Sandfield Day Nursery

Sandfield Day Nursery Sandfield Road, Headington, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX3 7RH

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Inspection date

Previous inspection date 06/06/2013 21/09/2010

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

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This provision is good

 Children thrive in this welcoming and friendly environment where they develop strong relationships with their key person and other staff.  There is an extensive range of high-quality resources for all age groups, both indoors and outside. This highly stimulating learning environment encourages all children to become curious and inquisitive.  There is a well-established system in place to track children's individual progress and to plan further activities to suit their particular needs. As a result, all children are making good progress in their learning and development.  Staff take very good account of children's interests when planning activities. This successful process ensures that children are interested and engaged in their learning.

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It is not yet outstanding because

 The staff team is not always consistent in making the best use of opportunities to reinforce and extend children's learning through the highest quality interactions.  Strategies to encourage parents to extend their children's learning at home are helpful but do not fully engage all families.

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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 across all age groups, both indoors and outside.  The inspector completed a joint observation with the manager of a planned activity.  The inspector held meetings with the management team.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked planning documentation, children's development records, evidence of staff suitability and the nursery's self-evaluation form.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents spoken to on the day and from the nursery's parent questionnaires.

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Information about the setting

Sandfield Day Nursery registered in 1993. It is owned by Child Base Limited, a national chain of 47 nurseries. The nursery is located in the grounds of the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. Employees of the Oxford Radcliffe Hospital Trust have priority for places, with further places offered to the general public. The nursery operates from a purpose-built unit on two levels with access to enclosed outdoor play areas. It opens on weekdays all year from 7am until 6.30pm. The nursery is registered on the Early Years Register and is caring for 165 children in the early years age range. It is registered on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register although currently has no older children on roll. The nursery supports children learning English as an additional language. The nursery employs 37 members of staff to work directly with the children. Of these, 21 have qualifications at level 3 and five have qualifications at level 2. In addition, two staff

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Information about the setting

are working towards further qualifications. The nursery is in receipt of funding for the provision of free early education for children ages three and four years.

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

 reinforce and challenge children's learning further by ensuring staff's interactions are of consistently high quality

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

 extend strategies to fully engage parents in their children's learning at home by providing further ideas for activities and individual support.

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who attend

The learning environment for all age groups, both indoors and outside is highly stimulating. Children have easy access to an exceptional range of enticing and high-quality resources covering all areas of learning. Babies enjoy the sensory experience of using glue to create their own artwork and show pride in their achievements. Staff have successfully developed a designated physical play area in response to babies' increasing interest in becoming mobile. Babies are confident in exploring their environment. They receive good support from staff and are developing their physical skills quickly. Toddlers show high levels of concentration as they plant beans in compost. They receive high-quality support from staff who build their vocabulary effectively and promote their curiosity well. They engage keenly in singing activities, listening intently and sometimes joining in with actions, demonstrating their increasing communication skills. Two-year-old children show a positive

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who attend

approach to learning, exploring resources with high levels of curiosity. Staff take very good account of their interests when planning activities. They arrange to make milkshakes or to explore big and little animals in response to children's previous play. Staff use good quality interactions overall, but do not always make the best use of opportunities to extend children's learning further.

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who attend

Pre-school children show high levels of motivation in their learning as they engage well in activities. They listen carefully to a 'show and tell' session as they learn about diverse topics, such as sun safety, Wimbledon and princes. They become confident in using technology, such as operating a simple programme on a computer or using an interactive whiteboard with support from staff. There is a strong focus on acquiring early reading, writing and mathematical skills. Children develop a good understanding of letters and sounds and of number recognition. Staff support children's learning effectively overall. However, they sometimes over-direct children's learning. As a result, staff do not always respond effectively to opportunities for children to solve problems for themselves or to express their ideas.

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who attend

There is a well-established system in place to track children's individual progress and plan further activities to suit their particular needs. Staff take good account of children's starting points. They gather clear information from parents and make careful observations when children first start in the nursery. They assess children's progress routinely, making good use of published guidance to check that children are on track for their ages. They are proactive in encouraging parents to contribute their observations of children's learning at home in order to develop a bigger picture of their development. Staff make effective use of two-year-old progress checks to highlight any areas where children need further support. Children learning English as an additional language receive high-quality support from the nursery. Staff learn keywords in children's home languages and clearly display these words around the nursery to support communication effectively. As a result of these

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who attend

strategies, all children are making good progress and staff prepare them well for their next stages of learning.

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who attend

The nursery has strong partnerships in place with parents. Staff keep parents well informed of their children's progress by sharing development records routinely and through daily discussions. A wealth of information around the nursery, such as a display in the foyer regarding sun safety, supports parents well in caring for their children. Staff take positive steps to engage parents in their children's learning, such as providing 'stay and play' sessions and parent workshops. However, some parents state that they do not always receive enough guidance to help them extend their children's learning at home.

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

All children, including babies, form secure attachments with their key person and other staff. Parents comment favourably on the successful strategies that the nursery uses when children transfer from one key person to the next. Room visits and meetings between key persons are effective in promoting high levels of consistency for children. As a result, the vast majority of children show that they feel settled and secure. For children who find it more difficult to settle, staff are quickly on hand to provide reassurance and comfort.

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

Children demonstrate good social skills and high levels of behaviour. They play well alongside each other and together. Older children show confidence in playing cooperatively with others, such as extending play ideas in a group and initiating discussions. Staff support children effectively to share resources and to take turns, which has a positive impact on behaviour. Children develop good skills for independence as they help to prepare tables for lunch and to serve their food.

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

Children learn effectively about the importance of healthy lifestyles. As younger children make milkshakes, they talk about the importance of hand washing and learn about where food comes from. Older children understand that wearing sun cream and a sun hat is important in hot weather to prevent the skin from burning. The nursery chef further supports children's understanding of good health by helping staff with stimulating activities, such as fruit tasting. Frequent access to the very well resourced outdoor areas enables all children to enjoy physical exercise on a regular basis.

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

Children learn to play safely and to develop an awareness of risk, with good support from staff overall. Staff remind children how to use knives carefully when cutting up fruit and to use resources carefully as they play so that they do not hurt others. Planned topics and activities further support children's understanding of risk, such as learning about road safety. Children make their own road signs and use these in the outdoor area when they are riding on bikes. Staff tell children when to stop and go but there is a lack of focus on encouraging children to make their own decisions or to explain their thinking.

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provision

The staff and management teams demonstrate a clear understanding of their responsibilities to meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. There is a high regard to safeguarding procedures with annual training for staff as well as regular discussions in staff meetings. Recruitment and induction procedures are robust in order to assess staff suitability carefully and to provide high-quality support for new members. The nursery deploys staff well and maintains a high ratio of staff to children to provide very good supervision levels. Security procedures are excellent to prevent unauthorised access to the nursery. The building is safe both indoors and outside. On one occasion, the nursery did not inform parents of a minor accident occurring on the premises. The management team took effective action to rectify the situation and to remind staff of related policies and procedures. Staff currently demonstrate a good understanding of

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provision

accident procedures. A high number of staff hold first aid qualifications in order to provide effective care when necessary. The management team monitors accidents and reviews risk assessments regularly to help reduce any hazards.

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provision

The nursery has effective procedures in place to monitor the quality of the educational programmes and the assessment of children's progress. Ongoing action plans are in place to pursue excellent practice, covering areas such as children's experiences, personal care and inclusion. The management team monitors children's development records carefully to support their progress and identify any areas of concern. The nursery provides many opportunities for further training for the staff team in order to enhance their ongoing professional development. There is a high regard to incorporating the views of staff, parents and children within self-evaluation procedures. Staff routinely and effectively evaluate practice within their rooms and encourage children to contribute their ideas for further activities. Parent surveys demonstrate a positive response. Parents' comments on the day of the inspection demonstrate that they are very happy with the nursery overall.

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provision

They state that staff are very friendly, that the nursery environment is very stimulating and that their children are progressing well.

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provision

The nursery is proactive in making links with other settings that children attend or to which they will transfer. Staff provide written information about children's progress and interests and, where necessary, talk to other professionals by phone. These procedures are effective in promoting consistency for children between settings.

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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 134033 Local authority Oxfordshire Inspection number 909052 Type of provision Full-time provision Registration category Childcare - Non-Domestic Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 113 Number of children on roll 165 Name of provider Childbase Partnership Limited Date of previous inspection 21/09/2010 Telephone number 01865 744200

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Setting details

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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