Dawn To Dusk Day NurseryOfsted inspection, 12 Nov 2012

Dawn To Dusk Day Nursery Swanley School, St. Marys Road, Swanley, Kent, BR8 7TE

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 12/11/2012 01/12/2008

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 3 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

 All children and babies play in bright airy rooms with high quality resources and equipment. Outside play areas are positively challenging for older children.  Children show good levels of independence, curiosity and imagination and demonstrate consistently positive behaviour and a willingness to support their peers.  Staff have a strong awareness of how young children learn and they promote children's learning through play, discussion and group activities.  Children make good progress in their communication skills. Staff extend children's vocabulary and language delay is dealt with early, working with parents and other agencies.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Parents receive daily feedback about their child's day although the key person who knows the child well does not always do this.  Opportunities for babies and very young toddlers to explore freely in the fresh air

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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 activities in all play rooms as well as the outside play areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the owner, area manager and manager of the nursery.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children as well as the provider's improvement plan.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records as well as planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day and from information provided from the nursery's own parent survey.

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Information about the setting

Dawn To Dusk Day Nursery was first registered in 1997. It is one of two settings in Kent owned by the same provider; it is independent and reregistered as a limited company in 2006. The nursery operates from a purpose built single storey building in the grounds of Orchards Academy, which is part of the Kemnal Trust. It is opposite Swanley Railway Station and there are parking facilities nearby. The nursery is also close to local schools and shops. The provision also offers out of school club, opening before and after school hours.

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Information about the setting

There are four main playrooms for each age group, preschool children, toddlers and babies. There is also an added playroom in the form of an enclosed outside play area that leads to a large garden.

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Information about the setting

The group opens five days a week for 50 weeks of the year. Nursery sessions are from 7am until 7pm. The setting also offers flexible care within these hours. The breakfast club opens from 7pm to 9am and the after school club (Duskies) opens from 3.20pm to 7pm. There are currently 50 children on roll in the early years' age range.

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Information about the setting

There are 16 members of staff on roll, which includes the household staff. The area manager has a degree in Early Years Childcare and she is working towards Early Years Professional Status. One member of staff holds a level 4 in childcare and four members of staff hold a level 3 qualification in childcare. Four members of staff hold a level two qualification in childcare and there are two apprentices.

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Information about the setting

This provider is registered on the Early Years Register, compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The setting works in partnership with the local authority.

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

 improve the facilities to allow babies very young toddlers to enjoy outside play as much as the older children by developing the existing undercover areas to enable them to move around and explore while observing older children's in their activities.

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

 strengthen the partnership with parents by ensuring key workers are involved in providing information about children's welfare and learning especially at the end of each day when parents arrive to collect children

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who attend

Staff demonstrate a strong knowledge and understanding of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They skilfully promote children's learning and development making best use of time and resources. The daily schedules and routines flow smoothly to meet children's individual needs covering all areas of children's development and learning. Overall, effective planning and organisation ensure that all children have enjoyable experiences and most children make good progress because of the challenges staff present. These come from accurate observations of what children do and staff use these to guide their planning of activities. As a result, all children show good progress in their learning and development.

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who attend

Children in the 'early years' room are highly engaged in playing and exploring as well as active play with staff who knows their children well. Children show a high degree of confidence in helping themselves to a range of resources. They work together collaboratively, learning to negotiate and develop original ideas. Two children start to build a construction with large wooden blocks. They discuss where the blocks must go, using the various shapes, to make it strong. Children extend their ideas to give the building a tower. This demonstrates that children learn about problem solving and extending their own ideas. Staff join children to talk about what they are making and extend children's understanding by using early mathematics to count bricks and ensure that the construction is even. Staff also help children to acquire more bricks to develop their ideas.

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who attend

Toddlers and babies rooms are also highly equipped with many resources that are appropriate to their ages. Toddlers happily play with sand, filling containers and some show preference for painting. Both activities show toddlers deep in concentration in their chosen activity. Staff prepare 'gluey sand' made from sand and liquid soaps, which children enjoy touching, making marks with their fingers and hands. Staff chat to children helping their communication as well as develop new words. Babies also thrive in their bright and airy room. They eagerly build on their physical skills to help them move around to explore the colourful and natural items that attract them. Babies and toddlers have fun making sounds banging spoons on upturned canisters and staff sing songs to help their sense of rhythm.

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who attend

Most children become excited when they play outside. Older children say; "we have hundreds of things to do". Children enjoy jumping in the muddy puddles, climbing on large apparatus and playing ball games. Staff ask for, listens to children's ideas, and allows them to deliver their solutions. For example, older children competently show how they catch balls. They then decide they want to throw balls through hoops and discover that they must choose their correct size of hoop to allow them to do this with success. Children also try out throwing more than one ball at a time to see if their friends can catch both. They have fun trying a range of balls and sizes. Most toddlers also enjoy exploring the playhouse outside and riding on small equipment, although babies and early toddlers find the environment too challenging for their level of understanding and ability.

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who attend

All children love to look at books and they help themselves to a variety of books to relax in their book areas. Older children form groups under tents to read stories and sing songs. Toddlers enjoy cosy reading sessions with staff and books are available for children to take home helping them value the enjoyment of reading.

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

Children understand safety through their everyday activities as they learn about spatial awareness and the setting's rules. Children see posters and staff read books that heighten their awareness of keeping themselves safe. On outings, children wear fluorescent tabards and know they must all keep together. Children demonstrate a good understanding of healthy lifestyles. They follow efficient personal hygiene routines, which begin, from a very young age. For example, toddlers enjoy developing their independence because potty training is part of their daily routine. Staff respects toddlers' privacy whilst enabling them to develop these essential skills.

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

All children display a positive attitude towards eating healthily. Meals and snacks are freshly prepared in the nursery kitchen by a qualified and experienced cook where hygiene standards have a five star award. Toddlers help themselves to water from a low-level table recognising their photograph on their personal mug. Older children are actively engaged in some food preparation, making their sandwich rolls for tea, and staff discuss with them the nutrients in food such as tomatoes. Children have time for physically active play and rest times. Older children enjoy challenging their running skills where staff help them to use a stop clock to measure their speed. Babies rest in comfortable cots and toddlers look forward to their rest time after lunch. Consequently, all children and babies gain a secure sense of well-being with caring staff, which contributes positively towards their well-being.

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

Children have support to make choices, which helps them feel active contributors to their day. Older children gain a good sense of responsibility as they decide when they wish stop play for snack time and they willingly tidy away resources and help set the table for lunch. Staff encourage sharing, turn-taking and good manners and children listen and behave very well. Children are involved in learning which takes them into the local community through trips to shops, police and fire stations. Children talk about their cultures and beliefs so that all children and staff share experiences, broadening understanding of diversity of those within the nursery. Children who attend the nursery prepare themselves well for school. This is because the nursery focuses well on developing children's essential personal and social skills, which help them to feel confident to tackle the next challenges in their learning and growing, journey.

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provision

The management team has undergone a radical review recently using a management strategic plan to ensure that its knowledge and leadership methods are robust. A change of manager and strong support from the area manager and owner means that sound strategies are now in place to ensure strong leadership, good staff support as well as keeping the regulator informed of changes. As a result, arrangements for safeguarding children are now robust, regularly reviewed with staff to ensure their full understanding and compliance. An effective safeguarding policy, which staff sign, and is available for parents to view, supports practice. All areas in the nursery environment are safe and staff complete regular risk assessments to maintain standards. Staff are keen to improve their professional development and the owner supports their enthusiasm through individual support, appraisals by arranging appropriate training. Self-evaluation is constant through

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provision

All children are valued and provision for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language is good. Staff work in partnership with a range of professionals to promote optimum continuity of care and ensure children make good progress from their starting points. Good liaisons with local schools and other settings complement children's learning which ensures progression. Relationships with parents are well established and this contributes to improvements in children's learning, well-being and development. During inspection, parents whilst being complimentary about the provision many expressed they would like to form a stronger bond with their child's key person. This is in particular regards to information they receive at the end of the day, which sometimes comes from other staff. Parents are encouraged to complete survey questionnaires for nursery improvement. Parents' comments are also

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provision

welcome especially on their children's unique learning journey, an information-sharing document showing children's activities at home and the nursery. New parents confirm how well their children have settled because the nursery have good settling in arrangements and they comment on the good progress their children make within such a short time at being part of the nursery.

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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 EY332938 Local authority Kent Inspection number 888644

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 22 - 77 Total number of places 87 Number of children on roll 50 Name of provider Dawn To Dusk Nursery Swanley Ltd Date of previous inspection 01/12/2008 Telephone number 01322 660330

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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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