Starjumps Nursery, Creche and Out of School Provision

Starjumps Nursery Creche and Out of School Provision Furzefield Centre, Mutton Lane, Potters Bar, HERTFORDSHIRE, EN6 3BW

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 25/04/2013 15/11/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 3 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 3 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 3

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This provision is satisfactory

 Children are happy and growing in self-assurance because of the warm relationships quickly established with staff.  Mealtimes are sociable occasions when children chat about their interests and learn about good table manners.  Parents are provided with useful information about children's daily progress and what they have enjoyed at the nursery.

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It is not yet good because

 Staff do not always make the most of everyday routines and activities to extend children's understanding of mathematics.  Children do not have access to a sufficiently varied range of multicultural resources that reflect different cultures and backgrounds to promote children's understanding of the world.  Opportunities outdoors for children to develop in all areas of learning are not fully explored.  Self-evaluation has yet to be used to fully monitor all areas of the provision to accurately identify potential for improvement.

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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 observed children's play and staff interaction, indoors and outdoors.  The inspector and manager undertook a joint observation of a teaching activity.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of practitioners working within the setting, the provider's self- evaluation form and a range of other documentation.  The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day.

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Information about the setting

Starjumps Nursery Creche and Out of School Provision registered in 2010 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is managed by Hertsmere Leisure. It operates from the first floor of Furzefield Leisure Centre. There is an enclosed area available for outdoor play. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs eight members of staff. Of these, six hold appropriate early years qualifications, including one who holds Qualified Teacher Status.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday all year round. Sessions are from 7.30am until 6.30pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 54 children attending who are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who are learning English as an additional language and children with special needs and/or disabilities.

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must:

 improve the programme for mathematics by extending children's mathematical understanding through activities, such as, stories, games, imaginative play and through the daily routine.

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

 extend the range of resources in the role play area to include more toys and objects that reflect children's family lives and communities. Also include resources that reflect lives that are unfamiliar, to broaden children's knowledge and reflect an inclusive ethos

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

 improve the nursery environment further by extending resources outdoors for children to explore, build and role play

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

 extend the process of self-evaluation to fully monitor all areas of the provision and ensure planned actions to overcome weaknesses are concerted and effective.

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who attend

Children are welcomed into the friendly and warm environment where they show that they feel safe and secure. Children clearly enjoy learning through play, entering happily and eagerly choosing what they wish to do from the range of resources offered. They explore and play displaying emerging levels of independence and demonstrate a positive attitude towards learning. Staff have a developing understanding of the learning and development requirements. They observe the individual children's progress and record their development in their profile folders. Mostly, they use these effectively to plan and provide relevant experiences to meet the individual learning and development needs of all children. However, they do not always fully extend children's mathematical understanding through activities, such as stories and imaginative play or through the daily routines.

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who attend

The key person system supports effective links with parents and carers. Staff obtain information about the children's interests when they start and provide resources to aid the settling-in and initial assessment process. Staff communicate with parents on a daily basis and parents have regular opportunities to view their child's profile folder. This approach successfully engages parents in their children's education.

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who attend

Staff promote the communication and language skills of all children, including those learning English as an additional language or who have special educational needs. For example, the children eagerly join staff in singing familiar action songs and rhymes. Staff move around the playroom joining in with children's play, talking to them clearly and extending their vocabularies as they describe what they do. For example, when playing with dough, staff encourage children to 'squeeze, pinch and roll'. Staff support children's development in early literacy as children are eager to share books with them. They enjoy snuggling up together to share a favourite book, establishing children's interest in reading for pleasure and purpose. Older children are confident speakers, keen to introduce themselves to visitors to the nursery. Accessible writing materials are available for all children to practise their early writing skills.

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who attend

The indoor environment is organised to allow children to freely access a developmentally appropriate range of toys and resources covering all areas of learning. Staff place a range of interesting toys around babies to encourage them to explore the space around them. They are curious about the toys which have buttons and make a noise. They smile as the toys light up and produce sounds as they touch buttons. This helps them develop an understanding of how things work. Children play outside on a daily basis and the outdoor area promotes children's developing physical skills and confidence. Children choose from a range of physical play equipment, including wheeled toys, hoops and balls. However, there is scope to extend the range of resources outdoors to further support children's development in other areas of learning. There is a suitable mix of adult-led and child- initiated play experiences, which encourages children to be active learners as they move

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who attend

freely between activities of their choice. Consequently, they develop skills to support the next stage in their learning and their move to school.

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

A sound key person system is in place and this helps children to feel secure and have a sense of belonging. New starters settle quickly into the nursery due to the effective settling-in procedures, resulting in most children separating from their main carer with ease. A number of children are learning English as an additional language and their needs are supported because staff use some key words in the children's home language. However, there is scope to develop the inclusive ethos further by extending resources in the role play area that fully reflect diversity, to help children learn about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among different families and communities. Children's behaviour is generally well managed. Older children demonstrate they can negotiate and solve problems as they confidently inform staff if another child has upset them. They are learning to understand that their actions can hurt other children's

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

feelings. Regular praise and encouragement offered by staff promotes children's self- esteem.

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

Staff support children's emerging understanding of the importance of a healthy lifestyle that involves physical exercise and a healthy diet. Children benefit from regular fresh air and exercise during outdoor play. Staff provide nutritious snacks and meals, which include fruit and vegetables, and children's individual dietary requirements are met. At meal times, children sit in sociable groups joined by attentive staff. These small groups successfully promote children's conversation skills effectively as they chatter happily with their friends. Older children are learning about the need for good hygiene practices as they routinely wash hands before touching food and after visiting the toilet. As a result, these children achieve some independence in hygiene and managing their personal care.

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

Staff provide a suitably safe environment as they complete daily risk assessments to ensure both the indoor and outdoor play environments are free of hazards. Staff thread safety through daily routines to raise children's understanding, such as learning to take care with simple tools and follow rules when going outside. Children learn about safety through regular fire evacuation practice. These measures mean children enjoy their nursery experiences and have some emerging skills to underpin their eventual move to school.

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provision

Children's welfare is promoted because safeguarding regulations and duties are appropriately met. Staff have a suitable knowledge and understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures and are aware of their responsibilities in this respect. They know how to report and record concerns and have attended relevant training. Vetting and recruitment procedures check that all adults working with children are suitable to do so. The nursery adheres to regulatory ratios to meet the needs of all children and ensure their safety. Children are protected in the event of an accident because a number of staff have a current paediatric first aid certificate. Children play in a secure, safe environment where staff complete daily safety checks and regularly review risk assessments to promote their welfare. The manager and staff team demonstrate a commitment to the continual development of the whole provision and are beginning to identify priorities for improvement. The manager

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provision

recognises the importance of providing opportunities for staff, parents and children to contribute to the self-evaluation process. However, the system of self-evaluation is not fully developed to help ensure that children benefit from continued and improved practice in all areas. For example, the nursery has started to identify some realistic future targets for further development, however, they have not yet been fully implemented to enhance the provision for children.

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provision

The manager and her team demonstrate an appropriate knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They understand their responsibility to promote the learning and development of all children. The manager monitors staff performance informally through observations and working alongside the staff. Staff are supported to attend some relevant courses and gain additional qualifications. Suitable induction procedures are in place to support new staff and students and to help them understand their roles and responsibilities. The manager uses regular staff meetings to discuss and share any ideas and practice issues to further promote effective outcomes for children.

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provision

Effective procedures have been established to work with parents and as a result, parents speak positively of the care and learning their children receive. They describe the staff team as, 'friendly, approachable and caring'. They are kept up-to-date about their child's learning through daily verbal feedback and informative display boards. Effective relationships with other professionals and external agencies are established so that childrens needs are supported and help them to make progress.

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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 EY402500 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 879441

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 64 Number of children on roll 54 Name of provider Hertsmere Leisure Date of previous inspection 15/11/2010 Telephone number 01707850555

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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

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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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