Yellow Star Nursery

Yellow Star Day Nursery Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

Unique reference number EY442233 Inspection date 30/07/2012 Inspector Lindsay Hare

p.1

Setting address 6a High Street, Wheathampstead, ST. ALBANS, Hertfordshire, AL4 8AA Telephone number 01582 832343 Email mthompson@yellowstarnursery.co.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.

p.1

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.2

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

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.

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

Yellow Star Day Nursery was registered in 2012 and is owned by a private provider. It operates from a single-storey building in Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire. The nursery serves the local area. It is accessible to all children and there is an enclosed area available for outdoor play.

p.4

Description of the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register to care for a maximum of 37 children at any one time, all of whom may be in the early years age range. There are currently ten children on roll in this age group. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-olds. It supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who speak English as an additional language.

p.4

Description of the setting

The nursery employs four members of childcare staff, including the manager. Of these, all hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2, 3 and 6. The nursery receives support from the local authority.

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 safe and welcoming environment for children, ensuring they are all included and supported. Partnerships with parents are very good and they are kept well informed, ensuring that the children's needs are met. Children make good progress in their learning and development, although there is a minor weakness in the assessment system. There are robust systems in place for the recruitment and vetting of staff, although an appraisal system has not been established to promote their ongoing professional development. The setting has identified priorities for improvement and has clear plans in place to improve the quality of the provision and the outcomes for children.

p.4

further?

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

p.4

further?

 carry out regular staff appraisals to identify the training needs of staff and apply a programme of continuing professional development so that these needs are met  develop the evaluation of adult-led activities so that they show how the learning objective has been met, and clearly identify the next steps for individual children. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.4

the early years provision

Children's welfare, care and safety are promoted well. Staff have a sound knowledge and understanding of safeguarding issues and are aware of their role and responsibility in keeping children safe from harm. There are robust recruitment and vetting procedures in place to ensure the suitability of staff and good security measures in place to ensure children are kept safe at all times. However, although staff have the appropriate qualifications and attend various training to build on their knowledge of childcare issues, there is no appraisal system in place to identify and develop individual staff's training needs and promote their professional development. Effective risk assessments and daily safety checks by the staff in each room ensure all hazards are minimised and that children can play in a safe and secure environment. All the required documentation is in place for the safe and efficient running of the setting.

p.5

the early years provision

The nursery has very good partnerships with parents, ensuring that children's care is consistently promoted. Staff are proactive in supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. For example, visual cards, photographs and Makaton signing are used to support children in their communication skills and enable the nursery to meet the needs of children who speak English as an additional language. There are excellent systems in place to share information and keep parents informed about their children's care and progress, through detailed verbal exchanges, daily communication sheets, notice boards, parents evenings, newsletters and the sharing of children's records. Detailed information is gathered from parents at the start of the placement about children's care, routines and preferences so that the setting can care for them effectively. Settling-in visits are offered and vary according to the needs of the family. Children are gaining an

p.5

the early years provision

awareness of the wider world through a range of resources reflecting diversity, a varied and nutritious menu and the celebration of some cultural festivals. The nursery is involved with the local children's centre and is building partnerships with the local pre-school in the village to enable them to provide wraparound care for children who attend both the settings.

p.5

the early years provision

The nursery is clearly able to identify the positive aspects of the practice as well as the areas for development, such as improving the garden area to encourage the children to grow and harvest vegetables. Staff are enthusiastic and keen to share their ideas and suggestions, contributing to the evaluation of the setting. Questionnaires are sent out regularly to gain feedback from parents and these are also used in the evaluation. For example, in response to parents' comments, staff acted on the suggestions of what should be on the notice board and one member of staff also completed a two-year-old progress check with the parents, after recently attending training. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

p.5

and outcomes for children

Children make good progress in their development and learning through a balanced range of child-initiated and adult-led activities. The planning of activities is mainly based on the children's interests, although staff ensure that all areas of learning are provided for, either in the continuous provision or with focussed activities. Observations are linked back to the development matters, although the evaluation of the adult-led activities does not always show if the learning objective has been met and the identified next steps are not always relevant. Parents are made aware of their child's learning journal and that this is available at any time for them to look at, as well as more formally at the parents' evenings twice a year. The organisation and layout of the room provides a bright, exciting environment for children and there is an excellent range of resources appropriate to each age and stage of development. Even very young children are able to be independent,

p.6

and outcomes for children

as they select from the low level storage with photographs on the boxes, encouraging them to make choices.

p.6

and outcomes for children

The nursery provides a suitable environment and the lower number of children attending means that they can freely go between both rooms, as they choose and play with the different resources. Throughout the nursery, the low-level storage and furniture enables young children to pull themselves up and practise walking. Careful consideration is given to the accessibility of play resources for children to ensure it is inclusive for all. For example, there are chunky pencils, chalks and balance bikes outside for children to use.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children explore textures as they stand in wet sand, feeling it between their toes. Staff use good questioning techniques and modelling language to encourage children to talk about what they are doing. Children extend the activity by adding dry sand and shells to the sand and talking about the beach. They find a book about the beach and staff use this to support them in seeing if they can make sandcastles and then add more water to make 'mud pies'. Children who don't want to put their feet in are encouraged to make marks using their fingers or paintbrushes. Staff encourage children's language, modelling what they are doing and making sound effects. Children play imaginatively with the doll's house, acting out familiar roles and verbalising what they do. In the baby room, an 'I can...' board has been created to track children's progress in their physical skills. For example, photographs are added to the milestone as they reach them, such as

p.6

and outcomes for children

rolling over, waving, crawling, picking up toys and walking. Parents are encouraged to contribute their observations from home. Children use technology as resources, such as digital cameras, an interactive board and recordable cards, are easily accessible. They are observed shining torches around a darkened area of the nursery and pressing buttons on the laptop.

p.6

and outcomes for children

Children are provided with a well-balanced diet, and specific dietary needs and allergies are well catered for. Meal times are a social event, with staff sitting with children at the table, talking to them about what they have been doing and encouraging good manners. Children are independent as they use a fork to eat their lunch. They learn about personal hygiene, for example, they know to wash This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 their hands before eating and independently go to the bathroom to do this. Children follow their own pattern for sleep and one child is observed choosing a book to look at with a member of staff and getting a blanket to snuggle up with. Gentle reminders and explanations contribute to children's understanding of how to keep safe, as they are given explanations as to the possible consequences and there are notices reminding them how many children can play with the sand at one

p.6

and outcomes for children

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

p.7

Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

p.8

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.8

children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

p.8

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.8

Stage

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

p.8

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.8

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.8

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Met

p.9

Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

p.9