St Jude's Church of England Primary School

Montpelier Community Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number 100616 Inspection date 30/07/2012 Inspector Lynn Wordsworth

p.1

Setting address 115 Brecknock Road, London, N19 5AH

p.1

Telephone number 020 7485 2105 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.

p.1

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

p.2

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.

p.3

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).

p.3

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

p.3

Description of the setting

Montpelier Community Nursery was re-registered in 2012. It originally opened in 1992. It is a registered charity and is managed by a voluntary management committee. The nursery operates from purpose-built eco-friendly building and is situated in Montpelier Grove Park, Kentish Town in the London Borough of Camden. All children share access to a playroom and secure enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is open each weekday from 8.30am to 5.30pm for 46 weeks of the year. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register to care for a maximum of 24 children at any one time. There are currently 34 children on roll within the early years age range and they attend different times of the week. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged three and four. The setting currently supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and who learn English as an additional

p.4

Description of the setting

language. There are seven members of staff, of whom six hold appropriate early years qualifications.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

p.4

The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The nursery provides a welcoming setting for children, where they enjoy a variety of interesting play experiences. A particular strength of the nursery is the manager's and staff's warm approach to parents, which makes them feel valued and part of the nursery. Children have good opportunities to initiate their own play and explore good quality experiences overall. The staff manage children's behaviour consistently, although some children are yet to share and negotiate without staff's support. The manager is committed to working with staff and parents towards the continual improvements of outcome for all children.

p.4

further?

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

p.4

further?

 extend children's understanding of negotiation to ensure they understand how to share  develop the book area so it is colourful and stimulating to ensure it promotes the enjoyment of books for children This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.4

the early years provision

The nursery's paperwork is very well organised and provides a good framework for staff's guidance. All staff are vetted so they are suitable to be working with children. The manager ensures that all staff update their training in safeguarding, child protection and paediatric first aid. Staff have a good understanding of what to do if there is a safeguarding concern relating to child protection. Staff undertake robust risk assessments to help keep children safe in all areas of the nursery. In addition, staff's ongoing suitability is monitored to further promote children's welfare. Staff are effectively deployed and vigilant, supervising children when they are using the garden area.

p.5

the early years provision

The manager and staff reflect on their practice through effective self-evaluation. They are fully aware of their strengths and areas for improvements to enhance outcomes for children. Since moving into the new premises, they have re- organised play environments for the children and all documentation. The manager involves parents in the evaluation process and they help in the nursery's development, for example landscaping the garden area for their children. This demonstrates a firm commitment to continual improvement.

p.5

the early years provision

The new premises are eco-friendly and plans are in place for the children to learn about conserving energy. Display boards reflect examples of children's work. This provides good examples to celebrate children's achievements. However, the book corner area is less stimulating to promote children's enjoyment of books. The toys and activities are good quality and suitable for the children's different abilities. They are arranged at a child-friendly level so that children can make choices independently. Children have a good range of resources to learn about the diverse community in which they live, for example, dressing in cultural costumes, visiting places of interest and tasting different foods.

p.5

the early years provision

The staff have established good relationships with other providers which has supported an effective transition for children. Other professionals visit the nursery to help parents support their children with special educational needs. Staff are knowledgeable in this area and, for instance, help parents research learning styles and the negative effects of foods high in preservatives. Children who learn English as an additional language are supported by staff who know keywords and are bilingual. There is an effective working relationship with parents and carers. New parents are made to feel very welcome and receive purposeful information about the nursery. Parents promote an active interest in their children's learning, for example telling stories about their culture and playing instruments during song time. Parents also make positive comments about the care the manager and staff offer their children. This helps families feel valued and part of the nursery.

p.5

the early years provision

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.6

and outcomes for children

Staff have a clear understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They make a range of detailed observations based on the parents' views and the children's interests. Staff support children to initiate learning experiences in their play and extend this learning effectively without hindering the learning experience. As a result, children make good progress in their learning and development.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Staff arrange a wide range of age-appropriate toys and activities which are used to support children's learning equally both indoors and outside. In the garden area, children were preparing for sports day and showed good physical skills when running races and undertaking balancing activities. They also challenged their skills as they extended the way in which they climbed and balanced in many different ways on apparatus. This helps children to develop coordination and manage space. Children role-play imitating their families or sports people and enjoy telling visitors about people in their family. Children concentrate for some lengths of time whilst exploring sand, mixing and filling different sized containers and asking questions. Children develop manipulative skills as they hammer nails into wood and make animal figures. They are learning about number and problem solving through songs, numeral recognition and as they enjoy building with blocks. Children listen

p.6

and outcomes for children

to staff read stories and they are keen to think about what might happen next on the following pages. Children visit many different places in the local community, for example, the nature wood to explore plants and insects. Children travel safely by many forms of transport, including walking, by train and bus. They also take care of their snail, cleaning the tank and feeding it a healthy diet. This helps children develop an understanding of the wider world. Children enjoy opportunities to be creative using different tools and materials. For example, they explore mark- making with pencils, brushes and paints. Older children are able to identify letters in their name and write their name. They are learning skills on the computer, using the mouse and keyboard to work through software. All these experiences mean children develop good skills for their future learning.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children feel safe and secure in the setting as there is a range of safety measures in place to ensure that they play in a safe area. The building and garden are secure and children move freely with much confidence. They approach staff confidently with requests. Children are adapting to a healthy lifestyle well. They eat a choice of nutritious foods which are prepared by the cook. They talk about the goodness in the foods and why it is important for their health. Children pour their own water from small jugs so that they do not become thirsty during the day. Staff are consistent in their approach to managing children's behaviour and this helps children to develop an understanding of right and wrong. However, although staff support children to negotiate disagreements, some do not yet understand the importance of sharing. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.6

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

p.7

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

p.7

children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

p.7

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

p.7

Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

p.7

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

p.7

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

p.7