Danesmoor House Day Nursery

Danesmoor House Day Nursery Danesmoor House, Carmel Road North, DARLINGTON, County Durham, DL3 8RH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 21/01/2013 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 motivated and keen to learn in this inclusive and welcoming setting. They develop positive relationships with staff and other children.  The well-qualified and knowledgeable staff have an excellent awareness of how children learn. They make the most of opportunities to extend children's learning through play, discussion and group activities.  Staff are good role models. They are deployed well and provide clear guidance for children about what is acceptable behaviour.  There is a strong commitment from the owners and manager to improve the nursery through setting ambitious targets and action plans.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Outdoor resources do not include a range of wheeled toys so that children can explore different patterns of movement and learn to balance.  Methods for sharing children's learning, development and assessment information with parents is not fully effective to make sure they are all aware of their children's overall progress.

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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 had a tour of the premises with the manager.  The inspector observed activities in each playroom throughout the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector met with the manager and spoke with the staff at appropriate times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's learning journeys, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of practitioners working in the setting and a range of other records, policies and procedures.  The inspector took account of the views of parents through discussion.

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Information about the setting

Danesmoor House Day Nursery was re-registered at new premises in 2012 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a large detached property in Darlington, County Durham and is owned by a company. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It operates from eight playrooms and there is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 18 members of child care staff. Of these, two hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 2 and 16 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 including four with Early Years Professional Status or Qualified Teacher Status and two with degrees.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday, all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 100 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special needs and/or disabilities.

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

 provide a range of wheeled toys outdoors, such as trundle tricycles so that children can explore different patterns of movement and learn to balance

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

 continue to develop the good partnership with parents by ensuring that methods for sharing their children's overall learning and development are fully effective.

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who attend

Staff's good understanding of the revised Early Years Foundation Stage ensures that every child receives an enjoyable and challenging learning experience that is tailored to meet their individual needs. Staff carry out a baseline assessment with the parent for each child six weeks after they start to help them find out about and agree future areas of learning and development. Staff observe children and use this information to effectively plan future activities based on their individual interests. This helps to ensure children make good progress in their learning and development. For example, pre-school children's interest in water hoses outside led to the setting inviting the fire brigade to visit. Children use their imagination as they make a large cardboard model of a fire engine which they show to the fire personnel. Secure support is in place for children with special educational needs and or/disabilities. Staff work closely with parents to foster support. They meet with the parent

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who attend

to find out what they need from the setting and with the support of the local authority inclusion officer, work to meet children's individual needs. From a young age children show an appreciation for books. They sit on their own carefully turning the pages. Older children's listening and attention skills develop as they sit in a group and eagerly listen to a story being read. Staff support children in their understanding of sounds as they look for resources that start with the letter 's'. Babies develop a strong exploratory impulse as they start to move around the playroom so that they can explore the resources. Communication skills develop as they make sounds and gestures to attract staff's attention. Children become very confident speakers as they include visitors in their activities. For example, they touch visitors' hands to show that they have cold hands after playing in the snow. An interest is shown in play with sounds, songs

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who attend

and rhymes. During a craft activity, they start to sing a familiar rhyme as they use glue and glitter. Children enjoy rhymes such as 'Five little ducks' and show that they understand how to take one away and that they know how many they have left. A group activity in the pre-school has enabled children to think critically, play and explore as part of active learning. For example, they discuss how to make dens, look at pictures, contribute their ideas and pictures to a book and discuss what resources are needed. Over a period of time this leads to them imaginatively collecting resources and building dens in the garden.

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who attend

Partnerships with parents are strong. An appropriate key person system means that children and their parents build very positive relationships. Processes are in place for them to discuss their children's overall learning and development once a term and when children move up to the next room. However, this has not been fully effective for some parents resulting in them not being fully aware of their children's overall progress. Staff keep parents up to date on their children's day through a written sheet that they receive when they collect them. This includes information about nappy changes, meals, any sleep and activities their children have taken part in. Parents of two-year-olds meet their children's key person to discuss their children's progress and together agree the next steps in their learning and development.

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

Children develop secure attachments with staff at the setting. They are able to have as many settling-in visits as they need prior to starting and before they move rooms which helps them to become familiar with staff, children and routines. Staff contact the school that children will move to and invite the teacher to visit children at the setting and they pass on information about children's development. All of this helps children to make a smooth transition when there are any changes. Staff throughout the setting have a calm and consistent manner with the children. Staff follow sensitive behaviour management procedures. For example, staff that work with babies use distraction techniques and with older children staff look at what triggers the children's behaviour. They discuss any concerns with parents and put steps in place to help the children. Parents through discussion demonstrate that they are impressed with how children's behaviour is

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

Children are cared for in a safe, spacious, well-maintained and attractively-presented environment. Resources are easily accessible in each of the playrooms which develops children independence as they make their own choices. The nursery provides a wide variety of meals for children. They employ a chef who prepares meals daily taking close account of children's dietary requirements. Children enjoy their meals with pre-school children taking part in the preparation of snack as they butter their toast and choose whether they would like cheese on top. Their understanding of healthy eating develops as staff talk to children about the choices and use books to stimulate conversation. From a young age, children have more than sufficient space to move around their playrooms and the large garden. Babies enjoy bouncing on the soft play resources in their room. Older children learn to walk and run skilfully and to negotiate the space successfully, adjusting

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

speed or direction to avoid obstacles. A selection of resources is available for outdoor play, such as crates for children to build and climb with and planks for them to make ramps. However, there are no wheeled toys for them to master the art of balancing and moving around.

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provision

The owners and management team are very enthusiastic practitioners who have an excellent understanding of the revised Early Years Foundation Stage and how it impacts on what they offer. The owners ensure that they have a very good overview of the learning and development assessments that staff carry out on their key children. They analyse the data and use the information to inform priorities for improvement as part of the self-evaluation. For example, they have plans to improve number and mathematical opportunities for children. Staff are involved in the self-evaluation process through completing individual Ofsted self-evaluation forms. The owner reviews these and uses their suggestions to inform the overall nursery improvements. Parents are asked to complete a questionnaire about their views of the nursery. Positive comments have been received and where suggestions have been made these have already been identified as

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provision

A range of appropriate policies and procedures and robust systems to ensure the safe recruitment of suitable and highly qualified adults is implemented. Management ensure that every member of staff has undertaken a criminal record bureau check to ensure their suitability to work with children. Staff's ongoing suitability is monitored through their performance being reviewed and the manager carries out observations of their work. Professional development is encouraged and staff have attended a variety of courses over the last year. For example, they have attended training on first aid and how to administer an Epipen. More than sufficient staff are employed at the nursery to ensure that children remain safe in their care at all times. Staff understand their responsibilities to safeguard children and capably describe procedures that they would follow should a concern be raised to protect children from harm or neglect. Risk assessments are conducted for the

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provision

premises to ensure that any possible hazards are identified and minimised for children and staff carry out daily checks to make sure the premises continue to remain safe.

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provision

Partnership with external agencies is strong. For example, the nursery has been offered as a venue for breast feeding support, baby massage, baby yoga and birthing classes. This introduces prospective parents to the setting and becomes a familiar environment for their children should they wish to attend. The local authority inclusion officer gives regular advice to the staff and has observed their practice and made suggestions for improved practice. Staff work with agencies such as speech therapy who help them to develop an individual educational programme that they can work with when the children attend nursery. This helps them to meet the children's individual need. Parents voice their appreciation for all the staff and their hard work. They feel that the premises are very secure and that they could raise any concerns with staff or the management team.

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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 EY442381 Local authority Darlington Inspection number 901665

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 75 Number of children on roll 100 Name of provider Danesmoor House Day Nursery Ltd Date of previous inspection Not applicable Telephone number 01325 355010

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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. 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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