Crocus Early Years Centre

Crocus Early Years Centre Saffron Walden County High School, Audley End Road, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 4UH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 17/12/2012 09/02/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 2 Previous inspection: 2 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 keen and active learners because they are well supported by staff who understand how children learn through play. The setting provides activities and opportunities for children to make good progress in all areas of learning.  Children's developing language is well supported because staff engage them in conversation, extending their play by introducing new words and phrases. Children enjoy story time, they listen intently and join in when asked to share their views.  The Daisy baby room provides space for early walkers to practice their new skills, a safe area for younger babies to play and to build strong bonds with their carers.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The imaginative play areas in Rose and Poppy rooms do not provide children with the resources and opportunities to extend and develop their pretend play ideas.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed the children in the three play rooms and the outside play areas.  The inspector spoke to staff and looked at the planning and children's assessments.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held meetings with the nursery manager, the quality improvement manager and the area manager.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of some parents as they collected their children.

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Information about the setting

Crocus Early Years Centre opened in January 2002 and was acquired by Bright Horizons Family Solutions in July 2007. The nursery is a purpose-built single-storey building situated in the grounds of the Saffron Walden County High School serving the local community. There are three playrooms, all of which have direct access cloakrooms and to outdoor play areas.

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Information about the setting

The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and is open 51 weeks of the year, only closing between Christmas and New Year and bank holidays. Opening times are Mondays to Fridays, 8am to 6pm. The nursery offers various sessions. Mornings from 8am until 1pm, afternoons 1pm until 6pm, and school days 9am until 4pm. There is an early bird session from 7am which is particularly helpful for parents who commute to London. The nursery provides funded early years education for three- and four-year-old children. There are currently 70 children on roll.

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Information about the setting

There is a total of eighteen full-time and part-time members of staff working at the nursery. The manager and deputy are working towards a Foundation Degree in Early Years. Twelve members of staff hold a level 3 qualification. Other staff are working towards a level 3 qualification and one member of staff is part of an apprenticeship scheme. The staff team are supported by the nursery administrator and there is an on-site chef. The setting is supported by the Bright Horizons Improvement manager who holds Early Years Professional Status, as well as area and regional managers.

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

 review the planning for the imaginative play areas in Rose and Poppy rooms to provide an interesting and stimulating play experience for all children.

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who attend

Children are making good progress relative to their starting points. Staff are well qualified and have a good understanding of how children learn through play. The educational programme has depth and is planned for according to the ages and stages of the children's development. Planning is flexible, it is based on the next steps and the interests of the children. The prime areas of learning are highlighted in the planning for all children and extended to include the specific areas for the older children. The children's 'Learning Story' books show they take part in a wide range of interesting activities that builds on their early learning skills and challenges the more active children. Observations and assessments are based on the outcomes in the Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Parents are keen to be part of the progress check at aged two. They have found being involved in the summary of their children's achievements very helpful in

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who attend

enabling them to support their children's progress at home.

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who attend

The pre-school children in Poppy room sit and listen intently to a story that is well read by the member of staff. The book is new to the children but they are familiar with the characters, some of whom are dinosaurs. Children are asked about the actions of the lead character, to anticipate reactions and outcomes. They understand the story, they respond and join in with great delight. At the end of the session one child brings a dinosaur to show the member of staff. This shows they feel involved and can relate to the story. The toddlers in the Rose room have free choice of a wide range of age-appropriate toys and resources. They enjoy a simple sticking activity where they choose from a good selection of art materials and fabrics. Some children put all the materials on lots of glue but some are beginning to choose and ask the supporting member of staff to find special pieces, such as long pasta and feathers. There is good interaction by staff, who engage the

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who attend

children and ask them about the colours and where they are going to add to their art work. Children's social and finer physical skills are well developed. They share the materials and concentrate as they spread the glue and carefully add small detail to their pictures. They know when they are finished and ask for their art work to be put on the side to dry. They understand what to do with wet pictures and are familiar with the process so have a strong sense of belonging.

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who attend

The nursery provides an interesting and bright environment for children to learn and play. However, the imaginative play areas in the Rose and Poppy room do not fully promote children's imaginative play ideas. The younger children find it difficult to use the play foods and plates as the storage boxes are too big and heavy. They are not able to develop their play ideas of making dinner as they did not have pots and pans for the play cooker. In the Poppy room the woodwork unit and doctor's kits become muddled in the play and are not used effectively. The children ask staff for blankets, hats and handbags as they take the dolls and buggies to the shops. They are not able to extend their ideas independently from the limited resources available.

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who attend

All children benefit from the well-resourced outside play provision. Free flow to the outside is provided when appropriate. Children have many opportunities to practise their physical skills, they are very competent in riding and steering the bikes. They show good negotiation skills as they move around with great confidence. The nursery is set in the campus of a high school that has a farm unit. Regular walks out in the grounds introduce children to the natural world. They have opportunities to hold small animals and help in feeding them. They are beginning to understand about how to care for different creatures, and they become very involved in caring for the lambs in the spring.

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

Children develop secure emotional attachments to their carers. The information on the 'getting to know me' form as they come into the setting and as they move between rooms is very detailed. Staff know the children well as there is an effective settling-in process. The key person system works well, families also know the back-up key staff for their individual child. As children grow and move up to the next room, the key person and parents work together to complete the 'transition form'. This is a valuable asset as the children's personal care detail is updated on a regular basis. Parents are involved in sharing information to make the move as smooth as possible for their children.

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

Children learn about a healthy lifestyle through every day routines. They have easy access to tissues to wipe their noses, they know they must put the tissue in the bin and wash their hands. Staff give gentle reminders about taking care around the play rooms. Children are beginning to understand the simple rules that are in place for their own safety. The Poppy children know to use their 'walking feet' and not to run as they manoeuvre the pushchairs around the play room. Younger children line up as they wait to go in from the garden, they all wipe their feet and talk about their muddy shoes. They try not to leave muddy prints on the nursery floor. Children's independence is well supported as they take off their shoes and coats with help from staff. They try to put their coats on the hooks and offer to help their friends. They are confident in asking staff for help. Children's dietary needs are met to a very high standard. The nursery chef provides a varied menu outlining

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

the nutritional content. Children enjoy their meals, they are well supported by staff who encourage the children with lots of praise. Children help to set the table with named mats, which are also used to indicate dietary requirements so all staff are fully aware of their individual needs. All staff hold food hygiene certificates. The setting has a five star award from Environmental Health department for the high standards maintained in the kitchen.

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

Babies in the Daisy room have toys and resources that support their newly acquired skills. They have space to practise their early walking as they become more mobile. The room is laid out with low level benches where they can stand and get their balance. Cushions are used to support children as they are beginning to sit up and join in playing with the staff and other children. There is a separate area for non-mobile babies. This provides a soft and safe area where they are able crawl and have easy access to age-appropriate toys. Staff are sensitive, they are very familiar with the children's individual routines so they recognise when they are ready for a sleep or need a nappy change. Children of all ages receive a happy and enjoyable early years experience. They are confident as they interact well with their peer group and adults. This is a good basis for the skills they will need to enable them to move onto other settings, such as school with a strong sense of

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provision

The well-qualified staff team have worked hard to review their practice and implement the revised Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are well supported by the Bright Horizons development team who continually assess and promote good practice in the setting. Staff appraisals and regular team meetings ensure all staff are aware of the opportunities available to develop their professional skills through training. Established staff are part of the mentoring for new members of staff, students and those on the apprenticeship scheme.

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provision

The children's 'learning story' books and the two year progress check booklets are provided by Bright Horizons. The staff team use the documents effectively to record the children's starting points, achievements and plan for their progress. Each room has a designated member of staff responsible for children who need additional support. They liaise regularly with parents and other staff to ensure children are progressing and their individual needs are recognised and met. The setting has well established links with other early years professionals to provide continued support for children and families. Partnership with parents is good. The setting has an open door policy so parents are welcome to speak to the manager or staff at any time. The key person system works well, parents have opportunities each term to meet to discuss their children's changing needs. A weekly newsletter informs parents of everyday activities and events so they can be

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provision

involved in their children's learning. The parent questionnaire has enabled the setting to review their practice and make improvements taking into account the parents comments so they feel involved in the day-to-day management of the setting.

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provision

The setting provides a safe and secure environment for children. All practitioners have a secure knowledge of safeguarding issues and the procedures to follow if they have a concerns about a child. Information for parents and visitors is on display in the foyer, and they are made aware of the setting's commitment to provide a safe place for children. Bright Horizons provide in-house training, policies and procedures to monitor the environment and to identify and minimise risk to children in the building, garden areas and out on site. Children are further safeguarded because management adopt robust employment procedures to ensure all staff are suitable to work with children. The setting has an effective evaluation process in place. The manager uses the Ofsted online system to identify aspects that work well and areas for development. Feedback from staff and families is used to plan for improvements with action plans and a wish list in place. There

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provision

is a clear improvement plan that supports children's achievements and builds on the strengths of the nursery.

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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 EY219409 Local authority Essex Inspection number 894015

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 85 Number of children on roll 70 Name of provider Bright Horizon Family Solutions Ltd Date of previous inspection 09/02/2010 Telephone number 01799 522522

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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. 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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