Maple Vue Nursery

Maple Vue Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY430816 Inspection date 02/12/2011 Inspector Kerry Iden

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Setting address Maple Vue Childrens Centre, Belle Vue Road, ALDERSHOT, Hampshire, GU12 4RZ Telephone number 01507528300 Email lisa.wheeler@childrenslinks.org.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.

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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

Maple Vue Nursery is managed by Children's Links. It originally opened in 2011 and operates from a purpose-built centre attached to a Children's Centre which is within the grounds of Belle Vue Infant School in Aldershot, Hampshire. Children have access to an enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery serves the local community.

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Description of the setting

The setting is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary part of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 42 in the early years age group may attend the setting at any one time. There are currently 89 children on roll. The nursery provides funded nursery education for three and four year olds. The provision welcomes children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is opened Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm throughout the year, children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery employs 12 members of staff, of whom 11 hold early years qualifications. The nursery receives support from the local authority, the host school and Children's Centre.

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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 settled in the nursery and show a keenness to be there. Child initiated learning is a key factor and staff extend well from children's ideas. Observations and next steps are used to support children's learning and some staff are starting to monitor the children's progress towards the early learning goals. The setting has a clear awareness of strengths and areas for development including developing activities and resources to extend children's awareness of the diverse society in which they live. All parents, children and staff are able to communicate improvements which are implemented to bring about better outcomes for children.

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further?

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

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further?

 promote positive attitudes to diversity through activities that encourage children to talk about similarities and differences to help them learn to value their own and other people's lives  develop systems for monitoring children's achievements towards the early learning goals, ensuring there are no gaps in their learning, consistently across all key workers throughout the nursery . 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 effectively because staff have a good understanding of child protection procedures and the manager acts as the designated person taking overall responsibility in this area. The setting is made secure through the times of operation with risk assessments and daily checks completed to ensure children's safety. There is a secure system of recruiting new staff, and although the nursery's head office takes the lead in this role, the manager has a clear understanding of the correct suitability clearances that must be obtained on all staff. Through inductions, peer observations and performance plans the manager also monitors the ongoing quality of staff's work. The staff work collaboratively with parents about the safe collection of children and keeps them informed of accidents that have occurred or the outbreak of infectious illness.

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the early years provision

The manager is working hard to focus on prioritising her work within the nursery and whilst supported by the management she focuses improvements on helping children make good progress and promoting their welfare. In turn the senior staff support improvements, for example, introducing a new system to monitor individual children's progress towards all areas of learning, although these are not yet consistently used across the setting. All staff evaluate the areas in which they work and become involved in making decisions about improvements. Additionally following training staff members bring about changes within the nursery, for example the development of the outside area. Children are able to make their contributions through the day and parents are also consulted on important decisions, such as the recent discussion about the new name for the nursery. Therefore everyone involved with the setting is able to contribute towards driving

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the early years provision

Staff use children's spontaneous play and interests well as they develop the resources and the ways in which they are used, for example, the transformation of the role play area in to a dark room. Resources are good, fit for purpose and support children's learning. The use of natural and tactile experiences allows children and babies to develop in their sensory play. Staff are effectively deployed to ensure babies and younger children have the consistency of their familiar adult and key persons can support the older children based upon the knowledge they have of them.

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the early years provision

Partnerships with outside agencies are effectively managed as key persons liaise with specialists to follow strategies to support individual children. Those with English as an additional language are also supported and staff work collaboratively with families, to ensure each child gets the support they need. Children are able to value others within the group and through some activities and resources are starting to be aware of the lives of others.

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the early years provision

Parents are encouraged to take an active role in their child's time in the nursery. Their contributions to the written profiles are valued and staff encourage them to come right into the nursery to see key persons and how their children are settled. Parents report positively on settling in arrangements being unique to them, which This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 enables children to have a positive start in the nursery. Partnerships are successfully being extended particularly through the children's centre and very good links with local schools to ensure a collaborative and supportive approach to children's development and a smooth transition.

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and outcomes for children

Children enter the setting happily and confidently, they independently hang up outdoor clothing and search out friends or staff members. Children show good levels of confidence throughout the session; established children know each other and staff members well demonstrating some friendships within the group. Other children choose to play alongside others but show good levels of concentration and focus on their chosen tasks. Groups of children know how to work together as a team, for example, as they complete a complicated puzzle which they are proud to show off at completion. Babies and younger children are very content, settled and enjoying their time. They experience a range of activities from outside play to treasure baskets and sensory play as they enjoy splashing in the cornflour. The staff are relaxed and effective in their teaching. They join in with child led play using quality open ended questions to enhance children's learning further. All

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and outcomes for children

children have a dedicated key person; they have a good understanding of their children and take responsibility for completing records of observations.

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and outcomes for children

Children and babies feel safe and secure. The contact and reassurance babies receive from their consistent staff members enables them to relax and therefore learn through their chosen play. The well organised routines enable individual babies to follow their own routines enabling their individual needs to be fully fostered. Children in the main nursery are able to handle a range of tools safely, for example, as they become involved in preparing their own snack or using tools in the craft area. They understand why they need to follow safety rules such as keeping running for outside and sitting correctly on their chairs as they know this could cause an accident. Children also understand the importance of the good hygiene practices employed. They all know to wash hands in the bathroom and before snack and meal times. Children are developing good social skills around the meal table; some remembering to use manners without prompting. They become

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and outcomes for children

involved in cutting up fruit for snack and those having nursery meals are able to get involved in serving themselves from the tray made available to them. Fresh air and outside play is a large part of the session as children choose when to play outside through the free flow arrangements. They become involved in a wide variety of activities that continue to promote all areas of learning as well as offering physical activities to support the promotion of a healthy lifestyle.

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and outcomes for children

Children display a strong sense of belonging; they know the nursery routines and where things belong as they are given some responsibilities in tidying away. They also have the confidence to ask staff members for additional resources. Children are starting to develop an understanding of diversity as the setting is introducing some different languages in discussion and in written words and a sufficient range of activities and resources are available to support this. Children's interests and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 curiosities are particularly well extended by staff members. Spontaneous searches for worms and snails in the garden bring about discussions of different habitats and seasons whilst areas of the nursery are transformed following some interest in dark and light. From a late afternoon play in the dark garden staff used the children's interests in using torches to extend their awareness in the transformed

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and outcomes for children

dark room where they use additional items of equipment such as light boxes and shapes to extend language and mathematical concepts. Therefore children are valued for the contribution they make. 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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