St Andrew and St Francis CofE Primary School

Polly's Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 101536 Inspection date 13/02/2012 Inspector Hilary Tierney

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Setting address Brownshill Road, Brownshill, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL6 8AS Telephone number 01453-731101 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

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

Polly's Day Nursery registered in 1990 and is registered on the Early Years Register. The nursery is situated in the residential area of Brownshill near Stroud. It serves the nearby villages of Chalford, Bussage and surrounding areas. The nursery has three playrooms situated over two floors. Children are cared for in groups according to their age and stage of development. Outdoors there is a sensory garden to the side aspect and a larger garden to the rear of the property. The nursery is open from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, for 51 weeks of the year. Children attend on full or part-time basis. There are currently 81 children on roll, all in the early years age group. The setting receives funding to provide free early education for children aged three and four years. The staff team is made up of 11 members, of whom 10 are qualified to National Vocational Qualification level 3, in Child Care and Education, or equivalent.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is outstanding.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The setting is highly effective and outcomes for children are consistently outstanding. High quality interactions and organisation of routines help children develop a strong sense of belonging and security. Overall, children access an excellent range of resources. Highly effective partnerships between staff and parents ensure individual children's needs are extremely well met. Leadership and management of the setting are outstanding and as a result, staff are highly motivated and enthusiastic. Self-evaluation involves all staff and is highly effective, demonstrating that the capacity for sustained improvement is outstanding.

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further?

To further improve the high quality early years provision the registered person should consider:

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further?

 extending the use of natural materials and objects, for example, when using treasure baskets for the younger children, so that they can explore using all of their senses.

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the early years provision

Staff have a comprehensive awareness of safeguarding issues. The robust policies and procedures are implemented consistently and the staff deal with any concerns about children effectively. Children are safeguarded by extensive recruitment and vetting procedures, which include the successful induction of new staff. Children display an excellent awareness of safety issues and are encouraged by staff to This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 recognise and understand how to keep themselves safe. Staff are vigilant in their supervision of the children while allowing them to take calculated risks. Children use ladders, for example, to climb in the garden. Staff explain how they need to be carefully in place so the children can climb safely. Excellent security of the premises means that children are safe and secure on the premises. Doors and gates are locked and all visitors are checked before entering the premises. Detailed

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the early years provision

medication records are in place and staff record and share with parents details of any accidents. Staff conduct and review highly effective risk assessments.

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the early years provision

Resources are of exceptionally high quality and easily accessible for all children. As a result, children progress extremely well in all areas of learning and development in the highly stimulating and welcoming environment. Staff complete detailed assessments on the children. They use their high quality observations very effectively to guide planning. Staff have an expert knowledge of the learning and development requirements and a full understanding of how children learn and progress. The inspirational and innovative teaching motivates all children. The staff are highly skilled and sensitive in their management of children and their behaviour. Relationships between children and staff are excellent, promoting equality and inclusion extremely well.

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the early years provision

Partnerships with parents are outstanding. They are fully involved in their child's care and achievements. Staff encourage the use of 'wow' postcards both in the setting and at home. Staff share information regularly when parents leave and collect their children. Staff regularly share children's learning journeys with the parents. Parents' evenings, the notice board, details on the Early Years Foundation Stage of learning and photographs help parents share their children's experiences. Parents speak extremely highly about the setting, the high quality of care provided and the enthusiastic staff. The staff are highly committed to working in partnership with other early years settings and takes a lead role in establishing effective working relationships. There are well-established channels of communication between all settings, which successfully promotes children's learning, development and welfare.

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the early years provision

Leadership and management of the setting are outstanding and those in charge have high aspirations for quality through ongoing improvement. As a result, staff use time and resources highly effectively to meet all children's next steps and interests. Through the highly successful key person system, staff meet every child's needs extremely well. Staff are dedicated, have excellent working relationships and are highly motivated to provide high quality childcare. Staff make excellent use of the self-evaluation process and successfully analyse what they do well and what they need to do to drive improvement. Therefore, actions taken by the setting are well targeted and have outstanding impact in bringing about sustained improvement to the early years provision. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

Children are eager to attend, are active learners and obviously have a wonderful time at the setting. The highly skilled staff motivate and encourage children to explore and investigate as they play. Children have excellent opportunities to develop their language skills and love of literacy. Story making skills are being encouraged and developed by the staff. Children sit enthralled as staff tell stories using props and children are beginning to repeat the story with the staff. Children show an excellent understanding of what standards of behaviour are and how to apply these in order to keep themselves safe. Children safely use a range of tools and equipment and know how to handle these in order to keep safe. Their understanding of safety issues and how they demonstrate this is exceptional. For example, children enjoy using hammers and pins and bang the pins confidently into the wooden boards. They understand they need to keep their hands away as

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and outcomes for children

they bang and are careful to make sure their friends hands are not in the way also. Children are extremely confident and competent in communicating their thoughts and show a mature response to taking responsibility about their own and others' safety. The high quality adult interaction and exemplary organisation of routines help the children to gain an exceptionally strong sense of security.

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and outcomes for children

Children make significant gains in their learning. They have excellent levels of achievement and all children demonstrate outstanding progress in developing the skills that will help them in the future. Children play a dynamic role in their learning, offer their ideas and respond to challenges with great enthusiasm. They show high levels of independence, curiosity, imagination and concentration. Children display extremely high levels of confidence and self-esteem. They work exceptionally well independently and with each other showing excellent negotiation and co-operation skills. For example, older children take great delight in playing in the sensory table with dried and cooked spaghetti. They talk about how it feels, what the differences between the two are and work together to fill a bucket attached to a pulley system. When one child pulls the bucket up and down the other children talk about how high the bucket is going. All children are valued and

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and outcomes for children

engage in a wide range of activities and experiences, which help them to value diversity. Their behaviour is exemplary and children begin to show an excellent awareness of responsibility. Staff are developing the way they use natural materials, though the range in the treasure baskets for the younger children is not extensive. Children enjoy the variety of resources available and gain a considerable knowledge of numeracy skills and understanding of technology through the well thought-out activities on offer.

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and outcomes for children

Children understand extremely well about healthy lifestyles. They confidently wash their hands before meals, after using the toilet or after touching the animals with little or no promoting from the staff. Snack and meal times are very social and children take an active part in them. They help set the tables, prepare and wash the fruit and raw vegetables ready for snack time. Older children enjoy being able to help themselves to food and drinks. All children sit well at meal times. Children are beginning to understand about recycling and regularly put items in the recycling bin after snack time. They also understand about how to make compost This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 by collecting the peelings from the vegetables for the compost bin. Children have excellent opportunities to explore the outside areas. All children have time in the garden whatever the weather. They enjoy planting, riding tricycles, building towers

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and outcomes for children

with bricks, playing in the playhouse and playing in the tray with shaving foam. All children are extremely content and settled because their individual health, physical and dietary needs are met to an exceptional standard. 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 1 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 1 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 1 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 1

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 1 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 1 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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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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