Earls Court Community NurseryOfsted inspection, 15 May 2012

Earls Court Nursery & Family Centre Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY435934 Inspection date 15/05/2012 Inspector Arda Halls

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Setting address 65 Philbeach Gardens, LONDON, SW5 9EE

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Telephone number 020 7835 1817 Email earlscourt@leyf.org.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. 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

The Earl's Court Community Nursery is a social enterprise run by the London Early Years Foundation and it is managed by a board of trustees. The setting opened in 2011 and operates from a Victorian house in Earl's Court in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The nursery currently occupies two play rooms and a communal room for group activities over three floors of the building. The nursery has children's and adult toilets, including toilets for people with disabilities. The nursery is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm for 51 weeks of the year. Children come from the local and wider community.

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Description of the setting

The setting is registered on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of 42 children in the early years age range; of these, 18 may be under three years. Earl's Court Nursery employs eight childcare staff plus one cook. All childcare staff holds appropriate early years qualifications. The building is presently accessible by stairs leading into the building and four flights of stairs within the building.

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Description of the setting

All children share access to a secure, enclosed outdoor play area. There are currently 50 children aged from seven months to under five years on roll. Of these, 18 children receive funding for nursery education.

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Description of the setting

The nursery currently supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children learning English as an additional language.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is affiliated with the Pre-School Learning Alliance (PSLA). The nursery receives support from the Local Authority. The teaching method used is children learning through play.

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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 nursery provides an inclusive environment in which children make good progress in their learning and development. They have lots of opportunities to develop their independence skills through a wide range of stimulating play experiences. Children's individual needs are effectively met as a result of the good quality care they receive and the excellent way staff work with the parents. Staff also work well with external agencies and other providers to improve outcomes for children. They demonstrate a good capacity to evaluate their practice and work towards continuous improvement for the benefit of all children.

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should: This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  support children in developing their understanding of problem solving, reasoning and numeracy in a broad range of contexts in which they can explore, enjoy, learn, practise and talk about their developing understanding ensure risk assessment covers anything with which a child may come into contact, such as hot water in children's toilets.

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the early years provision

Children are well protected in the nursery as a result of effective safeguarding systems. Staff demonstrate a good understanding of local safeguarding procedures. Adults caring for children are suitable to work with them, due to good recruitment and vetting procedures. Risk assessments support staff effectively to ensure that most areas used by children are safe. As a result, children are able to move safely and freely around their playrooms. However, on the day of inspection it was noted that water in the children's toilets was not effectively controlled and therefore was hot to touch. Children take care when exiting the nursery to go up the stairs to the garden. They know to hold onto the banister and to go in single file.

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the early years provision

A good range of toys and resources are easily accessible to children. The environment is well organised and activities offered are well adapted to children's needs to enable all children to fully participate. Staff are committed and attentive to children, which means they make good progress. Staff promote inclusion well. For example, activities to promote positive images of cultural diversity are woven into the curriculum. This results in all children and their families having a strong sense of belonging and of being valued. Staff consistently consider the needs of children learning English as an additional language. They are skilled at helping children to participate fully in the activities on offer. Staff take children's individual interests and developmental needs into account.

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the early years provision

Partnerships with parents and carers are outstanding. Daily discussions keep parents informed fully about their children's development and well-being. Parents and carers have unlimited access to useful information on display boards and through emails, texts and newsletters. This allows parents and carers to be significantly involved in their children's learning. Parents and carers speak well of the staff. They comment on how well the nursery provides for their children and how approachable staff are.

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the early years provision

Relationships with external agencies and other providers involved with the children are well established. This strong partnership contributes effectively to supporting children's ongoing welfare and learning. The outcomes for children are enhanced through the manager's strong commitment to driving and maintaining consistent improvements. Effective systems help the manager and staff to evaluate their practice accurately. This contributes to improving outcomes for 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 feel safe and secure in the nursery and settle in quickly, because staff place a strong emphasis on children's welfare and personal development. This gives children a positive start to their learning journey. Children feel valued in the nursery through the strong relationships they develop with one another and with staff. This results in children being inquisitive and active learners. Children make good progress towards the early learning goals as they learn through their play. Staff have a good understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They use this knowledge to support children effectively in their learning. Staff know the children well and talk confidently about how they help children to make progress. They observe the children frequently and use the observations to identify individual children's next steps in all areas of development. There are ample opportunities for children to freely explore a range of resources to enhance their learning. For

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and outcomes for children

example, the well developed range of resources ensures that children develop good creative and imaginative skills.

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and outcomes for children

They develop numeracy skills when counting as they sing and play games in the garden. Children are developing an understanding of how many children can go to the toilet at one time. They work out that three children require three toilets. However there are some missed opportunities for children to develop and extend their problem solving. Children are well supported to develop communication skills. There are interactive story reading and story telling sessions and lots of opportunities for children to talk to an adult on a one to one basis. There are plenty of opportunities for children to write for different purposes. For example children organise their own planning meetings and use clip boards to take notes from a strategic position at the front of the group of children. They are confident as they write a series of squiggles representing the notes of the meeting. This supports children to successfully develop their early writing skills. Children have

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and outcomes for children

access to good quality information and communication technology. This contributes to helping them acquire appropriate skills for their future.

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and outcomes for children

Children are learning how to lead a healthy lifestyle. They enjoy a healthy and nutritious snack and a well balanced lunch which includes a good selection of fruit and vegetables. They develop good independence skills by serving themselves and clearing up their own cups and plates. They have good access to fresh drinking water to which they help themselves. They are developing an awareness of their own bodily needs. They understand why they must wash their hands before eating and after using the toilet. Children's physical development is encouraged through a range of activities to be active and interactive both indoors and out. They are learning good coordination, manipulation and movement as they play.

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and outcomes for children

Children's emotional well-being is well-nurtured as staff give them undivided attention and encouragement. They apply clear and consistent boundaries throughout the day which results in children's good behaviour. Children play cooperatively with one another, taking turns with favourite toys and equipment. Children demonstrate good respect for each other's differences. They gain a thorough understanding of other cultures through a range of positive role play This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 resources and books. Children are learning about the benefits of a rich and diverse society. They demonstrate a strong sense of belonging to the nursery. For example a tambourine is played which brings children immediately to attention. They know this sound means it is time to tidy up. They also know the sound of a fire alarm. They respond quickly and practise evacuation through the nearest exit following

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and outcomes for children

staff's calm instructions. Care is taken to minimise any stress that evacuation might cause. Good quality interaction and well organised routines help babies and young children to remain secure and confident within the nursery environment. 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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