Carealot Day Nursery

Carealot Day Nursery Fox Crescent, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 2BL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 30/11/2012 23/10/2008

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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

 Children take part in a wide range of imaginative activities linked to the seven areas of learning and make good progress in their learning and development.  Effective two-way communication between the staff and parents ensures that all those involved with each child are kept fully informed about learning and care needs.  Children form strong bonds and emotional attachments with their key persons, which helps them gain a positive sense of well-being and belonging.  The staff team have a good understanding of how to promote the health and safety of children. Risk assessments are used well to ensure potential hazards are minimised, both indoors and outside and when children go on outings.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Children, sometimes, cannot maintain focus on the things that particularly interest them because their play is interrupted by nursery routines.

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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 the indoor and outdoor learning environments, this included a joint observation with the manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the nursery management, staff team and children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed a sample of the children's development records and planning documents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed evidence of suitability and qualifications of the staff team, risk assessment and other documentation in relation to health and safety checks.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Carealot Day Nursery is privately run by an informal partnership. It was registered in 1999 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The nursery is situated in a self-contained building within the grounds of the former St Peter's College in Chelmsford, Essex. It operates from two playrooms and children share access to a secure, enclosed, outdoor play area.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs six members of childcare staff. Of these, four hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or 4. It receives support from the local authority and is linked to the children's centre in the vicinity.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Operating times are from 8am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions or full day care. There are currently 27 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It serves the local community and surrounding areas. The nursery supports a small number of children who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 ensure children have more uninterrupted time to play and explore and can maintain focus on things that interest them by keeping activities out instead of routinely tidying them away.

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who attend

The effective range of activities on offer cover all of the learning and development requirements set out in the revised framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children make good progress because the staff make learning fun. Practical, first-hand experiences are provided that encourage children to explore, experiment and predict their findings, both indoors and outside. Teaching is effective and staff are skilled at knowing when to make a timely intervention if an opportunity to extend children's learning offers itself. The 'Every Child A Talker' programme is used well to support children's communication skills. Carefully formed, open-ended questions are used to encourage children to think and talk about what they are trying to achieve.

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who attend

Children have access to an age-appropriate range of toys and equipment throughout the nursery. They particularly enjoy using a good range of natural and recycled objects, which further extends their play resources and opportunities. For example, they help build and paint a Christmas postbox or design intricate models with cartons, tubes, bottle tops, straws and shredded paper. There is suitable and sufficient child-sized furniture to enable children to play and eat together, which fosters their social skills. Children relish the opportunity to choose between indoor and outdoor play. They have great fun sweeping leaves or digging and filling plant pots with compost. The den is used well to promote children's scientific skills as they explore with torches and fluorescent glitter balls while playing in the dark.

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who attend

Children concentrate well and are happily engaged most of the time. However, there are times during the daily routine when activities are tidied away and children spend prolonged periods waiting for the next event in the timetable to be organised. As a result, there are missed opportunities for children to maintain a focus on the things that particularly interest them.

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who attend

A good variety of activities are planned to enhance children's readiness for school. Children are now counting and recognising numerals confidently. They sort items according to colour and shape and have good opportunities to learn about information technology. They independently access the computer; adeptly control the mouse when using educational software and take photographs with a digital camera. Children listen attentively to stories and are developing their confidence when singing. For example, they have just started building a repertoire of Christmas songs to sing to elderly residents in the community. Other outings are also made in the local area to enhance children's understanding of the world and children take part in charity events. Trips are made to the local museum and library and the nursery has been involved in the local harvest festival.

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who attend

The staff communicate effectively with parents to gather details about their children's starting points. As a result, key persons have useful information about children's prior skills and interests on entry to the nursery. Each child has their own Learning Journey development record containing photographs, written observations and samples of work. Key persons identify next steps in learning and this term staff have started using a progress wheel to track how well children are making progress in relation to the seven areas of learning. Staff have also made a good start on completing the summary reports for children who have reached the age of two.

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who attend

The nursery is inclusive and welcomes all children. Designated members of staff have completed training to act as an equality coordinator and special educational needs coordinator. This ensures that appropriate support is offered to children who require additional help and relevant systems are in place to liaise with parents and any outside agencies, when necessary. Formal consultations are arranged with key persons and parents so that learning priorities are discussed and shared for all children. Parents are becoming more involved in children's learning when they contribute to the development records and share information about what their children have done at home. They are also invited into the nursery to read stories and share their skills with the children.

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

Children's sense of well-being is effectively supported by the caring, long standing staff team who provide a nurturing environment. The effective key person system helps children to form secure attachments and receive consistent and supportive care at all times. Very positive relationships are forged with parents and staff have a good knowledge of each child's background and needs. Children feel a sense of belonging as they find their named drawer to stow their belongings and look for their photograph on a laminated place mat at mealtimes. As a result, children settle well and confidently explore the nursery environment.

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

Children's behaviour shows they feel safe in the setting. They approach staff for cuddles and play harmoniously together. The development of social skills, politeness and good manners is frequently promoted. Children are encouraged to act sensibly and are regularly given advice about how to play safely and to be aware of others. For example, children are involved in preparing activity cards that explain the importance of keeping the gates closed and playing safely with their toys. Everyone practises fire drills to ensure that they know what to do if they have to evacuate the building in an emergency.

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

Children benefit from fresh air each day and take part in physical activity outdoors. They enjoy whizzing around the hard surface on sit and ride toys and show good control over their bodies as they stop, start and change direction. Inside, children have opportunities to take part in physical activity sessions, such as, dance and movement to music. Children learn that exercise is fun which promotes a good attitude to developing healthy lifestyles. They are well nourished because they are provided with a good range of freshly prepared, nutritious snacks and meals. Children enjoy serving their own food and pouring their drinks. The staff ensure that they are fully aware of any allergies or dietary requirements. Children are fully aware of the importance of hygiene routines. They wash their hands regularly and know that used tissues have to be put into the bin to stop germs spreading.

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

Transitions are supported well within the nursery. The younger children spend time playing with the older children and eating meals together; this enables them to confidently move onto the next room when they reach the age of two.

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provision

The management and staff team have a good understanding of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children are safeguarded because staff have a secure understanding of their responsibilities and the protection of the children is their first priority. Some staff have completed safeguarding courses and further training has been booked for next year to ensure that knowledge of child protection is routinely updated. The staff are vigilant about security to ensure that unauthorised persons do not have access to the children and all visitors are closely monitored. There are comprehensive written risk assessments in place to minimise potential hazards on the premises.

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provision

Self-evaluation is used as an effective working tool and takes account of the views of staff, children and their parents. Staff and management's insight into the needs of the local area and individual families is highly perceptive and, as a result, the nursery ensures that the care provided is fitting and appropriate. Regular discussions at staff meetings and monitoring of progress, are starting to ensure that all children make good progress and are achieving within their expected levels of development. The staff attend training courses and liaise with other professionals to ensure that all children get the support they need. Important information is then efficiently cascaded back to the whole staff team. The staff are also very receptive and act immediately on suggestions from their local authority advisor, in order to improve the quality of the educational programmes.

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provision

The management also ensure that prompt action is taken regarding any other areas identified as needing improvement. The action and recommendations from the last inspection have been addressed. There is now a more robust recruitment procedure to ensure that staff complete the necessary background checks through the Criminal Records Bureau. The method of recording when medication is administered is now more rigorous and contains a clear record of the required medicine, dosage and permission from parents and carers. Parents are now supplied with updated information about the nursery and contribute more information about children's social, communication and physical skills on entry. It has been several years since the premises were last refurbished. However, the staff team work hard to overcome the current constraints regarding the building, to make sure that it is welcoming to children and their families. There are exciting plans to move

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provision

into new premises on the college site in 2013.

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provision

There is an effective partnership with parents and carers. Good quality information is provided through newsletters and visual displays. Parents' views are sought and acted upon. Staff and parents share information verbally on a daily basis to ensure that children's changing needs are met. Several parents were spoken to during this inspection. They were all delighted and happy with the care and education the setting offers and said that they would recommend the nursery to others. Effective partnerships are also formed with local schools so that children transfer seamlessly into the reception year. Starting school is celebrated and photographs are taken of the children in their uniforms for the nursery album. The nursery has very close links with the local children's centre to ensure that families are strongly supported with their childcare arrangements and parenting concerns can be discussed.

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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 402191 Local authority Essex Inspection number 819260

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 27 Name of provider Carealot Day Nursery Date of previous inspection 23/10/2008 Telephone number 01245 353765

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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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