Kidaroo childcare

Kidaroo Childcare Limited Ravenhurst County Primary School, Ravenhurst Road, Leicester, Leicestershire, LE3 2PS

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24/04/2013 08/12/2011

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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 diligently observe and assess children's development and use this information effectively to plan activities for individual children which builds on their existing skills. As a result, they make good progress in their learning and development.  The partnership with parents and outside agencies is effectively managed as staff are skilled in sharing relevant information regarding child development, ensuring that children's needs are met.  Children's independence and creativity is developing well because practitioners provide a wide range of interesting and accessible activities both inside and outdoors.  The management team are committed to the continuous development of the provision, using a robust system of self-evaluation to secure improvements in all areas. This creates a dedicated, motivated staff team, where everyone works together to ensure children benefit from a continually improving provision.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 There is scope to extend children's learning in the area of communication and language by providing opportunities for them to participate in group circle times and to listen without distractions.  There is scope to refine the routine of the day in order to support children's arrival and departure to the nursery, by making full use of the available space, time and resources.

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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 held a meeting and carried out a joint observation with the deputy manager at agreed times during the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked with staff and children at appropriate times during the inspection and observed activities in two playrooms and outside.  The inspector took account of the views of parents and carers spoken to on the day.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at evidence of suitability and qualifications of staff working with children and the provider's self-evaluation form.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation and a selection of policies and children's records.

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Information about the setting

Kidaroo Childcare Limited Pre-school has been registered since 2001. It is part of the Kidaroo Childcare Limited Group and is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It operates from a self- contained, purpose built, single-storey building in the grounds of Ravenhurst Primary School, Braunstone, Leicestershire. All children have access to a secure outdoor play area.

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Information about the setting

The setting employs 19 members of childcare staff. Of these, 10 hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3. The manager of the setting has Early Years Professional Status. The nursery opens Monday to Friday for 50 weeks of the year, from 7:30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 162 children attending who are within the early years age group. The setting provides funded early education for two-, three- and four-year-old children. It supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

 offer more regular opportunities for children to participate in group circle time, minimising distractions and background noise in order to fully support their listening and attention skills

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

 refine the procedures for the arrival and departure of children in order to fully utilise available time, space and resources.

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who attend

The staff team have a secure understanding of the revised Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and the quality of teaching is good. As a result, children make good progress in their learning and development. Staff recognise that children learn through play and effectively plan for their individual interests and the next steps in their learning. Systems to assess children's starting points and ongoing progress are well established. In addition, transitions within the nursery are well managed in order to ensure consistency of care. Further to this, staff have built positive relationships with schools in the local area, thus supporting older children's transition to school and their next stage in learning.

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who attend

Parents receive regular feedback helping them to feel included in their child's learning. For example, they are provided with both daily feedback and more detailed periodic written reports showing them what their children have achieved. They have easy access to their children's individual files, some of which have been translated in order to support parents whose first language may not be English. Parents are invited to borrow books and 'activity sacks' to use at home. In addition, they have easy access to a broad range of information about activities and learning objectives within the setting. Consequently, they are fully included and are helped to understand how to support their children's learning at home.

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who attend

Children's communication, language and literacy is generally well promoted across all areas of the setting. They enjoy easy access to a broad range of carefully presented books and reading materials. Very young children enjoy the one to one experience of sharing stories with staff and point animatedly at the familiar pictures. Older children choose books independently or engage in group stories at planned times. For example, children demonstrate their knowledge of familiar stories and the member of staff uses this opportunity to ask questions to recall the story. However, on occasion, the environment is not fully conducive in supporting children's listening skills in structured circle times, as their attention is interrupted by background noise and other distractions. Materials for making marks are widely available throughout the setting. Young children use their fingers to make dots and lines on paper with paint and use tools to make marks in play dough.

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who attend

Older children have the opportunity to begin to give meaning to marks as they experiment with writing during role play. For example, children make full use of the 'utility belts' containing pencils, pens and note books that are readily available in the 'superhero den'.

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who attend

Children with English as an additional language are well supported; staff are aware of the languages that children speak at home and fully support this within the setting, through their own knowledge and understanding. Parents are encouraged to share key words from home and children are provided with opportunities to hear and use a range of languages. Consequently, they value and recognise the skill needed to speak more than one language. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities are very well catered for. Staff work closely with parents and other professionals, along with the setting's special educational needs coordinator to monitor and review the progress that children make. All children have good access to the range of resources on offer due to their careful and considered presentation, promoting free choice and independence.

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who attend

Children's physical development is very well promoted. They have free-flow access to the very well resourced outdoor play area. They confidently show their increasing moving and handling skills, as they throw and catch balls and successfully traverse the wooden beam placed between two crates. Children play on the trikes and scooters, skilfully negotiating the space available and adjusting their speed as they avoid obstacles. Indoors they handle tools, objects and construction toys with increasing control. Children are introduced to mathematics in a variety of play activities and everyday routines, and spontaneously use number as they play. An example of this is a child referring to the number of 'lollipop candles' on her model of a birthday cake and successfully identifying that there are 13. Children experiment with quantities and measure as they pour lentils, rice and pasta from one container to the other and estimate how many spoonfuls it will take to fill them to the

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who attend

top. Staff encourage children's understanding of number as they play. For example, they encourage children to count as a ball is passed around the circle. They extend this learning to 'clap' to the rhythm of the ball as it is passed and noticing the difference in number as they get faster. Children enjoy exploring the pasta, rice and lentils in trays on a table. They use utensils, such as spoons and funnels to fill pots of various sizes. Staff talk to the children about colour, the feel of materials and model words, such as 'full' and 'empty' as they fill the pots. This gives the children good opportunities to explore shape, space and measure.

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

Staff pay close regard to the safety of children and ensure that activities, resources and equipment are appropriate to their individual needs. Careful consideration is made to the presentation of resources both indoors and out which ensures that children are able to make independent choices of what they wish to play with. For example, young children enjoy being creative as they use paint and brushes before moving outside where they choose to ride on bikes, play with water, sand or construction toys. Older children have easy access to a broad range of well-presented activities and equipment. Areas are clearly identified indoors and out and children move freely between them. On the whole, effective use is made of the available time, space and resources to ensure that children enjoy a good balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities. However, arrangements for the arrival and departure of children are less successful as children sit and wait for a

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

prolonged length of time, which reduces the amount of time that they have to play and learn.

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

A calm and caring atmosphere creates a positive learning environment for all and children are highly valued as individuals. Careful consideration is made to the allocation of each child's key person. This supports close bonds between children and staff and provides a strong base for children to develop their independence and explore. In addition, parents acknowledge and appreciate the warm welcome and ongoing support that they receive. All children show a strong sense of belonging within the provision and settle well because staff have a secure knowledge of their individual likes, needs and routines. They work closely with parents from the outset to gather all the relevant information and ensure that this is regularly updated to reflect any changes. Transitions within the setting and from one setting to another are well managed. This is because staff work well together as a team and have established positive partnerships with other providers, such as local pre-

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

schools and schools. For example, daily 'information sharing sheets' between staff, other providers and parents ensure the transition for children from one setting to another is effectively supported.

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

Children behave well. Older children play cooperatively with their peers and all children are encouraged to share, take turns and be kind to one another. Staff skilfully support children to understand the potential impact of their actions on others. For example, an older child is reminded to be 'gentle' when playing with a younger child so not to hurt them. Positive behaviour is consistently acknowledged and children's achievements recognised and celebrated, through sticker reward cards and enthusiastically sharing specific examples with parents. Children show growing responsibility within the provision, understand what is expected of them and are supported in taking risks and learning to manage their own safety. For example, younger children are encouraged to hold on as they climb the steps on the slide while older children enjoy the challenge of navigating the branches of the 'climbing tree' to reach the top safely.

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

Staff clearly understand the importance of good hygiene practices, which they successfully pass onto the children. Young children are changed regularly by their key person who also ensures that children's hands are washed before food and their noses are wiped. Older children are encouraged to manage their own personal hygiene and develop their independence. For example, they wash their own hands before eating and choose when and what they would like for snack, pouring their own drinks and choosing what fruit they would like to try. All children are offered a range of foods at lunch time, in conjunction with parents' wishes and reflective of children's individual needs and preferences. Children have recently been involved in the creation of their own personal place mats which not only detail specific dietary requirements but also emphasise healthy food choices. Children have lots of opportunities to be active and learn about the importance of exercise. They

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

frequently participate in physical activities both indoors and out. For example, children have free-flow access to the well-resourced outdoor area. In addition, they also take part in daily 'yoga' sessions where they consider different ways to move their bodies as they stretch, reach and practise 'relaxed' breathing.

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provision

Children are safeguarded as staff have a secure understanding of what to do if they have a concern regarding a child's welfare. All staff have attended training in safeguarding to ensure that they are up to date with any changes in legislation and of their roles and responsibilities. They advise parents of their responsibilities through discussion and access to the broad range of robust policies and procedures that underpin practice within the nursery. Clear and concise risk assessments are used to manage potential risks to children. These are regularly monitored and reviewed. All staff remain vigilant to children's safety and undertake daily checks on the indoors and outdoors of the setting. In addition, more focussed spot checks on specific areas, resources and equipment are undertaken in order to further promote children's safety.

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provision

Secure recruitment and induction procedures ensure that all those working with children are safe and suitable, having undergone robust vetting procedures. In addition, staff are asked every six months to declare their ongoing suitability to further support children's safety and well-being. Regular staff meetings for all staff or specific groups of staff ensure that they are kept informed of changes and have opportunities to share any concerns, ideas or good practice. Monthly supervision and yearly appraisals enable the management team to identify learning and training needs for each individual staff member. As a result, there is a skilled staff team in place, in order to support children's wide ranging needs. Staff work well together as a team and they have a clear overview of the curriculum through the regular and effective monitoring of the educational programmes. Planning and assessment are checked to make sure they are consistent and precise. Any gaps are

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provision

identified and action is taken in order to close them.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are well established and they speak highly of the welcoming staff group and the care that their children receive. Arrangements are effective in ensuring parents play a full and active role in their child's care and learning. All parents are invited to share their thoughts through face to face discussion and regular questionnaires. In addition, a recent initiative of 'weekend workshops' specifically for fathers has resulted in their positive feedback. For example, they state that as a result of the sessions they have felt 'more able to support their child's learning at home'. Effective links are in place with external agencies to ensure that those children who have identified needs gain the support they need. Staff have good systems in place to work with other settings, such as 'shared information sheets', to promote and extend children's continuity of learning.

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provision

The staff are enthusiastic, motivated and committed to providing a high quality service to children and their families. Actions and recommendations from the last inspection have been effectively addressed which has had a positive impact on the care and welfare of the children that attend. Arrangements to evaluate the provision are in place and a detailed action plan has been established to allow managers and staff to identify and work on areas for improvement, contributing to their continuous improvement.

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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 226457 Local authority Leicestershire Inspection number 910188

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 64 Number of children on roll 162 Name of provider Kidaroo Childcare Limited Date of previous inspection 08/12/2011 Telephone number 07917 334963

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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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