Garden House Nursery School

Stars Day Nursery 50 Gloucester Road, KINGSTON UPON THAMES, Surrey, KT1 3RB

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/05/2013 19/07/2012

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early years provision

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

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This provision is satisfactory

 Children's language and literacy skills are well supported, meaning that they make good progress in these areas.  Children are with the same staff through the day, giving them and their parents good consistency of care.  Leaders and managers set clear targets for improvement and measure their progress by looking at the benefits and impact on children.

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It is not yet good because

 Risk assessment is not as rigorous as it should be, and staff are inconsistent in messages they give about keeping safe, so children are exposed to hazards in their play.  Leaders and managers have few systems to monitor the progress that the children make in order to address the achievement gaps for individuals and groups.  The partnership with receiving schools is not well-established enough to support children fully in making the move to school.

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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 in each playroom and in the outdoors area.  The inspector examined a range of documentation.  The inspector met with leaders and managers.  The inspector and manager undertook a joint observation.

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Information about the setting

Stars Day Nursery in Kingston opened in August 2007 and has a sister setting in Worcester Park. It operates from a converted house in Gloucester Road, Kingston-upon-Thames. Children have access to a secure outdoor play area. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and on both parts of the compulsory Childcare Register. There are currently 54 children in the early years range on roll. Children aged three and four years are funded for free early education. The nursery is open each weekday from 7.30am to 6.30pm for 51 weeks of the year and closed on all bank holidays. Children may attend for a variety of sessions. The nursery employs 11 staff, eight of whom are qualified; this includes the manager. Two staff members are working towards early years qualifications. The nursery provides care for children who have English as an additional language.

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must:

 improve risk assessments to remove or minimise hazards to children.

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

 monitor the planning and children's assessments to make sure that any achievement gaps for individuals or groups of children are identified and addressed

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

 build partnerships with external agencies, particularly schools, to support children in meeting their needs

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

 provide children with consistent messages about how to keep themselves and others safe while they play.

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who attend

The nursery staff have a sound and suitable knowledge of how to meet the learning and development requirements. They provide a broad range of activities that interest and engage children in purposeful play across all areas of learning. Children have appropriate opportunities to be independent, active learners. Staff have an appropriate awareness of how children learn and encourage them to initiate their own play. In this way, children make suitable progress in their learning and development.

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who attend

Pre-school children enjoy story times because staff take care to involve them in thinking about the story and asks for their views. For example, staff ask why a character might be cross, which encourages children to think about the story as it relates to their own experiences. Children are confident to talk in the group and enjoy sharing their ideas, building their verbal skills in self-expression. Children choose the stories they want to hear and frequently bring books from home to share. They practise writing their names on their artwork and in special writing books. Children can identify letter sounds and suggest words that contain those sounds. This demonstrates that children make good progress in their language and literacy skills. Children enjoy playing with construction bricks and create their own cars and trains, as well as using small world equipment. Staff take the time to preserve any models children have made so that they can use them in future play.

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who attend

Children enjoy imaginative play and use well-prepared resources to pretend they are in a caf or restaurant. Babies and young children enjoy exploring a range of toys and resources. They explore freely and staff are alongside them to play and bring out any learning. For example, babies enjoy exploring boxes and climb in and out of them with increasing skill and confidence. Staff echo babies' facial expressions and the sounds they make to encourage their communication. Staff take special notice of the babies' achievements such as taking those first steps, or for giving up their dummy. They write these achievements up for the 'Wow board' where parents and staff celebrate children's progress. This develops children's sense of pride and self-esteem.

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who attend

Staff make frequent observations of children's activities and learning to note their progress. They track children's development using the guidance in 'Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage'. This helps them to see where children are in their development and plan for their next steps. Planning takes appropriate account of children's individual learning needs so activities are targeted accurately. Staff make regular summary assessments to review children's progress in each area of learning. This format is also used for the progress check at age two. Overall, children's progress is sound, with strengths in some areas. This means that children are suitably prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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

All children have a key person who oversees their care and learning and liaises with the family. Children have the same carers all day, and parents see the same staff at drop-off and picking-up times. This gives families strong confidence and assurance in the consistency of care. Children are very secure and are happy in the nursery. Staff have a detailed knowledge of every child's allergies and food preferences, as well as the care routines of younger children. Staff are careful to share with parents how babies have slept, for example, as their routine changes. This helps children to feel contented and comfortable.

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

Children have appropriate opportunities to play daily in the fresh air. There is a suitable range of climbing frame and slide equipment that suits the physical development needs of younger children. Older children set their own challenges, such as by building dens. Staff are inconsistent in the safety messages they give to children. For example, children with good football skills are not shown how to play safely, and other children are at risk of being hit by the ball. Some staff ask children to not run indoors, but this is not consistent across the team. Overall, this reduces children's ability to learn how to manage risks and keep themselves safe. Children enjoy a balanced diet with freshly cooked meals and healthy snacks. Children can serve their own food and take responsibility for their plates and cups. This gives them good opportunities to develop their independence and self-care skills.

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

Staff have created learning environments where children can independently initiate their own play. Boxes of toys and play equipment are labelled with words and pictures to help children choose. Each room contains a variety of homemade, found and recycled items which children enjoy exploring. Outdoors, the learning environment provides for all areas of learning. Children can draw or paint, build dens or use natural dens created by mature shrubs and trees. Homemade items such as colour-filled bottles and streamers show the effects of wind and weather, enhancing children's understanding of the world. Children's behaviour is generally good. They cooperate in their play and are assertive about taking turns and sharing. Children invite their friends to play with them and enjoy taking responsibility for small tasks, such as tidying up. Children enjoy the accurate and descriptive praise that staff give, so they know what they have done well. Children point

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

out their stickers with pride and enjoy these rewards given for helpfulness. Overall, children have the skills and confidence they need for the next stage in their learning.

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provision

The managers have a sound understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. Staff undergo robust suitability checks and have a thorough induction and probationary period. This helps to make sure that staff are suitable for their role. Staff know who to report to with any concerns they may have about a child's welfare. Staff have frequent opportunities to familiarise themselves with policies and procedures. Managers and staff have a robust approach to documentation that underpins children's welfare. For example, records related to any incidents and accidents are very detailed. Similarly, staff deployment methods demonstrate a thorough approach to ensuring staff to child ratios are met at all times. The inspection was carried out in response to concerns raised about children's safety in the setting. The inspection found that management has taken action to ensure adult scissors are always stored out of reach of children. However, some hazards

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provision

to children have not been identified and addressed in the risk assessment. These include the storage of a ladder in the children's play area. This is a breach of requirements of the Early Years Register and of both parts of the Childcare Register.

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provision

Staff have suitable opportunities to develop their skills and qualifications. Managers carry out annual appraisals and regular supervision that identifies their strengths and areas for improvement. Personal development plans and room improvement plans are appropriately followed up to ensure that targets are being met. Managers support staff in developing their understanding of how to track children's learning and development. However, managers do not have an established system for monitoring the curriculum or in tracking the learning and development of groups, such as those speaking English as an additional language. This reduces their ability to reflect on the effectiveness of the curriculum in terms of meeting children's learning and development needs. Following recent changes to the management team, managers are working to set clear targets for improvement. For example, they have made improvements to the learning environment in the pre-school

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provision

room to provide children with more challenging activities. This has had a positive impact on children's behaviour and achievements. They have also identified the need to improve their links to local schools and other agencies. This demonstrates that the nursery has a sound capacity for continuous improvement.

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provision

Nursery staff prepare transition reports for children who will be moving on to school. They also talk with children about school and have storybooks which help children to become familiar with aspects of school life. However, the nursery's links to receiving schools are not well established, which reduces the nursery's effectiveness in supporting children through this change. The nursery has established working relationships with childminders, nannies and other carers. This promotes consistency of care for the children. Parents can meet with their child's key person at any time. Their child's learning and development folder is always available. Parents can raise any issues or ideas they have during 'Open mornings' which are held twice a year. The management team respond promptly to emails and calls from parents, which builds open and communicative relationships. Parents spoken to on the day of inspection value this openness and say it helps them to feel

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provision

secure in the care provided to the children. Parents appreciate how confident their children are in going to the nursery.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 ensure the premises and equipment used for the purposes of childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (compulsory Childcare Register).  ensure the premises and equipment used for the purposes of childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (voluntary Childcare Register).

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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 EY360354 Local authority Kingston upon Thames Inspection number 918122 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 32 Number of children on roll 56 Name of provider Stars Childcare Group Limited Date of previous inspection 19/07/2012 Telephone number 0208 5473216

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Setting details

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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