Sunbeams Day Nursery

Sunbeams Day Nursery 2 Compass Terrace, Southwell Business Park, Portland, Dorset, DT5 2NP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/11/2012 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 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 2 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 The nursery is resourced imaginatively with exciting themes and a wide range of media for children to explore. For example, there are treasure baskets for babies, an investigative area for pre-school children and a pet corner outside.  There are effective management systems to support the smooth operation of the nursery, the professional development of staff and continuous improvement of the nursery.  Children are curious and motivated learners who are encouraged to develop their own games and ideas. Staff introduce pre-school children to the activities they have set out and allow them to explore them freely. Children are eager to play and staff are ready to join in.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There are occasions when some staff do not use challenging questioning or introduce new vocabulary to the children. Consequently, children's communication and language skills are not fully extended.  Children's key persons have a comprehensive knowledge of their abilities. However, this information is not readily available to share with other staff, for example, when they are new or covering different age groups. Consequently, staff are not always fully prepared to support individual children.

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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 inspector observed children's play indoors and outdoors.  The inspector spoke with parents and read questionnaires they have completed.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined documentation including a representative sample of children's records and regulatory documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed visits from the local authority and arrangements for working with other agencies.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the registered person and the manager and spoke to staff.

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Information about the setting

Sunbeams Day Nursery re-registered under current ownership in 2012. It is situated in a purpose-built single storey building in the grounds of Southwell Business Park, Portland, Dorset. The accommodation consists of three playrooms, a sleep room and enclosed outdoor area. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery receives funding for the provision of free nursery education for children aged two, three and four years. There are currently 30 children in the early years age group on roll. Children from five years also attend before and after school and in the holidays. The nursery is open each weekday from 7am to 6pm all year round, except for Bank Holidays and Christmas. The nursery employs eight members of staff to work with the children. There are seven with early years qualifications which includes two with a level five qualification, four with level 3 and

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Information about the setting

one with level 2. There are two members of staff working towards a qualification or extending their qualifications. The nursery receives support from the local authority. The nursery supports children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and children who speak English as an additional language. The nursery keeps two chickens, two rabbits and quails.

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

 strengthen arrangements for sharing children's starting points and next steps for learning so that all staff can easily access and use the information to secure timely interventions and support for individual children outdoors as well as indoors.

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

 extend all staff's ability to fully support children's communication skills by modelling and using key vocabulary linked to activities in a range of contexts and posing challenging questions to help children expand on their ideas.

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who attend

Children enjoy an exciting range of activities in the nursery. They have ample space to play and learn, indoors and outdoors. Children's curiosity is encouraged indoors with treasure baskets containing a variety of sensory objects to investigate and trays with foam, gloop and dough. Children experiment with painting and collage and sometimes join older children for 'cook together' in the garden, during which they have the opportunity to learn from one another. They explore a wide variety of different materials, including sand, stones and soil. They experiment with filling and emptying buckets and working out how the water flows along the gutters fixed on the fence. They practise early writing skills when painting with water and chalking on boards fixed to the wall. Children progress from using the smaller climbing apparatus to using larger wooden equipment and the swings. Children learn how to manoeuvre wheeled toys and take turns in using them. They have

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who attend

fun in the garden. There are ample opportunities to extend older children's skills and for them to learn about caring for other and being kind to animals. They carefully stroke the rabbits and enjoy being responsible for feeding them.

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who attend

Staff successfully use circle time at the beginning of the day to introduce older children to the activities set out and to help them to begin to make decisions for themselves. They talk about the weather and recall some of the rules. For example, children remember they need to wear their coats outside because it is cold and that they should share and take turns. Staff stimulate the children's interests by explaining that the activities include sorting bears to be counted, weighed and organised by colour or size. Children can also use the numbered stones for matching. They can help with creating a large painting or use the rice in the home corner as play food. Children eagerly choose what they want to do. Generally, staff guide their play well and encourage children to think critically and work things out for themselves. However, there are occasions when some staff are less confident with the aims of activities and the vocabulary they can introduce. For example,

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who attend

children experiment with hand painting and printing with fir cones. However, staff do not consistently extend the activity with talk about the textures or the patterns they are making.

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who attend

The pre-school is imaginatively set out with lots of pictures, words and labels. Children's home language is valued and displayed. For example, staff produce their own picture cards of animals and objects labelled with the English and Italian words. Children learn some of these words at circle time. Many confidently name a cockerel, cow and a goose in Italian. The conservatory is set out like an explorer's den with a camouflage net, factual books and binoculars to stimulate children's imaginations. Children have good opportunities to learn about the world around them and develop the practical skills they need to manage tasks for themselves. They water the bulbs they planted and at snack time harvest the tomatoes they grew. Staff help children achieve the key skills of perseverance and problem solving to help support future learning and transition into school. Staff work closely with other agencies, professionals and parents to help children

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who attend

with special educational needs and/or disabilities to do the best they can. They provide a secure environment for vulnerable children.

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who attend

Staff carefully plan activities to follow children's interest and extend their learning. They complete regular observations and track progression. Key persons know children well and confidently talk about the next steps they are encouraging. However, they are not clearly identified in the written records which means when staff are new or if they do not usually work in that room the information they may need is not easily accessible. Staff spend time talking to parents at settling-in sessions to begin finding out about the children's starting points for learning. However they do not always record all the details to share with other staff. Parents are kept well informed about their child's care and learning through discussions with staff. Termly parents meetings are arranged at different times to they can talk to their child's key person and look at their progress folders.

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

Children develop positive relationships with staff. They demonstrate a strong sense of belonging through the relaxed and confident manner in which they play and explore. Children receive clear guidance to help them understand what is expected and consequently they behave well. Older children have the space and time to experiment and practise things for themselves. In the role play area they put dollies in the high chairs and pretend to feed them a bottle or rice from a spoon. Staff mention there is a lot of rice on the floor and children decide they need to help clear up. A child competently uses a dustpan and brush. When two children want to use the same mop staff help them to negotiate sharing and taking turns to clean the floor. This does make it rather wet but instead of stopping the activity staff cleverly suggest they use a towel to dry it when they have finished. This effective support helps children take responsibility for working safely. It

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

also encourages them to gain control over their hand movements in preparation for writing when going to school. Children gain confidence in the supportive atmosphere offered which helps with smooth transitions within the nursery and when they go to school.

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

Children learn about healthy lifestyles through experiencing nutritious meals, outdoor play and plenty of exercise. At snack time older children cut up their own fruit and pour their drinks. They talk about the importance of healthy eating. Children become independent in managing their own personal care. Staff notice this means the children do not always think about washing their hands so staff are more vigilant in checking that they do so. Children learn about keeping themselves safe during everyday routines. For example, they tidy up so they do not fall over objects, and do not walk around with the knives they use at snack time. Staff help children to use the large play equipment safely and talk to them about sitting down at the top of the slide. They are ready to hold their hands when walking across the balance beam. The nursery offers a good variety of resources to support children's learning in all areas. They are generally clean and in good condition.

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

Daily routines for babies are agreed with parents and help to support continuity between home and the nursery. Babies receive lots of cuddles to help them settle and feel secure.

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provision

The owner and manager work closely together to ensure the nursery runs smoothly. They recognise there is still more to do. To help them achieve success they are working closely with the local authority. They have a clear action plan for future improvement and have already taken positive steps to address identified issues. For example, they are in the process of reviewing the organisation of the under twos room and the planning. Staff have attended training to update their knowledge of safeguarding and the new Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. There is a clear emphasis on professional development at all levels. Management are attending leadership and management training and apprentices are working towards early years qualifications. Training needs are identified through regular appraisals and supervision arrangements. Management use robust recruitment procedures to ensure staff's suitability to work with children. They make sure

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provision

staff understand their roles and responsibilities through clear induction procedures. They put steps in place to support individuals where needed. Management and staff demonstrate a clear desire to achieve continued improvement. Staff are eager to extend the opportunities available and consider what more they can do to extend children's experiences. They are reviewing the amount of resources set out for babies to enable themto make choices or oractice emerging skills. Staff take responsibility for planning and monitoring children's progress. Management review systems at staff meetings and use local authority guidance to help them. They use feedback from parents and respond positively to the parent's ideas. For example, they changed the times of meetings to allow parents more flexibility. There is a secure knowledge and understanding within the nursery regarding child protection issues and safeguarding children. Staff and

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provision

management know what to do if they have concerns about a child in their care. Regular risk assessments are conducted and the premises are safe and secure.

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provision

Management and staff establish positive partnerships with parents. They provide them with a range of information about the nursery, their child and the activities they experience. They arrange regular meetings, send out newsletters and share information verbally on a daily basis. Parents are extremely satisfied with the service provided and comment on how happy they are. The nursery forges links with other settings children attend and usually talks to reception teachers regarding arrangements for starting school. Staff attend meetings with other agencies and parents to help achieve continuity in children's care and learning in order to help them reach their potential.

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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 EY444777 Local authority Dorset Inspection number 796468 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 40 Number of children on roll 30 Name of provider The Cubbyhouse Ltd Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01305 823111

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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

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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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