Childcare on Domestic Premises, Full day care in WiltshireOfsted inspection, 13 Nov 2012

Buttercups Kindergarten Sprays Farm, Calstone, CALNE, Wiltshire, SN11 8QA

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 13/11/2012 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

 Children are happy, confident, relaxed and new children settle extremely quickly in the well-resourced, caring environment.  Children are able to explore and investigate the world around them through carefully planned outdoor activities, such as walks around the farm, feeding the chickens and experiencing the sensory garden.  Both the management and staff understand and meet the safeguarding and welfare requirement well.  Staff and management are highly motivated to provide good quality childcare and as a result evaluation of practice is clear and areas to improve are well targeted.  There are well established partnerships with parents and other early years settings in place and detailed information is regularly shared with them.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Although children have regular daily times to play and explore outside, there are missed opportunities to allow them to move freely between the inside and outside areas.  Children's independence is not fully encouraged during snack and mealtimes. Staff serve children their drinks and food and do not develop children's mathematical understanding by encouraging them to help set the tables ready for meals.

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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 the children at play in the playroom and garden areas  The inspector spoke to the children and staff  The inspector sampled nursery documentation  The inspector spoke to the owner and manager

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took into account the views of the parents' and children who were spoken to on the day

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Information about the setting

Buttercups Kindergarten opened in 1991 and re-registered as a partnership in 2010. It operates from the farmhouse on Sprays Farm, near Calne, Wiltshire. The kindergarten is on the site of a working farm where there are livestock and domestic pets, such as dogs. The kindergarten is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It opens from 8am to 5.30pm five days a week all year round except Bank holidays. A holiday play scheme is offered during school holidays. The kindergarten currently has 65 children on roll. The kindergarten offers support to children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and children who are learning English as an additional language. It employs seven members of staff who work directly with the children. They also have a cook and gardener. All staff have appropriate early years qualifications and one member of staff has Qualified Teacher Status.

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

 improve children's play and exploration skills by giving them as much opportunity as possible to move freely between indoors and outdoors

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

 develop further opportunities for children to increase their independence, learn to count purposefully and match numeral and quantity correctly, such as encouraging children to lay the table and serve themselves at mealtimes.

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who attend

Staff have a good knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and as a result children progress well relative to their starting points. Staff carry out detailed observations and assessments on all children and can clearly identify which require support and extension in their learning. Children are developing well in their personal, social and emotional development. They develop good relationships with each other and with the adults in the setting. They make friends quickly and are confident, eager to learn and explore their surroundings. Children are well behaved and understand the rules of the setting. For example, they realise when getting ready to go outside that they need to change their shoes and the older children help the younger children with their coats. Children understand about sharing and taking turns. When playing outside staff use an egg timer to help children understand when it is

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who attend

their turn for a bike or tractor. Children are developing their language skills well as staff use clear, concise instructions as they interact with the children. Staff have completed training on the 'Every child a talker' programme and this is having a positive impact on children's language and communication skills. Children enjoy looking at books both alone and with staff and really enjoy listening to stories and recalling the story with staff. Those who are learning English as an additional language are supported well in the setting, with labels both in English and their home language around the rooms. Staff promote equality and diversity effectively and have recently changed the home corner area to reflect the festival of Diwali so the children can learn about the world around them.

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who attend

Children take part in lovely outside play activities. They regularly go to the outside play areas where they are able to interact with each other, problem solve, climb, run and ride bikes. There is a large climbing frame where children are able to develop their physical development. They are beginning to understand about taking calculated risks, such as balancing on beams and climbing steps. They have many opportunities to understand about the world around them. They go on walks around the farm to see the livestock and farm equipment, they help feed the chickens and learn about growing vegetables in their garden. However, children who learn best outside are not fully supported since they are not able to move freely between the inside and outside spaces whenever they wish to.

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who attend

Staff prepare children well for their next stages of learning, such as school. They use folders with pictures of the school classrooms, pictures of the staff and outside areas so they can discuss where the children will be going. The key person takes children for a visit to the school, which enables children to discuss what they have seen in the folder. Staff involve parents and carers in these transitions and share regular information with them about their child's learning and development.

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

Children are very happy, content and confident at the setting. New children settle quickly into the warm, caring environment. Children can easily help themselves to a balanced variety of resources that includes a range of wooden equipment. This means children are able to develop an understanding about different textures. The key person system works well and as a result, children build positive relationships with key staff. This helps them to feel secure. All children use the lovely outdoor areas regularly which supports their physical development. These include an area where they are able to ride bikes, tractors and run around safely. There is also a sensory garden and a large open space where they are able to climb, slide and balance on a large climbing frame. Children have a good understanding about the need to wash their hands before eating, after using the toilets and after being outside, especially as the setting is on a farm. They understand they need

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

to wear wellingtons when outside. They take great enjoyment at going to feed the chickens and seeing the animals on the farm. This helps them understand about the world around them.

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

Children understand about healthy eating and are able to eat what they have grown in the vegetable garden. They sit well at snack and mealtimes and chat happily with the staff and each other as they eat. Children are encouraged to be independent and are able to use the toilet and wash their hands alone, which most do with little or no prompting from staff. However, children are not encouraged to pour their own drinks, serve themselves food or help with setting the table. This means staff are missing some opportunities to develop independence and children's mathematical language and understanding.

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provision

Staff understand the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage well and meet these effectively. They are clear about the procedures to follow if they have any concerns about children in their care and clear records of any accidents that children may have are kept. Staff are vigilant in their supervision of the children and through careful clear explanations help children to understand about how to keep themselves safe. For example, children are reminded when running around outside that the leaves and grass is slippery and to be careful as they may fall. Staff have a clear understanding about the learning and development requirements and work hard as a team to ensure there is consistent monitoring of children's learning. The key person system works well and sensitive observations and assessments are completed. These help staff to understand where children require extra support and extension.

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provision

There are robust recruitment, induction and training procedures in place. This ensures that staff are suitable to work with children. Regular staff appraisals and meetings enable staff and management to clearly identify where extra training in relevant areas is needed. Staff contribute to the evaluation of practice and have a drive to improve and provide good quality childcare. Through the evaluation process, areas to develop and improve have been clearly identified and action plans put in place for the benefit of the children.

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provision

There are excellent partnerships with parents. Detailed information is shared with them daily when they collect their children. Clear notice boards around the rooms and entrance hall ensure parents are informed about menus, staffing details, policies and procedures, what their children have done that day and any changes to routines. Parents are able to see their child's learning journal easily as these are kept in their child's drawer and parents can take these home. Parents have regular meetings with their child's key person which helps them feel involved in their child's care and learning. Parents speak highly about the setting and how approachable and caring the staff are and how happy their children are. There are very positive relationships with other professionals and early years settings. When children attend other settings staff regularly share information with them about children's learning and development. Links with the local schools are good and school staff

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provision

regularly visit the kindergarten to see the children and talk about children's transitions.

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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 EY420770 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 759463 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 2 - 8 Total number of places 38 Number of children on roll 65 Name of provider Partnership of Victoria Hislop and Robert Hislop Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01249812231

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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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