Cranbrook Independent Nursery and Preschool

Cranbrook Independent Nursery and Pre-School Clover Court, The Pavilion, Maidenbower Square, Maidenbower, CRAWLEY, West Sussex, RH10 7QH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 09/10/2012 04/10/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Good relationships exist with parents and there are effective ways of seeking their views about their children's care and the sharing of ideas and activities to promote children's learning  Children's creativity is fully enhanced throughout the nursery as the staff provide good opportunities for them to explore different media both indoors and in the garden.  There is a strong leadership and management team who provide a clear vision for the future development of the setting. Staff are well supported and monitored to ensure that good standards are maintained.  Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage and help children to make good progress in their learning. All staff recognise the importance of working with children's interests and developing individualised planning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The organisation of reading areas does not fully inspire children's use and enjoyment of books. Babies are not always able to access books independently and the books are not consistently of good quality.  Children have do not always have opportunities to develop their climbing skills due to the lack of large play and climbing equipment in the outdoor areas.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are scheduled:  at least once in every inspection cycle. The current cycle ends on 31 July 2016  more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged as inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage; or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised for inspection where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The two inspectors observed children's play and staff interaction, indoors and outside.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors interviewed two parents, sampled questionnaires and took parental views into account.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors discussed leadership issues with the manager and held other discussions with members of staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspectors sampled records and documentation relating to: children's progress and development; safeguarding; the settings records relating to quality assurance and self-evaluation.

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Information about the setting

Clover Court is one of eight settings run by Childcare and Learning (Cranbrook) Group Ltd. It opened in 2006 and operates from large purpose built detached premises. It is situated in Maidenbower, Crawley West Sussex. The nursery is open each weekday from 7am to 7pm for 51 weeks of the year, only closing for bank holidays. All children share access to a secure enclosed outdoor play area. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and also the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. A maximum of 84 children may attend the nursery at any one time. There are currently 169 children aged from two months to under five years on roll. The setting receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two, three and four years. Children come from a wide catchment area. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and also supports children who speak English as an additional language. The

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Information about the setting

nursery employs 20 members of staff who all hold an appropriate early year's qualification.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 create attractive book areas throughout the nursery where children can enjoy looking at good quality books independently and with adults

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 enable children to further develop their physical skills and develop confidence in their use of climbing equipment in the outdoor area.

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who attend

Children are making good progress in relation to their individual starting points. Staff use early information from parents to assess children's capabilities and to plan a meaningful range of experiences to promote children's next steps in learning. A rigorous system of observation and assessment means that staff can plan specifically for the needs and interests of each child. Parents contribute information regarding their child's current developmental stages, likes, dislikes and interests. This enables staff to target particular activities and children's next steps more effectively and to ensure that all areas of learning are covered. Children participate in a good range of activities which excite their interest, challenge their ability and prepare them for the next stage in their learning. The staff team is currently undertaking training to ensure that they have a good understanding of the requirements for the two year progress check. Written documentation is in place to

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who attend

ensure that they include all of the required information for parents and others such as the health visitor. These elements enable them to accurately assess two-year-old children's development and provide relevant information to aid their progress. Babies feel supported in a stimulating, bright and welcoming environment. They enjoy the array of mobiles and photographs of themselves that hang from the ceiling. This provides them with objects to focus on if lying on their backs. Staff enable children and babies to explore many different textures and sounds, for example, through the provision of sensory resources and treasure baskets. Babies have access to a range of resources to aid and develop their physical skills, for example, walking aids and soft cushions to support early sitting. Their key person settles babies for their sleep and fully respects their individual routines. Staff monitor sleeping babies and follow clear recording procedures to promote

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who attend

Children are beginning to develop their understanding of language, literacy and writing. For example, they use chunky chalks to draw and make marks on chalk boards in the garden. They self-register and they write about their pictures which they have drawn. However, the organisation of reading areas does not always fully inspire children's use and enjoyment of books. Babies cannot always access books independently and the books are not consistently of good quality. Children thoroughly enjoy using their imaginations, for example, as they use puppets. Staff members interact to extend their puppet play through introducing conversations and singing, which helps to develop children's language skills effectively. Children take their time in exploring the wide range of plastic bottles filled with a variety of coloured liquids, sequins and pasta. They listen to the different sounds and watch the colourful sequins and glitter suspended in the liquid. This enables children to

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who attend

develop their understanding of sounds and enhances listening skills.

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who attend

Children have countless opportunities to develop their creative skills. Babies enjoy exploring the texture of the autumn leaves as they create collages and as they crawl into and out of the shredded paper. Young children play in the water tray pouring water from vessel to vessel. They play in the sand with trucks and see what patterns they make and create works of art at the painting easel. Children delight as they become engrossed in creating a colourful and sparkly collage picture. Staff support children as they discuss the different colours and they encourage them to explore the textures of the glitter. Children smile and laugh as they sprinkle the glitter and watch it fall to the glue covered paper. They watch in expectation as they shake off excess glitter to reveal the picture they have created. This enables children to explore colour and texture which develops their knowledge and understanding. Older children predict the autumn colours that they can

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who attend

mix and then use them to print and make patterns with a wide range of printing resources. These activities enable children to develop their sensory skills using a wide variety of media and to discover how colours change.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children and babies demonstrate that they feel safe and secure in the warm and caring atmosphere. The key person system is effective in developing close bonds with the child as well as the parents. Innovative methods such as the creation of home photograph books support children who are new to the setting enabling them to settle in the nursery environment. Children are able to show kindness and consideration for others. For example, they help each other pick up resources after the toy shopping trolley falls over and its contents spill. This demonstrates friendly behaviour and that they are forming good relationships with their nursery friends.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children develop an understanding of the need to adopt a healthy lifestyle. For example, they independently wash their hands after creative activities and before meals and snacks. They enjoy a healthy diet which is prepared at the setting. The meals are based on a four weekly rotating menu which ensures that children access a wide variety of foods from around the world. Children thoroughly enjoy outdoor play. They instigate races on scooters around the road that is part of the soft play surface design. They skilfully use one leg to propel themselves along while they balance on the scooter. Children take part in other activities supported by outside companies such as football and yoga. They listen intently to the instruction given by the football coach who engages them in fun activities that interest them. This supports children's developing ball handling skills and sense of balance. Children have opportunities for planting and harvesting produce and finding their

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

way around the maze. However, climbing opportunities in the outdoor area are more limited especially for the older children. This inhibits their developing understanding of taking risks and climbing skills.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

The environment and resources generally support children's skills of independence and self-selection well. Staff provide a wide range of toys which are suitable and generally support children's all round development. Children access resources from storage boxes and they know the content due to the staff labelling the boxes with words and pictures. This motivates children to explore and make choices independently.

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provision

The staff team demonstrates a good level of commitment to promoting children's safety and has a thorough understanding of their duty to safeguard children. There is a comprehensive safeguarding policy and procedure in place, which staff are fully conversant with. The provider has robust recruitment and vetting procedures in place to ensure that adults working with the children are suitable to do so. This also ensures that children are cared for by staff who show the required skills, commitment and ability to promote their welfare and learning. Staff have good opportunities for supervision and annual appraisals with the manager. Their training needs and desires inform the setting's plan to ensure that all staff update and expand their knowledge base which improves the outcomes for children. The provider promotes children's safety effectively, for example, through clear risk assessments and meeting the requirements for staffing ratios. As a

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provision

result, children can play and explore in safety and receive good adult supervision.

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provision

The manager, deputy and staff team demonstrate a strong capacity to maintain continuous improvement. Good use is routinely made of monitoring the provision and the educational programmes through the completion of self-evaluation. This effectively enables the team to achieve future targets. The provider has established systems in place to develop communication links with other professionals and where children attend other early years settings. They share learning information which enables children to receive a consistent approach to their learning and development. Children who learn English as an additional language receive high levels of support through the setting's effective key person system. For example, they use technology to translate daily information to ensure that parents gain an insight into their child's day. Teachers from the local primary schools make visits to the nursery to support children's transitions to school. This enables the key

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provision

person to discuss children's learning and development and any special educational needs.

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provision

Staff engage well with parents and carers and regular newsletters inform parents of topics and how they can get involved in their children's learning. A new addition has been the introduction of an internet website, which parents state has been really helpful in gaining a weekly insight into their child's time at the setting. Parents have received written information about the revised early years framework and also the introduction of the progress checks for children aged two. Parents and carers express positive comments about the pre-school, particularly about the children development in confidence and language skills. These processes ensure that all parties are aware of the expectations and this provides consistency for children.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are Met The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are Met

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY330793 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 885225

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 84 Number of children on roll 169 Name of provider Childcare and Learning (Cranbrook) Limited Date of previous inspection 04/10/2010 Telephone number 01293 887533

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises that are usually their own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. 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,

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Type of provision

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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