Hadden Hill Nursery and Preschool

Hadden Hill Nursery and Preschool Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY433836 Inspection date 08/03/2012 Inspector Jan Leo

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Setting address Hadden Hill, North Moreton, Didcot, Oxon, OX11 9BJ

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Telephone number 01235813202 Email haddenhillnursery@gmail.com 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

Hadden Hill Nursery and Pre-school opened under the current registered person in 2011 having been run as a nursery under a different name since 2005. The nursery is located one mile from Didcot and consists of four base rooms for children of different ages, from babies of three months up to children of five years. There is an enclosed garden area for outdoor activities. The building offers easy access for people with mobility problems and there is a car park on site.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is a full day care setting operating from 7.30am until 6pm on weekdays, all year round. The nursery may accept up to 49 children under the age of eight years at any one time and all may be in the early years age group. There are currently 41 children attending on a full and part-time basis and all are in the early years age group.

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Description of the setting

A total of nine members of staff are employed to work with the children and there is a professional caterer who cooks meals on site. There are six members of staff with an appropriate qualification at level 2 or above.

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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

The children are generally well served by the nursery because of very strong bonds with staff and well organised routines to help children feel secure. The activity programme is effective in helping all make good progress but some staff focus so hard on health and safety that they restrict challenges for some children. Behaviour is good despite some inconsistencies in behaviour management. Equality and diversity are promoted well with the aid of strong partnerships with parents and carers to consolidate children's development and ease transitions. Staff work well as a team, setting clear targets to work towards, demonstrating a keen desire to drive and maintain continuous improvement. All of the required documentation is in place but it is not always detailed and accurate, limiting its value.

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further?

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

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further?

 routinely take a positive approach to behaviour management to help all children understand boundaries and increase their understanding of acceptable behaviour for themselves and others  provide support for children to take risks in a secure and challenging environment This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  improve the two-way flow of information with parents by making sure all documentation is accurate, detailed and up-to-date.

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the early years provision

The staff have a very secure understanding of the companies Safeguarding procedure and their responsibility to protect children from harm. All take responsibility to oversee safe play and keep the environment safe to help prevent accidents. They build extremely close bonds with the children, greeting them all by name and talking to the children about the things that are important to them to help each feel special. Children are welcomed into all the nursery rooms regardless of where they are based in order to socialise with friends of different ages and consequently they develop a strong sense of belonging from an early age. All staff take health and safety very seriously and they successfully help children understand what is expected. However, some staff are over cautious at times, unnecessarily limiting what children do when they are capable of more.

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the early years provision

The staff get to know the children and their families very well in order to promote equality and diversity effectively. They plan activities around children's interests and target specific areas of development to help narrow gaps in children's progress. All children are valued and feel welcome. Babies settle particularly well because they follow their own routine from home and have dedicated and competent carers who are familiar to them. The staff work well in their key person roles and support each other in times of absence to ensure continuity and quality of care for the children. They deploy themselves effectively to support children's learning, joining in play and making good use of the resources to inspire participation. As a result, the children make good progress in relation to their starting points. The garden area is particularly well used, providing opportunities for all learning to be taken outside and this successfully helps children to grow in

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the early years provision

Parents value the service highly and appreciate the feedback they receive about the day. They are encouraged to contribute ideas for improvement to be involved in decision making processes. The staff seek parent's permission to link with any other carers, when care is shared, to maximise the benefits of partnership working. This helps staff offer a consistent approach to children's development and enhance what they do elsewhere. The staff organise visits to local schools and invite school staff in to meet children before they move on, preparing children for transition to avoid anxiety. Parents receive some information about how the setting operates and have access on site to the full range of policies. Some documentation however lacks detail and is not up to date despite a recent review, restricting its usefulness.

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the early years provision

The staff take a self-reflective approach to development, adapting practice as they go along to make sure they continue to meet the needs of the children. They prioritise improvements, focusing recently on the garden area, and monitor progress to bring about significant improvements. The management visits other settings to get ideas for continuous improvement and it seeks out appropriate training to continue staff development as part of the drive for further This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 improvement.

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and outcomes for children

The children settle very well and quickly feel part of the setting because of the support they receive from the staff. They know what is expected because they follow clear and consistent routines throughout the day. The children play outdoors at regular intervals to develop a healthy lifestyle, know when they can expect their meals and snacks, and fully understand the sleep and hygiene routines that contribute greatly to their good health. Most line up to clean their hands at the first mention of food, demonstrating understanding of the need to remove dirt and germs before eating. The children welcome opportunities to be active outdoors, running around the summer house, riding a scooter down the slope and using a slide and seesaw to have fun with friends. Staff dress some children in all weather suits and boots to protect non-walkers from the damp and all enjoy fresh air regardless of age. As a result, the children show developing physical skills and

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and outcomes for children

good control over their movements. They like to challenge themselves by, for example, creating stepping stones to negotiate to improve their balance while having fun.

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and outcomes for children

Most staff are relaxed in their approach to children's development, promoting learning through play and joining in to extend ideas. Some however show concern over behaviour, taking a negative approach to behaviour management and giving more instructions than explanations. As a result, although the children know what is expected and generally behave very well, some test the boundaries and make unacceptable decisions about their behaviour. For example, some take toys from others or fidget and upset friends at the table to see what they can get away with, causing some upset.

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and outcomes for children

Older children have opportunities to use a computer to develop their understanding of modern technology. They confidently tell staff what they want to do and speak clearly to make themselves understood. They listen to instructions about how to change the programme and successfully navigate through different screens to locate the one they want. They have access to a range of small equipment such as scissors, glue spreaders and a hole punch and happily engross themselves in the craft activities to make something of their own choosing. One covers a box in paper to make a house, cutting the paper to size by himself and showing control over his movements. The staff generally interact well to talk about the size, shape and number of pieces, bringing in mathematical concepts to link learning and make it relevant. The staff however are not always clear about the aims of the activities and, as a result, one member of staff shows concern when a

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and outcomes for children

child uses the hole punch. Fearing an accident, the child is asked to put the hole punch down. A different member of staff explains how to use it safely and successfully hands it to the child to explore and use it. The child shows great interest in how it works and takes pleasure in showing his friends the holes he creates, clearly capable of using the hole punch sensibly. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 The staff observe what children do throughout the day. They use children's progress records to help target gaps in learning for individual children when drawing up planning. The planning is completed every fortnight to ensure the activities suit children's current aims and interests and consequently, the children join in enthusiastically, remain busy throughout the day and make good progress in relation to their starting points. 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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