Ashbourne Day Nurseries at Epping

Little Flyers 10 Woodside Camp, Woodside Road, Thornwood, Epping, Essex, CM16 6LJ

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 28/03/2013 13/10/2010

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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 1 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 2

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This provision is good

 Children engage in a wide range of interesting activities and make good progress in all the areas of learning and development.  Staff work very well together as a team and are highly motivated, creating a secure, safe and successful learning environment for children.  Children form extremely strong bonds and emotional attachments with their key persons, which help them gain a very positive sense of well-being and belonging.  The nursery has highly effective arrangements to help children settle when they first attend, when they move from one age group to another and when they make the transition into school.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Strategies to encourage all parents to share regular observations about their children's learning at home are not always highly successful. As a result, inconsistencies arise in the continuity of learning between home and nursery for some children.  Self-evaluation and monitoring of the provision does not always involve parents and children, to ensure their comments contribute to the continuous improvement of the nursery.

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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 activities in four playrooms, the sensory room and garden.  The inspector spoke with the manager, staff and children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of families by speaking to parents and grandparents on the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at policies, procedures, registers, risk assessments, children's learning journals and other relevant documentation.

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Information about the setting

Little Flyers Day Nursery was registered in 2001 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a re-designed and extended single-storey building within the Epping Forest District in the village of Thornwood, Essex and is a family run business. The nursery serves the local community and wider areas and is accessible to all children. The nursery operates from four playrooms and all children have access to a secure outdoor play area, a sensory room and activity hall. The nursery also offers care to children aged over five years up to 12 years. Staff escort children to and from local primary schools and the nursery also has links to an after school club at Epping Primary School.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 21 members of staff. Of these, 12 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above, including the managers. Five staff members are currently working towards their early years qualifications.

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Information about the setting

The nursery opens Monday to Friday for 51 weeks of the year. Sessions are from 7.30am to 6.30pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 94 children on roll, 60 of whom are in the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. The nursery receives support from the local authority and 4Children.

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

 develop existing communication systems with parents further to encourage all to share observations about their children's learning at home, to ensure continuity in children's learning between home and nursery

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

 develop further a clear action plan to cohesively take account of parents' and children's views when reflecting on practice and the future improvement of the nursery.

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who attend

Staff work very well as a team, they support each other and have a good knowledge of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. They carry out frequent observations of children and assess their development using Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage, and other appropriate documentation, to plan for individual children's progress. Children's learning journals include photographs, children's artwork and details of assessments, which show where children are in their development and identify the next steps in their learning across all areas. The well-embedded key person and buddy system ensures that all practitioners use effective support systems to meet the learning needs of all children. Staff are well deployed and the quality of teaching is good. Play equipment and resources are of a good quality and positively support children's early learning in all seven areas. Staff have high

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who attend

expectations of children based on accurate initial assessments of their skills and stage of development gained from information obtained from parents on admission to nursery. Parents are invited to take home their children's learning journals and to contribute their own observations about their children's development. However, this method is sometimes inconsistent and therefore not always highly successful. This affects the continuity of learning between nursery and home for some children.

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who attend

Staff promote the development of communication and language skills through engaging children in conversation and asking open-ended questions. They offer them choices and ask children which songs they want to sing, responding enthusiastically when younger children say, 'baa baa'. Older children learn that other places in the world use different languages. For example, when children pretend to make a birthday cake for a friend, staff remind them to sing the version of 'Happy Birthday' they have learned in the Welsh language. Children's personal, social and emotional development is supported as staff join in when they play 'mummies and daddies' and talk to them about sharing and being gentle with their 'babies'. Children's imagination is stimulated when they explore the soothing resources of the sensory room. They pretend the ball pool is a bath and learn to take turns and share as they splash about with the balls, and other children find ducks to

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who attend

There is a good balance between adult-led and child-initiated play. Children are offered choices and make decisions about their own play. For example, in a sticking activity one child wants to cut the paper, so is found a pair of scissors, although this is not part of the planned activity. Children's physical skills are developing as they march around the playground and whizz around on scooters and tricycles. They enjoy counting the steps they take when they play 'What's the time Mr. Wolf' and squeal with excitement when the 'wolf' chases them. Their fine physical skills and concentration are supported as they decorate cut out Easter eggs and make Easter cards and baskets to take home for their families. Children enjoy learning through play as they choose from the wide range of freely accessible resources. Children are very well supported in the skills that help them become ready for school. Their pre-reading and pre-writing skills are developing as they

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who attend

trace their names from left to right and feel proud when praised for their achievements. Their skills in mathematics are developing when they play counting and matching games.

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

Children are extremely happy and confident. They are friendly and very self-assured. Key persons ensure that children are very competently supported and they build extremely close and affectionate relationships with them. Staff really care about the children and their welfare, they know them extremely well and fully understand their needs. Children who feel unwell are sympathetically supported and cared for until parents or carers can collect them. Parents and carers are welcomed into the nursery at any time, which helps to make the children feel very secure and contented. Families are very complimentary about the staff and say they are extremely happy with the care their children receive. Children feel they belong in the nursery as easily accessible, personalised drawers are available for them to keep their own possessions in, and the coat pegs and registration board also bear their name and chosen picture. Children's behaviour shows that they feel

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

very happy and safe in the nursery. Staff set realistic boundaries and are kind and patient when managing unwanted behaviour.

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

Staff take great care to ensure that all children are protected, and their health and medical needs are fully supported. There are clear policies and procedures for the recognition and management of allergies and food intolerances. Healthy eating is excellently promoted as the chef provides nutritious and freshly cooked food at meal times and fruit at snack time. Children learn to be independent and to take responsibility as they wash their own dishes after snack. Children are taught to manage their own personal care, according to their age and stage of development. Children enjoy washing their hands using the pump soap dispenser saying, 'look it's a snake' as they squirt out the soap onto their hands. This helps children to learn about and independently follow good hygiene routines. Children's good health is promoted very well through effective nursery routines and procedures, such as the removal of shoes before entering the baby room so that babies can crawl and play

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

in a clean environment. Care routines are displayed on the walls of the baby room to ensure that individual babies' needs and routines are followed to ensure continuity of care between home and nursery. There is a very stimulating, well-resourced environment, both indoors and outdoors. Children have opportunities to take part in physical activities which strengthen their muscles and they have plenty of opportunity for playing outside in the fresh air at all times of the year. Children receive praise and affirmation for all their achievements and staff are keen to show their pleasure at children's successes, which enhances children's feelings of self-esteem and self-worth.

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

Children are thoroughly safe in the nursery. All visitors sign in and out and security is high. No person can enter the premises unannounced. The use of mobile phones is not allowed in the nursery by any member of staff. Babies and toddlers are safe because good quality, robust baby equipment and furniture is provided where they can be securely held by harnesses and staff frequently check that all equipment is kept clean and in good repair. Tables and floors are regularly cleaned and regular fire evacuation practice gives both staff and children the confidence about what to do in an emergency. Examples of children's work displayed on the walls, photographs of children and staff help children to feel very at home in the nursery. Children are well prepared for the transition to the next stage in learning because the staff provide opportunities for them to learn about other settings and school uniforms are available for children to dress in and try out. Children

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

from the after school club are also invited into the pre-school room to help younger children develop their social skills with older children.

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provision

Staff have a good knowledge of the Early Years Foundation Stage and understand how young children learn. Assessment and planning systems are regularly monitored to ensure they are consistent and accurately demonstrate an understanding of all children's abilities and skills. The leadership of the setting is good because the management team and staff are motivated and committed to the continuous evaluation and improvement of the nursery. Self-evaluation is carried out and there are systems in place to monitor and assess the quality of the provision. However, as the views of parents and children are not consistently incorporated into the monitoring processes, this information is not available to drive future improvements which are reflective of users' needs. The management structure is strong and supports the staff team well. Staff are encouraged to attend training to continuously improve their knowledge and understanding and to gain additional

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provision

qualifications. The management team uses regular staff meetings to discuss and share ideas to further promote the provision for children. The management team monitors staff performance through appraisals, and through observation and working alongside the staff. Rigorous recruitment systems are in place to ensure that all staff are suitable to work with children. There are clear induction and probationary procedures.

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provision

Effective systems are in place for safeguarding children to ensure their welfare is protected. Clear management responsibilities in relation to child protection have been established. This includes having named designated persons responsible for ensuring the correct safeguarding procedures are followed if there is a concern. Documentation for the safe and efficient management of the nursery is in place. This includes the nursery's policies and procedures, which the management team ensure are implemented consistently. Children's safety is paramount to the nursery. Risk assessments take place daily and any hazards identified are immediately removed. Staff supervise children closely as they play and have a thorough understanding of how to promote children's welfare. Children are always within sight and sound of staff and never left unattended. All staff undertake paediatric first aid and food hygiene training. Accidents are efficiently and

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provision

effectively managed and documented, and parents appropriately informed. Staff form positive partnerships with parents and keep parents informed about their children's learning through daily verbal feedback and examples of children's work. Parents are very complimentary about the nursery and the staff and report that their children are making good progress. Information sharing is effective within the nursery and between all other agencies, and this eases the children's transitions between rooms and to other settings or to school.

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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 405004 Local authority Essex Inspection number 909987

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 90 Number of children on roll 94 Name of provider First Years Nursey Ltd Date of previous inspection 13/10/2010 Telephone number 01992 571258

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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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