diandjims@Prudhoe

diandjims@Prudhoe Balloon House, Broomhouse Lane, Prudhoe, NE42 5FT

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/04/2013 25/08/2009

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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

 Staff have a good knowledge and understanding the Early Years Foundation Stage and use it successfully in practice. Therefore, they plan activities well that build on children's interests so that they make good progress in their learning.  Children feel safe and secure, and staff build good relationships with them. This means that children's personal, social and emotional needs are well met.  The manager has a clear overview of the welfare, learning and development requirements, and the staff team are very well supported through good training opportunities. This means that all children are cared for by competent adults who meet their individual needs.  Parents are welcomed into the provision by friendly staff and they are pleased with the care and education that their children receive.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Some sensory activities are not organised in a way that makes them entirely accessible to toddlers, which means that they are not able to make the most of the experiences on offer.  Staff do not offer sufficient support to children at lunch times. This means that children are not fully helped to learn good social skills and to develop their communication and conversational skills further at this time.

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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 spoke to staff, children and parents, and viewed a sample of the children's 'learning journeys' and parents' feedback letters.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held a meeting with the manager and viewed some policies, staff files and improvement plan documents.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector viewed the premises and equipment and observed activities and routines in the nursery rooms and the outdoor area.

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Information about the setting

diandjims@Prudhoe was registered in 2004 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is managed by a limited company and operates from two rooms within a building based in the grounds of Adderlane First School in Prudhoe, Northumberland. The nursery serves the local area and is accessible to all children. It provides wrap-around care for children who attend the nearby school nurseries. There is a fully enclosed area available for outdoor play and they use the school grounds during school holidays.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs eight members of childcare staff, all but one of whom hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens Monday to Friday from 7.30am until 6pm, apart from Bank Holidays and one week at Christmas. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 50 children on roll who are within the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-olds. It supports children with special needs and/or disabilities.

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

 encourage and support toddlers with mark making during sensory activities, so that they are able to feel and explore media, such as 'gloop', easily with their hands and fingers

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

 provide more support for children at lunch times, so that they benefit from staff's input to help them make further progress in their social and communication skills.

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who attend

Staff have a good understanding of how to use the Early Years Foundation Stage in practice. Therefore, they plan activities to ensure that they build on children's interests and meet their learning needs. For example, when a key person notices that toddlers are interested in cars and things that move, they build this into their planning. When they use sensory materials, such as shaving foam, they are given small cars and trucks, which keeps them interested and engaged in creative and messy activities. Although the adult- led 'gloop' play session is reasonably well organised, the toddlers have some difficulty seeing into the tray and they are unable to reach and explore it freely with their hands and fingers. This means that they do not fully benefit from the experience of sensory exploration.

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who attend

Toddlers are happy and are actively involved in a varied range of planned and self-chosen activities throughout the day which meet their all-round learning and development needs. They become animated when they look at books. They turn the pages by themselves and point to and name pictures that they recognise, which promotes their language skills well. Toddlers can easily see into the pre-school room. When they hear the music playing and watch the older children singing and dancing, they stand beside the safety gate, bend their knees up and down and wave their arms. The manager notices the toddlers doing this and opens the gate so that they can join in with the pre-school group and the music activities. This shows that she is a good role model for staff and understands that activities need to be based on and led by what children do and what they show an interest in, rather than set routines.

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who attend

Pre-school children enjoy their time in the nursery and they are involved in home-from- home activities. For example, when the supermarket shopping arrives by van, they all eagerly help to carry bags and items to the cupboards and rooms and know where things go. They love to sing and dance to music using streamers, and choose their favourite songs to sing at small group time. Well-planned adult-led activities, such as baking and icing cakes, promote children's understanding and ensure that they are ready and prepared for the next stage in their learning, such as school. For example, during this activity children learn about mathematical concepts in a fun way. They help to count out, pour and weigh ingredients correctly. Staff ask children questions, such as how many eggs they have, what the ingredients are called and why they would not be allowed to put them in the oven. This makes children think and respond, which promotes their understanding,

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who attend

Parents are encouraged to take home the children's 'learning journey' files, and these are easily accessible to them. As well as regular verbal exchanges, parents and staff use individual daily diaries for the younger children, which keeps them well informed of their child's routines and care, and the activities they enjoy. The 'learning journeys' contain regular written observations and photographs on what children know, understand and can do. They also give a good overview of where they are at in their development. This is because staff link observations to the prime and specific areas of learning. They also use 'Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage' very well to establish if children are showing typical development for their age. Progress summaries are completed periodically as well as the required progress check at age two. This helps key persons to target specific support and helps to identify any gaps in children's development. This

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who attend

means that children receive appropriate intervention where necessary so that they continue to make good progress in their learning.

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

Children play in a welcoming, spacious environment, and the prime areas of learning are well planned for. For example, children easily and independently access their toys and activities, and the equipment is stored at their level. Good labelling, such as with pictures, photographs and words, enables children to recognise and find what they are looking for. Their physical development is well promoted and they love to be outdoors in the fresh air. They choose hats and gloves to wear if they have not brought their own, and they know where to find their coats and are encouraged to put these on by themselves. Children run around energetically in the school yard and have lots of fun. Staff roll hoops and kick balls to them, which promotes their physical skills and good health very well. Interaction is good and staff communicate well with children at their level. They have very good relationships, which promotes children's personal and emotional development. Children

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

approach their key person for cuddles and reassurance when they are feeling tired or unsure of something. They snuggle into them, which shows that they are forming good emotional attachments to the adults who regularly care for them. Staff recognise when toddlers are becoming restless during activities and need a change of scenery. Therefore, they respond to children's care and individual needs very well.

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

Staff ensure that children are safe. They follow safe practices within the rooms and when accessing outdoors. For example, on the walk to the school yard, younger children use reins or wrist straps, and older pre-school children walk together carefully holding hands across the car park, and staff lock the gates behind them. Staff also count children regularly and provide close supervision to ensure that they cannot get lost or access areas that are out of bounds, such as the ramp up to the school. Overall, children's behaviour is good. Staff offer regular reminders to help children learn right from wrong. This helps children to understand boundaries and what is acceptable and what is not. Toddlers become excited when they see their friends arrive as they begin to recognise familiar people, and they play alongside each other well. They come into the nursery happily and leave their parents easily without fuss or upset, which shows that they are self-assured

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

Good hygiene practices are followed and children enjoy substantial, healthy meals and regular snacks that are cooked and prepared fresh on the premises. Children are encouraged to pour their own drinks and return their utensils when finished, which supports their independence well. Although staff are available around lunch time, they tend to do other tasks and do not sit with the children to use the opportunity to effectively help them with their socials skills and conversation. This means that children are not fully supported in this respect during this time.

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

Transitions from home to nursery and when moving from the baby room to the pre-school room are managed very well. Parents fill in a transition summary form when their children first start, which helps staff to identify children's individual interests, traits, routines and who is important to them. At around the age of two years, children move up to the bigger, pre-school room and this process is discussed with parents. Children have short planned visits and the child's key person goes with them, so that they have a familiar adult they can relate to. The rooms are adjacent, therefore, toddlers easily see into the pre-school room and occasionally spend time with older children. This ensures that children cope with the change well. Transition forms are also used to hand over to new key persons, so that they have a good understanding of how to meet children's individual needs.

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provision

The educational programmes, planning and assessment are monitored well. This means that the manager and deputies have a clear overview of children's progress and how best to support them in their next steps. The systems they use also help to identify where the gaps are in children's learning. Staff occasionally receive advice and guidance from the local authority development workers. They use information such as this to gain a clear understanding of how to implement the Early Years Foundation Stage successfully in practice. The organisational plan is accessible to staff and regularly updated to remind them of what to do in particular instances; for example, what resources are needed and which children are due a development or progress check. This means that staff are well aware of their responsibilities in ensuring that children make progress and the environment is enabling, so that children receive the targeted support they need.

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provision

The manager has addressed the action and recommendation from the last inspection, which has improved the staffing structure and the way in which children's progress is monitored. Self-evaluation is good because staff use a 'focused improvement plan' to help them identify issues that need developing. Anything they change or update is done via this system. The manager is very hands on and will note and address any issues within the nursery straight away. She also monitors staff performance through regular appraisal meetings. After attending training, staff are expected to follow very clear action points set by the manager, to show how they will implement what they have learned from the training. This helps the manager to evaluate the value of training and ensures that what staff learn is put into practice to benefit the children. Clear recruitment and selection procedures are followed. Staff are longstanding so they rarely need to appoint new

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provision

members of staff. However, all new staff would attend interviews and be fully vetted before they can work with the children. Staff are supported through regular training opportunities and are encouraged to seek higher qualifications. For example, the two deputies now hold childcare qualifications at level 4 and are aiming to complete degree courses in the near future. This means that children are well supported by knowledgeable, dedicated staff.

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provision

There are an abundance of noticeboards in the foyer and in the rooms, with the aim of keeping parents updated. Staff encourage parents to contribute to the 'wow' board to add information about what their children achieve. The manger understands the importance of encouraging parents to be involved in their children's learning. She directs them to the website, advises parents to come in and visit, and ensures that staff hold regular conversations when children are dropped off and collected. Staff pride themselves on providing a welcoming, flexible service, and always encourage parents to stay with their children as long as they want. Parents are pleased with the nursery; they state that their child's 'development has come on great' and positive letters state that staff are 'energetic and enthusiastic' and they think that this is a 'fantastic nursery'.

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provision

Children are well protected. The manager and designated staff member for child protection have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Reporting and recording systems are clear, to ensure that any concerns about a child are addressed so that they are safeguarded well. There is a staff member who takes responsibility for supporting children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and works well with the designated child protection officer. They share information to ensure that they target support for children and families who need it. The safeguarding, whistle blowing, camera, mobile phone and complaints policies are up to date and read periodically by staff. This ensures that they understand their responsibilities and are clear about their role to keep children safe. Staff are well trained and practise good routines with the children, which are underpinned by secure documentation and policies. For example, the attendance record is

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provision

completed correctly and 'head count' charts are used as a back-up, to ensure that the numbers of children and staff present comply with requirements at all times. They take first aid kits on outings, record medication, accidents, nappy changes and sleep times, and they regularly check on sleeping babies. This means that children remain safe.

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provision

The nursery provides a wrap-around service to support parents and children who attend other early years settings. There is a three-way book that children keep with them so that parents and all staff can document any particular learning, development or care issues. The manager also has regular conversations with teachers when she drops off and picks up children. This means that children benefit from good consistency and continuity in their learning.

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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 EY283465 Local authority Northumberland Inspection number 907979

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 50 Number of children on roll 50 Name of provider Diandjims Limited Date of previous inspection 25/08/2009 Telephone number 01661 831831

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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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