Our Lady Star of the Sea Nursery

Our Lady Star of the Sea Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY262167 Inspection date 21/03/2012 Inspector Denise Sixsmith

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Setting address Kenilworth Road, St Annes, Lancashire, FY8 1LB

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Telephone number 01253 726 015 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 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

Our Lady Star of the Sea Nursery has been operating under a management committee since 2003. It operates from one main room in the Our Lady Star of the Sea Primary School. The children also have access to the school hall and other facilities. The nursery serves the local area. There is an enclosed area for outside play, and children have access to the larger playing field and environmental garden. The nursery opens five days a week from 9am to 3.30pm, during school term time only.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register. A maximum of 20 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently, 35 children on roll in the early years age range. All of the children receive funded early years education for three- and four-year-olds. The nursery is able to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

There are five staff who work with the children, and all have a relevant childcare qualification to at least level 3. The manager holds a first class honours degree. The nursery has completed a local authority quality assurance scheme and has a lead practitioner status for the area. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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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

Children are valued, cherished and purposefully engaged in all areas of this dynamic nursery. They make excellent progress because staff tailor learning and care to meet children's individual needs and foster lifelong learning. Children's independence in their learning is outstanding. Overall, the nursery resources and environment are very good. The staff and management committee are extremely proactive in their approach to improvement and have excellent self-assessment systems in place. As a result, the nursery has an outstanding capacity to maintain continuous improvement.

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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 opportunities for children to investigate and explore nature and plants in the natural environment. 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 very effectively safeguarded at the nursery. Staff fully implement policies and procedures to ensure children's safety. They are extremely secure in their knowledge of how to report any concerns about children's welfare because they have received appropriate, up-to-date training. Robust recruitment and vetting procedures are in place to ensure that adults having contact with the children are suitable. Collection procedures are rigorous and followed carefully by staff, parents and carers. Security in the nursery is extremely good because children are carefully supervised in their indoor and outdoor areas and rigorous risk assessments are in place. All staff have received relevant first aid training, ensuring accidents are dealt with effectively and efficiently, which further contributes to children's good health and safety.

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the early years provision

The professional development of all the staff is extremely well supported by the committee and management, resulting in a highly qualified, enthusiastic and motivated staff team. All staff are skilled in their support, challenge and extension of children's learning. Children with special educational needs are extremely well supported through the staff's exceptional liaison with other professionals, parents and carers. A positive and well-informed approach to diversity is reflected through the wonderful resources, displays and range of information provided. The special educational needs policy alongside the able, gifted and talented policy, forms the basis of the nursery's daily practice to ensure that all children's needs are extremely well catered for. Frequent reflection on practice by the dedicated staff team lies at the heart of this setting. Detailed records are in place and extremely effective use is made of the Ofsted self-evaluation tool, as well as other evaluation

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the early years provision

systems. The nursery has made excellent strides since their last inspection and comprehensive action plans ensure sustainability.

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the early years provision

Excellent relationships are developed and maintained with parents, carers and the host school. Parents are kept fully aware of operational practice through their key worker, the nursery interactive website, home-link diaries, written policies, prominent notices, newsletters and one-to-one updates. Parents readily discuss progress and convey information about children's routines, interests and development. An individual compact disc, which reflects their children's time at the nursery, is provided for parents alongside the learning story folder, prior to children leaving for their schools. The lending library scheme and the interactive learning games posted on the web site are highly valued by parents. Parents are extremely supportive of the staff and the service that they receive. They express their views through questionnaires and inform the inspector that 'the quality of the service is excellent' and 'The nursery is a magical place, it is amazing'. Parents

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the early years provision

state that they feel that they are listened to and that they have 'full confidence in the staff and cannot see any other place for their child'. All parents interviewed have either recommended the nursery to others or state that they would do so. 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 extremely happy, settled, and self-motivated in this bright, stimulating and rich environment. Staff successfully provide a fully inclusive play and learning environment, in which children make a very positive contribution. Excellent use of observation and assessment systems ensure that each child's learning styles, well- being and involvement are fully provided for. Planned adult-led activities stimulate and support learning, and staff expertly enable children to run with their own ideas and follow their interests. The indoor and outdoor areas provide an attractive and interactive learning environment, which are organised and equipped very effectively to promote children's independence.

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and outcomes for children

Children's communication skills are fully supported. All staff use a range of descriptive language and open-ended questioning to promote children's love of language and a development of sustained thinking. Children's early appreciation of books is effectively promoted through the extensive range of information and story books, which offer both instruction and delight. Problem-solving, reasoning and numeracy are entwined throughout the daily activities and children's learning. For example, children successfully learn about numbers, shapes and sizes as they sort the socks on the outside washing line, act out number rhymes and play in the popular role-play shoe shop. Children enjoy and are fully engrossed in planting flower and vegetable seeds. They carefully observe and investigate the mini-beasts they find in the soil, in particular the wiggly worm. Indoors, children relish the opportunity to interact with the smart board, where they produce extremely

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and outcomes for children

colourful and vibrant patterns. Staff work consistently to widen children's interests and promote their knowledge and understanding of the world. For example, staff help children to understand about the human skeleton, the planets, dinosaurs and the life-cycle of the frog. The whole of the curriculum is seamlessly interwoven to provide a challenging, rich, multi-sensory, inclusive and well-balanced learning environment for the children. Children spontaneously produce paintings and collage in the well-equipped creative area. They work collaboratively with each other and staff to produce a variety of beautiful displays. These include imaginary planets, a fabulous fairy castle, fairy dresses made with feathers, a clay sculpture and some large scale Jackson Pollock-style spatter pictures. All children are assisted extremely well to develop very good skills for the future.

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and outcomes for children

Children's physical development benefits from the stimulating outdoor environment, for example balancing on the bridge, large scale building with crates, tyres and drain pipes, as well as plenty of space to run and manoeuvre wheeled toys in and around obstacles. Some landscaped areas outside provide the children with the opportunity to explore, hide and investigate, but these are less extensive than the open areas. By the time the children move on to school, they are confident and equipped with the skills they need to be successful in their future learning. They have very good information and communication technology skills, as well as excellent language and number skills, which enable children to work independently and to continue to make rapid gains in their learning.

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and outcomes for children

Equality for all children lies at the heart of this wonderful nursery. Staff and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 material resources are deployed very effectively, and successfully contribute to the children's outstanding learning and understanding of difference. Children's behaviour is excellent as they model staff's considerate, polite and caring approach to managing behaviour. They are very aware of the golden rules, which include, being kind and gentle, and follow these extremely well while at the nursery. A very sociable, animated snack time provides children with the opportunity to share their news, thoughts, ideas and jokes with their peers and the staff. Children's health, well-being and feelings of safety are extensively promoted through the integral practices of the nursery. Visits from fire officers, a paramedic and ongoing discussions enhance children's understanding of staying safe. Staff ensure that

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and outcomes for children

children learn about their own personal hygiene through daily routines, supported by visual and verbal reminders. A bowl of fruit is available in the room throughout the day, as is access to water, to ensure children remain hydrated. The staff provide excellently support to all children through gentle and calm guidance. This ensures that children develop high levels of self-esteem and thoroughly enjoy attending this special nursery. 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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