Stretton Day Nursery

Stretton Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY226050 Inspection date 19/09/2011 Inspector Parm Sansoyer

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Setting address Tanglewood, Derby Road, Stretton, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire, DE13 0DF Telephone number 01283 544845 Email helen@strettondaynursery.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.

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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

Stretton Day Nursery opened in 2002. It operates from a bungalow situated on a major link road leading into Burton-on-Trent. The setting serves the local and surrounding areas. Children have access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area.

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Description of the setting

A maximum of 32 children from birth to eight years may attend at any one time, of whom no more than 12 may be under two years. There are currently 52 children on roll in the early years age group. The setting is registered by Ofsted on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. The setting is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early years education to children aged three- and four-years-old. The setting supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children with English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The setting is opens five days a week all year round, with the exception of Bank Holidays and one week at Christmas. Sessions are from 7.30am to 7pm. There are 16 members of staff employed to work with the children, all of whom hold relevant early years qualifications. They receive 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

All children are fully included and valued in this welcoming environment where their personal, social and emotional development is fostered well. The use of resources, environment and teaching methods, which are mostly effective, help children make good progress in their learning and development. There are effective procedures in place to ensure all children are kept safe, and the majority of staff have a good understanding of safeguarding issues. Partnerships with parents and carers, other providers of the Early Years Foundation Stage and professionals involved with the children are good. Self-evaluation and the capacity to maintain continuous improvement are good.

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further?

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

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further?

 provide increased opportunities for children to freely use the sand and water to consider more fully mathematical concepts, and early scientific experiments to help question why things happen, to further extend their problems solving, reasoning and numeracy skills  utilise more the broad range of resources available and plan more clearly their use and learning intention to help further promote children's play and learning  increase all staff's up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

There are clear policies, strategies and procedures in place to ensure the safeguarding and welfare of children, along with an effective safeguarding children policy that includes the procedure to follow in the event of an allegation made against a member of staff. A designated team member who is knowledgable about child protection issues takes lead responsibility for safeguarding. The assigned key workers who have overall responsibility for the children fully understand their sand responsibilities in relation to safeguarding children. However, some assistants who are also involved in the care of the children have a developing knowledge of child protection issues and do not have an up-to-date understanding of safeguarding issues. All adults caring for are suitably vetted, inducted and qualified with clear roles and responsibilities, which contributes to the smooth running of the setting. All the required records, policies and procedures, including written risk

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the early years provision

assessments, are in place, regularly reviewed and updated, and well organised.

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the early years provision

The staff team work well together and provide a well-organised educational programme which offers a broad range of experiences for children across many areas of learning. Good quality observations of what the children achieve, like and do are systematically used to plan for the next steps in their learning and to guide planning. Consequently, staff provide a good balance of child-initiated and adult- led activities. Children benefit from separate rooms according to their age and ability, and these areas are mostly organised well to meet their individual needs. However, all staff do not always fully utilise the broad range of resources and experiences available to them to fully exploit children's play and learning and provide a clear enough learning intention for their use.

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the early years provision

The leader is also involved with the care of the children and leads and encourages a culture of reflective practice, self-evaluation and informed discussion to identify the setting's strengths and priorities for development. The team work collaboratively, testing new ideas and questioning practice. Therefore, they have a clear overview about the service they provide and a shared vision of how to further improve the setting and improve outcomes for children.

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the early years provision

Partnership with parents and carers is a strength of the setting. A strong commitment to maintaining positive relationships with all parents and carers means they are regularly consulted and involved in decisions about the care and education of their children. For example, an active parent group meet regularly to help organise events and contribute their thoughts and ideas about how best to improve the service. Parents are kept well informed about the provision and about all aspects of their children's achievements and progress. Partnerships with other settings, agencies and professionals are effectively established to help support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children with English as an additional language. Consequently, these children are happy, fully involved and their individual care needs are supported well. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children personal, social and emotional development is supported very well. All children develop close relationships, which leads to the growth of self-assurance, promoting a sense of belonging, and allows children to explore from a secure base. Babies are happy and their individual care needs and routines are supported well. Children have the space to concentrate on activities and experiences and develop their own interests. Children achieve well because all children are involved, busy and occupied with the wide range of opportunities on offer to them. They show good levels of sustained interest in their chosen play. Children respond well to the routine, which is flexible and adapted as necessary to help meet the needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Children are well behaved and learn about sharing and taking turns due to the consistent support they receive from the staff group.

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and outcomes for children

Children's communication, language and literacy are supported well. Staff plan and use an interesting range of books, props and songs, often in relation to the current theme and children's interests, to help reinforce learning. Children benefit from time to develop spoken language and their listening skills through sharing conversations, both one-to-one and in groups. Children build good foundations for early literacy through having opportunities to make marks, recognise their names and make sense of visual signs and symbols.

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and outcomes for children

The children's knowledge and understanding of the world is supported well. Children benefit from some meaningful experiences as they plant and care for flowers, herbs and vegetables. Children engage in a variety of experiences in which they learn about their natural environment. For example, as they investigate under the logs and amongst the plants in the garden with magnifying glasses. They show a real interest in the apple tree they have helped plant, and learn how to care for the pet rabbit. Children begin to gain an understanding of other cultures and diversity through themed activities and by accessing a varied range of resources.

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and outcomes for children

Children's problem solving, reasoning and numeracy are building. They seek patterns, count, sort and match through everyday play and as they use threading, games, puzzles and construction toys. Children show an interest in the computers, which are used well to reinforce these mathematical concepts. However, children have fewer opportunities to recognise and work with numerals or freely use the sand and water to consider concepts, such as weight, measures and capacity, and to question why things happen, such as floating and sinking. All children enjoy a wide range of experiences to express their creativity and imagination through a variety of arts and crafts materials, engaging in role play and using musical instruments. Children respond well to what they hear, see, smell and touch as they use the paint, sand, water, dough, shaving foam and food. However, these experiences are not always made freely available for children to use at their own

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and outcomes for children

Children learn how to stay safe through gentle reminders from staff about caring This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 for each other and their environment. For example, they know the importance of wearing fluorescent visibility jackets as they take walks around the local environment. The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles is good. They benefit from the access to fresh air and the outdoor environment where they use a good range of resources to extend their physical skills. Older children begin to understand the benefits of exercise and healthy eating. For example, they recall how their heart rate increases after physical exercise and the importance of eating foods which contain vitamins. All children benefit from freshly prepared meals which are seasonal, healthy, balanced and nutritious. They successfully develop skills for the future as they become active and creative learners.

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and outcomes 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 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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