Bemerton Childrens Centre

Bemerton Children's Centre Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY291873 Inspection date 11/06/2012 Inspector Siobhan O'Callaghan

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Setting address 1a Coatbridge House, Carnoustie Drive, London, N1 0DX

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Telephone number 020 7527 4806 Email bemerton.eyc@islington.gov.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

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

Bemerton Children's Centre opened in 2004. In 2007 the re-organisation of the children's centre brought together the local Sure Start programme and early years centre. It is a local authority run provision. The centre operates from purpose built accommodation. There are three classrooms available which all lead directly to a secure outside play area. The centre is situated off the Caledonian Road in the London Borough of Islington. The centre serves the local and wider community and is open Monday to Friday from 7.45am until 5.45pm for 49 weeks of the year. They also close for five training days over the year. Children may attend on a full or part-time basis.

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Description of the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of 80 children in the early years age group. Of these, not more than 39 may be under three years at any one time and not more than 15 may be under two years at any one time. The nursery provides funded early education for three and four-year- olds. There is also provision for funding for eligible two-year-old children. The centre also offers a holiday play scheme for eight children under the age of eight years of age. This provision is registered by Ofsted on the compulsory and voluntary Childcare Register. There are currently 106 children aged from 11 months to under five years on roll. The nursery currently supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. There are 22 members of permanent staff working with the children alongside many students. The manager holds a Primary

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Description of the setting

teaching qualification, and has a Master of Arts degree in Early Childhood Studies. He also has the National Professional Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership which he completed in 2006. There is one qualified teacher working in the pre- school room and there are two staff who have Early Years Professional Status qualifications. All remaining staff bar three, have early years qualifications. There are two staff members currently studying for an early years degree.

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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

Bemerton Children's Centre provides successful opportunities for children to make good progress overall in their learning. The centre offers a welcoming and generally inclusive environment for children. The outstanding partnerships with parents and others promote an excellent approach towards children's continuity of care and learning. Their welfare is prioritized through many good practices including secure safeguarding procedures. The staff team has developed valuable self-evaluation systems, which support continuous improvement within the provision. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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further?

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

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further?

 develop further children's independence through supporting them to help serve their own food at lunch times  develop further the children's linguistic diversity, by providing more opportunities for children to develop and use their home language in their play and learning.

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the early years provision

The centre has established a comprehensive range of records, policies and procedures to support the safe management of the provision. There are robust recruitment, and vetting systems in place for all adults working with children. The centre prioritises safeguarding training for all its staff members. The impact is that staff demonstrate a confident knowledge of child protection issues. They are clear on their roles and responsibilities. This includes working in partnership with parents and outside agencies to promote children's welfare. The staff team are qualified and experienced within their roles. Many staff members have been working within the centre for an extensive number of years. Therefore, children benefit from continuity of care. There is a good focus on risk assessment to promote a safe and secure environment for children. All staff are involved in monitoring risks and removing potential hazards as they arise. Children enjoy many outings whilst

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the early years provision

attending the centre. Staff implement a full risk assessment prior to taking children on these events.

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the early years provision

The staff team organise an accessible indoor and outdoor learning environment. On the whole, children enjoy the freedom to move independently between their classrooms and the garden. There is a good range of quality resources to support children's play and exploration. Overall, children are happy and busy as staff are deployed effectively to support their learning. The centre operates an established key person system which supports staff in meeting children's individual needs. The staff team successfully promote equal opportunities for all children. For example, staff support children to access all activities and resources that are available to them. They value children's home cultures which are positively promoted through a broad range of practical experiences. For example, children participate in creative activities that link into cultural festivals. Children with English as an additional language have key words in their home languages recorded. There is some

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the early years provision

evidence to show that these are used within children's daily routines. However, staff are yet to fully develop and promote the use of children's home languages in their play and learning.

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the early years provision

The management team demonstrate a strong commitment to promoting the professional development of their staff. All staff engage within in-house training and some staff are working towards higher education qualifications such as early This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 years degrees. The Staff team have made good progress in addressing the recommendations raised at their previous inspection. This has included developing their planning and assessment systems which are now duly focused on promoting children's next steps in their learning. Staff have also reviewed their supervision of the youngest children when they are using the outdoor area to promote safe practices. All staff records demonstrating their suitability are now easily accessible. Therefore, outcomes for children are clearly improving.

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the early years provision

The centre management team value and respect their staff, parents' and children's views. They encourage all individuals to engage within self-evaluation to promote continuous improvement. This has included staff reviewing their own practices and suggesting ways in which they can improve provision for children. The staff team has established excellent partnerships with parents. Discussions with parents demonstrate their high levels of satisfaction with the care and learning offered. Parents' comments include, 'The nursery has been amazing; the children have a lot of freedom to play and make choices. My children have made really good progress; they have learned so much' and 'the staff are a real strength of the nursery; they are caring and considerate with the children. I can go to work knowing my child is happy and safe.' Parents also comment on the excellent transition arrangements that are in place, both within the nursery and when they move onto mainstream

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the early years provision

school. For example, meetings are held for parents prior to transition. This is in order to explain the processes and how the centre staff can support a positive experience for the children. The centre has established good links with local schools and with outside professionals to support children's individual needs.

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and outcomes for children

The staff team demonstrate a confident knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements. They effectively plan around children's interests to promote meaningful learning opportunities. Staff work in close partnership with parents to promote effective challenges for their children. For example, staff regularly discuss children's progress and encourage parents to take time to share and contribute to their children's portfolios. Discussions with parents demonstrate how valuable staff have been in supporting them to understand how children learn through their play. Staff work effectively with the centre's special educational needs coordinator. Together, they provide individual tailored support for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This in turn supports all children to make progress given their starting points.

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and outcomes for children

Children have good opportunities to explore both adult-led and free play activities. The outside play provision is used well to promote children's physical development and exploration. For example, children enjoy climbing, balancing and swinging from rope swings. They have further opportunities to develop their coordination through riding bikes and playing ball games. They are excited to show the inspector their growing areas where they have planted strawberries, broad beans, peas and a variety of herbs. Staff organise resources effectively to support children's independent learning. For example, these are all well labelled and are at This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the children's level. Children are developing good independence skills. They enjoy helping to get their rooms ready for lunch time. They help to find their friends' placemats and put knives, forks and cups on the tables. However, children are not

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and outcomes for children

encouraged to help serve their own food which will further support their independence and self-care skills. Lunch times are generally relaxed, social occasions. Children enjoy sharing their knowledge of what constitutes healthy foods and how these help you to grow big and strong. They enjoy eating fresh vegetables and salad with their meals. The centre is part of the Islington Healthy Children's Centre programme.

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and outcomes for children

Children are developing good communication, language and literacy skills. They are confident in articulating what they enjoy doing when they attend the centre. Children's comments include, 'I love to play with my friends,' and 'I like to climb in the garden.' Children enjoy small group story time sessions where they demonstrate good listening skills. They have ample opportunities to make marks and there is evidence that older children are beginning to draw and write with purpose. Children demonstrate competent problem solving skills. For example, they confidently count how many boys and how many girls are sitting on their table and calculate how many children there are altogether. Children enjoy a full range of creative activities including babies who enjoy exploring sand and water play. Children enthusiastically participate in singing and movement sessions. These are led by a professional violinist. Children are delighted to explore how the violin

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and outcomes for children

works as they attempt to play this instrument.

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and outcomes for children

Children's health, safety and overall well-being are effectively promoted. Children are developing a good knowledge and understanding of promoting positive personal hygiene practices. They confidently discuss why they must wash their hands to prevent the spread of germs. Staff support children to behave responsibly and safely. For example, staff remind children of the dangers of running inside. They discuss with them why certain parts of the garden are not safe because of the rain causing a slipping hazard. Children learn about road safety during their many visits in the local community. Overall, children demonstrate that they feel secure as they respond positively to the interaction they receive from staff. Children have ample opportunities to be active and to rest during the day. Overall, children are being supported to develop polite and respectful behaviour. They are learning the importance of valuing and respecting one another's differences.

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and outcomes for children

Consequently, children are developing many valuable skills which help to set secure foundations for their future learning. 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 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 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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