Kinderbear Nursery Ltd

Kinderbear Nursery Limited Thompson Street, Padiham, Burnley, BB12 7AP

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 29/04/2013 07/09/2011

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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

 Children are happy and form strong bonds with practitioners, as a result of effective settling-in processes, including successful partnership working with parents and a well- organised key person system.  Practitioners take great care to create a bright, stimulating and accessible environment. Consequently, children develop a strong sense of belonging and good levels of independence and confidence as they initiate their own learning.  There is a strong drive for improvement by all who work at the nursery, in order to support children's continual achievements. This is reflected in effective self-evaluation, in which priorities are highlighted in robust development and action plans.  Parents are effectively informed about and involved in their children's learning and development. Consequently, this consistent approach ensures that children are supported in making optimum progress.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 Practitioners do not fully consider the use of outdoors for children under one year, in order to effectively promote their physical development.  There is scope to improve the range of printed material available to children under two years, to enhance their interest in different types of literature.

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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 the nursery rooms and the outdoor learning environment.  The inspector held meetings with the provider and manager of the provision.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at children's assessment records, planning documentation, evidence of suitability of practitioners working within the setting and a range of other documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspection also took account of information included in the provider's self- evaluation form and parents' comments.

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Information about the setting

Kinderbear Nursery Limited was registered in 2002 on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. It is situated in a busy residential area of the town of Padiham in Lancashire and is privately owned. The nursery serves the local area and the wider surrounding areas and is accessible to all children. It operates from nine rooms in a converted former Methodist Chapel and there are two fully enclosed areas available for outdoor play. The main nursery is situated on the ground floor with the under two unit occupying the first floor. This is accessed via a ramp.

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Information about the setting

The nursery employs 26 members of childcare staff, including the manager, all, except one, hold appropriate early years qualifications at level 3 or above. The nursery opens for 51 weeks of the year, Monday to Friday. The nursery is open from 7.30am until 6pm. Children attend for a variety of sessions. There are currently 116 children attending, 100 who are within the early years age group. The nursery provides funded early education for two- three- and four-year-old children and takes and collects children under eight years from local schools.

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

 provide opportunities for babies to use all of their senses and be involved in varied physical experiences, both indoors and outside, in order to enhance their physical development

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

 make family books using small photograph albums with photographs of family members, significant people in a child's life and familiar everyday objects, in order for young children to experience a wider range of print to engage their interest.

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who attend

Practitioners have a good understanding of how children learn and plan enjoyable and varied activities, which capture children's interest and engage them. They know their key children well and records of learning show purposeful and precise assessments of what children know and can do. Starting points for children's learning are established in conjunction with parents, who complete the 'Before I attend nursery I can already do the following things...' document. Observations are linked to each area of learning and tracking documents monitor children's progress closely. Children's individual next steps for learning and their interests are reflected on the 'planning and enhancements' board, which parents can contribute to and use to support learning at home. Children are working comfortably within the typical range of development expected for their age and any gaps in their learning are highlighted. Parents are actively encouraged to add comments to their

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who attend

child's record of learning, which is sent home regularly. The environment is extremely welcoming and visually stimulating and enhances children's learning. For example, babies explore different sensory materials as part of a black and white display and areas of continuous provision on the ground floor, such as construction, are created with posters and enhanced with wall displays.

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who attend

Practitioners balance their interaction carefully. This ensures that children's play is not overly adult-directed and enables them to develop positive dispositions, which help them to prepare for school. They explore on their own and learn skills through self-initiated play, developing confidence, while practitioners use opportune moments to extend and support learning and help children to persevere. For example, as babies crawl around and explore a variety of resources, practitioners demonstrate how things work, such as cause and effect toys. They enthusiastically encourage them to press buttons, which results in flashing lights and musical sounds. Babies clearly delight in the sensory experience and practise their developing hand and eye coordination as they attempt to copy the actions. Toddlers enjoy engaging in imaginative play based on first-hand experiences. For example, they cuddle the doll and place it in a slouch chair to sleep, gently rocking it.

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who attend

Practitioners enthusiastically sing action songs, which enhances toddler's enjoyment as they eagerly join in, developing skills, such as jumping.

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who attend

Children's language development is supported well by practitioners, who ask open-ended questions, introduce more complex vocabulary and enable children to express their own ideas and thoughts. For example, as children excitedly partake in planting cress seeds, they are encouraged to think about what they need to grow. They also talk about change and evaporation as they observe what happens to the cotton wool balls when water is added. Practitioners, who work with the children under two years, enthusiastically talk to them about what is happening during care routines and as they play. Babies observe practitioners intently, babbling in response to the warm interaction and toddlers string words together to form simple sentences. The extensive use of labelling, signs and posters, effectively supports children's early literacy skills. Toddlers clearly enjoy sharing story books with adults. However, there is scope to provide other forms of print, which

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who attend

they are clearly interested in, such as photographs in records of learning.

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who attend

Children over two years readily express their creativity and imagination. For example, they enjoy dressing-up, even asking the visitor if they can put on their boots and enjoy involving adults in their role play. As they engage in activities in the exciting tactile room, they express amusing narrative as they play in the role play ice-cream shop, using dough to make associated items and create different models as they play in the large sand pit. Practitioners spontaneous use of mathematical language, resources and planned activities, such as learning about time and 2D shapes, effectively supports children's early mathematical skills. Practitioners talk about shapes as children build sandcastles, count the blocks as toddlers build a small tower and connect different pieces of train track together. Children have very good opportunities to operate more complex technology, such as the interactive white board and computers.

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

Care plans enable parents to effectively share what they know about their children to support the settling-in process. Consequently, practitioners can build a picture of each child's family background and develop an in-depth knowledge of each child's individual needs, including their home routines, likes, dislikes and interests. Parents are offered a number of free settling-in visits and the process is unique to each child's individual needs. Children are allocated a primary key person, along with a second key person to ensure their continued sense of security in the absence of their primary carer. Each key person, wherever possible, is responsible for meeting their key child's care needs during mealtimes, nappy changing and nap times. This enhances babies and young children's sense of security and the attachment process. Children are encouraged to bring in items from home, which are special to them, to help them feel secure. Effective transitions

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

between rooms and when children go to school ensures their continued sense of security. For example, care plans are updated and records of learning are shared.

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

A key aspect of promoting children's all round good health is the provision of nutritional, freshly prepared meals and snacks. This is reflected in the nursery receiving the 'Recipe 4 Health' award in recognition of their menus, food sourcing and standards of hygiene. Mealtimes are effectively organised to ensure that they are cosy, relaxed and sociable occasions. All age groups are encouraged to manage developmentally appropriate self- care tasks, in order to develop good levels of independence. For example, babies are given their own spoon to support their developing hand and eye coordination, while their key person is on-hand to help feed them. Children over two years show great hand and eye coordination as they skilfully coordinate their cutlery.

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

Children behave well and are kind and considerate to one another. This is as a result of positive role-modelling by practitioners and positive strategies, such as the use of positive reinforcements and in the case of younger children, distraction. Young children are effectively supported through certain age-appropriate stages of unwanted behaviour, such as biting, through enhanced supervision and monitoring and partnership working with parents. Children's achievements are also celebrated with certificates, which further promotes their self-esteem and confidence. Children are very sociable and link up with adults and their peers during many activities. They readily take turns and share equipment, for example, during planting activities and engage in cooperative play as they create a complex construction model or make sandcastles together outdoors. A wide array of positive images of diversity are depicted in the nursery, for example, through displays,

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

dual language signs and photographs, posters and toys. Consequently, children develop an early awareness of the similarities and differences between themselves and others. In addition, children's awareness of cultural diversity is enhanced with French lessons, delivered by an external French teacher twice a week.

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

Effective hygiene routines are implemented with the children over two years, in order to fully promote their all-round good physical health and help learn about healthy practices. For example, they readily wash their hands before eating, reinforced through posters and picture routines in the bathroom and know that this is 'to get off germs'. Children over one year of age have regular access to fresh air and exercise in the ground floor garden. They access a variety of equipment, which supports their all-round development, such as, a water station, wheeled toys and large foam dominoes. Children under one year confidently demonstrate their developing physical skills, such as crawling around and pulling themselves to standing. Good use is made of the under two's own outdoor area on the first floor during the warmer seasons. However, there is scope to provide more outdoor play opportunities for those not yet able to walk, at other times of the year, in order to

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

fully promote their physical development. Children over two years learn about the importance of exercise during dance activities and the effect this has on their bodies. This is reinforced by interesting topics, such as 'Our Body', reflected in the wall display on which a large skeleton dangles alongside posters and children's skeletal artwork. Children develop a good awareness of risk and how to keep themselves safe, for example, through visitors to the nursery, such as the police.

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provision

There is a strong leadership and management of the nursery, which reflects in enthusiastic and motivated practitioners, whose value is recognised through monthly individual reward incentive schemes. The provider has an overall very good understanding of the safeguarding and welfare and the learning and development requirements. The organisation and implementation of these is strengthened by clearly designated tiers of management. This includes practitioners, who have management or senior roles within the children's rooms, the manager, who is supernumerary and the provider, who has a childcare qualification and is present each day. Newly introduced monitoring of the educational programmes as a whole, means that gaps in particular groups of children's learning, such as boys, can be identified and planned for. This demonstrates a strong commitment to meeting the needs of all children.

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provision

The recruitment and vetting of practitioners is robust in ensuring that children are protected and cared for by adults, who are well qualified, with stringent policies in place to ensure their continued suitability. This includes confidentiality, the use of social media websites, disclosure of new cautions or convictions and the use of drugs or alcohol. New employees are subject to a thorough induction, including the allocation of a mentor, in order for them to be monitored, coached and supported. This means that children's care and education is benefitted by practitioners, who understand the policies and procedures and are clear about their roles and responsibilities. Practitioners receive up-to-date child protection training, which ensures that they can respond promptly to any concerns of this nature to keep children safe. Adult to child ratios are appropriately met and staff are deployed effectively to meet children's individual needs and ensure that they are

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provision

supervised closely, which ensures their welfare. Hazards are identified and minimised well through the use of a good range of safety equipment and the nursery, both indoors and outside, is secure, with access being monitored effectively. Records required to promote the efficient and safe management of the nursery, for example, accident and incident documentation, are maintained in detailed and shared with parents. The provider is currently working towards gaining their local authority Quality Award as part of their robust self-evaluation. All practitioners are effectively involved in reviewing what they do well and identifying areas for future development, in order to raise quality, for example, through team meetings, reviews and peer and management observations. There is effective performance management in which the professional development of practitioners is well supported, in order to improve their care and education of the

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provision

children. For example, yearly appraisals review their performance and identify key targets for the future that will help them to improve their knowledge, understanding and practice. Effective use is made of external and in-house training as part of the continual process of enhancing the provision. For example, alongside having childcare qualifications, certain practitioners undertake National Vocational Qualifications in customer care and management. Parents' views are valued as part of the evaluation process and they are extremely complimentary about the nursery and care of their children. For example, they complete questionnaires and witness statements to contribute to the Quality Award and on being informed of the inspection, they add positive comments to the nursery website.

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provision

Practitioners establish very positive relationships with parents, in order to build trust and ensure coherence in children's care and education. Parents are provided with good quality information about the nursery before their child attends. For example, they receive a nursery welcome pack and observe a wide array of displayed information, including photographs of the practitioner team and annotated photographs evidencing how activities link to the areas of learning and development bands. Ongoing communication is effectively exchanged, for example, through daily discussions, daily care routine forms, the parents' message board and a secure nursery social media website. In addition, parents' evenings provide a more formal forum for discussing children's progress and parents are encouraged to contribute items, such as fruit, for the 'sharing day'. There are very effective arrangements in place for linking with other professionals if required where

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provision

children have special educational needs and/or disabilities, in order to ensure inclusion. Where children attend other settings, practitioners exchange development information, for instance, in order for all those involved in a child's life to work closely together to help them to make optimum progress.

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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 EY220777 Local authority Lancashire Inspection number 916737

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Type of provision

Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 80 Number of children on roll 116 Name of provider Kinderbear Nursery Limited Date of previous inspection 07/09/2011 Telephone number 01282 777277

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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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