Little Hands Daycare

Little Hands Daycare Amblecote Christian Centre, 102-104 Brettell Lane, STOURBRIDGE, West Midlands, DY8 4BS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20/12/2012 04/10/2011

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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's individual needs and the areas of learning are well met. There is a good balance between child-initiated and adult-led activities which staff use to observe and assess children's progress.  The premises are welcoming, well maintained and safe, and additional systems are in place to further ensure children's safety.  A well-established key person system helps children form warm and secure attachments, promoting their well-being and independence. Staff support every child so that no group or individual is disadvantaged. Consequently, children learn to respect and accept each other's differences.  Children are well safeguarded due to robust recruitment and vetting procedures and staff's understanding of their roles and responsibilities in protecting the children in their care

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to further enhance systems used to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the provision to enable the setting to move forwards and sustain progress towards excellence.

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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 compulsory part 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 discussed children's progress with their key person and also observed activities in the baby, toddler and pre-school rooms and outdoor play area.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of practitioners working in the setting, the provider's self- evaluation systems and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector also took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day of the inspection and parent questionnaires.  The inspector held meetings with the owner and her deputy during the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Little Hands Daycare was registered in 2011 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a community centre in the Stourbridge area of the West Midlands and is managed by a private provider. The setting serves the local and surrounding areas and is accessible to all children. It operates from three main rooms and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play. The setting employs 15 members of childcare staff, 13 of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The setting opens Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 73 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. It receives support from the local authority.

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

 enhance existing systems to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the provision to enable the setting to move forwards and sustain progress towards excellence.

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who attend

Staff have a good understanding of how children learn and develop and have updated their knowledge in line with the new framework and adapted their systems for observing children's progress. They liaise well with parents at the start to gain as much knowledge as they can to plan for children's individual interests. Transition between rooms is well managed, with children's assessments following through with them. Regular spontaneous and photo observations staff complete capture significant moments as well as more detailed observations. These are reviewed routinely to assess children's progress and to identify their next steps. Staff in each of the rooms discuss their observations and share their planning so all are involved and knowledgeable about how to support each child. Staff members join children in their play throughout the day, readily conversing with them to stimulate children's interest and foster their developing language skills. Regular singing

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who attend

of nursery rhymes and songs as they tidy away toys or wait for meal times captures their interest.

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who attend

Staff engage well with the children to encourage their interest and make learning fun, and use suggestions and questions to challenge their thinking. Staff are relaxed and supportive of children and know them well. They regularly take small groups of their key children to a quiet area where they share in a particular activity and can more closely observe their engagement and assess their progress. Children are developing an interest in nature as they dig in the soil outside and look for insects and worms or help to plant and tend the flowers. Children engage in imaginative play in the role play area, make music and explore the different sounds of the wooden instruments and saucepans hung up outside or create their own designs with paint, glitter and glue. Children get to know their local community as they take a trip out, listening to the sounds in their environment, or excitedly enjoy a trip to a Christmas theme park to see the reindeers and polar bears. Children are cared for

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who attend

in a bright and inviting learning environment and have easy access to a wide range of resources, both inside and outside, to interest and engage them. There is a basic routine to each day with a planned activity, such as a session where babies mark make in gloop or play with shredded paper. Older children help to mix the ingredients to make cakes and then describe how it looks and feels.

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who attend

Children are encouraged to freely explore their environment and initiate their own play. Younger ones splash in the shaving foam, clapping their hands and giggling with delight. They examine themselves in the mirror or explore the varied contents of the treasure baskets. Older ones enjoy hand printing and making shapes with the play dough or happily use their imagination to create their own tea party. There are different resources and games for encouraging number and shape recognition as children concentrate as they build towers, match colours and use the weighing scales. Children's artwork is displayed around the rooms and accessible resources enable children to confidently make their own choices.

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

Children settle well into the nursery, which is bright, spacious and invitingly decorated so that they and their parents feel welcomed. Positive engagement by the key person and lots of spontaneous praise and encouragement from staff throughout the day help to develop children's confidence so they feel secure and try out new things. Staff are fully aware of the importance of the three prime areas in developing children's confidence so they can make their own play choices and initiate their own learning. Younger ones freely crawl around and practise their early walking skills while accessing different areas as they explore their environment and examine the wide range of interesting resources. Most older children are very sociable and independent and confidently engage with staff and their peers, with staff patiently but firmly reminding some when they become a little over excited or challenging. Throughout the nursery children are supported in their social skills

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

so they learn how to play together, share toys and take turns. Older children competently pour drinks and serve themselves food and snacks with staff on hand to offer support.

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

Children's health is well supported through attention to daily routines, like nappy changing, while others are developing their own self-care skills as they independently access the toilet and wash their hands. Healthy eating has a high focus at this nursery where children enjoy a very nutritious and varied menu and daily healthy snacks. They all have access to their individual water bottles during the day. Children have good space to move around in and are carefully prepared for their regular daily trips along the corridor and down the stairs to the outdoor play area where they use balls, ride bikes, ring the bell in the fire engine or try and balance on the wooden blocks and tyres. Children are learning to play safely through regular reminders from staff, and respond well to clear guidelines as they independently take themselves to the toilet or use tools, such as scissors. Play activities throughout the day, such as dancing to music tapes or enthusiastic participation

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

in physical activities delivered by a visiting company, provide opportunities for exercising limbs and having fun.

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provision

Children are well safeguarded as staff have a very clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in recognising signs of abuse or neglect and how to pass these on effectively. An internal safeguarding audit has also been completed by the manager and deputy. Safeguarding features highly in induction and at the regular staff meetings and all staff have attended external training. All necessary information is displayed in each room as well as a very informative display on the parents' notice board. Other procedures to further protect children, such as the maintenance of daily records, safe collection systems and seeking all necessary information at registration, are thoroughly carried out. Visual and written records, such as risk assessments and daily checklists, support and ensure that good standards of health and safety are maintained, both indoors and outdoors. Use of equipment, such as walkie-talkies outdoors, ensures staff are always in touch and can

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provision

There are robust recruitment and selection processes in place to ensure the suitability of the staff. Regular room and staff meetings ensure practice is discussed, policies are shared and reviewed and new targets are set. The management team show they value their staff and encourage them to share their views and opinions openly in an environment of trust and respect. There is a comprehensive procedure for the induction of new staff to ensure they are fully informed and supported by an identified member of staff as they settle in. Regular supervision sessions, where staff practice is evaluated, are carried out to identify strengths and areas for development and training to be sourced.

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provision

The leadership and management of the nursery is strong. The owner has a positive vision for providing a high quality service and she is fully committed to reflective practice and engaging the views of staff and parents to achieve this. The management team carry out regular monitoring of the educational programme to offer support and guidance and also oversee practice through peer observation. An open-door policy provides opportunities for staff and parents to consult with them at any time. There are regular and effective methods for reviewing practice overall through internal audits and external reviews. However, there is scope to further enhance these systems to clearly identify the strengths and weaknesses of the provision to enable the nursery to continue to move forwards and sustain progress towards excellence. Good support is provided by outside professionals and there is a strong commitment to ongoing training to enhance staff's knowledge and

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provision

Partnership with parents is strong and parents comment on the positive support and approachability of all staff. The settling-in period is well organised so that key persons get to know children and their parents and share important information about their individual needs. Individual routines are displayed in the baby room and staff ensure that these are carried out until children naturally settle into the nursery routine, aiding their transition. An informative display board, parent prospectus and regular newsletters ensure that parents are informed about all aspects of the nursery. Parents' views are invited through questionnaires and daily discussions with staff. They are kept informed of children's daily progress through regular feedback from staff and by sharing the daily diary. Staff understand and work in partnership with other professionals and settings children attend to support their transitions and to promote continuity in their care and learning.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory 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 EY425399 Local authority Dudley Inspection number 894025

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 35 Number of children on roll 73 Name of provider Sharon Helen Ramsey Date of previous inspection 04/10/2011 Telephone number 01384 441441

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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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