Busy Bees at Harrow

Happy Child Day Nursery 1 Francis Road, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 2QZ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 11/04/2013 16/12/2008

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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

 A strong focus is upon enabling children to follow their own interests and this is helping to foster and develop an interest in learning.  Strong relationships have been established through the key person system so that children feel secure and ready to learn.  A good level of care is provided for all children and this ensures that their needs are being met well.  The staff are well trained and work well as a supportive team to improve the provision for children.  The manager has a clear vision for the future direction of the nursery and has developed a comprehensive action plan to implement a programme of ongoing improvements.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 children are not being taught to link sounds to letters when learning the alphabet as part of their early reading skills  there are few opportunities for children to explore new and unusual activities in the outdoor area.

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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

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged 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 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  scheduled 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 held discussions with the manager and members of the staff.  The inspector spoke to the children.  The inspector took account of the parents' views following discussions with them.  The inspector made a number of observations of activities.  The inspector viewed a sample of the nursery's documentation.

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Information about the setting

Happy Child Day Nursery was registered in 2003. It is one of the chain of nurseries operated by Happy Child Limited. The nursery operates from a converted building in Kenton in the London borough of Harrow. There are no steps to access the setting. The nursery entrance is via a reception area and once inside the play areas are on one level. Children are based in three different areas. There are level outdoor soft and grassed areas to the side and back of the premises. The access to the outdoor areas is by two to four steps. The nursery is open each week day from 8am to 6pm all year round, except for bank holidays. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are currently 73 children in the early years age range on roll. Children from the local and surrounding community attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery supports a number of children who learn English as an

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Information about the setting

additional language, and is in receipt of funding for free early education for three- and four-year-old children. There are 15 members of childcare staff, including the manager. who work with the children. The manager and 12 of the staff hold appropriate early years qualifications, including one with Qualified Teacher Status, two with National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) at level 4, six with NVQ at level 3, two who are working towards an NVQ at level 3, and two with NVQ at level 2. The nursery also employs a cook to cater for children's meals. The staff team collectively speak six different languages.

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

 help children to link sounds to letters when teaching the alphabet and developing their early reading skills when ready, so that children are prepared for school as well as possible

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

 provide activities that are new and unusual for children to explore in the outdoor area, in order to further promote their curiosity about the world around them.

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who attend

This is a well regarded nursery locally and consequently there is a strong demand for places, with current attendance running at near capacity for most days. A strong focus is placed upon enabling children to follow their own interests and to make their own choice of activities. Discussions with parents provide information about what their children enjoy doing and are interested in and these interests are taken into account when planning takes place. Regular planning meetings are held for all groups of children, and daily evaluations record children's successes and the progress they have made so that their next stages in learning can be planned, both for individuals and for the different age groups. Staff also reflect regularly on their practice in order to assess their effectiveness, and look for ways to improve the provision they offer.

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who attend

On arrival, children receive a warm welcome from staff and quickly and confidently leave their parents to 'self register'. They are familiar with the nursery's routines and choose an activity from the wide range that have been prepared and set up for them for the start of the day. The nursery is well resourced to support learning, and these resources are organised so that they are easily available to children. Activities provide experiences that cover the full range of areas of learning, for children of all ages. There is an appropriate balance of activities that are adult led and those chosen by the children themselves. The baby rooms are well resourced and colourful, providing a range of sensory activities that encourage children to explore by touching and shaking. They enjoy pushing and rolling toys and resources, and listening to the sounds they make. Staff sing repetitive songs that convey happy sentiments and provide a sense of rhythm. The older babies show how their

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who attend

speech is developing through the activities provided, and they can identify individual animals such as 'cow' and 'dog', through their play. They enjoy matching up the noses belonging to different animals as adults repeat the individual names to help develop their speaking skills. Several of the staff speak other languages, and they make good use of these to support children for whom English is not their home language.

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who attend

In the toddler room, activities are closely matched to children's interests. They enjoy creative activities, model making and using paints. They demonstrate good concentration skills as they carefully paint their model robots with brushes and rollers, showing developing manipulative and handling skills. This hand control will underpin their handwriting skills, as they eventually move into school. Adults use appropriate language to support their learning encouraging the children to 'press and roll' and to 'mix' colours together to create new ones. Other children are engaged by an adult using a puppet effectively to extend spoken language in an interesting and enjoyable way. They sing farm songs and match accurately each farm animal from the selection on the toy farm. Manipulative skills are supported through the provision of construction kits that children enjoy fitting together to make shapes and objects. Staff skilfully use open questions to

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who attend

extend children's thinking, and to enable them to develop their ideas further. Relationships are strong and this is particularly evident as staff and children play together when engaging in active play in the outdoor area.

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who attend

Relationships too are strong in the pre-school area where staff communicate well with children, use questioning to sustain their interest, and praise them for their efforts. Mark making opportunities are good and enable children to develop their early writing skills using a range of writing media and materials, stencils and templates. Children can use a computer keyboard to write their names with some assistance from the staff. However, they not yet being taught the sounds that letters make in order to develop early reading skills. Imaginative play is encouraged and adults join in to support role play as fire fighters through effective interventions with suggestions to stimulate children's thinking and the development of their own imagination. Children co-operate to build a tower from construction kits and show good team work as they work together to solve the difficulties of making it secure. An adult led activity provides opportunities for children to develop and

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who attend

reinforce their counting skills as they dexterously hook plastic fish out of a water container They are confident in their ability to count numbers up to ten, and some are able to count beyond.

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who attend

Regular opportunities are provided for outdoor activities, and these are timetabled due to the existence of steps down into the play area, where supervision is essential for children's safety. Children enjoy active physical play, as they run, ride tricycles, play and climb. Imaginative play is popular on the 'pirate ship'. In summer, children explore the natural area and hunt for insects and small forms of life, and observe the changing seasons, but generally the outdoor area lacks exciting opportunities to encourage children to investigate and explore by piquing their curiosity.

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

The key focus for staff is to ensure that children's interests are the basis for planning weekly and daily activities, and this is the case for all groups of children. Daily evaluations are made to ensure that children's needs are being met and to plan the next stages in learning for them by their key persons. Key persons establish areas of interest from the moment children start attending the nursery through detailed discussion with their parents. This approach also helps the nursery to establish developmental starting points from which progress over time can be assessed. Discussion also identifies particular needs, health issues, food allergies so that all children's specific needs can be met. Information regarding children with food allergies or specific needs is widely circulated among staff to ensure children's needs are strictly adhered to.

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

Strong trusting relationships are established and children are confident in their own safety in the nursery. A healthy eating programme is currently being delivered and links in with provision of healthy snacks and nutritious meals. These are cooked on the premises and menus rotated over a four week cycle. Daily opportunities to be active ensure children learn the fundamentals of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Children, as they develop independence, take more responsibility for their personal hygiene, such as hand washing, taking themselves to the toilet, and serving themselves at lunch and snack times. The babies show secure emotional attachment to their key person, and developing confidence in exploring their environment.

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

Good levels of care mean children feel safe and secure in the nursery, and their emotional well- being is seen as of paramount importance. Staff recently attended an in-house training session on promoting this aspect further in their nursery. A display in the pre- school room uses photographs on the 'wall of friendship' display of how children listen, help, play, share and care. They are encouraged to express their feelings and ideas, as well as their likes and dislikes.

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

Children behave well and follow the simple rules that allow them to play safely. Visitors to the nursery provide guidance on aspects of road safety, and dental health. Good hygiene practices ensure the prevention of the spread of infection when changing nappies or when preparing meals. Staff monitor behaviour closely, and manage pupils well so that there are few instances of poor behaviour. New children are integrated well and handled sensitively during their first few times away from their parents. This enables them to settle in and start to engage in activities with other children.

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

Children's cultural awareness is promoted strongly through the celebration of different religious festivals throughout the year. Parents provide strong support by sharing their cultural background and experiences, and through story telling with the children on occasions, such as at Diwali. A good range of costumes reflecting a range of cultures of the local community are in the role play area to support children's development.

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

The nursery has formed relationships with several schools in the local area, and arrangements exist for the sharing of information about children who are due to start school. In most cases school representatives visit Happy Child Day Nursery to meet the children and to get to know them before they transfer. These arrangements ensure that the children are prepared well for the move to the next stage of their education.

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provision

The manager is relatively new having been in the post for less than a year, but comes with considerable experience of working in nurseries. She has ensured that all staff are trained in child protection issues and know the procedures to follow in the event of concerns being raised. There is a clear and strict policy on the use of mobile phones and cameras, regular risk assessments are carried out and there are robust procedures for the appointment of staff including criminal record checks. All staff have been trained in paediatric first aid, and three staff have received 'First Aid in the Workplace' training. Food hygiene training has been undertaken by all, as well as thorough training in the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.

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provision

The majority of the staff are experienced and an ongoing staff development programme is in place, and linked in to staff appraisal. Opportunities are provided for ongoing self development in order to maintain the high standards of education and care. Three experienced but unqualified staff have been encouraged to embark directly on National Vocational Qualification at level 3. Quarterly training reviews are held linked to in-house training, as well as courses run by the local authority, with specific support and training for newly appointed staff. The manager has recently embarked on a quality assurance scheme entitled the Certificate in Managing Quality Standards, in order to develop her skills further.

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provision

Since starting, the manager has refocused the work of the nursery and made a number of positive changes after careful evaluation. She has increased the emphasis on children being at the heart of the nursery and focusing upon their interests so that these are reflected in the overall planning of activities and topics. There is a stronger drive for making activities more challenging for children in order to stimulate and improve their learning in a more interesting way. She is strengthening links with parents and welcoming them into the nursery to participate in activities, provides opportunities for their suggestions, and holds four parental open evenings each year. Termly newsletters keep parents informed about events, and a meeting organised to inform parents of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework was held recently. Parents who spoke to the inspector spoke highly of the level of care and provision made for their

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provision

children, and felt they were kept well informed about their children's progress.

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provision

Progress is monitored and tracked carefully to ensure all children are making appropriate progress. Staff complete daily evaluations in order to identify the next stages children need to take in learning. Staff are being encouraged to share more responsibility in other areas of the nursery, and to make decisions about their own development. The manager carries out regular observations of staff to monitor the quality of provision, and uses the outcomes to support staff development and embed stronger practice. The action plan also identifies some re-ordering of the premises in order to make more efficient use of the space available.

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provision

The new manager has had a positive impact on the nursery through her clear vision and drive for improvement. She has gained the confidence of her deputy and the staff who fully support her and her priorities for improvement. Positive support is also received from the local authority's advisory teacher and the line manager from Happy Child Nursery head office. The nursery is now well led and managed, and makes good provision for the children enabling them to make good overall progress from their starting points.

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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 action. 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 EY246603 Local authority Harrow Inspection number 907973

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 74 Name of provider Happy Child Limited Date of previous inspection 16/12/2008 Telephone number 0208 863 9977

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Type of provision

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: 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, which are usually the childminder’s 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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