Seashells Nursery

Sheerness Neighbourhood Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY297098 Inspection date 03/04/2012 Inspector Shanti Flynn

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Setting address Rose Street, Sheerness, Kent, ME12 1AW

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Telephone number 01795 663311 Email nursery@children-families.org 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

Sheerness Neighbourhood Nursery is run by Children and Families Ltd. It was resgistered in 2004 and operates from purpose-built rooms in a Children's Centre. All children share access to an enclosed, outdoor play area. The nursery is situated in the town of Sheerness, Kent. It is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. It also operates a breakfast club, an after-school club and a holiday playscheme. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register, and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is registered for up to 83 children from birth to eight years, all of whom may be in the early years age range. There are currently 134 children on roll. The nursery is funded for the provision for free early education for children aged three and four years. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children learning English as an additional language. There are 22 staff working

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Description of the setting

with the children; all hold relevant early years qualifications. The nursery also employs 2 cooks and 2 administrators. The nursery receives support from the Local Authority and a qualified teacher.

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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 supported by kind and caring staff, who have a good knowledge of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This helps children to make good progress overall in their learning and development. Staff work well with parents to ensure that children's individual needs are fully met although partnerships with other providers are less well established. The nursery demonstrates a good capacity to improve.

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further?

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

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further?

 develop partnership with early years settings to promote continuity of care and learning  improve the learning environment, for example by displaying print, letters, numbers and shapes in the outdoor area

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the early years provision

Children are protected by robust safeguarding policies and procedures, and staff This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 place a high priority on keeping children safe. All staff know what to do if they have any concerns about a child in their care. Effective staff recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to check the suitability of staff and adults working with the children. Staff attend regular training sessions to keep their skills and knowledge up to date. This helps to promote positive outcomes for all children. Children play in a safe and secure environment. Comprehensive risk assessments help maintain the environment to a high standard. Staff also carry out daily checks to identify potential hazards inside and outdoors to minimise risks to children. Staff only open the door to people they can identify, and all visitors have to sign in upon their arrival.

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the early years provision

The nursery promotes an inclusive environment, and staff welcome each child as an individual. Children develop a good understanding of other cultures and beliefs as they celebrate festivals from around the world. The nursery develops strong relationships with parents and carers. Each child is allocated a key person who visits the family at home before children attend the nursery. The key person works closely with each family to find out about their child's likes and dislikes, routines and abilities. Staff use this information to plan routines and activities to meet individual children's needs effectively. Parents particularly value this good relationship and appreciate the regular communication via contact books and the verbal feedback they receive on a daily basis. The key person also completes a learning journal for each child to record their leaning and progress. Parents are encouraged to add to this to become fully involved in their children's learning and

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the early years provision

development. The nursery has good links with the local schools. This has a positive impact in helping prepare children for the transition into school. However, partnerships with other early years settings attended by children are less well developed.

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the early years provision

A well-resourced environment provides children with a good range of learning opportunities both indoors and outside. Children have daily access to the outdoor area and move freely between the different areas. An emphasis on child-initiated play allows children to choose their own activities and encourages them to be creative and explore new resources. Flexible routines, high adult to child ratios and purposeful deployment of staff, ensure that children's individual needs are effectively met.

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the early years provision

The manager is supported by a committed staff team who meet regularly to discuss how to achieve the best outcomes for all children. They effectively identify areas for improvement and evaluate any changes made. For example, learning journals have been introduced to record observations and plan the next steps in children's learning. Staff are currently reviewing their systems of self-evaluation to include the views of children. 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 cared for in a warm and welcoming environment. They can choose to play inside or outdoors, and the staff plan interesting and challenging activities across all areas of learning. Children particularly enjoy spending time in the large outside area. Lots of interesting resources provide children with a range of opportunities to explore and develop their creative and physical skills. However, the outdoor environment lacks examples of print and numbers to further stimulate children's learning. Older children play in the wooden house with their friends and enjoy developing their measuring skills as they play in the sandpit. Younger children develop their physical, coordination and balance skills as they successfully negotiate the space around them when they play with wheeled toys. Staff observe what the children do and record their progress in learning journals, which are shared with parents. They identify next steps in children's learning and use this to

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and outcomes for children

inform their planning of resources and activities. This effective system meets the needs of individual children and helps them make good progress in their learning and development.

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and outcomes for children

All children are helped to understand the importance of fresh air and exercise as they regularly play outside. Effective routines, such as for handwashing, promote their health and well-being. The nursery provides a good range of healthy meals cooked on the premises from fresh ingredients. Mealtimes are a social occasion where the children sit together in small groups with staff. Children learn to use their cutlery well, and older children serve themselves, promoting their independence. Younger children learn to feed themselves with growing independence, enjoying their food. Individual placemats clearly document children's dietary requirements so that all staff are aware of their needs. Snacks of different fresh fruits are offered to the children, and water is readily available for them to access throughout the day.

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and outcomes for children

Children learn to keep themselves safe because staff gently remind them not to run indoors and to use resources such as scissors and knives safely. Good staff ratios mean that children are always fully supervised. Staff regularly practise fire drills with the children, and older children know which exit and route to take in an emergency.

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and outcomes for children

Children's behaviour is good, and they show a strong sense of belonging in the setting. They have good relationships with the staff and their peers. They are able to work independently, as well as cooperating with each other. They learn to share and take turns, supported by staff who know them well. Skilful use of stories and persona dolls help children to learn about differences and value diversity. They also learn to care about their environment, recycling materials from home to use in junk modelling activities. The nursery has the use of an allotment, and children grow their own fruit and vegetables. Consequently, children develop good skills for the future. 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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