Rothley Park Kindergarten

Rothley Park Kindergarten Ltd Loughborough Road, Rothley, Leicestershire, LE7 7NL

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 26/03/2013 22/10/2008

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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

 The setting is led and managed effectively. The manager strives for continuous improvement of the provision. She monitors the education programme well and ensures staff are supported in their training and professional development.  Children form secure emotional attachments with staff and show high levels of confidence and independence.  Children benefit from a highly stimulating and challenging setting, they are happy and enthusiastic learners who are eager to join in.  Children make good progress, their development is well-monitored and their next steps in learning accurately identified and well planned for.  Excellent relationships with parents and strong links with other settings support a shared approach to children's learning and ensure they receive consistent support.  Children's welfare is effectively supported because excellent measures are taken to keep the premises safe and well-maintained, and a range of healthy meals and drinks

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to develop children's understanding of the world by providing further opportunities for them to show care and concern for living things and the environment, for instance, by growing things and recycling.

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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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Inspection activities

 The inspector conducted a tour of the premises during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector observed children's activities and routines in indoor and outdoor play areas.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records and planning documentation and discussed children's individual progress with staff.  The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff.  The inspector discussed the settings self-evaluation form and improvement plan.  The inspector spoke to a number of parents during the inspection.

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Information about the setting

Rothley Park Kindergarten was registered in 2003 on the Early Years Register. It is privately run, and operates from purpose designed premises between the villages of Rothley and Mountsorrel in the Charnwood district of Leicestershire. Children are based in seven playrooms within the single storey building, and there is a separate facility on site that caters for a further 16 children. Cloakroom facilities are accessible from each playroom. Playrooms have individual enclosed outdoor play areas for children's use.

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Information about the setting

Including the manager, there are 35 regular childcare staff. Of these, 33 hold recognised qualifications at Level 3 or above. A further four staff are undertaking Early Years Foundation Degrees.

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Information about the setting

The kindergarten operates from 8am to 6pm from Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. It is able to provide care for a maximum of 113 children in the early years age range at any one time. There are currently 192 children on roll who attend for a variety of sessions. It provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The kindergarten receives support from the local authority and has links with a number of local schools and early years providers.

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

 extend the use of outdoors to enable children to investigate the natural world and increase their understanding of plants and the quality of the environment.

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who attend

Children settle into the setting very well and develop strong relationships at all levels with adults and their peers. Indoor areas are very well-organised to offer a welcoming and stimulating place for children to play. All play rooms are self-contained, with a bathroom and enclosed outside play area leading off. Each play room is spacious, brightly decorated and furnished with a wealth of good quality toys and resources. Consequently, children have space and scope to explore their surroundings and express their thoughts, ideas and feelings in a variety of ways.

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who attend

The setting delivers a good quality educational programme. Staff are knowledgeable about the learning and development requirements within the Early Years Foundation Stage and are skilled in using observation and assessment to guide their activity planning and intervention. As a result, children are well supported and make good progress. Children's activities are purposeful and based on their individual level of ability, to ensure they are challenging and enjoyable. They enjoy listening to favourite stories read to them by staff, and the environment is rich in print so they learn about words. Children are able to access resources independently, for instance, paper and pencils, chalk and chalk boards. This encourages them to make marks and older children are supported to recognise and write their own name on pictures. Children enjoy daily opportunities to be creative with art and craft resources, such as paints and glues. They explore and experiment with different

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who attend

mediums to create new effects and textures. For example, mixing two colours together to see what happens and combining cotton wool, glue and paint together to make a mixture. Children show excitement as they mix and squeeze the mixture with their hands and use it to design and create an 'alien' on paper.

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who attend

Children enjoy role-play and music sessions. They listen carefully to the different sounds of instruments. Staff encourage them to describe sounds, such as loud and soft. Children enjoy a game searching for Easter eggs hidden around the room. They learn to use their eyes to look around and how to work together with their friends to help each other to look. There is great enjoyment as they lift empty boxes, look underneath and behind furniture. They count the eggs they gather and add and subtract how many, sorting and matching the eggs according to their different coloured wrapping. A variety of activities are used to enhance children's awareness of the wider world, for instance, learning Indian Dance or making lamps for Diwali. Wall displays include images of all types of people, so children become familiar with and learn about similarities and differences. Books and toys are available in each room to further develop the children's understanding of inclusion and

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who attend

diversity. These promote discussion through which children learn to accept and respect different cultures, views and lifestyles. Children learn the importance of exercise and healthy diets to remain fit and well. Children have good opportunities for daily physical activity. A free flow system generally operates between indoors and outdoors when the weather permits, and this freedom to explore has a positive impact on their sense of well- being and helps with all aspects of their development. All areas of learning are covered and appropriate priority given to the prime areas of learning for younger children. However, there is scope to further extend children's understanding of the world, as they have less opportunity to engage in activities, such as planting and recycling, to develop a better understanding of growth, decay and how things change over time.

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who attend

Staff interact very positively with children during play and activities. They listen well as children talk and explain and model how things work. This all helps to extend children's learning. Staff are skilled in asking children purposeful questions to help them think and test their skills. This means children are effectively challenged and make connections in their learning. Prior to placement, staff gather as much information as possible about the child and their family and, as a result, become highly knowledgeable about the care and learning needs of every child in their care. Parents involvement is fully encouraged as they are invited to regular parents evenings to discuss their child's progress and view development records. Daily discussion and written diaries also ensure parents are aware what their child has enjoyed doing each day and what they have learnt. Parents are encouraged to add their comments and voice their ideas.

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

Children's care and well-being are effectively supported. Parents and children receive a warm welcome on arrival as they are greeted by friendly staff who take time to chat and share information. This helps ease children's separation from their parents. The setting offers an 'open door' policy where parents are welcome to stop by and chat at any time to the Manager or staff. Children receive good levels of attention and support because the required staff ratios are maintained. Every child has a key person and this works well throughout the setting and staff clearly know their children well. This helps foster secure emotional attachments and a strong base from where children can develop independence and explore. As a result, children settle well, display high levels of confidence and flourish at the setting. Children's transition is managed well within the setting and when moving on to school. The child's key person ensures suitable information is passed on when they

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

move into another room and parents are involved in the process. Children spend time in their new room beforehand and are moved up in groups whenever possible so they move up with 'friends'. These already established relationships helps children to feel more secure during their move. Good arrangements are in place to ensure children's smooth transition to school. Staff have a good understanding about what is needed to support children and reduce their anxiety and help them become ready for full time education. They talk positively to children about what to expect and use activities and story time to talk about routines. Children learn to be independent through the setting's routines and this also helps to prepare them for their next stage in learning.

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

Children play well alongside one another, sharing and taking turns. They show a good understanding of rules and listen well to instruction. Staff gain children's attention by putting their hands in the air, they then explain what is expected of them. Children begin to understand why certain behaviour is important and how their actions can affect others. They learn how to avoid danger, for instance, not to run around indoors and how to use scissors safely. Children are taught the importance of a healthy diet and exercise. They are provided with a nutritious hot meal at lunch time and they can access fluids throughout sessions and at mealtimes, such as milk, juice and water. Fresh fruit is served as a snack in between meals. This promotes children's good health. The routine encourages them to grow in independence; they learn when and why it is important to wash hands and why they need to put on their coats when going outside in cold weather.

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

Children engage in a range of play to promote physical skills. They learn to throw and catch bean bags, kick footballs and climb and balance on the large frame.

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provision

The manager and staff work very well together to provide a friendly and accessible service for children, parents and carers. Staff's knowledge of safeguarding procedures is strong and they have a clear understanding of how to recognise and report any child protection concern. Robust vetting and induction systems are in place to ensure all staff who work with children are suitable to do so. These measures help to protect children from harm and neglect. Excellent measures are taken to ensure the premises are safe and suitable for children to play. The premises are purpose built and well-designed to provide a high quality environment for children. All rooms are on one level with wide corridors to ensure easy access and movement. There is a high level of security with a closed circuit television system installed throughout. Effective visitor procedures are in place; visitors are asked to sign in and wear a badge and they are never left unsupervised. Staff all wear uniforms

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provision

and are easily recognisable. Thorough risk assessments are completed and updated as needed and staff carry out daily checks of the premises. As a result, children play in a safe and secure environment.

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provision

Staff have formed excellent working relationships with parents and engage them effectively. During interviews, parents were highly complementary about the setting and the quality of care and education their children receive. Staff work well alongside external agencies to support children who require additional help and support. They have close links with local primary schools and invite reception staff along to the setting to meet with children and their key person. This supports information sharing and continuity of care and education for all children.

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provision

The setting has a very good capacity to develop and maintain improvement because the manager and staff are proactive to change and are reflective practitioners. Staff use self- evaluation to identify the settings strengths and weaknesses and set targets for improvement that will have a positive impact on children. The educational curriculum is monitored effectively by the manager and senior staff, and includes regular observation of practice to ensure appropriate intervention and monitoring of children. Staff are highly motivated and committed to their professional development, attending regular training and some are currently undertaking a higher qualification. As a result, the quality of the provision was observed to be consistently good across all areas, with some outstanding aspects of practice in respect of safety and partnerships with parents.

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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 EY244466 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 910606

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 5 Total number of places 113 Number of children on roll 192 Name of provider Rothley Park Kindergarten Limited Date of previous inspection 22/10/2008 Telephone number 0116 2303888

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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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