Sandcastle Nursery & Preschool LtdOfsted inspection, 22 Oct 2012

Sandcastle Nursery & Preschool 19 Stourcliffe Avenue, BOURNEMOUTH, BH6 3PU

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 22/10/2012 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 Previous inspection: Not Applicable 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Staff have a secure knowledge and understanding of their roles and responsibilities with regards to safeguarding and child protection. Clear policies and procedures are in place, and included at staff inductions. Staff attend training and discuss safeguarding procedures at staff meetings, giving them confidence in the procedures to follow, helping to keep children safe.  Good links are established with parents to promote consistency for the children. Parents receive detailed and ongoing information about the nursery. They enjoy the daily reports from staff, which keep them well informed about their child's day. They are encouraged to be involved in their child's learning, having opportunities to borrow the 'learning sacks' to share with their children at home.  Younger children enjoy a broad range of stimulating and exciting sensory experiences, which encourage them to explore and become active learners.

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This provision is satisfactory

 The outdoor area is resourced well, which means that although children only have limited times to use the area, they engage in quality play and activities whilst outside.

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It is not yet good because

 Systems for planning and assessment are not sufficiently well linked to ensure that all children are provided with activities that support their learning and encourage them to take the next step.  Space is not always well organised to enable pre-school children to engage in a full range of activities. Some areas of the pre-school room are not well maintained to create a welcoming environment for children.  Risk assessment procedures are not always successful in ensuring that damaged items, which may cause a hazard to children's safety, are inaccessible to children.  Self-evaluation and monitoring are not fully embedded to ensure that all areas for improvement are identified and steps are taken to make improvements.

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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 compulsory part of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed activities in all the playrooms and the outside learning environment.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector completed a joint observation and held a meeting with the manager of the provision.  The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of staff suitability and qualifications of practitioners working with children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day of the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Sandcastle Nursery and Preschool first registered in December 2004 and re-registered in 2011 to be a limited company. It is a privately owned, family-run setting. The nursery is situated in a residential area close to the Southbourne area of Bournemouth, Dorset. Children have access to playrooms which are located on the ground and first floors of the premises. Children are generally grouped according to their age. A secure outdoor area is available for physical play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery serves the local and surrounding areas. It is open each weekday throughout the year from 7.30am to 6pm. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. There are currently 89 children on roll, all of whom are in the early years age group. Children attend on a full- and part-time basis. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education to children aged two-, three- and four-years-old. The nursery supports children who learn English as an additional language and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 14 staff to work directly with the children. The manager holds a level 3 qualification and has completed a foundation degree in Early Years and Education. Of the remaining staff, nine hold qualifications in early years childcare at level 3 and two hold qualifications at level 2. The nursery employs two apprentices who are both working towards a relevant qualification at level 2. The nursery also employs a cook and administrator to support the running of the setting.

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must:

 improve the systems for using observations and assessments to inform planning, to ensure each child receives a challenging learning experience and is encouraged to build on what they already know and can do  improve risk assessment procedures to ensure that prompt action is taken to address safety issues to minimise risks to children.

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

 review how space and resources are organised to enable pre-school children to engage in a full range of activities to support their learning and development. Take steps to improve the appearance of areas used by the pre-school children to ensure they are welcoming, motivating and well maintained

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

 improve the arrangements for monitoring and self-evaluation to help identify areas of weakness to promote the continuous development and improvement of the provision to promote children's good progress in their learning.

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who attend

Staff have an adequate understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework learning and development requirements. Overall, younger children are supported well as they play. They are encouraged to explore and become active learners and play areas are organised well. The baby room and the transitions room is interesting and enables children to make choices. However, children's access to resources within the pre-school rooms is sometimes limited. For example, a section of the room, which includes books, a computer and imaginative play resources, is not accessible when there are fewer children and staff present. This limits children's choices and, therefore, opportunities for them to extend their learning through their play. Staff have recently implemented the two-year-old progress checks. They make observations of children as they play and most staff use this information successfully to identify children's next steps. However, this information is not

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who attend

then used sufficiently well when planning future activities. This means that not all children receive the challenge or support they need as they play. As a result, children only make satisfactory progress in their learning and development.

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who attend

Children are learning to communicate confidently. Staff listen to what they have to say and respond positively. For example, a younger child indicates they want more lunch by tapping their spoon and saying 'more'. Staff repeat what they believe the child is trying to say back to them and provide more food, to reward their communication efforts. Most staff get involved in children's play and interact well. Some staff use open-ended questions during the activities, extending children's use of language and encouraging them to think critically. Children sometimes use counting as they play. For example, as they use the 'mud kitchen' in the garden they collect leaves and twigs in their buckets. They take them to an adult who helps them to count how many they have found. Pre-school children sing a song about 'nine green bottles', using plastic bottles as props. They use their fingers to identify how many bottles there are, but are not encouraged to help take-away the

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who attend

bottles, to involve them in simple calculation, to challenge and extend more able children. Children are encouraged to enjoy books from an early age. Babies snuggle up with their key person to look through a small board book. Children in the transition room have easy access to a range of books, which they look at by themselves or share with an adult. Some older children are able to concentrate and listen during a group story time with increasing attention. Children have some opportunities to engage in making marks to encourage early writing skills. However, there are not always sufficient resources provided for older children to experiment and use 'writing' for a purpose in areas such as role play. Children have opportunities to explore and investigate. Younger children enjoy a good range of sensory and messy play experiences to get them involved and excited in the world around them. They explore the large selection of fabrics in the tray. As they move

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who attend

them, they become increasingly aware of the different textures. One child rests their head on the fur fabric, demonstrating how soft the fabric feels. Children in the transition room explore as they play in the water tray. They fill up and empty the containers of water, starting to develop basic concepts of measure and capacity. Pre-school children enjoy playing with the shaving foam. They move their hands around in the soft foam and then clap their hands together. They giggle and laugh as the foam flies into the air and lands on their clothes and in their hair. 'It's like snow', says one three-year-old, relating the scene to their past experiences. Staff add magnifying glasses in the leaf tray, encouraging children to look in more depth at the features and details of things in their environment. Children enjoy role play activities indoors and out. They make mud pies and leaf soup in the garden, using available resources to make props. They have some opportunities to use

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who attend

creative materials. For example, paint is available in the garden for children to make patterns, mix colours and create their own designs on the screen.

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who attend

Parents are aware of the systems staff use to monitor and record children's learning and development. They know how they can access the development records and have regular opportunities to meet with their child's key person to share this in detail. The nursery encourages parents to be involved in their child's learning. Accessible 'activity sacks' invite them to engage in activities with their child at home. Simple information sheets in the sacks provide details to help parents understand the potential value of the activities on offer. Newsletters and notice boards offer parents information about forthcoming activities and events to encourage their input.

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

Staff follow appropriate care practices to support children's health and well-being. Overall, children are happy and settled at the nursery as they form strong bonds with the staff who are sensitive towards their needs. For example, a key person greets a new child with their favourite toy, making them feel included as staff understand their interests and preferences. Staff interact in a warm and caring manner, providing satisfactory support and encouragement for all children. Children generally behave well, as staff provide clear guidance to help children learn what is acceptable behaviour. Regular praise to acknowledge children's achievements helps to build their confidence and self-esteem. Children are encouraged to share and take turns, starting to understand how playing in this way helps them all to get along. Many children are developing independence as they help with different tasks and learn to do things for themselves. For example, they are

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

encouraged to use the safety knife to chop up their own fruit at snack time.

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

Staff followed satisfactory procedures that help to make the environment safe and suitable for children to play. Staff complete risk assessments on all areas of the nursery. However, these are not always fully effective in ensuring that all resources are safe and suitable. For example, a wooden play cooker with a broken door remains in an area used by the children. Staff have identified the hazard as part of the risk assessment, but have not taken action to remove the item or make children aware of the possible danger. Children take part in practising the emergency evacuation procedures and talk about using the knives safely as they cut up their fruit at snack time. This helps them to learn about safety. Staff follow positive practices and procedures to support children's health. Children enjoy healthy snacks and freshly cooked meals throughout the day. They benefit from daily opportunities to play outdoors in the fresh air, to engage in exercise and physical

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

activity. Staff understand and respect children's individual medical or dietary needs to help maintain their health.

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

The indoor environments are set up with a suitable range of toys and play activities, which generally keep children engaged and busy. Children have limited times to use the outdoor area. However, when they do, thoughtful consideration has been given to the layout of this area to engage children in play throughout all areas of learning. Areas of the nursery used by the younger children are welcoming and provide many opportunities for play and exploration. However, the management does not ensure all areas of the nursery are maintained to a good standard. There is damage to the some of the plaster on walls in the pre-school room and cleaning routines in this area are not always thorough. There are only a few examples of children's own work in the pre-school room to make them more welcoming and motivating for the children.

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

As children progress through the nursery, they move between different rooms. Staff share information, and children make short visits to their new room accompanied by their key worker. This makes their transitions within the nursery easier, helping them to feel secure and settle quickly.

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provision

The manager is relatively new to the setting, and is building staff confidence and awareness of their individual roles and responsibilities. Overall, staff have an adequate understanding of the learning and development and safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Satisfactory systems are in place that help staff to observe and assess children's progress. However, this information is not consistently used to plan children's next steps to help ensure they are all offered appropriate support and challenge. Staff are keen to improve their own skills by attending training and workshops. The setting seeks the advice of early years professionals to help them make improvements to benefit the children. They are part of the Bournemouth Quality Improvement scheme, demonstrating their positive attitude towards making changes to improve the outcomes for children. However, self-evaluation systems are not

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provision

sufficiently well established to help the setting in identifying and addressing all areas for improvement.

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provision

Staff receive an induction when starting at the setting, helping them to gain an understanding of their individual roles. They continue to attend regular staff meetings where they discuss changes in policies and share new ideas. They engage in supervision sessions throughout the year. However, monitoring of the provision and staff performance is not fully embedded to enable the manager to use this as a tool to identify and make improvements. Staff recruitment and vetting procedures are satisfactory. The manager ensures that all staff have full checks completed to assess their suitability before they are left unsupervised with the children. This helps to keep children safe. Staff are confident in the setting's safeguarding policy and procedures to help promote children's ongoing welfare. They are clear about their roles and responsibilities in this area and know the steps they must follow if they have a child protection concern.

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provision

Parents state that they feel well informed about their child's experiences at the nursery. They all know their child's key person well, and enjoy the daily feedback they receive through an informal chat and the daily record books. Parents have detailed information about the setting, including written policies and procedures. This helps them to understand the aims and responsibilities of the nursery. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their children's learning, and play an active role in decisions made at the nursery. A newly-established parents' group aims to provide a direct link between parents and the nursery management to ensure parent's voices are heard. Staff work in partnership with external agencies to support the needs of individual children and promote consistency. They are fully aware of the requirement to establish professional links with any other settings that children also attend.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY440853 Local authority Bournemouth Inspection number 794268 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 38 Number of children on roll 89 Name of provider Sandcastle Nursery & Preschool LTD Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01202 424632

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Setting details

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

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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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