of two privately run nurseries owned by the provider. It operates from four rooms situated on the ground floor of a large detached house situated in Allerton Bywater, on the outskirts of Castleford. Children have access to an outside play area.

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Description of the setting

The Grange Nursery is open each weekday from 7.45am to 6.00pm all year round, except bank holidays and one week at Christmas. The setting is registered to care for a maximum of 24 children under five years. They also offer care to children aged over five years to 11 years. This provision is registered on the compulsory and voluntary part of the Childcare Register. Children occupying these places share the same facilities as the children in the early years age range. There are currently 42 children on roll within the early years age group. There are nine permanent staff member who are all qualified to a minimum Level 2 or above.

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Description of the setting

The provision currently receives early education funding for three- and four-year- olds. The provision is involved in the Leeds Quality Assurance Scheme.

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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

The provision demonstrates a positive attitude towards continued improvement and since the last inspection the provision has taken action to ensure they fully meet requirements. The provision demonstrates a satisfactory understanding of its strengths and areas for improvement. Children are safe and secure. The partnerships with parents, other early years providers and local schools ensure the needs of all children are met satisfactorily, along with any additional support needs. However, planning systems, staffing arrangements and equipment do not consistently meet the needs of individual children.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further planning systems to ensure relevant and motivating learning experiences are linked to children's next steps  ensure staffing arrangements are organised to meet the individual needs of all children, consider ways to enhance children's self-help skills, and develop the use of open ended questions  develop further the use of activities and play opportunities that challenge children's thinking and help them to embrace differences in gender, ethnicity, language, religion, culture and special educational needs and/or disabilities  ensure equipment is suitable for babies, and rooms are maintained at a suitable temperature. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

Children are safeguarded because the provider and staff demonstrate a clear understanding of child protection and the procedures to follow. A visitor's book is maintained, and written procedures are in place in the event of lost, uncollected children and safeguarding. These are readily available to users of the provision along with other policies and procedures to ensure everyone has a clear understanding of how the provision works. The provision is secure and staff are on the whole satisfactorily deployed throughout the setting to ensure children's safety and well-being. However, in the pre-school where the required ratio is maintained, there are occasions where play stops for everyone due to the individual needs of children, and this impacts on other children's learning and development. For example, children engrossed in an activity have to stop when other children need to go to the toilet. Clear risk assessments are in place, however, procedures do not

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the early years provision

always ensure that all rooms are maintained at a suitable temperature. For example, although the temperature in the sleep room was low, staff did not realise a window had been left open.

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the early years provision

The provision has worked with local school during transition periods, and developed a working relationship with other providers, such as, nurseries and Children's centres in an effort to improve existing practice. It has introduced a system to help identify strengths and areas for improvement and involve staff and children in the process. Inclusive practice is satisfactorily promoted. For example, children have equal access to an appropriate range of resources that are not gender based, and long term planning identifies activities, such as, introducing children to different festivals, cultures and food tasting sessions to help them learn about differences. However, resources that promote positive images are mainly to be found within the pre-school room. Therefore, there is little to challenge children's thinking and help them to embrace differences in gender, ethnicity, language, religion, culture and special educational needs and/or disabilities

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the early years provision

Clear systems are in place to ensure that sufficient information is obtained from parents, and links have been developed with other professions to ensure children's individual needs are met satisfactorily. For example, the setting provides school with information about children's progress to date and is presently developing a system that further will support children during their transition to school. Parents are invited to parents evenings to discuss their childrens progress in addition to the verbal feedback they receive daily. The system for observations, assessments and planning are not yet robust enough. They identify children's progress, make reference to the six areas of learning, and identify the next steps for some children. However, it is not clearly identified where planning takes account of children's individual learning needs during planned activities. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children freely and safely access a varied range of resources, toys and activities in an environment that is decorated with childrens work, letters, numbers, shapes and colours. The environment is suitably organised and provides children with lots of opportunities to explore and use their imagination. For example, they have constant access to craft resources, small world equipment, home corner, jigsaws, books and construction. Most resources are stored in low-level storage boxes which are clearly labelled with pictures to encourage children's independence and choice. Children learn about keeping safe through their daily routine, activities and discussion. For example, they are included in emergency evacuation practice, and talk about people who help us. Health and well-being is promoted satisfactorily and steps are taken to prevent spread of infection. For example, children who are infectious are excluded in order to protect others and staff wear disposable gloves

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and outcomes for children

and wipe changing mats when changing nappies. Children wash their hands after using the toilet and after messy activities, and they sing a song about washing hands before lunch. Children benefit from healthy freshly cooked meals, and lunch time is a sociable event. However, staff set the table with bowls and cutlery, pour the drinks and mainly spoon the food into the bowls, and some young children are sat very low in their high chairs. This does little to encourage the development of childrens independence and self-help skills.

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and outcomes for children

Children are very well behaved; they interact well with each other and use polite language. They are learning to care for others as they help to look after the nursery pet snail. Childrens skills in communicating, literacy, numeracy and their ability to solve problems and understand the wider world is satisfactorily supported through the range of activities and play opportunities on offer. Children sit with their peers and listen carefully to a story. They look with interest at the illustrations and are encouraged to recall the story through their own words. Children enthusiastically demonstrate their skills in French. For example, some children confidently repeat numbers up to 10, others name colours, such as violet, white and orange, and they all try new words, such as dog, cat, pig and deer. Children enjoy craft activities. They make pictures from lollipop sticks, cotton wool, conkers, plastic tops and dried leaves. They use glue and spreaders confidently as they

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and outcomes for children

share the pot of glue. They are proud of their creations and say 'it's for Daddy'. Children are engrossed in pouring a mixture of soil and cereal through a funnel. They hold the funnel close to their face as they watch the mixture fall through. They repeat the action several times then fill containers and transfer the mixtures between them. However, although staff interact with children to encourage their interest, there is little in the way of open ended questions to further extend their learning. Toddlers thoroughly enjoy exploring shaving foam on a flat surface, they use their fingers to make marks, squash it through their fingers. They hold them up and say sticky. Children enjoy movement to music and sing along to familiar action songs and rhymes. They hop, jump, twist side to side and move quickly in and around each other to demonstrate their growing skills in balance and managing space as they avoid bumping into each other. Babies show confidence in

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and outcomes for children

exploring their surroundings, they move around freely and independently, and are beginning to make choices about the resources they play with and where they This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 explore. Their developing skills in communication and language are demonstrated as they respond positively to words, songs and gestures of adults sometimes repeating the sounds and words they hear. 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 3 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 3 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 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 3 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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